A Dragon against the Whole World

Chapter 131: Chapter 128: Alchemy Golem Blueprints

Sixteen copper-colored alchemy carriages rumbled over the rain-soaked trade route, the steam pistons on either side of the axles rhythmically exhaling white mist.

These transportation tools, produced by the Lothern Federation, required no animal power for traction. Instead, they were powered by a miniature furnace engine embedded in the center of the chassis, which at this moment glowed with an ominous red light through the heat-dissipating grille.

Nick lay in the first carriage, resting his head on the plump, rounded thighs of the tiefling female mage, with an air of leisure.

”Maggi, the carriage we’re riding in now is quite comfortable, isn’t it?”

Nick pinched the soft flesh between his fingers and said.

”You rascal, don’t get carried away.”

The tiefling mage glared with sharp green eyes, slapping away Nick’s mischievous hand, speaking with some frustration, yet the tenderness in her eyes was so deep it could not disperse.

In the outsiders’ eyes, Nick was a slick-tongued, unreliable merchant.

But in Maggi’s eyes, he was a lover who harbored not a single disdain for her demonic heritage and appearance, making her feel comfortable in his presence.

Likewise.

In the eyes of others, the tiefling was dark and sinister, but in Nick’s eyes, she was a straightforward and pure partner without much scheming.

He had gone through a failed marriage that left him with nothing.

Completely disillusioned with humans, he found solace with the tiefling.

Six years ago.

Nick and the tiefling, in the outskirts of Gilbert City, invited no more than five intimate friends for a not-so-formal private wedding, becoming husband and wife in name.

It was nominally so.

Because, in their Lothern Federation, human-tiefling unions were not supported, citing the spread of tiefling demonic bloodline as a potential threat to the social stability of the Lothern Federation.

However, neither Nick nor the tiefling paid much heed to the marriage contract.

They focused more on each other and were not troubled by it.

In the comfortable, jolt-free space inside the carriage, the female mage gazed out at the rain, then suddenly switched topics, softly saying, ”Nick, the mastermind who can consolidate all the monsters of the Scale Earth Rift is anything but ordinary. We shouldn’t get deeper involved.”

”The poison and curse on your body, with our current wealth, can be managed with some sacrifice.”

”I know some high-level mages and casters who can cleanse your poison and curse.”

Nick’s smile slowly faded.

He looked into the gemstone-like, mesmerizing green eyes of his lover and said, ”Chasing profit is in the nature of a merchant. I thrive in transactions, find pleasure in the gains.”

Pausing briefly.

He continued, ”Most importantly, I like dealing with these monsters.”

”They’re straightforward and clear in their objectives, unlike our peers, who are scheming, insatiable, smiling while talking business but thinking of squeezing you dry to the bone.”

He fell silent for two seconds, then sighed, somewhat wistfully, ”Maggi, maybe it’s because I’m getting older, I’m starting to dislike all this scheming and plotting.”

There was a deep bind with the Molten Iron Clan.

From the threat of a mage’s curse, but fundamentally, it was Nick’s own decision.

No longer young, he found himself exhausted dealing with the more greedy and ambitious young merchants, choosing to focus his time and energy entirely on trading with the Molten Iron Clan.

The female mage looked down at her partner.

Nick was forty-two this year, stepping into middle age as a full-blooded human. Although well-maintained, signs of crow’s feet and some white hair at the temples were visible.

Time had left its mark on him.

In contrast, the female mage.

With a trace of demonic blood, as a tiefling, she had a normal lifespan of about 120 years and would only start aging at sixty.

Thirty-six-year-old Maggi still looked like a human girl not yet twenty.

Her features were exquisite, without wrinkles, and her skin smooth and delicate.

”Being deeply bound with the Molten Iron Clan might not be bad.”

The female mage whispered, ”Nick, that mysterious Lord might allow you to live longer.”

Nick nodded and said, ”Not just me, I hope we can both live together for a long time.”

Although neither had ever seen the true form of the mysterious Lord or interacted directly.

Through years of close cooperation, the two had faint inklings.

”We’ve arrived at the meeting point.”

A few minutes later, Nick leaned out from the observation window, the moisture of the dreary rainy season gathering on his goggles.

Over the years.

The transactions between the Molten Iron Clan and the trade team always occurred directly on the trade route, rather than being taken into the tribal territory.

On the road directly ahead of the convoy.

Through the drizzling rain, one could see the werewolf tribe’s mage, Frost Fang, standing by with three giant wolf knights on the roadside, next to a temporary rain shelter.

Looking beyond these werewolves.

A glimpse of shadowy, tall figures could vaguely be seen in the periphery, standing imposingly yet motionless, exuding an invisible pressure.

The numerous guards of the convoy did not make any rash moves.

They had all been repeatedly instructed by Nick, that when encountering werewolves at the Scale Earth Rift, they must not draw weapons or show hostility.

”Unload! Handle with care, no throwing!”

A young man, about twenty-eight, wearing a simple raincoat, disembarked to supervise the giant trolls unloading the cargo.

Cole, once Nick’s apprentice, had grown over ten years to handle things independently and was one of the key members of Nick’s trade team.

Nick also disembarked from the carriage.

Although equipped with small rain-repelling tools, seeing the werewolves drenched, their fur soaking wet, he too chose to embrace the rain, face adorned with a smile, as he approached.

”A total of twelve wagons of black oil.

”The rest includes spirits, spices, preserved fruits, sweet wines... forged molds with self-contained temperature runes, crucible sets embedded with fire attribute gemstones.”

He indicated the cargo-laden wagons which appeared as giant beasts in the rain and said.

The black oil was the constant necessity for every trade.

The spirits, spices, those forging molds, and crucible sets were what Samantha desired, while the preserved fruits and sweet wines were Iron Dragon Solrog’s requests, the Iron Dragon surprisingly fond of sweets.

These sixteen wagons of goods.

Were all intended to meet the needs or enjoyments of several dragons.

As for the Molten Iron Clan’s creatures, what each tribe desired was obtained mainly through trading with other convoys passing along the trade route, and the specific items Nick’s trading team brought each time were meant for the Dragon Race.

Soon after.

The entire cargo was unloaded, with the werewolves completing the tallying, then carrying the crates into the shadowed areas where they were taken away by towering figures unseen by the naked eye.

”Come with me, let’s discuss what we’ll need next time.”

Frost Fang gestured to Nick to join him inside the temporary tent they set up.

”The black oil and those small items remain unchanged.”

Frost Fang said, ”Besides that, we need an alchemy tool that can enhance gravity, alchemy manuals of various levels, complete alchemy blueprints.” Pausing momentarily, he added, ”Preferably, with blueprints for an alchemy golem.”

Alchemy manuals, blueprints.

These weren’t Samantha’s requests, but rather Iron Dragon Solrog’s.

Samantha self-assured with her inherited knowledge, believed it was already sufficient and the best in all aspects.

But the Iron Dragon felt that alchemy’s development was too rapid, the knowledge within the Dragon Race’s inheritance was likely outdated and not comprehensive, thus necessitating the latest alchemy manuals and blueprints.

Moreover, it wasn’t solely for Samantha to study.

Those well-documented alchemy manuals could train more alchemists within the Molten Iron Clan.

Constructing large alchemy tools and alchemy golems often required the collaborative efforts of multiple alchemists.

Relying solely on a few alchemists to complete large creations was too time-consuming, and even working them to exhaustion might not suffice; even a dragon alchemist would find it a challenging task to singlehandedly create extensive alchemy creatures, which was the reason Galos was reluctant to personally learn alchemy.