15: Getting some help

[Year 15 Month 4: Same day as dungeon breach]

“Yes, I need all of it.”

Astrid’s eyes rose at this, “You sure? This list… is extensive… and expensive.” She set down the list on the table while she spoke to me.

Firmly, I responded, “Astrid, if you do not buy them, I will find a way. It’s that important.”

Astrid looked surprised by this. For the most part, I rarely pushed hard, but this time it was different.

I glanced at the new notifications at the edge of my vision.

[You have slain 264 level 10-13 ghouls]

[You have leveled up 4 times]

[You are level 40]

[You have gained the ability Engrave Runic Assistants]

[Engrave Runic Assistants creates a proto-intelligence capable of running complex calculations and can analyze large amounts of information. Each additional Assistant also increases your ability to multitask and split your consciousness while consuming a portion of your mana regeneration.]

At this rate, I was going to run out of mana regeneration. More importantly, however, was the next part.

[Material Cost per Runic Assistant: 1 Mana Core, 3 Vials of Mystic Blood, 1 Kilogram of Magigems.]

When I had asked Astrid to source the materials, she had cursed my name. A single kilo of Magigems would cost a tremendous amount of money; the other ingredients were viable-ish, but only added to the cost.

It was only after much arguing that she yielded. She put her face in the palm of her hand, “This is going to be so hard to explain to the council members.” Sighing, she straightened in her office chair. “Alright, I will see what I can do. It may be some time before I can get a hold of the mystic blood, though. While it’s not as expensive, it’s rarely used in anything other than sacrificial rituals.” She paused at that before slowly continuing, “Say… that’s not what you are doing, right?”

While I didn’t completely know myself, not like I had tried the skill, I assured her I was not. It’s rune magic and doesn’t require any deaths; that’s a win-win.

[Year 15 Month 6: 2 Months have passed]

[Blessed: 2070 – 25 + 59]

Nobu asked to have a talk. It was nothing of immediate concern, but he was growing worried that some of the beastkin or the golems would be tracked back to the village by the higher-level adventurers.

To solve this issue, I had my golems begin digging more extensive tunnels. These wouldn’t need to be as deep as the actual facility, but would be almost completely separate. If someone found these surface tunnels, I didn’t want them to easily get into the more important areas.

[Year 15 Month 9: 3 Months have passed]

[Blessed: 2104 – 38 + 85]

It took a full two months before all the material arrived in Gorn. The only local resource that was somewhat quick to obtain was the Mana Core, as it was a product of the dungeon, with the monsters occasionally having one.

Maybe I should reopen the dungeon breach. I could farm experience and maybe find a usage for the Ghouls.

That was a dangerous thought, but I filed it away for later.

While I had waited for the new materials, I had kept a close eye on the Church of Selium. With the city still growing, they had decided to set up an establishment in Runehold. Astrid was a little concerned for Salfi, but the elf had assured her it was fine.

I had noticed Salfi staying in Gorn more often and rarely going anywhere other than the dungeon when in Runehold, so despite what she said, Salfi was likely worried that she would be discovered.

Despite the issues they brought to my core group, they did a lot of good for being xenophobic purists. For those that they did care for, they did a good job. Runehold had an extremely low number of homeless and poor, as almost every citizen was well paid and employed, but for those who lived on the streets, the church ran daily food rations and worship.

Almost none of the adventurers went to these worships, but the common people certainly did.

Finally, almost two months later on the dot, a caravan arrived with the supplies I asked for. Astrid told the trader to drop off the mystic blood and the kilo of manasteel at a small platform several kilometers from the city, and while the merchant hesitated, they obliged, setting the package on the stone bricks and leaving it there, glancing back every once in a while as they left the area.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

The moment they lost sight of the package, there was a brief rumble; the golem I had stationed underground opened the trapdoor, gently catching the container before any of its contents could break on impact. Fortunately, it was a padded container, so the vials inside were unlikely to break in this situation.

The tunnel deep beneath the earth took a long path back into the production facility, but instead of taking the path to the forge, it took a turn and began its walk to Gorn.

Over the past few weeks, I had carefully watched over the golems as I had them build a layer of tunnels underneath the surface of the land. The actual tunnels that led deeper were hidden or, quite literally, required a golem’s strength to reveal.

I had tried to activate [Engrave Runic Assistant] the second the package was in the golem’s hands. Still, it refused to activate and sent a brief notification that it had to be in range of my Primary Obelisk.

The golem could run quite quickly, though, without malfunctioning or tripping, so I barely had to wait ten minutes before it had gotten close enough to register. With the mana core already present, I received the notification I had been waiting for.

[You have the resources needed to create (1) Runic Assistant]