The long night of cuts and blood had paid off, leaving Ben with even more clones than he’d hoped for, with Thera making him ten new ones that were just about equal to the four he’d gotten from the great life spirit, all ready to be used and making the matter of how he’d do so into nothing more than a question of space at that point.

If Ben fully reached out with his deep connection, he’d be situated in the center of a circle that he’d be able to reach out in roughly six meters in all directions, giving him a huge range that he could put towards training his crafting and other skills with all of those extra hands.

Which means I just need to go get myself the space for that.

It was the sort of thing he wanted to put to work sooner than later and he wanted the convenience that would come with it, so to bring his goal to fruition he passed through his mini-gate, happy to beg a couple of the greatest resources in his life for help.

“I was hoping to buy a place in Anailia,” He said as he invaded Pelenia and Abrus’s meal together, even if he got a bright reaction from Pelenia for the statement.

“Oh? Thinking of making a little family home for you and my daughter? It would almost certainly be nicer than Stonewall. Closer to a gate and more to do too. Not to mention safer with the rest of the family here too.”

“Er, no. I needed a bit more space for making my own workshop.”

“Finally leaving that old ape then? It’s about time. And you picked an excellent place to start your new life in, I approve.”

“Still no, I was just going to drop a mini-gate there to use the extra space so I don’t take up every inch of Falk’s place.”

“Boo but fine,” the queen said, clear in her disappointment as she waved a servant down. “Elentia, be a dear and help Ben find a place that fits his criteria, would you?”

“Yes, your majesty.”

“You’re the best, Pelenia.”

“Hmm, you can thank me by dragging my daughter and sister down for a few dinners sometime soon if you’re not going to bother just outright moving here.”

“Will do.”

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After outlining what he was specifically looking for as far as space went, the servant Elentia moved with prompt efficiency, sending for different real estate brokers within the city to come to them and present available properties that might match his options and landing on a previously empty warehouse, something that would give him more than enough space to work as his skill would grow while he looked it over and took it all in, feeling plans form as he did.

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Since connect stretches out in all directions I could easily get a few more clones squeezed in here by adding a few platforms for some to work on to make even more stuff, but that’s going to be a future project. For now, I’ve just gotta move a gate here along with having some supplies sent over as well on top of all of the tools I’m going to need. Definitely going to take a few long hours of setup but nothing else to do but get started, right?

Once the plan was formed the day became straightforward, even if tiring from there as it turned to a rush, first going back to the shop to throw together a new mini-gate and carrying it through Anailia after it was constructed, dropping it off to let him go back and forth more easily once that was done as he dragged things through and materialized whatever he needed to when he had the mana to spare, slowly building up the place into a proper workshop for him to enjoy with every body at his disposal and indulge in his numerous crafts.

As much as he enjoyed his smithing and as much as it was what the world needed, he didn’t want to be doing that alone. It was taking up untold hours of each day, so to balance that out he also wanted to enjoy other things too. Painting, drawing, sculpting, wood, stone, and leather working and more, not to mention all of the cooking he’d need to do to ensure he could keep all of the homunculi fed and alive. This was going to be his place to indulge in it all with everything he’d be doing, making a smile stretch across his face as his minds already rushed while plans formed and danced across his thoughts.

By the time he’d finished as much as he could after filling and organizing the place it was late in Stonewall, enough that he wasn’t expecting any encounters when he got back but found Falk waiting for him, looking at the new gate in his business with open suspicion.

“And what exactly is this boy?”

“Gate to my new workshop,” He said innocently, getting a shake of the head for his response.

“If you’re going to go out on your own then do it completely, cut the cord and start your own place, gods know you’re more than good enough by now.”

“Don’t wanna, and more importantly, this is just because I needed extra space. Even if you’re off doing who knows what, I had a few new bodies made so things would feel pretty tight in here if I didn’t get a bit more room.”

“You really do the weirdest crap, you know that?”

“Hey, it’s called efficiency, it’s great.”

“Scares the customers a bit though.”

“You’re away often enough that the shop’s barely open, mister future god. Speaking of, what has you so busy this time?”

“Ah, finishing a project. I’ll take you out to see it when it's done.”

“Or you could take me now?”

“No.”

“Awe, come on, why?”

“Because it’s late and I feel like if I let you see it before it’s done then you’re going to hound me about it until it is and you have your own work to be doing.”

“True but lame. Fine, but my curiosity is raised Falk, I’ve got high expectations here!”

“Ah, be patient for a few days boy and then I’ll have them blown away.”