Chapter 13: Chapter 13 – Rachel

The letters were sent, so now everything was up to me now. 

The Rock and Stone Foundation already knew how to make my cement. That meant, in order to construct the wall in a timely manner, we only needed to scale production. 

Through my own urgency and the fact that I delayed the construction of my manor, the two brothers of the company understood that the new wall needed to be built quickly. I gave them a deadline of a month to have everything laid out. I also drafted every detail of the construction, leaving no room for error or confusion. 

Sir Campbell was similarly urgent. Working with Kork, he quickly hired as many miners as possible while streamlining iron and steel production. 

But I knew it wasn’t enough. While the steel production in this world was good enough, it didn’t come in large quantities since it was only used in weapons and high grade tools. 

If I wanted more, I needed a proper factory containing crucibles and steel forging machines. 

But such things could only be made by my Tool. 

Even to mass produce cement on the scale that I wished for, kiln technology would have to jump, and I would need to develop other fuels like coal slurry to be used for firing. 

The scale of this city’s production was tiny. Granted, it was enough for what it needed, but now that I was here, my vision far surpassed what this place was capable of. 

I wanted to use my Tool and build the facilities we needed, things like industrial crucibles and rotary kilns. And it could be done, even if it would take some time. 

But there was much risk in doing so. Nobody beyond a select few people within the Baron’s manor knew about our cooperation with sorcerers. So if I were to suddenly introduce a brand new piece of industrial hardware that defied comprehension, there would be questions and suspicions. 

Primarily, I worried about Sir Campbell. I hadn’t seen any of his ‘trusted men’ since we arrived. That meant they were out and about in places that I couldn’t keep an eye on. And I didn’t know if I could trust him, or his thoughts on sorcerers. 

If he weren’t here, then perhaps I could use my father as an excuse, saying he shipped me the hardware and dodge responsibility. But that wasn’t possible. 

And, there was the risk of me being seen. I had to remain eternally vigilant for worry of Gentle Snow watching. I couldn’t be hasty and reveal my Tool, not even to sorcerers. 

So in short, I wouldn’t be able to do anything but personally guide the expansion of existing production. 

Over several days, I had the brothers at the Rock and Stone Foundation hire many more workers and build several more kilns to make cement. With that, production quickly multiplied, setting us on track to complete the wall before the two month deadline. 

And with dozens of workers at the mine under the guidance of Sir Campbell and Kork, iron and steel production was underway. We also found a few blacksmiths who worked within the city repairing farming tools. Employing them, we placed orders for weapons, shields, and other much needed gear. 

So, even without mass industry, we were on track to have ourselves fortified before the Months of Darkness came. 

However, there was one overarching issue that could only be solved with a key piece of my knowledge. 

Military training. 

Soldiers of sword and shield couldn’t be made competent in only a couple of months. It took much longer to become proficient with the sword and spear and increase general fitness. 

That meant I likely wouldn’t be able to build a strong enough force to fend off whatever enemies may come our way, even with walls and weapons. 

That’s where my knowledge came in. 

I had planned to build revolver weapons after getting my hands on brass and developing smokeless nitrocellulose powder. But with new time constraints, I was now forced to develop the more primitive flintlock weapons. 

Getting my hands on the ingredients for black powder was easy. I could easily produce charcoal, and after some discussion with Reduct the Chemist, I was able to contact a merchant that could quickly bring me a large supply of potassium nitrate, otherwise known as saltpeter, and sulfur. 

These were the only essential components for black powder, so once I got my delivery, I would only need to synthesize the black powder and use it in the flintlocks. 

The hardest part though was the creation of the gun itself. 

Boring barrels wasn’t easy with this world’s technology, and if I were trying to make weapons that used nitroglycerine-based gunpowder, then it would be impossible since I would have to use the much stronger steel barrels, which couldn’t be manufactured yet. But because my flintlock guns only needed to handle black powder, I quickly found a feasible way. 

Simply boring iron barrels with steel bits would do the trick. And iron barrels could handle the force of black powder. It worked out.

All I needed to do was work with one of the blacksmiths directly, and I would be able to produce the components I needed to build flintlock weaponry. Thankfully I wouldn’t need that many, so hand making each one was fine. 

It was with all these plans that I moved forward.

