Chapter 473 – Rune Glider.

“Master, Master Brylvia… MASTER!”

“WHATTTTTTTT YE WANT?”

A rather annoyed-looking female dwarf glared at one of her apprentices, who had continuously shouted in her direction while she was trying to peacefully examine some ridiculous-looking schematics. The human runesmith had returned to the city, and with him came a flood of strange plans and runic devices. Whenever he ordered something from her, she could be assured it would be mind-boggling and strange. However, it was always an opportunity to learn something new, and the city he was outfitting with these peculiar runic machines was beginning to turn into something special.

“It’s the Runesmith’s apprentice, he has come wearing something fascinating!”

“Fascinating? Do you mean that golem arm he was using? I wouldn’t call it fascinating.”

“No, you don’t understand, this one is different, it looks like a finished product and it seems to produce flawless movement, it’s as if… as if the arm is part of him!”

“Part of him?”

Brylvia raised her eyebrow and placed the schematic she was going through down on the table. Her apprentice seemed quite ecstatic for some reason but it wasn’t anything new. Ever since they came to this city they had been surprised by some of the human’s inventions. The runic batteries were something that could already change the world and the geothermal generator he had designed was the same. She knew by this point that this man was an eccentric genius and that it was a great decision to come here.

“Aye, I guess I’ll go see it then, but if this isn’t worthwhile, you’ll be in charge of cleaning the workshop for a week.”

“Aye, Master Brylvia! but ye won’t regret it”

The dwarven runesmith apprentice replied eagerly, clearly confident that his discovery would impress his boss. The older woman sighed but couldn’t suppress a hint of curiosity as she followed her apprentice to the workshop area. The younger dwarf’s enthusiasm was contagious, and she wondered what Roland’s assistant could have brought this time. It was known to her that he was using some sort of replacement limb as she was the one to provide him with the golem limb schematics. She knew that the man was up to something but could it really be better than tested dwarven technology from their ancestors?

Upon arriving, she immediately spotted Bernir, who was enthusiastically demonstrating his new prosthetic arm to a small group of onlookers. Brylvia pushed through the crowd for a closer look. As soon as she laid eyes on the arm, she realized why her apprentice had been so excited.

The arm was a masterpiece. Unlike the rough, functional golem arm Bernir had used before, this one had a sleek, almost natural look. The model resembled the one she gave to Roland but it had been fashioned with mithril. It moved with an uncanny fluidity, mimicking the motions of a real arm with precision. Bernir’s fingers flexed and curled with ease, each movement smooth and controlled. The surface of the arm had intricate runic engravings that glowed faintly.

“Is the runic battery inside of it? There seems to be a compartment for it, and these runes… I haven’t seen ones like this before. Fascinating…”

“Ah… Master Brylvia?”

“What? Stop bothering me…”

“I, uh… nothing…”

Brylvia looked up at the man to whom this runic prosthesis had been attached. She was now directly in front of him and seemed to have forgotten her manners by examining his arm without asking for his permission. Taking a deep breath, she cleared her throat awkwardly and stepped back. Noticing the other craftsmen around her smirking, she realized she had become lost in her own world, marveling at the intricate runes on Bernir’s prosthetic arm.

“What are ye bastards staring at? Do ye still wish to get paid?”

The other dwarves recoiled in fright at her words. Without their pay, they wouldn’t be able to get drunk anymore. They quickly averted their gazes from her glares while Bernir stood there uncomfortably.

“Bernir, was it? This is some remarkable work.”

Brylvia said, her voice filled with genuine admiration and a hint of curiosity.

“Did Master Wayland design this?”

“Aye, Master Brylvia, but I can’t disclose our secrets. You’ll have to talk with the boss about it.”

“Hah, quite cheeky, aren’t you, brat?”

She could tell that this young half-dwarf did not fear her as much as the other dwarves in the smithy. It was a respectable attribute, and if it weren’t for the exquisite nature of the runic prosthetic, she might have given him an earful. Brylvia examined the prosthetic arm one last time, the runic composition was nothing that she had ever seen before and certainly something she needed to investigate further.

“Fine, I’ll leave you be then, but tell your ‘boss’ that he needs to come here.”

“Aye, sure Master Brylvia, I’ll be sure to mention it.”

Bernir nodded respectfully, acknowledging Brylvia’s interest and authority. With that, she turned and began making her way back to her workstation, leaving the young blacksmith to his own devices. She knew he was there to pick up some previously prepared parts, likely for another one of Wayland’s outrageous contraptions.

“That human, he might actually do it… hah. I wonder what those old farts will think about this… It might be better not to make any reports just yet…”

The woman chuckled to herself while glancing back at the other union members. The young smiths were all admiring the marvel of craftsmanship. Progress among the dwarves, who cherished old traditions, was quite slow. However, the human runesmith was not held back by such things, and perhaps this was something her people needed.

******

“I’m back boss and got the shipment from the union!”

“Welcome back, that took a while, were there some issues in the city?”

“Well…”

Roland peeked away from the image that was being produced on the wall to look at Bernir. Thanks to Sebastian, the need for physical schematics was a thing of the past. However, it was taking him some time to get used to this approach. He would probably need to invent a new program to help him draw which could then be called runeshop.

“Well, Master Brylvia wanted to have a closer look at the prosthetic.”

Bernir admitted sheepishly.

“… and she was quite impressed.”

Roland smiled at the news. It was reassuring to know that even the skilled dwarven runesmiths acknowledged his work. While he wasn’t certain how his invention would impact the world, he saw no reason to keep it hidden. Instead, he planned to negotiate a formal contract with the union. Without their manufacturing capabilities, spreading this prosthetic technology beyond their city would likely be impossible. He valued their reputation, understanding that most people wouldn’t trust a rural runesmith to assemble a replacement arm. It sounded like a scenario filled with potential mishaps.

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“I see. No trouble then?”

“None at all. They were actually quite fascinated. I think we might have piqued their interest.”

“Good. We’ll need their cooperation for our larger projects.”

Bernir nodded, understanding the strategic importance of maintaining good relations with the dwarven union. They were masters of craftsmanship, and their expertise was invaluable for large-scale production. That was at least, until Roland’s factory project could become feasible. He envisioned assembling production golems to operate independently, freeing him from reliance on external resources. However, he was lacking funds for this dream of his to flourish and would need to accept the union’s presence for a while longer.