Mark of the fool 8 a pro.., p.19
Mark of the Fool 8: A Progression Fantasy Epic, page 19
He pulled the tarp from another golem, this one was sculpted in the image of a human male—with the agile, muscular physique of a dancer.
“I made their bodies to look as close to humanoid as I could get them, except without nipples, butt cracks and other naughty bits, if you get my meaning.” His voice dropped in a conspiratorial tone, “but they’ll look like grey humanoids from a distance, which should have the psychological effect of making people more comfortable around them. Still, I didn’t want to make them look so life-like that they’d start to look creepy.”
“They are incredibly beautiful, Alex,” Lucia said, sounding awestruck. “I’m surprised you made them with so much… detail, but without the naughty bits, and you left them naked?”
“I thought you could dress them, if you wanted.” Alex tapped his right temple. “If I just gave you golems that looked like armoured hulks, or featureless dolls, you’d have to go through all kinds of trouble customising them to get them the way you want. This way, you can dress them to look however you prefer—they’re large because I had to make sure they had enough bulk for heavy lifting—but a bit of custom tailored clothing should work nicely. Then you’ll have options to dress them in any culture’s style, doll them up for royalty, dress them down so they blend in with your crew, put armour on them so they look intimidating to bandits and other shady characters; anything really.”
“Well thought out.” Lucia nodded, tapping her chin. “I was considering a uniform for my crew when the company grew bigger.”
“That’ll be perfect, then!” Alex said. “Whip up the right clothes with the right symbols, and your golems will look just as at home as any other staff-member of your company.”
“So, what abilities do they have?” Lucia asked.
He smirked. “Testing indicated reflexes higher than those of the average humanoid—though ‘average’ is a little weird to say since agility can vary a lot across different races—let’s just say that they’re more agile and dexterous than the average human. They won’t tire, of course, and they’re capable of repeating any task on their own that you show them first.”
Alex rubbed his hands together. “Their golem cores’re advanced enough for them to understand complex tasks. As for strength?”
He held up all ten fingers.
Lucia frowned. “What does that mean?”
He grinned. “Tons.”
She took a step back. “Wait, are you telling me that together the twenty of them can lift ten tons?”
Now it was Shale who burst out laughing. “As if we’d be making golems as weak as that. No, no. Ten tons each.”
Lucia’s jaw dropped. “What you’ve done here really is… revolutionary!”
“And very expensive,” Alex said. “You’re lucky. Just one costs about ten times more than any ship you’d be putting them on. Which reminds me.” He pointed to a desk across the room. “Remember I asked you to remind me of something? Well, I’ve been thinking about trying to see if I could modify some of your ships. It’ll be a big expense, but I’m thinking I could work in some enchantments to do a few things like… reduce friction between their hulls and the sea, make it so their sails self inflate and deflate, and maybe erect a wind and rain shield over an entire vessel.”
Lucia’s eyebrows shot up. “That does sound expensive.”
“That’s why—if you’d like the modifications—I could do them at a discount. Now, we won’t be able to get every ship modified right away, but with a bit of time and some coin, I should be able to improve a couple, which means that those ships could complete a voyage in half the time it normally takes… maybe less.”
Lucia’s eyes sparkled at the thought of increased profits. “We’ll… we’ll definitely talk. Oh, that reminds me of a question. The golems are heavy since they’re made of metal, right? If a mortal crew-member falls overboard, they would float, but wouldn’t these constructs just sink to the bottom of the ocean?”
“Aha! I thought of that,” Alex assured her, slapping a golem’s midriff. “There’s a buoyancy device in each of them right below their core. It’s loosely based on flight magic, and even though I didn’t have enough time to spend on reverse-engineering flight magic, this works well. If a golem does fall into the water and breaks its surface, the device kicks in, letting them float rather than plunge straight down to the bottom of the sea.”
He frowned then, scratching his hair. “Honestly, what I really wanted was to make a device that lets them walk on snow, quicksand, or even water, but I couldn’t quite get it worked out. The prototypes had the golems floating away like bubbles.”
“That’s why we should have gone with full flight capabilities,” Shale complained. “The golem core would have powered it just fine.”
“And I keep telling you that it would have driven up both the time and expense for each one. Even if the forging process wasn’t increased by that much, we would’ve needed to build in proper controls and balances for three dimensional movement in various wind conditions. If we’d gone with what you wanted, we wouldn’t have twenty golems standing there right now. We’d only have two. Maybe three.”
“But flying golems would have been incredibly cool,” Shale said wistfully.
“Order one from me and I’ll build it for you.” Alex crossed his arms. “But these golems are meant to be sailors, labourers, and guards, not flyers.”
“I think they’ll suit my needs just fine.” Lucia’s eyes sparkled. “Flying golems to deliver time-sensitive cargo might not be a bad idea, but that can wait.”
“Ugh, neither of you are any fun,” Toraka complained. “Roth, you’re the one who took so much time building Claygon, wanting him to be the best. I understand Lucia—she just wants to get her crew now, not later—but you? What’s got you in such a rush? You’ve been building like you’re not going to live to see tomorrow.”
