Work had never been a dirty word to people.
It was the foundation of survival in this world. Those without work were not only scorned but shunned.
The good news was that nearly half of the eighty thousand unemployed residents were children or elderly people. Even without jobs, their families and Free City would support them.
Frontier Fever continued to spread. Every day, hundreds signed up at the Ministry of Agriculture. Black smoke poured from the Blacksmith Shop's chimneys day and night, and thousands upon thousands of sets of farming tools reached the hands of farmers.
Forging on that scale quickly exhausted Free City's ore supply.
"We're short on ore!" Copperbeard complained loudly to Annan.
"Why come to me? You think I can charm ore into existence?"
"What if you can?"
"I can't!"
"If you don't find a way, we'll have to dismantle the Golems and melt them down!" Copperbeard threatened, snatching a glass of Distilled Liquor as well.
Ore...
Annan fell into thought.
Setting aside the limestone quarry, Free City currently had three mines: an Iron Mine, a Coal Mine, and a Gem Mine. The Gold Mine within the Kingdom had already been returned, which was why Illymoyas spent every day outside Annan's window, staring coldly at him.
The Coal Mine still had ample reserves, but the Iron Mine and Gem Mine were nearly spent, and the quality of what remained was poor.
If Annan wanted to advance technology, mineral resources—iron ore above all—were indispensable.
He went to Idelia and asked his eldest sister to send people to survey Gem Bay. Then he charmed... asked the House-Elves to help search the Forest Mountains.
As for the city's iron ore shortage... they would import ore from other cities for now.
"Who knows why we buy ore and smelt it