“Good morning, Lua.”
“Brian. Good morning.”
I met up with Lua in the factory in the morning.
“Do you have anything planned for today?” I asked.
“Just the usual. I’ll be teaching true blood magic, and then I’ll practice light magic.”
“I see. Simple, huh.”
“I guess. But it's not like there is a lot to do here. I’ll just spend time with everyone, and that is perfect. What about you, Brian? Any plans?”
“Well, I do need to go shopping.” I said. “Cosmo Queen said they are almost finished with a special room in the factory, so I’ll need some stuff for it.”
“Special? Special how?”
“It is basically space insulated from the factory itself. Inside there, my monsters should be able to work with real materials and make real items that I can then take out with my storage.” I explained. “My plan was to have a smithy there, so my smiths and vampires can make blood iron and vampiric steel whenever they feel like it. And maybe some other stuff as well. I have the hide, well more like all of the materials, from that sword-horn bull, so I was thinking of having a cloak or a mantle made for me from that.”
“I see. … Could you make me one?” Lua asked.
“Sure, no problem. But I’m not sure if it will be better than the one you got from Grimson.”
“That’s fine. I just want something that isn’t dark red.” Lua said. “Maybe something that will get … a bit less attention.”
“I see. Yes. I can do that. I wouldn’t want others staring at you. Only I may do that.”
“... I’m not sure if that was sweet or creepy.”
“It should be a little of both.” I answered honestly. “But this is just how I am. I don’t want others looking at my girlfriend in that way.”
“I don’t know if that makes me happy or sad…”
“Sorry. Again, this is who I am. If you want, we can break this off right now. It isn’t too late and I will get off a lot easier than if you just decide to leave later.”
“No! I won’t leave. So… let’s just keep going. We can figure everything out. Together.” Lua said.
“Yeah. I hope we can.”
During breakfast, I asked where I should go for the things I need. Only to have everyone ask what I needed things like a blacksmithing forge for. I just do, alright.
“If you are seriously thinking about that, you should head for the Hill town of Yuva. It is a mining town on the eastern edge of the wyvern mountains. I think you went there, or almost there on one of the road safety checks.” The Earl told me. “But honestly speaking, I’m not sure if they can fulfill your wish of a forge that you can put into inventory. A forge is built into a building, or a building is built around a forge. It isn’t something people move.”
Don’t they? Maybe they don’t. Sure these days we have movable forges, as we can use things like propane which are easier to move than a bunch of coal, but maybe with the coal forges they use, it can’t be done.
… but wait a second. What about…
“What about farriers?” I asked. Farriers, the people that trim horse’s feet and place horseshoes on them, use small travel forges, right. And that profession is older than propane. Okay, not literally, considering that propane is natural. It has existed for a long time. But it was discovered in 1850s or something. 1
“They either use the forge at the place where they are working, or the horses are brought to them.” The Earl answered.
… I see. But hey, why am I forgetting one important fact? This is a world of magic. They could use fire magic. Or maybe earth magic can control metal.
“Couldn’t they use fire magic?”
“Some do. But it is not usually done, because of the amount of mana you would need for that. The control is also quite advanced. Most people capable of magic on that level would work in a different profession.” Paulina answered.
Oh yeah. That little issue. I’m just too spoiled by my monsters. Sure they are great wizards or sages, but they will still make something simple for me, if I ask.
“... my monsters…” I muttered.
“What was that?”
“No, nothing. I just got an idea where to get my forge from.” I answered. “Are there any quarries or other places where I can steal … borrow some stones from? With no intention of returning them?”
“... steal? Brian, what do you need stones for?” Paulina asked.
“What do you think? I’ll make a forge out of them.” I answered.
“It won’t work.” She said. “You will just melt the stone. You need special firebricks for a forge.”
… of course it couldn’t be easy. Just my luck.
“Can I buy and or make those bricks?” I asked.
“They are sold in Yuva, but it might take some time. So if you want them now, you might need to make them. Sorry, but I don’t actually know how.” Paulina said.
“... I might be able to figure something out. I hope. I just need a place to get stone from. And everything else I need.” I said. I think someone like Granmarg the Rock Monarch can make some fireproof stones. “... I guess I could just make a new stone quarry somewhere. Is there any place I can destroy for that?”
“Are you being serious right now? You are going to open a quarry just for that?” Paulina asked. “... Well, do whatever. Father, do you know a place?”
“There are some he could use, however, I would prefer to keep them available for the future.” The Earl answered. “But with your airship, it should be no problem to go a little further, will it? How about you head over to the great forest and dig there? As far as we know, nothing but small monsters live there, so you can do whatever you want.”
