Roddick says "Are you serious? I thought they were just a myth!"

Instead of answering I reach into my pouch, take out an artifact, and hand it to him. He looks it over and even casts a few spells on it, the more he tests it the more excited he gets. Then he touches a stone on his desk and Belliza's face appears.

Belliza says "I barely started, it is too soon for results!"

Roddick says "Forget that for a minute. I need you to check with the treasury. I need to know exactly how much I can spend right now without breaking the guild."

Belliza says "Why do you want to know that?"

Roddick says "Ash has some ancient artifacts to sell us! My spell tells me they are over ten thousand years old!!"

Belliza says "Understood! Give me five minutes!"

"She sounds excited?"

Roddick says "As mages we always thirst for knowledge. Belliza is even worse than a normal mage. Something this old is her passion, she would do just about anything to get her hands on it."

"Is that why you mentioned the age of the artifacts?"

Roddick says "Yes, normally she wouldn't let me empty the treasury for anything. She would fight me to keep me from spending a single gold."

"Do you really need to worry about emptying the treasury?"

Roddick says "You have no idea how valuable these are do you? They are literally priceless."

"Just because they are old?"

Roddick says "No, it is mainly because they have lasted so long. That indicates they are very well crafted and enchanted. Not to mention they are enchanted in a way we have never seen before."

"Well, not to get you too excited, but the knowledge of the magic used is being added to the tower's library."

Roddick says "Just how did you manage that?!"

"That story I will tell over dinner, so I don't have to keep repeating it."

Roddick says "Okay, fair enough."

Belliza says "Sir, we have a little over five million available right now."

Roddick says "Alright, transfer all of it to Ash's account."

Belliza says "Right away!"

"Wait, five million gold?!"

Roddick says "Don't worry, that's only a down payment."

"Down payment? I only needed some funds for some plans."

Roddick says "Then you should have brought less valuable artifacts!"

"How could I? I have no idea how to tell their value!"

Roddick says "Yeah, that would make it difficult. In that case maybe you should think up more expensive plans, because you aren't getting these back!"

"Ha ha, alright! I guess I can expand my plans and put a few more in place sooner rather than later."

Roddick says "Good! Because, if I don't keep these after giving Belliza a teaser like that she will rip my head off!"

"Don't expect any help from me! I have enough female problems of my own!"

Belliza says "Transfer is complete! What's with the looks? What were you two just talking about?"

"Ahem, nothing much. Okay, I'll be going now. Don't forget to inform the others about dinner."

Belliza says "Don't worry, I'll take care of it!"

"Thank you, see you tonight!"

With them informing the others I can talk about things with them tonight. For now, with the backpack now empty, I can go pick up my forge without worrying about space. I will probably set it up in the tower and leave it there, with Yui's permission.

After all, there is no real point to carrying it around with me anymore. Besides, it will be a lot easier to craft things in the magic rich environment within the tower. Now that Illium and the tower are going to be connected, I can basically use both as a base.

Once I am outside I check the time and realize it should be just about time for lunch. So I head back towards the inn, I will have lunch with the girls and then go see Pol. On the way to the inn I stop by the blacksmith shop and put the forge into my pouch before I forget.

"Hey, while I'm here, are either of you familiar with compound bows?"

Hyung says "No, sorry."

Harold says "Yeah, I did some hunting."

"Do you think you could make one?"

Harold says "It might take some trial and error, but yeah I think I can."

"Awesome, see if you can for me."

Harold says "Sure thing, boss."

If Harold can figure it out I will have him make a hundred bows for the bunny girls Myria recruited. Not only do I plan to get them the best training, but the best equipment as well. I haven't told Myria any of this yet, she still thinks it is just a random idea of mine.

When I walk into the common room I don't see Sarah anywhere, which is a little weird since the place is packed. As I make my way to the stairs I have to dodge several serving girls who are running back and forth. It seems Sarah has hired enough people that she doesn't have to run the place herself.

When I get upstairs I find the table is already laid out with food and the girls have already started eating. As I take my seat and start filling a plate with food I notice Isabella looks fairly worn out. No one says anything though, looks like they are still giving me the silent treatment.

"Isabella, are you okay? You look exhausted."

Isabella says "I'm fine. I just got done pouring all my mana into the teleporter."

"Oh, alright. Just don't push yourself too hard, it is okay if it takes a couple of days."

Isabella says "You may not be in a rush but we are. We want to see the tower and meet Asuna!"

Myria says "And Yui and Nived. They will be able to tell us what you left out of your story!"

"Who says I left anything out?"

Myria says "We know you."

Knowing I've already lost, I drop the subject and start eating my lunch. Ruby didn't say a word but was watching me the entire time, it is a little creepy. She is probably doing it because she knows it will bother me and she wants to punish me.

The fact that she is still mad probably means she has realized her punch and slaps didn't hurt me at all. Since physical punishment didn't work she will come up with other ways to make me suffer. I have no idea what to do other than to just wait her out.

Sarah yells "Ash! What did you do?!"

"Huh? Nothing! What are you talking about?"

Sarah yells "If you did nothing, where did this five million gold come from?!"

Isabella says "Five million gold? Ash, who did you rob?"

Myria says "You didn't go and kill a noble did you?"

"No! I didn't do any of that!"

Sarah says "You have to have done something! Five million gold doesn't just appear!"

Isabella says "Maybe the church gave it to him?"

Myria says "Even the church would have trouble collecting that kind of money!"

"Listen! I didn't do anything! I just sold a few things to the mage's guild!"