Master of Myths

With Mustela as the guide they went through the spiked small fortress that separated the fourth and third floor without any problem, on the way he instructed the guards to remember the three of them and let them pass whenever they will, the notice that a new guard section was already spread along a drawing of them but he did it just in case

"That building is just there in case any riots happen, it was built by Gen and equipped with many items from Latvia's own crafts which are known to be top-notch tools"

The hunched over man explained pointing at the fortress that was now far behind them

His beady eyes didn't look at the fortress but stared at YuJu expecting him to ask on who these people were or how to get those tools, his expectations were not met though as YuJu didn't ask or even acknowledge his explanation, merely walking ahead silently

'Hmmm'

The man then started to explain various things along the way, every time he would sneak a look at YuJu's face to see if he was interested or not and analyse his character, much to his displeasure though he saw merely the same silent smile all the time

As for the other two? don't get him started, the redhead seemed like she couldn't even hear him while the hound was poking its nose around everywhere without much purpose, just smelling flowers and gazing at buildings along the way, he couldn't believe the dog was appointed as a guard especially when it sniffed one of the residences thinking it was a flower…

The four toured the third floor until they arrived at the medium-sized shop with a hammer and claw acting as a sign, an actual hammer and claw hanging from the wall

"This is Cezzaa's shop, you should be able to craft what you need here"

Mustela said leading them inside the cramped place, even though there was plenty of space inside it was all littered with weapons and armour, some on racks and some strewn on the floor randomly, one could hardly find any place to walk other than the open path leading to the counter

"It is a little messy but the owner's a professional believe me"

Walking to the counter while avoiding the pointy and sharp weapons he rang the bell on the desk to call for the blacksmith

They waited for the man to come but no one came to greet them even after a minute passed

Ring the bell again they did but the result was the same thus the hunched over man took the matter into his own hands and led the three of them toward the workshop at the back without asking for permission

Once they opened the door to the workshop they saw a burly ape banging at an anvil with his large hammer, what he was shaping was an even larger hammer

"Cezzaa I brought some guests for you"

Mustela said but the ape appeared to hear nothing

"Haah…"

With a sigh Mustela walked to the three-meter ape and nudged his leg lightly, the reaction he received was much more than what his nudge should get as the ape suddenly shouted and jumped away, his hammer swinging at the back in fright

Mustela didn't have to dodge at all for his hight couldn't even put him in the hammer's direction making him sigh again, this time in loss at his own stature

The ape looked taken aback seeing the familiar hunched back person, but he soon gave a toothy smile

"If it ain't old Muss, what brings your witty ass to my humble shop"

"This time I am here for business"

"What do you mean none of my business? You're literally in my shop"

"I said I am here for Business!!"

Mustela yelled, his neck wobbling with his words

"Oh! Why didn't you say so from the beginning, what business do you have with me"

"Let me introduce you, this is YuJu, the black guard's leader, he is here to request a few items hand made"

Mustela introduced, already expecting the many questions that he was going to be stormed with, who the black guards were and how come he never heard of them, was this persona a vampire and how would a vampire be accepted as a guard, even why there was a dog sniffing at the many ingots laying around

"What did you say? I can't hear you, raise your voice will you"

"....."

Once again seeing his expectation being thrown out the window Mustela took a second of silence for his sanity before yelling again

"This Sir is here to request items!!"

"Oh, what items do you need"

The ape asked YuJu who wasn't bothered by their unfruitful loud conversation

"I want you to make me four undead crystal shackles"

His voice was calm and rather quiet promoting Mustela to turn to the ape in order to convey the words

"He said-" "Blimey, why would you need undead shackles? Crystal none the least"

"That is my own business, you just need to make them"

"Sorry to burst your bubble my friend but there aren't any materials to make those crystal shackles in the entirety of Hortus, you'd find better luck spotting an undead in this life strewn land than spotting the material to make these shackles"

Seeing the two interact without the need to shout Mustela found himself confused and aggravated, why must you make me shout but can hear his mosquito voice? And he's right what do you need undead shackles for in the Rainbow Terrace!?