Well, I did consider that as the best place to do all of my fusion summonings already, so yeah. I think that will work.
“Sure. That sounds fine. I’ll do that then.”
In Gradius, alone, flying to God knows where. Well, I know where. To the forest. That keeps going, and going and going.
Yeah. This forest is large. And I was spending some time just looking for any sort of clearing to start from, but I couldn’t find one.
“... I won’t get anywhere like this.” I muttered. “Gradius, arm the weapons. Let’s test out what kind of clearing you can make.” I informed my ship. If I can’t find a clearing, I’ll make one.
This Gradius had Cyclon Laser installed in it, so the laser cannons came to life.
I usually keep them off, just because I don’t want any misfires. And they start up in just a few seconds anyway, if I need them.
“Target the base of the trees, and fire.” I ordered.
I could have done it manually, but when you have a self-flying, self-targeting and self-shooting spaceship, why not have it do all of that for you.
After a bit of shooting, we had a small clearing. I was thinking of going on, but then I recalled how long it took for Slot Machine to just clear a simple road from the dungeon out to the plains around Alewatch. If I used Gradius for anything more, we would be here until tomorrow. Sorry Gradius, but that is the truth. You are amazing for transport, but not so much for clearing trees. And honestly, this might be enough space. And if it isn’t, I can call a fire monster to burn down some of the forest.
I landed and unsummoned Gradius.
“Now then. Earth monsters, earth monsters.” I muttered, as I searched my collection. “Gemini Elf. Granmarg the Rock Monarch.” I summoned two earth attribute monsters that I think can help me with this.
Gemini Elf was a pair of normal elves. Nothing that crazy about them. But Granmarg was a massive golem made from smooth, polished stone. Standing at about 10 meters tall, he was quite the sight to behold.
“Gemini, can you clear the loose earth, so we have access to the bedrock? Granmarg, can you mine the rocks for me?” I asked.
After a nod from both, or would it be all, as Gemini Elf is already two, of them, I got to work as well. My job? Pick all of the trees that we cut down into my inventory. You never know when you need a bunch of wood. Though, I recall this wood being something you shouldn’t build with, so I can’t use it for that.
“... actually, do I really even need a forge?” I questioned myself as I was looking at my monsters work. Every now and then I would get closer so I could shove piles of loose dirt, rocks and other garbage into my storage. “Couldn’t I just … you know, have Legendary Flame Lord or just Hinotama Soul as the heat source?”
(We could, but that won’t protect Kotetsu from the heat.) Laura said.
(... But Kotetsu is fire attribute, so it should be fine.)
(Yes, but we are already here and working on it, so we should see it through to the end.) Laura said. (And if you are bored, you should just summon someone for sword practice. Your swordsmen are waiting for their turn to teach you.)
“... yeah. I guess I should.”
By the time I took my first break from sword practice, my two earth monsters had dug quite the large hole. By the way, my swordsmanship teacher of the day was Celtic Guardian.
But anyway, back to the hole. I had been storing the materials from it into storage, Tahlia then used quality improvement to make them as good as she could, and now we had the raw resources to start looking at making a forge. Firebricks are mainly made from silicon dioxide and aluminum oxide, as well as a some lesser materials. The silica would go through some sort of pseudo glass-like transformation when heated, and that would make the final bricks extremely heat resistant.2 At least that is how I understood it, as Granmarg explained it to me. Yeah, he can speak.
Anyway, I just summoned Legendary Flame Lord, so they would have the heat necessary, and let them take care of the rest.
“... why is the hole like that? What is that lump?” I asked Gemini Elf.
““We don’t know.”” The two answered. “It seems to be rock.” “But we can’t influence it with magic.” The two were then taking turns to speak.
“... alright. So it is special earth? And even Granmarg couldn’t do anything about it?”
““Yes.”” The Geminis confirmed.
“... alrighty then.” Rock material that the Rock Monarch can’t do anything about. That is some next level stuff. I wonder if one of my spell cards could make a hole in it? … maybe. I wonder.
“Celtic Guardian. Jump there and stand on that … not normal rock stuff.” I ordered my summon. I had a card in mind that might work, but I need a monster to target with it. And don’t worry Celtic Guardian. If this kills you, I’ll be sure to summon you back with Monster Reborn.
He did as ordered and I took out my card.
“Fissure. Destroy Celtic Guardian.”
This was my first idea. If that rock stuff cannot be influenced, this should do nothing. But if fissure can do something, it might not be as strange as I thought. Well, that was just a theory. And as Fissure needs a target, and it targets the lowest attack monster on the field, I had to have my Celtic Guardian stand there.
