The workshop overseer rose from his seat with a few pops from his joints and a heaving groan. His eyes darted to the squared off areas outside of his window, watching as the multiple leering eyes went back to their work. I noticed that a few of those mean stares were directed at me as well, but my own glare seemed to cause them to realize that they weren't exactly being subtle in their actions. Vynrashu slid some kind of shutter over the window, and the sound of the workshop went silent as a small filmy layer of mana enclosed the room.
“Alright, we can talk freely now. Don't worry about being heard, there's an enchantment over the room right now that makes it so sound doesn't pass through.”
I expressed towards him a doubtful look, which he seemed to understand the meaning of rather quickly.
“I suppose that doesn't really matter to you, does it? Let me say that differently: I can speak freely, and you can write questions I normally wouldn't answer out loud. Do keep it quick though, the mana stone powering this doesn't last long, and those money-pinching snakes will start getting suspicious if I give you more time than they get.”
Thank you for correcting yourself boss, it makes me feel at least a little respected. If we're pressed for time, I suppose there's only two things I want to write down right now.
“I need to know who the suppliers are for craft materials, and I'd like to know more about what I just walked in on. I get the feeling that I'm making a lot of trouble for you.”
He shook his head and drew a sort of boxy canteen from his desk, the smell of which told me it held some herbal tincture.
“I can write down the names and where their shops are, so don't worry about that right now. As for what you heard, I can't say that you've been helping in that regard. These guys are having a little loyalty dispute right now because of how I'm changing things. You're only a few moon phases old, so it makes sense you wouldn't know about the change in management we had. My predecessor abruptly announced that she was sick and wanted to chase her dreams before her end, so it fell on me to take over alongside my associate Ephkarn. He's an old blood that likes to make big promises and not keep them, and he gets along with these inventors up here by slipping them some money they really don't need.”
He paused to take a swig of his drink, then wiped at his lips with a handkerchief in an unexpectedly polite way.
“As you probably have discerned, I greatly dislike dishonesty in my approach, but ever since this feud began I've had to pretend to be the moneybag for these stub-tails while also keeping enough money flowing down for the real hard workers to feed their families. I wouldn't have to struggle if things were solidified under my control, but my position here is only maintained by my father's waning support and the loyalty I've earned with the middle and ground floor kobolds. The current agreement is that only one of us will take over based on our management effectiveness, but it will not be decided until the next moon-rise after the upcoming one. Ephkarn isn't capable of handling things correctly, but the other old bloods have been skewing the numbers so that he looks better. They're just going to use him as a puppet until his strings break, but not before caving this place in with their greed.”
Vynrashu had his back to the wall, both figuratively and physically, as he turned himself to face away from the window. He swirled the container around a few times before deciding to cap it once again.
“Sorry, I didn't intend to ramble on like that. I might be taking your condition for granted in assuming that you're more of a listener than a talker. I meant no offense to you, and I apologize if you feel taken advantage of.”
I understand. Sitting in an office up here, spending every day surrounded by sharks and leeches, having the people who depend on you kept out of reach, it must wear you down faster than you can piece yourself back together. He's playing the one man army trying to hold this place together, and nobody else is even aware of the cracks. I didn't either so I'm no better than the rest of them, but maybe I can be. All it takes is just a little trust, right?
How much I trusted him was still a bit of an undecided point when considering the possibility of him being the son of an enemy, but as a person I felt that he was deserving of some help. He was the one who made sure that Dobo and Vimna could make it through their unique situation, and he was the one who was pushing me towards success. Sure he was keeping secrets from me, and maybe his facade still bugged me, but his heart was in the right place. Maybe I can overlook these details for his sake.
“You didn't upset me, I am a naturally good listener. Is there any way that I can be of assistance? Maybe there's a way I can push the odds in your favor.”
He didn't read my words right away, instead opting to toy with his flask a few times as he thought about something. It wasn't long until he noticed that I was trying to reply and read what I asked. He was bemused at first, then shifted into a relaxed smile accompanied by a chuckle.
“I think I need to rethink my words again, as I said something that wasn't entirely the truth. You're not helping me when it comes to improving my status with this lot, but you are helping in other ways already. First is your drill invention, which has already begun to show its worth in both application on the job and by irritating the hells out of these grumpy dry-scales. Second is your effect on morale: you have no idea how amazed the crew making the drills is that you invented it, allowed my friend to make some simple improvements to the handling, then went on to continue designing new things rather than succumb to greed. On the opposite side, it enrages the other inventors that you don't communicate with them, you stay on the ground floor where they seldom visit, and you have the boldness to experiment with magic and machines openly without their supervision. Both of these effects on morale are beneficial, at least from the place I stand.”
