“We accept your terms.”
“You do?”
“Yes? Were you expecting us to barter? You mistake the Golden Order for common merchants!”
“I see…”
With the acceptance of his terms, Roland felt a mixture of relief and cautious optimism. The contract would be drafted and signed, and he would reveal just enough information to satisfy the church's curiosity without endangering himself or Agni. Roland couldn't shake off the feeling that this alliance was a double-edged sword.
He was trading his knowledge to counter the cultist relics, providing the church with a means to combat them. Upon surrendering all schematics and information at his disposal, the church would likely integrate these runic devices into their main cities. Inevitably, others would acquire these artifacts and might attempt to trace their origin. Recognizing that powerful mages could pinpoint his location through various means, he braced himself for the possibility of another attack. His only source of reassurance was the hope that, by that time, the cult would have diminished to the point where seeking vengeance became an impossible endeavor.
“So let me ask again, the Solarian Church agree to my terms of moving one of their holy residences to this location?”
“Why are you so surprised Sir Roland?”
Loreena, along with Gideon, had presented Roland with the paperwork. Despite going back and forth a couple of times, he couldn't find much that was disadvantageous. However, after listening to Loreena's explanation, he realized that Albrook was not a bad location for a paladin training facility. Which probably aided him immensely in them considering it as an asset.
"The dungeon houses unholy skeletal beings; it is the perfect training ground for our order's cadets! We had been searching for a suitable area to settle down here, and the Goddess has clearly presented us with this chance."
"Yes, clearly..."
‘I guess these guys see Agni and what happened here as a sign from their god…’
There were a few coincidences that made it seem that some type of godly being decided to intervene. From their perspective, the appearance of the Sunlight Wolf was a sign that was confirmed by the runesmith who was able to counter the abyssal relics. It was better to lean into their belief with this one as it gave him more than he was expecting. The church would actually place a large number of its knights in the city and bring more powerful priests. There was not much more that he could ask for, with so many paladins around, this place would turn into quite the fortress.
“Can I ask about this clause, is this really necessary?”
“Indeed! The Sunlight Wolf is a sign of good fortune!”
“I see…”
There was something within the contract that Agni would probably not like but it was a small necessary evil that needed to be done. Soon the contract had been signed and he relinquished all of his knowledge concerning the matter with the cultists. He presented them with the schematic he took from the grand monolith in the village along with the restored version he had worked on. All of his knowledge regarding this matter was given to the church which could then employ their own runesmiths and rune mages to tackle the issue.
In addition to this information, he needed to provide them with a working prototype that could be utilized by others. Tackling this issue wasn't easy, but armed with all the data gathered from the recent encounter, he could attempt to create a device. He already understood how to generate the wake-up signal; the challenging part was aligning it with other people's unique mana fingerprints. It didn't need to be quick; it sufficed if it could record mana signatures on a larger scale.
He could already envision a large counter-relic that housed the mana signatures of all the city residents. The mana data would require secure storage and protection. It wouldn't be unreasonable to assume that, in the future, cultists might target these storage facilities before launching attacks on the city. Nonetheless, this was not a matter that overly concerned him. More portable wake-up devices could be distributed to key members to safeguard them from any potential effects. Perhaps some skilled mage could even develop a spell to complement his groundbreaking discovery.
The abyssal cultists were like a boogeyman haunting the kingdom - a shadowy group of unknown individuals conducting assassinations under the cover of night. Their ability to disable even powerful high-level tier 3 class holders was attributed to their enigmatic relics. If all went according to plan, these nightly killings would come to an end, striking a blow to one of their main sources of income, something Roland earnestly hoped for. Perhaps, once this threat was neutralized, the cult would fade into obscurity.
“I’ll be in your care then.”
“Thank you, Sir Roland. The Solarian Church is grateful for your cooperation.”
Loreena replied while smiling, her tone filled with genuine appreciation. To the side, Gideon chimed in with a more formal tone.
“Don’t forget to present us with a working runic prototype.”
“I will have it ready before your cadets arrive.”
“Hmph.”
Gideon grunted in acknowledgment, his stern expression revealing little emotion. As Roland completed part of the transaction, a sense of unease settled in. Things were progressing too hastily for his comfort, and certain lingering concerns troubled him. Among them was the conspicuous absence of any mention of his recently revealed class. It seemed as if the church representatives were indifferent to the 'Overlord' prefix. They treated him more like a regular runesmith and knight, leading Roland to wonder if they genuinely didn't care or if he had overestimated the significance of his class.
