Chapter 74
After sending Iris off, I prepared to create the artifact.
The very first step in the process—
Was shaping the frame that would house the mana circuit within the artifact.
The frame.
Simply put, it was the body of the artifact.
A sword, an earring, or even armor.
These items needed to be crafted first before a mana circuit could be engraved onto them.
‘A ring would be best.’
What I had in mind was a ring.
It was one of the most practical forms of artifacts.
A mana circuit that would assist mental fortitude.
Since the circuit was of a fairly high grade, the materials used to craft the ring also had to be of equally high quality.
If I engraved the circuit onto a frame made of low-grade materials like copper, bronze, or iron, the circuit’s abilities would not function at full capacity.
Such inferior materials lacked the conductivity to properly channel mana.
To create a high-quality artifact, the grade of the materials had to match that of the mana circuit.
Balance was crucial.
The Flonel Gem Ring that I was currently using—
This ring contained Flonel’s gemstone, and to support that material, the frame was crafted with a blend of small amounts of mithril and gold.
Mithril.
Exactly the metal you’d imagine it to be.
As light as a feather yet harder than steel.
Highly conductive to mana, making it an extremely valuable mineral that sold at high prices whenever it was discovered.
Due to its rarity, only a minuscule amount of mithril had been mixed into this ring.
The way this ring functioned was simple.
Mana was gathered within the gemstone, then channeled through the mithril-engraved circuit on the ring, spreading across the entire structure to activate Aqua Shield.
In essence, the quality of the materials determined the effectiveness of the artifact.
Using high-grade materials for the frame and engraving precise mana circuits dictated the overall grade of the artifact.
Most artifacts were created using a similar method.
Thinking about my Flonel Gem Ring, I clicked my tongue.
‘If the entire ring had been made of mithril…’
It could have been engraved with a 3rd-circle defensive spell instead of just the 2nd-circle Aqua Shield.
That would have elevated its grade from ‘Rare’ to at least ‘Unique.’
‘Well, it couldn’t be helped.’
Flonel’s gemstone was an excellent material, but it wasn’t high-grade enough to complement a full-mithril frame.
If the entire body of the ring had been made of mithril, I would have needed to use an even better core material instead of this gemstone.
My current ring was only of ‘Rare’ grade.
However, I intended to craft Seron’s ring at a minimum ‘Unique’ grade.
With the materials I had ‘borrowed’ from the magic storage, it was definitely feasible.
‘Storage rooms really are great.’
The Seltarion Marquessate’s materials storage.
Being a family ranked among the top ten in the empire—
Even the highly sought-after mithril, which was usually considered difficult to obtain, was stocked in large quantities inside the storage.
Not just mithril, but several other rare metals of similar caliber were also stored there.
The method I used to acquire them was simple.
I discreetly took small amounts of compatible materials, making sure they complemented each other.
By doing so, I had gathered ten different types of metal.
Even though they were precious materials, I had taken them in such small amounts that no one would notice.
Besides, I had official permission to take any materials worth up to 200 platinum coins.
And how much material could one tiny ring possibly require?
Especially when I was using a variety of metals instead of just one?
‘The frame needs to be made first.’
I had gathered materials that would work well with mithril, so the next step was to melt them down and forge the ring.
For that, I needed a skilled blacksmith.
Someone who could handle various metals with expertise and shape them into a proper ring.
Fortunately, the marquessate had an outstanding blacksmith in residence.
‘Blacksmith Rowman.’
Rowman.
The chief blacksmith of the Marquessate.
A craftsman who had been forging weapons for decades in one of the greatest swordsmanship families.
His skills were certainly trustworthy.
He would be more than capable of handling mithril and the other materials.
Without delay, I stepped outside my room and turned to Leonhardt.
“Let’s head to the forge.”
“The forge… sir?”
“Yeah. I need to request something to be made.”
“Understood.”
With that, my bodyguard and I set off toward the forge within the inner fortress.
Inside the Inner Fortress’ Grand Forge.
We entered the massive smithy known as ‘The Furnace of Fire.’
Clang!
Clang!
As soon as we stepped inside, the sharp scent of iron filled the air.
The interior was far hotter than the outside.
All around, shirtless blacksmiths were hammering away with great force.
Anyone could tell at a glance that this was a highly successful forge.
The moment we walked in, the blacksmiths subtly bowed their heads.
There was no need to reprimand them for a lack of decorum.
The Marquess had already instructed them that this was how they should behave.
Even when Remton himself visited, the blacksmiths only gave a slight nod before continuing their work.
It was simply how things were done here.
Soon, one of the blacksmiths approached.
“Fourth Young Master? What brings you here…?”
“I’d like to speak with Master Rowman.”
“Ah, please wait a moment.”
With that, the blacksmith walked toward the back of the forge.
Moments later, an elderly man began approaching me.
White beard and hair.
At first glance, he looked like just another frail old man.
But his body was entirely different.
Muscles bulged all over him, as if they were about to burst.
‘Wow.’
A partially bare upper body revealing well-defined muscles.
Was he really a man in his fifties?
[Heart Eye is activated.]
[The target is of a high level.]
[Only a partial assessment of the target’s essence is possible.]
[Rowman (56)]
[Talent: ??, ??. Innate Blacksmith.]
[Traits: Diligence, Integrity, ??]
[Favorability: 3]
A high-level individual.
