While it was decided that we would join Sanghyup’s trade expedition, it wasn’t something we could embark on immediately. Preparing for a long journey required careful planning on both sides.
“Whoa...”
“I’d heard about it, but seeing it in person... This fortress is amazing!”
As preparations for the expedition were underway, a group of people arrived at our guild’s fortress, gazing around in awe like country folk visiting the city for the first time. They were wearing our unit’s uniform, and rightly so—they were our people.
“Good to see you’re here.”
“Ah, Commander!”
Among them were [Tailor] Lee Sangah, [Blacksmith] Old Man Park, and several [Engineers]—the production-based Awakened who’d been stationed with the Ammunition Battalion.
“It’s been a while,” I greeted them.
“Yes, you look well, thank goodness,” Sangah replied.
“Ever since awakening, I rarely catch anything—not even a cold. Honestly, I’m healthier now than I was in my youth,” Old Man Park chuckled. “But why did you call us?”
Old Man Park, who had taken on a leadership role among the production Awakened, looked curious. Most of these Awakened had remained in Inje County during our recent expedition to Chuncheon, where they could utilize a [Workshop] for crafting. Production-based Awakened rely heavily on workshop facilities to maximize efficiency, much like how I cook better in a kitchen than over a campfire.
“You’ll see why I called you soon enough,” I replied.
I led them to the newly built section of the fortress.
**[Blacksmith Shop Lv.2]**
**[Leather Workshop Lv.2]**
**[Textile Workshop Lv.2]**
“Wow... Is this...?”
“This is a real blacksmith shop!”
We had grouped the new production facilities into one area, creating a kind of industrial district. Old Man Park marveled as he inspected the **[Blacksmith Shop Lv.2]**.
“This is a real facility,” he muttered, touching the furnace with a satisfied smile.
“Well, it’s definitely not a fake.”
“Ahem. I didn’t mean it that way,” he coughed awkwardly. “The workshops we set up at the Ammunition Battalion were only temporary... I told you they wouldn’t compare to a proper facility.”
With a look of delight, he continued examining the blacksmith shop’s equipment.
“I feel like the quality of our gear will be on another level.”
I chuckled. “Glad to see you’re happy about it, Old Man Park. I actually have a few requests.”
“Requests?”
He seemed in high spirits, so this was the perfect time to ask. I took out an item I’d recovered in the recent fortress defense battle.
**[Mud Horn Axe of Hara-Val]**
**[A powerful axe made from the bone of a beast known as the Mud Horn.]**
**[The warriors of the Greenmane Tribe have a tradition of crafting weapons from the remains of beasts they hunt.]**
**[This weapon was wielded by a powerful warrior who infused it with high-quality magic over many battles.]**
“This is...?”
“A monster we fought recently used this axe. It was a commanding officer of sorts among the enemies.”
Up until now, ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) we’d only used monster materials as raw components. Rarely had I encountered a monster with such an intricately crafted weapon of its own, much less one with such detailed descriptions.
“It seems the monsters have weapon craftsmen of their own,” Old Man Park observed.
“Yes. I thought it might make a decent weapon if reworked.”
He nodded. “A skilled chef knows his knives well. It’s about time you added to your arsenal.”
I currently have two main knives, **[Dokgogusik]**, a Japanese-style blade, and **[Geonjeongjungsik]**, a Chinese-style one, both crafted from the forelegs of a queen white spider we fought during the Ammunition Battalion operation. They are extraordinary weapons with their own powerful traits, and they’ve served me well. Still, no matter how great one’s gear is, it’s only natural to want more.
“Alright, I’ll take on the project. The materials look solid enough to make something useful.”
“And actually... I have more items I’d like you to make.”
“Oh?”
“Well, besides the axe, I could use things like pots, ladles...”
He gave me a look, clearly unamused by my growing list of demands.
“You may be the commander, so I’ll obey orders,” he sighed. “My specialty is weapons, but I can make cooking equipment too. That said...”
“Yes?”
“If you want quality gear, you’ll need to provide quality materials.”
His eyes gleamed, and he continued, “I won’t tolerate poor-quality resources. Every item will be made with precision and care.”
“Thank you. I’d expect nothing less.”
“It’s not easy to find materials that meet my standards. Do you have anything decent in stock?”
“Actually, yes. How about you take a look for yourself?”
I led the production Awakened to the **[Storage Lv.2]**, where we kept all the monster remains and materials we’d gathered. When I opened the door, they gasped in surprise.
“All this...!”
“Goodness.”
Mouths dropped as they beheld the mountains of materials.
“Commander, how... how did you gather all this?”
“It’s incredible that you managed to accumulate so much.”
The storage was filled to the brim with various monster parts. Seeing Old Man Park’s eyes light up, I could tell he was impressed.
“What do you think? I imagine you’ll be able to find materials to your liking here.”
“Hmmm. Yes, with this much variety...”
Of course, not all the materials in the storage were high quality. But with such a large stockpile, it wouldn’t be hard to pick out the best ones.
“Would you mind if I take a closer look?” he asked.
“By all means.”
Old Man Park and the other production Awakened examined the materials, their eyes shining as they uncovered one intriguing piece after another.
“This is excellent material...”
“I can try some new techniques with this...”
“Wow, if only we’d had this back at the Ammunition Battalion!”
They were practically kids in a candy store.
“This is wonderful,” Old Man Park finally said, his serious demeanor breaking into a genuine smile.
Seeing him so pleased made me smile as well. The new **[Lv.2 Blacksmith Shop]** and these resources were clearly bringing out the craftsman in him.
“This is way too much, though, isn’t it?” Lee Sangah, on the other hand, looked bewildered by the sheer quantity.
“Sangah, we were safely crafting at the Ammunition Battalion while the soldiers on the expedition must have fought countless battles to collect all this,” Old Man Park said.
“No matter how you look at it, it doesn’t make sense,” she replied. “This amount... there’s no way they gathered all this just by fighting.”
I sighed. ‘People with sharp instincts are such a hassle.’
I would have preferred if she’d just brushed it off, but since she didn’t look convinced, I decided to explain.
“Well, you’re right. We didn’t gather all this through our own hunting.”
“Then how...?”
“It’ll take a moment to explain. You’re aware that I’ve been providing combat rations to other Awakened in the city, right?”
“Yes, you mentioned that in the guild message.”
“While it benefits the city’s citizens, it’s also advantageous for us. It’s efficient and brings in resources,” I said, clearing my throat.
She still looked puzzled, so I went on.
“Here’s the thing. We prepare combat rations using the monster carcasses that people bring us. We take a small portion as a processing fee.”
“Wait... so...”
Her eyes widened as realization dawned.
Old Man Park still looked confused.
“Why’s that relevant?”
“Well,” I said, holding back a grin, “people are very particular about making sure they get the exact right amount of combat rations. But for some strange reason, no one ever asks for the bones, horns, or teeth back.”
“...”
“Strange, right?”
A brief silence followed.
The two of them looked at me, eyes narrowing.
“Commander, does this mean...”
With a skeptical look, Lee Sangah asked, “You... you skimmed off the extra materials?”
I cleared my throat.
“Watch your words.”
Well... it’s true, but still.
