Chapter 50: A Side Story (Iron Town)

The residents of Iron Town had been informed in advance. However, the announcement described something entirely unfamiliar, something no one had ever seen. When it finally appeared, the town fell into a state of half-panic.

“What… what is that?”

“Is that… a dragon!?”

It arrived with a low, resonant hum, akin to the buzz of insect wings but far deeper and heavier, reverberating in the pit of one’s stomach. At first, it appeared as a small dot in the distant sky, steadily and unmistakably drawing closer.

“Is it… small?”
“Listen to that sound!”

The townsfolk murmured among themselves, their eyes fixed on the object in the sky. Mining work had been canceled for the day, allowing nearly all the townspeople to gather outside to catch a glimpse of what was rumored to be Paraiso’s flying ship.

At first, it seemed unimpressive—small, even. But as it began to descend and circle lower, the crowd fell silent.

The flying machine, dubbed the Albatross, was said to be the bird that ferried the souls of the dead. At 35 meters long and 45 meters wide, it was a massive mechanical marvel. As it circled Iron Town with a thunderous roar, its sheer size and the imposing noise struck a primal fear in the hearts of the townsfolk.

“I heard wyverns sometimes appear in the northern mountains… They say they’re bigger than houses…”
“Bigger than houses… But this… this thing’s bigger than the forge!”

The Albatross passed overhead, its massive wings spanning the sky. The propellers on each side of the wings roared with a ferocity unmatched by anything they’d heard before. Its speed was unlike anything they had seen; even the swiftest horse couldn’t compare. The descent made its velocity all the more evident.

“Amazing… That thing’s what protected our town, right?”

Someone’s whisper broke the silence.

Yes, the Albatross had come from Paraiso, the faction credited with saving Iron Town. If this immense bird-like machine was under Paraiso’s control, then it was a guardian dragon—a Guardian Dragon.

“So this is our Guardian Dragon…”
“Our Guardian Dragon! Hail the Guardian Dragon!”

The murmurs swelled into cheers. The townsfolk raised their hands high, shouting praises to the Albatross as it circled above. The excitement didn’t subside until the flying machine disappeared beyond the horizon.

◇◇◇◇

The first delivery to Iron Town consisted of weapons and armor: well-crafted longswords, chainmail, helmets, breastplates, greaves, and complete sets of armor. Alongside these came intricately designed bows and straight, flawless quivers of arrows.

Once the guards were equipped, mining tools were distributed next: sturdy, precisely-made pickaxes, handcarts, wheelbarrows, lamps, chairs, plates, and other items for daily use.

Initially hesitant to use such finely polished items—resembling a noble’s cutlery—the miners were soon reassured that these tools were made from the iron ore they had extracted. This realization spurred widespread adoption, and as word spread that Paraiso had produced the tools, an overnight Paraiso boom swept through Iron Town.

Images of Paraiso’s crew, brought to Iron Town by visiting ships, further fueled the craze. Tales of the crew’s beauty—beast-like features paired with elegant appearances—spread like wildfire, cementing Paraiso’s status as a phenomenon.

While the weapons and tools were prioritized, luxury goods also trickled in. Among these, the most popular items were the tools crafted by Paraiso, including cooking implements and games. Surprisingly, decorative items also sold well despite the town’s predominantly male population. Yet the most coveted items were portraits of Paraiso’s crew.

It was nothing short of an idol craze.

Each portrait was hand-drawn, unique, and required explicit permission from the model. As a result, only one or two portraits could be transported per trade voyage. This scarcity led to high demand, with some portraits not included in shipments due to production delays. The resulting market saw portraits being resold at exorbitant prices.

Though the town’s limited coin supply prevented economic disaster, the portraits became status symbols among Iron Town’s elite. Displaying them in frames became a mark of distinction. However, hoarding too many portraits led to resentment, forcing some collectors to release their holdings back into circulation. Over time, portraits were traded like currency—exchanged for other rare goods or used as collateral for significant transactions.

Thankfully, this unique economic system avoided triggering a financial crisis, serving instead as an unexpected stabilizer for the town’s economy.

◇◇◇◇

“That’s a finely made cart,” a miner remarked, loading iron ore.

“It’s Paraiso’s handiwork. Look at the wheels—solid stuff. The axle’s iron, too.”

“Iron? So that means… it’s made from the ore we dug up?”

“Probably. And look at this—it’s thin, but it can handle this load without a problem. The iron we used to make couldn’t do that.”

“Yeah, it’d break for sure.”

As the cart groaned under its load and began its journey, another miner chimed in.

“They say they’ve already leveled half the road to the port with crushed stone.”

“Is it better than dirt roads?”

“Night and day. No sinking, and it doesn’t turn to mud when it rains. Sounds like a dream, but they say the road will reach here eventually.”

“Rain-proof roads? That’d be a blessing.”

Road maintenance was one of Paraiso’s first instructions. Even laying wood over the paths had drastically improved transport efficiency. Though wooden planks required frequent replacement, the process was straightforward. With Telek Harbor’s road nearing completion, plans to improve routes around the mines were also underway.

“Paraiso really has done a lot for us. And they’re all beautiful, I hear. I’d love to see them just once.”

“Yeah, I saw one of their portraits—gorgeous.”

The miners joked and laughed as they waited for the next cart. Despite the grueling nature of their work, rest breaks were strictly enforced—a practice implemented by Paraiso.

“My wife started praying toward Telek Harbor before bed.”

“Can’t blame her for that.”

“Now that things are stable, I’m thinking about settling down and finding a wife.”

“There are more women now, with all those refugees joining. Plenty of kids, too.”

“I don’t mind if she has kids. I just want someone to keep me company.”

“Getting picky, huh?”

“Ha! Can’t argue with that! Maybe I’ll start praying to Paraiso too!”

The miners raised their mugs with a cheer: “To Paraiso!”

From this time onward, Iron Town’s prosperity was firmly linked to Paraiso. The people knew that their safety and economic revival stemmed from Paraiso’s efforts.

Thus, when Paraiso began deploying enormous mechanical golems to aid in construction, the townsfolk greeted them with cheers.

Everyone in Iron Town wholeheartedly welcomed Paraiso.