Otaku Translation: The Amber Sword V3C106

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Chapter 106: Tonygel and the Young Lord Part 6

Beru nodded at Brandon’s words.

“So, Lord Brandon,” the old man began, pulling a pipe from his pocket but hesitating upon remembering Brandon’s aversion to smoke. He put it back reluctantly. “What idea did you have in mind?”

Brandon sidestepped the question. “How’s that project coming along?”

Beru paused, then understood. “Ah, the suits? We’ve completed over two hundred. The workshop is running full tilt on this.” He glanced back. “But manpower remains an issue. If we could expand to over a hundred workers, I could meet your demands more fully.”

Two hundred—slightly below Brandon’s target. Yet, expanding the workshop wasn’t feasible. Skilled labor was scarce, and magitech tools even scarcer. Manual production timelines and costs were impractical.

Shaking his head, Brandon replied, “Master Beru, Cold Fir alone can’t sustain such a large operation. Even with Minty, resources like iron and coal are insufficient.”

He paused, then added wistfully, “If only we had elemental furnaces.”

“Elemental furnaces?” Beru’s eyes sharpened. Though unfamiliar with the term, he grasped its implications—a revolutionary advancement in forging technology.

Brandon nodded. Elemental furnaces harnessed ambient elemental fire for smelting, bypassing traditional fuels. In his memory, they’d been invented decades later by an Eruinian elementalist. The specifics eluded him now; countless innovations emerged during the Magic Tides surge, many tied to magic energy conduits. As a non-life-skill player, Brandon lacked intimate knowledge of these developments. For a moment, he longed for the expertise of his former guild’s veteran players, but quickly dismissed the notion as impossible.

Explaining the concept to Beru, Brandon watched the elder’s eyes light up.

“Truly, Lord Brandon? No coal or fuel needed?” Beru’s face flushed with excitement. The economic savings alone were staggering. Pure elemental flames, free of ordinary combustion, offered unparalleled precision in purifying metals—a boon for any seasoned blacksmith.

“Yes,” Brandon hesitated, fabricating an origin. “I read about it in an ancient text—it seems to be a lost Buga wizard technique.”

“Buga wizards?” Metissa interjected softly, her silver eyes narrowing. “But Buga craftswizards use magical forging methods. They wouldn’t rely on furnaces… unless practices changed recently?”

Brandon froze, realizing his slip. Without Metissa’s encyclopedic knowledge of Buga’s Craftsman Wizards, who shared that same Silver bloodline, he might’ve escaped scrutiny. Thinking quickly, he improvised, “I’m not certain. My heritage lies with high tower wizards.”

Metissa nodded. “However, what you described sounds like Minarian techniques—elemental forging, lost before the Holy Wars. Perhaps the document referenced Buga observations of their enemies’ methods.”

Brandon wiped imaginary sweat from his brow, silently thanking Marsha for Metissa’s diplomatic cover. He prayed briefly, nodding agreement.

Beru, snapping out of his reverie, asked earnestly, “Lord Brandon, do you know the furnace’s structure?”

Structure?

Brandon hesitated. “It’s relatively simple—sketching it shouldn’t pose difficulty.”

“Then let’s try!” Beru exclaimed, eager. “My skills in forging are unmatched in Eruin. Share the details, Lord Brandon. Perhaps we can recreate it.”

Brandon shook his head. “Not so simple, Master Beru. While the structure is straightforward, challenges remain: the magic energy core and conduit device, collecting ambient fire elements, and sustaining continuous flame.”

“The first requires advanced magitech, the second elementalism, and the third alchemy. The forge itself, I trust you can handle. But what about the rest?”

Beru fell silent.

“Collecting ambient elements isn’t overly complex,” Metissa chimed in.

“Oh?”

“Young lady, do you know something?” Beru blurted loudly, drawing stares from nearby craftsmen and apprentices. Flustered, he whispered fervently, “Please, enlighten us. This is vital for us.”

Brandon remained skeptical. An elemental furnace could solve fuel scarcity, aiding Shafrend’s silver mining. But without local iron, Beru’s expansion plans were still doomed. In his plan, the expansion of the workshop in Cold Fir territory would have to wait at least until after his trip to Ampersal.

Yet Beru noticed Brandon’s subtle dismissiveness. Turning stern, he lectured, “Lord Brandon, don’t underestimate this. It saves vast sums—funds for iron ore, weapons, armor, armies. Without them, how will you protect yourself, let alone support the princess? Time grows short.”

Brandon winced at Beru’s relentless logic. Nodding hastily, a realization struck him.

Elemental furnaces held value beyond mere forging. Miniaturized versions could be sold to nobles, yielding substantial profits. Drawing from decades of gaming experience, Brandon recognized lucrative potential. His upcoming Ampersal trip now had a clear path forward.

Interrupting Beru, he urged Metissa, “Explain, please.”

Smiling faintly, she answered, “The method is simple—use magic arrays.”

“Magic arrays?” Brandon frowned. “But releasing fire elements requires arrays incompatible with absorption. Absorption arrays can’t endure harsh conditions, unlike release arrays resistant to heat…”

“Reinforcement arrays might hinder absorption efficacy.”

Though Brandon’s alchemy skill was low, basic knowledge persisted.

“Separate them,” Metissa suggested.

“If separated, how do you conduct elements?” Element transfer posed unique challenges compared to magic energy conduits. Only elementalists could manage it directly. A furnace requiring constant oversight would demand six or seven trained elementalists—an unsustainable cost.

“My lord,” Metissa murmured, “you forget—I am Silver Elf.”

Brandon blinked. What did that imply?

“Young one.” Suddenly, Otaris’ voice echoed in his mind. “I’ve been meaning to ask—does that Silver Elf girl follow the Elven King’s lineage?”

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