Chapter 84

The day after their course of action was decided, as Cash had predicted, Miller Pharmaceuticals came looking for them. Their subsequent actions were exactly as Cash had anticipated. They revealed that the previous night’s attack was the work of Neville Pharmaceuticals and requested cooperation from Amon and Sonia. The two immediately accepted the proposal. After the Miller Pharmaceuticals representative left, they quickly moved into action.

<Coen Ulrich Blacksmith Workshop>

The two headed to the blacksmith workshop introduced by the Doctor. The workshop was located in Marseille, quite a distance from Paris. Driving there was impossible, so they had to take a train. For security reasons, they rented an entire train car.

“I searched online, and it doesn’t seem like a private workshop,” Amon explained on the way. Despite the name “blacksmith workshop,” its structure was more akin to a corporation. There were multiple workshops, but they all felt like they were under the umbrella of the Coen Ulrich Blacksmith Workshop. The workshop divided a vast plot of land into sections, each overseen by a master blacksmith who acted like a department head. Each master was a direct disciple of the Coen Ulrich representative, specializing in their own craft and fulfilling orders accordingly. Thus, the Coen Ulrich Blacksmith Workshop not only made weapons but also cars, motorcycles, and even airplanes. They could make anything out of metal. The reason such absurd feats were possible lay in their irreplaceable craftsmanship, magic, and the existence of Divine Power. While technology had advanced and industrialization had replaced most blacksmiths, it was limited to mechanical devices. To imbue items with Magic Power and Divine Power, and to process byproducts of entities, mass production had its limits. Moreover, in a world full of variables and magic, each individual’s needs were bound to differ. Mass production couldn’t perfectly meet these demands, so the blacksmith workshop’s prestige remained unshaken.

[Listening to this, they really are the most optimized talent, huh?] Cash marveled at Amon’s explanation. The service center Cash wanted to establish in Paris would have to repair items imbued with Essence. In a situation where it was unclear what needed fixing, these blacksmiths were far more suitable than ordinary factory technicians. However, Amon was puzzled by Cash’s admiration.

“Did you not think of this before? You’re not just flattering me, are you?”

[Of course, I thought of it! Even before seeing the future! But I thought the feasibility was low.] According to her, the issue was connections. [The Coen Ulrich Blacksmith Workshop representative is notoriously difficult to communicate with. So, before seeing your future… Ah, never mind.]

Amon pretended not to hear and moved on. Cash, also feigning ignorance, asked him, [How did you get connected with this person? I’m genuinely asking because I don’t know.]

“Secret.”

Perhaps the Doctor was involved, making it impossible to see. Amon speculated, and Cash accepted it. Sonia seemed slightly uneasy but stopped herself from saying more.

Soon, the two arrived in the city where the workshop was located. Marseille, France’s major port city, was bustling with people, being the second-largest city after Paris.

“Surprisingly, there was no attack.”

“Amon, don’t sound disappointed.”

“Did it sound like that?”

“Yeah. You’re addicted to thrills.”

Amon was about to retort but stopped. Strictly speaking, he wasn’t expecting an attack. He just recalled one of the absolute laws of this world: “The train is the most dangerous mode of transportation.” Alongside the law that “Helicopters always crash,” it was a common rule. So, he had been tense on the train, but it turned out to be unexpectedly peaceful, leaving him deflated. However, upon trying to explain, it didn’t seem much different from being a thrill-seeker, so he gave up.

After the peaceful train journey, the two headed to the workshop. The workshop was located on the outskirts of Marseille. Inside the car heading there, Amon, who was driving, asked Sonia, “By the way, isn’t there a Neville Pharmaceuticals branch here?”

“More precisely, a subsidiary?”

“…”

As soon as the words left his mouth, a tire burst.

“Shi… no, oh my god.”

Amon, about to curse, held back. Sonia sighed and said, “Satisfied now?”

“No, that was really bad timing.”

Amon felt wronged. But having set the flag, he had no words left.

*

After several attacks, the two finally arrived at the workshop. The attacks ceased five minutes before they reached the workshop.

“Probably because they don’t want unnecessary conflict with the workshop,” Sonia speculated. Amon wholeheartedly agreed. In terms of scale, the workshop didn’t even rank among major corporations, let alone Megacorp. It was just one large factory and couldn’t amass wealth like Megacorp. Handmade items couldn’t compare in profitability to mass-produced goods. Thus, the workshop was more of a mid-sized enterprise. But their power was far beyond that of a mid-sized company. The equipment and transportation devices they sold were used by Megacorp executives, top-tier mercenaries, or governments. Only they could repair and upgrade these items. They were like the button to launch a missile—easy to press, but you had to handle the aftermath. Their neutral stance ironically granted them absolute power. The stubborn personality of the Coen Ulrich representative also stemmed from this position.

Sonia commented on the current situation, “And we have to break this neutrality?”

Amon shook his head. “We don’t necessarily have to break the neutrality.”

“But you’re planning to make it a subsidiary of Cash’s company, right?”

“Yes?”

“But how does that not break the neutrality?”

“That’s also something I can’t tell you.”

“Do you also have foresight like Cash… Ah, you do have foresight, right?”

As always, Amon brushed it off with foresight. But this time, it had nothing to do with game knowledge.

“Who knows.”

Amon was sparing with his words. Sonia accepted it and moved on.

Before they knew it, their car arrived at the workshop. However, calling it a workshop was inadequate. An entire village was owned by the workshop, making it more of an industrial zone. The scale beyond imagination made Amon and Sonia unconsciously marvel.

