Teresa

James had been working for a couple of months to fulfill the orders, and he had succeeded both successfully and within a good time frame. His weapons were of good quality, with strong and stable runes. Despite being made from common materials and beginner-level runes as required by the contract, James had managed to perfect them to the point where they were even suitable for individuals who had just advanced to the intermediate level.

During this time, Strom had been dedicating himself to reading and practicing the manuscripts left by his own master in preparation for his own advancement attempt. He knew it would be difficult, but seeing James overcome barriers so quickly was a wake-up call for him. He realized that the boy would soon surpass him if he didn't do anything; he had never expected to have such a monstrous disciple.

Both men headed to the town hall to report the completion of their orders. The atmosphere between them was quite joyful as the master was genuinely happy for his disciple, and James was excited to finally enroll in the expedition, which could potentially provide him with the resources and knowledge he needed.

Upon arriving at the town hall, they noticed a large gathering of people, which caught their attention. However, they continued walking and entered regardless.

Once inside, they found out what had drawn such attention.

"Well, if it isn't the worst disciple of Master Skell, here to tarnish our master's name once again," a woman suddenly said.

James observed her closely and couldn't help but be amazed by the imposing figure of this woman, who, despite her toned physique, still appeared beautiful.

"Who is she?" James asked in a low voice.

"A venomous and treacherous snake, one of the worst kind," Strom responded loudly.

"You shouldn't treat my wife like that," a young man from the second floor spoke out, wearing one of the emblems hanging in the town hall on his chest, signifying his affiliation with one of the clans that ruled the republic.

"I'm talking about treacherous bitches like treacherous bitches," Strom simply replied, which enraged the young noble for being publicly disrespected.

"Come, James, let's finish our business before the nauseating atmosphere makes us sick," Strom said, dragging James into one of the rooms.

Although Strom knew that antagonizing the clans was a bad idea, he had always had a poor relationship with that particular clan, so he cared little about it. While he had always maintained a cordial appearance, Teresa's presence had managed to push his buttons.

Both entered a reserved room where an officer with the emblem of another house welcomed them.

"Welcome, Mr. Strom and Mr. James. How may I assist you today?" the officer greeted them.

"I would like to report the completion of this contract," Strom said, presenting a paper.

"I see, so you've come to negotiate a new contract, Mr. Strom," the officer responded pleased.

"No, I won't be renewing the contract at the moment," Strom said curtly.

"Is there a reason you plan to move somewhere, sir?" the officer asked, slightly annoyed by the news.

"Yes, I plan on taking my class advancement soon," Strom said, also irritated by the officer's intrusion.

Then, he touched James' shoulder and gestured for him to introduce himself.

"Good morning, sir. For my part, I would like to enroll for the upcoming expedition as a basic-level runic blacksmith," James said respectfully.

The officer, still upset about losing Strom's contract, began to peruse his papers, and soon a wicked smile appeared on his face.

"Unfortunately, we cannot accept Mr. James. You see, Madame Teresa has entered into an exclusivity contract with the Roschilf clan, which gives her priority. We cannot accept any basic-level individuals unless they are commissioned by her disciple, Mey," the officer said.

James didn't quite understand what was happening, so he asked his master, "What does this mean, master?"

"If you agree to go with them, they will make you work as a slave, and all the rewards will go to this Mey person," he replied with a sour expression.

"Of course, if Mr. Strom is willing to assist the Schlin clan, we could guarantee similar conditions for his disciple," the officer casually added.

James may have been slow and not fully understood the political game, but now it was clear what they required from his master.

Strom found himself in a predicament. He knew they were retaliating against James because of him and his conflict with Teresa. However, before he could say anything, James responded, "We understand, thank you very much for your offer, but we're not interested."

The officer once again became very upset, but this time, his displeasure was directed towards James. Strom clearly considered his options, feeling that with a bit more negotiation, he could secure a favorable outcome. However, this apprentice had taken away the opportunity for him to gain significant merit. He would undoubtedly be very annoyed.

Strom looked at his disciple for a few moments with a paternal expression. Soon, seriousness invaded his face. He knew what decision his disciple had made. He wasn't willing to compromise his master's progress for his own benefit. Although Strom had initially been willing to postpone his own advancement for James' sake, he was now determined to do whatever it took to move forward. He wouldn't let anything hold him back anymore.

"Thank you for your offer. Please inform your superiors that I will be out of contact for a long time," Strom said, getting up and leaving with James.

James bid farewell to the officer in a polite manner and followed his master.

The officer was left behind with a distorted face. Strom's family had had him for so long that they considered him part of their own. Although they had never given him preferential treatment, they knew they could have him in their pocket since both he and his master were unwelcome in many places. That's why they allowed themselves to provide only the minimum resources. This relationship had worked perfectly for them as Strom never broke his deals and rarely missed his deliveries. They truly hadn't imagined that he would leave. Not that he hadn't tried before, but his reputation always hindered his relationships.