Alex exchanged a quick glance with Claygon.
His expression turned strained. “Let’s just say I have goals. Strong goals. And a self-imposed deadline.”
“We have enough deadlines without your self-imposed madness,” Toraka said. “I still think promising four instead of two was a bad idea.”
“What’s this?” Lucia asked.
Alex gave her a nervous smile. “We have a potential client who contacted us through one of Toraka’s connections. A very important client. If we get the contract and can fulfil it, it’ll open up an entire new world to us. New connections, great future work, you name it. Those connections will be a big help for you too, Lucia.”
“Oh? And who is this mysterious potential client?”
“We can’t say yet.” Toraka shook her head. “They’ve asked for confidentiality until they’re ready to announce the venture themselves. I’ll just echo what Alex said: if it all works out, it’s going to be of great benefit to all of us.”
“Sounds interesting, just be careful.” Lucia looked at both Alex and Toraka. “Take it from someone who once worked long hours at a job that killed her spirit; you do not want to overwork yourselves. I can’t have my business associates dropping dead or disappearing on me now, can I?”
“Yeah, disappearing.” Alex gave her a weak smile. “Well, we’re working on that.”
“And you are sure that you can have four of these new golems finished in time to meet our timetable?” Kartika, a councillor on Generasi’s governing council said, her six hands holding up pages of Alex and Toraka’s quote and proposed schedule. “We only asked for two, though four would be excellent, but if quality will be sacrificed, we would prefer to be reasonable and wait for any larger order to be completed at a later date.”
“The name ‘Shale’ has always stood for quality, as well as quick and steady service,” Toraka Shale said.
“And the name of ‘Roth’ means an equally superior level of reliability and quantity, without ever sacrificing quality,” Alex followed up, subtly providing confidence with his words.
He needed this to work.
If he pulled it off, his future—and his family’s—would take a giant leap toward security for decades.
That was, if he pulled it off.
He and Toraka were seated in a lavish meeting room. Every stick of furniture bled magic. Leather chairs were supernaturally comfortable, feeling like clouds swaddling one’s body; every desk and table sat atop opulently carved legs that shifted from time to time—ready to relocate where they were needed at a moment’s notice—while a glass cabinet at the far end of the room was stocked with a supply of wines and liquors chilled to different temperatures.
To the left, a window filling the entire length of the room, looked out over the city and sea beyond. It was a remarkable view, like one from aboard a sky-ship looking down on Generasi from high in the clouds. The view was neither surprising, nor unexpected, considering they were in the personal meeting room of one of the councillors of the city. A person who represented the potential client they’d mentioned to Lucia: the City of Generasi itself.
Kartika—representing the wizard-council—had written to Toraka asking for a quote on two new iron golems which were to provide extra security within city hall. According to the letter, the city’s security budget had increased significantly after the demon attacks, and even more after word of Toraka and Alex’s improved golems began spreading near and wide, coupled with Claygon’s annihilation of Ram’s force construct at the Games of Roal. Approval had been given to contact the golem crafters and place an order with them.
To Alex, it was the opportunity he’d been waiting for.
‘If we manage to impress the city officials,’ he thought, ‘we’ll be getting a client with both a need and very, very deep pockets. Any ongoing golem contracts with the city could mean years, or even decades of revenue.’
He breathed through the tension passing within his body. ‘In case something bad happens to me, I could build enough golems to set Theresa and Selina up for a lifetime, and then some, and—if I have strong ties to the city—’ His mind went to the hidden church. ‘That gives me some real powerful allies when people start clamouring for me to be sent back to Thameland. This has got to work.’
“Think of this as a test for us,” Alex said smoothly. “Like we said, Toraka’s name means something in this city, and I want mine to mean something too. If we can show you that our company can produce quality golems twice as fast as you require for your timetable, then you’ll be able to see what we’re capable of.”
“Which will also increase your chances of securing further contracts, or perhaps something ongoing.” Kartika’s lips curled in amusement. “Baelin told me how shrewd you are, and I can see he wasn’t lying.”
Alex swallowed. “Baelin was talking about me?”
Kartika smiled. “Indeed he was. And he hasn’t been the only one. A lot of people have been watching you recently, Mr. Roth, as well as a certain shipping company with roots to Generasi.”
She set the proposal for the Golem Operation Plans on the desk.
“How about if I were to share what people have been saying about the name ‘Roth’ lately?”
Chapter 26
The Name ‘Roth’
“Did you know that most members of our wizard-council have been regular customers of yours for months now?” Kartika, a councillor in the city of Generasi, asked Alex.
He raised an eyebrow. “No, I didn’t know that…”
Alex remembered Kartika well. She and some of her fellow councillors were with Baelin the day of the grand opening of the Roth Family Bakery. The six-armed wizard had been partly responsible for Govert Beerensteyn’s arrest after he’d bungled his sabotage plan.
He remembered her and her companions enjoying a meal with the chancellor at the bakery, enthusiastically complimenting the food, which was why Alex was a little surprised when he’d never seen her there again.