And so, two weeks passed since the start of my militarization efforts. 

This was also when yet another incident was brought to my attention.

……

…

“Lord Audius!”

“Hm?”

I lifted my head at the sudden call, seeing David Pointe, Tiya’s father, enter the study. He looked both happy and concerned.

“What is it?”

“Sir, the citizens have found another sorcerer. They’ve brought her to the front gate of the manor.”

“The front gate?”

I raised my brow and stood from my seat, walking straight out of the study. 

“Let’s go.”

…

“Hey, let go of her!”

Grace’s shouts echoed toward a young girl being restrained and poorly handled by a couple of men, around which were a dozen or so spectators. 

Hearing Grace’s demand, the two men only threw their prisoner to the floor.

“Hey!”

Grace panicked as the girl tumbled across the hard stone floor. She hurried down and grabbed her, picking her up and looking at the large bruises and broken skin across her body. 

However, she was shocked as those purple bruises rapidly changed color, returning to a healthy supple pink before fading to pale. 

All her wounds were like that, closing up in a mere several seconds. 

The sight caused one of the men to snicker. 

“She’s a healer! There’s no need to treat well a sorcerer who can’t even get hurt.”

“What, you think she can’t feel pain?”

“Is there a reason I should care?”

He questioned back, causing Grace to go silent. She didn’t forget that she wasn’t supposed to be publicly supporting sorcerers. 

“There is, actually.”

But suddenly, another voice caught everyone’s attention. 

Grace looked back, feeling a wave of relief as Audius walked out. 

He nodded to her before looking back at the men, who were excited at his appearance. 

“City Lord Audius! We’ve brought you a healer!”

“Yes, and a disturbance. Did you think it was acceptable to do any of this?”

“...Sir?”

The men were confused as they were berated instead of praised. 

Audius looked down at them with a half disgusted face. 

“Instead of carrying on with my work, I’m interrupted by a mob outside my door! And I come out to see a young girl being thrown around! Do you think people being thrown across my stone roads is acceptable?!”

“...But she’s-”

“What, a sorcerer? I don’t care!”

He stepped up to the men, causing them to take a step back.

“I have guards for a reason, don’t I? Doing this is their job, not yours, because they know how I like incidents to be handled! And this is not it! So from now on, if any sorcerers are reported, they are to be handled and brought to me by my guards. And if this happens again, or I hear that a young girl has been abused before recieving proper judgement from me, then I’ll be throwing you into the dungeon!”

Audius’ voice reverberated across the plaza, catching the ears of everyone nearby. 

The two men, the targets of his reprimand, had their faces twist in humiliation and anger. 

“...Hmph, you puny fucking child.”

One man who had been put on the back foot mustered up his rage and took a step forward, as if to confront Audius. 

“Halt!”

But he was stopped as Sir Pointe stepped in front and launched out his leg, kicking the man square in the gut and sending him to the floor. 

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He drew his sword, pointing it at him.

“You are in the presence of the City Lord and the son of Duke Fawkes of the Verlenium Empire! Attempt anything, and I will relieve you of your head!”

“Agh!”

The man groaned as pain wracked his body, the hard stone floor merciless against his soft body.

Audius tore his gaze away from them, looking back toward Grace. Inwardly she was sneerring, wondering how the man enjoyed feeling what the girl just had been. 

He smiled a bit, guessing her thoughts, and motioned to the nearby guards. 

“Take her away.”

“Sir!”

Two guards saluted and grabbed the sorcerer, and the Baron followed them to a secluded area within the manor. 

Grace watched as Audius turned back to the man who was regaining himself on the floor. 

He stepped forward, calling off Sir Pointe and standing over the man. 

He looked around. 

“The citizens of my city are not to dirty their hands with the responsibility of handling sorcerers. They are powerful, capable people that may retaliate if you try to harm them. That is why you are to report their presence to me first and foremost! For your own safety, allow my guards to handle the danger. I don’t wish to see blood on my streets, especially not the blood of my own people.”

With that, he put his hand out toward the man on the floor. The man looked up at him, still angry, but not unwilling to accept the gesture.

He took Audius’ hand and was pulled up. Audius dusted the man’s shirt a bit before patting his shoulder and smiling. 

