John headed back to the worksite.
Arthur paused, nostrils flaring as he sniffed the air. “Oh. You’re a smoker.”
John didn’t respond.
Arthur chuckled. “Don’t worry about it. Most builders are. You need something to deal with the stress, right?”
He gave John a friendly slap on the back.
John’s ID card glowed.
[Relationship Earned: Coworker]
John frowned. “These ID cards… they track everything?”
Arthur nodded. “Yeah. How else are you supposed to know if someone’s fit for a job?” He glanced at John. “Honestly, I’d be more worried if you *didn’t* have one.”
“Really?”
“Bad types usually hide theirs, fake one, or toss it completely,” Arthur said. “No card means guards get suspicious fast. They’ll arrest you on the spot, hold you until a new one’s issued, and figure out who you are the hard way.”
John’s chest tightened.
If I mess up even once… I probably won’t be able to hide it.
He took a slow breath.
Okay. No big deal.
I’m not a criminal.
I just don’t know the rules yet.
Arthur clapped his hands once. “Enough talk. Back to work.”
He pointed at a damaged support. “We’ll fix that beam first. Grab your hammer and show me what you’re made of.”
John pulled the hammer from his belt.
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A **mana bar** flickered into view.
It felt… natural.
He brought the hammer down. Once. Twice.
Blue light bled into the metal, mana flowing through his grip and into the beam. The cracked wood groaned, fibers shifting, pressing back into place as if remembering their original shape.
“Whoa—hold it.”
Arthur caught his wrist mid-swing.
John froze.
Arthur stared at the beam, then the hammer, then John. “You didn’t tell me you were a magic builder.”
John frowned. “What? I’m just using the tool.”
Arthur shook his head, scales along his jaw shifting. “No. That’s not how it works.”
He tapped the beam with one claw. “Magic builders are rare. Real rare. They finish jobs in half the time it takes the rest of us.”
He studied John for a long moment. “With the right training… you could be someone.”
John shook his head. “I’m fine doing regular work. Standing out usually means trouble.”
Arthur huffed a quiet laugh. “Yeah. Can’t blame you there.”
He glanced back at the beam. “Still—having you on our team?”
A slow grin spread across his scaled face.
“That’s a game changer.”
Arthur tilted his head, inspecting the work again. “Now that I’m really looking at it… you’d better do the rest.”
He tapped the reinforced wood. “Yours stands out. Look at the shape. Solid. Anyone with eyes could see it.”
John exhaled. “Yeah… I’d better do the rest.”
He moved down the line, hammer rising and falling. Blue light flared, then faded, with each strike.
There was no hiding it now.
Arthur stepped back, clicking his tongue. “Well. Can’t have the newbie showing me up.”
He climbed onto the roof and got to work. Stone and wood went down in quick, practiced motions, his tail coiling and flicking like an extra hand.
“Don’t get a big head,” Arthur called down. “I’m still a lizardman. We’ve always been the top pick for construction crews.”
John looked up, watching the roof take shape.
“Yeah. I don’t think I’ll ever move stone like you do.”
They finished up soon after, unaware of the eyes on them.
From a distance, a blonde-haired Amber Grey watched everything.
She approached once the tools were set aside. “You two finished quickly.”
Arthur straightened instantly and bowed. “Lady Amber. I hope the work is to your liking.”
He grabbed John’s shoulder, forcing him into a bow.
“That’s quite all right,” Amber said calmly. “I’ve already met him.”
Her gaze settled on John.
“He’s the one who insulted my windows.”
Amber surveyed the work, clearly impressed. A small smile touched her lips as she clasped her hands behind her back.
“I think the walls could use reinforcement,” she said. “Could you do that for me? It shouldn’t take long.”
“No problem, I’ll—” Arthur began.
“Not you,” Amber said, cutting him off without raising her voice.
She looked directly at John. “Him.”
Arthur bowed again. “My apologies, my lady. I was out of line to assume.”
John lifted his hammer.
One swing was all it took.
“Stop.”
John froze, arm locked, his hand trembling slightly. “What?”
Amber stepped closer, eyes fixed on the hammer. “I thought I noticed it before. But up close…”
Her smile faded into certainty.
“…that confirms it. You’re a magic builder.”
“I’ve read about them in my noble studies,” she continued. “Some of the finest structures in the world were built by magic builders.”
Her gaze didn’t waver. “I insist you become my personal builder for the Grey family.”
John swallowed. *This was exactly the kind of trouble he’d been trying to avoid.*
“I’m sorry,” he said. “But I’ll have to decline.”
Amber laughed softly. “If it’s money you’re worried about, don’t be.”
She waved a hand. “The Grey family could pay you more in a month than this company earns in a year.”
John scratched the back of his head. “I don’t want that. It’s not about money or status.”
He met her gaze. “I just want a simple life. Trouble-free.”
Amber paused, genuinely considering him.
“But you could have that here,” she said slowly. “While living in luxury.”
John shook his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “I’ve always lived a basic life. I can’t miss what I never had.”
Amber smiled. “Well, I can’t force you.”
She turned away, then glanced back over her shoulder.
“But just so you know…”
“…I’m not giving up.”
