Chapter 209: Welcome to the Abyssal Alchemy Workshop (2)
Chapter 209: Welcome to the Abyssal Alchemy Workshop (2)
Arriving at the blacksmith shop, as soon as Charlotte entered, Ab, who was shirtless and holding a small iron hammer, making a hoe, saw him and greeted him happily, "Doctor, you're here!"
Then he shouted inside, "Master! The doctor is here!"
The heavy forging sound from inside stopped, and Guy, also shirtless, came out with a towel hanging on his shoulder. He smiled and said, "Doctor, you're here."
"I have a few things I want you to custom make." Charlotte took out the drawings from his pocket and handed them to Guy.
Guy took the drawings, frowned, and looked at them for a long time before saying, "This furnace, it wouldn't be easy to place it in your clinic, right?"
"I plan to open an alchemy workshop. This is the alchemical furnace that will be placed in the workshop. It's a bit big, but do you think you can make it?" Charlotte asked, feeling a bit anxious.
If Guy couldn't do it, he might have to go to Calva and find a bigger blacksmith shop to have it custom-made, but the price would be hard to estimate.
"Well, those two things shouldn't be a problem, but this pot is not easy to forge, it's too big," Guy frowned and pondered for a while, then turned to Ab next to him and said, "Ab, go find your father and tell him the doctor needs to make something. I want to discuss it with him."
"Alright." Ab put down his hammer, grabbed a thin coat nearby, and hurriedly ran out.
Not long after, Kri, wearing an apron, followed Ab into the house. When he saw Charlotte, he greeted her, "Doctor, hello."
"What's this?" Charlotte looked at the ill-fitting apron on Kri and the blood and feathers on his unwashed hands.
"When the nearby restaurant is busy, I help them in the kitchen, killing chickens, ducks, and other animals, doing odd jobs. It's enough for my son and me to have a meal," Kri said with a carefree smile, not appearing too awkward.
"That's good." Charlotte nodded.
The harm caused by the magic potions was permanent, and the antidote could only help him quit the potions but couldn't help him recover physically.
He couldn't lift a forging hammer, so he picked up a butcher knife instead, slaughtering pigs and sheep, doing dirty and tiring work, earning the cleanest money.
Compared to being locked in a dark room, neither a human nor a ghost, this life was much better.
"The doctor wants to make this pot, but it's too big. I've never forged such a big pot before, and I'm afraid I won't be able to handle it. Take a look..." Guy handed the blueprint to Kri.
Kri wiped his hands on the apron before taking the blueprint. He carefully looked at it for a while and said, "I forged a large pot for boiling water before in Calva, similar in size to this one, but the requirements weren't as high. It's not impossible to make, but you'll need a couple of helpers. You can't do it alone."
"As long as you're sure you can do it, finding people won't be a problem. I know a few blacksmiths, I can ask them to help when the time comes," Guy said to Kri.
Kri stared at the blueprint in his hand in silence for a while, then glanced at Charlotte and nodded, "I can do it."
"Alright, doctor, let us take care of this alchemical furnace. But we'll make one for you to use first. If you're satisfied, then we'll make the second one for you," Guy said to Charlotte.
"No problem." Charlotte had no objections to Guy's proposal. This alchemical furnace was based on the size of the large black pot, with the unnecessary decorations removed. But the forging difficulty was indeed not that simple.
It was because Charlotte was currently very poor that he couldn't afford to hire a skilled craftsman. With his skills, he could forge an alchemical furnace that had additional effects.
Considering the cost, Charlotte temporarily gave up on setting up a conveyor belt and an assembly line. Instead, he chose to recruit a laborer to handle the transportation between different processes.
The labor cost in the Abyss was relatively controllable. A young laborer could be recruited for a monthly salary of 2000 copper coins.
"Can you estimate the approximate cost now? I'll pay you a deposit first," Charlotte said.
"Since it's the first time, I can't calculate the price at the moment," Guy scratched his head and smiled in a good-natured manner. "We're old acquaintances, no need to be so polite. We'll discuss the price when the pot is done."
"That works," Charlotte said. Guy had worked with Charlotte on multiple occasions and had proven his trustworthiness. He wasn't the type to inflate prices.