“All sorts of things are being made there, right?”

“Right?”

But from outside the village, they couldn’t see what was being made. Iron fences and barriers blocked the view.

“Let’s hurry and see.”

At Sonia’s urging, Amon shook his head as if he couldn’t stop her and drove toward the entrance. He was also excited.

As they neared the entrance, people emerged from the checkpoint.

“What brings you here?”

Their attire and armament were more like soldiers than security guards. Their words were polite, but their attitude was sharp. A stance somewhere between rudeness and neutrality. Given the many people coming and going to the workshop village, their neutral attitude didn’t care who Amon was.

Amon, unfazed by the soldiers’ attitude, politely replied, “We have business with the representative.”

“We haven’t received any notice?”

“We’ve tried contacting several times, but he didn’t respond. But showing this should suffice?”

Amon handed over the business card he received from the Doctor. It was a strange card, cold to the touch yet fluttering like paper. The soldiers scanned the card with a device. A green light turned on, and their attitude changed instantly.

“Welcome, sir! What brings you here?”

Their attitude shifted from neutral to extremely polite. They could have just let them through, but Amon couldn’t resist asking a question.

“Are we really okay to pass like this? Or do we need to contact someone?”

“No need. The representative doesn’t answer calls or messages.”

Probably too busy working in the workshop to care, another soldier added. That alone gave a glimpse of the workshop representative’s personality.

“The representative’s business cards are meant for this purpose. Seeing you didn’t know, you must have been recommended by an acquaintance?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Welcome, sir. Ah, our representative can be a bit rude at first, so please bear with him.”

The soldier spoke with a friendly attitude. Watching the soldier’s social skills, Amon gave a wry smile.

After exchanging greetings with the soldiers, Amon headed to the center of the workshop. Recalling the soldier’s advice about getting lost, they followed the navigation to the representative’s workshop. Along the way, they toured various workshops visible through the windows.

“Wow, dozens of people are hammering away at an airplane. What are they making?”

“Who knows. Maybe a private jet for the chairman.”

Unlike the outside, once inside, most of the work in the workshops was visible, thanks to the open structure. Perhaps to stimulate the clients’ desires as they passed by other workshops. Amon cautiously speculated. As they approached the center, the workshops became more closed off. The most important work likely took place here.

Soon, Amon and Sonia arrived at the workshop located at the village’s center.

<Representative - Yotron>

A massive workshop solely for Yotron. The two parked their car and knocked on the workshop door. There was no response.

“Huh?”

Amon made a dumbfounded sound at the unexpected result.

“Maybe we need to scan the business card on the reader?”

Following Sonia’s guess, they scanned the card on the reader next to the door. A speakerphone activated.

“How much do they not want to be disturbed?”

Sonia was exasperated, but Amon shouted into the speakerphone, “Are you there?”

A voice came from the other side. “Who is it?”

“We were introduced by Doctor Dant.”

“Dant? You mean Professor Dant?”

“Yes.”

With that, the speakerphone turned off. Soon, the door opened, and a soot-covered man walked out.

“Welcome.”

Seeing him, Amon asked with a hint of disappointment, “Are you Yotron?”

“Of course not. I’m his apprentice.”

Only then did Amon’s expression brighten. The apprentice was puzzled by Amon’s change in attitude. Soon, the apprentice led Amon and Sonia to Yotron. Along the way, the apprentice explained, and the two toured the workshop.

Clang! Clang!

A hammering machine pounded heated metal. This was a familiar sight for Amon and Sonia. But other processes were unlike anything they had seen before. They compressed and froze mixtures of iron and magic stone powder, used 3D printer-like devices to mold molten metal into structures, and even rubbed what seemed like entity hides, processes they couldn’t comprehend.

Dizzily touring the workshop, they finally arrived at the representative. The representative was a dwarf. Amon’s face lit up. The apprentice who guided them was puzzled by Amon’s change in demeanor. Fortunately, the representative wasn’t working when they arrived, just on a call.

“Damn you bastards! I’ll never deal with you again!”

The representative angrily hung up the phone. As Amon and Sonia were forming their first impression, the apprentice asked the representative, “Master, was it those guys again?”

“Yeah. Damn Yankees. Using their own units.”

“Uh… Master?”

“Bondor, don’t take any more orders from those Yankees.”

The representative, unaware of Amon and Sonia, continued to rant. The apprentice, sweating, tried to calm him down.

“Master, we have guests…”

“Ah, sorry. Just noticed you.”

But the representative’s attitude didn’t change. Showing the typical demeanor of a cranky craftsman, he addressed Amon and Sonia.

“You saw the atmosphere just now, right? Where are you from?”

“From America.”

“Not interested. Get lost.”

The apprentice, sweating profusely, tried to dissuade the representative.

“They were sent by Professor Dant!”

“Don’t care. Sorry to Professor Dant, but I don’t deal with those who use inches and pounds.”

Amon, who had been listening, smiled and interjected.

“I use meters and kilograms when shopping…”

“… My apologies.”

“It’s fine. My partner and I aren’t native Americans either.”

“Immigrants? Or mixed?”

“Something like that.”

“Then welcome.”

The representative’s attitude changed instantly. The apprentice looked at his master in disbelief. The representative, ignoring his apprentice, asked Amon, “So, what brings you here?”

“We have a business proposal…”

“Not interested.”

“Hear us out.”

“I don’t take such things.”

But Amon pressed on. “What if you could use Essence as much as you want? Legendary-grade, at that.”

“… Tell me more.”

Amon smiled. “That’s why we’re here.”