Chapter 68: Smithing House
The remaining farmers also stumbled back several steps.
Their eyes were fixed on the rapidly growing crops as though they had witnessed a ghost.
Edgar folded his arms and looked at Oswald with a small smile.
"Can you bring that man back?"
The old man nodded and walked out of the Agricultural House after the run away farmer.
The blonde boy then focused on the others, who were equally confused and waiting for him to explain what they had just witnessed.
"If you guys don’t know, then let me tell you something," Edgar said loudly. "I’m a Builder, and I created this place."
One of the artisans quickly raised his hand, and Edgar gestured for him to speak. "Can a Builder make such a place?"
"Of course!" Edgar replied as if it were a matter of fact. "I’m an exceptional Builder."
The three artisans exchanged doubtful looks. None of them had ever heard of a Builder capable of creating something this miraculous.
An old farmer slowly walked toward the plants and began to touch them.
His hands were hesitant, but he quickly laughed.
"This is... real." His voice echoed. "We don’t have to worry about food."
Their expressions slowly changed from fear... to disbelief... and finally to excitement.
A single building capable of growing crops this quickly would change the lives of millions.
"At this speed, we might harvest several times a day!"
The elderly farmer turned toward Edgar and bowed deeply.
"Young Master... thank you."
The other farmers quickly followed.
"Thank you, Young Master."
Watching them, Edgar scratched his cheek awkwardly. "...Don’t thank me yet."
He pointed toward the endless rows of empty farmland. "You’ll be the ones doing all the work."
"Of course! Of course!"
They all nodded their heads and walked around the place in pure awe.
Edgar quickly shifted back to the main topic.
"Alright, decide among yourselves who is going to be the leader and the one to report to me."
The eight farmers present collectively turned toward an old-looking man.
The long-bearded old man got startled and pointed at himself.
"Me?"
"Yes, you are the wisest, and you even know how to write," one of the farmers said.
"You even taught most of us the art of farming."
The others nodded their heads as if they were completely in unison.
The old man sighed and bowed toward Edgar. "I thank you for the opportunity, Young Master."
’I am not your lord,’ Edgar complained inwardly and asked, "What’s your name?"
"Harbin," he replied. "I came here with my young daughter and her son."
’...Hm, no words about the father? Did he die or what?’
Even though Edgar was curious, he didn’t ask anything else.
Instead, he began walking around the empty floor.
"I want you to divide the field into six equal parts and plant the seeds of different crops in them."
Edgar said, looking at Harbin, who was already having the same thought.
"By my calculations, we should get a harvest every other day for most fast-growing plants."
As he was explaining the other functions of the house, Oswald brought back the man who had run away.
The man quietly walked over and stood with the others, his head bowed in shame.
The others weren’t shy about laughing at and mocking him.
Edgar clapped his hands and said seriously,
"I want you guys to start right now." He looked around.
"Bring the seeds you have, and rest assured, I will pay for them along with your wages."
Harbin bowed his head and replied, "I will make sure it is completed today."
Edgar gave a satisfied nod before turning toward the three artisans who had remained silent the whole time. Sir Steven was also standing to the side.
The blonde boy smiled and gestured to them. "Let’s go, we are done here."
He led the four of them out of the house, and he also asked old man Oswald to make a list of everyone working on the fields.
Edgar brought the four people outside the warehouse, which had different items already there.
From leather made from different varieties of Nightmares to hides and even ropes made from intestines and blood vessels.
The three artisans turned toward Edgar with confused looks. "What do you want us to make, Young Master?"
Edgar smiled and slowly spread his arms. "Something this world has never seen."
---
After giving all the information and instructions to the three artisans, Edgar finally looked at Sir Steven.
He couldn’t help but smile as he asked, "Is your price still one hundred Nightmare Stones a month?"
The old man chuckled softly as he remembered the first time he had met the young blonde.
He was the one from whom Edgar had bought the cold iron ore.
"Fate is really mysterious, isn’t it?" he said quietly.
Edgar didn’t reply but instead brought the man to a far corner of the Fortress where no residences were present or could see.
"Is this place good for your Smithing House?" Edgar asked.
Sir Steven slowly looked around the open area.
There was plenty of space.
The ground was flat, with enough room to expand in the future. Not too close to the residences, yet close enough that transporting materials wouldn’t be troublesome.
He slowly gave an affirmative nod. "It is."
After confirming, he looked at the blonde boy.
"Should I help the artisans while the Smithing House is being constructed?" he asked. "What you are doing looks really interesting."
Edgar blinked. "I’m a Builder."
The old man tilted his head.
"So?" He wasn’t sure what Edgar was trying to convey. "You are not saying that you can create a Smithing House, right?"
Edgar smiled and raised his hand. "I sure can."
Sir Steven was about to ask about the blueprint, but his mouth clamped shut when Nightmare Stones came flying into the air.
They cracked open, and milky-white liquid spread all over the place as the construction began.
In no time, a new Smithing House stood completed, far better than his previous one.
Thud!!
With a horrified look, the old man fell onto his buttocks, disbelief written all over his face.
"I-impossible."
Edgar felt a sense of déjà vu when he saw the old man’s reaction.