This chapter was translated by OpenBookWorm, special thanks to Kaila.
Proofread by DarkD and various other anonymous sources
Because of Weed, the famous city of Dwarf artisans, Kureoso, had become famous. Now many would come and marvel at the sight of Kendellev’s restored water sculpture or browse the still excellent selection of weapons and armour from the Dwarven craftsmen.
“Haah, if only I had a little more money then I could buy this….. Mr. Dwarf, could you give me a small discount?”
“No, not even one penny.”
Even just glancing around, users could easily be seen trying to bargain with Dwarves. All of the items and even the accessories that the Dwarves sold were ludicrously expensive.
However it wasn’t gold or jewels that people traded, but high quality items. It was a fact that the dwarves produced such high quality goods, that any shop-owner in any village would happily buy them from you.
For many Dwarves, their favorite thing to do was to get into troublesome quarrels with the users; however, there were many Dwarves who were obsessed with applying their crafts, and never left their work
“Hm.”
Fabio was sharpening a completed sword against the grinder.
Seuk-sak, seuk-sak.
- The sword has been sharpened to a fine point.
- Sword sharpening skill has been activated!
- The attack stat has been raised by 41%.
The sword sharpening skill!
It wasn’t a skill exclusive to Weed, any intermediate blacksmith could learn the technique. Of course, Fabio who had never learned sewing, didn’t have the skills of ironing or hand-washing.
“It’s reasonably sharp now.”
Fabio spun the sword around, he was carefully examining the sword for any trace of a flaw, but even his bearded face could only see a bright and smooth blade!
Of all the blacksmiths on the Versailles continent, Fabio was the most famous. Armour and shield production were believed to be his specialty, but this was only because he had hidden his true specialty of making swords. Sometimes, the swords he made drifted out into the open-market and caused an uproar. It would be easy for him to make money as a swordsmith, he was more than skilled enough. His weapons were more than just a level above those of ordinary smiths!
It was usually the case, that if you reached a high enough level, you could acquire anything through hunting, but the swords that Fabio had worked on wholeheartedly, were enough to draw even the high level users. This was because if you had a famous sword, there would be a noticeable difference in hunting speed. Korea’s obsession over Royal Road’s weapons and armour was almost scary.
Sometimes, when Fabio had made swords, he sent them out into the world, but he
completely hid his own involvement. He would hide his activities by pretending to be a retired smith.
“The sword sharpening skill is truly great.”
Fabio was satisfied with the completed sword. It was only a temporary effect, but the attack was raised substantially. By mastering Advanced Smithing Skill to level 8 and Advanced Sword Sharpening Skill to level 6, the sword’s attack could be raised by as much as 85%. With just this, there were great benefits.
“However, I ask too much of the skill, it will cause the sword’s durability to decrease quickly and rust easily.”
By using the skill conservatively, there was no problem with raising the attack by 40%
“When the sword is completed, it will be very beautiful”
In reality, he was an ordinary salaryman who had been enticed the instant that Royal Road
had opened. There were various professions available, but he had gone for blacksmithing.
You could say that the early days of Royal Road were a mess. Most users didn’t even know
the rules for hunting rabbits. The appearance of a single orc would send them fleeing to the entrance of the nearest village, while dozens of people were killed and logged out. That’s why when a single common longsword appeared, it was enough to fill the server with envy and hate. With this in mind, Fabio had chosen the route of Blacksmithing
“It was a good decision.”
He couldn’t stand at the frontline of a battle, but he didn’t regret his decision. He made the decision faster than anyone else to improve his blacksmithing skill.
Although, even before he became the most famous blacksmith, there seemed to be no end to the issues he’d faced.
When his name spread throughout the game, customers had come from far away to purchase his wares. It is in the nature of the blacksmith profession that there will always be more demand than there is supply. With him being the highest grade of blacksmith, this was clearly the case with his work. He made money by charging a high price, which he would then reinvest in buying more materials for making armour.
Continuously hammering red-hot bars of iron in front of a blazing furnace was his job. It was lonely work, but he continued to forge items.
Using only the best materials, high level users would sign a contract with him to supply them with his wares.
After having appeared on television, he’d gained a lot of fans. He was an idol for beginner blacksmiths.
It wasn’t widely known, but Fabio was the leader of his own guild “Iron Road”. So on top of managing the guild, he would also produce all of their equipment.
He had more friends than ever, and held tremendous influence. His authority amongst the Dwarves was unrivalled.
”Evenso, the worth of a blacksmith is in the weapons he makes”
Chegeurang!
Without a care, Fabio threw the sword he had only just crafted to the side. The sword landed in a pile of swords that was not unlike a mountain.
”Once again, my sword fell short of my expectations. A sword that is in every way perfect. I want only to make a sword that is the best on the Versailles continent. “
The unique skills of the Blacksmith class!
While walking the path of a Blacksmith, Fabio had learned various special skills
Advanced Mineral Refining level 3(25%): A skill used to refine ores by removing impurities converting them into useful materials. It could be described as one of the Blacksmiths most fundamental skills. It requires a deep understanding of fire, water, and metal. It was the very first special skill that a blacksmith could learn which allowed the processing of mineral ores. Fabio had learned this skill when he changed his job to that of an Ironblood Blacksmith.
“Keuheuhue, although when I think about it, I was shaking with rage at the job change.”
In order to become a Blacksmith, he had faced many terrible trials in the smithy. While he could have just gone to the Blacksmith guild like any other, he chose to discover the job change himself through making countless weapons and armour. He wanted to find it with his own eyes, and experience the feel of the hammer with his own hands. Like this, he spent more than a month of his precious time working in the smithy from the start of Royal Road. It was a class change quest obtained through tireless perseverance!
”The sorrow and tears I went through to obtain the job change quest, I will remember them for the rest of my life.”
The job change involved him running errands between Dwarven villages. Only then was he employed in the smithy and only then did he receive the quest.
The Blacksmith’s quest couldn’t be found in the guild, only in the smithy. Moreover, the only way that he could accomplish the quest was to learn it from either the guild or the smithy. He had to make not just one, but many different kinds of equipment. Like this, he performed countless random quests in order to raise his reputation and earn money. Through doing these quests, he learnt skills such as the Equipment Enhancement Skill.
- Advanced Equipment Enhancement level 1 (16%): The blacksmith’s hand can draw out the hidden potential of equipment. After noticing various imperfections in equipment, they can be corrected.
This was the skill that made Fabio famous!
He had learnt this skill when he became an intermediate blacksmith. But as they say, ‘Hide three-tenths of your full ability’. If you recklessly unveil your skills on the Versailles continent, where there are never-ending wars for supremacy, you will get dragged into a confrontation, and it could easily cost you your life
While Fabio strengthened armour through Equipment Enhancement, he deliberately hid his ability to strengthen swords. If he had strengthened swords as well, he could have earned piles of money. He could have earned in a day what he had earned in a month by just strengthening armor. A Blacksmith was a profitable profession which could earn money, even without the help of merchants, however he could have earned a lot more.