"You don't need to worry about the materials, I almost have all of them ready, you just need to worry about making them"

YuJu said fetching a small milky crystal from his storage, his movement appeared to be like he took it out of his sleeve though

Seeing the crystal brought the ape's eyes to shine and he looked like he was about to drool

"You got it man! I will make you your shackles no worries!"

The ape enthusiastically promised, his hands extending to grab the crystal

"Hold it Cezzaa"

"Old Muss what do you want!"

Cezzaa said with a forceful tone and hard eyes, knowing full well what the weasel of a man was about to say

"Can you make those shackles?"

"Of course, I know the technique"

"Yes, but can you make them?"

"Definitely"

"What are the chances?"

"How is that important? I'm telling you I can make them"

The ape stubbornly said and tried to reach for the crystal again but Mustela griped the large buff arm with his small boney hand, freezing it in place

"What are the chances of success"

He repeated with a forceful tone of his own, this reminded the ape that the man before him was a scout/combatant, unlike his non-combatant self

"Umm, its, it's one out of...ten...no! Two out of ten! I guarantee two out of ten!"

The ape yelled in a gesture of confidence but the beady eyes of Mustela already looked like they had given up

"Haah, how much of the materials do you have Sir YuJu?"

"Enough to make six"

"Haah"

As he thought, it wasn't enough, this made him feel a little loss since he was very curious to what the shackles were for, to him this man was a vampire since the higher-ups didn't go out of their way to expose his real identity, not that the knew what it was, and it made sense for a vampire to own such materials, it's just that he didn't know if he was using it for undead or...other vampires

'Could there be more vampires coming? Could it be that the one is the first of many, maybe an invasion is about to happen, perhaps it is from the new world that opened up? Hmm, and do the generals know? I should inform general Verbrand of this matter'

The man reached his own conclusion, one that was a mix between truth and falsehood, either way it was scary how quick he was to come up with such ideas on the spot

"Sir, I think you should save up on those materials, perhaps let Cezzaa practice with similar items for a while, at least he should be able to make one of six by that time"

"Yah! Ld Muss is right, and il do it for free too!"

"Not a chance, I need all four"

Putting the crystal back in the triage through his sleeve he gave them a smile and turned to leave

"Come on lad, you ain't gonna find a better blacksmith than me in all of Hortus"

"He is right Sir, no one is better when it comes to ores than Cezzaa under the commander"

"Hmm? Is it in all of Hortus, or merely under Aminta?"

The ape suddenly flinched back while Mustela took a step back at his words, not because they were surprised that he caught on so quick, and they were, but because he said her name instead of calling her commander

"S-s-Sir please do not call the c-commander by her name"

"The hell is wrong with you dude, the generals would tear us if they heard you before she could even snap at us"

"Oh don't worry about that, tell me more about the other blacksmiths"

YuJu comforted seemingly uncaring for their concerns

"Uhh, Sir, the better blacksmiths are three of the Genus Insania, they took over the sixth to eighth floor two centuries ago, the commander at the time was fighting those pesky bugs when the madmen wedged themselves between the two sides taking with them a floor from us and the bugs and the one that was a battlefield for the two"

"Two of the blacksmiths! Me and that wiggly branch are almost on par with each other"

"Almost"

"Wuha!"

The ape made a, well, ape sound hearing the retort from Mustela and he looked like he was going to swing his hammer, and he would have if not for fear he would be bashed with it instead

"Guide me to them"

"Huh" "Hu?"

The two stopped their short-lived argument and looked at the determined face, one that foretold of misfortune

'Ahh what did general Verbrand get me into'

Mustela never felt his back heavier than before, to get this man, a vampire, through the Genus Insania's floors…..a burden would be a large understatement

The ape, on the other hand, couldn't look happier, karma, he thought happily