As I am leaving Walter's shop I remember that Mitch is just across the street so I head over there. When I enter he is working on something so I move over to an empty table and start taking things out of my pouch. I pile up the horns and bones from the behemoth and all the drake bone I have left.
As I reach into the pouch to verify I got it all another bone comes to my hand. When I pull it out I find it is from one of the bears I killed outside the capital. Next I find a bone from one of the bird things in the underground, I thought I got rid of it all when I was in the trials.
Mitch says "What's all that for?"
"This is all for you."
Mitch says "What do you want me to craft?"
"Weapons or tools, whatever you think beastmen might need."
Mitch says "I'm making stuff for the beastmen now?"
"Do you have any problem with the beastmen?"
Mitch says "No, not at all."
So I explain again the plan I am working on, Mitch agrees with the plan completely. He even agrees to talk to most of the other summoned on my behalf, saving me a ton of work. I do however plan to talk to the blacksmith myself, I want to know him myself before I hand over all that ore.
Mitch says "Actually there are two blacksmiths. They share a shop but not much else."
"What do you mean?"
Mitch says "One is a european blacksmith the other is an oriental blacksmith. They don't agree on much."
"Well, how about you introduce me to them and then I can talk to them while you go talk to the others."
Mitch says "Sure, we can do that. But if I may ask, why do you want to talk to them?"
"One because I am something of a blacksmith and two because I have some very precious ore that I may or may not give them."
Mitch says "Fair enough! Let's go."
So Mitch leads me down the street all the way to the end of the street where it meets other streets. He is taking me to one of the corner shops, a place that should be attracting lots of attention to the street but instead looks almost abandoned. From the looks of it the blacksmiths have suffered just as much as the other summoned.
Stolen novel; please report.
Mitch says "Harold, Hyung, I want you to meet Ash, he is a summoned and the new owner of our street."
Hyung says "That sword! Where did you get it?"
"I made it."
Hyung says "Forgive my rudeness, may I see it?"
So I draw Blitz and hold it out for him to inspect, as I am holding it I notice Mitch leave. Hyung spends several minutes staring at every inch of the blade, he seems totally engrossed. Harold on the other hand barely gives it a glance, he doesn't seem interested at all.
Hyung says "The blade is beautiful, you are skilled. What metal is this? I have never seen it before."
"Something I found by chance underground."
Harold says "Do you have any more?"
"No, I used all I found in the forging of Blitz."
Harold says "Too bad, I'm sick of working with pig iron."
"Pig iron? Is that really all you have to work with?"
Hyung says "The blacksmiths guild has an exclusive contract with the mining guild. All ore that enters the city is under their control, and all we can get is pig iron."
Harold says "They won't sell us anything better unless we join the guild as apprentices. Apprentices!"
Hyung says "They wouldn't even sell us a forge or tools, we have had to make due with what we could cobble together."
"Before we get into that, do either of you have a problem forging tools and weapons for beastmen?"
Harold says "I don't have any problem with it."
Hyung says "The few I have met have been honorable, I see no issues."
"Alright, if I provide a forge and materials can you show me your skills?"
Both say "Yes."
So I clear a place and take the forge out of my pouch, their eyes almost fall out of their skulls when they see it grow. Then as I pull out bars of high grade steel, almost five hundred of them, they start to look greedy. I don't even have to say anything, they start up the forge and examine the tools while it is heating up.
They are having to use wood and coal to fuel the forge since there is no elemental to fire it up. They seem to have forgotten that I am even here as they move everything around to where it is most comfortable for them. Once the forge is roaring they both start working and after just a few minutes I can tell they are both decently skilled.
From what I can see the only thing they really lack is experience working with decent material. As I watch I can tell they both use completely different styles, even the way they hold and swing a hammer is different. Since they work so differently it is hard to tell if one of them is better than the other.
Deciding that only the end results will tell me what I want to know I tell them I will be back in the morning to see their work. As I walk outside I can tell from the light that there are still two hours till dark, I have time for one more errand before dinner. So I turn away from my street and head towards the mages guild, it's time to find out about Ruby's amulet.
When I walk into the guild mages of various ranks step out of my way and bow as I pass. It is weird but I am guessing Roddick has something to do with it. Finally one of the lower level mages steps in front of me and after bowing turns and leads me to a small waiting room.
Roddick says "Ash! Sorry to keep you waiting but I wasn't expecting to see you again so soon. Is everything alright?"
"Yes, everything is fine. I'm just checking things off my to-do list. So I'm here to see about Ruby's amulet."
Roddick says "Oh, right. Follow me, I'll introduce you to the twins."