"A Purple rank Master Craftsman?" Dylan exclaimed as he looked at Sir Raul.
In the Great Mystic World, different professions have a mastery that allows them to integrate Innate and Natural Energies into their trades, creating mysterious and powerful artifacts or amazing and skillful services.
These masters of these professions are often highly regarded and highly respected regardless of their cultivation realm!
Popular professions would be Alchemists, Blacksmiths, Formation Masters and Craftsmen, also known as Artifact Refiners. They serve as the supporting backbone of the cultivation world as they supply resources that greatly influence the advancement of the cultivators. Thus, these professions are highly in-demand and high income skills especially if you have reached an astounding level of mastery in said craft.
Within the Great Mystic World, every beginner of the profession is referred to as an Apprentice. They are able to create or render Rank 1 to 3 artifacts or Mortal Grade Artifacts.
Once they are able to create a Rank 4 commodities or Earth Grade Artifacts, they will have be promoted to the Master Rank after certification and examination. These are professional that are capable of creating even Rank 6 artifacts, a high ranked Earth Grade Artifacts.
Grandmasters are cultivators who have reached the peak of their niche. Their services and artifacts are sought after all around the world! Creating Rank 7 to Rank 9 commodities, also called Heaven Grade Artifacts, makes them highly valuable individuals!
Lastly, the Saint Rank. Blessed with enlightenment, their works are capable of intelligence and thoughts! These are immortals that are able to create heaven-defying objects due to their skills and knowledge. In other words, they are essentially gods in their own world!
Each of these ranks has 5 certification ranks: White, Yellow, Purple, Black and Gold. These tiers serve as a precise assessment tool, ensuring that the reputation and pricing of a craftsman accurately align with their actual skill, artistic insight, and mastery over Innate and Natural Energies.
A White Rank has a ten (10) percent chance of creating their desired product. A Yellow rank has the probability of being successful once every four attempts while a Purple has a fifty (50) percent of success rate. A Black Rank is able to push their success rate to eighty (80) percent. Lastly, the elite Gold rank boast an exceptional success rate of ninety-five (95) to a hundred (100) percent once they create something.
"Why is he here though? Should he not be in the city where the main branch of Bob's builder is, instead?" Dylan asked. He tilted his head slightly, trying to reconcile the presence of such a high-tier talent in a modest local workshop.
"That is something no one knows. Maybe its simply because he is already thinking of retiring? He just always says he is here for a change of pace." Harry shrugged as he showed an expression of cluelessness.
"I see. How peculiar." Dylan nodded in response.
"If you're thinking of requesting a commission for Sir Raul, I suggest that you abandon any ideas of that. Sir Raul is very eccentric and only takes very weird requests." Harry leaned in slightly, lowering his voice as if speaking of a dangerous urban legend.
"Weird requests? How?" Dylan asked.
"For example, the request he has right now. It was chosen from over a hundred requests from the nobles of the city worth thousands of gold coins. The requests were asking him to create Rank 4 or 5 Earth Grade Artifacts. Yet, he chose a wooden double door with a bizarre design simply because he of a whimsical decision he had." Harry was exasperated by this.
Although this request also costs a thousand gold coins, Harry felt that Sir Raul's skill is being wasted doing these sorts of requests which could be delegated to their other craftsman.
"This door is utmost a Rank 2 Mortal Grade Artifact, mainly for decoration. So it could have been done by any of our Apprentice Craftsmen here. Yet, he insisted that he wanted to take this job as he had a sudden epiphany on it. It's a waste to let the one of the only two Purple Rank Master Craftsmen work on such a meager task." Harry continued to complain to Dylan.
"Oh, my apologies for that, sir. I tend to ramble needlessly. I even forgot to take note of your request. I sincerely apologize!" Harry apologetically bowed multiple times. It was comical to watch.
"Hahaha, no worries." Dylan waved his hands and put a stop to Harry's bowing. "It is but a simple furniture request for a wooden trestle table and a pergola. I would like this commission to be done in my home so I could also instruct the craftsman assigned of other specifications if need be."
'A Master Craftsman of his caliber is highly sought for. It's an insanely profitable skill. He wants interesting things to do, huh? I have plenty of ideas about interesting contraptions considering Earth's innovations.' Dylan felt that there was an opportunity to be exploited here.
"Is that so? A custom request at the client's home. That would be two hundred copper coins. Okay, I will arrange that immediately. An Apprentice Craftsman will make their way to your place before noon and start as soon as they arrive." Harry took note of this in the documents he had in his hand as he smiled to Dylan
"In the meantime, may I ask you to write your address here?" Harry handed a form to Dylan to fill up.
"Done, here is the payment." Dylan finished filling up the form and handed a pouch he prepared beforehand.
