The soft candlelight flickered, casting eerie shadows on the stone walls adorned with intricate runes of immense power, sketched in a way that few could comprehend. In the heart of this room, the city's Runesmith was lost in contemplation as he drafted a fresh schematic for a prospective creation. His focus wavered on this particular evening, burdened by impending events, leaving him uncertain about hot to approach them.

As Roland carefully traced the final curve of a particularly complex rune, his hand wavered, and the runesmith's mug, half-filled with lukewarm tea, teetered dangerously on the edge of his cluttered workbench. With an unintentional nudge from his elbow, the mug toppled over, spilling its contents down onto the floor. With haste, he got up from his stool to look at the mess that he made, with a worried look on his face.

“Shit…”

Only one word escaped his lips as he examined the shards that had once composed his favorite tea mug. It was a gift from his fiancée, bearing his name on its side to this very day. It hadn't been expensive, but its sentimental value was immeasurable. Seeing it shattered on the ground, its contents seeping into the stone floor, all he could do was frown.

As he cast his gaze upon the floor, a heavy sigh escaped his lips. The cup was not the only one he possessed, but he held onto the hope that it would endure until his wedding day. Without dwelling on it further, he turned his attention to the side and utilized his mana. After a brief moment, a spider golem emerged from an opening in the wall. The little closet had a sliding door and from it the automaton emerged.

Unlike the models typically found in dungeons, this one possessed only four legs. Its metallic body was elongated, taking on a cylindrical shape. The golem swiftly discerned the issue, its golemic gaze fixing on the shattered pottery piece lying on the ground. It moved over the shattered cup and spilled tea, prompting a compartment in the center of its tubular body to slide open as it engaged its primary function, cleaning up after its creator.

A tube extended from that compartment, promptly suctioning up all the scattered fragments from the ground. Roland's workshop had seen its fair share of disasters, resulting in numerous mangled and destroyed items. To address this ongoing issue and save precious time on cleanup duty, he had devised a series of cleaning golems to do the work for him. This particular one resembled a modern-day vacuum cleaner.

Much like its contemporary counterpart, it adeptly removed dust and grime from the floor. Concealed within its body was a small spatial rune, enabling it to store up to a square meter of dirt. Additionally, it possessed practical cleaning and drying spells to streamline its task. Thus, after it had vacuumed up the shattered pieces and stored them within its spatial storage space, it activated a spell that cast a faint pale light onto the damp surface. In mere seconds, the area was spotless, devoid of any stains. The cleaning spell created a small layer of dried up dust which could quickly be vacuumed up again.

‘It would be nice if I could get these into some noble households. Maybe I should give some of the rich merchants some free samples or lower the pricing so they'll advertise it…’

As the golem retreated into the storage closet, Roland's mind shifted to the next phase of the city's development plan. They were still in the process of working on the energy issue that the city was facing. The task ahead involved the installation of additional wind generators, and ongoing efforts to tunnel through the dungeon to harness geothermal energy. However, thanks to the pocket of crystalized mana in the mine it was possible to proceed without the generators being assembled yet. This cleaning golem was only one of the contractions he proposed to make life around the city easier for everyone.

‘I should get back to work…’

Roland cast a quick glance back at the schematics he had been diligently working on. This project was an entirely novel endeavor, one closely tied to the well-being of the city's workforce and builders. Although golems could be customized to mimic nearly any form and be programmed accordingly, certain limitations persisted. The most substantial constraint lay in the necessity for a tailored operating system uniquely designed for each golem's specific body. Without this crucial element, the golem would remain incomplete, just like any malfunctioning machine. However, there was a way to get around this problem and he took some inspiration from some old movies to tackle it.

The schematic he was engrossed in depicted one of the earliest designs, a prototype of what had once been referred to as "exoskeletons." This specific model featured a robust, human-operated framework equipped with hydraulic limbs engineered to replicate human movement, including arms, legs, and hands. He had even added a sketch of a person within the frame to visualize its functionality and had plans to incorporate adjustable elements to accommodate individuals of varying heights.

One of the most striking features of this design was the incorporation of large clamps in place of fully functional hands, a more practical choice given the complexities involved in creating fully articulated hands. Roland's intention was for the operator of the exoskeleton to simply use their grip to lower the clamps onto objects. With the augmented strength provided by the exoskeleton's frame and its own weight, individuals utilizing these devices would be capable of effortlessly lifting heavy objects such as boulders or crates.