As Charlotte prepared to take his leave, his gaze fell upon Kri and he stopped in his tracks. "Kri, how's your recovery going?" he asked.
Kri's expression dimmed as he replied, "The potion drained my body of its powers. I won't be able to regain my former strength. Now, I have only the strength of an average human male. I can no longer work as a blacksmith."
"My alchemy workshop needs a material handler. Would you be interested in considering the position? The main task is grinding materials into powder for the production of potions. The hardest materials you'll work with are crystals and stones, so it shouldn't be a problem for you," Charlotte said, looking at him. "But I need someone detail-oriented and skilled with a small hammer. I think you would be a good fit."
Kri's eyes lit up, and he looked at Charlotte with disbelief. His voice trembled, "Are... Are you saying you want me to work at your alchemy workshop?"
Guy and Ab also showed signs of excitement and turned their gaze towards Charlotte.
"That's right. The alchemy workshop will start operating in about ten days. But of course, it's up to you if you're willing to join. The basic salary will be 2000 copper coins per month, and there will also be bonuses based on the production output of the workshop," Charlotte nodded slightly.
"I'm willing! I'm willing to work at your alchemy workshop," Kri responded almost without hesitation.
During this time, he had been working in various restaurant kitchens, enduring contemptuous looks and derogatory remarks. He could only earn a few copper coins, and there wasn't always work available for him.
Working for Charlotte, even if it involved using a small hammer to crush small stones, at least was related to his profession, and he would receive respect and recognition.
"I will notify you when the workshop officially opens for you to start working," Charlotte said, patting him lightly on the shoulder before turning to leave.
"Father, you found a good job!"
"Congratulations, Kri."
...
The door closed slowly behind Charlotte, but faint voices of Ab and Guy could still be heard.
Charlotte smiled slightly and walked towards the direction of the clinic.
With Kri joining the alchemy workshop as a material handler and Nora working as a packaging worker, the workshop now had two employees.
As for Nora's husband, Jacob, the blacksmith with over twenty years of experience, he still needed to go through a formal interview before a decision could be made on whether to hire him.
There were also a few patients inquiring about job opportunities in the morning, but Charlotte didn't find anyone suitable, so he rejected their job applications.
The position of a porter required part-time delivery work, the ability to handle a horse-drawn carriage, and some physical strength to protect the goods from being targeted.
The warehouse supervisor needed someone honest and reliable, with the ability to keep records, as messy accounts would be detrimental to future management.
The most troublesome position was the alchemist. Vivian was currently an important surgeon in the clinic, and Charlotte even considered having her handle the potion production to avoid many troubles.
"If we can't find a suitable person, we can consider having her work part-time in the early stages. The workshop can start operating in the afternoon and the first half of the night," Charlotte's eyes brightened as he came up with an idea.
After all, he wasn't confident about recruiting a suitable alchemist at the moment.
Knocking on the door of the clinic, Charlotte entered and saw Nora neatly packaging potions.
The rectangular oil paper labels were already stamped, and Nora's slender fingers pinched a label. With a brush in her other hand, she lightly brushed it across the paper. After putting down the brush, she picked up a potion bottle and rolled it along the label. The label adhered perfectly to the center of the bottle without any wrinkles or misplacements.
Putting the bottle back into the box, she already had the next bottle in hand, acting with swift precision.
Watching this scene, Charlotte couldn't help but nod. He hadn't misjudged Nora. She was indeed skilled at her work, and it felt like a waste to have her work as a packaging worker.
"Doctor, all the packaging is done," Nora said, putting the last bottle back in the box and standing up to face Charlotte.
All the label paper was used up, and half of the oil paper remained uncut on the table.
The table and the floor were clean and tidy, and everything was in order after the work was completed.
Approaching the table, Charlotte took out two bottles from the box. The labels were perfectly attached, without any curling or imperfections, and their positions were almost identical, making it difficult to tell the difference with the naked eye.
"Nora, you're amazing. Boss, we didn't help at all," Vivian exclaimed in admiration. Nora's efficiency and skill in her work had completely won her over. She even felt useless as a magician, comparing herself to Nora.
Putting down the potion bottles, Charlotte smiled and extended his hand. "Nora, welcome to the Abyss Alchemy Workshop."