The Healing Solaris Cleric

Chapter 233: Welcome to the Dwarf Workshop! (3)

Han Jung-Woo’s family dinner was scheduled for seven o'clock, so to fill the gap in time, he naturally logged into Mid Online.

I should clear out my inventory.

Kai’s inventory was full of loot from the Death Dragon, Lucifer, Zirukan, and even Zatan—nothing short of a treasure house.

Carrying Zatan's loot around is slowing me down. @@novelbin@@

Since Kai wasn’t a merchant, carrying too many items resulted in a speed penalty. That was why he was headed for Libertia.

I also want to see how much it’s changed.

Libertia was like a growing child, developing by the day. He felt as though he wanted to watch over it every day.

I couldn’t do that before, but I should at least manage it now, being the lord and all.

That evening, the handover of the territories would be completed with Vulcan. Not just one, but two territories. This meant that Kai would officially earn the title of noble that night. Of course, he wasn’t the first noble.

That title has already been taken by the masters of the Nine Guilds and the major guild leaders.

For example, the Black Dragon guild already owned over ten territories. It was a level that couldn’t possibly be stopped by individual strength alone.

“Well, at least I don’t have to worry about anything for now.”

Using Shadow Shift, Kai arrived in Libertia and blinked in surprise.

What is this...?

Libertia had always been famous as a tourist town. Why wouldn’t it be? A place filled with handsome men and beautiful women was rare in MID Online. Even more so when those were elves and merfolk with flawless physiques, so naturally, people of all genders wanted to visit.

However, it was never to this level.

“Hey! How did it go? What? The workshops are refusing exclusive contracts? Damn it! What’s the reason?”

“You need the lord’s permission? Who the hell is the lord?”

“Is there anyone we can ask? Oh! Did you meet the elf queen? What? You don’t qualify? Damn it! I told you to complete elf-related quests in advance!”

“Ugh, this is driving me crazy. It’s like having treasure in front of me but being unable to touch it.”

The players wandering around were top-tier, wearing shining equipment. Among them were also rankers from the Nine Guilds that even Kai even recognized.

What are they doing in Libertia?

Feeling puzzled, Kai took a slow walk around the village.

Ah, so that’s what happened.

Before he could even finish his lap, Kai figured out the cause of the commotion. It wasn’t something he could miss. Crowds gathered outside the newly built dwarf workshops, resembling queues for idol concerts.

I should meet with Karundal.

Kai wore shabby equipment that didn’t hint at his identity as Unknown, and headed toward the peak of the World Tree, where the whole village was visible at a glance.

Naturally, his path was blocked by elf warriors guarding against outsiders. The elves, known for their unparalleled combat abilities on land, were in charge of maintaining order in Libertia.

“Halt. State your purpose for visiting—huh?

“Kai!”

When Kai pulled back his hood and grinned, the elves immediately recognized him.

“I’d like to go inside. That’s fine, right?”

“Of course. It’s your mansion, after all.”

“Oh, and I’d like to meet with the leaders of each tribe.”

“We’ll put in word immediately.”

“Thanks.”

After safely passing the guards, Kai looked at the two-story wooden mansion perched at the top of the World Tree.

“Hmm. Owning a home in MID Online is easier compared to real life...”

It was often joked that while people might not own a house in real life, they all had at least one in MID Online because the cost of housing in rural territories was remarkably affordable. High-level players with sufficient capital could easily afford to own a house in one of these countryside domains.

But not to this extent.

Although Libertia was still a new village, it was rapidly gaining popularity. Moreover, unless one was a demi-human, purchasing real estate in this area was entirely off-limits.

And yet, here was a two-story mansion, akin to a penthouse atop the World Tree, owned by a human. If this fact were to become widely known, it would undoubtedly stir up a massive uproar.

Creak.

Kai stepped inside the mansion and headed straight for the living room.

“Hawawaohhh!”

"It's the landlord!"

"It's Kai"

"How long has it been?

As Kai entered the living room, the chatter of tiny voices tickled his ears. Soon, small fist-sized creatures flew before his eyes.

“Have you all been well?” Kai asked.

They were forest fairies, brought along by the elves when they moved. They were a species that adored all things that were small and cute, loved conversation, and took great pleasure in maintaining a tidy home. Naturally, they had taken on the role of taking care of Kai's mansion.

“Could I get a glass of orange juice?”

"Ah! A request!"

"It's been so long!"

"Isn't the living room sparkling? We cleaned it!"

“It’s spotless. Thanks for your hard work while I was away.”

The fairies flitted between his fingers, playing, while Kai sipped on his orange juice as he waited for his guests to arrive.

It wasn't long before a group of individuals knocked on the door to the living room.

“Come in.”

In walked the leaders of the various races. Queen Elania of the elves, Luteria the World Tree, King Karius of the merfolk, and King Karundal of the dwarves.

“You’ve returned, Lord Kai,” Elania greeted.

“I’ll never get used to being called by that title.” Kai gave Elania an embarrassed smile and motioned for them to sit. “Please, have a seat. There’s much to discuss, and I have a few questions as well.”

Once they were seated, Kai asked about the current state of the territory first.

Karius, who managed the region's finances, responded, “Everything’s progressing smoothly. Adventurers continuously come to visit, and the amount of money they spend in the village is astonishing. There’s been such an influx that we’re continuously expanding the commercial area.”