In this peculiar world, an unusual restriction prevailed: the majority of individuals were unable to attain battle classes. About one out of every five people had the privilege of acquiring such a class, creating significant challenges for those without them. Manual labor was demanding and demanded substantial physical strength. Unfortunately, without a battle class, attaining multipliers for advancing to tier two classes and beyond remained an unattainable goal. As a result, handling heavy equipment posed a significant challenge for regular individuals whose physical prowess was not much different from those in the world Roland originated from.

While the primary purpose of this imposing contraption was to address the labor-related challenges, it was far from being the sole motivation behind its creation. Roland harbored a different objective for this prototype. It was intended not only for construction work but also for testing and data collection. Roland planned to use the movement data gathered from this machine to develop something far more intriguing. Another sketch that was on the side depicted a smaller frame, a work in progress that had not yet reached the point of fabrication.

“Hey, boss.”

“Bernir? Did they already send them over?”

“Aye, those bastards work fast.”

Bernir had informed him that the parts he had sketched up had already arrived, neatly packed into a few boxes waiting outside the workshop. While sharing his knowledge with the Union had its drawbacks, the assistance they provided propelled his work to a whole new level. All that remained was to place an order with the primary Dwarven workshop, and within a few days, the components would be assembled. The craftsmanship of these artisans was truly exceptional, allowing Roland to concentrate solely on perfecting the runes and designs.

As Roland and Bernir approached the front gate, they found the boxes awaiting them. Observing the distance and the manner in which everything was transported, Roland contemplated the idea of establishing a separate underground storage facility and automating the entire process. The prospect of manually transporting everything, especially with the presence of numerous golems and other devices, was clearly an inefficient use of their time.

“It’s big brother Wayland!”

“Yay, have you come to play with us?”

“Yes, come and play!”

Outside the compound, a noticeable shift was occurring, with an increase in the number of children playing in the vicinity. Most of them seemed to be pestering Elodia, who was preoccupied with the shop. Roland and Elodia had chosen to relocate the younger children closer to the workshop, repurposing the old orphanage for those who were already working adults. It had essentially transformed into a dormitory or a place for Lobelia and Armand to spend their time while the youngest ones remained in closer proximity to their older sister.

“Big brother has to work now, instead why don’t you help me and Marcie with some chores?”

“But chores are boring…”

“No, not the chores! Quickly we must get away.”

“Hey, no running!”

He wasn’t sure if he should smile or cry as the kids bolted away from the shop and started running around the outer wall area. Elodia's voice, usually composed, suddenly boomed as she scolded the rowdy youngsters. When she eventually walked out from the shop and spotted Roland and Bernir handling the boxes, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Her demeanor had shifted away from the stern big sister act, and Roland found her sudden shyness rather endearing.

“Bis sis is blushing again!”

“Hey, you shouldn’t make fun of an adult.”

Before Roland and Bernir could engage in conversation, another child darted out of the shop, joining the playful chase after the others. The construction of the building intended to house these energetic youngsters was still in progress, so for the time being, they occupied the shop. Elodia's decision to introduce the small group of youngsters to this environment early on appeared to be a success, as they were thoroughly enjoying themselves, romping all over the place. Even Agni had joined in the fun, making the scene even more lively.

When Roland initially created this refuge for himself, his primary intention had been solitude and a tranquil existence. Yet, as he gazed upon the joyful faces of the children and the woman he loved, he began to realize that change wasn't necessarily a bad thing. With their presence, the atmosphere became more vibrant and filled with life. While these children were only here temporarily, it didn't mean that such times needed to end. There was more to this life than working for oneself and Roland was starting to realize that.

Soon both he and his assistant parted ways with the people on the surface and they returned to their underground lair for testing. Roland had gotten quite good at producing schematics for his products and designing them. Using a few new methods that he learned from the dwarven craftsmen he was able to streamline the process even more. After performing some magical welds the frame started taking shape.

“This armor looks strange.”

Commented Bernir as the upper part dangled in the air.

“It’s not an armor, it’s an Exoskeleton.”

“Exo…skeleton? I guess it does look like a skeleton made of metal.”

Bernir narrowed his eyes at the thin, bone-like outer layer of the creation. As Roland's assistant, he wasn't entirely sure about the purpose of this contraption, but he had the wisdom to understand that asking would likely be futile. Within just half a day, the entire construction was assembled, and the intricate runes were positioned over every component. At the rear, there was a sizable slot for a battery, and once it was inserted, the stage was set for a test to commence.

