Chapter 17 - Shopping in a Criminal Settlement
Ready to start narrating his tale, Bartholomew stood up from his seat and positioned himself in front of his desk to ensure that everyone present was listening. This revealed that one of his legs was a golden mechanical prosthesis, with gears that turned with every step he took.
“As you should already know, or perhaps not, the Allied Kingdoms is a group of nations that arbitrarily united to form a single unified government to manage all the known lands on this continent. Many countries have been completely devastated for not submitting to the new regime, as their military power surpassed any existing kingdom. That's why the different pirate factions reluctantly joined forces. We never sought to be part of this problem nor intended to become the "protectors of the free world", but eventually, the leaders of the seven guilds realized it was the only way to survive total annihilation. We also couldn't endure without the resources that these independent nations provide us in gratitude for our protection.”
Taking a breath, he continued with his story while his little mechanical bird began to flutter gently.
"I still remember when I was a child, and the dominance of the ocean was solely the result of the sweat of our brows and the strength of our backs. Now, the seas are teeming with ironclad warships and mechanized sea beasts. The reason for the assault on Ironwave Anchorage is that it was discovered to be one of the largest factories for machinery and weaponry owned by 'Stratos Technology'... Oh right, I almost forgot, at the center of the Allied Kingdoms' military power is a group called Stratos Technology, led by the most brilliant and despised inventor of all time, Isaac Volta, the father that boosted to the next level the steam technology that powers the entire world and the creator of all the weapons that now engulf the world in chaos. Any questions?"
It was a fascinating story and certainly made clear the narrative of the world they found themselves in, with the free kingdoms being oppressed by a global government that sought to dominate everything by force. However, even though no one else seemed to question these words, Adam noticed that something didn't quite add up according to the synopsis of the scenario they had been given before being transported here.
"I have a question, if I may."
Said the boy, causing the supervisor to raise an eyebrow.
"Speak up, kid, you don't have to ask for permission. Formalities are just a waste of time and honestly, they annoy me."
Adam corrected himself, finding it odd that someone with a formal position like "supervisor of a guild branch" would say such things, and continued.
"He mentioned that the technology wielded by the Armada is superior to everything else, but we've seen quite advanced technology here as well. If the Allied Kingdoms have both superior weaponry and numbers even to what we have seen, I can't understand how the free kingdoms have managed to resist for so long."
He remarked, eliciting a slight smile from behind the man's thick beard.
"Quite perceptive, huh? Well, yes, the truth is the only reason we can stand against them is because we also have experts in mechanics and engineering. The two guilds dedicated to weapon and technology development long ago figured out how Stratos Technology's inventions work and replicated them to combat the Armada. That's why we're still alive."
That still didn't make sense. Wasn't Isaac Volta supposed to be the greatest scientist of all time? If his most destructive inventions were so easy to replicate, then he couldn't possibly hold such a title. Could it have been just an exaggeration by the pirate?
“But how did they manage to do that so quickly to have defenses prepared?”
"Well, how should I know? It's those crazy folks who spend all day hammering metal or shocking themselves. If you're so interested in that, just go and ask in one of their workshops; there are plenty in the city."
Bartolomeo shrugged as if those details didn't matter to him at all, even as his metal bird started making noises reminiscent of a pre-recorded chuckle, distracting everyone present to the point that they didn't notice that for a brief moment, Magnus, among them, had fixed his gaze on Adam.
"And speaking of that, as I mentioned earlier, you will be sent first thing tomorrow morning to the front lines in the siege, which has been ongoing for two consecutive days now. You will arrive amidst all the chaos, so I advise you to be rested and prepared by then. Each of you will be given a budget of 20 Iron Shillings today to buy whatever you deem necessary. Now, get out."
With nothing more to add, the group exited the makeshift office and returned to the reception area. There, the woman attending the place wrote down each of their names on a board and quickly handed them a small sack of silver coins, swiftly bidding them farewell as if she didn't want to spend any more time on it.
"From now on, you are free to go wherever you please in the city, but I advise you to return to the ship we came on to spend the night and avoid trouble. We'll be setting sail at sunrise tomorrow, and anyone not aboard at that time will be reported, pursued, and punished. Understood?"
