Richard saw Gartha with Amisar at the smithy shop, talking to a muscular Fay. He was taller than most male Fays Richard had seen, he got thick, jet-black hair with streaks of gray. He had broad shoulders, thick, muscular arms, and tanned, weathered skin. Richard couldn't see his face as he was speaking with Amisar, his back turned to him. Richard guessed this must be the blacksmith. There were also about five other Fays with them. Richard approached the group.
Gartha was the first to notice him, and Amisar followed, bowing their heads and greeting him. The blacksmith turned around to look at Richard and bowed along with the five other Fays. It was then that Richard finally saw his face. He had a chiseled, weathered face with sharp, deep-set eyes of dark brown. He had a strong jawline with a short, neatly trimmed beard that matched his hair.
Richard nodded and opened the blacksmith's stats interface.
Name: Garrik Norreathem
Level: 0 (0/1,500)
Grade Level: Yellow Grade
Age: 5 hours
Loyalty: 85/100
Physical Stats: (Scales with Level)
Intelligence: 13
Strength: 18
Constitution: 17
Agility: 11
Skills:
Metalworking Mastery: [Garrik's craftsmanship allows him to forge tools and weapons with enhanced durability and effectiveness.] (Passive Skill)
Effect: Increases weapon and tool quality by 20%, enhancing their effectiveness and longevity.
Heat Control: [Garrik can manipulate the temperature of his forge with precision to improve the quality of the materials being crafted.] (Cooldown: 24 hours)
Effect: Reduces material brittleness and boosts production speed by 15% for 6 hours.
Iron Will: [Garrik's focused determination allows him to work longer without fatigue, maintaining consistent quality.] (Passive Skill)
Effect: Reduces fatigue accumulation during crafting sessions by 25%, allowing for longer work periods.
Richard smiled looking at Garrick's stats. He was satisfied with it. He then turned his attention to the five Fays behind him. One Fay was a Blue Grade and the rest were Green Grades. He was amused to learn their names. The Blue Garde Fay was Primus, followed by Secundus, Tertius, Quartus and Quintus all of whom has skills that complements each other in smithing weapons. It was like putting the weapon making into a process.
Beginning with Primus using his skill, Master of the Forge, he quickly and precisely manipulate the heat and pressure required for forging. Once the weapon's basic form is shaped, Primus imbues it with elemental properties using his second skill, Elemental Infusion, adding magical effects like fire, ice, or lightning to make the weapon more powerful in battle.
Next, Secundus, using his skill Heavy Hammer Strike, shapes the materials. His strikes create the foundational form of the weapon, whether it's a spear, greatsword, or axe. He applies significant force to ensure the weapon is tough and durable right from the start.
Once the weapon is shaped, Tertius uses his Steel Tempering skill to cool and harden the metal. This crucial step ensures the weapon's strength and sharpness, making it resistant to wear and damage in battle. Tertius's tempering skill ensures that the weapon will hold its form under pressure, maintaining its durability throughout combat.
After the weapon is tempered, Quartus will add the finishing touches with his Precision Carving skill. Quartus carves intricate designs, runes, and sigils into the weapon, enhancing its magical properties or adding detailed artistry. These carvings can improve the weapon's functionality, like making it more accurate or enhancing its elemental effects.
Finally, Quintus ensures the weapon's overall structural integrity with Reinforced Binding. After all parts of the weapon are crafted and carved, Quintus secures the pieces together, making sure the weapon is sturdy and balanced. This step prevents the weapon from breaking during use and ensures that it handles well, even under intense combat conditions.
Richard stared at the five Fays, his gaze moving continuously from the Five Fays. His mind ached from the disbelief and wonder of it all. Primus, Secundus, Tertius, and Quintus were clearly blacksmiths, while Quartus was a Weapon Alchemist. Yet, they had no profession designated by the system, which left Richard puzzled.
Despite the confusion, Richard's heart swelled with happiness to the point where his legs almost gave out. This was incredible. He stood in a trance for five minutes, envisioning the benefits these talents would bring. "Damn," he whispered, still struggling to believe it.
After regaining his composure, Richard asked, "How's the Smithy Shop?"
"Smithy Shop is for girls!" Garrik responded angrily. "Change the name to Blacksmith," he demanded. "Just Blacksmith!"
Richard blinked in surprise before letting out a chuckle. "Alright," he agreed.
Gartha shot Garrik a sharp glare, which Richard noticed. He signaled for Gartha to calm down, and she complied, drawing a deep breath.
"Garrik, you have full authority to take any materials you need from the storage," Richard said.
Garrik nodded. "The Blacksmith is well-stocked. I have everything I need. Thank you!" His voice boomed with satisfaction. Richard responded with a smile.
"If you run into any issues with manpower or resources in the future, speak to Amisar. Also, as a senior, you'll receive five tokens monthly, with an additional ten tokens if you meet the monthly production quota," Richard added. Garrik frowned, momentarily puzzled by the mention of a quota.
"Understood," Garrik finally replied before heading to the forge. He began rummaging for materials and called over the Quintuplets.