… nothing happened. I guess that rock is more special than I thought. I took another look at my Fissure card, but it hadn’t even activated.
… oh. Yeah. of course it didn’t. Fissure destroys your opponents monster with the lowest attack, so it wouldn’t destroy Celtic Guardian.
“Celtic Guardian, you can come back up. This won’t work.” I told my monster.
… now I really wonder. What is that rock? It seems like a giant chunk of bedrock, but Granmarg and Gemini Elf couldn’t do anything to it, unlike the rest of the bedrock, so it has to be different.
(Laura, what do you think?) I asked her.
I had summoned Wingweaver to take me down into the hole and I was currently standing on top of the mysterious bedrock formation.
I had my hands on it, and I was pressing mana into it, but all of my mana seemed to just be absorbed during the distance between my arms.
(There are very few options.) Laura answered. (First, it might be a dormant SS-rank monster, made of stone. But that doesn’t seem overly likely, as it is actively absorbing the magic you pushed into it.)
(Unless it is recovering mana, and I just fed it.) I theorized.
(Yes, that could be the case. However, I sent an inquiry to the wider system about this, and I didn’t get a report back about it being a monster, so I doubt it.)
(You really need to explain how the system works. I just don’t get it.)
(... I’m sorry, but it is classified. I’m currently waiting on the answer to my question, so we should wait a bit longer.)
(... alright. I guess we wait.)
I had Wingweaver take me back up, and decided to have a snack break while I waited. … no, I’m not going to practice with my sword anymore. One hour is enough.
A little while later, the system responded. But not in the way I expected.
| Mission: Identify the Dungeon |
| Goal: The stone formation you found is a dungeon wall. Locate the entrance to the dungeon, and find out if it is a rogue dungeon. |
| Reward: Unlocks Tournament Packs 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 as promo trades. |
So it is a dungeon. And all I have to do is locate the entrance. Sure I’ll only get some promo trades for it, but that’s something. Even thought I think most of the cards from the Tournament Packs are in the reprint sets I have. But as long as there is even one new card between those five sets, I’ll still be happy to do this mission, as it really shouldn’t be all that difficult.
All I’ll have to do is burn the forest down until I find the entrance, and then install the Forest field spell to the ground to regrow some of it, if I burn too much.
“Good morning, Lua.”
“Brian. Good morning.”
I met up with Lua in the factory in the morning.
“Do you have anything planned for today?” I asked.
“Just the usual. I’ll be teaching true blood magic, and then I’ll practice light magic.”
“I see. Simple, huh.”
“I guess. But it's not like there is a lot to do here. I’ll just spend time with everyone, and that is perfect. What about you, Brian? Any plans?”
“Well, I do need to go shopping.” I said. “Cosmo Queen said they are almost finished with a special room in the factory, so I’ll need some stuff for it.”
“Special? Special how?”
“It is basically space insulated from the factory itself. Inside there, my monsters should be able to work with real materials and make real items that I can then take out with my storage.” I explained. “My plan was to have a smithy there, so my smiths and vampires can make blood iron and vampiric steel whenever they feel like it. And maybe some other stuff as well. I have the hide, well more like all of the materials, from that sword-horn bull, so I was thinking of having a cloak or a mantle made for me from that.”
“I see. … Could you make me one?” Lua asked.
“Sure, no problem. But I’m not sure if it will be better than the one you got from Grimson.”
“That’s fine. I just want something that isn’t dark red.” Lua said. “Maybe something that will get … a bit less attention.”
“I see. Yes. I can do that. I wouldn’t want others staring at you. Only I may do that.”
“... I’m not sure if that was sweet or creepy.”
“It should be a little of both.” I answered honestly. “But this is just how I am. I don’t want others looking at my girlfriend in that way.”
“I don’t know if that makes me happy or sad…”
“Sorry. Again, this is who I am. If you want, we can break this off right now. It isn’t too late and I will get off a lot easier than if you just decide to leave later.”
“No! I won’t leave. So… let’s just keep going. We can figure everything out. Together.” Lua said.
“Yeah. I hope we can.”
During breakfast, I asked where I should go for the things I need. Only to have everyone ask what I needed things like a blacksmithing forge for. I just do, alright.
“If you are seriously thinking about that, you should head for the Hill town of Yuva. It is a mining town on the eastern edge of the wyvern mountains. I think you went there, or almost there on one of the road safety checks.” The Earl told me. “But honestly speaking, I’m not sure if they can fulfill your wish of a forge that you can put into inventory. A forge is built into a building, or a building is built around a forge. It isn’t something people move.”
