Aetherios System [Slow Build OP MC, Isekai LitRPG/Cultivation] Chapter 239: Book 4: Chapter 4: Hey Listen!

Read chapter 239 of Aetherios System [Slow Build OP MC, Isekai LitRPG/Cultivation] by TTReynolds on NovelPedia.

Book 4: Chapter 4: Hey Listen! Chapter 4 Their next mission didn’t begin with blood or fire but with the chiming of bells, delicate notes echoing through the volcanic streets as Alex and the others followed their escort into one of Athrastas’ merchant districts. The air, as was typical for the city, was thick with the scents of ash and molten stone, but here on this carved street winding through a cliffside plaza it was tempered by something else entirely. There was the sharp tang of heated sand and powdered minerals. They had arrived at the Glassworks. The building was a modest complex with its upper levels stacked with blackened bricks and copper inlays. Its lower windows glowed faintly with red-gold light from the furnaces inside. Despite the heat, workers bustled back and forth quickly, carefully lifting crates and carrying sheets of straw and paper. A few stopped and bowed briefly toward Lady Xhiu’s crest that was embroidered on their sleeves before returning to their labor. The heat inside was oppressive, but the space itself was mesmerizing. Long benches of enchanted crystal tubes, runed crucibles, and sand vats filled the chamber all around them. The main furnace belched tongues of orange and green flame bent across tools etched with glyphs that shimmered as they etched designs into works of art. Many of the runic lines running in and out of the structures, deeper than the eye could follow. It was beautiful to see such craft refined into artistry. “Welcome, honored guests,” came a voice from behind. Alex turned to see the merchant himself approaching. He was a stout man with a short white beard, his hair had gone silver but his steps were still lively and brisk. His robe was simple, patched in places, though the ring on his finger shone with a aether enchantment. He bowed, not too deeply, more like a man greeting equals. “My name is Master Alven,” he said warmly. “The glassworks have been in my family for three generations now. I thank you for agreeing to safeguard our honor and our wares.” He gestured, and three figures stepped forward. Two men and one woman. All were broad-shouldered, dark-haired, and their tusks small but unmistakable, jutting faintly from the corners of their jaws. They were Half-Orks. Alex blinked but said nothing, masking his reaction with a polite nod. Back on Terraxum, half-bloods had always been a point of tension—soldiers muttered, and the few who served did so under suspicious eyes. But here? No one seemed to bat an eye. The workers didn’t whisper insults, and the guards didn’t sneer when the half-orks walked by. Alex could understand why immediately. Even with Alven being a human, the family resemblance was undeniable. They were simply Alven’s children, standing tall beside their father. “Meet Tareg, Veyra, and Jorik,” Alven said proudly. “My heart, my hands, and my legacy, so to speak. They will be overseeing the finishing touches on the wares and direct the loading.” The three of them nodded respectfully. Jorik, the largest of the two sons, even offered Alex a firm handshake. When he accepted, Alex felt his grip like stone. He was a rather strong figure, perhaps his strength as high as twenty-five. Meanwhile Veyra shot him a suspicious, appraising look, as if testing whether he judged them in some way. Alex only smiled faintly, shaking his head. “You’ve got a good team. Let’s get your goods moving.” While Garret, Henry, and Kate supervised the caravan guards, Alex wandered near the furnaces, curiosity tugging at him. The children worked deftly, lifting trays of cooling glass, sliding rods into racks, or inspecting enchantment marks before wrapping each in straw padded crates. It was the process that held Alex’s attention. With [Aether Sight] active, the world bled into energy patterns. He watched as Tareg dipped a rod into powdered crystal, then traced it with a thin etching tool. Runes glowed, threading through the molten shape like veins of light. At the same time, Fire-aether currents