Levi rested for a couple of days.
His wounds, both old and new, ached less with each sunrise. Yet even during that quiet recovery, the old Maester continued to visit dragging books, scrolls, and questions with him like an unwelcod shadow.
Gods, how my head would hurt from learning such things.
It reminded of college of cramming for tests, of sleepless nights. But no matter how hard I tried to recall the lessons from back then, I couldn't. Not clearly. Only the pressure, the fatigue, and the struggle stuck in my mory.
Why is that? I wondered. Why is it that all I rember about college is how hard it was?
I shoved the thought aside. Maybe I'm just stressed.
The morning ca cold and thick with fog. The swamps of Bogwater clung to the air like a heavy blanket, but today was the day I was finally heading ho no longer indulging in the ho of Gran Mae.
As I approached the steps of my house, Ulrich appeared, mud on his boots, a familiar crooked grin on his face.
"Levi," he said, "the streets have been paved with stone. Your sewers not a problem in this swamp no more. Now it's ti for that thousand silver stags."He grinned wider. "Those silver stags, for every task accomplished?"
I nodded, smiling faintly. "Alright. Give a mont."
I invited him in and headed to my room. Once the door shut behind , I activated the cheat summoning exactly one thousand silver stags in a neat little stack.
I returned and handed the silver stags over. "Done and paid."
Ulrich's grin widened.
"The walls are done," I asked him. "So of the towers still under construction, right? Anything else I should know?"
"Well," he replied, scratching his chin, "other than materials still needed for the houses and towers nothing much really. Oh, right you asked for a smithy. One's already been built. A lad nad Timor is working in it."
"Timor," I repeated. "Yeah. I was planning to give him so iron for so work."
Ulrich nodded. "He's young, and his father's old. You'll want soone who can make fine armor though. That I'm certain of."I know a smith he worked in King's Landing. Left because of… well, a certain king. He's in the Westerlands now. Makes fine weapons. I can send him a ssage, if you want though I wonder if you can pay more than the golden dragons he's used to."
"As long as he doesn't mind silver instead of gold," I replied, "I'll pay him all he needs."
"I'll send word. Can't say if he'll accept. Just pray to the Old Gods your luck hasn't run out."
Ulrich left with his silver, and the house fell quiet again.
That conversation reminded of the five iron bars I had planned to give It was still had stored away. Ti to give them to Timor see what he could do. He'd ntioned a few boys coming and his father working with him. That should be enough to get so real progress started.
I asked around town for directions to the new smithy and found it without much trouble. The sound of hamring greeted from down the path a promising sign.
A proper smithy, I thought, smiling.
Inside, the forge glowed red-hot. Timor looked up and gave a quick nod when he saw .
"Hello, friend," I said. "A pity you can't join my caravans as a rchant, but I think being a blacksmith suits you just as well."
He chuckled. "Of course. I do prefer my father's profession, truth be told. So, what brings you here?"
"I figured you'd need iron. I've got plenty. I'm curious what you'll make from it. Also those two boys you ntioned. Did they ever show up?"
"Can only try," he shrugged. "Probably chain armor that's what most Northerners wear with their leathers. We've got so tanners nearby who can help."And yeah, the boys ca. Already working with my old man. They're making hoes, shovels, hamrs and nails, farming tools mostly."
"Good," I said. "Tell them to make five pieces of leather armor. I'll pay when the work's done."
"Alright. If you want to drop the iron off, the storage room's on the other side of the shop. It's open no one's using it at the mont and nothing much is stored at the mont."And Levi thank you. Your iron ca just in ti. We needed it."
I nodded and made my way to the storage room.
I placed one iron bar inside. Then another.Three left, the system chid.Then two. Then one.
I changed the number to forty-five. The Iron bars stacked neatly in a quiet, dusty corner. a total of fifty.
I hope they don't ask where I got so many.If they do, I'll just say so Ironborn rchants sold them cheap.
Still, part of was curious: if a smith makes a real weapon or armor with my iron… will the cheat acknowledge it?If I can duplicate finished goods the sa way I do raw materials…
The possibilities stirred in the back of my mind.
As I stepped out of the storage room, I felt the weight of hunger settle in.
Ti to head ho. Make so food. And rest.
Progress could wait. For now a heartful al.
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