"Thank you very much. Hope you come by in the future." Harry said with a welcoming smile.
Then, it was also at that moment that an auspicious phenomenon happened in front of Dylan and Harry. There was a resonance between the natural energy and the innate energy that was imbued into the dragon and phoenix engravings.
*GRAAAWR*
*SQUAWK*
The wooden azure dragon and wooden phoenix actually removed themselves from the door and started flying around the workshop. The wooden dragon fired a breath attack akin to a high pressure water stream while the wooden phoenix launched a fire bird attack that resembled its silhouette.
*Boom*
The spectacle draw the attention of everyone in Bob's Builders.
"Whoa!" Every craftsman and staff stopped what they were doing as they witnessed such an amazing scene.
Undoubtedly, there was awe and amazement in their eyes. But what quickly followed were expressions of realization and frustration, written in their faces.
"W-wait a minute! Isn't that supposed to be a just a fancy door?"
"He did it again?!"
"How do we explain this to the customers?!"
"HAHAHA, now this double door can also act like a defensive artifact when any unfamiliar energy signature is detected within the area! Both the dragon and phoenix can even dish out attacks at the early Mortal Severing experts!" Sir Raul guffawed, evidently proud of his work.
"Two puppets that are able to attack the level of early Mortal Severing Experts?!"
"Wouldn't it make this a Rank 5 artifact?!"
"Let's just start making another one..."
"It turned out great. I've decided hahaha. I will call you, Dragon-Phoenix Annihilation Entrance!" Looking at his marvelous creation, Sir Raul ceremoniously named it by touching it. The moment he did, another phenomenon occurred where in the natural energy gathered and it slightly changed the appearance of the double door.
What originally was a wooden door now had azure and red-orange crystals that complimented the azure dragon and phoenix engravings. It looked more imposing and eye-catching than before!
Sir Raul screamed out once more. "Hey, Harry! Make sure this sells for over a hundred thousand gold coins or a Rank 5 Artifact."
Harry looked over as he wore an expression of defeat and frustration, "ARGH! There he goes again! He overdelivered and now he's going to exorbitantly charge the client!"
He quickly looked over to Dylan, "I'm sorry, Dylan. I have to hurry over there. We will definitely process your request by this morning."
"Sir Raul! How many times do I have to tell you that you can't keep doing these antics of yours on official orders?! You make my job so difficult sometimes!" Harry hurried over while reprimanding Sir Raul.
"Deal with it! That's your job on the first place!" Sir Raul shot back.
"Don't go telling me what to do about my job! Your job is to craft artifacts, exactly as the commission asked! How are we going to explain that price to the customer?" Harry responded swiftly as he pointed out that the continued
Sir Raul angrily defended his case, "Bah, this is why I hate working on businesses. It sullies the essence of craftsmanship and artifact creation! You should all be ashamed of yourselves! I craft in order to express myself! To enjoy myself and actualize my imagination! I'm the only one who can assign a value to my magnificent work of! If they cannot afford it, then they should scram!"
"We're trying to understand your artistic urge that is why we let you freely choose a commission! Yet, every time you finish a magnum opus of yours, you charge them astronomically more than that the agreed upon price!" Harry also argued in the defense of the consequences his actions may have in his business.
Harry continued, "But that causes a lot of issues on the businesses end! We have already given a time and day for the delivery of the product. They have already sent in the payment and now you want to extort them?! This affects the image of the business! How will future customers react when they hear of this incident."
The two kept on bickering because of this. Sir Raul was could not care less about the business protocols since he had already finished a masterpiece while Harry was trying to get through the hardheadedness of Sir Raul so he would not do this again in the future.
Seeing this commotion, Dylan simply smiled and followed Harry.
Then, he suggested, "Why not simply put this product up for auction? That way the product would still be able to go to a buyer. I doubt that there is any noble in the city that will not want to buy a treasure that has the power of an early stage Mortal Severing Expert. I could share an idea how to implement this if you both wish to listen."
"..."
The two who were bickering loudly had stopped and seemed to be considering what Dylan's idea offered.
"Who are you?! But, not bad, kid. Go on." Sir Raul who had been angry recognized that this does potentially solve all of their problems.
"An auction... This should be a private matter of the business but I think this idea is worth exploring." Harry was a bit stunned by Dylan's sudden intervention but instead of shooing him away, he allowed it since he also realized it's potential.
"Before I continue, I believe that this conversation is best held confidentially. Maybe inside an office would do?" Dylan smiled as he indicated that they were in an open location.
"The kid's right. Let's go, Harry." Sir Raul also recognized that it would be best to discuss such matters in closed doors.
"Thank you, sir Dylan. I will lead the way." Harry's expression lit up as he led both Dylan and Sir Raul inside.