Noah had never experienced such smooth enhancement before.
With three flashes of white light.
The iron sword had already been strengthened to +3.
[+3 Excellent Iron Sword] (Quality Upgraded)
・Creator: Noah
・Enhancement Level: 3 (Base attack power increased)
・Sharpness greatly improved (Overall sharpness increased by 30%)
・Material slightly enhanced (Overall weapon strength improved by 30%)
・First three enhancements guaranteed to succeed (Effect expired)
・Deals additional damage when wielder and enemy are of the same race (Effect increases with number of enemies)
Inspecting the now pure white iron sword in his hand, Noah murmured, "An excellent iron sword? So reaching a certain level of enhancement produces this kind of reaction."
He picked up an iron ingot, placed it on the anvil and began cutting with the excellent iron sword.
But the feeling was strangely smooth.
With just a slight pull of the blade, not only was the iron ingot cut through, but even a corner of the anvil beneath it was sliced off.
Only then did Noah realize he had completely underestimated this iron sword's performance.
This level of sharpness was rarely seen even in second-class equipment, yet this was just an iron sword forged from crude iron—the kind of basic equipment only novice adventurers would use that cost 6,600 valis.
At The Hostess of Fertility, ordering just a few dishes would cost at least that much.
But the one in his hand was worth no less than 6 million valis, though Noah had no intention of selling it.
Although the Head Chef had given him this smithy, he didn't plan to build his workshop here for two main reasons.
Space and location.
The actual usable area of this smithy was about 84 square meters total.
While he could build a second or even third floor, that brought up the second issue—location.
This was one of the smaller streets branching off from Adventurer Street.
While not overly crowded, it was still considered a busy district.
If he built his workshop here, given his current reputation, the area below would be packed with people before dawn every day.
Not wanting to deal with constant visitors, he preferred to build his workshop slightly away from the busy areas.
This smithy could serve as a temporary workshop.
Like Tsubaki, who had five or six main workshops plus many backup workshops, all with basically standardized facilities.
...
That afternoon, Raul suddenly came looking for him, accompanied by members of the Goibniu Familia.
"Noah-san, the captain sent me to handle this matter. Please discuss your workshop requirements directly with these gentlemen."
"Thank you, Raul."
Noah looked at the Goibniu Familia members and, as if prepared in advance, took out a blueprint.
"Gentlemen, please take a look. This is my general concept."
The three architects from the Goibniu Familia found a flat surface to spread out the blueprint, practically pressing their faces together as they studied the contents.
This was a blueprint Noah had completed using tools he made himself like compasses and calipers.
The structure was clear, with all dimensions properly labeled with units.
"Does the Artisan Spirit also master architecture?"
"Nothing compared to your professionalism. I just drew it according to my personal habits."
"Magic experiment table... you need something like this?"
"And a medicine mixing platform..."
Facing the Goibniu Familia's questions, Noah asked in return, "Is construction difficult?"
The three looked at each other, not taking this as provocation or anything.
Their service spirit was strong—they weren't the type to be arrogant about their skills or bully customers because of their shop's reputation.
In short.
They were true craftsmen!
"No, this is within our capabilities. However, this would increase the workshop's cost by an additional 1.5 times the base price."
Noah glanced at Raul, and after seeing him nod, understood this wasn't price gouging.
Apparently, the materials needed for the magic tool experiment table were quite special and the medicine mixing platform required sufficient durability to ensure safety.
So 45 million valis, plus 67.5 million.
112.5 million valis!
That was already the price of a top-tier adventurer's main equipment.
The workshop itself cost less than two worktables.
'Were things related to mystery always this ridiculously priced?'
"I understand. Please proceed with these specifications."
To do good work, one must first sharpen one's tools and a workshop was essential.
He couldn't always borrow Tsubaki's workshop, because he was now an independent blacksmith.
With a workshop, he could forge in a better environment!
Watching Noah casually spend 100 million valis, Raul was utterly astonished nearby.
'That was 112.5 million valis!'
