Lord Of Puppets

Warmur kingdom and Miorio kingdom.

Two kingdoms that are most hostile towards the Garmfon empire.

The reason why they want it gone? Simple.

They don't want a power house like empire to be anywhere near them.

And they also want to conquer the empire.

These two nations can be called one thing.

Greedy.

However, both of these kingdoms, just as any nation out there have problems of their own.

Warmur kingdom problem is corruption.

The noble faction took over the entire kingdom, straight up enslaving the royal faction.

They used any and all dirty tactics they could use to take control over their nation… But that was somewhat 'stupid' per say.

The entire nation is filled to the brim with corruption, causing it to straight up rot from inside out.

The Justice Of Warmur, upon seeing the true horror of this corruption ended up take up the arms, since he knew that at the rate things are going, Warmur kingdom will straight up self-destruct.

As for the Miorio kingdom?

Their trouble is as fallow.

The succession war.

Currently, there are several candidates to inherit the throne.

6 to be exact.

The current king, he isn't exactly as greedy as his people or as his children… But he does sees the empire as danger, which is why he wants it exterminated.

He wants empire out of picture more out of fear than greed.

However, there is a problem.

He is old and his health isn't great right now.

At the rate things are going, he will not longer be able to do his duty as the king, forcing him to resign.

Successor need to be named… But who?

That is the problem.

Each of his children have their own factions, straight up splitting the nation into 6 pieces.

And unfortunately, each of the children as well as factions are not only hostile to each other, but they are also dead set on obtaining the throne.

This situation unfortunately puts the current king into somewhat extremely problematic position.

If the king were to name one of his children to be a successor, there is a good chance that another child may up not taking the new very well, straight up denouncing the named successor and straight up just declaring a civil war.

This is what the king fears.

But as long as he is in power, none of his children nor the faction they represent can do anything at all.

HE is in power.

But dissolving the faction forceful could be problematic… Or if anything, they could just straight up be remade afterwords.

He cannot do anything.

…But what he can do is aim to destroy the empire.

All in order to make sure that his own kingdom survives.

However, there came new problem.

Both Warmur kingdom and Miorio kingdom were subjected to the number of sabotages, resulting in the unrest amongst the citizens, which in turn caused many people to have somewhat hostile view at the rulers and those of the high class.

This was obviously result of Ariava's sabotages, resulting in neither kingdoms being able to properly declare war.

But now, the sabotages had stopped, while at the same time a rising rebellion is happening in the Warmur kingdom.

Before the two kingdoms had main suspect behind the sabotages, which was the empire.

But now?

Neither of them were sure.

Especially the Miorio kingdom.

It didn't knew if the sabotages that it was dealing truly came from the empire, or maybe could had came from the Warmur kingdom, meaning that they didn't knew who was attacking them.

Not only that, they didn't knew who was behind the rebellion inside of Warmur kingdom, which made things far more problematic for them as they didn't knew if they can move or not.

However, this dilemma was what Ariava planned.

Her main goal was to sabotage and take over Warmur kingdom from within, but she also made sure that some "information" would reach Miorio kingdom, resulting in the panic and confusion by making them find out about rebellion.

This obviously somewhat kept Miorio kingdom in check…. However-

She doesn't control Miorio kingdom, nor she have any large influence over it, since she is stuck in Warmur kingdom.

In other words, there is no telling what Miorio will really do.

…But still.

Her strategy is working.

The empire was still too young and even to this day there was still aftereffects of them forming the empire so suddenly.

They needed time to properly stabilize their nation.

If the empire were to shatter, then the entire right side of the continent may end up in total chaos.

However, Ariava isn't only giving the empire the time, but also the golem dungeon, which is still currently developing.

[Current location: Mevon Territory]

[Golem Dungeon – Private workshop.]

"Hm… Nope. That ain't working." – said the vampire who was working while wearing nothing else than her underwear as well as pair of glasses as she was checking a humanoid like doll arm.

"The joints are moving, but they are not properly locking in. If they were hit, they would end up letting go instantly. Especially if you want to have that impact weapon in here, the recoil could damage the joint, possible even breaking it."

[Porai Kuris – Pure Blooded Vampire – Works for the Garmfon empire but in reality, works with both Thauma and Ariava behind the empire backs.]

{"It is really not good?"} – written the puppet like creature with several legs and arms as it used a notebook and pen to ask its question.

[Thauma Byrawa – Dungeon master of the golem dungeon – Adopted child of Ariava Byrawa.]

"Nope. I see what you did here, you tried to increase the flexibility and what not, but you focused on flexibility in this spot here way too much, to the point it is easy to break this part." – said the vampire as she was pointing out at the mistakes of the golem creature while also checking the blueprint made by Thauma, writing down some notes.

"Here, you should apply these kind of changes." – said the vampire as the golem checked the blueprints.

"Honestly, it only need minor changes, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem."

"…Still, I've got to give it to you." – said the vampire as she looked around and noticed large number of golem parts and several weapons that were sitting on the shelfs.

"Despise me being gone for over 3 months, it seems you had somewhat improved." – said Porai as she picked a blade made out of black metal known as black iron and inspected it, both with her eyes as well as using skill [Appraisal – Object].

"As for the arm? You would probably discover the problem with the impact arm all on your own and fixe yourself after few tests, so honestly speaking, I was not needed here at all."

{"Should I replaced the whole thing with black iron? Like just a joint?"}

"Hm… You know what? It is good idea. Just changing the joint with black iron shouldn't have any real impact on its power." – said Porai as Thauma began working instantly while looking through the create filled with parts.

(After that whole freaking incident with attack on the dungeon, I was called back to my workshop in order to somewhat start developing new security system as well as few other stuff that these guys had requested.) – thought Porai as she was inspected the humanoid golem limbs while Thauma was applying the changes to the humanoid golem arm it was working on.

