I hope you'll enjoy the chapter and point out any points I could make better with more description or not having put it in, if you do find a place that could be better comment on it and if possible please provide an example.
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Over the next week I was introduced and put in charge of ten workers who in turn each commanded another hundred.
Underneath those hundred workers was another ten for a grand total of ten thousand people put under my command, at first they were apprehensive I was after all only eleven years old.
At the age of ten one enters into society and are eligible to start working their own job, up until then children can either play or apprentice.
To start off I began by having a map drawn up to scale with the city, after having rulers crafted with perfectly equal spacing they set to work.
With their entire labor force put to work the task was quickly and efficiently accomplished, seems the chain of command is incredibly reliable.
Next was the planning for a series of streets and pathways I even threw in four large pools, sending my workers off I rushed over to Mordecai to ask for progress on the pipes I'd requested.
Although not all of them were done he'd spent the last week together with Anthony and Kyle crafting only pipes, although I wasn’t being taught by him yet my apprenticeship was set to start when things calmed down.
Over the next four months the streets took form well underneath ran pipes for water, although I don’t know the specifics the drains in this world seem to use a sort of teleportation magic I won't ask much more than that.
Within the next week all the pipes will be finished and I'll begin to learn how to blacksmith in the new forge, although Mordecai hadn't directly taken money he'd received a large compensation.
Roughly fifteen hundred square feet the new store in a new market square would be able to showcase a large variety of his wares, built underground beneath the square itself was the actual forge.
With a large amount of powerful fire mana stones the four forges could melt metal in an instant, spaced out were enough workstations for multiple blacksmiths and apprentices.
The place was kept cool from the surrounding dirt's temperature, together with ice and wind mana stones.
Having been the one to help design the place I had suggested vents placed periodically all over, each one was large enough for a full grown man to crawl through but the other end was protected by a metal grate.
Without the key no one could enter or exit through the use of the vents, having learnt about ice mana stones I later found it was possible to create lightning mana stones as well.
Now I was one step closer to modern technology with this discovery, although it made me feel extremely foolish for talking about such a simple hand crank generator…
Besides roads I'd gone around and ordered the workers to create flower boxes and a garden area within the city, after they'd finished I went and used natural energy to grow the flowers.
With the use of my power I could increase the growth speed of flowers and trees, the climate was idea for fruit trees and bushes since even on the coldest day of winter you'd at worst be able to catch a cold for sleeping outside all night.
After the new forge and shop were completed I was able to reassign the workers to creating water towers, one for every street with another two in the city center one for my house and one for the Bernard's.
Connecting them to the already placed pipes all that was left would be filling them with water, of course each one had enough water mana stones placed waiting to be activated the tank would fill in seconds.
With a magic formation the towers were made nearly indestructible, and the stones would only activate once commanded by a magician.
By the time this all finished my twelfth birthday came and passed, during the school months I was able to enjoy a leisurely vacation well others continued my work.
Over these months a large amount of bricks and logs were gathered together, after a sufficient amount was collected some of the workers were repurposed to cut lumber.
Without being able to tell what I was doing the workers constantly complained, it got to the point where Mr. Bernard came to pay me a visit.
"Although I'd hired you with low expectations I've received strange reports, why have you only been building streets? Would it not be possible to build one area at a time like normal?"
"Mr. Bernard I assure you things are going perfectly as planned, although I've only created streets their design is incredibly planned out allowing for an efficient use of space."
Not stopping for a breath I continued, "Although water can be produced in one's own home these pipes will allow us to rather than provide water but provide protection"
Hearing this Mr. Bernard was stupefied obviously rethinking trying to win my mother's favor through making me an advisor, "And how exactly could water provide protection?"
With a smile slowly spreading across my face I replied with another question, "What's the greatest weakness of a wooden house? Although they can be built faster brick houses are still chosen not for strength and stability."
Hearing this Mr. Bernard seemed to see me in a new light so much so that even his tone of voice changed towards me, although before he'd acted like an adult talking to a child I didn’t mind since I was a child.
Now he spoke to me as though he would my father, he spoke as though speaking to someone of equal standing.
Spending another hour I went over the rest of the plans I'd thought up for the city, liking most of what I'd recommended the plans were quickly set.
Sending Mr. Bernard off I added some finishing touches and brought new orders to the workers the next day, from then on they'd have ten teams of ten each preparing the grounds for a house.
After the first ten stone bases were ready workers started to create wood frame houses, spending around two to three weeks per house they'd move on to the next after placing boards horizontally across the outside of the frame.
