Chapter 189
Chapter 189
Two months had passed since Logan left Taren.
When he hurriedly returned, Taren had already undergone dramatic changes in his absence.
Vast stretches of wasteland now bore wide trenches dug at regular intervals. Workers moving between them barely glanced at Logan as he galloped past, wholly absorbed in their tasks.
Only the dwarf overseers occasionally spotted along the way saluted him as he rode by—a sight that felt somewhat incongruous, almost as if humans had become slaves to dwarves.
Yet it was also deeply satisfying.
If laborers worked this diligently under dwarf supervision, it meant meals and wages were being properly provided.
'The dam construction isn't complete yet, but progress seems good.'
Given the vastness of the wasteland—far larger than MacLaine's—Logan saw no need to seek out the distant mountains that would serve as the dam.
'There's no time for that.'
Though he urged his horse forward, the moment he cleared the wasteland and the massive earthen fortress encircling the mountain range came into view, Logan instinctively slowed.
"Whoa...!"
Low mountain ridges stretched from east to west like roots embedded in the earth. Among them, the mining district—including the magic ore mines—was now encircled by an enormous wall that climbed the slopes and spanned the plains.
The fortress walls, completed in Logan's absence, looked from a distance like a colossal castle enveloping two mountain ridges.
Despite the irregular terrain and elevation, the seamless, smooth walls connected with precision.
Instead of traditional battlements, sharp, menacing iron spikes protruded from the ramparts—a deterrent against climbing, possible only in a mining city where materials and labor for maintenance were always available.
Soldiers patrolled the top at tight intervals, with knights in armor stationed at regular distances.
A true fortress had risen.
'In less than half a year.'
The collaboration of dwarf craftsmanship and magic.
Logan could only marvel at this fantastical synergy once more.
"The Grand Prince is here!"
"The Grand Prince has returned!"
Unlike the typical behavior of the kingdom's greatest noble, Logan's preference for traveling alone (?) was already widely known throughout the territory.
No one questioned the safety of a man who had felled a Transcendent.
Thus, the soldiers instantly recognized Logan as he rode toward them alone.
Kugung.
A gate of iron and steel descended over the moat—wider and deeper than any castle's—revealing a second gate of interlocking steel spikes behind it, now being raised by pulleys.
'The gates were built exactly as I ordered.'
Taren, the fortress city several times larger than MacLaine Town, had only one entrance: the western gate he now passed through.
Logan had demanded that the single gate be made exceptionally sturdy and impregnable, and the dwarves and mages had delivered.
'Magnificent.'
As he crossed the moat's drawbridge, he noticed another spiked gate waiting to be raised at thirty-meter intervals. He inwardly applauded the sight—until a familiar, burly knight greeted him.
"Welcome back, my lord."
"Henderson. You came personally?"
"Yes. Captain Dygrom had to remain in Town."
"Good. The security detail is... just as I requested. Excellent."
Inside the gate stood a squad of six knights and thirty soldiers.
Beyond the double spiked gates waited two more squads of knights and a hundred soldiers—among them, Grick, the chief disciple of the Golem Tower.
Security tighter than the royal palace's main gate.
"This place may soon become more important than Town. You understand?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Good. Keep up the good work."
Grrrk—
At Henderson's signal, the second spiked gate rose, and the waiting knights and soldiers saluted in unison. Grick approached Logan amidst the commotion.
"It's been a while, my lord."
"Indeed. Have all the Golem Tower's disciples relocated?"
"Not yet. Only Enan and I came ahead as the vanguard. As you can see, the tower's construction isn't complete, so the master is working tirelessly. The Grand Workshop you mentioned is also being built simultaneously."
Grick pointed toward the city center, where a massive building—already six stories tall—stood.
Beside it, a sprawling three-story structure was also under construction.
The new tower and the Grand Workshop.
Seeing the near-completion of buildings he had only imagined brought a smile to Logan's face.
But he wasn't in a position to leisurely enjoy the achievement, so he immediately asked for the person in charge.
"Where's Hamar?"
"Probably in the workshop. He's been living there day and night."
"Good. Keep up the good work."
The sight inside the fortress exceeded expectations.
Despite the uneven terrain, rows of uniformly sized houses and streets stretched as if measured with a ruler.
Busy workers moved along clearly defined cross-shaped roads and alleys—most heading toward the mines, suggesting magic ore extraction wouldn't take much longer.
'Thank goodness.'
The frustrations from the capital began to dissipate.
A few more confirmations, and he could entrust everything with confidence.
Of course, such rapid progress came with minor side effects.
"Workshop Master! The Grand Prince is—"
—The Grand Prince? Damn it! What now?! More work?! Tell him I'm not here!! Sh—
The moment Logan knocked on the office door inside the Grand Workshop, a stream of curses erupted from within.
A red-bearded dwarf peeked out, trembling as he gauged Logan's reaction—but Logan only chuckled.
"It's fine. Hard work deserves some grumbling."
The results he'd seen on the way here were enough to overlook Hamar's outburst.
