Blacksmith of the Apocalypse

"So to recount. You are a blacksmith from Urth. You saved Fin's people, traveled to a different world to learn, met these guys there, came back here, found a magic tower, and now plan to found an organization with these friends and your current party? And now you want me to grant you permission to access to the Teleportation Port of Delta?"

"That about sums it up." Seth nodded friendly. Everyone was sitting in a meeting room of the church and was supplied with drinks and sweets. Seth and co. had given the royal a rough rundown of their story to explain the situation.

The princess thought for a moment before answering.

"No," she said with a sulky pout. Everyone looked crestfallen. In theory, there was nothing speaking against granting the permit.

"Wh-Why not!? I-if I may ask?" Seth asked

"Hng!" she looked around as if to find a serious explanation. She didn't and said with defiant tears in her eyes. "I'm not giving Fin to you! She is my friend now! She won't leave me, right Fin?!"

The fairy looked up in surprise hearing her name being mentioned.

"Fin will ditch the Princess any time, for Seth."

"Wha- but I thought we bonded! Aren't we friends?"

"Fin is sorry, ditched Princess. That is that, and this is Seth"

"D-Ditched Princess? Have you already forsaken me? You won't even say my name anymore?"

Big tears were flowing down her cheeks when she realized that she was much more invested in this friendship than the fairy. Fin the Fairy Brute could hit feelings just as hard as faces.

"Fin is sorry ditch- Leana, but if you make Fin choose, Fin will go with Seth!"

The last blow to the princess's fragile heart was seeing the fairy wink at Seth after choosing his side. She looked like an influencer who was betrayed by her chihuahua who was her only true friend.

"Don't be sad!" she acted as if thinking hard for a moment. "I know! Fin and Leana can stay friends if you give Seth the permit!"

The crying princess looked up at the little manipulator on the table in front of her. The fairy had her in her hands. Seth was almost frightened, but he already had an inkling that Fin was not as cute and innocent as she acted.

Everyone, but especially Simon was glad they had switched rooms to something more private. What had happened to the serious and competent princess he knew? Was this all a front, or was it the fairy's work that had turned her into such a childish woman?

"R-really?"

"Of course!"

"Okay then. You can have the access," she said towards Seth. Her mood immediately lifted when Fin hugged her cheek and gave it a tiny smooch.

Since Fin had the Princess in her hand and the access was informally granted, Seth brought up the question of power supply.

"The Willis Family? I got reports that they approached some officials concerning this matter. What do you have to do with that?"

It was time for Seth to see her professional side, which was as if a completely different personality took over once it came down to political themes. Talking to lean also revealed that the Willis Family was not quite honest before.

It was not them holding control over the infrastructure needed to distribute power, it was the empire. Technically the Willis family would have sucked up the money of a partner when they were just a mere middleman.

The whole conversation Seth had with them was for naught. He was just glad he had not signed any contracts yet. It made a lot more sense to talk directly to the princess. She was in the position to directly give him the connection to the responsible officials.

"Well, then this is all the time I can make for you. I still have other things to do. You should talk with Sir. Smarno from the Empire and Mr. Meyers from Delta. They are the people in charge of energy policies. I will inform them later. "

With that, she stood up to leave. He saw off Mina and the others who still had their duty to protect the princess. Now he was left alone with Simon.

"So, will you give me the permit now?"

The two went to Reception Hall, where foreign teleport channels could connect to. Simon handed him a badge with an intricate sigil on it.

"This is a magic item that will give you, or your teleportation formation a special signature that allows you to connect to this place. if your magic tower is as advanced as you say it can probably just scan it."

~ It can. ~ Al confirmed the assumption.

This meant Seth had taken care of his main objectives of the day in record time. And that meant the rest of the day was free time! He didn't get the chance to visit the auction house the other day.

He was quite confused at first since the auction house was almost empty. That was until he realized what had screwed over the leadership and Mark Baker. As the only auction house on Urth, yet, there were only things from people in Delta.

If he wanted to get the good stuff, he needed to access the interdimensional auction house adding a not-so-small fee for the transportation. He would have to thoroughly think about what things to get from the auction house.

~ Oh, that one! Get me that one! ~

"P-Puffles, you are awake?"

~ Yes, it is the great me, who else? I am unmistakable. Now get me that thing! ~

The Ivicer sent the confused Seth the picture of the item he had just scrolled past in the auction interface. It was a small box of black jade stones with bright golden inclusions. Seth's stomach sunk a little when he saw the price. The small box held about 500g of star jade if he converted the measurements. The current price was 20 Gold. Several times the prize of <Mithril>

"Star jade?"

~ Yes, that! And that one ~ the caterpillar communicated excitedly and send another image into his mind.

"I see a pattern. Are you going to evolve again, Puff?"

~ Haha, yes. The great me is ready for the last evolution. Praise me more! ~

"Aren't you growing a little...fast?"

~ Although I would like to take credit for my prodigy level of growth, I have to admit that it is the systems and your achievement. ~

"How so?"

~ The experience and levels helped master my skills, but it's you who keeps making me digest high-grade materials for my thread... So please take responsibility and get me a lot more! ~

Seth could only sigh and look at the second thing his pet wanted. Puffles was like a pregnant woman choosing and pointing at random materials that currently fit his appetite. In the end, Seth had to spend 300 Gold on <Star Jade>, <Moonstone>, and more <Solar Marble>.

The moment they were delivered the pet space opened and sucked in the materials. Puffles did not even show his face before gobbling up his money...

Ust what was the new material going to be? Astral bronze? Seth was really curious about the luminary theme. And his heart somewhat ached, spending so much on materials he could not use. His feelings were transmitted to Puffles who felt a little bad. Not much, just a tiny bit.

~ Errm, here, you wanted this right? This should be a fair exchange! ~

The pet space slightly opened and spit out a bundle of <Celestial bronze>. His slightly closed Seth's worries, since he had another thing to send Nädel now. He could send the bronze the old man expected and the fabric he bought as a surprise.

After spending that much money he did not feel like browsing anymore. He just wanted to leave. It was barely afternoon and the other would not get off duty until evening.

Seth decided to return to Minas Mar to implement the teleport connection. It would relax his relationship with Drosi when he could tell him, that he would not have to encounter the people of the Willis family to enter Delta.

He could bring his party to the city then. Seth really wanted his friends to get to know each other before they ultimately founded an organization. They could even decide on a name then!

Hoping to sort out these things as fast as possible he hurried back to the Willis Building. The faster he got over this tedious stuff the earlier he could get back to crafting and lazing around.