Forced Promotion
“Lena, here.”
“Yes?”
“The defense iron ring I gave you last time broke, right?”
I handed her the newly made ring.
The previous defense iron ring had reached the end of its lifespan, so I'd crafted a fresh one.
“I was careless and ruined your precious ring, Master Theo, yet you made me another one……”
“Ugh, it's not that precious. You saved your life with it. That's more than enough. You're worth way more than some hunk of junk ring.”
“R-Really? Me? For real?”
Lena clenched her fists, her voice trembling with excitement at my perfectly obvious words.
Her reaction was weird for something so straightforward.
But thinking about it, I could understand why.
Well, this is a place where people get traded like slaves.
A slave's value often falls short of a ring's—especially one enchanted with magic.
So her response wasn't incomprehensible.
Still, seeing her like that made her look a bit pitiful.
“Tools are just tools. If the same situation arises again, prioritize your life. Got it?”
“Master Theo, you really……”
“If there's any issue with the ring, tell me right away. I'll fix it on the spot.”
Lena nodded firmly and slipped on the pair of rings.
She flexed her fingers this way and that—adorably cute.
“Alright, shall we go see the customers?”
Our target: the Mercenary Guild.
It was a guild in name only—a full-on tavern.
A gathering spot for every kind of rough character.
The moment I stepped toward it—
Information started flowing in from the magic doll I'd deployed for intel gathering.
It appeared through the System.
So that's how the intel gets received. Pretty convenient.
I began parsing the content while analyzing the doll's effects.
Analyzing information……
⏰ Time: 3:17 PM
📍 Location: Stain's Laboratory
🎤 Detected conversation:
"This makes no sense! Theo the mage's enchantment is only 1st-class—how does it produce effects like this? Did he add reagents or something? Aaaah! I should've examined it more closely!"
"Enchanting potions? How the hell did he do it! I only said it offhand, and he actually pulls it off?!"
"Is there some special spell? Sigh, even the lord seems to know…… Should I visit the workshop? No, how could I stoop that low! I'm a proper 2nd-class mage! Aaaah—"
Stain's voice rang in my ears.
It seemed the System was relaying the stored audio.
Hunter abilities fused with magic to create that overwhelming result. No way a 2nd-class mage like Stain could figure it out.
Not even a magic tower lord could.
Her ongoing, lively wails somehow felt pitiful.
“Mage Stain must be deeply troubled.”
Lena could hear the received info too, apparently.
The soul resonance necklace's effect was kicking in here as well.
The pressure on Stain is bigger than I thought.
It made sense, on reflection.
I'd suddenly shown up, enhanced potions, and shone in the mines.
Stain—a 2nd-class mage one rank above me, and an alchemist to boot—faced natural pressure on her record.
Her standing in the castle would have quietly eroded too.
This isn't good……
Not good at all.
I had a bad feeling she'd come pestering me.
Unlike my initial thoughts, frequent contact with other mages wasn't great for my safety.
My meager magical knowledge would get exposed fast.
I'll avoid Stain if possible. Gaien too.
For now, I'd keep the two intel-gathering dolls on the mages.
Gaien was 3rd-class and worrisome, but his silence so far suggested no issues.
“Master Theo?”
Lena called as I sank into thought.
I snapped out of it and started walking.
Business first.
Especially since this was Theo's Workshop's debut product.
Its success would make or break the workshop.
“Let's go, Lena!”
“Yes, Master Theo!”
“Think it'll sell well?”
I asked out of unease, but Lena's face relaxed instead.
She replied confidently.
“Of course! The price is killer!”
I had no idea where she picked up that phrase, but she seemed brighter already.
At least I'd achieved that much—good enough.
A few faces looked familiar when we arrived at the Mercenary Guild.
Some miners were loitering, hunting for work.
“Huh? Isn't that the mage?”
“Where? That guy's the mage? Wasn't he the archer back then? Shooting arrows all twang-twang?”
“Nah, he came with Gaien, you thick-skulled idiot. Don't you remember?”
A few whispers drew eyes our way.
Not all the attention was friendly.
Some leered stickily at Lena.
“What brings you to the Mercenary Guild?”
As eyes converged, a man who seemed in charge stepped up to greet us.
His bulk and rugged face marked him as no lightweight.
“I'm Theo. I just opened a workshop in Artisan Street.”
Simple intro, but he already knew me.
“Haha, I know. How could I not, with the lord's eyes all on you? I'm Jacob, handling odds and ends here at the guild.”
