Chapter 377 – Sharing Secrets.

“Hold on fer a wee minute,ye want us to make how many?”

“I think a hundred should be enough at first but I can see expanding further to around a thousand.”

“A… a thoosand? While this be a well made arachnid construct, and the runic designs are exquisite, I’m not sure how we’ll be able to peddle so many o’ these contraptions. Will the City Lord or his daddy be footin’ the bill fer the manufacturin’?”

“Lord Arthur? No, I thought that the union would help me out with that.”

“We will?Ah’m sorry, but ye’ll have to give me a bit o’ an explanation fer this, Master Wayland.”

“Certainly, I anticipated this reaction. Allow me to clarify.”

Roland found himself facing a group of dwarves, with Master Brylvia taking the lead, and three other Runesmiths standing behind her. It struck him as peculiar, considering that not too long ago, he had been in their position. The three of them were examining his work, but it was evident that they didn’t fully grasp the depth of his creations, as he had incorporated his advanced tier 3 knowledge into them.

The focal point of interest lay in the spider golem, commonly referred to as an arachnid construct by the dwarven craftsmen. While there were numerous existing models, they typically adhered to a standardized design. However, the one Roland was showcasing was extensively tailored to meet his specific requirements and desires. Among the significant alterations, a notable feature was a designated slot for inserting cylinders. This space served as the receptacle for the runic batteries he intended to incorporate into the city’s future development and his growing connections with the dwarves.

One of the most formidable challenges in the realm of magical machinery lay in the realm of energy supply. Various approaches had been explored to address this concern, Elokin’s fluid and crystals offered a straightforward solution. In many ways, it resembled gasoline which was widely used in the modern world that Roland originated from. However, akin to the finite and costly nature of the resource in his own world, Elokin’s fluid and crystals were also limited in supply and required expenses for refinement. The small mine they had discovered within the dungeon held insufficient reserves to sustain the entire city.

Magicians employed alternative methods to address this energy dilemma. A prime example was the construction of magical towers in regions abundant with mana. Wizards and mages sought to emulate nature by erecting these imposing structures in such mana-rich places. The heart of these magic towers possessed the unique ability to harness ambient mana from their surroundings, thus serving as their power source. This mechanism bore a resemblance to Roland’s generators, but on a grander scale and with significantly higher associated costs. Unfortunately, the scale of these magical towers made it unfeasible to create smaller versions, restricting their applicability to only a handful of select locations.

A third viable option entailed the utilization of legendary artifacts. These fabled items were imbued with such an abundance of mana that they could serve as an enduring wellspring of power. As far as Roland knew, the capital located at the heart of the Kingdom relied on one of these legendary artifacts as its primary source of magical energy. Additionally, there existed more antiquated methods, such as invoking demonic rituals that tapped into the forces of chaos.

As Roland pondered the diverse array of magical energy sources, his relatively straightforward generators seemed like an inherently advantageous solution. Unlike the grand magical towers, they weren’t confined to specific locations and came in various forms and sizes. Roland was familiar with wind energy and geothermal sources, but he knew that his world offered numerous other options. Harnessing the power of dams and water currents was just one additional choice among many.

Another potential energy source that Roland was aware of was atomic power, although he wasn’t particularly well-versed in its workings and was hesitant to experiment with it. While he speculated that magic could potentially enable the splitting of atoms, introducing such a profoundly destructive force into this world was not an easy decision to make. When the theory was out there many others would try to harness this power. He could see people like Rastix experimenting with the theories and potentially causing many deaths. Thus sticking to regular runic batteries that had a similar capacity to regular mana fluid was enough.

“Let me bring your attention to the golem, As you can see it has no power source but one is not far away.”

Roland lifted a cylinder, it was approximately the size of a half-liter water bottle. The other craftsmen had already examined all the items that had come in the box, yet the runic battery seemed to leave them uncertain, with many of them unsure about its purpose and function.

“Are ye tellin’ me that wee contraption’s the power source?”

Brylvia raised an eyebrow as she scrutinized the runes on the cylinder. Her surprise was entirely understandable, given that it was far too weighty to serve as a conventional power source. Typically, there should have been a canister designed for pouring in mana fluid, and she might have accepted it had the cylinder been hollowed out. However, in its current state, it didn’t quite add up and left her perplexed.

“Yes, that is correct.”

The demonstration was underway, his battery made its way into the designated hole. The moment it connected the while golem started brimming with magical power. There were no latches to keep the power source from falling out as it was just magnetized from all sides instead. No one would be able to get it outside without ripping out chunks of the golem along with it.

“It actually works? Whit’s inside dat tube? Are ye usin’ small artifacts? Or are ye mayhaps fuelin’ it wi’ yer own mana? No, I’m not sensin’ anythin’ like that… did ye charge it aforehand? This makes no sense at all…”

The Union chief was taken aback when she witnessed the activation of the spider golem. She began posing questions, as it appeared to be a contraption that shouldn’t have been functional. She diligently inspected the golem with various magical devices and tools, and after a thorough examination, she eventually reached a conclusion.

“Is this some kind o’ new power source, then? Did ye forge it yerself?”

“You catch on quickly,”

Roland acknowledged with a nod.

“Indeed, I call it the runic battery, and it doesn’t rely on substances like mana fluid or any specialized components. Everything it needs is embedded within the runes themselves.”

“Why are ye showin’ me this, then?”

Brylvia comprehended the profound significance of this invention and recognized its extraordinary value. It held the potential to completely transform the realm of runic crafts.

“Because why not?”

He responded while shrugging.

“I came to terms with the fact that this wouldn’t remain a secret indefinitely long ago. And, as you may recall, we are still bound by a contract.”

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“Aye, I see yer point…”

Roland had a clear understanding of how the world operated. He knew that even with a groundbreaking discovery, immediate implementation wasn’t guaranteed. Mana fluid and mage towers would likely remain prominent energy sources for the foreseeable future. His runic batteries were merely an additional option, one that could potentially transform cities lacking mana-related regions. However, their adoption would necessitate substantial investments in infrastructure, such as wind turbines and other generators. Only after Albrook underwent a transformation into a city of runes, powered by these batteries, would the true significance of his discovery be fully recognized and embraced.

“Also, I think you won’t prattle this secret on to anyone.”

“Oh? Why is dat?”

“Just think about it, when this runic technology proves its effectiveness, who do you think they’ll turn to for guidance on its implementation?”

“Ah… I see what ya mean…”