"It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Thrain. I have heard a great deal about your reputation since I arrived in the city. After purchasing the sword you crafted at the auction, I can see that the rumors regarding your skill were not exaggerations," I said, offering the Master Blacksmith a respectful nod.

  Since Thrain had arrived with a personal attendant and we wished to host a figure of his stature with the appropriate level of care, Orzhan and I had ushered him into a significantly larger and more luxurious meeting room. Though this was technically the Auction Hall's property and not my own workplace, I had become so accustomed to conducting business within these walls that I moved through the space as if it belonged to me.

  Thrain is a man who commands respect through two avenues: the undeniable quality of his craftsmanship and the immense influence he has cultivated in Yargan over the decades. He is a fixture of the city; there is almost no one living within these walls who is unfamiliar with his name or his forge.

  "Thank you. It is also good to meet the man everyone is talking about. You’ve caused quite a commotion in certain circles since that auction concluded. It reached a point where I felt it was necessary to pay you a visit in person. But first, as the man who hammered the steel, I have to ask: are you truly satisfied with the blade I created?" He asked the question with a grounded, effortless tone.

  He didn't possess the practiced arrogance of a celebrity, nor did he look like a simple laborer. He was a professional through and through, and the moment the topic turned toward his work, he bypassed any further pleasantries to get straight to the point.

  ***

  Thrain Coldhammer

  Race: Human

  Sex: Male

  Status: Normal

  Equipment:

  Bastion Hammer ? ? ○

  Mithril Amulet ? ○

  Job: Master Blacksmith Lvl 55

  ***

  Thrain appeared to be in his late middle age, his hair a thick, even mixture of stark white and deep, dark brown. His physique was imposing and heavily muscled, particularly in his forearms and wrists. It was a clear testament to how bodies in this world take shape based on the repetitive actions one performs, much like on Earth. However, I knew that in this system, physical shape is mostly aesthetic; it is the raw Strength and other numerical stats that truly define a person’s prowess and capability.

  Regardless of whether his build contributed directly to his stats or not, it was obvious he had spent years of grueling labor to reach such a physique. Looking at his status, he indeed held the Master Blacksmith job, and he had pushed it all the way to level 55.

  I suspected there was a high probability that he was eligible for an even higher tier of that job. It might be called Grandmaster Blacksmith, High Master Blacksmith, or perhaps even Elder Blacksmith. Whatever the title, he would first need to locate a specific guild to facilitate the job change, and I was certain that no such high-level crafting guild existed within the city limits of Yargan.

  I was familiar with the logic of some higher-tier jobs. For example, the Knight job can evolve into High Knight, which can eventually reach the rank of Royal Knight. However, there were many branches I had yet to research.

  The primary hurdle with these advanced jobs is the location of their respective guilds. While Yargan hosts a Master Blacksmith guild, any tier above that would likely require a journey to the capital. There is, of course, the alternative method of visiting a grand shrine to acquire a higher-tier job. The problem with that route is the exorbitant cost and the lack of precision; the shrine simply grants you the highest-tier job currently available to you. You might find yourself becoming a Master Knight even if your heart was set on becoming a Master Swordsman.

  "Yes, I am exceptionally pleased with the sword," I replied with genuine satisfaction. "The balance is perfect, and the edge is both incredibly sharp and remarkably durable. It is, without a question, the finest blade I have ever handled."

  "Hahaha! Good, good! I’m glad to hear it," Thrain laughed boisterously. "I may have expanded my interests into other areas of business over the years, but at my core, I am still just a man who works the forge. If that blade ever needs maintenance or a proper sharpening in the future, bring it to me. I’ll do the work for free, just for you."

  "I appreciate the offer," I said, a smirk playing on my lips as I intentionally fed into his pride. "But I doubt I will ever have a reason to bring it back for maintenance."

  "Hahahaha! I like you, boy! I’m truly glad I decided to come here today," he said, his laughter even louder than before. Once he calmed down, he leaned forward, his expression becoming serious. "Well then, would you mind enlightening me about this 'new enchantment technique' I’ve been hearing so much about?"

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  "Of course," I said, gesturing for him to get comfortable. "Please, take a seat first."

  I began to explain the mechanics of my method, echoing the points that Berzan Temir had announced to the crowd after the final lot. I detailed the logistics of how clients would entrust their equipment to Orzhan and the specific timeline for when they could expect to receive their items back.

  "Hmm… it is quite a peculiar approach," Thrain said, stroking his thick beard as he processed the information. He began to mutter to himself, thinking out loud. "I don’t quite grasp how you manage to prevent the item from shattering upon a failure… but when I compare it to the reckless methods those other fools use, your system is far more practical and doable for a serious client."

  He stopped stroking his beard and looked me directly in the eye. "If you’ve already developed a method like this, I’m sure you’re already aware of the fundamentals, so it should be safe to mention this to you… Do you know that the total number of enchantments an item can sustain depends heavily on the inherent quality of the item itself?"