I could roughly guess why.
Rowman.
He was once a mid-level knight before taking up the path of a blacksmith later in life—an unusual case. Apparently, he found crafting things far more enjoyable.
That was a story from over thirty years ago.
A body honed as a mid-level knight.
And now, an innate talent for blacksmithing.
It was only natural that, within just fifteen years of entering the trade, he had risen to the rank of chief blacksmith.
The elderly man gave me a slight nod.
“Young Master? What brings you here today?”
“Ah, Master Rowman, I came to request a commission.”
“……A commission?”
“Yes. I need a frame to engrave a circuit into.”
“Ah, you mean crafting the exterior for an artifact?”
“That’s right.”
Rowman nodded at my words and asked,
“May I ask what kind of item you are planning to make?”
“A ring. Is that possible?”
“I’d have to examine the materials first.”
“This isn’t the best place for that… Would it be possible to speak somewhere private?”
The materials I was using were considered high-grade, even by this place’s standards.
Not to mention, there were details I needed to discuss separately.
Talking about them in a forge filled with blacksmiths hammering away wasn’t ideal.
Sensing my concerns, Rowman gave a slight nod.
“Understood. Please follow me.”
With that, Leonhardt and I followed him.
Inside the forge.
We moved into a space that seemed to be his office.
As soon as we entered, I pulled the materials out of my magic pouch.
Mithril, Phellanium, Moonstone, Bloodstone, and more.
Though each was in small quantities, the sheer variety of metals quickly filled the desk.
Rowman’s eyes sparkled with intrigue.
“…There are quite a lot of materials. Ten different types… Are you asking me to melt them all down to form a single ring?”
“That’s right. After creating the frame, I need you to engrave the circuit according to the instructions I provide. Will that be possible?”
“…May I see the circuit first?”
“Of course.”
I nodded and handed him a sheet of paper.
As Rowman examined it, his brows began to furrow.
“…This is an extremely… complex circuit.”
“Yes. Unless the blacksmith is as skilled as you, engraving it would be quite difficult.”
“Hmm… Young Master.”
“Yes? What is it?”
“There are a few problems we need to address to make this ring. No matter how good the materials are, some simply don’t mix well together. Especially…”
Rowman lifted two particular metals.
“When ten different metals are combined like this, the effects don’t just stack positively. In fact, some materials will cancel each other out. Take these two, for example. They completely negate each other’s benefits.”
The metals he held were Mithril and Moonstone.
He studied them intently before explaining further.
“Using Mithril and Moonstone together will actually weaken their durability. Similarly, Bloodstone and Phellanium, when combined, lower each other’s mana conductivity.
The other materials you’ve brought also have compatibility issues.”
Ho.
He really knew his stuff.
This was knowledge that only an exceptional blacksmith would possess.
For common metals like copper, silver, or iron, an average blacksmith might know how they mix.
But rare materials like Mithril and Moonstone?
Most blacksmiths never even got the chance to work with them.
“…I understand what you’re aiming for, Young Master, but mixing materials carelessly like this might result in something even worse than plain iron. Besides…”
Rowman lifted the paper again and pointed at the circuit.
“This mana circuit is extremely intricate. To engrave it properly, the frame must be shaped and carved immediately after casting the metal. However, if so many metals are mixed, their conflicting properties will make it hard to maintain a solid frame. The ring’s shape might collapse entirely.”
“I see.”
“To prevent this, it would be best to use only one or two metals. Using Mithril and Phellanium for structure and incorporating high-conductivity gold for the body would be a much safer choice…”
As Rowman passionately explained, I shook my head.
“There will be no material substitutions. We’ll use them as they are.”
“…Young Master? Even the best blacksmiths among the Dwarves would say this combination is impossible—”
Of course, they would.
Unless the Dwarven King himself came out to forge this ring, no one would be able to counteract the metals’ natural repulsion.
However.
I hadn’t come here relying solely on blacksmithing skills.
“There is a way. The metals I’ve provided— I have a reagent that will allow them to harmonize.”
“…What?”
“A reagent capable of blending over ten high-grade metals seamlessly? I’ve never heard of such a thing!”
Rowman’s voice rose in disbelief.
And for good reason.
The higher the grade of metal, the stronger its repelling force when mixed with others.
In this world, it was common knowledge that even using more than two high-grade metals together was dangerous.
Starting from three metals, no matter what you added, the repelling force would cause the structure to collapse.
So, of course, Rowman was foaming at the mouth in opposition.
Because in his world, it was impossible.
But in mine?
I had a solution.
With the reagent I possessed,
These ten metals could be fused without any issues.
I hadn’t randomly chosen these ten—
I had come here prepared.
“It’s real.”
“That’s ridiculous—”
It exists, old man.
You’re just too skeptical.
I reached into my magic pouch and pulled out a small vial of violet liquid.
Placing it in front of Rowman, I spoke.
“Whether it exists or not, why don’t we test it and find out?”
“Even if it fails, you won’t be at a loss.”
“The process is simple. Melt all ten metals in the forge, then pour this reagent in.”
“It will blend them together seamlessly.”
The fused metal would become an entirely new tier of material.
Fantasy Defense.
After grinding through this world for a month, I had obtained the ‘Ten-Metal Fusion Reagent.’
As long as the right ten metals were used, they could be combined perfectly.
At my words,
Gulp.
Rowman swallowed hard.
—
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