If it was publicly known that Blacksmiths could make that much money, many more people would have chosen to become a blacksmith.
”Competition would increase and I wouldn’t be able to relax for even a moment.”
Fabio only strengthened the armour only moderately. This was because he didn’t care about earning money, what he wanted was to master the Blacksmith profession and make the very best weapons and armour he could.
Just by making money through the Equipment Enhancement skill he could accumulate unlimited ores. Enough to purchase exclusively from Thor Kingdom’s mithril, iron, and silver mines. He had already raised the Blacksmith skill to the advanced levels.
By doing quests and making close ties with the locals, he had acquired several other Blacksmith specialty skills.
An Ego sword. Fabio attempted to infuse a soul into the sword he crafted as a test
Ttirring!
- Your mana has been expended
- An ego has been infused into the sword
- The swords attributes have changed
- Attack decreased by 17%
- Durability has decreased by 65%
- Magical properties have appeared
Because of the Ego Sword Crafting skill and the Blacksmiths magic, the attack and the durability points have decreased. In exchange additional magic properties have been added.
A lot was expected from an Ego Sword. But it was a mistake to expect that something great and powerful would appear!
“It’s a failure.”
Fabio’s forehead furrowed.
An ego sword has its own personality and is a weapon that will slowly grow from hunting with it. For example, a sword with an attack of 40 can become a sword with an attack of 70 or 80 through hunting. It can also independently use certain defense magics.
A skill that allows a weapon to surpass its limits!
However, there were still serious disadvantages. The attack and durability were decreased to a level far lower than a regular sword.
“The magic properties aren’t much either.”
Fabio was a pure blacksmith, so he had invested his stats in Strength, Agility, Constitution,
and Focus. Because strong and precise hammering was important.
Due to his low Intelligence and Wisdom, his mana only amounted to a paltry sum, and he hadn’t learnt any magic. It was because of this that the completed Ego Sword couldn’t use more than the basic level of magic. It was because the amount of mana he had transferred into it was very small.
The sword’s ego was missing the most important abilities an ego sword should have and could neither speak nor remember past battles.
This was also because his Ego Sword Crafting skill was low, and he lacked crucial experience with magic to begin with.
“Still, you never know……”
For a test, Fabio took the sword that he had made and sold it off. He’d wanted to see to see the growth of the Ego Sword for himself. However, it was very likely that beginner and intermediate users might just wear the sword down to uselessness while hunting, and throw it away.
Even though it was called an Ego Sword, it didn’t appear to be more than a magic item, with one or two defensive options attached. So while advertizing it as a strange item, he put it up for sale on the notice board.
-Something curious has happened. A sword I picked up on the road has lightning damage. It’s attack was 31 to 46. It’s an item with lightning damage +2 attached, but after hunting for a week, I wanted to repair it, so I had it identified and found that the attack had been raised by 1. Also, the lightning damage increased by 3. Now I’m using a different sword, but… what do you think?
The replies were.
-It’s short-term memory loss.
-Please drink your rice wine in moderation.
-That sword, could I see it for a bit? I’m not saying to just give it to me, I will definitely
return it.
-I am a starter without a home, please sell it to me for 300 gold.
“If you’re not at least an intermediate or an advanced user, it’s hard to recognize the attributes of an ego sword.”
He had even thought that the blacksmith skill was something Dwarves were born with; however, it was hardly a suitable skill because of the Dwarves’ weakness in magical ability. An elven blacksmith or a human blacksmith might be able to make a better Ego Sword. Because Fabio was frustrated at not being able to use it, he was ready to give it up.
Beginner’s Magic Sword Crafting 1(3%) : Magic Swords can be produced. A completed magic sword will have special abilities related to the characteristics of the material used. Magical abilities can be placed into the sword and used.
This was now the skill that Fabio was most focused on and expected the most from.
“I will make the best magic-enhanced swords.”
It wasn’t an impossible task. A few magic items can be obtained from exploring deep dungeons or from hunting ancient monsters. These items can be used to drive the creation of the ultimate magic sword.
“An authentic magic sword is something that only a blacksmith, and not a wizard could make.”
A sword that a wizard has enhanced with all his mana can grant magical benefits for a few
uses. But a blacksmith can create a sword that has these readily available. It was a special skill that Fabio had obtained after taking and defeating countless blacksmith quests.
Magic Sword Smithing is the hidden skill of Dwarven blacksmiths, it is most despised by dragon Akryong K. Bern. Ordinary swords can’t even scratch Akryong’s hide, and fighting against a dragon with magic is extremely reckless. It is believed that the only way Akryong can successfully be hunted is if a Dwarven blacksmith stabs him with a sword and uses magic to set off an explosion around the wound.
To find the secret to Magic Sword manufacturing, explore the dungeon where the Dwarven blacksmiths once lived.
Secretly, he led his guild to go and defeat the job-change quest.
A magic sword’s attack was generally stronger than an ordinary sword, and whenever it absorbs blood, it increases character growth. Because it has less adverse side-effects than the Ego Sword, it may even be better to use as a main weapon.
Ttang! Ttang! Ttang!
Fabio silently hammered the steel.
“The ultimate weapon and near-perfect armour, with these, a blacksmith can stand tall at the center of the Versailles continent
He couldn’t rest, for at this moment on the Versailles continent, other blacksmiths were
sweating away. Evenso, Fabio was someone who suppressed and hid his own talent, no one on the Versailles continent could match him.
********************************************************
The Red Mercenary Guild. A vast guild whose influence had spread across more than a single country of the Versailles continent.
Only mercenaries with a level of 280 or higher were allowed to join. In each country they operated in, they built branch offices, and they had wisely gained control of the entire territory surrounding the affluent Nemir lake.
They had conquered a vast territory for themselves, including 5 castles and 28 cities.
The Crimson Mercenary Guild held their meetings in Haryun castle, the castle closest to Nemir lake.
“About the God of War Weed.”
“Guild leader, why don’t we subjugate him already?”
Maren, the leader of the Red Mercenary guild, nodded his head.
“If it’s Weed, there are plenty of reasons for crushing him.”
The glory they could receive from fighting and defeating the God of War Weed! For the Red Mercenary Guild, who schemed supremacy of the whole Versailles continent, the thought filled them with greed.
But there were still mercenaries whose heads shook in disapproval.
“In Continent of Magic, mercenaries were like heroes. It would be unreasonable for us,
the representatives of the mercenaries, to crush him.”
“Justification is needed. If we attack him without any reasons, others will say that we’re
no different than brigands?”
“What does justification matter. We have to think about our honour! It’s an
opportunity to gain the honor of fighting and winning against the God of War Weed.”
“We don’t really know whether we will receive honor or condemnation.”
The 20 senior mercenaries refused to yield their position, and continued to argue.
At first, the mercenary guild’s chief Maren had felt the desire to crush Weed as well, but
after hearing the opposing arguments, he was forced to rethink his position.
There could be glory. Killing the God of War Weed would offer a glorious title.
