Chapter 376: Money Making Time.

Chapter 376: Money Making Time.

"Congratulations, Boss. It was a long time coming, I was starting to feel bad for the missus."

"I suppose it was. I can't quite explain why I delayed it for so long..."

"Hehe... but, um..."

"Hm? Is something on your mind? You do appear a bit pale. Are you sure you're getting enough sleep?"

"I'm okay, I do get sufficient sleep... It's just that my wife now wants one too..."

"Wants one?"

Merely a day had elapsed since Roland presented the ring to Elodia, and here he was, back to diligent work. This world had a similar engagement system before marriage. Only after going through a ceremony performed by a priest would it be regarded as complete. Bernir had followed this tradition with Dyana, holding a small ceremony at a nearby church, and Roland had even attended as a witness. Now, it seemed it was his turn to step into the spotlight.

He didn't personally witness the culmination of the criminals' sentences. As per tradition, their severed heads would be exhibited in the city. While somewhat barbaric, it was a measure favored by nobles to deter acts of violence. Thieves sometimes faced the amputation of digits for stealing, or injuries inflicted upon their tendons to impair their ability to flee. The world was still a cruel place, yet after addressing the recent challenges, it seemed a bit less bleak.

“Yes that shiny thing.”

“The engagement ring?”

“Yes, that thing! It’s the only thing she's been blabbering about! The missus has been showing it of around the whole city since she got it.”

“Oh, has she?”

Roland found himself somewhat taken aback upon learning that Elodia, who typically exuded order and restraint, had made such a decision. It was likely there were nuances to the situation that Bernir hadn't fully disclosed, yet Roland didn't dwell on it too much. Given his influential reputation and the recent high-profile execution, it was improbable that anyone would dare attempt to pilfer the ring from his fiancée's possession.

“So, did your wife want one too?”

“Of course she did! Now I have to make one... so uh...”

“I’m not giving you a raise, maybe if you didn’t spend so much on wine you’d have some saved up.”Bernir's expression contorted with disappointment, his midsection wobbling a touch as he did so. Since finding prosperity at the smithy, the half-dwarf had developed a taste for indulging in alcohol. His active routine at the smithy helped counteract most of the caloric excesses but it couldn’t handle it all. Despite his robustly muscular arms and legs, a sizeable paunch was amassing in the region of his belly. A testament to his fondness for drink, this rotund bulge seemed to expand in proportion to his drinking.

“Engagement rings are usually used by nobility or rich merchants... isn’t it already a bit late, you already have a child and all?”

“That’s what I said! But then she just gave me that look...”

His assistant appeared visibly disheartened, possibly due to his wife feeling excluded. It seemed her close friends had received something she hadn't. Both Dyana and Elidia lacked an extensive friend circle. Their lives were often consumed by work, carried seamlessly from one task to the next. Elodia shouldered the responsibility of overseeing the orphanage, while Dyana managed her independent smithy within the city. Her smithy's operations remained separate from his magic shop, allowing her to retain the entirety of her earnings from sales.

“How about we do this... There are probably some precious metals that we didn’t really use. You don’t need that much for a ring, just make one yourself and I’ll help you with the enchantment and the gem?”

“You would do that boss?”

“Sure, if it just gets you to start working normally.”

Roland couldn't help but notice how much his assistant had grown since joining him. No longer did the judgmental glances bother him; instead, he stared right back, unafraid. In truth, Bernir's skills surpassed those of the tier 2 workers at the smithy. With a crafting level well over a hundred and having already achieved his second tier 2 crafting class, he was well on his way to becoming a tier 3 master blacksmith. It would take most of the workers here twice as long to reach that level of expertise. There was nothing these individuals could say or do to bring down this half-dwarf, for he had already achieved something that most could only dream of.

“I know that you feel enthusiastic but try not to make more enemies.”

“Oops, sorry about that boss.”

“It’s fine, now come. Master Brylvia should be somewhere in the back.”

When going around these parts it was better to keep everything professional. If the dwarves heard him talking to their leader in a casual tone, it could spoil their relationship. After acting like a Knight Commander for a few long weeks he was already getting a knack when speaking formally. Soon both of them made their way through the stuffy room and arrived at the union’s testing facility.