On their way out, James saw Teresa attempting to pick a fight with Strom again. However, this time he simply ignored her and continued walking. There were also other attempts by the town hall to recruit them, especially James. Although they weren't willing to offer him a full share of the spoils, they only offered him a subordinate position under Mey. Now, James was clear that all of this was Teresa's ploy to humiliate his master, and he became just as stubborn in rejecting any communication and offer that demeaned him and his master.

When they were about to reach their home, Strom turned around and shouted, "Are you going to follow us like rats, or do you want to pass?"

James was confused for a moment, but then four figures emerged from the corners. There were three big men and a woman who came forward to greet them.

"Greetings, Master Strom. Please forgive our imprudence in following you in the shadows," the woman in uniform said.

Strom frowned and, after contemplating for a moment, simply asked them, "What business do you have with me?"

"We would like to discuss future plans as artisans with you, as well as our interest in your disciple for the upcoming expedition," the woman politely said.

"Then let's go inside," Strom said, looking at a specific corner, and after a few seconds, he entered his home.

James looked at the corner but couldn't see anything, then he followed his master inside.

Outside, the guards waited for a few moments until a young and slender woman emerged from the corner.

The woman simply nodded slightly, and the rest followed her into the house. Inside, James tidied up the table and the room slightly to accommodate the guests. Once the young woman arrived, she sat down first, and the other woman in uniform sat slightly behind her.

"Master Strom, thank you for receiving us on your property. My name is Jasmine, and I represent the Garden of the Soul, an organization from the Earth," the girl said by way of introduction.

James couldn't help but stifle a chuckle. The name sounded pompous, like that of a comic book supervillain. However, even though he managed to avoid bursting into laughter, his reaction did not go unnoticed, and the guards accompanying the young woman frowned upon it.

"And what does such an organization want from me?" Strom said calmly, unaffected by the other party's gaze.

"We have noticed the unfair treatment by the government of the Republic towards your side. In our organization, we are willing to offer better conditions, conditions that befit the prestige someone of your caliber should have," the girl began to explain enthusiastically. It was clear that she had a long list of benefits to mention. However, she was interrupted at that point by Strom.

"I'm not interested in being tied to any faction. I have only one thing to do, and I will remain loyal to that," the old blacksmith said, looking towards a corner.

"Sir, I understand your concerns, but I am confident that we can assist you in your mission," the young woman said, insisting on recruiting the old blacksmith.

"There are things that not even the gods dare to do. I would like to know where your confidence comes from, little one," Strom replied, this time staring intensely into her eyes.

The woman was deeply impacted by the way Strom emphasized the word "gods," and under such an intense gaze, she couldn't hold his gaze despite her attempts to persist.

Finally, unable to handle the blacksmith's pressure, she decided to change the subject.

"We have also learned that your disciple hasn't been able to join the republic's expeditionary group. Our coalition is more than willing to offer him a position with us. We know that he has recently taken up the runic blacksmith class and is still in the early stages of his basic class, but we are willing to take him in even though he doesn't have much knowledge about runes yet. We can provide him with materials during the expedition to help him improve," the young woman said, putting all her cards on the table.

In her mind, if she showed enough goodwill towards Strom, eventually he would be willing to help them. It was well known that he was someone who didn't like accepting gifts without giving something in return. So, for Jasmine, since she couldn't directly give him gifts, maybe it would work if she gave them to his disciple.

Furthermore, although James' existence was not common knowledge, it was not as if Strom was trying to hide him. Anyone who did some investigation would discover him, such as his attempts to join the mercenary guild and his work as a cargo carrier. All the major powers knew that the boy didn't have any class until recently, so no one expected much from him. That's why Jasmine felt like she was doing Strom a favor.

Strom pondered Jasmine's words for a moment and easily caught onto her train of thought. "I have no problem with my disciple joining your expedition, but you must ensure that his efforts are appropriately rewarded," Strom finally said.

Jasmine interpreted this as the old blacksmith yielding slightly, so she hurriedly nodded. "Of course, any merit that James achieves will be rewarded accordingly. We have used the system employed by the Republic as the basis for our own, so you don't have to worry."

"Very well, if you have no other business, then I believe you should leave," Strom said finally. Dealing with this kind of people truly tired him. He preferred his usual contacts who didn't ask too many questions and kept things focused on orders.

"Thank you for your time, Mr. Strom," Jasmine replied finally and resigned herself to leaving without having secured the expert she needed, unaware that she had actually acquired the blacksmith she was precisely looking for to complete her team.