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Chapter 849: Iron Ingot and Iron Ore

No, it should be iron ingots.

What we have learned from this is that there is a surprisingly large amount of iron available for purchase in the Demon King’s Kingdom’s market.

In any case, we did not intend to buy all of them.

We thought we should buy what’s available and actually found the situation.

When we looked into the reason why iron can easily be purchased, we found out that the materials taken from monsters and demon beasts are easier to process than iron.

In fact, the carriages and ships in Shashaato City are made of material from monsters and demon beasts.

I see.

Iron is used for iron but are monsters and demon beasts’ materials more convenient to use?

「They are. Also, it takes a lot of skill if you want to use these iron ingots.」

An employee of the Goroun Company explains.

Although iron is hard, pure iron is not as strong as one might think and it is difficult to process.

Therefore, iron is mixed with something else to make an alloy, which is then used to make products according to the intended use.

This mixing requires skill.

To be precise, just mixing can be done by an amateur but it is impossible for an amateur to make the mixture uniform, to achieve the intended property, or to mass produce it.

And those who have the skill are reluctant to spread the technology.

After all, that’s their bread and butter.

If they spread the technology, they would lose their jobs.

Therefore, they keep it secret.

It takes more than ten years of apprenticing before they are taught the technique.

That’s why they don’t take on jobs that are too big.

There is no way for them to handle the work.

If it takes 50 or 100 years, they might take on the job but basically, they do as much work as they can handle on their own.

…….

So, you are saying that these five warehouses full of iron are surplus iron ingots?

By any chance, is the iron that overflowed in various places gathered here?

「There is more supply than what the craftsmen need so there is a surplus. That’s what happened.」

I was told that iron rails are not allowed because they will be stolen though.

「I can also assure you that they will be stolen. Just because there’s a surplus doesn’t mean iron has become worthless.」

Fumu.

I see.

Then, what should we do with these irons then?

If they just sit in the warehouse, they’re just weights, right?

Should we just wait until the craftsmen of Village Five ask for them?

When will that be though?

Or maybe I can ask Gutt’s blacksmith team in Big Tree Village to make something for us?

Would they be able to process them?

Well, they usually deal with some kind of mineral I’ve never heard of.

Also, even if they accept, I don’t think they would be able to process all of these.

I’ll have to think more.

「Ano」

The Goroun Company employee seemed to be having some difficulty saying something.

What is it?

These iron ingots should have been fully paid already, right?

「No, it’s not about the price……it’s……there is also a surplus of iron ore and we’re getting contacts from all over the kingdom asking if we can buy them.」

……

When you said iron ore, are you talking about the stone that has iron in it that was dug out of the mine?

「Yes」

There’s a surplus of iron ore too?

The demon king said he doesn’t know how much is mined, isn’t this a big problem?

They’re already in a situation where they’re badly handling their resources.

「There are iron ore deposits in a lot of places……they are dug as a byproduct when targeting rare minerals so it is normal to get a lot of them……」

However, if the amount exceeded the level where it can be used, merchants won’t buy them, right?

「If us, merchants, refuse to buy their iron ores, they won’t sell us their rare minerals.」

Ah.

So, in order to get the minerals you need, you have to buy them too?

That’s tough.

「Well, this can also be considered as helping each other.」

I see.

「So, about the iron ore, they said there will be discount……」

What do you want me to do? We don’t need more.

We have this much ingot already.

「Right. Understood. I’ll let them know you declined.」

……no, wait.

「Yes?」

They are unnecessary but let’s buy them.

It would be a good chance to use the gold and silver of Big Tree Village.

How much would all of them cost?

「All of them? You want to buy all of them?」

All of them.

「E-etho……if we really purchase them all……we need around 20 more big warehouses like these ones over here to contain them.」

Alright.

Make the arrangement.

The delivery location is……it should get in the way if it’s here.

I’ll contact you as soon as I find a location.

「Understood. Thank you very much for purchasing.」

I’m sure the Dalfon Company will have something similar to say.

Tell them to cooperate as well.

「As you wish. Then, we need to double increase the warehouses more.」

Double?

「Theirs’ probably as much as ours.」

……alright.

I guess more storage would be good.

-0-

When I went back to Big Tree Village and talked to Gutt, he was more interested in the large amount of iron ore than the iron ingots.

「More than 40 big warehouses of iron ores? That’s a blacksmith’s dream. Even if I spend all my life, I wouldn’t be able to process them all.」

I guess so.

However, we probably don’t actually need to build new warehouses.

We probably just need to dig them up and make basements.

That kind of expansion seems to be easier for me.

「In any case, once we process the iron ores to iron ingots, they will take up less space. Also, we probably need to make a big furnace to process more iron ores. As long as you ask, we will do it.」

Are you sure?

「Yeah. However, we’ll need additional manpower so you’ll need to pay wages.」

If that’s all, I’ll take care of it.

「Can I call Howling Village for help?」

No problem.

Just don’t force them to do it.

「Understood. It will still take time before the iron ores arrive so……」

Actually, they said they will start arriving at the end of fall.

「That means we must prepare everything in order to start processing them in winter or spring.」

Thank you very much.

Right right, you’re free to do what you want with the iron ingots too.

「Understood. We will use them to build a bigger furnace.」

Gutt led his apprentices to Village Five.

They would select a place to build a big furnace.

I hope this will help us deal with the iron ingots and iron ores in Village Five.