Working in the mines is the toughest job you'll ever have, y'hear me? Screw those fancy hanky-panky adventurers, or those snobby lil' nobles up in their castles twiddling their thumbs. The work we do is far more dangerous. Not only do we have to worry about monsters nipping at our damn ankles, but we also have to worry about hitting a water deposit and flooding the tunnels, or even having the entire mine collapse in on us! So you better be damn mindful of how you treat us because without our effort none of y'all would have your shiny equipment to fight off the big baddies!

A quote from one of the dwarves during the Miner's Revolt, 9XX

"You're here for a speech? Seems a bit dangerous considering the...climate as of late." Damien said. Hearing about Kent Welton's purpose for being here was a surprise to the vampire prince. Without any special protection aside from a few dwarven soldiers, it was as though he was asking to be kidnapped.

Kent merely smiled, trying to assuage the boy's worries. But Chester could see that there was a hint of nervousness in the dwarf's body language. Crossed arms, subtly cracking his knuckles, it was something that he observed passively without much effort.

"I understand, but there are times when we must act. We have it under control."

"If you say so...We're currently on our way to get the commissions we received from the blacksmiths. I suppose we should get on that. Thank you for your time, prince Kent."

"The rewards we have given you are honestly far too little. Rest assured, we will always provide you with any request you may need.

He shook the royal's hand and noticed how soft and unmarked it was in comparison to the average dwarven worker. No callouses, but still firm thanks to the natural dwarvish physique.

"Nice seeing you as well, prince Kent! Let me know if you wanna have a chat and some drinks." Chester said, giving the man a firm handshake along with a smile. Damien felt the urge to elbow the man in the ribs but knew there'd be no point since he was wearing armor.

Instead of taking it negatively, the shorter man laughed, making his chest rise with every syllable. "Hohoho! Perhaps I'll take you up on that offer one day."

The black-haired boy waited patiently at the foot of the stairs, before moving up to the higher floors where the more advanced blacksmiths resided. Chester had his hands on the back of his head, whistling a small, catchy tune. The heat was rising and the illusionist was beginning to perspire. It didn't help with the fact he was wearing multiple layers atop his armor.

"So, yours was a helmet and sword?"

"Yeah, I decided against modifying my current mithril sword. It'll be a spare. I haven't seen the design for myself, although I did give sir Gannon some input for what I wanted."

"Fair. I would've gotten something for my Attainium, but shaping it into something is impossible."

They went past the advanced blacksmith's floor, closing their eyes as a wave of heat blasted them across the face. None of the laborers on the floor seemed to notice the heat, barely sweating as they focused on their anvil and hammers.

"Have you considered having it enchanted? Runes are a major boon and considering its nature, you could likely have it enchanted many more times than regular mithril."

"Yeah, I suppose. But Welton's not known for enchantments. They're known for equipment. I suppose I'll have to see if there's a place where I can get some powerful enchantments. It's what it deserves."

With that in mind, they finally reached the top floor. There was a significant difference in the floors, as most of the master blacksmiths were more elderly. There were few exceptions, such as the pink-bearded dwarf who was in charge of Chester's commission. The illusionist waved to Jerry Sharpax, calling his name as he separated himself from the vampire noble. Damien decided to get his commissions from Gannon before he followed the curly-haired human.

"Ah, prince Rose! I suppose you're here to collect your equipment?"

Damien nodded and watched as the wrinkled dwarf took something from the anvil behind him, revealing a glorious weapon fitting for the scion of Wisperium.

JADED COLD IRON BLADE

- Made from cold iron, it boasts great hardiness and durability. All darkness-type skills channeled through the weapon is enhanced by 50%. It naturally exudes a chilly presence, making it cold to the touch.

- Reduce darkness resistance of enemies by a minimum of 5%, up to a maximum of 20%. Resistance reduction is reliant on enemy status.

- Deals great piercing and slashing damage. Strikes will have medium chance of stealing HP/MP, and a small chance of stealing stamina and returning them to user.

- Weapon does not reflect any light due to the material's properties.

- Greater Durability III: Further increases the equipment's natural durability and resistance to wear & tear.

- Return I: Upon command, the sword will fly to the user's hand.

- Weight: 2kg

"Here you go, prince Rose. I hope you like what I have created."

Shaped like a crucifix, the handle had a thin silver band which contrasted with its pure black appearance. It was a meter in length, a bit unwieldy for his size, but the boy knew this weapon would last him for years to come. Tight, black leather along the hilt that was both easy and comfortable to grip. The symmetrical blade seemed to absorb all light, a byproduct of the cold iron's magical effects. Even without swinging, Damien could feel how well-balanced the blade was, and its weight made the blad even more stable than before. As his strength grew, wielding the lightweight mithril sword made him feel as though it would fly out of his grip with every clash. The cold iron blade had more heft, and the vampire already knew it would be able to withstand the toils of war with ease.

It had come with a scabbard, which was easy to fasten onto his back. Swinging it upward made a subtle noise as it cut through the air.

"Sir Gannon...This is priceless. I can't measure my gratitude for the quality of work you've given me."

"Oh, save them until you see your helmet."

Damien noticed the equipment on a separate workbench. It was almost exactly like the base one he had selected; a V-shape opening along the hairline that protected the sides of his face. He grabbed the cold iron helm and placed it on his head, noting that the interior was lightly padded for comfort without being too stuffy. The opening from the front made it so his peripheral vision suffered zero loss. Upon wearing, he could feel the dark energy in his body reacts more strongly. Just equipping the item made it easier to channel the shadowy mana through his body, as if his mastery over the element had gone up a tier.