BANG!
"Hamar, long time no see."
He broke the door open simply because Hamar hadn't answered—not to pressure the hardworking dwarf.
Unfortunately, Hamar had a different interpretation.
Hic!
"Ah, haha. Boss, hic! You're not in the capital, hic! Why here?! hic!"
Dark circles under his eyes, dry skin, and disheveled hair and beard—clear signs of overwork.
"I'm not here to scold you. Just give me a progress report. I know you've worked hard."
Hic?!
Hamar's exhausted eyes widened, and his hiccups stopped.
"...Really?"
"Yes. You've done well. But I need specifics. No time to waste—hurry!"
"Seriously, really? You mean it?!"
'As if you'd believe me.'
Logan unconsciously gritted his teeth at the blatant suspicion in Hamar's eyes.
"...Should I squeeze it out of you?"
"Ah, no! Of course not! J-just a second. I, I have the reports here somewhere."
Recognizing the genuine threat in Logan's glare, Hamar frantically rummaged through documents before handing them over.
"Fortress walls are 99% complete. Right now, soldiers outnumber residents, so security is airtight. The magic ore mines have begun test drilling, boss."
"Test drilling? Results?"
"Top-grade quality. Estimated reserves can last at least thirty years, even at your projected extraction rates."
Logan's fist clenched involuntarily.
Yes!!
"When can full-scale mining begin?"
"Even with mage support, at least three more months. The veins start too deep."
That much was expected.
"What about wasteland reclamation?"
"Given the vast area, diverting water channels is twice as hard as MacLaine's project. We prioritized dam design, so it might be delayed..."
"How long?"
"Reclamation should start by early summer next year."
Haaa.
Fortunately, everything was progressing smoothly—even faster than expected.
Facing the unexpected hurdle of an imperial summons, Logan felt his heavy heart lighten slightly.
In good spirits, he patted Hamar's shoulder.
"You've done really well, Hamar."
"...W-what's with the sudden praise? You're making me nervous."
Hamar's wary expression only amused him further.
"I'll be away for a while—possibly a long time. Even if schedules are disrupted, stick to the plan."
"O-of course. But boss, where are you going?"
"The Empire."
"The Empire?!"
Logan smirked at Hamar's wide-eyed shock.
"Unavoidable business. Regardless, deadlines must be met. Understood?"
"Y-yes, boss."
"Good. If that happens, everything I promised you will come true—even in my absence. So hang in there a little longer."
"...Why say things like that? Just come back soon and handle it yourself."
Logan chuckled at Hamar's flustered grumbling.
"Sure. Let's do that."
After one last pat on Hamar's shoulder, Logan headed straight for the tower under construction.
"Ah, Grand Prince. I heard you returned from the capital. You must be... fine, since you're here. Haha."
Clayton, wide-eyed at Logan's arrival, answered his own greeting while continuing to direct golems in finishing the tower.
"We've passed the critical phase, but another issue arose. How's the research progressing?"
"Huh? Oh, that—if we can use magic ore as a substitute, just a few more experiments should do it."
"...I feel like I've heard that before."
Logan narrowed his eyes skeptically, making Clayton blush and avert his gaze.
"Hahaha. This time it's real. Trust me."
The mage's earnestness drew a soft laugh from Logan.
"Of course. I've always trusted you. I never imagined this city would rise so quickly. You've worked hard."
"...Haha. Thank you for acknowledging that."
"As promised, once magic ore extraction begins, the tower gets first priority. Then you won't need experimental funding in coin."
Magic ore was money—vast sums of it.
Clayton couldn't help but brighten.
"O-of course! Hahaha!"
"Once the research succeeds, how low can artifact production costs go?"
"Class 1 artifacts under 1,000 gold, Class 2 under 3,000."
Logan inhaled sharply.
A cost reduction by hundreds—if not thousands—of times.
Not only were the prices far cheaper than expected, but the scarcity of traditional materials often made artifacts impossible to obtain regardless of wealth. The practical efficiency would be even greater.
'Even equipping knights with Class 2 enhancement magic would boost combat power by 20%.'
This research had to succeed, no matter the cost.
"When will it be complete?"
"Optimistically, within two months..."
"Not optimistically—pessimistically."
"...Hmm. Even in the worst case, within six months to a year."
The mage bit his lip, having failed multiple times before.
Though the timeline had stretched significantly, Logan nodded.
"Good. That's enough. Actually, even if it takes longer, just ensure perfection."
"...I'll deliver within the promised timeframe."
"Even better. Request any support you need. Ah, if I'm unavailable, ask Dwain."
"...Where are you going?"
"An unavoidable absence."
"Huh?"
Leaving the bewildered mage behind, Logan exited the tower with a wry smile.
'Still short on manpower. Might as well relocate Town's workshops here. Send more workers too.'
Fortunately, that was Taren's only shortcoming.
After meticulously surveying the fortress city—his future stronghold—Logan immediately turned his horse around.
Before heading to the Empire, there was no time to waste on final preparations.