The captain said once they were outside, making the rules very clear for them to follow if they wanted to avoid any trouble, which everyone present agreed to almost instantly—everyone except Li…
"Yeah, yeah, sure, whatever. I'm going to find a tavern and use my money to get a few drinks. See you on the ship at dusk."
He said, adjusting his hat and heading off in an unknown direction from the group. It was odd for him to seek out a place to drink, especially when it was the only thing he had done on the ship. Had he always been such a heavy drinker? None of the three 'original' members of the group recalled ever seeing him with anything resembling a bottle or glass of liquor in the white lobby, but perhaps they had simply overlooked it.
Walking together for a bit, Magnus bid farewell and also went his own way, leaving the group of five completely alone in a city full of wonders they had never seen before in their lives.
"What should we do now? Judging by the position of the sun, it's not even noon yet. There's plenty of time until dusk. Still, I don't recommend splitting up. It could be dangerous if someone ends up getting lost on their own"
Adam suggested, who had been observing the sun's movement during his solitary hours on the ship and noticed that it seemed to function the same way as in his world. Truth be told, he wanted to suggest that the most important thing was to get food and provisions, as all the gear they had brought with them had been confiscated upon their initial capture. However, if they were being sent as soldiers, it was unlikely they wouldn't be supplied with provisions.
He wasn't the only one thinking about what they should do next, but it was Kazue's sudden shout that snapped everyone out of their thoughts. They watched as she pulled a huge bag from her backpack, revealing that it had been weighing her down the entire way over there.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
"What are you talking about? It's time to go shopping! I have exactly 540 Iron Shillings that I'm dying to spend on the most extravagant artifacts I can find. If you accompany me to carry my purchases, I promise to gift you something."
The girl exclaimed excitedly, causing some of her companions to laugh a little due to the energy she exuded while others sighed in resignation.
"I always wanted to say that... I always wanted to go shopping with someone."
She murmured to herself, hoping that none of those present had heard her.
Nearly an hour and a half had passed since then, and the group had wandered through countless streets and browsed many of the shops they encountered along the way, both local stores and street vendors, marveling at each discovery. There was so much to explore in that jungle of pipes, gears, and steam. They had come across a workshop selling steam-powered skates that supposedly allowed you to ski on the sea, and both Adam and Drake had to physically pull their female companion away from buying a pair, while Sebastian apologized to the vendor for the commotion caused.
They also found a street vendor selling a fruit similar to coconuts, which the man claimed came from the borders of the continent beyond the Great Ocean. It was intriguing, but when they opened it, a strong smell of burnt motor oil emanated, and a black liquid oozed onto the table. In a world dominated by steam technology, something like that certainly caught their attention, but the odor was so pungent that all they could think of was leaving the place immediately.
Another noteworthy place was a store with an extravagant facade, featuring an insane number of barrels of all shapes and sizes. According to the shopkeeper, they contained all kinds of explosives and combat consumables. The group spent quite a bit of time there, with both Adam and Sebastian eventually using their twenty silver coins, filling their belts with what could only be described as grenades or mechanical bombs.
"Just turn the key once to activate them; they'll explode a few seconds after that, so be careful."
The shopkeeper advised, receiving thanks from the middle-aged man, who had bought two types of bombs: five "Flash Bombs" that blinded with a flash and five "Stun Bombs" that paralyzed with an electric shock. However, Adam's mind focused on the description that his eyes finally gave him about the bombs he had personally purchased.
⌠Smoke Bomb (Defective) - Rank F⌡ ⌠Additional Information⌡ ⌠A homemade mechanical bomb that activates by turning the side key once, after which it releases a dense smoke screen, ideal for escape or disorientation⌡ ⌠Cursed Vision Knowledge⌡ ⌠Warning: Defective product: The chemical compound inside has been mixed incorrectly. The gas released induces the status effect "Drowsiness" when inhaled, prolonged exposure leads to the status effect "Sleep" in the affected individual⌡
There were many batches of defective products mixed among the merchandise, all with fatal design flaws like an explosion risk or outright malfunctioning. Adam had helped Mr. Sebastian choose only those that functioned correctly, but this changed when he came across the smoke bombs. He didn't even have to think twice; it would be a great advantage for him. Without hesitation, he bought ten of them to store in his school bag, after all, he still had twenty coins left from the small bet he had ended up making on the boat
As none of the other three seemed convinced by that, they continued on their way, reaching their first truly important stop on the journey: a massive workshop with many doors and a deafening noise of saws and metal strikes. It was adorned with a large skull and wrench emblem, one of the workplaces of the Steamcraze Tinkerers guild.
