Chapter 627: Chapter 626 – So Much Work, So Little Time.

Well, I'll be gone for 2 weeks, Merry Christmas 👋

“Here, take it.”

“What’s this?”

“Homework.”

Roland handed Bernir a thick notebook. The trial was over and he had failed, but the real challenge was only beginning.

“I… I’m not sure what I’m looking at here, Boss.”

“I tried to make it easier. These are simplified theories about souls, spirits, and the power they use. It will be better if you study this before you return and attempt the trial again.”

Bernir flipped through the notebook, and his eyes already looked tired. He was not much of a researcher but a craftsman at heart. He preferred shaping metal with a hammer to reading complex theories. Roland had spent a few hours organizing what he had observed during the trial and writing notes that could help Bernir, but it was still up to him to absorb the knowledge.

The mana phantom research was at the heart of the notes, as it was what led Bernir to unlock his new class. Roland’s theory was straightforward. The mana phantom represented the soul, and through the use of the prosthesis, a connection between the two was established. This connection triggered the title’s activation and granted Bernir a special class, one that allowed him to forge using soul energy.

To pass this trial, Bernir would likely need to tap into this new form of energy. Roland could at least provide him with information on spiritualism and the research he had used to develop the prosthetics capable of connecting to the mana phantom. He also planned to look for skill books that might help Bernir attune to his own soul, though he had yet to confirm whether such books even existed. The only person he knew who understood souls well was that strange witch, but he had no intention of visiting her since doing so would put him in danger.

“I’m not complaining, but there are a lot of big words here…”

“You’ll figure it out. Just read it at home, see it as homework!”

“You sure come up with some strange phrases, boss.”

Bernir sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. The notebook weighed more than some of the lighter hammers in his forge. It was quite hefty, and to him, some of the diagrams looked like witchcraft.

“If you don’t understand something, I’ll try to explain it. You can also ask Sebastian about it. His explanations might lack some nuance, but it’s better than nothing.”

Roland smiled slightly as he watched Bernir scratch his beard. This was not Bernir’s strong suit, but he was good at reading and following instructions. He still did not seem fully decided on his new class. After taking the book, he glanced at Roland with more questions.

“Boss, do you think I can do it? Or should I just train my left side for now?”

“I’m not sure. It’s possible that the area you entered was only part of the test.”

Both of them had reviewed the footage, and with Bernir’s memories partially restored, they had a good idea of what it involved.

“Aye, making one greatsword feels like just the beginning of it.”

Bernir said, and Roland nodded.

“It might have been an area meant to help you get used to the new skills. Once you passed, you would probably need to make something more. Maybe a full suit of armor or several weapons.”

Bernir nodded while holding the notes tightly. The tier-three trials were usually much longer. Some could take weeks, months, or even years, as was the case with Roland. They could not be sure how long it would take, but with the help of memory restoration technology, passing it seemed possible. With Roland’s guidance and access to the Institute’s vast library of knowledge, it was within reach.

“I can’t make the decision for you. If you want, you can choose one of the easier variants and then try this one once you reach level two hundred and fifty, after we have done more research.”

Roland said, offering an alternative. Bernir could always postpone this class and attempt it later. Many people did that when they faced a difficult trial. It was generally considered easier to leave the more prestigious class for the second trial, something Roland often did in reverse.

“I see… aye, give me some time to decide, boss.”

“Take all the time you need, and remember, don’t worry about the resources. Money isn’t an issue.”

“But boss, how will I ever repay you?”

“What do you mean? What would I do without my number one assistant? If you really want to help, start reading. The faster you become a tier-three class holder, the better. There is so much work to be done and so little time.”

Roland’s eyes trembled slightly, and Bernir flinched. A wave of projects was heading their way, and they were already short-staffed. Lately, he had been wondering if it was time to expand. They relied heavily on the dwarven craftsmen, but it was always better to train a few promising artisans themselves. Once Bernir reached tier three, he would be considered a master and could properly take apprentices under his wing.

Roland could do the same, but with his relentless schedule, finding time for a proper protégé was difficult. Still, he knew he might eventually have to. Relying entirely on the union for most of the heavy work was not ideal. Another path was automation, which was becoming more feasible as his research progressed, although even automated factories required supervisors.