However, the users who crushed Weed would also receive a lot of antipathy. Even the users from the Continent of Magic didn’t hate Weed. Even in Royal Road, he was the most popular person amongst all of the general users. He had a reputation as high as Bard Ray’s, the certified strongest of the Hermes guild.
If a guild went against Weed, who was idolized by users for defeating impossible quests, it
was unknown whether or not the guild would benefit from it.
Napgell, one of the senior mercenaries, spoke up.
“If the whole guild went against the God of War Weed and crushed him under foot, what kind of honour would we be able to obtain? Among all of you, is there anyone who is confident
that they can win in a one-on-one fight with Weed?”
“……”
With that, the whole group became silent. Even Maren knew that he couldn’t speak carelessly here. Weed had never publicly revealed his level or skills.
“It’s difficult to see him as just a regular sculptor. What could fight like Weed did at the
Palrangka Conflict?”
“……”
They saw it for themselves, he’s able to wield a sword with such skill even when the odds of victory are low and the chances of survival non-existent. he’d proven to be a person with great mental strength.
The regular users were excited about Weed. Because of his courage, he was someone who would throw everything he had into a challenge.
“When just looking at his capability in battle, there are not many here who’ve the
confidence to match him. A Sculptor may not be his true job either.”
“Napgell, what are you saying……?”
“I’m saying that we can’t be complacent about his job being a Sculptor. He has shown us Necromancer magic and physical prowess as well, so we don’t even know the first thing about his true job.”
Though Maren was ranked among the top 50 in Royal Road, he had no idea of his opponent’s true ability. Given the battle capability Weed had shown in the battle against the Bone dragon, and looking back at the quests Weed had completed, Maren was quite reasonably concerned.
‘When we go into battle, we have our whole guild behind us. The confidence to go on such quests alone…. Obviously, we lack it. Finally, putting aside levels, his battle sense is at least a few times better than mine.’
There was not much information known about Weed. In a one-on-one battle with many variables, even if Weed was defeated he could inflict extreme damage.
For rankers of Maren’s level, getting back their lost levels and proficiencies if they died was very difficult. Rankers would suffocate if they had to die and lose hard earned resources, it was much better for them to hold a contest with their rivals.
Besides, the battle with Weed would definitely be broadcast on television, and videos would be uploaded. If you were defeated on such a battlefield, there was also the danger that you would lose all honour.
Maren understood the situation clearly!
‘Our guild’s companies would be cut down in droves by the ice dragon, the phoenix, and the wyverns …. All this along with the magic that a single necromancer can use, makes for an
extreme headache.’
The power of a necromancer’s magic had been confirmed.
Those who had taken the job for themselves could see that its constitution was weak, and it was a difficult job to raise. There were some truly terrible imbalances, but it was a job that many people had converted to because of Weed’s broadcasts where he’d shown his bone-chilling figure(TL Note: so many puns to make here. Literal translation is shivering, so we could spine-tingling or bone-rattling)
“With the necromancer’s magic thrown into the mix…. the one who is called the God of War has no weak-points in his battle ability.”
He imagined a scene where Weed publicly slit Maren’s throat while laughing cruelly.
“Gulp.”
Maren could not act recklessly.
“I don’t think we would lose, but there are still many problems to worry about.”
“Besides, if we sent a campaign to the North, it could also present a good opportunity for our enemies who’ve been waiting for a chance to strike at us. ”
The Red Mercenary guild had as many enemies as it had influence. It wasn’t in a position
where it could turn out its main forces for an indefinite amount of time.
“Are you saying that the guild could be attacked while we are trying to catch Weed?”
“Of course. While we send soldiers to the the North, our territory is bound to be vulnerable. Isn’t it reasonable to consider what other guilds will do? Like it or not, it is more beneficial to focus on our own territories than to try and grab honour by catching Weed.”
Though there were many other competing mercenary guilds, there was nothing to stop them from cooperating and attacking their guild together. This task was something that could trouble the Red Mercenary guild in many ways.
********************************************************
Weed sold off most of the loot, leaving only a few pieces. He intended to find separate buyers for the large and ostentatious Sapphire crystal, Jordiah’s Seal, the diamonds, and Israen’s magic armour.
“It would be good if I could sell the large crystal to a noble after I refine it with sculpting
and make it into an ornament… it also wouldn’t be bad if I saved it for when I need to create
a light sculpture. The remaining items can be passed on through the auction-house or
through the Dark Gamer’s Union.”
A vanity table and a dinner table made from crystal! These articles would be hard to sell in the North, but they were luxury goods that would sell for a high price in a kingdom from the central continent.
After Weed sold the miscellaneous items, he walked over to Morata with Rover. The people recognized him, greeted him accordingly.
“Welcome Lord.”
“Lord, they say you’ve succeeded in a great quest once again… later, please make sure to tell us your story. My son says that he definitely wants to be like you when he grows up.”
“Count of Morata, I am a trader from the Rintol kingdom. It is an honour to meet such a
famous adventurer.”
Because of the enormous fame he had obtained from fighting at the Wailing River, even NPCs from the central continent would greet him warmly.
“These delicious apples were grown in our front-yard. Please try these, they are our tastiest apples that we saved especially for you, Lord.”
A woman handed him a basketful of apples! While taking the fruit to be sold at the market, she had seen the lord and offered the fruit to him.
Weed took the fruit basket and ate a well-ripened red apple while making a loud crunching sound.
“Rover, you should eat one too.”
He tossed a worm-ridden apple to Rover. The bull stuck out his tongue, caught the apple, opened his mouth wide, and crunched it up.
Weed proceeded to give him a lesson.
“Rover, from one person to another, if there’s hard work to be done you should help out. Haven’t you noticed that this sort of thing happens because of our everyday actions?”
Rover didn’t fully believe him, but just nodded his head while absorbed in his desire to eat the rest of the basket full of apples.
Morata was very different from the last time they had come. On the sturdy bridge serving as the entryway to the lord’s castle, mystical figures had been sculpted. Sculptors, artists, and painters had come to Morata and enriched the city.
“A shopping district is being made!”
“I’m a painter, please take me with you.”
“I’m a sculptor, I would like to participate. I’ll decorate your ceiling!”
When construction quests appeared, artists joined together to construct beautiful buildings. With its crystal clear river and lake, Morata’s beautiful sights continued to increase. Large ornaments could even be seen hung in Morata’s town square.
Adventurer Spenson’s headdress of Angkia!
Spenson was a very distinguished adventurer of Royal Road, but he had come to the North
and displayed the headdress he had excavated in Morata.
Adventurers can decorate or exhibit a special kind of excavated item in a town. These items can also be sold at a very high price, but when donated to a town, there are massive increases in fame.
Another effect is that their intimacy with the townsfolk increases, and items can be bought very cheaply. The price they get for these goods are much better than they would get from regular merchants.
Furthermore, they will have the highest popularity with bartenders! People will also look for them specifically to offer them quests.
