Reborn as the Failed Lord with my Resource Gathering System.

Gardina Blacksmith

Dorian and the rest stood in front of the building, the onlookers all excited to see their lord step out of the carriage and show himself to them.

Since the Aurelian army could be seen around him, no one dared to go near him, even though their angel, Maria, was present there as well.

Though, this was the least of Dorian's problems in that moment.

True, he knew he had been busy with the dragon egg and also the mining ground, so he barely had the time to check anywhere else. But to think the blacksmith shop would have changed this much was crazy.

The building before them was a testament to both craftsmanship and opulence. Rich, dark timber beams crisscrossed a façade of polished, dark grey stone, giving the blacksmith shop an air of ancient strength.

Ornate ironwork, hammered into intricate floral patterns, adorned the windows and the heavy oak door. Inside, the scent of coal smoke mingled with something sweeter, perhaps a lingering perfume from the shop's finer wares.

A grand staircase, carved from the same dark timber as the exterior beams, spiraled gracefully upwards along one wall, its banister gleaming with a lustrous, hand-polished finish, promising access to a more private, upper level.

Beyond the rear wall of the forge, a seamlessly integrated archway hinted at a larger, even more stately building – a personal residence, no doubt, its presence suggested by glimpses of refined, leaded-glass windows and a meticulously maintained garden beyond.

This was no mere workshop; it was a luxurious extension of a wealthy proprietor's domain.

Dorian's jaw dropped at the sight. Compared to the other buildings around it, this blacksmith shop stood out by a long run.

'What the fuck? This place is not far off from a mansion? No, wait…' Dorian grabbed his jaw, glancing to the side.

'Most of what he makes are from dragon ores I provide for free, so of course he is rich now. Hell, he might be on his way to a noble status. Interesting….'

"My lord?" Maria looked at him, wondering why he had suddenly stopped.

"Right, let's go in."

…

Now inside the blacksmith shop, the first thing Dorian saw was a demi-human, a dog-person rather, standing at the back of the counter.

'A demi-human…'

Dorian was shocked to finally see one in the Aurelian barony. Demi-humans are not so easy to find, mainly because they were either in hiding, being sold as slaves, or thriving in a single environment.

For example, the Forgriam barony where the Monteli family was based was known to be open to demi-humans; however, even then their numbers were nowhere near as high, not enough to even fill a classroom. Though he was sure there would be a few in the Aurelian army, he himself hadn't seen one as of yet.

Looking around, he could see how wide the store had gotten, with weapons and different items arranged on the massive shelves.

As the demi-human spotted Dorian, he quickly straightened up and wore a bright smile on his face. "Lord Dorian, you're here," his voice was a bit shaky.

Dorian and his women moved forward towards the counter.

"Where is my father?" Maria asked, resting one of her arms on the counter.

The demi-human got even more excited after seeing Maria. "Please wait here, I'll go get Master Albor."

As the demi-human turned around and left, Maria switched her attention to Dorian.

"Let's go wait in the guest room."

The very next moment, Maria, Seraphina, and Dorian walked towards the back of the counter and into the building. Of course, Aces followed as well, as did the hidden soldiers.

…

Dorian was now seated inside the room on a small wooden chair while Seraphina and Maria stood to the side, next to a table with a candle.

The room wasn't that impressive, as it only had pictures and wooden furniture around. It was nothing compared to the massive garden Dorian had gone through before entering the building.

Soon, Albor showed himself, another demi-human, looking to be a pig-person, following right behind him.

"Lord Dorian. It's an honor to see you again," Albor uttered as he walked into the room.

"Old man Albor, how are you?" Dorian greeted back.

Albor laughed. "Doing as well as I can be. Haha." He turned to look at Maria and Seraphina. "I see you brought my daughter and Miss Monteli along."

"Good morning, Father."

"Morning, Mister Gardina," Seraphina uttered shyly.

"They insisted on coming along. I didn't have a choice in the matter."

"They are worried about your well-being. We all are. The barony is only the way it is because of you. Losing you will hit us hard, and we can't have that, can we?"

Dorian sighed. "I am fully capable of taking care of myself. In any case… is it ready?"

"Of course it is. It's the main reason why I asked for you to see me." Albor snapped his fingers, and another demi-human walked into the room, holding in her hand a long blade with a blue crystal sheath.

"You sure have a lot of demi-humans…" Dorian let out.

"Please excuse it. My father has a thing for taking in the homeless and teaching them the way of a blacksmith. No matter what I say, he keeps doing it," Maria chimed in with a nagging voice.

"I am simply doing my part to help society. Lord Dorian blessed me with wealth and I, in turn, bless others as well. Haha!" Albor laughed, taking the blade from the girl.

Dorian smiled right after, acknowledging what the man had said.

"If that is what you are doing, then I don't mind using my power to build an orphanage for demi-humans right here in Aurelian. I have been thinking of expanding this territory anyway, so this might actually be a good place to start."

Everyone was surprised, including the demi-humans in the room.

"Darling, m-maybe you should think it through first. Demi-humans and humans-"

"Don't get along? Yeah, I know. Racism is something you can't get rid of off the bat," Dorian smiled a bit.

"But you'd be shocked to see how quickly society can change from just one act. Who's to say we can't be the ones to do that? Old man Albor is doing so already, isn't he?"

"Father has a way with people. I don't think I can say the same for the rest," Maria pressed.

"You guys worry too much. Worst-case scenario, demi-humans refuse to live here. If they do agree, it's because they understand what it means to live amongst humans; it's to let go of their hatred. I'll simply banish anyone who hates the demi-humans in return, problem solved," Dorian leaned back on the chair, his legs crossed.

No one was surprised he said something like that; it was Dorian, after all.

"Hahaha! I knew I made the right choice letting my daughter get engaged to you. You are truly exceptional. Haha!" Albor's voice rang out. "Very well, I'll take your word for it, my lord."

"I'd appreciate that."

Both men smiled at one another.

Then-

"Here, the blade you requested."

...

[A/N]

Nothing out of the ordinary is happening for now, but that's to say to expect. Also, im sorry i couldn't publish the extra chapter yesterday, I'll do so today.