What a mischievous smirk he wore, it almost looks like genuine glee. His back slid away from the wall as he stepped around to stand behind his desk to begin writing something, but he didn't stop talking just yet.
“The third thing you are unwittingly doing is inspiring me to do better. You've shown me that your drive to invent isn't based on greed or pride, but an honest desire to change things for the better. In addition you have already shown me just a while ago that you don't take kindly to a challenge to your integrity or achievements. You put those two traits together and you have an inventor in a league of her own. I wish it weren't so, but people like you are a rare and precious kind that seldom gets far on their own.”
He finished writing his note and came around to my side of the table. He held the page out for me while finishing his explanation.
“Don’t worry about helping me any more than you do just by walking in those doors every day. I’ll keep these bloodthirsty scavengers from evicting you, and you’ll keep that brain of yours making new things. Even if I’m not in charge come next moon-rise, I’ll still leave things in place so that you can’t be easily removed.”
I took the paper from his hand, tucked the sheet into my satchel, then shook his hand. Trust or not, I knew Vynrashu was a decent guy that meant what he said. It really didn’t make much sense to be so paranoid about him if I was willing to go so far as to offer him my assistance. I almost felt my face begin to turn to a smile when the field of mana in the office began to flicker, the sounds from outside becoming more noticeable. Both of us looked around the room in alarm, the situation of the depleting mana stone setting into both of our minds at the same time.
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“Ah crap, looks like we’re out of time. I’m going to have to pretend that I’m mad at you for messing something up, so brace yourself for some fake scolding, okay? Can’t have those old schemers catch on that we’re buddies. Sorry in advance for this.”
What? I didn’t really get to nod along before the air around us popped like a bubble, Vynrashu’s voice ringing in my ears a heartbeat after with fake accusations.
“Don’t give me excuses! I told you that I wanted a new machine ready by the end of the week, so you better get to it! Damn it, you’re lucky that the screen is drained or you’d be getting worse from me. Get out of here, and take that roach with you!”
His shouting had actually made me cover my ears in an attempt to lessen the stinging pain that he’d left in my head, and at the mention of my pet I scooped him up and ran out the door in a panic. I almost tripped over a pair of kobolds that had been standing just outside of the door attempting to listen in, but I didn’t have my wits about me to think of that or catch their faces or scents as they too sprinted away in terror. Someone shouted something at me as I ran for the stairs, but I was still in a panic as I stumbled my way down and couldn’t catch what was said. The air was heavy in my chest as I finally slumped to the floor in front of my locked lab, exhausted from sprinting all the way here from across the workshop as a whole.
I’ll admit that a false accusation of me failing is a good cover, but I’m going to hold this against you boss. I don’t know what spell you used on me, but that was the only time I’ve felt scared like that and I’m not going to let that slide. Charles, did he use a spell on me?
“Affirmative: fear aura detected, radius unknown, duration one minute, effect reduced to twelve seconds by resistances. Influence temporary, alarm not set off due to forewarning from Vynrashu.”
Thanks Charles, you’re a peach. Wow, he actually used an intimidate spell on me. Screw you boss, screw you inventors, and screw you stairs, I’m going home for the day. I popped the lock on the lab, snatched up my mana stones and the valuables box, and locked the door as I stormed my way out of the workshop. I’ll be back tomorrow with a vengeance, count on it!
…
It only took the better part of the elevator ride and walk home for me to calm down and get back into a mindset that would allow some rational thought. A new set of enemies, the angry machinists, was added to the slowly growing roster of people who wanted to either kill me, torture me, sacrifice me, or undermine me in some way that gets me fired. Ugh, this was just like college all over again, only instead of vicious professors it’s kobolds and cultists. I don’t have the mental energy to deal with all of that right now, I’m just going to go inside and… stare at the sealed door to the house. Shit, I forgot that Bahruk seals it when we aren’t home now, and I’m the one who asked him to do that!
No point in moping in an empty hallway for the next few hours, so I might as well do something else. Let’s see, it’s the third day of the week and I’m locked out of my house with an armful of stuff, so where can I go where I won’t be mugged? Not that I thought I would be mugged, but sometimes life will kick you in the groin when you least expect it. I suppose I can just go where I wanted to visit after work, which I guess means that it’s time to stop by and see how Rakyan is doing with the typewriter. As unlikely as it was that he’d gotten through it, I still wanted to have someone to hang out with.