Spenson saw that in the future, Morata would grow to become the center of the North, and
so had left the excavated item here.
Returning to Morata after a long time felt like experiencing an exciting adventure.
“It’s pretty.”
“It was a good decision to come here, right?”
“Uh-huh. The atmosphere is nice.”
One of the changes was the sight of many couples swarming like cockroaches on the bridge because of the good view of the surrounding buildings. As many beginners were starting in Morata, many couples were forming. A love that sprouts while hunting rabbits and foxes!
The sale of the large amount of items consumed by beginners, was the backbone of Morata’s economic development.
In Versailles continent’s eastern Rosenheim kingdom, there is nothing to cause such an influx of new users so as they outnumber the villagers from a lively town. There, it is common to see the sight of beginners with their starting equipment of a wooden sword and ten pieces of barley bread, which they eat sparingly while completing quests inside the city.
Morata, a delightful city that is full of vitality! You could see the growth that had occurred while Weed was away.
When beginners appeared, shops also quickly sprang up. Not just shops with cheap odds and ends, but shops that contained pretty decent purchases.
Traders, and people who wanted to build their own house had at first been stingy with artwork.
“What kind of help will that give……”
“Just build it quicker. Make the warehouse a bit wider as well.”
However, buildings filled with excellent art had much better business. Even if the stores sell the same items, the store with a beautiful building attracts more people, so in Morata, investing in sculptures and paintings was no longer just a luxury.
Sculptors, painters, and architects gathered to create an incomparably beautiful city.
“The song that will be played today is called (A night in a goblin dungeon).”
Every street corner was furnished with a small stage for acts. In a narrow space 5 steps wide, bards would sing songs and play musical instruments. It was a sight that could normally only be seen in the city of artists, Rhodium.
In Morata, artists, bards, and architects were respected. The money that Weed had shed blood and tears for, was put to work by the village elder to attract many artists.
In other cities or castles, 0% of funds was spent on developing culture, or at the very most 1%. However, in Morata, 10 times as much funds were committed to culture.
There were many beginner bards, but there were also bards whose names were known
throughout the Versailles continent, who visited Morata to play lively music, and added to
Morata’s charms.
The bars, smithies, weapon shops, and armour shops were crowded by the beginners.
There were so many users in the streets that it was like a festival.
“I wonder how much has changed while I was away. Area Information Window!”
Ttiring!
“Haah.”(Or sigh)
Weed’s face went expressionless. Then, the corners of his mouth went up, and the muscles of his face quivered, as he tried to hold back laughter. He was so happy that he wanted to roll around on the ground laughing, but it’s better to do that sort of thing at home, in order to save face.
“It’s nothing much. Tsk tsk… It’s still just a primitive and rural village.”
Weed was cheerful, although his eyebrows were furrowed giving him an angry expression. Even his cheeks were quivering!
The fact that the offering to the church of Freya had shrunk from 15% to 9% was especially satisfying.
“While the amount of income has increased, the micro-management seems to have been done automatically.”
The size of the offering has increased, but compared to the increase in income, the actual
percentage has decreased.
With the budget increasing, the cost of investments into culture, military, economic
development, and city maintenance has steadily become lighter.
With the explosive growth in the number of beginners, it had become a respectable mid-sized city.
”Of course, even with all the people gathered here, I still can’t gather much in taxes…..”
Even on the street where Weed was, 86 out of a 100 people were beginners. Low taxes, adventure, free hunting grounds, and the Tower of Light. Because of Morata’s many advantages, there was a massive beginner population.
“When these beginners raise their levels, there will be an explosive increase in tax income!”
He had hopes for a rosy future. The happy thoughts that only a lord knew.
Naturally, Morata also had many disadvantages.
It didn’t have any churches apart from the church of Freya. Users who wanted to become priests, were unfortunate in that they had only a narrow selection.
Because technological development was low, and there weren’t many blacksmiths, only
low-quality weapons and armour were available. The amount produced each day was also
limited, so by morning, all the weapon and armour stores were sold out.
Even in shops for beginner weapons, extra money had to be paid to make a purchase, so the beginners had a lot of complaints.
Mapan aimed for that niche, importing weapons at a cheaper price and making a lot of profit.
But Weed didn’t worry much about it.
“To deal with this scarcity, a lot of blacksmiths will probably appear later.”
If you need to adjust an armour’s weight, maintain it, or strengthen it, a blacksmith is
needed! In Morata, the respect that blacksmiths received was slowly becoming as much as the respect reserved for priests.
Despite the many shortcomings, adventure-loving beginners were still growing while helping each other out.
Weed was looking to take a few steps outside the city area.
In the granary, wheat, barley, and other crops were densely packed. The wheat that the
priests of the church of Freya had blessed with fertility had so many grains that their stems
were bending.
There was even a significant number of workers who, bearing pickaxes,went to mine in the
neighbouring mountains.
“You have to scrounge up every penny.”
“Indeed, you need money in order to survive.”
“If the price of weapons are too expensive, then people can’t hunt freely.”
“But the weapon prices are staying the same. The price of armour is truly at an unspeakable level.”
“Whew, this is the kind of armour for Warriors who are overly focussed on defense. Instead, you should just go hunting with a priest of Freya.”
Even beginners were carrying pickaxes on the way to the mines.
You didn’t have to be a miner to dig with a pickaxe. If you were a sturdy warrior, swordsman, or knight candidate, there was nothing to complain about. To earn money, the beginners straightened theirs shoulders and marched into the coal mine.
“It’s a very enjoyable sight.”
The corners of Weed’s mouth finally rose. A perfectly reproduced rotten smile!
Morata’s healthy economy was an efficient exploitation of its people.
Proofread by DarkD and various other anonymous sources
Blacksmith of the Magic Sword
Because of Weed, the famous city of Dwarf artisans, Kureoso, had become famous. Now many would come and marvel at the sight of Kendellev’s restored water sculpture or browse the still excellent selection of weapons and armour from the Dwarven craftsmen.
“Haah, if only I had a little more money then I could buy this….. Mr. Dwarf, could you give me a small discount?”
“No, not even one penny.”
Even just glancing around, users could easily be seen trying to bargain with Dwarves. All of the items and even the accessories that the Dwarves sold were ludicrously expensive.
However it wasn’t gold or jewels that people traded, but high quality items. It was a fact that the dwarves produced such high quality goods, that any shop-owner in any village would happily buy them from you.
For many Dwarves, their favorite thing to do was to get into troublesome quarrels with the users; however, there were many Dwarves who were obsessed with applying their crafts, and never left their work
“Hm.”
Fabio was sharpening a completed sword against the grinder.
Seuk-sak, seuk-sak.
- The sword has been sharpened to a fine point.
- Sword sharpening skill has been activated!
- The attack stat has been raised by 41%.
The sword sharpening skill!
It wasn’t a skill exclusive to Weed, any intermediate blacksmith could learn the technique. Of course, Fabio who had never learned sewing, didn’t have the skills of ironing or hand-washing.
“It’s reasonably sharp now.”
