Lancer arrived at the house and found three men sitting on the chairs in the main room. The moment they saw him, they stood and bowed deeply.
"It's an honor to be in your presence," one of them said respectfully. He stepped forward and introduced himself. "I am Marduk, and these are my companions, Nabu and Kingu."
Lancer observed them closely. At first glance, they appeared human, but something felt slightly off. Their energy was unusual, and their magic point levels were far higher than any human he had encountered.
[Analysis complete. These individuals appear to belong to the dwarf race.]
"Dwarves, huh?" Lancer thought to himself.
He gave a polite nod. "I'm Lancer. Nice to meet you."
As everyone sat down, Livia entered with drinks, serving them gracefully. Lancer leaned back and asked, "So, what brings you here?"
Marduk placed a small blade on the table. It reflected a dull grey hue, catching Lancer's attention immediately.
"We came across this metal during our travels. In all my years, I've never seen anything like it," Marduk explained.
Lancer picked up the blade, examining it carefully. He recognized it instantly. It was a variation of lead he had created some time ago.
"That's mine," he said casually. "I call it plumbrane."
The dwarves' eyes widened in shock. "You... made this?" Nabu asked in disbelief.
"Yes," Lancer confirmed.
The three dwarves exchanged astonished glances before suddenly dropping to their knees.
"Your craftsmanship is astounding! Perhaps even greater than our own!" Marduk declared passionately.
"Please," Kingu added, "allow us to learn from you!"
Lancer was taken aback by their sudden display. "Hey, stop that! No need to kneel," he said, feeling a bit awkward.
The dwarves, still kneeling, insisted. "We mean no disrespect. We simply wish to honor you."
Scratching the back of his head, Lancer finally said, "Alright, fine. But on one condition."
The dwarves immediately straightened up, listening intently.
"You'll have to let me investigate your intentions first," he said. "I don't take chances with strangers."
The dwarves didn't hesitate. "Of course! Anything you need," Marduk said.
Lancer nodded and activated a skill to read their thoughts. After a thorough check, he found their intentions were genuine.
"You're clean," he said, smiling slightly. "Welcome to Ionia."
The dwarves beamed with excitement.
"Livia," Lancer called, turning to her. "Please let Kanto and the other elders know we'll have guests staying for a while."
She nodded and left the room.
Lancer thought there was just one problem: he didn't know how to teach them metalwork. Sure, it was easy for him as an otherworlder with knowledge of atoms and molecules, but this world relied so heavily on magic that technological understanding was limited.
["Suggestion: Use the Data Transfer skill to share knowledge directly with the dwarves, including atomic and molecular concepts."]
"That's it!" Lancer exclaimed.
He explained the idea to the dwarves, and they eagerly agreed. Activating the skill, a shining blue light enveloped them as the knowledge flowed into their minds.
Marduk's eyes widened. "Hmm, so these are what you call atoms," he said thoughtfully. "We never imagined there could be something smaller than what we can see."
The dwarves bowed once again, expressing their gratitude.
Lancer waved them off. "Alright, alright. Let's focus on getting you all settled. You'll need a place to stay if you're going to be residents here."
With that, Lancer quickly constructed a few houses using his magic, efficiently providing the dwarves with homes. Then, he headed to see Kanto to discuss the situation.
Livia walked alongside him, her expression cautious. "Do you think they can really be trusted?"
Lancer nodded confidently. "I went through their memories. There's nothing shady. They're not even from this kingdom—they're from the southern region of Nemoris. They had to flee because of the wild animals in the southern end of the Atherian Forest. Plus, they don't have any alliances with other kingdoms, so I think it's fine."
Surprisingly, Kanto and the other elders agreed without hesitation.
"We owe you a great deal, Lancer," Kanto said. "If you say they're trustworthy, then we'll trust them too."
Lancer blinked in surprise. "Well, that was easier than I thought," he murmured.
As he left the meeting, he glanced back at the growing village. "Looks like Ionia just got a population boost," he thought.
The dwarves truly knew their craft. Lancer quickly realized there was more to forging metal than simply rearranging its structure. Marduk explained that while Lancer's materials were strong, they lacked a critical property: the ability to allow direct infusion of mana into the blade.
To demonstrate, Marduk took one of Lancer's metal bars and attempted to channel magic into it. The metal repelled the mana entirely.
"This might hold up against low-level opponents," Marduk said, "but against someone with immense magical power, the weapon would likely shatter under the strain. For true effectiveness, we need to merge your techniques with ours."
Lancer was impressed. He hadn't even considered the interaction between mana and the blade structure. Remembering Yumiella's reforged sword, he realized that while he had managed to make it mana-permeable, it wasn't as efficient as it could be.
Leaving the dwarves to their research, Lancer felt confident they would find a solution. Whatever they produced would undoubtedly be a boon for the village. Ionia's location on the edge of a barren landscape with poor soil made it difficult to rely on farming. Animal products were their main source of income, but even that was barely enough.
The weapons and materials he and the dwarves could create would likely change the village's fortunes. The payment from Yumiella alone had already been a great help.
Speaking of Yumiella, Lancer realized it was about time he headed back to the dungeon.