The route to the little back alley shopping area was just as ominous as it was when I had Yabtin guiding me, and even on a work day there was still a small gathering of kobolds here looking around or speaking to one another in hushed voices. I approached the shop tucked away in the back of the shady market with a little bit of a spring to my step, an action that went in complete opposition to the atmosphere around here. I pushed open the wooden door and peered inside, a familiar fuzzy face idly drifting over the pages of a thick book. A certain purple kobold was seated adjacent to the store owner, leaning over him in a half conscious daze.
My arrival didn’t seem to bother them until the shopkeeper glanced over and threw the book down on the counter with a loud slam. His eyes looked me over rapidly, his hands pulled him until he was standing on the counter, and his voice rang out in unsuppressed joy all at once in the span of a few seconds.
“Kayrux, my newest and currently most valued customer, welcome back to my little treasury of bits and things! I wasn’t expecting you at this hour, but I already have your order ready in the back. I’ll go get it, you wait right here!”
I didn’t even get the chance to wave or write anything before he leapt from the counter and broke into a full four-legged sprint over to the back. Wow, he looked just like a tiny lizard-wolf running like that. I met the confused stare of Yabtin, though I didn’t know what to say to him so I just waved.
“Uh, hi. He’s been wait for while now, had to distract with bird research. Was falling to the sleep when you arrive, still not all awake. I let him handle…”
He didn’t even finish his sentence before sliding halfway over the counter and drooling all over the wooden surface. I set my things on the counter away from him and just shook my head in mock disappointment. Rakyat came back with the typewriter hoisted high over his head so he could set it on the counter, but before he addressed me again he tossed a blanket over Yabtin. He scaled the counter via a stepstool, tugged the blanket so it was tucked under my uncle’s head then turned to speak with me in a less boisterous voice.
“My excitement over this project was too much for my brain to let sit idly for more than one day, so I went ahead and did all of the dismantling in one sitting. I was about to pull an all-night work shift when Yabtin comes in saying you got sick or something. I got sad for a bit, but he said you’d recover and it was okay again. He also said you took his bed, and with nowhere else to sleep he came here to bunk with me. I called him on that blatant lie but I still let him stay if he worked the shop with me. You can see just how that’s going.”
He pointed at the unconscious kobold slumped over the counter, his warm smile shining a little brighter when he saw how Yabtin was shimmying backwards in order to hide under the blanket. Rakyat’s tail suddenly snapped to the side as he turned to face the silvery machine sitting on the counter. He waved for me to come closer then began to point to different components and keys while explaining some things.
“So this thing is actually a bit more of a relic than I had thought it was coming out of that dusty old crate. We craftsmen call this thing a magi-machine, meaning that it’s half levers and keys and half enchantments and runes. It took a while, but I managed to get all of the keys set up on the same rune lines so the ink flow would operate normally. Here, let me show you how it works.”
He took a sheet of parchment and slid it into the slot, then grabbed what looked like an ivory handle and waited for a soft chime to come from the machine. The sound also came with a rising sound of liquid being poured from somewhere, but there was no visible leaking going on. He twisted a dial a few times, and eventually the noise stopped completely.
“Alright, so first you charge this baby up with a bit of mana until it makes that noise, which means that it’s got a ten minute charge ready and the ink warmer is on. That trickling is the ink flowing over the type plate between the keys and the page, but from here you can’t see it. Adjust the flow limiter until it goes quiet, then you’re ready to type. The keys move those little hammers, and the hammers strike the plate and leave a letter behind. When a key resets, the page moves one space over and readies for another hit. Go ahead and give it a whirl.”
I could barely contain my excitement as I traced my fingers over they keys. What should I write, what should my first printed message be?
“Research log day 1: Typewriter has been acquired, all thanks to an amazing kobold. Thank you Rakyat"
Rakyat chuckled at my strange message, his wolfish little fangs peeking out as he tried to hide his smile.
“Strange word choice, but you’re welcome. So, are you satisfied with the results? I’ve still got those elven parts on my table, and I’ll even give you some grease for the inner workings for free. This job has been the most fun I’ve had in ages, but it’s a shame it only lasted a few days. Things are so boring around here whenever I’m not fulfilling orders for those workshop goons.”
Hold up, what was that last part? I reached into my bag and withdrew the sheet my boss had given me and read the names. Three names on the list, and one of them was Rakyat, owner of the Bol-nan Trades on floor fifty-seven. What are the odds? Oh wait, that makes me one of the workshop goons now, doesn’t it? Darn it!