Fabio spun the sword around, he was carefully examining the sword for any trace of a flaw, but even his bearded face could only see a bright and smooth blade!
Of all the blacksmiths on the Versailles continent, Fabio was the most famous. Armour and shield production were believed to be his specialty, but this was only because he had hidden his true specialty of making swords. Sometimes, the swords he made drifted out into the open-market and caused an uproar. It would be easy for him to make money as a swordsmith, he was more than skilled enough. His weapons were more than just a level above those of ordinary smiths!
It was usually the case, that if you reached a high enough level, you could acquire anything through hunting, but the swords that Fabio had worked on wholeheartedly, were enough to draw even the high level users. This was because if you had a famous sword, there would be a noticeable difference in hunting speed. Korea’s obsession over Royal Road’s weapons and armour was almost scary.
Sometimes, when Fabio had made swords, he sent them out into the world, but he
completely hid his own involvement. He would hide his activities by pretending to be a retired smith.
“The sword sharpening skill is truly great.”
Fabio was satisfied with the completed sword. It was only a temporary effect, but the attack was raised substantially. By mastering Advanced Smithing Skill to level 8 and Advanced Sword Sharpening Skill to level 6, the sword’s attack could be raised by as much as 85%. With just this, there were great benefits.
“However, I ask too much of the skill, it will cause the sword’s durability to decrease quickly and rust easily.”
By using the skill conservatively, there was no problem with raising the attack by 40%
“When the sword is completed, it will be very beautiful”
In reality, he was an ordinary salaryman who had been enticed the instant that Royal Road
had opened. There were various professions available, but he had gone for blacksmithing.
You could say that the early days of Royal Road were a mess. Most users didn’t even know
the rules for hunting rabbits. The appearance of a single orc would send them fleeing to the entrance of the nearest village, while dozens of people were killed and logged out. That’s why when a single common longsword appeared, it was enough to fill the server with envy and hate. With this in mind, Fabio had chosen the route of Blacksmithing
“It was a good decision.”
He couldn’t stand at the frontline of a battle, but he didn’t regret his decision. He made the decision faster than anyone else to improve his blacksmithing skill.
Although, even before he became the most famous blacksmith, there seemed to be no end to the issues he’d faced.
When his name spread throughout the game, customers had come from far away to purchase his wares. It is in the nature of the blacksmith profession that there will always be more demand than there is supply. With him being the highest grade of blacksmith, this was clearly the case with his work. He made money by charging a high price, which he would then reinvest in buying more materials for making armour.
Continuously hammering red-hot bars of iron in front of a blazing furnace was his job. It was lonely work, but he continued to forge items.
Using only the best materials, high level users would sign a contract with him to supply them with his wares.
After having appeared on television, he’d gained a lot of fans. He was an idol for beginner blacksmiths.
It wasn’t widely known, but Fabio was the leader of his own guild “Iron Road”. So on top of managing the guild, he would also produce all of their equipment.
He had more friends than ever, and held tremendous influence. His authority amongst the Dwarves was unrivalled.
”Evenso, the worth of a blacksmith is in the weapons he makes”
Chegeurang!
Without a care, Fabio threw the sword he had only just crafted to the side. The sword landed in a pile of swords that was not unlike a mountain.
”Once again, my sword fell short of my expectations. A sword that is in every way perfect. I want only to make a sword that is the best on the Versailles continent. “
The unique skills of the Blacksmith class!
While walking the path of a Blacksmith, Fabio had learned various special skills
Advanced Mineral Refining level 3(25%): A skill used to refine ores by removing impurities converting them into useful materials. It could be described as one of the Blacksmiths most fundamental skills. It requires a deep understanding of fire, water, and metal. It was the very first special skill that a blacksmith could learn which allowed the processing of mineral ores. Fabio had learned this skill when he changed his job to that of an Ironblood Blacksmith.
“Keuheuhue, although when I think about it, I was shaking with rage at the job change.”
In order to become a Blacksmith, he had faced many terrible trials in the smithy. While he could have just gone to the Blacksmith guild like any other, he chose to discover the job change himself through making countless weapons and armour. He wanted to find it with his own eyes, and experience the feel of the hammer with his own hands. Like this, he spent more than a month of his precious time working in the smithy from the start of Royal Road. It was a class change quest obtained through tireless perseverance!
”The sorrow and tears I went through to obtain the job change quest, I will remember them for the rest of my life.”
The job change involved him running errands between Dwarven villages. Only then was he employed in the smithy and only then did he receive the quest.
The Blacksmith’s quest couldn’t be found in the guild, only in the smithy. Moreover, the only way that he could accomplish the quest was to learn it from either the guild or the smithy. He had to make not just one, but many different kinds of equipment. Like this, he performed countless random quests in order to raise his reputation and earn money. Through doing these quests, he learnt skills such as the Equipment Enhancement Skill.
- Advanced Equipment Enhancement level 1 (16%): The blacksmith’s hand can draw out the hidden potential of equipment. After noticing various imperfections in equipment, they can be corrected.
This was the skill that made Fabio famous!
He had learnt this skill when he became an intermediate blacksmith. But as they say, ‘Hide three-tenths of your full ability’. If you recklessly unveil your skills on the Versailles continent, where there are never-ending wars for supremacy, you will get dragged into a confrontation, and it could easily cost you your life
While Fabio strengthened armour through Equipment Enhancement, he deliberately hid his ability to strengthen swords. If he had strengthened swords as well, he could have earned piles of money. He could have earned in a day what he had earned in a month by just strengthening armor. A Blacksmith was a profitable profession which could earn money, even without the help of merchants, however he could have earned a lot more.
If it was publicly known that Blacksmiths could make that much money, many more people would have chosen to become a blacksmith.
”Competition would increase and I wouldn’t be able to relax for even a moment.”
Fabio only strengthened the armour only moderately. This was because he didn’t care about earning money, what he wanted was to master the Blacksmith profession and make the very best weapons and armour he could.
Just by making money through the Equipment Enhancement skill he could accumulate unlimited ores. Enough to purchase exclusively from Thor Kingdom’s mithril, iron, and silver mines. He had already raised the Blacksmith skill to the advanced levels.
By doing quests and making close ties with the locals, he had acquired several other Blacksmith specialty skills.
| - Beginner Ego Sword Crafting level 8(49%): An ability used to infuse a soul into equipment.
A tremendous amount of mana and a special soul was needed for this. The effect will be even greater when crafted over a grave |
Ttirring!
- Your mana has been expended
- An ego has been infused into the sword
- The swords attributes have changed
- Attack decreased by 17%
- Durability has decreased by 65%
- Magical properties have appeared
Because of the Ego Sword Crafting skill and the Blacksmiths magic, the attack and the durability points have decreased. In exchange additional magic properties have been added.
| Training Sword |
| - Durability 25/25. Attack 31-46 - A basic longsword. - Well-balanced and made of good iron. |
| (A crafted weapon. Only those with an Advanced Blacksmith skill can
see the sword’s characteristics. An item made by the blacksmith Fabio.
