Volume 6 Chapter 27: Praising The Beauty of Milk
"Hic, Big Brother Walson, I can't drink anymore."
"Well, you need to drink more milk if you want to grow taller."
"Then, does this mean Big Brother Walson not drink milk when he was younger?"
"…Kids shouldn't ask so many questions."
"Okay, I'll drink the milk. I want to grow taller."
As the experiment progressed, I managed to fully grasp the unique skills of noble dwarves.
I previously mentioned that the principle behind the noble dwarves' Metalforge Manipulation is very similar to the skill point system in RPG games (I'll continue to use this analogy). The difference is that these points are allocated to minerals instead of skills. The so-called mineral-affinity difference lies in how many skill points a dwarf is born with.
As for the effect of the Milk Potion on dwarves, it works like a reset potion, resetting all bound metals.
Noble dwarves are very cautious when selecting metals because they have no way of knowing their skill point limits. If they choose wrong, they regret it for life. In this context, the Milk Potion is like a universal regret remedy.
First, I tested Tanaya's skill point limit and discovered that besides Nyxsteel and copper, she actually had enough capacity to control carbon as well.
Yes, instead of the ability to manipulate metal, it's more accurate to say this unique dwarf ability is the ability to manipulate mineral. However, almost no dwarf would waste skill points on non-metal minerals.
Then another question arose: What if I had Tanaya try to control an alloy?
I gave Tanaya black iron to control, and her skill binding status automatically split it into two components, becoming "Mineral Affinity Selected - Iron / Carbon."
Interestingly, this process seemed to consume fewer skill points than binding iron and carbon separately. This is like the concept of a more cost-effective bundle deal... or a bug, because it was about 40% cheaper, like a clearance sale.
Lastly, a crucial discovery: I realized that the redstone I've always used to build various machines is actually an alloy.
Its components are copper and a mineral called Red Crystal.
Copper didn't surprise me, as redstone itself was designed referencing electrical wires (with copper being the main component). But Red Crystal? What is that?
If I could get my hands on this mineral, I could produce redstone and solve the redstone shortage issue.
The name suggests it's a mineral, so I need to visit the mineral market and hope to find information or, ideally, buy it directly.
Without delay, I left the Mountain to search for this much-desired material.
Eventually, I did find the mineral, but not at the mineral market.
I ran around the market, imitating the local dialect, talking about Tuvaak, and asking various vendors about Red Crystal.
Without exception, they all denied knowing such a mineral, which disappointed me. Then, a kind lady asked if I was looking for Neonite.
Indeed, I forgot about cultural differences and the possibility of different names for the same thing.
Later, I found the mineral I sought, Neonite, at a dye shop. It was surprising to learn this mineral is used as a high-end dye.
In [Dying Steel Citadel], there's a tree called Neonleaf Tree, whose leaves are crushed to produce red dye. However, when this tree is planted in the Dying Steel Citadel soil, it produces Neonite at the root-soil interface as it grows.
This mineral, when ground into dye, produces a red color more vivid than regular dye, even faintly glowing, and is popular among the upper echelons of [Dying Steel Citadel].
Wow, it turns out to be a byproduct of a plant-soil mix.
I spent all my remaining coins to buy some Neonite from the vendor and returned to my base. When I alloyed copper and Neonite, I got an item called Inferior Redstone. Follow current novels on noᴠelfire.net
Well, I couldn't perfectly recreate redstone; it seems there is still a difference between Red Crystal and Neonite.
However, I tested Inferior Redstone, and to my surprise, the only difference was a shorter energy transmission range. All other functions, including infinite power, were intact!
I can solve the transmission range issue by installing more Redstone Repeaters. Thus, if I can get the seeds of this plant and some of the [Sacred Mountain Soil], I can produce redstone even after leaving this city using Bone Meal or the abilities that I got after becoming [The Vassal of The Forest]!
"Tuvok above, this place is truly a land of miracles," I couldn't help but say, looking out at the purple sun.