'Indeed, Noah-san was a super powerful blacksmith now.'
'Ordinary blacksmiths couldn't afford such exorbitant prices.'
Unfortunately, he didn't have enough money to commission equipment from Noah.
Nor enough potential for the Familia to invest in him.
"Noah-san, I'll take my leave then."
"Ah, wait, Raul."
Noah stopped Raul as he was about to leave and gave him two differently colored crystals.
"Raul, thanks for your hard work. Please accept these two crystals."
They were two irregularly shaped crystals.
One emitted a dull green light, while the other contained a dark red glow.
"Huh? I can't possibly accept this." Raul quickly waved his hands in refusal.
Although he didn't know what they were, if they were items personally gifted by the Artisan Spirit, he could roughly guess their value, because all of Orario was currently filled with adventurers wanting to make contracts with the Artisan Spirit.
Among them were many famous adventurers whom he could only look up to.
"It's fine, Raul. These are newly developed products of mine—enhancement crystals. Just crush them to activate the spell effects sealed inside."
"Could it be... the same kind you used for us in the dungeon?"
Raul was shocked.
If this was true, it would be a huge!
Under his tense gaze, Noah nodded.
"Green is Swift Wind, dark red is Extreme Cut. Both are effects you've experienced before."
"Sealing magic into crystals..." Raul stared in awe at the crystals in Noah's hands.
After an internal struggle, he tremblingly extended both hands.
The moment he received the crystals, his hands became as firm as iron clamps, afraid he might drop and shatter these precious crystals.
"You're overdoing it, Raul. These aren't that easily damaged."
"Haha... I see."
"Well, I won't see you out then. The workshop will be completed in two days. When you return, please tell Finn to bring people over in two days."
"Understood!"
Watching Raul's retreating back, Noah's lips curved slightly upward.
Yes, putting buffs into crystals—this was his new achievement.
Mass-producing these crystals to supply exploration-focused Familias, with the cost being just cheap dungeon crystal ore.
Using the Spell-Weaver to embed woven spells into them made this almost a zero-cost business.
By having Raul reveal these things' existence to the Loki Familia, he could consider expanding sales later.
'Hehehe.'
'Do your best, Raul.'
...
"Hey, plain-face, where have you been? I've been looking for you forever!"
Raul, who treated the enhancement crystals as treasures, hurried back to Twilight Manor, only to be suddenly blocked by an irritable werewolf.
"Uh, Bete?" Raul looked confused at the irritable werewolf.
He and this new companion that Loki had accepted from the Vidar Familia hadn't had much interaction so far, since the other was quite aloof and always alone.
"Finn told me to call you over if I saw you. Tch, what a pain."
"I see, thank you Bete."
"Stop yapping and hurry... Huh?" The roaring Bete suddenly noticed something in Raul's embrace.
'This feeling... its magic power?'
Seeing him suddenly go quiet and stare intently at him made Raul extremely uncomfortable.
"Well, I'll go find the captain now..."
Raul escaped past the intimidating werewolf and practically fled into the manor.
"Tch."
...
During the workshop's construction period, Noah stayed with the Goibniu Familia craftsmen the entire time.
Even just watching made him feel he was learning immensely.
Even at the moment of completion and parting, he still felt somewhat reluctant.
These craftsmen's skills were already phenomena that modern science couldn't explain.
It was said the Ganesha Familia had once commissioned them to build a massive colosseum, and overnight, a magnificent landmark building appeared on empty land.
Building skyscrapers from nothing was basic operation for them.
If there was anyone who could surpass them, it was probably only one person—the peerless craftsman who built Babel, the former familia member of the old god Ouranos, Daedalus.
Looking at the completed workshop, Noah used the Spell-Weaver to gather wind and dust from the air, easily completing the cleaning.
"Hey, Noah, quite a nice workshop you have here."
Finn, with his familia members arriving right on time.
"Congratulations on having your first own workshop."
Noah looked at the arrivals and the few people following behind him.
A displeased-looking werewolf, and a pair of Amazon twins.