Chapter 175 Change of Plans (2/2)
”Anyway,” Jack took a deep breath as he took out a parchment from the desk. ”I will be honest with you--”
”Lino.”
”--Lino. You are far too talented for our little piece of heaven,” Jack said earnestly. ”You're young -- from what I've noticed not even thirty yet -- you're talented, already have a masterful foundation and knowledge most lifetime smiths can't even hope to reach. When Ed told me about you, my initial plan was to take you under my wing regardless of how you did, as someone so young and with so much potential is rather hard to come by. However, it didn't take me long to realize you already have a Master,” Jack added with a bitter smile. ”One that's skies and skies beyond of what I can do. Rather, I wager that within a couple of years you will already surpass me, and then some.”
”...” Lino didn't butt in, merely listening.
”So, if you still insist on working with us, I can really only give you one position.”
”Hm?”
”Custom Crafter,” Jack said, pushing the parchment over to the Lino's end of the desk. ”Currently, only Edward occupies the position as I'm too busy with management to be able to craft full time. Though it's not a fancy title, the position is rather lucrative. Rather than doing mass-produce items, you'll be tasked with specific orders. Say, someone wants a sword that's perfect for them -- they come to you. They tell you their preferences, their battle style, cultivation Qi and so on, and you design the item based on that information.”
”... interesting.” Lino mumbled as he quickly looked over the parchment; it was just a contract, he quickly realized, and a rather lucrative one. ”These terms really don't give you much, do they?”
”It's a standard Custom Crafter Contract,” Jack said. ”All smithies in town at least have a couple of them and they aren't really a source of income, but more of a promoting tool.”
”...”
”It's simple, really,” Jack smiled, noticing Lino's confusion. ”The better items a Custom Crafter can craft, the more lucrative the smithy he belongs to becomes for ordinary people. After all, very, very few people on the entire Continent are able to afford that lance of yours. If we put your crafts into the general shop, they'd mostly just hang on the wall as an eye-candy. Anyway, the Contract's mostly designed to offer the Custom Crafter enough incentive to remain with the smithy.”
”... you're rather honest.” Lino said, smiling.
”Ha ha, it's alright, you can say I'm a fool.” Jack smiled back. ”However, if it was someone much older than you, I would be far more shrewd. To me... it's of greater sin to limit someone as talented as you than it is to lose some potential customers. The entire industry of blacksmithing had grown rather stagnant... even on the Holy Continent. Save for a few legendary figures that had long since withdrawn from the world, we haven't had a true star in a long while. Most smiths are just replicating the efforts of their ancestors, rather than striving to create something new. You... rather, in you I see that potential.”
”... I'm flattered.” Lino said as he took the quill and quickly signed his name at the bottom.
”... you're quite honest yourself, aren't you?” Jack asked as he looked at him oddly.
”No need to exploit people who offered such generous terms without any pretense,” Lino smiled. ”I may be a rather corrupt person morally, but I do have some base principles, you know?”
”Ha ha ha, very well! I'll gladly accept it!”
”Right, I overheard something about the 'General Weapon'. What's that mean?” Lino asked out of curiosity.
”... hah, you really aren't from around here, are ya'?”
”Nope.”
”It's self-explanatory, really,” Jack said as he suddenly reached into his desk yet again and took out a bottle. Though Lino didn't recognize what alcohol it contained, he was immediately drawn to it. ”Weapons are called 'General Weapons' when only really strong people -- hence 'General' -- can wield them. For instance, the requirements on the lance are simply impossible for any old street cultivator. Even those brats in the Sects and the Titan Empire stand absolutely no chance of meeting the requirements any time soon.”
”Ah. So that's it. Brats, though? I hear you can be hanged around here for that sort of a language.” Lino commented as he took the offered glass and inspected the drink; its scent reminded Lino of aged wood and vanilla.
”Ha ha, I suppose it's true. Though, to be fair, people have been hanged for far less around here. However, I do have some fame, you know? Both the Empire and Sects severely lack top-tier smiths, which is why they're a bit more lenient with us when it comes to what we say... so long as we don't yell it in their faces.”
”What about if we whisper it?” Lino asked, taking a sip as a fiery sensation quickly began sweeping through him.
”Ha ha, I can't imagine them enjoying it all that much either. Anyway, here,” Jack raised his glass. ”To our new partnership.”
”Aye.” Lino clanked and quickly emptied the rest of it. ”What's the general situation like on the continent?” he asked, figuring Jack might know a thing or two.
”... hmm. I'm not too sure either, any more,” Jack said, sighing. ”Things are a whole lot more tense recently. There are more soldiers patrolling the streets, a few platoons even came here a few days ago and began 'searching' for something -- well, not something, I learned they were searching for Demons and Devils.”
”Huh?” Lino exclaimed softly as his gaze hardened.
”Aye, I couldn't believe it either,” Jack shrugged. ”I mean, I did hear there was some mess over on the Western Continent, but it's been eons since Devils dared to stir anything big over here. Hah, who knows if even that is true...”
”... aye.” Lino nodded faintly, his thoughts spinning. ”Anyway, I still haven't checked into an inn, so I'm gonna go and do that. I'll come here tomorrow morning. Is that alright?”
”Aye, aye,” Jack nodded. ”I'll see if we have any custom orders and let you know. Oh, right, are you fine with us displaying the lance during the Annual Display of Arts and Crafts?”
”... uh... sure?”
”Great! I'll see you tomorrow then!”
”I'll see ya'.”
Lino left quickly, completely ignorant of the gazes directed his way. Though he had already suspected as much, it really seems as though the Devils are hellbent on following him wherever he goes. He had barely landed on the continent and they'd already begun plotting and scheming. The last time, however, left Lino with quite a bitter taste when it comes to their helping hand; rather, even till this day, he had hardly sated the anger in his heart.
While Jack seemed rather dismissive of the idea of Devil Invasion, Lino wasn't as certain. If they're beginning to crop up left and right, it means they're fairly certain of what they're doing. The Devils are many things, Lino had realized, but morons isn't one of them. Looks like we can't stay here as long as I had hoped, he sighed inwardly as he raced through the packed streets. Ava will probably kill me, but... south's not an option anymore. Great Descent... here I come...
END OF VOLUME VII - BEYOND WEST