Steel and Mana

Chapter 56 – Experimenting With CC (2)

When Sasha managed to finish the first formation, I made her place the charged CC into place while Merlin engraved the smaller one on its outside, leaving small sockets for the four control pieces. After everything was ready, it was time for the live testing.

"Now, when I place the first one in, the formation inside should activate... fingers crossed!"

With a last chuckle, I pushed it into the first slot, and the moment it was in, it flashed with a soft light. The inside of the workshop was quickly lit up by the color of orange flames and the sound of applause by everyone present.

"You did it!" Sasha laughed, hugging me, followed by Yuri and even Merlin, who joined them in performing it just to not be left out. I even felt my butt be pinched, and I was sure who did it. "No, WE did it!" I continued, ignoring the hand kneading my bum, "I alone would not have been capable of achieving it!"

"How long will it last?" Merlin asked after letting me go, and he curiously watched the fire, burning without any visible fuel, "And this one... doesn't need to be fed anything?"

"No, this one does not. That is why CC is so important!" I nodded, answering him, "As how long... hm, I have no concrete ideas, but by the numbers, the ones producing the flames should be good for at least half a year. Depending on how it is used. The control CCs will probably need to be recharged monthly." I shrugged, knowing that it was the best I could do with the ones I had now. We watched the flames increase in intensity when the second one was slotted in, and when all four were in place, only Sasha could stand close to it, enduring the heat without issues, while the rest of us had to back away.

"I think four is too much!" She noted it with a smile, picking it out, reducing the strength of the fire so we could breathe again.

"Yeah, I don't have any measuring tools, but I am pretty sure that could melt anything we are currently able to make. Keeping it on would most likely damage the forge itself!" I nodded, still feeling like my face was under an infrared lamp. "Let's turn it off and call up the blacksmiths! It is time we get them to work and let them occupy their future workshop."

It took me only a brief period to introduce them to how to work the formation, what to look out for, and demonstrate the quirks of this new type of forge. The tools that I previously tested, engraved with formation to make them able to lift any kind of weight, will also be reworked, getting their own slots so their abilities would be activated when needed. But... that had to wait for now.

"I have a task for all six of you!" I exclaimed after finishing the introductions to the forge, presenting all of them with the same blueprint for a bracelet. "I want you to make your own version of this artifact."

"Artifact?" They whispered because everyone knew it meant it would be something a mage would use, turning their excitement up a notch.

"Yes, so its dimensions are important, but I leave the rest up to you, including what it's made of. The creator of the one I like the most will earn the title of being my Forgemaster. I will tell you now that I am looking to establish different departments under me, and yours would be called the Forge Guild, reporting to the Minister of Mining. You would get your tasks from the ministry, but you could also take private orders from the people. Still, orders from the ministry will always take precedence over private requests."

"My Lord!" Merlin interjected with a raised hand, but I wasn't angry, giving him a nod to continue. "If forging is going under the Minister of Mining, I should rename the official title. Should it be... hm... Minister of Industry?"

"I approve your idea." I answered him calmly, but I was impressed. Very much so. Honestly, I just can't put my finger on why, but Merlin felt like he was not right... haaah, at least he is on my side.

"Thank you, My Lord!"

"Now, all six of you will be part of the council within the Forge Guild. You will operate and govern it as you see fit. This stays in place until it doesn't affect your productivity. If it does, I will step in and reform the system, so don't go overboard." I warned them ahead of time before continuing. "You will have to raise future blacksmiths and employ your own assistants. All of you will get your own forge in time and be free to expand as you like, but this one will belong to the Forgemaster and will be the first to be upgraded by any new invention."

"Thank you, Lord!" They all answered, beyond excited, and I could see the fire in their eyes to become the first to hold that title.

"Don't thank me yet!" I grinned, looking over them, "The Forgemaster will be the guild's voice. Through him will I manifest my will. If something goes wrong, he will be the one responsible. Also, it is not a title for life. The position is always reserved for the most talented blacksmith, so if somebody better appears, he can challenge the current master, and I will preside over the competition. Every Forgemaster can only be challenged once every four years to avoid it becoming a constant battle within the guild. I will enact more rules if necessary, but I hope you will work together and not against each other. I want healthy competition, but if it interferes with productivity and is detrimental to the city, I will step in and reform it. Still, I will give you as much freedom as possible initially. Betray my trust, and I will take it away; it is that simple."

I really hoped that my warning was something they would remember and also take heed of. They would have to pass it down to the future generations that they will nurture. After finishing what I wanted, I left them to their work, giving them ample time to finish six cuffs from which one would snap onto Mikan's hand.

...
....
.....

"Hmmm... your body is super nice. I could play with you for days... Mhhhhmm..."

"Please stop it, Miss Yuribisaida!"

"Just call me Yuri, Mikki! Come on, we could have some fun. Aren't you bored?"

"My name is not Mikki... It is Mikan, and I am fine, thank you for your worry. I am still allowed to move around the palace... I do take strolls in the garden."

"Yeah, because I am tasked to keep an eye on you by my hubby; otherwise, you would be stuck in here!"

"I thought that Viscount Leon has Lady Sasha as his wife."

"And now that little bitch of a maid too... tsk, she climbed into his bed before me... what a cheat! Taking advantage of him while I was away..."

"It is not nice to speak about someone like this, especially behind their backs."

"Don't worry, I tell it to her too, she likes being called a bitch, I know those eyes! I see them constantly when I look in the mirror. Anyway, that is that this is this! He already kissed me, so it is as good as sealed; I will be his doggie soon enough! Heh, I know they are trying to get an heir, and neither of them has gotten pregnant yet. Soon, it will be my turn, bwahahaha!"