“Is that so?”

At Karius’s confident tone, Kai naturally opened the territory management interface.

[Territory Management]

Name: Libertia

Rank: C+

Population: 5,279 (Move requests: 22,150. Increasing↑)

Monthly Income: 1,729 gold (Increasing↑)

“Hm?”

Kai rubbed his eyes instinctively, staring at the interface.

Wait, this is Libertia’s status?

The last time he had visited was after purging the traitors of the Solarian Church. At that time, the territory was ranked a mere D, and its monthly income was 300 gold—barely pocket change.

But where did these numbers come from...?

Were territories usually capable of growing so rapidly as if they were bean sprouts shooting up overnight?

There’s no way.

The concept Kai had designed—a city for demi-humans—had perfectly aligned with player preferences. It was an enchanting, dreamlike town, not built by humans but by the cultures of demi-humans, which ignited the imaginations of players.

It worked out beautifully.

Kai smiled contentedly at the results of his planning and turned to Elania to ask, “But the population has grown by several hundred since last time?”

There was no way so many children could have been born in such a short time.

Elania smiled warmly as she explained, “Word about Libertia has spread, and elves, merfolk, and dwarves scattered across the continent have started gathering here.”

“Scattered?”

“Surely you didn’t think that we were the only elves, merfolk, and dwarves on this vast continent, did you?”

That’s exactly what Kai had thought.

As he fell silent, Karundal chimed in.

“Even among us dwarves, many were divided into small tribes after the hundred-year war with the Church of Muldine. Of course, Ingart remains the homeland of dwarves, but it seems that the scattered tribes are now hearing about Libertia and coming here.”

“It’s the same with the elves. Most were captured as slaves and lived as fugitives.”

“As for merfolk, it’s simpler. We just love to travel. They roam to their hearts' content and only now start longing for home and are returning here. Hahaha!”

“I see. In that case, we should expand the residential areas.”

“We’ve already prepared a report on that matter. Once you give approval, we’ll begin construction immediately,” Karundal said in a confident tone, his expression showing reliability.

“I’ll review the report and get back to you. By the way, what’s the story with all these workshops in the village?”

“Um, well, you see...” Karundal, as though expecting the question, made an awkward expression and avoided Kai’s gaze. “Ahem. Dwarves are a race born with hammers and steel in their hands. Despite all they’ve endured at the hands of the Church of Muldine and the Death Dragon, it seems arriving in a safe place has reignited their passion for work.”

“So...”

“They’ve all gone and set up their own workshops. There are now 108 workshops in total, all run by master craftsmen of unparalleled skill.”

“Hmm...”

Libertia wasn’t even large enough to be considered a proper city, let alone a metropolis. Therefore, having 108 blacksmiths in such a place was...

It’s quite excessive.

Still, even as the lord of the city, he couldn’t abuse his authority to force them to shut down their workshops.

And it’s already too late for that.

The fact that the dwarves' workshops had already filled the village had become widely known among the players. At this point, taking them down was impossible with so many eyes watching.

“So, are the dwarves content just making weapons and armor?”

“They were at first, but it seems they’ve gotten into some subtle competition.”

“Competition?”

“Back in Ingart, there were always arguments about whose work was better. At the time, there was no way to settle the disputes, so they just kept bickering, but now...”

“They have customers who can objectively evaluate and purchase their work.”

“Right. Because of that, there’s already a bet among them to determine who will be crowned the best blacksmith in Libertia.”

“Hm.”

This was why controlling artists was so difficult. They were unpredictable eccentrics, always going in unexpected directions.

I can’t let the dwarves sign exclusive contracts with major guilds.

The dwarves were like golden geese, but their worth lay in laying eggs within Libertia’s domain. He couldn’t afford to let them wander into the arms of others.

Well, who would've thought my village would be swarming with wolves when I came back?

Kai rubbed his temples, at the thought of wolves trying to snatch away what was his.

“What do you think, Luteria?”

—My friend, I don’t believe we can dismantle workshops that have already been established.

“That’s true.”

—In that case, how about a change in perspective?

“A change in perspective?”

It felt as if a brilliant idea was about to emerge.

Facing Kai's sparkling gaze, Luteria paced across the table and said,

—Dozens of requests to form contracts with the dwarven workshops flood in daily. It’s reached the point where my children and even the merfolk can’t perform their usual duties.

“Well... I have no words to defend that,” Karundal said, bowing his head in embarrassment.

Though he was not young himself, he was nothing more than an infant before the World Tree.

—However, I believe we must not allow the dwarves' craftsmanship to fall into external hands.

“Of course not.”

—In such cases, considering what both sides desire can often lead to surprisingly simple solutions.

Despite its cute and delicate appearance, Luteria’s wisdom accumulated over thousands of years was nothing to be underestimated.

—Humans desire the high-quality weapons and armor crafted by dwarves. Meanwhile, the dwarves seek...

"To determine who the most skilled blacksmith is among them.”

—Then isn't the answer clear? Why not hold a competition at the territory level?

"At the territory level...?"

—What do you think about gathering the master blacksmiths of the workshops and having them compete?

"A competition, you say. So through the competition, we can naturally establish a ranking and..."

—Naturally sell the high-quality equipment produced as a result to the humans.

"Brilliant!"

Kai instinctively clapped his hands.

The solution proposed by Luteria was indeed an excellent idea.