HELM OF THE IRON SENTRY

- Made from cold iron, it boasts great hardiness and durability. All darkness-type skills used while equipped is enhanced by 50%. It naturally exudes a chilly presence, making it cold to the touch.

- Reduces damage taken from darkness-type skills by 20%.

- Greatly reduces blunt force, slashing, and cutting damage.

- Equipment does not reflect any light due to the material's properties.

- Greater Durability III: Further increases the equipment's natural durability and resistance to wear & tear.

One thing that he noticed with both items was the cooling sensation they had on his skin. Even in the sweltering heat of Welton's Furnace, it managed to cool him down with ease. He wondered what it would feel like to wear during colder temperatures. Even the sword had a chilling aura, but Damien didn't hate it. The darkness had been a familiar element for him throughout his life, and the feeling of coldness had always been something that accompanied it.

Gannon politely requested the helmet before showing the boy a hidden latch that once opened, revealed a distinct crystal and two empty slots beside it; mana crystals

"As you can see, this has more room for additional enchantments. Due to the current situation, it's been difficult for us to procure more. If you'd like, you may return in the next half-year or so when we inevitably restock on more high-end material."

Damien bobbed his head up and down. He didn't feel as though they needed to go the extra mile for him. "Thank you. Where do you get the materials usually? If possible, I'd like to have more places to explore on my journey."

"We have a contract both with the Idil Empire and Pearl Island. They both have access to the Silver Mountains, but their source of mana crystals is becoming more difficult to access due to the giant lurking in the area. Although I hate to admit it, the Highlands is also another potential spot for enchantments. It would be a good idea to consult them, on the chance they don't spurn you for wearing armor made from us."

The vampire noble clicked his tongue. As part of his childhood, he had been well-versed in the political climate of Aetheria. Even without it, everybody knew the tension between Welton's Furnace and the Highlands. The earliest dwarves were originally slaves of the legendary elves. Although they hadn't been mistreated, it was far from an ideal life. The Highlands have stuck their nose up and clung to outdated methods when making equipment. Although powerful, it can hardly compete with the evolving craftsmanship of the dwarves. But one thing that the elves stood out was magic.

'It'd make sense for the Highlands to have the best enchantments. Even Elway can't compete with the resources and history they have, despite the Archmage at their disposal.'

He made a mental note to visit the place if possible, although he knew from other vampires including his father that dealing with the insufferable elves was more trouble than it was worth. It was a nation that kept to itself unless absolutely necessary. The boy knew that Wisperium and the Church of Pernatia had minimal relations with them, despite all three co-existing for centuries.

'It's closer to reach the Highlands than Garbrandt, but I'd rather put it off than head straight there...'

Damien thanked the master blacksmith gratefully. He hadn't imagined the reward to be so great, especially after Arber had declined to make the commission. He could only hope that he was worthy after his journey. The boy wanted to find the legendary craftsman and ask if he had made contact with his brother, or even granted him a commission.

"Wait-Chester?"

He glanced through the entire floor but noticed the man was missing. Damien approached the pink-bearded dwarf and asked him for the illusionist's whereabouts.

"Oh, he left a few minutes ago. Said he was going to train. He looked really happy about the vambraces I made for him."

Damien sighed in irritation. "Damn him. He couldn't have waited and shown me? Whatever. I guess I'll head to the training grounds and see how these hold up..."

Chester had lied. He wasn't out to train and hurriedly made his way into the back alley where the sewer drain was. He had replaced his attire quickly, not wanting to waste time. He wanted to complete his robbery today before the daylight ran out.

'Who would expect a robbery in the middle of the afternoon? I better get to it. The sooner the better.'

With a grunt and a heave, he moved the metal grate which weighed over a hundred kilograms, dropping it lightly to avoid making so much noise. There was enough space for him to crawl through, slipping through and putting the grate back into place while his feet dug into the sides of the hole. It was a three-meter drop, but a trivial obstacle for the superhuman illusionist. He fell and absorbed the impact of landing with ease, splashing into the water.

By now, he had memorized the route to the hole he created. Rebuilding his fake wall after fighting the mutated clam had made it more rushed, and he worried about its integrity. Rushing over to where the pit was, he breathed a sigh of relief after seeing that it was untouched. Knocking it over, he continued to make progress towards the vault. He switched between pickaxe and shovel when appropriate, knowing and feeling how close he was.

It was only twenty minutes into digging when he could hear sounds from above, signifying just how close he was to the structure. Chester roughly estimated that he was almost three-thirds of the way through the required tunnel length. Noticing just how much dirt was piling up, he collected some into a bag and made his way back into the drain which led to the massive drop where Elric's junkyard was, far below. He watched as the dirt fell along with the sewer waste.

"Huh. I don't see anybody there. Who's keeping the flames up at Welton, then?"

The illusionist could see a distinct lack of dwarves bringing wagons of coal to where the flames of the building were being fuelled. He had never needed to worry about being spotted due to the sheer distance. Spotting him from this far would take the scope of a sniper. Nevertheless, he was used to seeing the tiny dots moving through the unstable bridges.

Shrugging it off without much of a thought, Chester went down into the sewers, wondering why the kingdom was especially rowdy today. He surmised it was a good thing, as it would prevent his operations from being heard.

"I should show Damien my gloves after this. He's going to be so jealous." He said to himself, eager to return to the surface where he knew the boy was looking for him.

The curly-haired man had a little skip to his step, wading through the sewer water and returning to the darkness.