Bear School Astartes

Chapter 410: 410. Insulting plus attacking?

”So, the blueprints for the Bear School’s equipment are most likely made by dwarves and gnomes in the Amel Mountains... Hey, that’s interesting. What deal did the dwarves and gnomes make with the Bear School?”

Lann rubbed his chin, pondering.

”Yuna, make me a set of advanced Bear School Armor for now. Looks like I’ll have to go on a trip.”

The human female apprentice, who was secretly learning under the guise of a servant for the dwarf master, spread her hands helplessly.

”When I said I could make it for you, I meant that my skills have reached the standard, but I don’t have my own smelting furnace or armor-making tools, you still have to find Master Tuer Butcher.”

”Oh, that’s not a problem!” Fergus scratched his own butt, then used the same hand to stroke his big beard under his nose.

”The master has been obsessed with Valerian steel these months! His inspiration keeps flowing, he even wants to live here. The smelting furnace in the shop hasn’t been lit for a long time! If you place an order for armor, I guess he won’t have time to make it, it’ll end up in my hands, and Yuna can take over! Just wait and see.”

Fergus arranged it smoothly, looking quite like a professional manager.

It seems that the model of ’he takes jobs under the dwarves’ name, and Yuna contributes the craftsmanship’ has matured.

”As long as I have something to use, it’s fine. Not having a good set of armor these days makes me feel chilly all over.”

Lann said indifferently. His high body temperature wouldn’t make him feel cold, the ’chill’ was a psychological crisis from the lack of protection.

Although Lann didn’t feel a sense of belonging to the Bear School, he had unknowingly gone far in the combat style of this school, forming a habit.

”By the way, how much does it cost to make a set of advanced Bear School Armor from scratch?”

Lann asked casually, he had only ever paid for repairs since acquiring that armor.

Yuna’s business skills were indeed impressive, she just crossed her arms and thought for about five or six seconds before confidently giving an answer.

”The material cost is eight hundred Oren, but you also have to pay an extra one hundred and twenty as the Master Blacksmith’s craftsmanship fee. It’s part of the accounts in the master’s smithy.”

”But... he doesn’t even lift a finger, and he still charges a hundred and twenty Oren?”

Yuna pouted, helplessly looking at the Demon Hunter who didn’t understand the rules of the trade.

”It’s because he doesn’t lift a finger that it’s only a hundred and twenty.”

”Master Tuer Butcher is now a certified Grandmaster-level Blacksmith, if he really got involved, the craftsmanship fee would start at two hundred and seventy. Otherwise, it would disrupt the market!”

Lann scratched his head, starting to understand.

A smithy with a Master Blacksmith was akin to a renowned large enterprise, just tagging the product with their name and trademark would allow for higher pricing compared to similar products.

Emphasizing brand value.

Crucially, no one would have anything to say about it.

Thinking about it... Bordeaux must have endured for a long time to save up for that set of armor.

Fortunately, he’s not a broke Demon Hunter now.

How could a broke guy have combat prowess?

”Nine hundred and twenty Oren, alright. Just take the invoice to the Giancardi Bank for reconciliation, I have my personal account there.”

Lann said indifferently.

Yuna and Fergus agreed, looking very excited.

Yuna was thrilled to finally have the chance to create a master-level piece, while Fergus was excited about closing a master-level equipment deal for the first time... although it was for business with his friend Lann.

Yuna and Fergus walked off, full of joy.

They took the job using the smithy’s name and would use the smithy’s equipment, so they had to report to Master Tuer Butcher.

Lann and Belengar watched the tall and short figures jog to the corner of the workshop belonging to the master.

The dwarf was animatedly describing the job they received to the master, who seemed uninterested and waved them off, suggesting they handle it themselves.

The male dwarf and the human woman discreetly high-fived in celebration.

It seems the performance and potential of Valerian steel indeed fascinated this dwarf Grandmaster-level Blacksmith, and he planned to craft a battle axe with it.

”Haven’t you achieved anything? People are already upgrading their designs.”

Lann crossed his arms, nudging the old Demon Hunter beside him with his elbow, while gesturing to the dwarf grandmaster with his chin.

At this, Belengar’s expression turned awkward.

Then came a flood of complaints like ’our skills are actually similar’, ’his endurance in hammering isn’t as good as mine’, ’can he smith with magic potion like I can’.

Lann raised an eyebrow, quietly watching Belengar’s coal-stained, sweaty long face, showing calm emotions.

Alright, keep talking, I’m listening.

Under Lann’s ’cold silence’, the old Demon Hunter sighed wearily.

”Alright, I admit I haven’t made anything better than his. But!”

”It’s not due to lack of skill, but because I don’t have good blueprints!”

The old Demon Hunter took a deep breath, complaining to Lann.

”Look at the swords he makes, what are they? Mahakan Rune Sword! Sword of Xixier! Thor Tysha Sword! And me?!”

”I can only make some Kovir Short Swords, Velen Longswords, Niflgaard Short Swords... How can I compete? Forging these swords doesn’t even challenge my skills, let alone innovate!”

”Yes, I can make some high-end weaponry, like the Demon Hunter’s weapons. But can these be shown off in public? I would never leak the secrets of the school’s gear for personal glory!”

This was indeed a reason.

Lann expressed his understanding.

Belengar certainly had fewer resources for learning blacksmithing than the dwarves.

Moreover, it’s said that Master Tuer Butcher came from Kaben Mountain in the Mahakan Mountains, the Dwarven smithing stronghold.

The blueprints accumulated by dwarves over the years, he probably knew them all.

”Uh, have you tried...”

Lann began, then pointed to his eyes with two fingers, then with the same fingers, made a stealthy gesture, moving towards Master Tuer Butcher.

Implying to spy and learn.

”I remember, when he was forging the Mahakan Rune Sword, weren’t those ancient dwarven runes engraved in plain sight?”

”Do you even know what those ancient dwarven runes mean?”

Belengar looked speechlessly at the young man.

”Uh, what do they mean?”

”’Screw your mom’, ’eat shit’, ’cut till you see gut’... Stuff like that.”

Lann’s expression was quite bizarre.

”I don’t really understand ancient dwarven runes, but hearing you say that... do they enhance attack with curses?”

”Have you ever thought about this: if dwarves could enhance attack power with curses, why are those swear-mouthed dwarves in cities still driven to non-human settlements by humans?”

Belengar spread his hands matter-of-factly, then smacked one hand’s back into the palm of the other.

”Because engraving curses as ancient runes is just a decoy! What’s truly important is the technique! The smithing technique! Folded forging, repeated pressure, secret quenching liquids... Or did you think dwarves would smith openly in front of humans?”

Lann shrunk his neck back, trying to stay away from the sweat that flew off Belengar due to excitement.

”I’m just an outsider, why are you angry at me!”