Jacob extended a meaty hand for a shake.
Calluses…… Veteran.
Just from the grip, I could tell.
This Jacob was a seasoned mercenary.
The others watched him closely, despite his “odds and ends” claim.
He was clearly the real power here.
“That's why I'm here.”
I offered him the purification ring.
His head tilted in confusion.
He clearly didn't get it.
“A ring? What's this about?”
“It's my new creation: the purification ring. I've heard undead are giving you headaches lately, right?”
“Undead are rampant, yeah. Holy water from the temple's in short supply…… And it turns to plain water after a while.”
“That's why I'm here to solve your problem! This ring deals extra damage to undead!”
Jacob's eyes widened at last.
Some mercenaries perked up at “ring” too.
They knew it'd be pricey, so they showed interest early.
“A magic ring?”
One eyed it suspiciously.
All gazes locked on the ring in my hand.
“Yes. The purification ring.”
I held it up.
A soft blue glow spread.
“Hmph, some cheap knockoff magic item……”
Someone sneered from the back.
Unprovoked negativity right after I pulled it out.
“Some no-name punk says it'll work on undead—we supposed to buy that? Think magic rings grow on trees?”
“Brat's got guts mouthing off. Go play house at home!”
The jeers snowballed.
But they cut off quick.
“Why not test it?”
Jacob stepped in to calm the noise.
Aware of the lord's interest in me, he was giving me some leeway.
“Want to try it?”
I handed him the ring; he stepped forward.
The moment he slipped it on, the blue glow intensified.
“Ho, this refreshing chill……”
Jacob's eyes bulged.
The effect had kicked in instantly.
Varies by wearer, but at minimum, it'd feel like a fresh post-shower cleanse.
“A ring this quality…… How much? If the price is right, I'll take it.”
Pros recognize pros.
This veteran mercenary saw the value in my purification ring.
“Thinking 25 silver.”
His eyes bulged again.
“What? 25 silver?”
“Crazy? Normal purification rings go for 50……”
The murmurs swelled.
Purification ring prices had risen in the meantime.
50 silver was average now.
Bound to climb higher with undead rampant.
But the follow-up wasn't welcome.
I'd underestimated this world's merchants.
“And it lasts for 10 uses?”
“50-silver ones are basically one-and-done—this is 10? Jackpot!”
“Not buying this'd be stupid! No wonder the lord's interested!”
“Mage sir, thank you! Truly! Couldn't take jobs lately 'cause of undead……”
I'd overestimated market purification rings.
Inexperience error.
Market ones were disposables.
Mine offered overwhelming value.
My gut twisted.
Cold sweat beaded.
Call it a joke?
Say minimum 1 gold?
No take-backs.
Too late.
I schooled my face.
Word was out; couldn't reel it back.
Oddly, even the jerks who'd trashed my ring earlier looked similarly stricken.
What're those guys? Why so obsessed with my ring?
Suspicious, but time to decide.
Better seize the opportunity.
Promotion time.
“Grand opening special. We'll stock more items soon—visit often. Plenty of good stuff!”
I sold the purification rings cheap while plugging the workshop.
Unbeatable advertising.
Mercenaries swarmed.
The 10 I'd brought sold out in seconds.
“Got more? Please……”
“When next? Can we buy at the workshop?”
“Our party's desperate……”
Begging mercenaries brought a smile to my lips.
“We'll supply regularly. Come to Theo's Workshop on Artisan Street.”
Cheers erupted.
“Bless the mage's mercy! Drinks on me! Using my ring savings!”
“Mine rumors weren't hype. Making stuff like this……”
“A 1st-class making this? Bull. At least 3rd-class.”
I caught Lena smiling faintly behind me.
Their praise lifted her mood too.
My wallet ached, but I wasn't amateur enough to show it.
Still.
“Mage Theo, watch your back.”
As we wrapped up to leave, Jacob sidled over and murmured.
“Me?”
I tilted my head; he nodded subtly at a few mercenaries.
The ones blindly bashing the ring from the start.
“New product's bad news for some folks. Like…… those gouging prices on old stock when undead pop up?”
Existing ring sellers.
I got it instantly.
But I chuckled.
“Tell 'em to come complain. Or gripe to the lord.”
A few tsksed, faces red.
“See how long it lasts!”
“Punk kid like a girl—what good junk you make……”
“Regret it when it breaks, tsk tsk.”
They grasped for flaws, trying to sway opinion.
I ignored them.
They'd see once they used it.
Mine was superior.