He’d assumed that she and the other councillors already had favourite places around the city to visit and were spoiled for choice, considering how long they’d been on the wizard-council. Truthfully, he hadn’t really spent that much time thinking about it since the bakery attracted a lot of loyal customers from the hundreds employed by the city.
“You look a little confused,” Kartika said. “Surprised you didn’t see us again?”
“Well, I didn’t really think about it too much. I just assumed you already had your preferred restaurants,” Alex said. “Or probably had servants at home to make your meals.”
“Hah!” Kartika laughed. “If only my kitchen staff could make a custard as delicate as yours. It has a certain flavour that always leaves me wanting more, but happily, I haven’t had to deny myself more. That’s one of the perks of having an intern.” She smiled, stretching like a contented house cat.
“Ooooh, well, that makes sense,” Alex said, remembering regulars who came in every workday to pick up big orders to takeaway. He’d thought they were buying for themselves and their co-workers, it hadn’t occurred to him they were buying meals for the wizard-council.
“I’m glad you enjoy the food,” he said smoothly. “If I’d known, I would have brought some treats for our meeting today.”
“Ah, well, that’s too bad, but don’t worry, my intern is never far away.” She laughed. “And besides, all treats would be more than welcome in any future meetings we have.”
‘That’s a good sign,’ Alex thought.
“Well, I’m happy to hear that positive news about my bakery’s been spreading.” He chuckled.
“Word’s been spreading about more than your baking, Mr. Roth,” Kartika said. “To be honest, our department of commerce is rather interested in your progress within the city. The fact that you are so young, have come from a war-torn country, and are already starting different, and so far, rather successful businesses before you’ve even graduated from the university, is something that’s being watched with great interest. And commerce is not alone. Research and development has samples of dungeon core essence that has their lab staff simply buzzing with excitement at the thought of having the opportunity to examine your golems. Preferably Claygon, but any one of them would do.”
Alex blushed, embarrassed but excited. “Really now?”
“Of course. Then there’s the shipping company you’re presently associated with. That business is much like you, if you’ll allow the analogy—coming out of nowhere with few if any referrals, and becoming a success on its own merit without letters of introduction from any established merchant houses. It’s quite remarkable.”
“I’m glad you think so,” Alex said, pleased with the direction the conversation had taken.
“Absolutely,” she assured him. “You’re… what, twenty-one? Twenty-two?”
“Just turned twenty.”
She whistled. “Even more reason for people to pay attention to you. Baelin has told me all about your accomplishments at the university and on the research team in Thameland. He isn’t a man who often exaggerates, but I still had a spot of trouble believing half of what he was telling me about you. But, after your victories at the Games of Roal, and how successful you’ve been in establishing two rapidly expanding businesses, I couldn’t help but become a believer and see that your future looks very bright. You should give some thought to working for the wizard-council once you graduate, young man—with your accomplishments—you’ll likely have a spot ready-made for you.”
Toraka raised an eyebrow. “Are you trying to poach my business partner?”
“Maybe,” Kartika said. “I would not mind having him among my staff. It seems he’s very good at handling multiple careers at once.”
“Well, I’m very flattered,” Alex said, lowering his head slightly. It was important to show humility; from what he understood, the average age of the wizards on council was… ancient. They wouldn’t allow foolishness and arrogance in the younger members among them, especially those with exceptional talents.
At the same time, he couldn’t show false humility. No doubt, lots of people had tried that before, hoping to look like something they weren’t.
“Thank you for the kind words, I’m very, very flattered,” he continued. “But I feel it’s too early for me to talk about employment yet. I have another two years before I finish my undergrad, in spite of everything I’ve done so far. Planning what I’d like to do after I get my degree is important, but who knows what could happen between now and then, and I wouldn’t want to be so arrogant as to think you’d still be interested in me if my fortunes suddenly changed.”
“Of course,” Kartika said. “Wisely said. What is the highest spell tier you can presently cast?”
“I can cast up to fourth-tier spells right now,” Alex said. “Though I think I’m getting closer to casting a fifth-tier summoning spell.”
“Very good. You have nearly mastered the tier most university students have mastered when they graduate and you’re still two years away from that. I look forward to hearing more about your growth and progress, Mr. Roth. But, I’ve let us get distracted.” She looked over the operations budget proposed by him and Toraka. “Your price is high.”
“Our golems are worth every copper coin,” Toraka assured her. “Trust me, once you begin using one, you’ll never have the need, or dare I say desire, to patronise other golemworks ever again.”
“You may very well be right, from what I’ve seen. If you can meet the proposed timetable—and of course, the golems are of the expected quality—then we will be most pleased to develop a long-lasting relationship with your company.” Kartika smiled. “Shall we sign?”
“I’m more than fine with that.” Shale grinned.
Hope rose in Alex’s chest.
He was another step further from being dragged home in chains.
“So am I,” he said, fighting the urge to snatch up the pen. “You’ll have your golems faster than you can blink.”
Kartika blinked.
“…Okay, maybe not literally,” Alex said quickly.
