Chapter 383- Exoskeleton.

The soft candlelight flickered, casting eerie shadows on the stone walls adorned with intricate runes of immense power, sketched in a way that few could comprehend. In the heart of this room, the city’s Runesmith was lost in contemplation as he drafted a fresh schematic for a prospective creation. His focus wavered on this particular evening, burdened by impending events, leaving him uncertain about hot to approach them.

As Roland carefully traced the final curve of a particularly complex rune, his hand wavered, and the runesmith’s mug, half-filled with lukewarm tea, teetered dangerously on the edge of his cluttered workbench. With an unintentional nudge from his elbow, the mug toppled over, spilling its contents down onto the floor. With haste, he got up from his stool to look at the mess that he made, with a worried look on his face.

“Shit…”

Only one word escaped his lips as he examined the shards that had once composed his favorite tea mug. It was a gift from his fiancée, bearing his name on its side to this very day. It hadn’t been expensive, but its sentimental value was immeasurable. Seeing it shattered on the ground, its contents seeping into the stone floor, all he could do was frown.

As he cast his gaze upon the floor, a heavy sigh escaped his lips. The cup was not the only one he possessed, but he held onto the hope that it would endure until his wedding day. Without dwelling on it further, he turned his attention to the side and utilized his mana. After a brief moment, a spider golem emerged from an opening in the wall. The little closet had a sliding door and from it the automaton emerged.

Unlike the models typically found in dungeons, this one possessed only four legs. Its metallic body was elongated, taking on a cylindrical shape. The golem swiftly discerned the issue, its golemic gaze fixing on the shattered pottery piece lying on the ground. It moved over the shattered cup and spilled tea, prompting a compartment in the center of its tubular body to slide open as it engaged its primary function, cleaning up after its creator.

A tube extended from that compartment, promptly suctioning up all the scattered fragments from the ground. Roland’s workshop had seen its fair share of disasters, resulting in numerous mangled and destroyed items. To address this ongoing issue and save precious time on cleanup duty, he had devised a series of cleaning golems to do the work for him. This particular one resembled a modern-day vacuum cleaner.

Much like its contemporary counterpart, it adeptly removed dust and grime from the floor. Concealed within its body was a small spatial rune, enabling it to store up to a square meter of dirt. Additionally, it possessed practical cleaning and drying spells to streamline its task. Thus, after it had vacuumed up the shattered pieces and stored them within its spatial storage space, it activated a spell that cast a faint pale light onto the damp surface. In mere seconds, the area was spotless, devoid of any stains. The cleaning spell created a small layer of dried up dust which could quickly be vacuumed up again.

‘It would be nice if I could get these into some noble households. Maybe I should give some of the rich merchants some free samples or lower the pricing so they’ll advertise it…’

As the golem retreated into the storage closet, Roland’s mind shifted to the next phase of the city’s development plan. They were still in the process of working on the energy issue that the city was facing. The task ahead involved the installation of additional wind generators, and ongoing efforts to tunnel through the dungeon to harness geothermal energy. However, thanks to the pocket of crystalized mana in the mine it was possible to proceed without the generators being assembled yet. This cleaning golem was only one of the contractions he proposed to make life around the city easier for everyone.

‘I should get back to work…’

Roland cast a quick glance back at the schematics he had been diligently working on. This project was an entirely novel endeavor, one closely tied to the well-being of the city’s workforce and builders. Although golems could be customized to mimic nearly any form and be programmed accordingly, certain limitations persisted. The most substantial constraint lay in the necessity for a tailored operating system uniquely designed for each golem’s specific body. Without this crucial element, the golem would remain incomplete, just like any malfunctioning machine. However, there was a way to get around this problem and he took some inspiration from some old movies to tackle it.

The schematic he was engrossed in depicted one of the earliest designs, a prototype of what had once been referred to as “exoskeletons.” This specific model featured a robust, human-operated framework equipped with hydraulic limbs engineered to replicate human movement, including arms, legs, and hands. He had even added a sketch of a person within the frame to visualize its functionality and had plans to incorporate adjustable elements to accommodate individuals of varying heights.