‘Do they don’t care or did their higher-ups tell them to ignore it? If they did, then why? Could it be because of Agni?’
He wasn't entirely sure about the significance of the Sunlight Wolf's existence. They seemed surprisingly generous in this matter, not delving too deeply into the details. Roland wondered if he had underestimated the size of the church or the extent of their interest in his knowledge. It might have been inconsequential for them to dispatch hundreds of paladins to his location. Perhaps he should have negotiated for more, but that ship had already sailed.
“How were you able to do this? Maybe I should ask you to give me some lessons in negotiating.”
“It just happened, I think the church was looking for a place to arrange their stronghold here and the undead monsters in the dungeons are just the things they like to hunt.”
“That’s a possibility.”
Roland completed his work at the church and proceeded to Arthur's estate. The contract had been established under his supervision, given his role as the acting noble in the area. While the church had the authority to conduct raids without the approval of certain nobles, the placement of their strongholds was subject to some restrictions. Nevertheless, the allure of religions, both in terms of interest and funds, meant that hardly anyone would decline their offers.
“This is wonderful! We should celebrate!”
“Should I bring out the extravagant wine, or would you rather have some tea instead?”
“I think some wine is in order, how about it my Knight Commander?”
“I think that I’ll have to pass, there is a lot of work left for me.”
As Roland reported the successful signing of the contract, he could see Arthur's eyes light up like gold coins. Arthur was well aware that soon the church would erect a cathedral within the city, and he wouldn't have to foot the bill. Taxes still applied to the church, and this was one of the reasons they favored selling their holy elixirs. A grander temple would attract more believers, encouraging donations for various reasons. Their presence promised to enhance the city's reputation and likely elevate Arthur's status even further. It wouldn't be surprising if soon his brothers had to start taking him more seriously; he was positioning himself in a way that couldn't be ignored.
‘Perhaps I’ll be able to push the Knight Commander's responsibilities on others sooner than I expected.’
While Gareth and Morien weren't quite at the level of threat yet, they were getting closer. The infusion of funds allowed the hiring of other tier 3 class holders. Even if a company of knights was sent by one of his brothers, they wouldn't be able to intimidate him with just one Knight Commander and a few hired mercenaries. The conflict appeared to be on the verge of shifting into more of a political debate, and his role as a deterrent could be reaching its end.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Take care then and remember, if you need anything just ask.”
“Thank you, I’ll keep that in mind, now excuse me.”
…
Arthur continued to smile for the time Roland remained in the room but let out a sigh the moment he left. His eyes were filled with concern for his ally who was clearly not in the best mood. He was aware of the impending challenges both of them faced.
“I guess I’ll need to keep my side of the bargain, Mary, bring me my quill!”
“We won’t be celebrating then?”
“How can I celebrate now? There is work to be done!”
“I see.”
Mary, the maid, couldn't help but smile and suppress her laughter as she noticed that her lord didn't want to lag behind his newfound friend. While she admired Arthur's work ethic, she felt he was occasionally overdoing it. It was a trait he seemed to have inherited from the seemingly tireless madman. She would sometimes find her lord passed out at his desk, a recent development that had become somewhat concerning.
“Please don’t overdo it, Lord Arthur, you are not a tier 3 class holder yet.”
“You make a good point… schedule in some night training!”
“I didn’t mean it like that…”
She let out a sigh but couldn't help but smile at the sight of her lord being so cheerful. It had been some time since both of them arrived at this place, a location she initially thought would be a dead end for both of them. Despite Arthur's cheerful demeanor, she could sense that inwardly, he was restless. This seemed to be fading into the past; his once-faked demeanor had genuinely changed. It was all thanks to one person that her lord could start dreaming again, and for that, she would always be grateful.
…
The threat of the cultists had passed, but life continued. The city buzzed with rumors about strange sightings at night and the sudden appearance of paladins. Fortunately, the attacks were highly concentrated within one region. With this knowledge contained, most people remained unaware, and their peaceful lives were unaffected. Withholding the information would keep any unrest contained and Roland’s focus could shift to other important matters.
“Now, try squeezing your hand.”
“Um… but I don’t really have anything to squeeze with boss…”
“Just try doing it, remember the feeling of your right hand and try…”
“Aye… sure … like this…”
“Good…”
Roland's eyes glowed as he observed the mana phantom around Bernir's stump. His theory of the phantom mana limb was just confirmed as he witnessed its movement. When Bernir attempted to move his missing hand, the mana phantom responded accordingly, reacting to the signals and instilling hope for the future.
