6: Metalwork

Mellanie’s view

Mel’s been such a wonderful help. Cooking and cleaning and just helping out with whatever is needed, has been so great. I know she’s been caring for me for a long time, as well. I want to pay her back. 

If I am to teach her cultivation though, I need tools. Having her practice in this poor place without any proper aides would only be a waste of time. Such poor conditions would make it take years to complete ki collection. I’m not such a terrible teacher as to waste her time with that, especially when she’s already in her thirties.

“Mel, I’d like to teach you cultivation, but first I need to make some things to prepare for that. Do you know where we can find a skilled metalworker?”

“Eh? You don’t need to do that. I’m fine with living a normal life as a servant.” 

“I want to do it though. Do you dislike the idea?”

“No, I don’t dislike it. I just worry that I have no aptitude for it. I’ve never practiced any martial arts.” 

“Don’t worry about that. You don’t need any real dedication just to complete the basics. It’s fine if you lose interest later on and don’t get far. Even a little will help you a lot. I don’t want to leave a servant unrewarded. You have been far too good to me for that.”

“Lanie, sometimes you speak like an old lady.”

“Well, I have the memories of one.”

“Is that where your knowledge is from?”

“Yup. Now, can we find a metalworker?”

“Alright, let’s go.”

…

“What do you want, little girl? This isn’t a place for kids!”

“Can you make this?” I handed him a piece of paper with the instructions for making what I wanted made.

“Hmph! Sure, I can make it. Can you pay? Something like this isn’t cheap.”

Disappointing. He doesn’t recognize the value of what I just showed him. 

“Nevermind, just hand that back.”

“What, were you expecting free service? Here, stop wasting my time.”

I want someone with more wisdom than that. Brady was smart enough to recognize the value of my words very quickly. This guy, despite his good looks, has no brain. He hardly even looked at my instructions.

…

Metalworker’s view

A strange little lady entered my humble shop. While her clothes were those of a commoner, her bearing was that of a noble. 

“Mistress, why do you keep choosing such poor shops?”

“Don’t say such things in front of the shopkeeper! I apologize for my servant’s disrespect.” 

Well, that makes it pretty obvious this must be either a noble and her maid, or a former noble and her maid. If they are trying to look like commoners, they are doing a poor job of it.

“What brings you here, little lady?”

“Can you make this?”

She handed me a scroll, and looking at it I was surprised. It was a very detailed explanation of how to craft something. I wasn’t too sure what it was, but the instructions were interesting. I’d need to try it to figure out how good they are.

“What is this instrument for?”

“It is a portable array to assist with cultivation.”

If this really is what the girl says it is, then it may be incredibly valuable. If I make this, I could learn to make more. Unless she forbids me. 

“You may keep the scroll and make more for your own use or sale as payment.”

“Alright. I’ll make it for you.” This deal seems too good to be true, but the risk doesn’t seem high enough to worry about it. At worst, I’ll have wasted some time and materials. Luckily this thing she’s asking for isn’t expensive to make. If it is an array, it’s a pretty low grade one.

…

Mellanie’s view

Mel clearly didn’t want to let go of her question.

“So, why do you keep choosing such poor shops? First the medicine man, and now a metalworker. You even picked a slums one first, and only went to a slightly less run down location later.”

“It’s easier to convince a person who has nothing to take a risk. Plus, I prefer humble people over arrogant ones. The poor are more likely to know humility… plus, I’d rather raise up someone from the bottom, than someone who’s already doing well.”

“Is this a pride thing?”

“Of course! Anyone I teach will do well. So why look for someone already doing well? It’s more fun to make an underdog into a star, than to help someone who’s already a star… and... I really don’t like the fact that poverty exists. In a well run empire, everyone prospers.”

“If you want to change how the empire is run, don’t you need support from those in power?” 

“No. They don’t really matter as much as you think. With enough good teachers, the prosperity of everyone would rise, and any ruler who tried to stop them would be overthrown.”

“What happens when there are bad teachers?”

“Then the economy crumbles, everyone becomes poor, and tyrants rule… in truth, that is the normal state of affairs. Mel, how do you think people lived a thousand years ago?”

“Um… I don’t know much, but I guess it’s similar to now.”

“Right. A world ruled by tyrants, everyone living in fear of those above them. The strong plunder the weak, and nothing much ever really changes. That was the real reason I went exploring other worlds in my past life. I wanted to see if all worlds were the same.”

“You have memories of your past life? Who were you in your past life?”

“Yeah, I remember my past life instead of this one for some reason. I was a master of everything. I had run out of things to learn in that world.”

“What was your name? Maybe there’s legends of you.”

“I’d rather not say. The last person to speak that name was my beloved. I’d prefer to keep it that way. The world became a dull place after their death.”

“Sorry to bring up a sad memory.” 

“It’s alright. I’ve had thousands of years to get used to it. Watching as empires I built collapse, and the people I had placed hopes in fail, and those I cared for die, the world is much harder to change than I had originally assumed. The Heavenly Dao demanded stagnation, and I was unable to change the Heavenly Dao.”

“Is such a thing even possible?”

“I believe so. It is why I left to explore other worlds. I wanted to see the Heavenly Dao of other worlds, to learn more of what’s possible and what isn’t. As it is, I’ve only mastered my understanding of one Heavenly Dao. When I learn the full nature of this world’s Heavenly Dao, I will have mastered two. I do not know how many I must master to understand their creation.”

***Author Note***

The first smith rolled a 2 on their attempt to understand the value of the recipe he was given. *shrug* his loss.