Chapter 152: Inspection and the Second Mine
The dawn light filtered through the large wooden windows of the central hall, illuminating the bed of furs where Helga rested curled up, exhausted after the intense night. Kellar got up quietly, dressing in his traveling clothes and his coat while Elia and Liora organized the scrolls to start the school day at the west warehouse.
Helga sat up, wearing her dress once again and regaining her stance as mayoress, though a slight blush was still noticeable on her cheeks whenever her eyes met Kellar’s.
"We’ll go to the main mining sector," Helga said, adjusting her belt as they stepped out into the crisp morning air. "The miners have made good progress, but I want you to see the output for yourself."
Kellar walked alongside her toward the northern slope of the rocky peak. Carts loaded with dark rock and shimmering veins rolled over tracks made of timber reinforced with iron. The clatter of pickaxes and chisels echoed inside the main tunnel, where dozens of tribe workers labored in rotating shifts.
"What happened to Krag?" Kellar asked gazing into the depths of the tunnel. "And the new one who we bring here yesterday?"
"The traitor Krag is at the very bottom of the mine," Helga replied in a cold, unhesitating tone. "And we sent the new guy to the exact same place. Both are chipping away at the deepest sector to work until they die for their crimes against the tribe."
Kellar nodded with approval at the decision. At that moment, the supervisor Vael approached and bowed with respect.
"Great Shaman! Mayoress," Vael greeted them, presenting a stack of iron ingots freshly smelted in the secondary foundry. "Iron ore production has stabilized at forty tons per week. Furthermore, the reinforced wooden props you taught us to build are incredible, we haven’t had a single cave-in since the mine opened. With the new transport route open, we can double extraction without fear of accumulating material in the warehouses."
Kellar picked up one of the ingots, feeling its weight and purity. However, instead of stopping there, he extended his shamanic perception toward the deeper layers of the rock wall at the end of the shaft. A strong fluctuation of mineral mana vibrated through his senses.
Without wasting time, Kellar walked up to a seemingly solid wall and placed his hand against the icy stone, activating his terrain assessment skill. Instantly, a glowing notification materialized before his eyes:
[High-Quality Saltpeter and Sulfur Deposit: Large-scale underground deposit. Excellent quality for mass production of military-grade gunpowder.]
A cold smile formed on Kellar’s face as he turned to Helga and Vael.
"Iron isn’t the only valuable resource in this mountain," Kellar said, knocking his knuckles against the stone wall. "Vael, break down this wall. Behind it lies a high-purity saltpeter and sulfur mine. Starting today, the tribe’s gunpowder production will no longer rely on surface gathering."
Helga’s eyes widened in amazement before she looked at Vael with determination.
"I’ll assign two additional crews to excavate this sector immediately," Helga declared. "By next week, we’ll have the first shipments of gunpowder ready to be sent to the main village."
After concluding the inspection in the depths of the mine, Kellar and Helga returned to the surface and walked toward the west warehouse. The bustle coming from inside indicated that the educational session was already well underway.
Upon stepping through the door, Kellar saw the place completely transformed. Carpentry crews had worked early in the morning to set up rows of benches and tables made of freshly cut timber. Around three dozen residents—among them young artisans, off-duty miners, and several children—listened with focused attention.
At the front of the room, Elia wrote on a large polished wooden slate, teaching basic consonants and numerical structures for inventory logging, while Liora walked between the rows correcting the students’ posture and handwriting on their slates.
"Remember," Liora’s clear voice echoed through the hall. "Knowing how to count isn’t just for trade, it is the tool that allows us to measure our production, distribute grain fairly, and guarantee no household goes hungry. Every logged number is strength for the tribe."
Helga stopped beside Kellar, watching the scene in silence before speaking in a low tone.
"Under the old regime, knowledge was kept for a select few," Helga whispered with admiration. "Seeing the workers learn to read and calculate after a shift in the mines... changes the energy of this place."
"An educated people builds empires, not just fortresses," Kellar replied, stepping forward to catch the class’s attention.
Noticing the shaman’s presence, the students stood up abruptly to bow, but Kellar raised a calm hand.
"Carry on with your learning," Kellar declared, looking at everyone present. "What you learn in this room will be as vital to the future of the Overlord Tribe as the iron from the mines or the gunpowder from the workshops."
Elia and Liora offered him a subtle smile from the front platform before continuing with the lesson. With the administration aligned, the mines expanding, and education underway, Kellar knew it was time to mount Ignis and return to the Red Forest pass to supervise the outpost setup.
Kellar stepped closer to Helga before heading out the warehouse door.
"I’m leaving five soldiers to keep the perimeter. Call me paranoid, but since this morning I’ve had a strange gut feeling. Look after Elia and Liora, they are my little toys and I don’t want anyone laying a finger on them."
Helga crossed her arms and looked at him intently, raising a brow.
"Understood. But don’t I deserve attention more often?" Helga countered, stepping closer. "Do you think I didn’t notice that both of them are pregnant? I want to have a child too. That useless Krag never managed to fill me up, so I expect you to bless me with your seed."
Kellar let out a cold smirk and gripped her chin firmly.
"Now we are much closer. I will come by often to water my garden until you give birth to a baby as healthy and beautiful as you."