4 RNG: Texan In Another World - V1.4 - Job Security (2/2)
'Guess I'll just have to knock' Mike pounded on the gate a few times and waited.
A few minutes later a caretaker arrived to deliver news about why they were closed. The owner had gone out looking for materials, he had been gone for nearly 2 months.
Mike was determined to find someone to make what he wanted.
He asked. ”Where else can I get pottery made?”
It was important that he found someone capable of helping him, so Mike wasn't about to just give up on the ideas he had been mulling over. The caretaker felt the guards would pressure him if he didn't give all the information and soon he had given up his owners probably location. The Guards knew where he was headed, It was a valley with a small lake bed. The Clay in the area between the mountains was where he had always been getting his supply.
The Blacksmith was on the way to the small valley, but it was more important to see the Potter first. The bumps on the carriage made it hard to write cleanly, Mike missed his pickup. He could have driven it, but he didn't have a lot of gas or parts to spare.
When they finally found where the potter had gone to, they only saw bones and scattered pieces of his cart. His driving beast has gone missing, and there was no head. It was uncertain if the potter was dead or alive.
”Lets get back to the castle, we should send out some more guards to check for tracks. Something did this and something or someone died.” The guard with a sword called everyone back to the carriage and they turned back to the city.
A tailor shop caught Mike's eye before they reached the Blacksmith, Mike chose to put in a rush order and dropped off a drawing of what he wanted. Very quickly, they got back into the carriage and made their way to the blacksmith. The incredible smell of smelting metals permeated every cell on Mike's skin.
”What can I do for you. All order have to be paid for before any work is done.” The old man looked like he had been at this for a long time and had to deal with enough trouble makers.
'Sheesh, can't catch a break.' Mike pulled out a piece of paper. A bunch of things were drawn and somewhat proportional, Mike instructed him that the things he needed were all the size of the drawing. Handing the Old Man a few hundred gold coins, the old man just about glittered like a fanboy when he saw the drawings.
Before Mike left he saw a pair of boots and requested to know where they were made. The blacksmith told him that the tailor had a friend who worked with monster skins and body parts, but If he wanted to meet it would be a long journey. The tailor's friend lived hundreds of miles away. Mike brought out some more gold coins and bought the boots.
He put them into his bag and returned to the carriage.
”Lets get back to the Tailor and then go visit the Clockmaker.” Mike wasn't sure if his plan would work, most of it relied on chances that he wasn't sure even existed.
It had been about 2 hours since they left the Tailor, When Mike walked into the door he saw a clothing dummy wearing one of the designs.
”Good, How many did you make so far.” Mike felt awkward asking, but he still needed an answer.
”I could only manage five, I can make more but I need time and I do have other orders.” Mike picked them up and put them into his bag, the bulge in his backpack was making it very hard to close.
As the backpack was about to spill its contents out on the floor Mike swept his hand across the air and took the falling items into the storage ring. Mike felt like his reflexes were lacking, but when he noticed how quickly he moved.. he couldn't help but smile.
The Carriage doors were shut, no one saw what had just happened. Mike was the only one that knew, but it was still something else to see. Normally it took concentration and at least a moment for the spacial items to activate, however Mike had done it nearly instantaneously.
”Take me back to my Lab and have the blacksmith come over to plan some changes to the building.” Mike knew what he had to do, It would be fun as well if he did it right.
Mike opened the door to the main hall in his building and saw the girls all desperate to absorb the books in front of them.
”Girls, I have something for you all.” Mike pulled the gifts from his storage ring and placed them on the counter before grabbing one and showing it to them.
”These are called Lab Coats. They make you look official, and its part of your new uniform. Keep them clean and always wear it while we're working.” Laughing at the expressions on the girls faces, Mike reached his arm outward and handed the Lab Coat over to Mona.
”Put it on, don't be shy.” Mike wanted to know what they looked like with them on, so he quickly encouraged them to try them on.
After Mona tried it on, she spun around and winked.
”Looks good to me!” Mona said before she rushed over and handed the other four out to the girls. As the giggled the time away, Mike stared at the roof and the square footage of the building. It would make a fine workspace if it was just upgraded.
Taking a stroll while the girls played with each other over who looked better in the coat, Mike saw the planter where he had planted the seed last night. There was no change in the soil, It took mike at least 3 days to germinate a seed back on Earth and he had the aid of root cubes and cloning gel.
”Mike, Prince Troeg is asking for you at the magistrate.” One of the guards came up. They had sent a few people to escort him back.
Mike looked at the building again and had some more ideas but it would be radical for this place. Laughing under his breath, Mike was led back to the Prince at the Magistrate office.
Prince Troeg had a very poised attitude, he sat up straight and didn't beat around the bush when he spoke. ”Did you kill Elder Po?”
”No” Mike was quick to defend himself.
”Then why is he dead?” Prince Troeg slammed his fist down on his chair.
”He attacked me while my back was turned, the guards ordered to protect me stabbed him in the throat.” There was no way that Mike was going to catch the blame for it, He would do his very best to deny involvement.
”He had other wounds... and he seems to be missing his personal items.” The Prince wasn't wrong, Mike did take them from him.. On earth that would have been a capital crime, depending on who was the Judge.
”Yes, He tried to kill me. I feel its only right that I took it.” Mike puffed out his chest. He did instigate the ordeal, but it wouldn't be a good idea to lay blame on anyone other than Elder Po.
Blinking in disbelief, Prince Troeg finally coughed to break the tension and spoke. ”Very well, I also heard you don't like having slaves brought to you, serving you, or helping you in any way. That doesn't seem like you're interested in having workers.”
Mike wasn't about to be trampled like that, so he replied in an angry one. ”I need workers, Not slaves. Pay the workers.. Its not that hard.”
Mike was just about to finish his rant when he thought about something else.
”Also, Where is my Lab?”
”....” ,Prince Troeg.
”....” ,Mike
”....”,The Guards.
”I have some plans that I'll need your cooperation in completing, here is a rough sketch of what I need done to the building you have me living in. If that's suppose to be my lab, It needs equipment, ventilation and several magic items I've heard you have in your possession at the castle.” Mike was tired of watching the rich treat others like trash, even if they were slaves. Knowing full well that he could wring money out of Prince Troeg, Mike laid down a massive building plan for his Laboratory.