Ego Sword. A goblin’s soul has been sealed within. In a state where the
soul cannot be awakened.)Limit : Level 180. Limited to Swordsmen, Knight, and Warrior classes. Options: Lightning Attribute Damage +2. Luck +15. |
“It’s a failure.”
Fabio’s forehead furrowed.
An ego sword has its own personality and is a weapon that will slowly grow from hunting with it. For example, a sword with an attack of 40 can become a sword with an attack of 70 or 80 through hunting. It can also independently use certain defense magics.
A skill that allows a weapon to surpass its limits!
However, there were still serious disadvantages. The attack and durability were decreased to a level far lower than a regular sword.
“The magic properties aren’t much either.”
Fabio was a pure blacksmith, so he had invested his stats in Strength, Agility, Constitution,
and Focus. Because strong and precise hammering was important.
Due to his low Intelligence and Wisdom, his mana only amounted to a paltry sum, and he hadn’t learnt any magic. It was because of this that the completed Ego Sword couldn’t use more than the basic level of magic. It was because the amount of mana he had transferred into it was very small.
The sword’s ego was missing the most important abilities an ego sword should have and could neither speak nor remember past battles.
This was also because his Ego Sword Crafting skill was low, and he lacked crucial experience with magic to begin with.
“Still, you never know……”
For a test, Fabio took the sword that he had made and sold it off. He’d wanted to see to see the growth of the Ego Sword for himself. However, it was very likely that beginner and intermediate users might just wear the sword down to uselessness while hunting, and throw it away.
Even though it was called an Ego Sword, it didn’t appear to be more than a magic item, with one or two defensive options attached. So while advertizing it as a strange item, he put it up for sale on the notice board.
-Something curious has happened. A sword I picked up on the road has lightning damage. It’s attack was 31 to 46. It’s an item with lightning damage +2 attached, but after hunting for a week, I wanted to repair it, so I had it identified and found that the attack had been raised by 1. Also, the lightning damage increased by 3. Now I’m using a different sword, but… what do you think?
The replies were.
-It’s short-term memory loss.
-Please drink your rice wine in moderation.
-That sword, could I see it for a bit? I’m not saying to just give it to me, I will definitely
return it.
-I am a starter without a home, please sell it to me for 300 gold.
“If you’re not at least an intermediate or an advanced user, it’s hard to recognize the attributes of an ego sword.”
He had even thought that the blacksmith skill was something Dwarves were born with; however, it was hardly a suitable skill because of the Dwarves’ weakness in magical ability. An elven blacksmith or a human blacksmith might be able to make a better Ego Sword. Because Fabio was frustrated at not being able to use it, he was ready to give it up.
Beginner’s Magic Sword Crafting 1(3%) : Magic Swords can be produced. A completed magic sword will have special abilities related to the characteristics of the material used. Magical abilities can be placed into the sword and used.
This was now the skill that Fabio was most focused on and expected the most from.
“I will make the best magic-enhanced swords.”
It wasn’t an impossible task. A few magic items can be obtained from exploring deep dungeons or from hunting ancient monsters. These items can be used to drive the creation of the ultimate magic sword.
“An authentic magic sword is something that only a blacksmith, and not a wizard could make.”
A sword that a wizard has enhanced with all his mana can grant magical benefits for a few
uses. But a blacksmith can create a sword that has these readily available. It was a special skill that Fabio had obtained after taking and defeating countless blacksmith quests.
Magic Sword Smithing is the hidden skill of Dwarven blacksmiths, it is most despised by dragon Akryong K. Bern. Ordinary swords can’t even scratch Akryong’s hide, and fighting against a dragon with magic is extremely reckless. It is believed that the only way Akryong can successfully be hunted is if a Dwarven blacksmith stabs him with a sword and uses magic to set off an explosion around the wound.
To find the secret to Magic Sword manufacturing, explore the dungeon where the Dwarven blacksmiths once lived.
| - Difficulty: Blacksmith job-change quest - Restrictions: Limited to Dwarven blacksmiths |
A magic sword’s attack was generally stronger than an ordinary sword, and whenever it absorbs blood, it increases character growth. Because it has less adverse side-effects than the Ego Sword, it may even be better to use as a main weapon.
Ttang! Ttang! Ttang!
Fabio silently hammered the steel.
“The ultimate weapon and near-perfect armour, with these, a blacksmith can stand tall at the center of the Versailles continent
He couldn’t rest, for at this moment on the Versailles continent, other blacksmiths were
sweating away. Evenso, Fabio was someone who suppressed and hid his own talent, no one on the Versailles continent could match him.
********************************************************
The Red Mercenary Guild. A vast guild whose influence had spread across more than a single country of the Versailles continent.
Only mercenaries with a level of 280 or higher were allowed to join. In each country they operated in, they built branch offices, and they had wisely gained control of the entire territory surrounding the affluent Nemir lake.
They had conquered a vast territory for themselves, including 5 castles and 28 cities.
The Crimson Mercenary Guild held their meetings in Haryun castle, the castle closest to Nemir lake.
“About the God of War Weed.”
“Guild leader, why don’t we subjugate him already?”
Maren, the leader of the Red Mercenary guild, nodded his head.
“If it’s Weed, there are plenty of reasons for crushing him.”
The glory they could receive from fighting and defeating the God of War Weed! For the Red Mercenary Guild, who schemed supremacy of the whole Versailles continent, the thought filled them with greed.
But there were still mercenaries whose heads shook in disapproval.
“In Continent of Magic, mercenaries were like heroes. It would be unreasonable for us,
the representatives of the mercenaries, to crush him.”
“Justification is needed. If we attack him without any reasons, others will say that we’re
no different than brigands?”
“What does justification matter. We have to think about our honour! It’s an
opportunity to gain the honor of fighting and winning against the God of War Weed.”
“We don’t really know whether we will receive honor or condemnation.”
The 20 senior mercenaries refused to yield their position, and continued to argue.
At first, the mercenary guild’s chief Maren had felt the desire to crush Weed as well, but
after hearing the opposing arguments, he was forced to rethink his position.
There could be glory. Killing the God of War Weed would offer a glorious title.
However, the users who crushed Weed would also receive a lot of antipathy. Even the users from the Continent of Magic didn’t hate Weed. Even in Royal Road, he was the most popular person amongst all of the general users. He had a reputation as high as Bard Ray’s, the certified strongest of the Hermes guild.
If a guild went against Weed, who was idolized by users for defeating impossible quests, it
was unknown whether or not the guild would benefit from it.
Napgell, one of the senior mercenaries, spoke up.
“If the whole guild went against the God of War Weed and crushed him under foot, what kind of honour would we be able to obtain? Among all of you, is there anyone who is confident
that they can win in a one-on-one fight with Weed?”
“……”
With that, the whole group became silent. Even Maren knew that he couldn’t speak carelessly here. Weed had never publicly revealed his level or skills.
“It’s difficult to see him as just a regular sculptor. What could fight like Weed did at the
Palrangka Conflict?”
