Chapter 21. When You Have Money, You Spend It Recklessly
Hall watched Fulan’s departing figure and, for the first time, truly felt what life must be like for wealthy people.
If something caught their interest, they simply used money to clear the way. And when the interest faded, they stopped immediately, without the slightest concern for the money they had already spent.
For someone like him—who had struggled desperately just to survive in the City of Apprentices and had finally managed to secure a stable job—it could only make him sigh.
“Having money really is wonderful!”
If he ever became wealthy in the future, he would definitely learn to become an Alchemist, the profession he had once dreamed of pursuing.
Then he would throw around dozens of silver coins and make others cater to him.
Meanwhile, Fulan’s spending spree had not yet ended.
After making inquiries, she found a large club of magical craftsmen.
During her earlier practice, she had realized that engraving runes directly onto weapons was the correct way to train.
[You successfully engraved a rune onto a weapon. Runology proficiency +3]
[Your attempt to engrave a rune onto a weapon failed. Runology proficiency +1]
Now, however, she had an extremely bold idea in mind.
Perhaps it could push her Runology directly to the Proficient level.
No… perhaps even higher than that.
It might even reveal what the next level above it was called.
“Hello. What would you like to commission?”
The receptionist stood up and asked politely.
Magical craftsmen were artisans who used magical techniques to create objects with all kinds of structures.
For example, if Fulan asked them to carve rifling grooves into something, they might actually manage to produce it.
However, the profession depended heavily on the individual craftsman’s skill. Every item required meticulous adjustments.
Whenever a mage came up with some unusual idea, they would often commission magical craftsmen to create objects with special structures.
For instance, the two modified beastmen she had fought earlier almost certainly contained small devices crafted by magical craftsmen.
Fulan took out a blueprint she had purchased earlier from the “Second Weaponsmith” club.
It was a design for a dagger.
“The item I want is on this blueprint. Use White Mountain Copper.”
White Mountain Copper was a mixed metal composed of copper and a small amount of mithril.
The alloy possessed roughly half the magical conductivity of pure mithril, making it an excellent material for rune equipment and magical constructs.
Because copper was very common and only a tiny amount of mithril was required, the cost remained low while the properties were excellent. It was extremely popular among apprentices.
The receptionist was very familiar with the material.
About three out of ten commissions used it.
But when he looked at the blueprint, he froze.
The design showed a simple dagger, slightly widened to leave a flat surface that appeared intended for engraving.
He studied the blueprint carefully but could not quite understand it.
He had seen extremely complex designs filled with countless parameters, and he had also seen designs that only specified a rough shape with no details at all.
But he had never seen a blueprint like this.
The structure was unbelievably simple, yet the parameters were clearly marked.
Was this really the kind of work they were supposed to handle?
After hesitating for a moment, he said,
“Customer, are you sure you came to the right place? We are not blacksmiths. The final result might not meet your expectations.”
It was obviously a weapon.
They could make it, and they could probably produce it faster than a blacksmith.
But that was exactly where the difference lay.
When blacksmiths forged weapons, they applied numerous techniques to strengthen them, sharpen them, customize the handle according to the user’s habits, and balance the weight.
The blueprint clearly depicted a dagger, albeit with a slightly unusual shape and made from relatively soft White Mountain Copper.
If they made it here, the weapon would probably bend after taking only a couple of blows in combat.
Blacksmiths, on the other hand, had many techniques that could make even White Mountain Copper surprisingly sturdy.
“I specifically came here to commission it,” Fulan said.
“The blacksmiths are too slow. By the time they finish, who knows what year it will be.”
“And I want two hundred of them.”
“How… many?”
The receptionist’s brain seemed to freeze when he heard the number.
“I will go find the president,” he said after a long pause.
When the club president arrived, he briefly examined the blueprint and confirmed that the receptionist had not misunderstood anything.
Then he said,
“Well… excuse me, but are you sure you want us to make these here?”
He wanted to confirm once more.
This was clearly a large order, and he very much wanted it.
“Yes. Finish them within one month, and I will pay two gold coins.”
When he first heard the one-month deadline, the president frowned slightly.
The schedule was tight, and he had already begun thinking of a way to decline.
But when he heard the astonishing price of two gold coins, all such thoughts instantly vanished.
That meant each dagger was worth one silver coin.
If someone went to a blacksmith to make a dagger, the price would usually be about the same.
However, blacksmiths needed to add additional materials and techniques to ensure durability and stability.
These craftsmen only needed to shape the metal according to the design.
Therefore, even including material costs, each dagger would only cost them about forty copper coins to produce.
If they purchased materials in bulk, the cost might even be lower.
After paying wages to the club members, he would still earn a substantial profit.
“This is a sixty silver coin deposit. I will return in one month to collect them. Prepare proper storage for the daggers.”
“Of course. Please come again anytime.”
The president enthusiastically escorted Fulan out.
The receptionist rolled his eyes beside him and muttered,
“President, why would she need so many daggers? What is she planning to do with them?”
“I have no idea,” the president replied. “If someone were equipping a military force, they would usually commission spears, not daggers. But as long as we make money, that is enough.”
After leaving, Fulan found another magical craftsman club.
She pushed open the door and said immediately,
“Two hundred items from this blueprint. Use White Mountain Copper.”
---
Inside the Alchemists’ Association of Cuilan Academy.
A man wearing a robe decorated with luxurious ornaments walked in through the entrance and approached the front desk.
He placed his hand—adorned with four rings—on the counter.
Each ring held a different gemstone, and under the bright lights of the association, they gleamed brilliantly.
With an arrogant tone, he said,
“I am an association inspector. Give me the sales and purchase records for potion materials.”
The receptionist looked confused.
“But… were you not supposed to arrive last week? Why are you only here now? According to the regulations, I cannot show them to you.”
The man looked irritated and took out a badge from his pocket.
“I was delayed by some matters. That damned Rich—”
He abruptly stopped himself.
“This is my badge as a member of the Association Committee. According to the regulations, even without the inspector title, you should still allow me to see the records.”
The receptionist had no choice but to hand him the ledger.
The man glanced through it briefly and pushed it back.
“Why has this week’s record not been compiled? These are only individual sales entries. Where is the summary? I came to review the summary. Organize this properly and bring it back to me.”
“But that was supposed to be done last week…”
The receptionist sighed.
“Fine. I will compile it now.”
He understood that arguing with this man was pointless.
So he began organizing the records behind the counter.