“My own team of blacksmith apprentices…”

Once Roland mentioned the idea, Bernir drifted off, lost in thought. He was likely imagining his own team of assistants and a smithy entirely under his control. Even now, Roland was the one who made all the important decisions. When Bernir had turned the old shed into his personal corner of the workshop, it had still technically belonged to Roland. The only other smithy he had access to was the one owned by his wife. He didn’t truly have a place he could call his own, but if he became a tier-three master, that dream might finally come within reach.

“Stop daydreaming and focus on passing the trial first, Bernir.”

“Aye… I’ll get back to work then, but what about you, boss?”

“Me?”

Roland paused and tried to organize his thoughts. Among their ongoing projects, the most immediate was the railway connection to the neighboring city under Robert’s protection. Theodore was doing everything he could to cut them off from the western routes, leaving Albrook as their only reliable trade partner. Apparently, any merchants who dared to enter Aldbourne were being banned from setting foot in Theodore’s territory if discovered.

If it was assembled correctly, they would be able to supply their second city with ease and would not need to worry about random monster or bandit attacks. It was very likely that Theodore was not above hiring mercenaries to disrupt their trade routes and rob them blind.

There was also another possible solution that involved creating vehicles similar to the armored one he had used to travel through the underground. These were comparable to modern cars but powered by mana instead. However, their use presented several problems, one of the biggest being their extremely high fuel requirement, which exceeded the cost of modern vehicles by more than ten times.

To solve this issue, they would need to build charging stations in each city and either connect mana power cables from their geothermal electric plant or install wind generators. Unless the cost of fuel decreased, even wealthy merchants would refuse to purchase such vehicles. It was a potential project for the future, but it would likely take many years to realize, and they would first need to establish the necessary framework to support it.

“I’ll probably head out into the dungeon for a few days. Not sure when I’ll be back. There should still be some time before Arthur’s brother arrives to see Agni, but I’ll need to return once that happens.”

“Aye, well, I won’t take up your time then. See you around, boss.”

“Yes, enjoy your homework.”

Roland nodded and parted with Bernir. He returned to the main display screens in his workshop and called out to Sebastian.

“Bring up the schematics from the backlog folder.”

A moment later, several schematics appeared before him. Some looked like variations of the spider golem, much larger than the ones he used in his workshop. These were designs and plans for various creations, most of them abandoned due to lack of time or funding. He had hoped to begin manufacturing some of them, but with his current schedule, that was no longer possible.

“I suppose these will have to wait for now. I’d really like to do that one.”

He looked at the large schematic on the screen. It filled several panels and depicted a massive vessel, one that did not sail the seas but the skies. The design was magnificent, almost unbelievable in its scale. Layered decks reinforced with runic plates surrounded a powerful engine that could outperform ordinary flying vessels.

It was far larger than the standard airships and would make the ones used by the church look like relics. He had gone all in when designing the frame and calculating the necessary parameters. It resembled a flying fortress made of metal, though it still lacked a proper name.

“It would probably be better to build a smaller version first and train some people to manage it before going full throttle.”

With that in mind, he closed the schematics and turned his attention to one of the current projects, a train. He knew the union dwarves would love this idea since they were passionate about building magical trains. With their help, he hoped to have a prototype running within a month and to lay the rails and power lines through the tunnel.

“We can use golems for the railway system. It should not take that long. I’m glad we managed to get this thing running at all.”

Roland looked at the display screens. The graphical interface was simple, but it resembled some of the old operating systems from his world. One icon showed a dwarven craftsman, and when he clicked it, a direct line connected to his associate at the union.

“Sebastian, transfer the updated schematics to Master Brylvia and tell her we will move forward with the project in a week’s time.”

Through his AI helper, he could transfer large files and have them printed inside the union building. This saved him the trouble of speaking directly with the grumpy dwarven craftsmen who always found something to complain about. Using this method, he could avoid unnecessary conversations and exchange ideas through the runic operating system being implemented in the city. It was the same system he had introduced to Halbrecht, and if everything went as planned and he convinced the nobles, the runic network would spread across the entire island and provide him with all the data he needed.

Once that was settled, he brought up the layout of his own home. It was divided into three main sections. The first was his old workshop, the land where he had started out. To the east were the dorms where the young children stayed, which Elodia planned to expand and connect to the school system. To the south was Rastix and his laboratory, which he intended to move even farther away to avoid the risk of an explosion destroying everything.