"..."

Mikan just didn't know what to do with Yuri and her mouth besides looking at the ground and feeling her face turn bright red.

"Stop talking. You are making her confused beyond reason and constantly disturbing me." Elyzien's voice arrived suddenly as she manifested herself, looking greatly annoyed and frustrated.

"Oh, so you are the second Mikki, huh? I was told you are in there, but I have only smelled you so far. I have to tell you, your scent is great! Now, if I molest the original Mikki, does that count as a threesome? Would you feel it?"

"Please, no!" Mikan cried out, making Elyzien's figure flicker, her eyes twitching.

"I said, stop it."

"Stop what?" Yuri asked with a shrug, lazing on the sofa opposite the two. "This is how I am, and I am fucking bored nannying you two. While I am stuck here, my hubby is fooling around with his two birdies... unfair!"

"I can help you get him." Elyzien declared, surprising Mikan, turning back and forth between them, seeing Yuri's eyebrow being raised questioningly. "He probably avoids you because of your looks. I can heal you, get you back what you have lost. All those injuries would be gone, and you would be whole again. You only need to make him see that I am not against him and start listening to what I say. That way, he can gain the power he wants and triumph over the Empire!"

"..."

"This whole thing is nonsense and childish..." She continued, taking Yuri's silence as a tacit agreement, "When you are beautiful again and not this mangled mess, he will bed you at once."

"Are you serious?" Yuri asked, her voice remaining even and calm, hiding her true thoughts, making it hard for Elyzien to read.

"Why would I lie? I am one of the most powerful healers ever appearing on this continent. I brought back your prince from death! Isn't that enough of an evidence of what I am capable of?"

"Yeah, I heard that." With a glance, she saw how Mikan, once again, lowered her head when it came to the topic, making Yuri shrug again. When the door opened, she was about to speak, and two guards came in to switch with her.

"The Lord is asking for you." They said in unison, bowing towards Yuri, who, with a grin, hopped up from the sofa.

"I will think about it, Mikki 2! See ya gals later!"

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"How's the new mission?" I asked, sipping tea served by Luna while I looked at Yuri from behind my table in my study. It was a beautiful sunset as spring was coming nearer and nearer, the snow finally beginning to melt.

"Boring as fuck! No, fucking is not boring, so it is boring as watching others fuck while you are tied up."

"You never change, huh?" I chuckled, seeing in my peripheral how Luna bit her lips. "I want your honest opinions, Yuri. I sent you there to monitor the two because even though you play the idiot, you are smarter than you let it show. Especially when it comes to reading people."

"If you praise me this much, I will get wet!"

"Feel free to do so. So? What do you have for me?"

"The big Mikan, with the boobs that need to be kneaded daily, is fine. She doesn't fake it; she is sorry about it. Even I feel sorry for her; I think she is going through a complete identity crisis and will break if this keeps up."

"How do you know?" Luna asked, making Yuri smile, answering me directly, not looking at her.

"I went through the same as a kid and broke under it. Luckily, I got better, as you can see!"

"..."

"She is hiding it, but she exists in an awful place right now. I don't think she would object if you sentence her to death."

"That bad, huh?" I asked, rubbing my temple. I did feel sorry for Mikan, but... not for Elyzien.

"Yep. Now, the other Mikan, the skinny one? Biiiiiitch. With a big B. I ain't trustin' that whore of a manipulator! I knew a girl like that, pimping me out; she had honey on her lips, but it was for masking the taste of venom! Fuck her."

"I see... thank you. The moment the cuffs are ready, I will have a talk with Mikan. Now I am sure of what I will do."

"You do know," Yuri warned me, "That it will close a door forever. Bitches like her won't forgive you if you lock her up."

"I know. It would have been nice to have someone who could heal my people if sickness struck, but we would have to do it without her. I am happy to make allies and work together with others, but I won't go out of my way to make it happen... and if they are more of a threat than a friend, I will not hesitate to eliminate them." I said with a certain finality in my voice, standing up and turning towards my window, watching the sunset.

"What about me?"

"You are a friend, no?" I smiled, looking back at her over my shoulders, making Yuri grin.

"And what about my body? Would you rail me here, on the table, if I wasn't disfigured?"

"EEEH?!" Luna yelled, holding her mouth shut with both hands, snapping her head back and forth between us, and I knew she was eager to run away and tell Sasha about it.

"I don't care about looks, Yuri. I care about the person within the body. Give it a few years; I will turn old just as anyone else. Looks are fleeting things and will rot away. I can deal with that... but not with a rotting personality. That makes my stomach turn."

"Soooo... you would rail me as I am?" She asked after a long pause, making me chuckle, but I didn't answer her. "Ahahaha, I take it as a yes! Haaah. Okay, I won't tease you; I know I need the First Pussy's permission foremost to get into your pants."

"Her name is Sasha, and she is your Queen!" Luna harrumphed, unable to hold it back any longer, making Yuri grin at her.

"Okay, okay, Second Pussy, calm down! It's all fine; we are all pussy-sisters here! I will be the third soon enough; relax!"

"Hmph! No way!"

"Girls, enough..." I turned around with a sigh, looking at them, "Play nicely with each other, okay? Or do I need to tell Sasha to keep you two in check?"

It seemed that my warning worked, which was nice to see. While Luna didn't want to cause trouble for her new best friend, Yuri didn't want to give Sasha any opportunities to go against her. Who would have thought that Sasha would turn out to be a perfect Matriarch, huh?