On the fifth floor, Stew set Big John to prospecting and created nine more stone quarries. Once they were ready, he generated ninety-five more mining golems, naming them "Stone Miner - 6" through "Stone Miner - 100" and set them to work in teams of ten at each face.

The first round of stone went to the Lunar Forge to start turning out reinforced stone and living stone. He wasn't sure how he was going to create enough in time, but he had an idea. He put Beryl in charge of programming the controller golems, and used the first batch of stone and the massive amount of mana he now had to work with to create two more Lunar Forges. It hadn't even occurred to him before, but then he hadn't had the raw material to need them. He added Smittee - 2 and 3 as well as Smelter and Forge 2 and 3.

Then he drew back and checked in on Cook 1 and Cook 2 in the kitchens turning out divine cheese. Everything was running smoothly, all he could do was watch and wait.

After an hour he was cautiously optimistic.

After three, he was in awe. Beryl's careful tweaks had increased overall production by ten percent.

As soon as the sun dropped below the mountain tops, the other trolls went to work. Amethyst and a team of five stood in a loose ring around the space cleared two thirds of the way between the tree line and the dungeon entrance. They said nothing for several minutes as Amethyst cradled a false core in the crook of one arm while she looked over a diagram sketched on papyrus. It was an exploded view she had made of the design they had discussed.

[Share Storage Access with your minion, Amethyst? Y/N]

Stew selected "Y."

As soon as he said yes some of the stone, regular and reinforced, vanished from his storage. Blocks appeared in the center of the ring between Amethyst and the others. A tall, thin troll named Chrysolite raised his hands and a rumbling sound started in the ground beneath their feet.

The ground collapsed in a big rectangle between the trolls like a massive sinkhole. Simultaneously, all of the dungeon stone melted and flowed, forming into a pool that filled the space. The stone rippled with the ongoing vibrations, until long pale fingers of subtly different shades for the different grades of stone rose up thin and straight and impossibly tall. Once they were twice as tall as the trees in the forest, they began to bow and sway, until they made contact with each other. As soon as they touched they started to weave themselves into shape, merging and hardening.

Once the stone solidified, stacks of mana glass appeared and flowed and melted just like the stone had before, creating tall panes supported by a lattice of more of the reinforced stone.

The building was round with steps leading up to a massive entrance. The doors were made of big slabs of reinforced stone, balanced to open and close at a touch. Romans knew all about building grand buildings with arches and domes, so Stew had taken a completely different direction. The building was square, all angles and edges, although the sides swooped up like flames frozen in place, the front was made almost entirely of glass. It was much smaller, but it was inspired by the Sydney Opera House and that train station in Cincinnati they used as the model for the Justice League building.

He had the trolls place four of his false cores on pedestals out front, like lights. It gave a nice glow, but it also allowed him to manipulate the building as if it were part of his first level. He set a lighting customization inside to provide a sourceless, bright light that made the pale stone blaze white. It made the interior seem larger without using [Natural Light] to make it vanish altogether.

Stew didn't have any sort of logo or flag, so the trolls carved a representation of his crystal core, half as large as the doorway in the center of the wall above the entrance.

Inside, they created a big stone meeting table and chairs with low arms and no back that Amethyst insisted were the local favorites. There were several more rooms off to the sides that Stew had ideas for later once the town was up and running. Amethyst had reminded him they would need more doorways in the back and sides to allow the staff to come and go. Decorations and finishing touches would have to wait.

That reminded Stew that he didn't have anything to offer his guests to eat or drink. He could make cheap plates and cups like the "feast hall" he had built before and "dungeon food" bait, but it hadn't been very high quality and the others had been wary of it, probably with good cause. He decided to send up a dozen [Divine Pizzas] from the kitchens. He could call them samples. While he was at it he sent up some [Divine Milk] and [Divine Cheese]. The Romans could bring their own wine.

Quintus, who had watched from some distance away as the trolls worked, walked over to Amethyst as they finished. "Nicely done."

Amethyst inclined her head. She was almost half again as tall as Quintus. "It's based on something the dungeon requested."

"I understand you're going to build an aqueduct?" He pulled a scroll from a satchel and opened it. "Do you already know where you will meet the river?"

"We know that area very well. We are gathering materials now. We plan to start tonight."

"Do you mind if I come with you?" He nodded at the building. "I don't think a human has seen troll builders at work in recent memory."

Amethyst nodded. "It has been a very long time since we built anything above ground. We were the builders for the Titans, but these new gods prefer to build things themselves."

Amethyst and the other trolls took the two remaining dungeon cores and went to the edge of town to start the foundation for this end of the aqueduct before sunrise.

Stew transferred his attention to Femur who was on his way from the dungeon entrance with Garrik, Theus, Raek, and Ba'Rush.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Theus provided a glowing light that surrounded them in the moonless darkness.

Across the field, Caesar had also left his headquarters tent and was approaching with six guards, two battlemages, and three officers including Marcus, the tribune from earlier that day.

A line of martial arts golems led by M.C.P. passed Femur and the rest carrying pizzas, milk, and cheese on platters he had found in the customization menu for the kitchens. They moved gracefully and balanced the platters perfectly. He just wished he'd had time to put them in tuxedos or something. They went inside to set the table.