Don’t they? Maybe they don’t. Sure these days we have movable forges, as we can use things like propane which are easier to move than a bunch of coal, but maybe with the coal forges they use, it can’t be done.
… but wait a second. What about…
“What about farriers?” I asked. Farriers, the people that trim horse’s feet and place horseshoes on them, use small travel forges, right. And that profession is older than propane. Okay, not literally, considering that propane is natural. It has existed for a long time. But it was discovered in 1850s or something. 1
“They either use the forge at the place where they are working, or the horses are brought to them.” The Earl answered.
… I see. But hey, why am I forgetting one important fact? This is a world of magic. They could use fire magic. Or maybe earth magic can control metal.
“Couldn’t they use fire magic?”
“Some do. But it is not usually done, because of the amount of mana you would need for that. The control is also quite advanced. Most people capable of magic on that level would work in a different profession.” Paulina answered.
Oh yeah. That little issue. I’m just too spoiled by my monsters. Sure they are great wizards or sages, but they will still make something simple for me, if I ask.
“... my monsters…” I muttered.
“What was that?”
“No, nothing. I just got an idea where to get my forge from.” I answered. “Are there any quarries or other places where I can steal … borrow some stones from? With no intention of returning them?”
“... steal? Brian, what do you need stones for?” Paulina asked.
“What do you think? I’ll make a forge out of them.” I answered.
“It won’t work.” She said. “You will just melt the stone. You need special firebricks for a forge.”
… of course it couldn’t be easy. Just my luck.
“Can I buy and or make those bricks?” I asked.
“They are sold in Yuva, but it might take some time. So if you want them now, you might need to make them. Sorry, but I don’t actually know how.” Paulina said.
“... I might be able to figure something out. I hope. I just need a place to get stone from. And everything else I need.” I said. I think someone like Granmarg the Rock Monarch can make some fireproof stones. “... I guess I could just make a new stone quarry somewhere. Is there any place I can destroy for that?”
“Are you being serious right now? You are going to open a quarry just for that?” Paulina asked. “... Well, do whatever. Father, do you know a place?”
“There are some he could use, however, I would prefer to keep them available for the future.” The Earl answered. “But with your airship, it should be no problem to go a little further, will it? How about you head over to the great forest and dig there? As far as we know, nothing but small monsters live there, so you can do whatever you want.”
Well, I did consider that as the best place to do all of my fusion summonings already, so yeah. I think that will work.
“Sure. That sounds fine. I’ll do that then.”
In Gradius, alone, flying to God knows where. Well, I know where. To the forest. That keeps going, and going and going.
Yeah. This forest is large. And I was spending some time just looking for any sort of clearing to start from, but I couldn’t find one.
“... I won’t get anywhere like this.” I muttered. “Gradius, arm the weapons. Let’s test out what kind of clearing you can make.” I informed my ship. If I can’t find a clearing, I’ll make one.
This Gradius had Cyclon Laser installed in it, so the laser cannons came to life.
I usually keep them off, just because I don’t want any misfires. And they start up in just a few seconds anyway, if I need them.
“Target the base of the trees, and fire.” I ordered.
I could have done it manually, but when you have a self-flying, self-targeting and self-shooting spaceship, why not have it do all of that for you.
After a bit of shooting, we had a small clearing. I was thinking of going on, but then I recalled how long it took for Slot Machine to just clear a simple road from the dungeon out to the plains around Alewatch. If I used Gradius for anything more, we would be here until tomorrow. Sorry Gradius, but that is the truth. You are amazing for transport, but not so much for clearing trees. And honestly, this might be enough space. And if it isn’t, I can call a fire monster to burn down some of the forest.
I landed and unsummoned Gradius.
“Now then. Earth monsters, earth monsters.” I muttered, as I searched my collection. “Gemini Elf. Granmarg the Rock Monarch.” I summoned two earth attribute monsters that I think can help me with this.
Gemini Elf was a pair of normal elves. Nothing that crazy about them. But Granmarg was a massive golem made from smooth, polished stone. Standing at about 10 meters tall, he was quite the sight to behold.
“Gemini, can you clear the loose earth, so we have access to the bedrock? Granmarg, can you mine the rocks for me?” I asked.
After a nod from both, or would it be all, as Gemini Elf is already two, of them, I got to work as well. My job? Pick all of the trees that we cut down into my inventory. You never know when you need a bunch of wood. Though, I recall this wood being something you shouldn’t build with, so I can’t use it for that.