Just staying near the workshop was torture due to the sheer noise alone. They were all ready to leave as quickly as possible when they saw Kazue stretch her arms and rush inside. Worried about what might happen, everyone followed her, expecting the noise to become even louder once inside. However, to everyone's surprise, as soon as they stepped inside, the sound abruptly stopped, as if it had ceased suddenly.
"Hey, rookies, what brings you to this place?"
Suddenly, a voice spoke out, revealing itself moments later to belong to a man of very short stature with a hammer even bigger than himself, a bald head, a beard down to his stomach, and a completely soot-stained outfit that highlighted his well-developed muscles.
“A-a-a-a-a-a dwarf! A real dwarf!”
Kazue exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement, rushing towards the man and leaning down slightly to get a clear look at him, as he was a bit shorter than her.
“What? Dwarf?! Are you calling me short?! You insolent brat!”
Infuriated by the unwarranted insult, the man grabbed his enormous hammer with both hands and raised it, fully intending to strike the girl, who didn't seem to have noticed at all.
*BOOM”
The blow struck the ground, causing a significant crack, while Kazue lay nearby, having been tackled by none other than her blond companion. He had anticipated what was about to happen and didn't hesitate to drop the bag of coins that he had been tasked to carry on his back by the girl, and throw himself towards her, just in time to prevent the impact.
“Hey, what's going on? Why are you pushing me?”
"Kazue! … Apologize to the gentleman. He's not a dwarf, and you clearly offended him by calling him that."
Drake said, quickly getting up and helping her to her feet. Great move on his part and critical discernment, thought Adam, because in everything he had read about this world, no other fantastic race had been mentioned, so that was just an ordinary man, just short in stature.
“Are you sure? He seems like a dwa-Bleh!”
“We are very sorry for this misunderstanding!”
The woman's words were cut off by her companion, who, seeing she was about to screw it again, took her by the head and made her bow in apology alongside him, hoping to calm the man down. Fortunately, it seemed to work, and the man just sighed in resignation and lowered his hammer.
"Well, alright... So, I'll ask again, what are you doing in this place? You're clearly not part of the guild"
Before the girl could say anything foolish again, Adam took a few steps forward and spoke up.
"We're recruits heading to the siege of Ironwave Anchorage tomorrow, and we're gathering equipment. We noticed that this workshop belongs to the Steamcraze Tinkerers and thought they might have useful items for sale."
The small man huffed as if the boy’s statement had offended him.
"This is a workshop, not a store. No one here will sell you anything they've made themselves, but..."
He continued, glancing sideways at the large bag of coins left on the ground.
"For the right price, I suppose I could show you some of my designs, follow me."
Without further delay, the man turned around and began walking towards the real interior of the workshop, closely followed by everyone else. As they walked, they admired their surroundings: dozens of men carrying, welding, hammering, cutting, and assembling metal parts in manners that were hard to explain, all doing so almost silently, which seemed somewhat nonsensical.
"Don't worry about the noise. The entire workshop is coated with an alloy invented specifically by the guild. It isolates any sound above a certain auditory level and releases it outside the building. Pity for the neighbors, hahaha,"
After a moment, they arrived at a large steel door, which opened only after the man leaned on it with both hands and pushed hard, not before quickly checking that no one else was inside. Revealing the interior and leaving everyone present in awe. Inside was a massive warehouse, so large it could be considered a hangar, filled to the ceiling with objects and vehicles that they couldn't even begin to identify, all well-organized and in perfect condition.
"Behold and marvel at the great creations of yours truly, Rook Bladebender, master mechanic and 9th best in the entire guild."
He concluded, lifting his nose noticeably proud of his title.