Inside Workshop Number Three, the air was as sweltering as a smoldering iron pot. The acrid scent of steamed oak mingled with the smell of rust, filling every inch of the space.
Anton wiped the sweat from his face, his calloused hands holding a curved oak plank steady. Instead of bringing the hammer down by feel as he used to, he glanced up at the parchment posted on the wall in front of his workstation.
It was the Standard Oak Barrel Manufacturing Process Manual, Third Edition.
Detailed diagrams illustrated the breakdown of each step, annotated with neat lines of instructions in the Common Tongue. Anton squinted, his gaze falling on the fourth rule: "Curvature Calibration: Steam softening time must not be less than fifteen minutes. The angle of entry into the mold must be maintained at seventy-five degrees to ensure uniform tension on the inner wall."