“There’s no reason to interrupt our lives with unnecessary work and worry. Let me take care of everyone while you all worry about what to have for dinner. Here.”

He reached into his jacket, pulling out two notes for 100 coin each. 

He placed it in the two men’s hands. 

“If you successfully report a sorcerer and we catch her, then you will be rewarded with 200 coin. Consider it a thanks for keeping the city safe.”

“Ah, thank you, Lord Audius!”

The man quickly changed his demeanor, bowing in thanks. 

All the bystanders were also surprised. 200 coin wasn’t a small amount, being a few weeks worth of pay for the average person. 

And with that, everyone was sent off and dispersed, Audius retreating to the manor. 

……

…

Grace questioned me as we walked. 

“Why were you so nice? And what’s with the reward?”

“I don’t need my citizens hating their city lord. And if we want to find more sorcerers, why not pay the people to do it for us?”

I smiled at her, and she just sighed in acceptance. 

“A small expenditure that helps us immensely, not that sorcerer awakenings are common. Now, let’s get the details on our new guest.”

Walking through a few halls, we found the sorcerer in one of the empty rooms. As we discovered that she naturally healed herself, there was no need for treatment. 

Tiya had already arrived, and seeing us walk in, the guards took their leave. All that was left were myself, Grace, the Baron, Tiya, and her father Sir Pointe. 

I took a seat on a chair near the bed, Grace standing behind me. Tiya was sitting on the bed with the new girl. 

“Her name is Rachel.”

Tiya spoke her name, and I took a moment to observe her. 

She had blonde hair and what seemed like green eyes. Her tattered clothes also revealed a large bust despite her shockingly toned body. It was like she was a dedicated athlete, which didn’t exist in this world quite yet.

The dirt that covered parts of her body, primarily her hands and bare feet, indicated that she was either homeless or on the run. 

“How old are you?”

“...24.”

She responded with a young yet dull voice, seeming more youthful than she was.

I looked her in the eye. 

“You don’t look like you’ve been in this city for long. Where did you come from?”

“...I was told that you’d know the name Gentle Snow.”

“She sent you?”

My eyes widened a bit as Rachel nodded. 

“She found me in the mountains, told me to come here.”

“Hm, well I’m quite flattered.”

I couldn't help a smile. It seemed I had earned Snow’s trust if she was sending people to me instead of having them join her militia. 

Grace looked at me questioningly though. 

“Who’s Gentle Snow?”

“A friend I made a while back. Tiya met her too.”

I pointed to Tiya, who flushed a bit.

“Y-You know about that?”

“Of course. She wasn’t particularly happy when she wasn’t able to take you away from me.”

“O-oh…”

She lowered her head with embarrassment, earning a weird gaze from Grace. 

“Anyway…”

I turned back to our guest. 

“You must know that I harbor sorcerers here. Tiya is one, as is my sister Grace. So long as you stay within the manor, you’ll be safe. Not many people know your face, so you could probably go outside so long as you keep your head down. Still, give it some time to let everyone forget about your arrival. Though, besides that…”

I looked at her curiously.

“How did you get caught anyway?”

“I let myself get found.”

Rachel answered simply. 

“I found someone who needed help, healed them in front of some men, and they took me to you. I knew I couldn’t just walk up to the manor, so this was the best option to keep your involvement a secret.”

“Well, I appreciate the thought, but that’s also a dangerous move. What if someone had tried to kill you themselves?”

“...I’m not exactly afraid of getting hurt.”

She answered back with eyes that made me curious. 

In those pupils, the expression, and the body language, I could sense a high level of apathy. There was no indication that she cared about anything pertaining to her situation. Not even news that I harbor sorcerers earned surprise or relief. 

She shrugged as I pondered. 

“Besides, healers are valuable. If any other noble found out that a healer had been killed, the offender would be executed. Sure we’re sorcerers, but healers are too useful.”

“...Mm, that’s true.”

I nodded before standing. 

“Well, welcome to Northtown, Rachel. Tell Grace about anything you need, and Baron Hviral will brief you on everyone who does and doesn’t know about our secret. And if you have any questions for me, I’ll be in the study. Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

With that, I left the room. There was still loads of work to be done.

I heard Grace begin discussing things with everyone as I left. 

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