Day 17.
The "Warm Garden" foundation was finished. The "Assembly Line" was churning out bricks.
But a new problem had paralyzed the workshop.
"It cracked again!"
Kael threw a pair of iron tongs on the ground in frustration.
Rian examined the broken tool. It had snapped at the hinge.
"We are casting the iron into molds," Rian muttered. "It makes the shape, but the metal inside is grainy. It's not forged. It needs to be hammered while hot to align the crystals. It needs tempering."
Rian looked at Kael.
"Can you hammer it?"
Kael shook his head, looking at his potter's hands. "My Lord, I can mold clay. I can manage the fire. But when I hit the iron... I don't know where to hit. I ruined three ingots today. You need a Blacksmith."
Rian sighed. He knew the theory of forging, but knowing the theory and swinging a 5kg hammer for 10 hours were different things.
"Hance!" Rian called. "Is there truly no smith in this Fort?"
"The last smith died two winters ago, My Lord," Hance replied. "Since then, we just bought cheap tools from travelling merchants."
Rian rubbed his temples. He couldn't buy a smith from the market; they were too valuable and rarely sold.
"System," Rian closed his eyes. "I need a location."
He focused on his request. Find me someone who can work steel.
[Ding! Daily Intelligence Report - Day 17]
[1. Nearby Settlement Intel]
Six miles to the West lies the poverty-stricken village of "Gray Creek."
Status: The villagers are starving. They have no Lord to protect them.
[2. Target Location: The Blacksmith]
Hiding in Gray Creek is a man named "Grom".
Identity: A deserter from the Imperial Army.
Skill: Master Blacksmith (Level 3). Specialized in weapon forging.
Current State: He is a drunkard who refuses to touch a hammer because of "The Incident." He currently works as a woodcutter to buy cheap ale.
Rian's eyes snapped open.
A Level 3 Blacksmith. That was a treasure. A Master.
"Hance, prepare the sled," Rian ordered, standing up. "And pack two barrels of our Wolf Meat soup. And... a bottle of the strongest liquor we have."
"We are going recruiting?" Hance asked.
"We are going to visit our neighbors," Rian smiled dangerously. "And we are bringing a gift they can't refuse."
The road to the West was open. Rian wasn't just building a fort anymore; he was about to start expanding his influence.
End of Chapter 14