Ascension of the Monster Queen

Chapter 19: Artisans

"I'm sorry, but I'm really hungry right now," Aion said, and the guard laughed.

"Come with me, I will treat you guys," He replied.

"Please wait; could you direct us to a few artisans? I doubt we'll be able to find any easily "The guard sighed as Nessa spoke.

"I don't guarantee they will be able to do what you want, but I know a few I can take you guys to, follow me," He replied as he walked away and they followed him quietly.

"Just so you know, they are some of the best, and they will be grateful to you guys," he said as Nessa and Aion exchanged glances th Aion shrugged, confused about what he was actually referring to.

"Here we are," The guard announced as they approached a shop with iron doors and smoke billowing from the chimney.

"Where are we?" Nessa asked.

"At one of the finest artisan's shop, come on," He replied as he oped the door and they wt in, and Nessa jumped wh she heard the loud clanging that rang her ears, and she sighed.

"My ears," She whined as a muscular man looked at them and got up from his seat, holding a sword, and Nessa hid behind Aion, who trembled as the guy glared at them and the guard laughed.

"Stop scaring them," He said as four more dwarfs the size of a normal short human tered.

"This is the fox who gave me the healing potion, and you should be grateful," The guard said and the guy with the sword sighed, th removed his goggles and smiled gtly at Nessa before bowing their heads.

"Thank you," They said and she smiled th moved from behind Aion.

"Hey, think of a proper way to thank her," Said the guard, and Nessa chuckled as she transformed into her human form, leaving them stunned.

"Y-you... What exactly are you?" The guard yelled.

"I'm just a young girl trying to build a nation where everyone can coexist," She replied, and the one with the sword smiled.

"She gives off a gtle vibe," He said and the others looked at him.

"She does, what are you? We dwarfs have our own kind of magic, but you're unique I guess," The guard said, and Nessa smiled.

"I know, I guess I'm not a human alone," she replied as they stared at her. "I came here looking for artisans, I am building my own nation, I am already the leader of goblins, Direwolves, and gold foxes, they are all currtly living in one village which is too small and not good ough for them, I want to build houses, make clothes, and so on."

"A nation inhabited by various monsters?" The man with the sword inquired.

"Now that I remember, that is not natural here, I better be careful," she said, and he smiled as he approached her and she pulled back.

"You want us to build things for you, correct?" He asked, his eyes filled with hope and she swallowed as she was about to fall back but Aion grabbed onto her arm as she smiled nervously.

"Wonderful, he's now interested," The guard said, and Nessa sighed as she looked at him, th at the bearded old man in front of her.

"Please raise up a little; do you want me to break my back by falling?" He took a small step away from her wh she asked.

"Sorry, but you do realize that building a nation like this will make others see you as a threat sooner or later, right?" He inquired.

"Yeah, I do," She replied.

"And yet you want to build it?" He asked.

"Yes," She responded and he smiled.

"And nothing will persuade you otherwise?" He inquired.

"Why are you interrogating her?" Another asked and Nessa smiled.

"You and I share an interest; I will consider assisting you if you still want our help; my abilities are not getting to reach their full pottial here; perhaps I might be of greater use to you; can you stay here until tomorrow?" He inquired as she fixed her gaze on him.

"As someone who does not easily trust, let me ask, what will you get out of this other than money?" Nessa inquired, and the guy smiled.

"A better chance to use my talt somewhere that actually needs it, is that ough?" He inquired as her eyes narrowed.

"Wh are you going to make your decision?" She asked.

"Things hav't be going so well here, so by tomorrow afternoon," He responded, and she sighed th smiled.

"Okay, got it, I can wait till th," She responded.

"Nice, also I am not looking forward to money, a roof over our heads and a daily meal is ough, you are the first person to actually do something about this, it's the least I can do if I accept to come with you," The same scary old guy said, and Nessa smiled, relieved, as she looked a the shop at the gleaming armors and swords.

"You guys make all of these?" She asked.

"Yeah, a lot of royals, regular knights, and swordsm buy from us as well," The guy replied, and she smiled.

"That's nice, maybe you can make a sword for me someday, one that will be easy for me to use, I want to build not just any nation but a strong one too," She said and he smiled.

"That's admirable, well we will see, for now, since you saved my brothers, let's treat you guys to dinner, I will decide by tomorrow, what you said was ough to motivate me to think," He replied as the door oped and she transformed back into the fox form and her eyes wided as she stared at a fair girl with big breasts, pointed ears and had long blonde, silky hair smiling down at her.

"E- Elf?" She muttered, th the girl walked into the shop, picked up Nessa from the g, and Aion's jaw dropped as little blood flowed from his nose.