Seeing that his work there was complete, Richard excused himself, accompanied by Gartha and Amisar. The sun was well past its zenith, and clouds gathered in the sky. The village square was now quiet, and Richard took a deep breath, reflecting on the morning's events. His stomach growled, but he ignored it and turned to Amisar.
"Do you know where the Orange Grade Fay is?" he asked.
Amisar looked puzzled. "Master, I haven't seen any Orange Tier Fay emerge from the summoning today."
Hearing Amisar's serious and confused tone, Richard pinched the bridge of his nose. He recalled checking the morning's summoning notification and seeing an Orange Grade Fay listed. Choosing not to pursue the matter further, he instead asked about the Alchemist and the other Fays summoned that day.
"The Alchemist joined Wendel and Faith earlier this morning. The other summoned Fays have filled all the job vacancies," Amisar recounted. "Currently, we have 51 unemployed Fays."
Richard smiled at her report. "What should we do with our unemployed population?"
"We can assign them as Special Hires for projects that need to be completed urgently, with the same monthly token pay as the jobs they're assigned to," Amisar suggested confidently, as if she had anticipated this question.
"That's a good plan," Richard approved. "Building the walls is the perfect project for this."
Amisar beamed at his approval. As they reached the castle gates, Richard went inside while Amisar bowed and returned to the village. Gartha remained at the gates, standing guard. She took a potion and let out a small groan as its effects began to work.
Upon entering the castle, Richard proceeded to the Throne Room and saw Vara standing in front of the throne. Her back was as straight as a spear, and her black hair draped down to her waist. She stood like a statue, lifeless and cold. His footsteps echoed off the walls as he walked toward her. He stopped a meter behind her and called her name, "Vara."
It was a whisper, as if he were afraid to disturb the woman before him. Yet she heard it and turned to look at him. This was the first time Richard clearly saw his Fay Queen's eyes. They were light brown and empty, devoid of any emotion. It was as though he could not see any sign of life within them. He dismissed the thought immediately, thinking it must have been his imagination.
"I have to go back now," Richard said, his voice tinged with sadness. He felt the threat of tears welling up in his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he added, "Take care of Moirai. I'll be back."
A white light slowly enveloped him, and he felt a suction force pulling him away. The next time he opened his eyes, he saw the familiar machine and the basement. The clock hanging on the wall in front of him showed that it was already past nine. He quickly went upstairs to his bedroom, just as he heard the familiar sound of their car pulling in. He let out a sigh of relief.
"Richard!" his father calling him from their houses garage. "Come down and help me."
Richard did as told and he saw his father carrying a wooden door from the pick-up's cargo bed. He hurried over and grabbed one end of the door, assisting his father with the heavy load.
"Careful now," his father said, adjusting his grip as they carried the door into the house. The weight of the door made Richard's muscles strain, but he managed to keep pace. They went up the stairs and leaned the door against the wall outside Richard's room. Marcus went down to the basement to get the tools and other supplies needed to install the door.
Richard went into his room and opened his laptop. He browsed the news regarding Permonium. The top headline on the internet was about the upcoming election of The Dominion. The Dominion was the governing body of Permonium Sanctuary and controlled all the Fay Masters. Every six years, the Realm Lords elect the next Dominion President, who would serve as its leader.
At that time, there were only 25 Realm Lords governing their respective Realms in Permonium. The candidates for Dominion President came from these 25 Realm Lords, and only two had declared their candidacy, each backed by their respective forces. The candidate with the highest number of votes would win the position, gaining control over the entire Dominion. Additionally, the realm from which the winning candidate originated would receive significant benefits.
This was what Richard knew, and it was an event that humanity eagerly anticipated as one of the greatest spectacles on the galactic stage. The election was set to take place next month, and as the day approached, the atmosphere grew increasingly intense.
At that moment, he heard the noise of the drill and saw his father starting to attach the door. He glanced at him for a second before returning to his laptop.
Richard closed the news article after not finding anything interesting in the following stories. He then searched for information about the peculiar incident of the Quintuplets and found the answer. The article revealed that it was a one-in-a-million chance to summon such anomaly, which was a significant boost for any Nest fortunate enough to achieve it. The Dominion called it 'A Set,' where the Fays' skills complemented each other, allowing them to fight more effectively and create weapons or armor more powerful than those made by an ordinary group of blacksmiths. A Set could consist of three to ten Fays, and the Orange Grade he had seen in the summon notification referred to the grade of the Set, which the system counted as a single population unit.
His head ached from the noise, and he looked over at his father's progress. Marcus was now halfway done with the installation, and Richard could only wait for him to finish.
"Richard," Marcus called, noticing him looking. "Help me clean this dust," he said, pointing at the sawdust on the floor.
Richard got out of bed, went to the basement to get the vacuum, and returned to find his father tidying up his tools and testing the door. Marcus smiled when it worked properly. Richard vacuumed the sawdust from the floor. When he finished, his father was already gone, leaving Richard to sigh as he placed the vacuum outside his door. The door reminded him of the wooden door of his castle in Moirai, minus the intricate carvings.
Richard's head throbbed as he thought about how he would return to Permonium the next day. A Fay Master needed to return to his Nest within 30 real-world hours, equivalent to three months in Permonium. This meant he had to be back before 3:00 PM tomorrow.