“... actually, do I really even need a forge?” I questioned myself as I was looking at my monsters work. Every now and then I would get closer so I could shove piles of loose dirt, rocks and other garbage into my storage. “Couldn’t I just … you know, have Legendary Flame Lord or just Hinotama Soul as the heat source?”
(We could, but that won’t protect Kotetsu from the heat.) Laura said.
(... But Kotetsu is fire attribute, so it should be fine.)
(Yes, but we are already here and working on it, so we should see it through to the end.) Laura said. (And if you are bored, you should just summon someone for sword practice. Your swordsmen are waiting for their turn to teach you.)
“... yeah. I guess I should.”
By the time I took my first break from sword practice, my two earth monsters had dug quite the large hole. By the way, my swordsmanship teacher of the day was Celtic Guardian.
But anyway, back to the hole. I had been storing the materials from it into storage, Tahlia then used quality improvement to make them as good as she could, and now we had the raw resources to start looking at making a forge. Firebricks are mainly made from silicon dioxide and aluminum oxide, as well as a some lesser materials. The silica would go through some sort of pseudo glass-like transformation when heated, and that would make the final bricks extremely heat resistant.2 At least that is how I understood it, as Granmarg explained it to me. Yeah, he can speak.
Anyway, I just summoned Legendary Flame Lord, so they would have the heat necessary, and let them take care of the rest.
“... why is the hole like that? What is that lump?” I asked Gemini Elf.
““We don’t know.”” The two answered. “It seems to be rock.” “But we can’t influence it with magic.” The two were then taking turns to speak.
“... alright. So it is special earth? And even Granmarg couldn’t do anything about it?”
““Yes.”” The Geminis confirmed.
“... alrighty then.” Rock material that the Rock Monarch can’t do anything about. That is some next level stuff. I wonder if one of my spell cards could make a hole in it? … maybe. I wonder.
“Celtic Guardian. Jump there and stand on that … not normal rock stuff.” I ordered my summon. I had a card in mind that might work, but I need a monster to target with it. And don’t worry Celtic Guardian. If this kills you, I’ll be sure to summon you back with Monster Reborn.
He did as ordered and I took out my card.
“Fissure. Destroy Celtic Guardian.”
This was my first idea. If that rock stuff cannot be influenced, this should do nothing. But if fissure can do something, it might not be as strange as I thought. Well, that was just a theory. And as Fissure needs a target, and it targets the lowest attack monster on the field, I had to have my Celtic Guardian stand there.
… nothing happened. I guess that rock is more special than I thought. I took another look at my Fissure card, but it hadn’t even activated.
… oh. Yeah. of course it didn’t. Fissure destroys your opponents monster with the lowest attack, so it wouldn’t destroy Celtic Guardian.
“Celtic Guardian, you can come back up. This won’t work.” I told my monster.
… now I really wonder. What is that rock? It seems like a giant chunk of bedrock, but Granmarg and Gemini Elf couldn’t do anything to it, unlike the rest of the bedrock, so it has to be different.
(Laura, what do you think?) I asked her.
I had summoned Wingweaver to take me down into the hole and I was currently standing on top of the mysterious bedrock formation.
I had my hands on it, and I was pressing mana into it, but all of my mana seemed to just be absorbed during the distance between my arms.
(There are very few options.) Laura answered. (First, it might be a dormant SS-rank monster, made of stone. But that doesn’t seem overly likely, as it is actively absorbing the magic you pushed into it.)
(Unless it is recovering mana, and I just fed it.) I theorized.
(Yes, that could be the case. However, I sent an inquiry to the wider system about this, and I didn’t get a report back about it being a monster, so I doubt it.)
(You really need to explain how the system works. I just don’t get it.)
(... I’m sorry, but it is classified. I’m currently waiting on the answer to my question, so we should wait a bit longer.)
(... alright. I guess we wait.)
I had Wingweaver take me back up, and decided to have a snack break while I waited. … no, I’m not going to practice with my sword anymore. One hour is enough.
A little while later, the system responded. But not in the way I expected.
| Mission: Identify the Dungeon |
| Goal: The stone formation you found is a dungeon wall. Locate the entrance to the dungeon, and find out if it is a rogue dungeon. |
| Reward: Unlocks Tournament Packs 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 as promo trades. |
So it is a dungeon. And all I have to do is locate the entrance. Sure I’ll only get some promo trades for it, but that’s something. Even thought I think most of the cards from the Tournament Packs are in the reprint sets I have. But as long as there is even one new card between those five sets, I’ll still be happy to do this mission, as it really shouldn’t be all that difficult.
All I’ll have to do is burn the forest down until I find the entrance, and then install the Forest field spell to the ground to regrow some of it, if I burn too much.