“That’s enough, for now, you’ll have to use this, it’s probably better than nothing.”
“Oh, is this what I think it is?”
“Yes but don’t expect too much.”
After forcing a harness over Bernir’s right shoulder he was presented with a temporary replacement limb. It was no simple tool but an actual design used by the dwarves. Thanks to Brylvia he was able to order it from them at a reduced price. It wasn’t the first time that a blacksmith lost their hand and the dwarves had a solution.
“Oh, it’s a hammer arm!”
“Something like that, it’s possible to put other attachments onto it, like a saw or a claw that can grasp items.”
Bernir's eyes widened with a mix of surprise and gratitude as he examined the mechanical limb. The dwarven craftsmanship was evident in the intricate details, and he couldn't help but marvel at the possibilities it offered. While it could not replace his hand it would allow him to use it for holding smithing tools. It would take some time for his skills to be transferred but he could still continue to work as a blacksmith.
“Boss, this is amazing! I can still work at the forge with this!”
“It’s not a perfect solution but luckily your smithing skills should still transfer onto the hammer, just be careful not to break anything it will probably take a while before you learn how to use it…”
“Don’t worry boss, I’ll be careful.”
Roland desired to share in his friend's joy, but he understood that this replacement arm had its limitations. Brylvia had informed him that it would never truly be equivalent to a proper arm. Numerous other dwarven smiths who had employed similar tools struggled to regain the old proficiency that their real arms had provided them.
This was only a temporary solution, or at least that was what he hoped. It allowed Bernir to continue practicing his craft and keep himself occupied. His appeal to the church regarding arm restoration fell on deaf ears. It seemed the church could not spare any potent elixirs or any priests capable of such tasks. This was peculiar, especially considering they had agreed to all the other terms. Perhaps they were leaving themselves some flexibility for future negotiations. It wasn't uncommon to wait for a time that would make people more desperate before finalizing a deal.
He had to keep such a possibility in mind but there were other ways through which he could solve the problem by himself. There was one big problem, which was his lack of knowledge when it came to this issue. It was impossible for Bernir to learn mana manipulation to have more control over a fake limb. At most, he could put in simple controllers for voice activation or muscle tension. It would require more research which would probably also take a while.
“I’ve told the union about it, they agreed to provide you with their help.”
“Those old bastards? Hah, I remember the good old days when we were at each other's throats, I guess times change…”
For a moment Bernir lost himself in thoughts and his cheery demeanor changed. While he wasn’t obvious about it, the loss of the limb was not a simple matter. The loss of a limb wasn't just a physical setback; it carried a deep psychological toll. It would take a while for him to cope with everything but perhaps he wouldn’t have to do it for too long.
The two soon parted ways, and Roland headed to one of his more private chambers within his workshop. Inside, various parchments contained runic schematics and theories. His eyes landed on a new addition - a scroll on the desk that had been brought over the other day by a magical sparrow. It contained a broken rune component that, at this point, he could fix without fully needing his debugging skill.
“Our little deal has run its course. I don't think that I can learn more in this fashion. This isn't enough... “8
He had almost forgotten about this one contact from within the Kingdom. The cat with whom he had exchanged ideas hadn't reached out for a while. However, at this point in time, he was one of the few people who could actually aid him. What he needed was rune mage knowledge and not runesmithing techniques. He believed that the only way of deciphering the mana phantom was through magical studies that took place at the prestigious magical academies where his acquaintance worked.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if someone already did the research in the past and then probably abandoned it…”
In a way, creating something like a prosthetic limb that could follow the mana phantom could be seen as pointless, especially when considering rune magic. Roland could envision those mages being more interested in crafting intricate replacement limbs designed exclusively for mana users rather than something suitable for a commoner. However, it was also possible that no one had attempted it before, but that didn't mean he wouldn't find the missing piece that would help him create a prototype.
Everything depended on his capricious friend, with whom he only had a business relationship. This knowledge wasn't explicitly included in their deal, which meant he might need to trade something in return. If it was only gold, then it was fine, but he couldn't shake the fear that the cat might ask for more.
“Oh? Mr. Wayland, now this is a surprise, was there a problem with my inquiry?”
“There was not, Professor Arion, I just wanted to ask you about an issue I’m currently having…”
Roland found himself before his crystal ball, engaged in conversation with a magical cat who could potentially guide him in a direction to solve his current problem…
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