[ Dark Archmage ] was sitting on the soft leather ( Vine Sheep ) cushion of the Dragon Power Chariot, editing the forum content he was about to publish, when suddenly something came to mind:
She had just bought insurance from a Dragonborn, then got into a Dragonborn's dragon-powered chariot, heading to a Dragonborn's blacksmith shop...
Are the Dragonborn's businesses becoming a little too comprehensive?
If we add things like Dragonborn hospitals Dragonborn schools, and Dragonborn crematoriums, wouldn't she be taking over all the birth, aging, sickness, and death of the game world's native inhabitants?
Is Seraphina about to evolve into a tycoon in the game world?
The idea of [ Dark Archmage ] is incredibly intriguing, and I wonder what it would be like for such a massive complex to develop in the game world.
As for the harm... she wasn't worried at all. After all, the current social situation in the World of Disorder was already like a basement, and the financial conglomerates were considered a progressive force here.
I just don't know if Seraphina has enough Dragonborn under her command...
The dragon-powered carriage quickly arrived at Dragonborn Village. Since the driver was already planning to go home, he only charged [ Dark Archmage ] 50 copper coins as travel expenses before hurrying home.
[ Dark Archmage ] never expected that there was such a thing as a rideshare in the game world. After counting the cash he had left, he headed to the Dragonborn's house that the insurance salesman had mentioned.
Cole, a half-dragon blacksmith, lived in a house that wasn't very spacious.
This space would be enough for most humans to live in, but it was still a bit too low for the half-dragons who had been Alienation by the Red Dragon.
The Dark Archmage arrived in front of the house and immediately saw a not-so-tall forge and a Dragonborn sitting on a stool, tapping something with a small hammer.
He was shorter than the other Dragonborn, roughly the same height as the clothing store owner who didn't like fighting. However, due to his profession, this Dragonborn was quite muscular, unlike the fat boss.
The Dark Archmage knocked on the counter at the blacksmith's shop entrance, and the blacksmith put down his hammer and looked over:
"You're... from the castle?"
The blacksmith's eyesight seemed poor; he narrowed his pale golden eyes into slits before he could roughly make out the newcomer's appearance.
The Dark Archmage also took this opportunity to confirm the appearance of the blacksmith, Cole.
He must be quite old, at least he looks older than the village chief, with a slightly hunched back, giving him an aged appearance, but his muscles are not to be underestimated.
Cole was tapping on something that [ Dark Archmage ] had seen about 70-80% of; it was probably a component that could be used on old-fashioned padlocks, but its size and precision couldn't compare to real-world mechanical locks—it was roughly the same as a hotel room door.
"I've heard you're good at making... little gadgets, so I'd like to chat with you about it."
"I wouldn't call myself an expert, but I can certainly share your ideas."
This Dragonborn did not have the short temper common to this race, perhaps because his temper had been worn down in the process of polishing the fine parts.
In short, Cole arrived at the blacksmith shop, his tail tucked a chair behind him, and he sat down like an old man.
Tell me about it.
[ Dark Archmage ] already had a basic idea of the wind instrument he needed in his mind. Although in the real world, the earliest wind instruments were also made in two halves and then tightly wound together, now that he was in the game world, he should allow himself to have slightly higher standards, right?
Thinking of this, she asked seriously:
"I need an iron pipe, with as thin walls as possible, uniform thickness inside, and ideally no gaps on the sides. Can you do that?"
Cole thought for a moment and then asked [ the Dark Archmage ]:
"Be more specific, about the length and inner diameter, and it would be best to also mention the wall thickness."
The other party's professional explanation made the [ Dark Archmage ] seem quite unskilled. She thought for a long time but couldn't explain it clearly. She asked to borrow some paper and pen, but Cole shook his head and said he didn't have any.
Finally, after obtaining the other party's consent, the [ Dark Archmage ] used a useless wooden board in the blacksmith's shop and the Directed Alienation of his right hand to roughly draw a rough sketch of the iron pipe requirements.
Cole picked up the wooden plank, looked it over, gestured for the Dark Archmage to wait, and then turned and walked towards the backyard of the blacksmith's shop.
Less than a minute later, he returned to the Soul Returner with an iron pipe about half a person's height.
How about this one?
Did you go to 3D print something?
[ Dark Archmage ] mentally scoffed as he took the iron pipe. The first thing he felt was a very peculiar sensation; it was the mark of time. Unlike simple polishing and holding, the uneven appearance of the pipe, the small discolored areas, and the slight rust at both ends all indicated that this thing was quite old. It was definitely not a 3D printed product.
After reaching out and feeling around to confirm there were no gaps on the sides, the Soul Returner held the iron pipe in front of him, closed one eye, and looked towards the direction closest to the sun.
The scattered sunlight reflected off the inside of the tube, leaving a straight line of bright color. Using this light, the [ Dark Archmage ] began to slowly rotate the iron tube, carefully observing whether the tube wall was uniform.
As the pipe wall rotates, some dark spots appear and disappear, which is one of the problems that are difficult to overcome in handcrafting.
Although somewhat disappointed, the [ Dark Archmage ] still confirmed that the iron pipe generally met his requirements.
"Did you type this by hand?"
"Yes, I made it for fun when I was young, and only after it was finished did I realize it was useless."
"So what was it used for in the end?"
"Drying clothes."
[ The Dark Archmage ] was speechless. Using a seamless iron pipe, hammered entirely by hand, as a clothes rack was a bit of a waste.
Fortunately, she had a knack for spotting bargains; she weighed the iron pipe in her hand:
"How much is this?"
Hearing that the other party actually started asking about the price, a look of doubt appeared on Cole's old face:
"This thing isn't very useful, but you can take it if you need it. You've bought quite a few things from me recently, so I'll waive the charge."
The Dark Archmage chuckled upon hearing this:
"I don't mind if you don't charge for this, but you'd better come up with a price that reflects the labor you've put in."
"What's the meaning?"
"Others will be coming to buy iron pipes soon, hopefully your skills haven't gone to waste."
The Dark Archmage was secretly pleased with himself for having so easily created a path to wealth, but Cole had some doubts:
What do you plan to do with this?
The Dark Archmage, who was about to leave, turned around and looked at the blacksmith, sticking a finger into the opening of the tube.
When the finger Alienation into a hollow cone shape, heavier at the front and thinner at the back, she deliberately cut off the finger, then brought one end of the iron pipe to her lips, took a deep breath, and then—
"Smack!"
A blowgun about the length of a finger pierced the door frame of Cole's blacksmith shop.