  "Yes," I answered after a moment of consideration. "While a higher quality doesn't strictly guarantee that a piece of equipment will have more sockets, it certainly increases the probability."

  "Ha? Probability?" Thrain looked at me with a puzzled expression. He seemed like a man who operated on instinct and muscle, and the academic term clearly confused him. I chose not to voice my opinion on his "muscle brain" tendencies.

  "It simply means the chance or likelihood of something happening," I explained, feeling for a moment like a teacher instructing a student.

  "Oh! Right. Yeah, I think I heard some mages using that kind of talk a long time ago. Why do you have to use such difficult words out of nowhere? Hahaha!" He spoke as if it were my failing for possessing the vocabulary, rather than his for lacking it.

  "Hahaha! You see, Han," Orzhan interjected, stepping in to provide some context for the blacksmith. "Master Thrain spent some time visiting the Almiranth Kingdom a few decades ago. He actually learned several of his most effective blacksmithing techniques from the dwarves there. That is a large part of why he is so superior at his craft. He must have picked up that terminology from the human mages who reside in Almiranth. The kingdom is quite famous for that mixture of crafty dwarves and scholars, after all."

  The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. Thrain’s eyes narrowed, and he turned a sharp glare toward Orzhan. "Hey! You didn't need to bring that up. Are you trying to tie my reputation to the dwarves in public?"

  "Oh! I-I am sorry, Master Thrain. I didn't mean any offense—" Orzhan began to stammer an apology, but I cut him off before he could dig the hole any deeper.

  "Mr. Thrain! Is it really such a terrible thing to have your name associated with the dwarves?" I asked, my voice flat and devoid of judgment. "If I were in your position, I would be honored by the comparison."

  "Y-you! Do you truly believe that?" Thrain turned to me, his eyes wide with genuine shock at my bluntness.

  "Why wouldn't I? They were the ones who taught you the foundations of your craft, weren't they? In a sense, they are your mentors. Why would you want to distance yourself from the people who helped you become the master you are today? As far as I’m concerned, talent is the only thing that matters, especially when it comes to the art of crafting. Don’t you agree?" I spoke with a quiet confidence, watching his reaction.

  Thrain remained silent for several seconds. I could see the initial flash of anger in his eyes slowly receding, replaced by a look of weary contemplation.

  "You’re right," he said softly, his voice carrying a hint of exhaustion. "I think very highly of them myself. But… you have to understand. Non-human races are not exactly welcomed with open arms in this city. I went through a great deal of hardship when I was a younger man because a 'friend' mentioned my dwarven mentor in public. It nearly ruined me before I could start. But you are definitely right, young man. In the world of crafting, talent is the most important thing."

  "I am glad we are in agreement on that," I said, offering him a sincere smile.

  "Hahaha! Well then," Thrain said, his energy returning as he looked to return to the business at hand. "Do you want to know the real reason I came here today?"

  "I would be very interested to hear it," I replied.

  "As I mentioned before, the quality of the base equipment is the most critical factor when it comes to successful enchantment. Because of that, I would like to offer my services as your primary supplier. I want to provide you with high-quality equipment at a moderate, wholesale price."

  He dropped the bomb, and the impact was immediate. Orzhan actually jumped slightly in his seat, his eyes nearly bulging out of his head. I was equally surprised by the directness of the offer.

  "Are you sure about that, Mr. Thrain?" I asked, leaning in with curiosity. "I would be incredibly grateful for such a partnership, but I have to ask: what do you stand to gain from this arrangement?"

  "Why? Haha… one of my own mentors once told me that the people standing in the highest places are often the most vulnerable to the wind. When a major change is about to happen in the market, we have to respond properly or be swept away. I’ll admit I was skeptical when I first heard the rumors, but after listening to your method and getting to know you today, I am certain that you are going to achieve great things in this city. This old man simply wants to make sure he has a seat beside you when the world starts to change."

  He spoke with a surprising level of humility, as if my future success was a foregone conclusion and his own relevance depended on his association with me.

  "I would be honored to have you," I said, having made up my mind instantly. "That being said, since you’ve shared your purpose, would you like to hear mine?"

  "What would that be?" Thrain asked, his interest clearly piqued.

  I had always been planning something massive. It wasn't just a simple goal; I wanted to build something that could grow as large as this world would allow. Thrain’s offer wasn't what I had expected from our first meeting, but his support felt like a confirmation that my ambitions weren't absurd. He had just significantly increased my potential success rate and bolstered my resolve. All that remained was to push the plan forward.

  I looked him in the eye, a wide, determined smile on my face as I prepared to reveal the next stage of my path.

  "I want to build a business," I said.

  That was the beginning of a major part of my ultimate goal. I wanted to create a vertical monopoly that controlled everything from the forging of the steel to the final high-tier enchantment, and with Thrain Coldhammer as my supplier, the foundation of my big goal of mine will finally be in place.

  [Edited]

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