Keeping up with the order another team of ten would replace them to start placing one row of bricks along the outside of the houses, inside the framing would be attacked to the brick with metal straps placed when the walls were being built.
Next metal sheets would be spread over the roof and fused together with a weld, well wool would be placed in between the studs.
After I discovered that metal sheets were used for roofing I repurposed them for the exterior of the homes, instead of multiple boards a few sheets could quickly provide the support for the bricks.
Wooden boards would then be stacked one atop each other inside the homes creating a horizontal striped look, although it was rough the entire thing took less time than brick homes and was easier to renovate.
Although I'd only ever advised and never actually worked I was paid handsomely, although it was small compared to the gold I'd received on my tenth birthday it was still a relatively large amount.
Turning thirteen I relinquished my position having taught them all I'd been able to think of, in return for my work I received a large property as a kind of severance package.
Returning to school I was now given a new class since my old one had long ago graduated, this year the class was around twenty students rivaling my old world.
Passing the months school quickly came to an end and my apprenticeship began!
On my first day I headed straight to the new forge after breakfast, once I'd arrived Mordecai was upstairs organizing his new store.
Seeing me I could sense the distain he felt towards me due to Mr. Bernard's help, although it wasn’t nearly as bad as when Anthony and Kyle had tried to teach me.
Sadly my first day did not involve actually learning to blacksmith, unlike tailoring where you could learn as you go this was far different.
Unlike with a cloth the metal and amour that would be forged had to be relied upon, should the temperature of the flame be even slightly off the product could be disastrous.
I did however learn the basics of how to blacksmith right at the very end, first one would have to use a furnace to melt the metals they'd be using.
The next step requires infusing one's own chi into the molten metal, the first and second step could be done together.
After that it was basically the exact same as tailoring, using ones imagination an image would appear and be altered by simple chi control.
Truth be told it was exactly the same as tailoring from start to finish, the only differences would be materials and what energy would be used.
Over a month into my apprenticeship and I'd still learnt nothing, instead I'd be responsible for cleaning, organizing, and running the store.
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Of course every so often Mordecai would have me either polish or sharpen an item on display, the real work started when he sent me into the underground warehouse.
For an entire week I had to polish what seemed to be every weapon Mordecai had ever made, with cuts and bruises I finished my job with only one or two suits of armor falling on me.
Three months with nothing more than book work, polishing, and sharpening I'd been able to polish my public relations and retail skills.
By now the guards, mercenaries, and adventures who frequented the shop had become well acquainted with me, mostly I'd talk to the girls to avoid being hit on by the boys.
At the tender age of thirteen I'd reach a height of five foot and a b-cup bust, although it was interesting at first I find they'll just be a hassle to have if they continue to grow I can already feel discomfort from others constant looks.
After work I'd always stop by at the tavern Selena works at, eating dinner together we'd talk about our days and recent developments.
Last week was the most horrible conversation I'd ever had with her, she explained to me how she'd woken up in pain only to find herself covered in blood.
Throwing herself out of bed she'd run to her parents' bedroom, like I'd wanted to her father excused himself leaving his wife to handle the problem.
If you hadn't figured it out yet Selena finally had her period and she could now reproduce the beauty she'd been given, unlike me Anthony has avoided Selena since obviously not wanting to be around an aggravated girl.
Now that it'd passed I found it far more comfortable to be around her, although during the last week our sparring matches had been particularly intense.
Like this more time passed when finally during the start of summer I was brought downstairs, for most people entering the forge would leave them feeling awed.
Having been here multiple times during its construction to offer my opinion, the completed product still left me speechless.
Each part was created with an artistic feel and now there was carefully stacked ingots, and works of metal art Mordecai had added to feel more at home.
To start my real apprenticeship Anthony and Kyle were the ones teaching me, Mordecai simply watched me as I worked to smelt the metals.
Creating pure metal ingots for another month I was covered head to toe with sweat every day due to the high heat, although measures were taken to keep the place cool the furnace was too much.
After purifying and pouring copper, iron, siler, gold, and other metals the ingots would be left to cool and removed from their mold later on.
In the beginning I was unable to reach a level Mordecai was satisfied with but slowly my skills improved, after a week he called me subpar and allowed me to keep my work for my own later use.
Two weeks and I'd reached the point where he'd allow Anthony and Kyle to use my metals, after that Kyle was sent to teach me how to mix steal and other alloys.
Over the course of another month it was now reaching the latter half of the summer months, finally I was allowed to forge.