"I see you're as careful as the consul," Theus said, nodding toward the golems.

"The consul learned to be careful through experience." Garrik said.

Raek nodded. "Getting captured by pirates will do that."

"Caesar was captured by pirates?" Stew had never heard that before. Was that a difference in this world or something that happened in his old world too?

"Briefly." Theus said. "It didn't go well for the pirates."

"He ordered them around and made them listen to his poetry." Garrik chuckled.

"And when they released him, he led a flotilla back to their island and crucified them," Raek said. "It's something the Romans do to make an example."

"I've heard of it," Stew said. Right. Romans. He tried not to shudder.

Both groups arrived at the steps of the new building at the same time. If the Romans were impressed, they hid it well.

Stew stepped Femur forward, realizing he hadn't really thought about how the Romans would see the goblin. He kicked himself for not trying to hire a human minion for this. In fact, he needed to hire an actual ambassador or something that would also know how to do this sort of thing. He was completely out of his depth. All he could do was keep it simple. "My name is Femur. The dungeon speaks through me. Welcome. Please join us inside."

One of the tribunes, someone that likely ranked higher than Marcus from his uniform, visibly winced.

Uh Oh. Stew thought.

One of the guards stepped forward. "You address Gaius Julius Caesar, Pacificator, Consul of Rome and Commander of the Legions!" The other guards and officers stiffened.

Caesar's face was unreadable, but he raised a hand and looked down at Femur. "We will make allowances. Barbarian customs often differ from civilized behavior."

Stew tried to think of a response that wouldn't start a war. "I've made some allowances too. I've decided not to eat any of you."

It was a dumb joke, but one of the officers, the same one that had winced before, had to stifle a laugh. Stew decided he liked this guy, even if his boss was a jackass. Stew made a move to start up the steps, but Caesar took three brisk steps to go in first, his entourage sprinting to keep up.

Stew let them get a few steps ahead then started up the steps more slowly. This guy would be ridiculous if he didn't have a legion and a fleet backing him. Stew caught Theus looking at him with a knowing expression. Maybe it was a difference in customs over two thousand years and thousands of miles, but Caesar was a famous tactician and general. Stew reminded himself not to underestimate him even if he was acting like a twit.

Inside the hall, the golems had already finished setting the table and disappeared into a side room.

When the Romans reached the table, they didn't wait for Stew and his group. Caesar, the chuckling tribune and one of the battlemages sat. The rest of his party stood at attention along the wall behind them.

When Stew's group arrived, Femur took the end of the long table opposite Caesar. Garrik and Theus sat to each side.

Caesar smiled at Garrik. "It is good to see you are well. Your father sends his regards."

"Thank you." Garrik said. "I'm pleased to see you also, Consul."

Caesar turned to Femur. "I have come to see this remarkable dungeon of yours and to speak with you about your neighbors, the Gauls."

Right to the point. "You can see samples of the unique products of the dungeon here." Stew gestured. "Please feel free to try them."

Caesar gestured and one of the guards stepped forward, he picked up one of the bottles of milk. "This is glass." He tilted the bottle slightly. "Perfectly clear." He looked to Femur. "What's in it?"

"Divine Milk," the battlemage at the table said. "A kind of ambrosia. In fact, all of this is ambrosia in one form or another."

"This is Caius Magnus, Praefectus Magicae of the Second Minerva Legion," Caesar offered, then continued to Caius. "This is genuine?"

"Yes, I'm certain." Caius gestured and the nearest cheese wheel, pizza and milk bottle glowed a bright white.

"Your tribute is generous." Caesar smiled, seeming to relax now that the formalities were over.

Stew hated to spoil the mood, but maybe that was the point of the smile. "Samples, not tribute. I'm hoping we can agree to trade and mutual benefit. I'm not applying to join your club."

Caesar frowned slightly. "I don't quite follow your words, but I understand your meaning. Generally Rome does not accept incursions on our soil. This dungeon is on land that Rome has claimed for over a century." His expression lightened again. "But neither are we here to demand tribute and oaths of loyalty. I'm here to talk about a mutual threat, and…" He waved a hand at the table. "Possibly to discuss mutual benefit as well."

"You mentioned Gauls." Stew decided to play dumb. This was Caesar, of course he wanted to talk about Gauls, but Stew had to remind himself that just because this world rhymed with the one he knew, it didn't mean he really knew what was going on.

"Specifically, the Helvetii. I would like to talk about an alliance. My intelligence says they have a great army on the move and are led by an unusual character named Merlin. I hope to encourage you to ally yourself with Rome and help stand against them."

"You said mutual threat. Why do you think the Helvetii are a threat to me?" Stew kind of already got that point from the attack earlier, but maybe that was just Lithel and Sella's grudge, and didn't really have to do with the Helvetians at all?

"They need what you have. The mana cores I've heard of, this ambrosia, could make Merlin much more powerful. They must have taken you years, even decades to accumulate, but I'm sure he would not hesitate to strip your dungeon to the walls in a day."

Again, right to the point, so Stew returned the favor. "If they are so valuable, what's to keep you from trying the same thing?"

"Let us find out." Caesar smiled wide, and for the first time, it seemed genuine. "That's why we are talking is it not?"