The Flying Emporium

Severin recognized his mind was too muddled by sleep deprivation and that an important decision like that of choosing a new sub-class would best be made after sleeping on it for one more night.

And indeed, over the course of the night, his subconscious had had enough time to carefully consider the potential choices and their consequences.

The decision was made.

Even if he wanted to, as a conscientious shop owner who put his customers’ needs above all else, he simply couldn’t choose [Blacksmith]. Too many other people with that same profession were already out there offering their services, and though his own products would most definitely turn out superior, the added value would be too low. And would be even lower when compared to dungeon drops.

Not to mention the fact that not everyone used melee weapons or metal armor. He could surely never bring himself to favor one specific group of customers over another! Neither the prospects of having to work in the hellish conditions of a smithy, nor the fact that he had his own, different, top choice in mind, had anything to do with it!

And as much as it grieved him, for very similar reasons [Shipwright] simply had to be rejected as well.

How many people actually needed such a ship? And how long would he have to let them wait while he, all on his own, was busy constructing it? Days? Months? Years?

And all the while spoiling the view of his loyal customers with a full-blown wharf? Unthinkable. No, sadly, this wasn’t an option either.

So, maybe [Enchanter]?

But then what would happen to that scaled woman he had observed working during his stay in Hanvia? And her colleagues?

No, he could never hurt local businesses for his own personal gain.

As much as it pained him, there was only one real option.

Severin sighed a heartfelt sigh, though surely some malicious people would accuse him of theatrics. Just like they would describe his reasons as farfetched, maybe even accuse him of disingenuousness.

Severin himself, of course, knew better and concluded,

“Guess I’ll have to go with [Artificer].”

The fact that- from what he understood based of Bandur’s explanations- many of the gadgets that an [Artificer] could craft oftentimes bore a strong resemblance, at least in terms of functionality, to the technology of his home world, had absolutely nothing to do with this choice.

Still lying in bed, he reached out his arm above him and confirmed his choice on the floating screen.

‘Please give me a good recipe! Please give me a good recipe!’

[Congratulations on acquiring the sub-class [Artificer]!

A novice workbench and set of tools has been placed in your inventory.

Two new crafting recipes have been unlocked.]

“Two?! I knew it! I made the right choi-” Severin shouted with elation and jumped out of the bed, quickly navigating to the corresponding information screen.

And then froze.

…

“What did you unlock? Tell us! Quickly!”

Severin was still too much in shock to have the presence of mind to wonder at what point it had become acceptable for his [Employees] to barge into his room uninvited.

He didn’t say anything, still frozen in place, only slightly nudging the screen for them to see.

“Oh.”

“Uhm. I’m sure it’s not actually that bad.”

“Right. Don’t jump to conclusions! Just craft one of each, first. Test them.”

“…”

Awkward silence. Then a dwarfish hand on his lower back. And the sound of two pairs of footsteps carefully shuffling outside.

…

The mood in the backroom of the Emporium’s main store was tense. Emily didn’t say a word as she focused solely on potion making, not daring to shoot even the smallest glance towards Severin, who stood next to a workbench opposite her.

The constant stream of curses leaving Severin’s mouth suddenly became louder when he once again slipped with the small chisel, bloodying his hands even further.

“Fucking bullshit. Could be the most amazing product ever and it still wouldn’t be worth it. Half a gold. I’m disfiguring my hands for half a fucking gold a piece!”

Still, that much didn’t stop him. He wiped his hand on his clothes and continued working on the small crystal-like stone that was fixed in a vise in front of him. Though the curses didn’t stop. In fact, the more he thought about his situation, the worse they became.

The System provided him with only the bare minimum knowledge needed to create a new product. In particular, this did not include the fine motoric skills required to carve all these delicate lines and nonsensical runes.

Nor did it include actual knowledge regarding the profession’s underlying concepts and rules.

‘Which means I won’t be making any progress whatsoever with that shitty Mix and Match quest. It couldn’t be any worse!’

Only when at last he completed his current task, his grievances were momentarily forgotten.

The grooves he had carved were almost like veins, and the moment Severin did the last stroke with his chisel and successfully connected two of them, the previously clear stone suddenly flared up and from one moment to the next and took on a bright red-yellow color.

Carefully he reached out to touch the thing with his hands, which, surprisingly, still had all digits.

But nothing. No reaction. Whatever he expected, it didn’t happen.

He took the stone out of the vise and put it carefully aside. He felt somewhat disappointed, but was no longer cursing. His displeasure had turned into curiosity, and he started to work on the remaining pieces.

First was a thin metal ring upon which he carved two strings of numbers. That was done relatively quickly.

Then came two half-spheres of the same material in the hollow side of which he again engraved strange veins and characters he didn’t understand the meaning of. Not quite as quickly this time.

But he was finally done.

All that was left was to assemble the parts.

The stone fit perfectly snuck into the center of the metal ring. Then, on either side of that ring, and encasing the stone, the two other parts obediently clicked in place.

The result was a metallic ball that easily fit into Severin’s hand.

“So what now? How does this work?”

He tried pulling on either side, but the previously separate parts seemed welded together. Nothing moved.

Until he started twisting, instead.

Independently of each other, the two half spheres turned; the ring in middle remained fixed in place.

‘Almost a bit like a rotating egg timer,’ he thought. ‘But with two dials instead of one?’

“You’re done?” Emily inquired after hearing her boss talking to himself and realizing he had apparently calmed down.

“Ouch!” came the sudden scream of pain, a red glowing globe rolling across the floor and an even redder faced Severin, frantically flailing around his right hand.

“Yes! Yes, I’m fucking done with this piece of shit! [Heating Sphere] my ass!”