“……”
They saw it for themselves, he’s able to wield a sword with such skill even when the odds of victory are low and the chances of survival non-existent. he’d proven to be a person with great mental strength.
The regular users were excited about Weed. Because of his courage, he was someone who would throw everything he had into a challenge.
“When just looking at his capability in battle, there are not many here who’ve the
confidence to match him. A Sculptor may not be his true job either.”
“Napgell, what are you saying……?”
“I’m saying that we can’t be complacent about his job being a Sculptor. He has shown us Necromancer magic and physical prowess as well, so we don’t even know the first thing about his true job.”
Though Maren was ranked among the top 50 in Royal Road, he had no idea of his opponent’s true ability. Given the battle capability Weed had shown in the battle against the Bone dragon, and looking back at the quests Weed had completed, Maren was quite reasonably concerned.
‘When we go into battle, we have our whole guild behind us. The confidence to go on such quests alone…. Obviously, we lack it. Finally, putting aside levels, his battle sense is at least a few times better than mine.’
There was not much information known about Weed. In a one-on-one battle with many variables, even if Weed was defeated he could inflict extreme damage.
For rankers of Maren’s level, getting back their lost levels and proficiencies if they died was very difficult. Rankers would suffocate if they had to die and lose hard earned resources, it was much better for them to hold a contest with their rivals.
Besides, the battle with Weed would definitely be broadcast on television, and videos would be uploaded. If you were defeated on such a battlefield, there was also the danger that you would lose all honour.
Maren understood the situation clearly!
‘Our guild’s companies would be cut down in droves by the ice dragon, the phoenix, and the wyverns …. All this along with the magic that a single necromancer can use, makes for an
extreme headache.’
The power of a necromancer’s magic had been confirmed.
Those who had taken the job for themselves could see that its constitution was weak, and it was a difficult job to raise. There were some truly terrible imbalances, but it was a job that many people had converted to because of Weed’s broadcasts where he’d shown his bone-chilling figure(TL Note: so many puns to make here. Literal translation is shivering, so we could spine-tingling or bone-rattling)
“With the necromancer’s magic thrown into the mix…. the one who is called the God of War has no weak-points in his battle ability.”
He imagined a scene where Weed publicly slit Maren’s throat while laughing cruelly.
“Gulp.”
Maren could not act recklessly.
“I don’t think we would lose, but there are still many problems to worry about.”
“Besides, if we sent a campaign to the North, it could also present a good opportunity for our enemies who’ve been waiting for a chance to strike at us. ”
The Red Mercenary guild had as many enemies as it had influence. It wasn’t in a position
where it could turn out its main forces for an indefinite amount of time.
“Are you saying that the guild could be attacked while we are trying to catch Weed?”
“Of course. While we send soldiers to the the North, our territory is bound to be vulnerable. Isn’t it reasonable to consider what other guilds will do? Like it or not, it is more beneficial to focus on our own territories than to try and grab honour by catching Weed.”
Though there were many other competing mercenary guilds, there was nothing to stop them from cooperating and attacking their guild together. This task was something that could trouble the Red Mercenary guild in many ways.
********************************************************
Weed sold off most of the loot, leaving only a few pieces. He intended to find separate buyers for the large and ostentatious Sapphire crystal, Jordiah’s Seal, the diamonds, and Israen’s magic armour.
“It would be good if I could sell the large crystal to a noble after I refine it with sculpting
and make it into an ornament… it also wouldn’t be bad if I saved it for when I need to create
a light sculpture. The remaining items can be passed on through the auction-house or
through the Dark Gamer’s Union.”
A vanity table and a dinner table made from crystal! These articles would be hard to sell in the North, but they were luxury goods that would sell for a high price in a kingdom from the central continent.
After Weed sold the miscellaneous items, he walked over to Morata with Rover. The people recognized him, greeted him accordingly.
“Welcome Lord.”
“Lord, they say you’ve succeeded in a great quest once again… later, please make sure to tell us your story. My son says that he definitely wants to be like you when he grows up.”
“Count of Morata, I am a trader from the Rintol kingdom. It is an honour to meet such a
famous adventurer.”
Because of the enormous fame he had obtained from fighting at the Wailing River, even NPCs from the central continent would greet him warmly.
“These delicious apples were grown in our front-yard. Please try these, they are our tastiest apples that we saved especially for you, Lord.”
A woman handed him a basketful of apples! While taking the fruit to be sold at the market, she had seen the lord and offered the fruit to him.
Weed took the fruit basket and ate a well-ripened red apple while making a loud crunching sound.
“Rover, you should eat one too.”
He tossed a worm-ridden apple to Rover. The bull stuck out his tongue, caught the apple, opened his mouth wide, and crunched it up.
Weed proceeded to give him a lesson.
“Rover, from one person to another, if there’s hard work to be done you should help out. Haven’t you noticed that this sort of thing happens because of our everyday actions?”
Rover didn’t fully believe him, but just nodded his head while absorbed in his desire to eat the rest of the basket full of apples.
Morata was very different from the last time they had come. On the sturdy bridge serving as the entryway to the lord’s castle, mystical figures had been sculpted. Sculptors, artists, and painters had come to Morata and enriched the city.
“A shopping district is being made!”
“I’m a painter, please take me with you.”
“I’m a sculptor, I would like to participate. I’ll decorate your ceiling!”
When construction quests appeared, artists joined together to construct beautiful buildings. With its crystal clear river and lake, Morata’s beautiful sights continued to increase. Large ornaments could even be seen hung in Morata’s town square.
Adventurer Spenson’s headdress of Angkia!
| Lady Angkia’s headdress |
| Durability 80/80. City ornament. Metal-worked item of great archaeological value.Option : The whole town’s commercial development speed increases by 10%. Experience gained from adventures increases by 1.5%. |
and displayed the headdress he had excavated in Morata.
Adventurers can decorate or exhibit a special kind of excavated item in a town. These items can also be sold at a very high price, but when donated to a town, there are massive increases in fame.
Another effect is that their intimacy with the townsfolk increases, and items can be bought very cheaply. The price they get for these goods are much better than they would get from regular merchants.
Furthermore, they will have the highest popularity with bartenders! People will also look for them specifically to offer them quests.
Spenson saw that in the future, Morata would grow to become the center of the North, and
so had left the excavated item here.
Returning to Morata after a long time felt like experiencing an exciting adventure.
“It’s pretty.”
“It was a good decision to come here, right?”
“Uh-huh. The atmosphere is nice.”
One of the changes was the sight of many couples swarming like cockroaches on the bridge because of the good view of the surrounding buildings. As many beginners were starting in Morata, many couples were forming. A love that sprouts while hunting rabbits and foxes!
The sale of the large amount of items consumed by beginners, was the backbone of Morata’s economic development.
In Versailles continent’s eastern Rosenheim kingdom, there is nothing to cause such an influx of new users so as they outnumber the villagers from a lively town. There, it is common to see the sight of beginners with their starting equipment of a wooden sword and ten pieces of barley bread, which they eat sparingly while completing quests inside the city.