This left the northern side as the best area for the next expansion. One of the things he still lacked as a tier-three class holder who used golems was a set of tier-three golems made from metal as strong as mithril. To create larger golems and perhaps a factory for their parts, he planned to build further in that direction.

“Good, let’s go stretch my legs then.”

With many processes now running through Sebastian, he was ready to return to the dungeon where he had left off. The last time he was there, he managed to gain several levels with relative ease, and now he needed to do the same again. He still needed more than forty levels to reach the next threshold, and since the monsters there reached well over level three hundred, it seemed possible.

‘I need to find a good grinding spot first, but also…’

The face of the craftsman he had rescued from the dungeon appeared in his mind. The man had been questioned and held in Albrook for a few days before being released. The maids had taken him to another city and released him there as if that was the city of their origin. No one would know that he was taken to Albrook first, even if they asked.

There, he received some money to help him return to his home city, Isgard. One of their people was assigned to protect him until he reached Isgard safely. Roland was still uneasy about the power dynamics within the adventurers' guild and wondered how they would react once the man reported the attempted murder.

“With some luck, the whole matter will resolve itself.”

Although Roland was an influential figure in this region, in the world of adventuring he was only a large fish in an endless ocean. There were many tier-three class holders in the kingdom, and even some who were far stronger. He preferred not to involve himself with such potential threats. It was better to leave this issue to the Isgard Adventurers Guild while he quietly gained more levels and grew stronger. He had already acquired a valuable skill upon reaching level fifty, and he hoped to obtain many more.

With everything settled in his mind for the moment, he walked toward his armory. From there, he retrieved his suits of armor. The workshop doors opened with a hiss as he stepped out, now wearing his Rune Salamander armor. It had been restored to working order, although the one he had used during the last incident needed to be rebuilt entirely. Yet that was not all he carried. In his hands, he held something else, something not meant for a human.

“I’m sure he’ll be happy.”

Roland moved toward the elevator and soon found himself outside. The air was fresh, and for now, he kept his helmet off. He looked around for a certain rowdy companion, knowing he had something special prepared for him.

“Agni, where are you? Come here!”

He called out, and in an instant, he heard something large moving.

“Awooo!”

As before, Agni charged forward, his horse-sized body rushing ahead with the speed of a ballista bolt.

“Stay!”

Roland stretched out his hand in an attempt to stop the wolf from tackling him, but it was useless. Agni slammed into him at full force, sending him sliding backward before Roland managed to push him off with some effort.

“Stop it, Agni! If you don’t behave right now, I won’t take you with me to the dungeon.”

“Worf!?”

The moment Roland said this, Agni froze. Then he rolled onto his back, showing his belly in a submissive gesture. If he were smaller, it might have looked cute, but his size made the display somewhat intimidating.

“Who taught you that? Never mind. Just stay still while I put on this harness and helmet. Don’t take them off. They will protect you from the neurotoxins and also enhance your magic power. Now, change into your ruby form first.”

“Woof!”

Agni got up from the ground and followed the order. The sunlight wolf form shifted and soon rubies burst from his fur. Within moments, he was in his slightly larger form, and Roland could slide the wolf armor onto his companion. The dungeon held many dangers, and with the armor on, Agni would at least be protected from any poisonous air he might breathe in.

“Remember, don’t chase any monsters unless I tell you to. Even if you see something interesting, wait for me to check it first, okay?”

“Awoo!”

Roland wasn’t sure if Agni understood the instruction, but he had already decided to take him along. Agni’s level hadn’t improved much recently, so it was time to help him catch up. The plant-based lesser dragons would make perfect opponents.

“Good. How does it feel? Can you move around?”

The armor was a tight fit, but it didn’t stop Agni from taking a few steps forward. The plates shimmered faintly as fire amplification runes glowed across them. After watching Agni jump and trot around for a few minutes, Roland nodded.

“Good, it looks like it fits you well.”

“Rrrr!”

Agni barked proudly, lifting his head high as his ruby fur glowed under the light.

“Let’s go then, and try not to cause any trouble.”

The two soon departed, heading toward their next destination, the dungeon infested with lesser dragons.

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