I knew Oliver Nux for two reasons: he was a scumbag leader of the party I joined back in my Academy days in my previous life and the son of a Dragon Disciple.
I thought I would just be striking at the Ore Machine in Mining City, but it seemed I hit a huge jackpot. He proposed that I work under him, which I found suspicious given how his brain worked. Nonetheless, it was an opportunity.
Gaining his trust and potentially meeting his father were tempting prospects. Although I had reservations about whether his father had become a Dragon Disciple since the timeline had changed and others' paths had turned different, I was eager to see it myself.
Nux Territory lies southeast of Ring City. As for why he came here, I didn't bother to find out. The next day, I was to meet him at an exclusive inn and deal with the terms.
Sitting on a couch across from me, Oliver smirked, a glint of condescension in his eyes. "Jaxon, right? I'm glad you saw reason and decided to come. As my servant, you'll have the honor of handling my more... physical tasks."
I stared at him, unamused. "I'm not your servant, Oliver. I'm here to make sure you leave Jena alone."
"Of course, of course," he replied, waving his hand dismissively. "Jena will be well taken care of. But let's focus on you. You're a fighter, Jaxon. I need someone with your skills to handle the dirty work—fighting off monsters, dealing with troublesome elements. Things beneath me, naturally."
His arrogance was palpable, but I kept my voice steady. "I don't take orders from you. If there's a fight that needs to be fought, I'll decide if it's worth my time."
Oliver's smirk faltered for a moment, his eyes narrowing. "Don't forget who you're talking to. I could make your life very difficult. I am considering you to work for me because of your fighting skills."
I dragged my chair closer, leaning in to meet his gaze head-on. "And don't forget why I'm here. I'm not interested in your threats. You need my help, not the other way around."
There was a tense silence as we stared each other down. The henchmen shifted uneasily, sensing the growing hostility. Oliver finally leaned back, his smirk returning but now tinged with frustration.
"Very well, Jaxon. Have it your way. But remember, loyalty has its rewards. Defiance, not so much."
"I'm loyal to my principles, not to you." I stood up, turning to leave. "If you want my skills, I will work for you under my conditions. Don't expect me to grovel at your feet."
As I walked out of the grand hall, I heard Oliver's voice, a final parting shot. "You're making a mistake, Jaxon. But, I like it. You'll work for money, anyway."
I didn't bother to respond. The path I chose was never about money. My goal was to see if his father had become a Dragon Disciple. The Nux Territory was one of the places where Dragon Disciples held their revival rituals. Many locals had died for its success, and now, with this chance, I'd break into their circle, even if only Oliver's father was a known Dragon Disciple.
Orca Nux was the only known Dragon Disciple because of his greed for power. He trampled many nearby territories for his own interests, not just as one of the Dragon Disciples. Riches were one of his driving forces for tyranny.
Although in my first life we managed to kill him and get information about the Dragon Disciples through his documents, there were few traces of this group's circle. However, I'd take the chance to break into them.
But my priority now was to finish the Mecha and register it as a gadget. As I already had a core stone of a giant troll, I could now use it as the source for the circuit's energy.
I entered the workshop and noticed how clean and well-maintained the area was. I was at a loss for words as I saw the siblings, sleeping by the worktable. A smile curled my lips as I approached the frames.
I started carving the circuitry, beginning from the footpad and working up to the legs. The circuit would make the core stone its source and ensure a smooth energy flow. Its function only revolved around its movements.
Although I didn't have any mana conductors, an alternative could work. Ground core stones would be the best substitute for a mana conductor.
I continued carving until the siblings woke up and started watching me work. They stood by my side, their eyes fixed on the patterns I made. Our focus made hours pass like minutes, and soon nighttime arrived.
"Let's eat," I said to the kids, their smiles reaching their ears. We returned to the inn, had dinner, and then rested in our rooms.
'I will assemble the Mecha tomorrow,' I thought.
[That will be registered as a gadget, Jaxon. But I wonder how you will use it. It will look empty. You can make it move, but that's all.]
I shook my head, my hair brushing against the pillow. "That is just the first phase of my Mecha project. It will look like a metal golem for now, but after getting the artifacts and adding their abilities, it will turn into a giant weapon."
I imagined how versatile the Mecha would be. With the use of various artifacts, it would align with the creation of the giant golem used to fight off dragons in my first life. However, this time it wouldn't just be a golem. It would be a terrifying weapon that even nations would want to own one.
[May I comment on your design? It looks awful. You ignored the details for air resistance and other elements that could hinder the gadget's movement.]
I ignored the system's comment. The design was indeed plain, just flat metals bound together. But that didn't mean I wouldn't improve it. As long as the material wasn't wasted and had enough durability, I could redesign it multiple times.
After a good rest, I spent the next day earning funds to move the frames out of the city. People had been suspecting about the glimmering batch of flattened metals moving out of the city, but most of them didn't delve into it. This city had seen metals of different odd forms multiple times, the frames weren't the first ones.