(I've somewhat finished making few things that can help out… But the job is nowhere near finished.)

(Still, what the fuck are these guys thinking?)

(Just improving equipment alone won't do it.)

(I mean, didn't they fucking murdered the vampire agents working for that guy? For crying out loud.)

{"While this do?"} – written the golem as it shown the new arm that the duo started inspecting.

"Yeb. This will do." – replied Porai.

"It only needed that kind of simple change. But it also seems your idea of using black iron to improve the joints was noticeable better than I've thought. The weight increase will be there once you finish a proper model, but it shouldn't be really much if you are only using it for this area."

(Honestly speaking, that guy was doing a nice progress while I was gone.) – thought Porai as the humanoid arm suddenly transformed, opening up the hole in the palm that stretched throughout whole forearm.

(Even thought I was gone for 3 months, he was still learning and improving.)

(He doesn't really need me to babysit him through everything… If anything, the speed of him learning stuff is starting to speed up… I guess all the experience and knowledge he had accumulated is helping him by a lot.)

(Still… The problem is strength.)

(Even though he can improve somewhat without my help…. No. Even if he did received my help during the past 3 months I was gone, he is still not ready for the B-rank adventurer.)

"…Welp, this confirms it." – said Porai as she handed back the arm with hollow hole to the golem.

"You can manage without me if you are able to make that kind of progress."

"Which is nice."

"Anyway, I will be going back to my workshop in the next week."

{"For how long?"}

"Well… I mean, I was staying at your place for several months before and what not, meaning my presence in the workshop was long gone."

"Not only that, after the whole incident revolving these guys that attacked your territory as well as wyverns… Let's just say things are not looking good."

"Unrest and what not."

"It seems that Ariava managed to prevent Warmur kingdom from going to the war… But obviously, there are still aftereffects caused by the whole incident."

"The rumors about the wyverns being a terrorist attack caused by the Warmur kingdom had spread around, causing fear amongst the commoners and nobles."

"This unrest forces the empire to become stronger."

"However, increasing the military size too much could end up apparently instead make people more scared, making them believe that the war is coming."

"But, they also need to increase in order to prepare for the possible war."

"Since they don't want panic and unrest to spike up, they are going with approach where instead of trying to recruit large number of soldiers, they instead want to increase golem production, while also trying to manufacture higher grade equipped."

"So, they want to know if you can maybe produce them black iron, which they can use in their own production."

"Simple put, can you produce some material golems for the empire?"

<<Material golem.>>

<<These golems… Well, they suck.>>

<<At best they can move.>>

<<But they are not made for combat or anything like that.>>

<<Simple put, they only exist to fully born, before then took apart.>>

<<Why?>>

<<Simple put, to obtain materials.>>

<<The dungeon can produce objects beside dungeon monsters.>>

<<Materials are produced pretty quickly and I don't have really a limit on HOW much I can make. It can take noticeable amount of time to produce a large quantities of something.>>

<<However, this process is costly.>>

<<I can obtain pretty much instantly the stuff that I need… But the cost is still pretty much annoying, to say the least.>>

<<I need materials to do stuff, and just bringing destroyed golems remains and salvaging them takes time and what not.>>

<<And sometimes I need rough material itself.>>

<<Like untouched stuff.>>

<<Ingots, gems and what not.>>

<<…But then I thought of something… And found the loophole.>>

<<Simple put, I will make pathetic kind of golem, like it can only do basic functions like moving.>>

<<And its body? It will be just blocks of materials.>>

<<A block of rough materials.>>

<<For example, a massive metallic ingot.>>

<<Or just create something like a stone golem that has countless different gems sticking out from it.>>

<<Results?>>

<<I can obtain large amount of materials at the cheap cost, while at the same gaining some DP as well.>>

<<The only downside to this method is time.>>

<<It takes time to manifest monsters and the rarer materials I use, the longer it takes for the golem to manifest.>>

<<But still, this is worth it.>>

"I want you to create several material golems." – said Porai as she took out the notebook and pen of her own.

"Possible 15 black iron types…."

"Can you do it?"

{"I can. But it will take time."}

"Well, as long as they are made, then everything is good… But what about 20 or 30? Can you make that number? There may be a chance that they can request for possible more? It would be good if you had them prepared."

"And even if you don't do it, you will just use these golems yourself."

"By the way, could also create these kind of golems?" – said Porai as she shown the notebook to Thauma.

"…"

(I can probably manage-)

"?"

{"Gold?"}

"Hm? Ah yes. Gold."

"Gold is extremely important to make the currency and what not."

"And since the empire is extremely large, it needs a lot of money."

"Simple put, you will give them rough materials to make new currency and what not."

"…"

{"Well, there is really no problem with producing them, but please be specific about amount, since I don't really use gold in large amounts."]

"Ah, no. Don't produce it yet. If anything, keep quiet about it."

"The fact that you can produce gold is good and everything."

"But the problem is that you can produce it."

"Honestly speaking, the whole production of materials deals is extremely risky and it needs to be managed properly."

"Worst case scenario, we could end up with nonstop bandit attacks and what not."

"Not only that, but it could result in another attempt at your life."

"The enemy found out that you produce golems and sell them to the empire."

"But what about materials? What about maybe equipment all together?"

"Honestly speaking, after what happened last time, the empire wants to have way more secured trading deals."

"This would benefit you and the empire."

"…"

{"I understand."}

"Good."

"As for the payment, the materials for the construction of the city will be provided."

"Unless you have a specific request."

{"Actually, I do."}

{"Is it possible for you to bring me several monsters? A living ones."}

"???"

"Monsters?"