“Tier 3 runesmiths are something different, it only took a few hours to get this done. I remember the time that making a simple shield would take us days…”

While Bernir started reminiscing about the good old days he decided to perform a check of the runes. Everything seemd to be in working over so now came the time for a test run.

“... But boss, are you sure they got the dimensions right? Isn’t it a little too small?”

“Too small for me? I guess so, but I’m not the one who is going to use it, you are. Now get inside.”

Roland responded promptly while gesturing toward the assembled exoskeleton. He explained that this creation was intended for individuals with limited mana capacity and lacking battle classes. It would serve no purpose if he were the one to use it. In contrast, Bernir perfectly fit the profile of an average construction worker. While his blacksmithing class afforded him certain advantages, his strength wouldn't surpass that of an adventurer.

“What? You want me to test it?”

“Yes, I designed it with your height in mind, now get it we don’t have all day.”

Roland had more than one reason for choosing Bernir as the test subject. Bernir's height also played a pivotal role in his selection, as he stood at approximately one hundred and seventy centimeters, right in the middle when it came to the height of other races. With adjustable parts for the leg-rests he would be the perfect test pilot. The chest part of the exoskeleton featured what resembled a seat enclosed within a cage-like structure. A person could be securely strapped in using two belts that were connected together, forming an X-shaped arrangement for stability and support.

“This feels somewhat rough…”

“Yeah, we’ll have to add some padding for the people using it. For now you’ll have to deal with the cold metal and leather straps.”

Acknowledging the limitations of the current prototype, Roland understood that it lacked any features boosting comfort. If this design were to be implemented, a person would likely spend nearly an entire day inside the exoskeleton. It would require a proper seat or leg rests to ensure that prolonged use didn't impede blood flow. The last thing he needed was for the workers to complain about discomfort or their legs falling asleep during work hours.

“So… what do you want me to do boss?”

“Do you see that joystick over there?”

“Joy … stick?”

After a momentary pause, Roland shook his head around and pointed to the metal rod sticking out from the side of the exoskeleton’s forearm.

“That knob there, just grab it.”

“Okay…”

Even though he was stuck in this world for more than fifteen years, it didn’t mean that he forgot all about it. It was still hard to wrap his head around people not knowing some common terms from his old world. However, thanks to this fact it was easy to come up with names for his inventions without ever getting sued by anyone.

Finally, Bernir took hold of the control stick that allowed him to manipulate the upper limbs of the exoskeleton. The first time he gripped it and pushed forward, the entire vice arm shot forward with surprising speed. As the weight distribution shifted to the front, the entire contraption momentarily buckled forward. It appeared as though a mishap was imminent, but the runic machine had been programmed with balance in mind. It swiftly moved one of the legs forward to restore its equilibrium.

“Woah, it’s moving… this feels strange boss…”

“It’s fine, try to move it around and get a feel for it. Try feeling out any inconsistencies in the movements.”

“Aye.”

Inside this exoskeleton, the individual could manipulate only the arms, while the leg movements were automated and controlled via buttons on the control stick. Additionally, these side buttons allowed for forward, backward, and limited lateral movement when pressed while moving the stick around. Bernir's aptitude for learning was apparent as he swiftly grasped the controls and understood their functionality within a matter of minutes.

“This is fun, I feel like a real-life golem!”

In essence, this creation was a golem, a heavily modified one with a limited range of functions. Its primary purpose was to enable the operator to make decisions and perform tasks. Much like a construction crane or bulldozer, it was designed to be a versatile tool. The vice arms could potentially be adapted for various functions, such as using a jackhammer, making it accessible for non-magic users to work effectively. Unlike controlling spells, which required mana-related skills, learning to operate a magical tool like this could significantly expedite many of the city's essential processes.

“Good, that takes care of the first phase of tests, now go try moving those empty boxes from one side of the room to the other.”

“Leave it to me boss!”

Bernir's enthusiasm for the new creation was palpable as he enthusiastically tackled various manual tasks while Roland continued to gather data. While this initial prototype had been designed for city management and construction purposes, Roland's vision for future products extended to entirely different applications. The power this golem could generate was comparable to those that spawned in dungeons, and with a skilled operator, it could produce interesting results.

Roland envisioned the possibility of incorporating magical cannons onto the shoulders or attaching different legs capable of traversing treacherous terrain. Such innovations could provide individuals who had been dealt a difficult hand in life with a fighting chance. Even without a conventional battle class, it might be possible for them to confront high-level monsters and overcome formidable challenges. The potential of this technology seemed boundless…