Morata, a delightful city that is full of vitality! You could see the growth that had occurred while Weed was away.
When beginners appeared, shops also quickly sprang up. Not just shops with cheap odds and ends, but shops that contained pretty decent purchases.
Traders, and people who wanted to build their own house had at first been stingy with artwork.
“What kind of help will that give……”
“Just build it quicker. Make the warehouse a bit wider as well.”
However, buildings filled with excellent art had much better business. Even if the stores sell the same items, the store with a beautiful building attracts more people, so in Morata, investing in sculptures and paintings was no longer just a luxury.
Sculptors, painters, and architects gathered to create an incomparably beautiful city.
“The song that will be played today is called (A night in a goblin dungeon).”
Every street corner was furnished with a small stage for acts. In a narrow space 5 steps wide, bards would sing songs and play musical instruments. It was a sight that could normally only be seen in the city of artists, Rhodium.
In Morata, artists, bards, and architects were respected. The money that Weed had shed blood and tears for, was put to work by the village elder to attract many artists.
In other cities or castles, 0% of funds was spent on developing culture, or at the very most 1%. However, in Morata, 10 times as much funds were committed to culture.
There were many beginner bards, but there were also bards whose names were known
throughout the Versailles continent, who visited Morata to play lively music, and added to
Morata’s charms.
The bars, smithies, weapon shops, and armour shops were crowded by the beginners.
There were so many users in the streets that it was like a festival.
“I wonder how much has changed while I was away. Area Information Window!”
Ttiring!
| The Morata Area |
| A region that once belonged to Niflheim empire. The most prosperous part of the northern Versailles continent, it continues to grow. Merchants are busy trading with the many customers in their stores.With the artists stretching their wings, many tourists are being drawn to Morata. Due to culture, there are many immigrants, which is creating more jobs. The new incoming population are keen to do any kind of work. |
| Military : 47 Economy : 821 Culture : 1,130 Technology : 310 Religious Influence : 9 Area Administration : 22 Influence on the surrounding areas : 41%Influence from the Niflheim empire : 3.6% (Military, Economy, Culture, Techniques, and Religion are still deeply dependant on and connected to the Empire’s influence.) Urban Development : 106 Sanitation : 41 Security : 69% |
| The water system is clean and well maintained and new homes are
being built.However, due the explosive increase in the population size,
there is not enough to fulfill their needs. The new population wants a
larger investment in security.
There is a desire to expand the city into a wider area, which requires an increased effort to subjugate the monsters. There are people who faintly remember the festivities that took place a while ago. The large number of sculptures are making the people’s lives happier. A few more paintings are needed. There is an enduring trust in the artists who, by supporting the town, enhance its reputation. The people take pride in the fact that there are more artworks here than in any other city, and it is expected that the investments into the arts guilds will continue. The sewing industry’s techniques have been inherited unbroken from its past. There is a bright outlook for the industry’s future, with the appearance of many more tailors. While their techniques for handling iron are still basic, there are many new blacksmiths now producing weapons and armour. The faith of this area is predominantly belief in the goddess Freya. The people’s faith is strong and will not be easily changed. The Church of Freya’s influence can be seen in the benefits to vitality, satisfaction, and fertility that are enjoyed by the people of Morata. |
| Specialties : Leather, Cloth, and Artwork. Total population : 168,101. Monthly Tax Income : 178,045 Gold.City’s Operational Expenses : Military 5%, Economic Development 32%, Cultural Investment 14%, Monster Subjugation Quests 9%, City Maintenance 31%, Offering to The Church of Freya 9%. There was a population increase, commercial development, and an explosive increase in tax income from the influx of mercenaries and adventurers. |
Weed’s face went expressionless. Then, the corners of his mouth went up, and the muscles of his face quivered, as he tried to hold back laughter. He was so happy that he wanted to roll around on the ground laughing, but it’s better to do that sort of thing at home, in order to save face.
“It’s nothing much. Tsk tsk… It’s still just a primitive and rural village.”
Weed was cheerful, although his eyebrows were furrowed giving him an angry expression. Even his cheeks were quivering!
The fact that the offering to the church of Freya had shrunk from 15% to 9% was especially satisfying.
“While the amount of income has increased, the micro-management seems to have been done automatically.”
The size of the offering has increased, but compared to the increase in income, the actual
percentage has decreased.
With the budget increasing, the cost of investments into culture, military, economic
development, and city maintenance has steadily become lighter.
With the explosive growth in the number of beginners, it had become a respectable mid-sized city.
”Of course, even with all the people gathered here, I still can’t gather much in taxes…..”
Even on the street where Weed was, 86 out of a 100 people were beginners. Low taxes, adventure, free hunting grounds, and the Tower of Light. Because of Morata’s many advantages, there was a massive beginner population.
“When these beginners raise their levels, there will be an explosive increase in tax income!”
He had hopes for a rosy future. The happy thoughts that only a lord knew.
Naturally, Morata also had many disadvantages.
It didn’t have any churches apart from the church of Freya. Users who wanted to become priests, were unfortunate in that they had only a narrow selection.
Because technological development was low, and there weren’t many blacksmiths, only
low-quality weapons and armour were available. The amount produced each day was also
limited, so by morning, all the weapon and armour stores were sold out.
Even in shops for beginner weapons, extra money had to be paid to make a purchase, so the beginners had a lot of complaints.
Mapan aimed for that niche, importing weapons at a cheaper price and making a lot of profit.
But Weed didn’t worry much about it.
“To deal with this scarcity, a lot of blacksmiths will probably appear later.”
If you need to adjust an armour’s weight, maintain it, or strengthen it, a blacksmith is
needed! In Morata, the respect that blacksmiths received was slowly becoming as much as the respect reserved for priests.
Despite the many shortcomings, adventure-loving beginners were still growing while helping each other out.
Weed was looking to take a few steps outside the city area.
In the granary, wheat, barley, and other crops were densely packed. The wheat that the
priests of the church of Freya had blessed with fertility had so many grains that their stems
were bending.
There was even a significant number of workers who, bearing pickaxes,went to mine in the
neighbouring mountains.
“You have to scrounge up every penny.”
“Indeed, you need money in order to survive.”
“If the price of weapons are too expensive, then people can’t hunt freely.”
“But the weapon prices are staying the same. The price of armour is truly at an unspeakable level.”
“Whew, this is the kind of armour for Warriors who are overly focussed on defense. Instead, you should just go hunting with a priest of Freya.”
Even beginners were carrying pickaxes on the way to the mines.
You didn’t have to be a miner to dig with a pickaxe. If you were a sturdy warrior, swordsman, or knight candidate, there was nothing to complain about. To earn money, the beginners straightened theirs shoulders and marched into the coal mine.
“It’s a very enjoyable sight.”
The corners of Weed’s mouth finally rose. A perfectly reproduced rotten smile!
Morata’s healthy economy was an efficient exploitation of its people.
