Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 667 - 618: The Flaw of the Red Dragon

Lyle stepped through the bronze gate opened by the guards, these Dwarves clad in standard issue enchanted armor. The broad armor in the style of the Dwarves made these half-human-height warriors look even more like iron barrels, and from the small eyes peeking through the gaps in the armor, only vigilance and a dislike for other races could be seen.

"Dwarves don’t seem to be a very welcoming race... I thought your personalities would be as hearty as your beards."

"That’s my fault. When I harvested the power of our clan, I disturbed the Heart of Molten Fire, causing a brief volcanic eruption that submerged a small area of Mackenbert. They’ve just ended their refugee status, and it’s easy for them to associate the disaster with other races, Imelt must have received quite a few cold stares. I’ve tried explaining, but to little effect. You shouldn’t try to persuade a Dwarf unless you’re at a drinking table."

"The Dwarves’ stubborn vigilance indeed poses a problem for advancing faith. So what’s going on with Imelt now, are we going to see her?"

"Correct," Fleisheimer nodded and used his gaze to scare away a few Dwarves whispering in the corner of the street. Mackenbert was almost entirely forged from steel, the billowing smoke from the forge chimneys shrouded the city skyline in dark clouds, clumps of orange glowed under the light of the fire. When the accumulated smoke clouds reached a certain thickness, Dwarves would choose them, firing a special potion into the clouds with cannons, which transformed and solidified the smoke particles in the air, causing a rain of coal chunks to fall over Mackenbert. This is why every building in the Dwarf Kingdom had a roof, and shops on both sides of the streets had sturdy leather tarpaulins. "But we need to stop by my workshop first to grab some equipment that will assist us in delving deep into the Great Furnace. Let me confirm first, Lyle, what is the ignition point of humans? If it’s high enough, we might skip this step."

"Please make sure I get a tour of your workshop," Lyle pushed back his hair, revealing a sweat-drenched forehead. The sweat drops evaporated in front of the Red Dragon Priest, and a small puff of steam shot out from Lyle’s collar.

The odd pair, one tall, one short, walked down the street, as the Red Dragon Priest began to describe the recent situation with the Red Dragon Imelt.

"She is the best blacksmith apprentice I’ve ever seen, those ash-free little hands wield a warhammer without any hesitation. Indeed, I was astounded by Imelt’s powerful talent. Her growth has always been so remarkable that recently, I ascertained that her true level had reached that of a Blacksmith Master under my mentorship. Hence, I came up with a bold idea, one that would earn Imelt respect."

"I had her register for the Craftsmen’s Council assessment. It’s an institution of power sanctioned by the kingdom. If she succeeds, not only would she earn the respect of the Dwarves, but she could also leap to become part of the upper echelon of Mackenbert. Don’t be so surprised; to Dwarves, forging is life, a good blacksmith is definitely a good politician, Dwarf logic."

Lyle pinched his chin, "I remember you once said that Dwarves love three things: beards, forging, and fine ale. So, do you also have a Drunkards’ Council?" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"The best smith can’t be the best drunkard? Every talented artist should spend half their time soaked in alcohol. Three days after Imelt came of age, I gifted her a bottle of brandy as a coming of age present. Her expression was quite adorable, but now I have some regrets. Without those spirits, maybe she wouldn’t have been coaxed into participating in the Craftsmen’s Council assessment and wouldn’t be so disheartened now."

"So you think the best apprentice failed, are the Blacksmith Masters of the Craftsmen’s Council that twisted?"

"No, Imelt’s failure wasn’t due to a lack of skill. Just based on her techniques and carvings, my nephew Visergg couldn’t help but want to hire her as a Court Forger. What really caused her failure was her great talent."

"The Craftsmen’s Council’s assessment requires personally forging a weapon, and then using that weapon in a direct collision with the standard weapons of the military; a weapon that could destroy the Royal Arms would pass the council members’ assessment. Although it’s mass-produced, the warhammers and blades of the Fire Hammer Squad are also the culmination of all masters of the Craftsmen’s Council, the weapon’s performance has long surpassed ordinary goods."

"I understand the standards for military weapons, and I’m also familiar with Imelt’s talent. It should have been quite easy for her, but Imelt’s gift is not limited to flames alone. The father of dragons gave her a blend of the powers of fire and life, and her creations embody her talent. The intensity of the fire forges the material into a blade that can wound, but the rich life force erases the weapon’s dangerous edge."

"The weapons that Imelt forges cannot harm anyone. And a weapon that can’t even kill, as cruel as it may sound, is just junk. Imelt’s weapons collided with those of the army, but she couldn’t destroy them. I even brought back that blade, trying to find a nick on it to comfort Imelt. Unfortunately, there was none."

"That damned warblade, after clashing with Imelt’s warhammer, looked as good as new!"

Fleisheimer took out a key and unlocked his securely closed forge. Enchanted equipment with iridescent colors piled up, gathering dust in the corner, with the best-maintained equipment being the anvil. The warblade was placed on the counter, and the Red Dragon Priest pointed at it before starting to rummage through the pile of equipment, with a casual air as if scavenging through a pile of garbage.

Lyle picked up the warblade.

"So heavy!"

Although it was smaller than a standard longsword, it weighed almost twice as much. A weapon sized for Dwarves, Lyle could hardly swing it freely. The blade’s surface was as smooth as a mirror, reflecting Lyle’s face. The edge of the blade glimmered coldly, and not a single notch could be seen, which was unlike a used blade; not even a scratch was present. Removing his glove, he gently ran a finger along the edge, and a cut appeared on Lyle’s finger. Sharp enough to sever a hair blown upon it, it could kill without drawing blood; though not a divine weapon, the Dwarf armaments were indeed exaggerated.

"Found it!" The Red Dragon Priest emerged from the dust with a set of armor, not of Dwarf standards. This set of armor was a bit larger than Lyle’s build and could almost be used by all races.

"Fire Evader Armor. It provides defense and also insulates against heat, this was prepared for you, Lyle. Imelt is now in the Great Furnace; the Craftsmen’s Council’s examination was a heavy blow to her. A few of the Dwarves who don’t get along with me mocked her as well. The fire elementals are indeed a bit more agreeable than Dwarves. I’m not in a position to comfort her now, so I need you to cheer her up, Lyle. Before making her beloved by everyone, I hope she maintains her passion instead of wallowing in self-pity."

With Nia’s help, Lyle donned the armor and now looked like one of the Ironskin People. The enchantment’s lightness made the heavy armor not too heavy, and upon wearing it, the heat vanished completely, replaced by an almost icy feeling.

[Frost Rune, nice. This armor will draw on your magic power to turn on some air conditioning.]

This piece of magic equipment morphed to fit the shape of Lyle’s body. Feeling comfortable, Lyle controlled the armor and gave a thumbs-up with agility.

"Let’s set out."

Heading to the Great Furnace.