The Frugal Mage

Rayven looked at them and confirmed that they did not have any negative reaction to Drosk's decision.

"You're sure?" He asked just to make sure.

Drosk chuckled. "Don't look so surprised. You've earned it. We'll split fairly after you take the lead cut."

In the end, Rayven received 70 gold, while Drosk received 24 gold, and the rest received 22 gold each.

As for the 75 silver, that would be their funds if they eat out together.

It was the first time most of them had ever touched wealth all at once. After all, they would normally split 8 to 10 gold coins every mission they completed.

Earning 3 to 5 gold coins a week was already a decent earning.

The guild clerk couldn't help but grin at their reactions.

"Spend it wisely…" the clerk warned as he sealed the account book. "Gold burns faster than you think. And with the rumors spreading about that Alpha Beast, this dungeon might not be free for long. Earning that much wouldn't be so easy again."

The group exchanged glances, but none of them wanted to think about the goat-faced monster again.

For now, the weight of gold in their pouches was enough to banish any lingering fear.

Rayven nodded as he also didn't plan to enter this dungeon unless he was already strong enough to deal with an Alpha Beast, or perhaps, he had a sure method to escape from such a creature.

He didn't want to die early. As long as he plays it safe and steadily earns money, his strength would naturally rise as well.

His gold coins weren't just his wealth after all, it was also his future as a Mage.

***

Rayven returned to Hesa City together with the others, and for the next five days, he deliberately refrained from taking any more missions.

Instead, he turned his full attention to the small enterprise he was trying to establish… The pen and ink business… Well, the business doesn't have an official name just yet.

He would have to think that over once fountain pen was already built.

Gene, his loyal secretary, had already secured a modest workshop space not far from the trade district.

They had decided to do their work outside the Golden Coast Trading Estate.

He planned to establish his business not under the company of his family but on his own. His Uncle Albert had already agreed on this anyway.

Inside, the three craftsmen Rayven had hired were hard at work… All of them were capable of handling metals, but they still had other skills aside from that.

In the end, Bram was assigned to delicate fittings for the fountain pen's body… Farren, the youngest, became a woodworker as he was the one carving fine shafts, and Aaron, the oldest, was the one who was leading with the ink making.

Of course, all three of them were still working together on each task, but they assigned a leader on each of them that they must follow in order to have consistency…

'Whatever works for them…' Rayven mused as he confirmed that they had good results anyway.

Together, with the blueprint's guidance, they were piecing together prototypes of the fountain pen.

The progress was steady, if not without obstacles.

At first, the nibs were either too brittle or failed to regulate the flow of the temporary ink properly, resulting in unsightly blotches.

Rayven even spent long evenings sketching improvements while Gene meticulously recorded every variation they attempted.

The craftsmen experimented with alloys, sanding techniques, and even the angle of the nib's slit until they finally achieved a prototype that could write smoothly across parchment without leaking.

Right now, their work seemed to be quite fast, but that was because they were only building the prototype, and they weren't afraid to make mistakes.

Of course, the ink itself was another challenge.

Rayven knew very well that the current ink designed for quills was too thick and dried too quickly inside the reservoir.

There was no way that would work on his mechanical pen.

Thankfully, all the planning he had made with the acquisition of various materials, like the hardened tree sap, soot, and various other materials, provided good results.

The result was ink that not only resisted clotting but also produced a bold, lasting mark.

"We're getting there…" Rayven muttered.

He knew in his heart that once the fountain pen was perfected, the age of quills and inkpots would begin to fade.

He could already picture scholars, merchants, and even nobles abandoning messy quills in favor of the elegant tool he was creating.

If he succeeded, wealth would no longer come from missions or dungeon dives… It would flood into his hands with this business.

The business itself also began to take shape.

Gene proved invaluable, organizing ledgers, contacting suppliers, and making discreet inquiries with parchment sellers, merchants, and others…

On the third day, Rayven's brother, Stein, came knocking.

Stein had caught wind of the business and, to Rayven's surprise, was not dismissive about it…

Instead, he showed genuine interest.

"If you truly believe this will replace the quill," Stein said, examining the prototype with an experienced eye, "then it must be registered properly. Otherwise, someone with deeper pockets will steal the idea right out from under you."

Rayven was also aware of it and nodded.

"Should I do it even with only this prototype? There's still a problem with the materials. It's not smooth and thin enough in my opinion… The ink is also imperfect at the moment." Rayven asked.

"Yes… It's fine. Just trust me."

Without wasting time, Stein accompanied him to the Guild of Commerce's branch within the city... With his connections and experience, the registration process, which might have taken weeks for an ordinary citizen, was completed in a single day. Documents were stamped, sealed, and recorded under Rayven's name, securing his rights as the original inventor.

From there, Stein also insisted on registering with the Royal Trade Bureau's branch, giving Rayven access to official trade routes, protection from counterfeiters, and the ability to strike deals with larger guilds in the future.

The craftsmen cheered when the news reached them.

Their work, although it was still in the experimental stage, was now tied to a registered and recognized enterprise.

When Rayven returned from the registration office with Stein, Gene was the first to ask."Well? What name did you register it under?"