One of the most striking features of this design was the incorporation of large clamps in place of fully functional hands, a more practical choice given the complexities involved in creating fully articulated hands. Roland’s intention was for the operator of the exoskeleton to simply use their grip to lower the clamps onto objects. With the augmented strength provided by the exoskeleton’s frame and its own weight, individuals utilizing these devices would be capable of effortlessly lifting heavy objects such as boulders or crates.

In this peculiar world, an unusual restriction prevailed: the majority of individuals were unable to attain battle classes. About one out of every five people had the privilege of acquiring such a class, creating significant challenges for those without them. Manual labor was demanding and demanded substantial physical strength. Unfortunately, without a battle class, attaining multipliers for advancing to tier two classes and beyond remained an unattainable goal. As a result, handling heavy equipment posed a significant challenge for regular individuals whose physical prowess was not much different from those in the world Roland originated from.

While the primary purpose of this imposing contraption was to address the labor-related challenges, it was far from being the sole motivation behind its creation. Roland harbored a different objective for this prototype. It was intended not only for construction work but also for testing and data collection. Roland planned to use the movement data gathered from this machine to develop something far more intriguing. Another sketch that was on the side depicted a smaller frame, a work in progress that had not yet reached the point of fabrication.

“Hey, boss.”

“Bernir? Did they already send them over?”

“Aye, those bastards work fast.”

Bernir had informed him that the parts he had sketched up had already arrived, neatly packed into a few boxes waiting outside the workshop. While sharing his knowledge with the Union had its drawbacks, the assistance they provided propelled his work to a whole new level. All that remained was to place an order with the primary Dwarven workshop, and within a few days, the components would be assembled. The craftsmanship of these artisans was truly exceptional, allowing Roland to concentrate solely on perfecting the runes and designs.

As Roland and Bernir approached the front gate, they found the boxes awaiting them. Observing the distance and the manner in which everything was transported, Roland contemplated the idea of establishing a separate underground storage facility and automating the entire process. The prospect of manually transporting everything, especially with the presence of numerous golems and other devices, was clearly an inefficient use of their time.

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“It’s big brother Wayland!”

“Yay, have you come to play with us?”

“Yes, come and play!”

Outside the compound, a noticeable shift was occurring, with an increase in the number of children playing in the vicinity. Most of them seemed to be pestering Elodia, who was preoccupied with the shop. Roland and Elodia had chosen to relocate the younger children closer to the workshop, repurposing the old orphanage for those who were already working adults. It had essentially transformed into a dormitory or a place for Lobelia and Armand to spend their time while the youngest ones remained in closer proximity to their older sister.

“Big brother has to work now, instead why don’t you help me and Marcie with some chores?”

“But chores are boring…”

“No, not the chores! Quickly we must get away.”

“Hey, no running!”

He wasn’t sure if he should smile or cry as the kids bolted away from the shop and started running around the outer wall area. Elodia’s voice, usually composed, suddenly boomed as she scolded the rowdy youngsters. When she eventually walked out from the shop and spotted Roland and Bernir handling the boxes, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Her demeanor had shifted away from the stern big sister act, and Roland found her sudden shyness rather endearing.

“Bis sis is blushing again!”

“Hey, you shouldn’t make fun of an adult.”

Before Roland and Bernir could engage in conversation, another child darted out of the shop, joining the playful chase after the others. The construction of the building intended to house these energetic youngsters was still in progress, so for the time being, they occupied the shop. Elodia’s decision to introduce the small group of youngsters to this environment early on appeared to be a success, as they were thoroughly enjoying themselves, romping all over the place. Even Agni had joined in the fun, making the scene even more lively.

When Roland initially created this refuge for himself, his primary intention had been solitude and a tranquil existence. Yet, as he gazed upon the joyful faces of the children and the woman he loved, he began to realize that change wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. With their presence, the atmosphere became more vibrant and filled with life. While these children were only here temporarily, it didn’t mean that such times needed to end. There was more to this life than working for oneself and Roland was starting to realize that.