"The associate o' Master Brylvia's arrived, open up the gate lads!"

They reached a colossal gate situated at the far end of this immense smithy. On either side, they could sense the intense heat emanating from enormous cauldrons brimming with molten metal. Beyond this gate lay the enchanting section, where skilled runesmiths and enchantsmiths resided. Since the new mistress had taken over, this area had become the primary source of income and investments. High-level adventurers demanded the best of magical equipment and here it would be assembled.

“Well, well, ye've finally brought yer arse here, Master Wayland."

“Good day, Master Brylvia.”

"Wha's that there? Don’t reckon I've laid eyes on him afore."

“This is my personal assistant, Berninr.”

“Assistant?”

Although Bernir had displayed a hint of arrogance when interacting with his fellow tier 2 craftsmen, the atmosphere here was somewhat distinct. He stood before a revered Master Runesmith, someone who was on par with Roland, if not even superior in the eyes of the dwarves. The others were also skilled tier 2 Runesmiths with extensive training behind them. It was only natural for Bernir to feel a bit more hesitant this time. The only issue was that they soon discovered he did not belong to the same magical domain as the rest, making his presence in this chamber meant for enchanting highly unusual.

“Yes, is there a problem? He has been assisting me for years, I trust him more than any of your people.”

“Nay, it’s all good. Every craftsman worth a damn has at least yin assistant like dat!”

The dwarven woman let out a chuckle as she spun around, playfully smacking the ear of a regular Runesmith who had been gawking at Bernir. As the group began to move, Roland took the opportunity to observe their surroundings. In contrast to his own secretive underground cave, this place appeared more organized. It became evident that things were different here, as the magical craftsmen did not personally craft the base items at all. Instead, their assistants would bring them high or highest-rated items to be enchanted with runes.

"Eh, quit yer starin' at everythin'."

“I’m not staring...”

Roland, accustomed to donning his bulky armor and helmet that obscured his face, found himself exposed and free to gaze at everything around him. His eyes couldn't help but be drawn to the peculiar tools being utilized in the enchanting process. Some of the hammers were connected to unfamiliar cylinders adorned with intricate runes. Upon closer examination, Roland discovered that these were mana canisters, enabling the smiths to compensate for their limited mana capacity. Unlike him with his enhanced stats, regular Runesmiths and Enchantsmiths couldn't sustain the same level of productivity at their current skill level.

Further ahead, Roland stumbled upon a distinct section dedicated to intricate runic engravings on smaller objects. Skilled artisans meticulously worked on delicate jewelry pieces like bracelets, rings, and pendants. He noticed that they wore ornate monocles, which were connected to peculiar glowing enchanted helmets. Roland deduced that these tools enhanced their vision and likely aided in focusing and channeling mana with greater precision. Such enhancements were unnecessary for him now, given his superior physique of an overlord.

Above them, Roland's gaze was drawn to a series of crucibles containing enigmatic liquids that differed from the usual scorching hot metals. These substances emitted a mesmerizing magical glow, leaving him curious about their purpose. Consulting the newfound knowledge he had acquired from reading dwarven literature, he speculated that these might be a variation of liquid mana stones. It seemed possible that these craftsmen had discovered a method to bypass the traditional smelting process altogether. Roland decided to further explore this intriguing prospect once he had established a stronger relationship with the craftsmen and gained their trust.

‘Brylvia promised to cooperate with me after we are done with this project, I need to ask about those liquids later.’

While walking into another room he continued to make mental notes about the technology he didn’t recognise. While his full armor wasn’t there anymore it didn’t mean that he wasn’t wearing something that could record everything. His ordinary work attire still bore intricate runes, and a complex runic structure adorned his chest plate. This enabled him to gather diverse mana patterns, which he planned to study further at a later time.

“Ah, so this be yer clever magical contraption, Aye? Ye'll need to break it down fer me, how is it gonna bring in more coin than our usual goods?”

Upon entering the testing facility, he observed the assistants unpacking the box and carefully handling the golem unit. However, it wasn't the sole item contained within; numerous orbs adorned with intricate runes and other objects were also present. Now, his task was to showcase the functionality of his creation and illustrate how it could lead them to wealth by utilizing the dungeon and the adventurers within.