Using my first metals I slowly melted them letting the heat build well pouring my chi into the molten liquid, after it was fully heated I used the tailoring ability with chi.
Seeing this Mordecai, Kyle, and Anthony were quite surprised I'd been able to blacksmith without any instruction, knowing Mordecai wouldn’t approve I avoided saying anything close to 'it's just like tailoring.'
Of course I didn’t even get to complete the shape of the knife I was trying to forge, by the time I'd gotten the rough shape the metal had cooled and solidified into a half made knife.
For the first time since entering the shop Mordecai showed a smile on his wrinkly old face, happy with my failure no doubt he was hoping I'd quite since long ago.
Had it not been for Mr. Bernard I have no doubt he'd have never let me past the shop itself, sending my silent thanks I once again started the forging process.
This time I started to use purified fire chi on the metal, doing so increased the rate at which the metal melted seeing that I tried pushing in fire mana as well.
Forging my knife once more the metal stayed hot far longer than before and I was able to complete the weapon, closing the screen the knife cooled off immediately.
Reaching to grab the handle with a flash the knife disappeared before my eyes, looking up I could see Mordecai holding it well his hand was lit on fire.
At first I thought he was trying to destroy my work but as soon as I looked into his eyes I could see him intently examining it, even if he's sexist he's a blacksmith first huh?
Placing the knife back on the table Mordecai walked away without saying a word, Anthony on the other hand ran over to be the second to examine the knife.
Picking it up off the table the blade once again lit aflame, staring at my knife he was speechless at first.
Finally after a while he found his words, "How'd you craft an enchanted knife? Although the quality is subpar it'd still sell for far more than an ordinary one."
An enchanted knife? "Do you use fire chi to forge the weapons and armor you make?" Hearing this even Mordecai turned around.
"Did you just say you used fire chi to create that knife?" The look of his face was complete shock, this was the first time I'd seen his face so full of emotion.
"Well that and fire mana, although it took quite a bit to make the results seem to be worthwhile." Anthony standing in front of me kept looking back and forth between us still not understanding.
Seeing him like this Mordecai looked over and saw that Kyle was having the same kind of reaction, "Fire chi can be separated from the rest of your chi normally only done by experts, to have reached the level where one could forge with it the purity would have to be incredibly high"
Hearing his praise I almost forgot he hated me for a second, in the next instance I fell to the ground clutching my stomach.
A large pain came from my abdomen felt like a large knot in my intestines was pulling itself tighter, seeing this Mordecai let out a sneer and left the forge.
His last words could barely be heard by me only said as quiet as a whisper, "This is why women shouldn’t enter the forge."
Helping me up Kyle practically carried me home whereas Anthony had quickly gone back to work, leaving me in the living room he ran off to get the healer.
Seeing us Sam quickly stopped Kyle and sent him back to his work, helping me upstairs Sam started to explain.
"Miss your body's been going through changed for the last few years, but now the biggest change has just begun to happen." Continuing on she started to explain the birds and the bees, how I was born and that I myself would now be capable of producing my own daughter.
Blah blah blah, over all it's information I've had for years and the way she explains is a little too childish.
Cleaning myself up Sam brought me a cloth to use and gave me dinner in bed, over the next week I refused to leave my room.
The only people who'd be allowed to see me were Sam, Aura, and Selena all three of them encouraged me to come outside and explain how'd it'd get better.
Truthfully I just wanted nothing to do with it and after it ended I felt a sense of bliss, spending my time training was impossible and so I just hid away inside my soul.
Returning back to my blacksmithing job I was met with stares, Anthony avoided looking at me at all times whereas Kyle kept asking if I was alright.
Mordecai was the one who glared daggers the entire time but stopped after the first few hours, after making ingots for myself I started on a proper weapon this time around.
Using the same image of a knife it was created relatively easily this time around even having used the water element, matching the level of Kyle's work I'd had nothing to do really besides visualize.
With a clear picture I could now create a knife in minutes once the metal liquefied, next I'd try a sword using a larger amount of metal.
Pocketing the knife I'd test out it's abilities later on I'd tried to add an ice enchantment to it, feeling the blade it was cold but Mordecai reluctantly explained it was only due to the ice chi.
The ice mana however is where the actual enchantment would come from, without something to test it on the results couldn’t be verified.
Spending over another year practicing my forging my fifteenth birthday was quickly approaching, only two months until I'd be accepted as an adult.
Chapter 10: Emily's Homecoming
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I named this chapter 8 originally by accident lol :)