Sunlight pierced through the thin mist, scattering across the simple rooftops of Black Stone Town.
From the stables came Ed's boisterous voice, occasionally punctuated by the discontented grunts of the small rhinos.
Raylo pushed open the door and was met with a gust of warm air, a mixture of hay and the smell of livestock.
Ed was clumsily trying to brush one of the small rhinos. The little creature clearly didn't appreciate it, twisting its sturdy body and nearly knocking him over.
"Lord, you're awake!"
When Ed saw Raylo, a simple, honest smile appeared on his face, a brush still in his hand. "These two little guys are full of energy! I fed them hay and water last night, and they slept pretty soundly."
Raylo walked closer, looking at the two small rhinos, which seemed to be growing darker and glossier. They appeared to have adapted to their new environment and were no longer as frightened as the night before, just a bit impatient with Ed's "harassment."
"Hmm, they look good."
Raylo nodded. "You keep looking after them. I'm going to take a walk around town."
"You got it!" Ed replied.
The number of sand rats was increasing. Raylo had asked Old Buck to organize the townspeople for an extermination campaign, but after inspecting their work this morning, he found the simple snare traps were rather inefficient.
'Perhaps I can find the town's blacksmith and see if he can forge some more intricate, durable traps.'
This was the perfect excuse to visit the blacksmith, Hook, the man who had mastered Dwarven Forging techniques.
Black Stone Town's smithy was located just west of the town center. It was a low stone house with a chimney that constantly billowed black smoke.
From a long way off, one could hear the CLANG CLANG CLANG of a hammer striking iron.
As Raylo approached, the blacksmith, Hook, was bare-chested, revealing solid, bronze-colored muscles. He swung a heavy sledgehammer, smashing it down again and again onto a red-hot block of iron, sending sparks flying.
He looked to be around forty, with a rugged face and an intense, focused gaze.
"Master Hook, busy as ever?"
Raylo stood at the entrance, waiting for him to finish his current round of hammering before speaking.
Hook set down his hammer, picked up a water ladle nearby, and GULP, GULP, GULP, chugged down several large mouthfuls. Only then did he turn his head and wipe the sweat from his brow with a dirty towel slung around his neck.
"My Lord?" Hook was a little surprised. He hadn't expected the Lord to visit him personally.
"I was hoping to ask for your help, Master Hook."
Raylo stepped inside. The smithy was filled with scorching air mixed with the smell of coal smoke and metal.
"The town has been dealing with a rat infestation recently. The townspeople have made some simple traps, but they're not very effective. I was wondering if you could forge some sturdier, more sensitive Mouse Traps?"
As Raylo spoke, his gaze swept across the smithy.
In a corner were piles of farm tools, horseshoes, and a few half-finished Weapons. The workmanship looked a cut above that of an ordinary town blacksmith.
His eyes finally landed on a half-finished short axe next to the anvil. The lines of the axe blade were smooth, and it exuded a faint sense of heft, slightly different from ordinary ironwork.
"Your craftsmanship is quite extraordinary, Master Hook," Raylo remarked, as if in passing.
A flicker of movement in Hook's eyes. He picked up the short axe and flicked its surface with a finger, producing a clear, ringing hum.
"This is the craft that puts food on my table. It has to be decent."
His tone was flat, but you could hear the confidence he had in his craft.
Raylo took a few steps closer and pointed to an inconspicuous hammer mark on the axe's body. "This forging method... I think I've only seen a similar pattern on ancient Dwarven relics."
Hook's hand holding the short axe tightened abruptly. His gaze on Raylo sharpened instantly, filled with vigilance. "You know Forging?"
"A little."
Raylo smiled. "I knocked around a bit in my younger days, saw a thing or two."
He didn't press the point, waiting for Hook to speak on his own.
Silence fell over the smithy, broken only by the occasional CRACKLE of the furnace fire.
Hook's voice was a bit low as he said, "When I was young, I was a miner deep in the Black Stone Mountain Range. Once, there was a cave-in, and I was trapped. I stumbled into a... a hidden Dwarven chamber that had been exposed by the collapse."
He paused, as if recalling the experience. "The place was ancient. Inside, apart from some broken tools and armor, there were some Stone Slabs engraved with Dwarven forging techniques. I was trapped for a few days and memorized the methods on the slabs. After I was rescued, I left the mining team and came to Black Stone Town to open this smithy."
'Just as I thought.'
"Dwarven Forging..."
Raylo repeated softly, his voice filled with a perfect blend of awe and longing. "That's a lost treasure. Master Hook, to possess such skills and only forge farm tools and horseshoes in this small town... don't you feel... it's a waste of your talent?"
A bitter look appeared on Hook's face. "What else can I do? Dwarven work is too conspicuous; it attracts trouble. Besides, a lot of High Level Forging requires special materials and tools, and even assistants to help. I can't get those things on my own, and I can't do it all by myself."
He sighed. "It's good enough to be able to live a stable life here, hammering iron to make ends meet."
"What if," Raylo said, his tone turning serious as he looked into Hook's eyes, "Master Hook, you were to pledge your loyalty to me? In return, I will provide you with the best possible conditions to become a truly respected Forging Master, not just the blacksmith of a remote town."
Hook's chest heaved, his mind clearly in a state of intense turmoil.
On one hand was a stable but mediocre life. On the other was an opportunity filled with unknowns, but a chance to realize his ambitions.
He looked at his own rough, calloused hands, then at the short axe—a piece into which he had poured his heart and soul, yet could not perfect.
Finally, he gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, "Alright! My Lord, I'm with you! Just tell me what you need me to do!"
Years of suppression and resentment found their outlet in that moment.
No man wants to remain obscure forever.
"My Lord, if I may, I have one request..." Hook said.
Having secured Hook's allegiance, Raylo was in high spirits. He laughed and said, "Speak freely, Master Hook. I will not refuse."
"I have a son named Hu Ba. If it's possible, I hope he can also become one of your followers and learn Knightly Skills."
Hook pulled the young man who had been assisting him to his side and made him kneel before Raylo.
Raylo smiled and said, "Master Hook, I agree to take Hu Ba as one of my Knight's Attendants."
Hook was overcome with excitement and quickly knelt before Raylo as well to express his gratitude.
Raylo let out a hearty laugh and helped the father and son to their feet.
"Ed, Hu Ba will be my first follower. Before he becomes a Knight, he will follow you to learn Knightly Skills. You must teach him everything you know and help him become an Official Knight as quickly as possible."
Raylo said to Ed, who was standing behind him.
Ed quickly accepted the order.
"Very good."
A satisfied smile appeared on Raylo's face. "I will have Mayor Buck arrange for some men. Master Hook, you will be in charge of teaching them. While they assist you, you will also pass on the skills you've mastered. We don't need too many—a dozen or so will be enough, but pick clever, hardworking young men."
"No problem!"
Hook agreed at once, his entire being seeming to radiate with new life.
"My Lord, I will be sure to teach them everything I know!"
"Forging Mouse Traps isn't too difficult. It'll be perfect practice for these new Apprentices."
"Don't worry, you can count on me!"
Hook patted his chest in assurance. With a bright future for both himself and his son, he was now brimming with motivation.
Having settled things with Hook, Raylo was in a good mood.
A blacksmith who had mastered Dwarven Forging techniques was an immeasurable asset.