Don't Want to Be Ordinary Even Though I'm an Extra Character-Chapter 76: [75] The Blacksmith

-Third-Person Perspective-

Riding on a creaking wagon, slowly making its way along the rocky road to Lawrence Territory, Arkan leaned back with his arms crossed, watching the passing scenery. Towering trees lined the road, their shadows providing a cool relief from the afternoon sun.

However, Arkan’s mind wasn’t just focused on the journey. His eyes occasionally flickered toward the small figure sitting beside Gunnar—a young girl with dark brown hair tied into twin tails. Her face was slightly dirty, but her bright golden eyes, much like her father’s, shone with an intense curiosity.

"Is she your daughter, Gunnar?" Arkan asked, his tone neutral but filled with interest.

The usually gruff and bad-tempered blacksmith let out a deep sigh, looking a little softer than usual. "Yeah... Her name is Ingrid."

Arkan observed the girl a little longer. Ingrid? That name wasn’t unfamiliar. In his memories, there was a story from the original novel about a young girl with the same name—a brilliant weapon craftsman who would go on to create revolutionary military technology in the future.

But in the novel, Ingrid was an orphan. Gunnar was supposed to be dead before the main story even began.

’So this is why she never appeared in the original timeline?’ Arkan mused, piecing together the puzzle in his mind.

Fate had changed.

"Hey, Mister," a small voice suddenly pulled him from his thoughts.

Arkan blinked. "Huh?"

The girl stared at him intently before tilting her head, as if analyzing him. "Who are you?"

Arkan raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised by her confidence.

"Me?" He placed a hand on his chest and smirked. "I’m Arkan Lawrence, the noble who recruited your father."

Ingrid nodded, still examining him with sharp eyes. "So you’re the one paying my father?"

Gunnar immediately patted his daughter’s head—a little too roughly. "Ingrid! You don’t speak like that to your lord!"

The girl grumbled, rubbing her head in irritation. "But I wanted to know!"

Arkan chuckled, intrigued by her blunt yet intelligent demeanor. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"Yes, I’ll be paying your father." He leaned forward slightly, locking eyes with her. "And maybe... one day, I’ll be paying you too—if you’re talented enough."

Ingrid’s eyes widened in excitement. "Really!? I can work too!?"

Gunnar let out another sigh, but this time, there was a faint smile on his face—something rare to see from him. "She’s always been eager to learn... especially about blacksmithing."

Arkan studied Ingrid again. She was still young, barely ten years old, but there was a fire in her eyes that couldn’t be ignored.

"Then, Ingrid," he said seriously, "prove that you’re someone worth hiring."

The little girl grinned widely, her eyes sparkling with determination. "I’ll be the best, Mister! Just wait and see!"

Arkan chuckled. He didn’t know if Ingrid’s fate would be better or worse because of his interference, but one thing was certain—this girl would grow into someone extraordinary.

After several days of travel, the group finally arrived at Lawrence Territory.

The moment they entered the main gates, Arkan was immediately surrounded by his administrative staff, each carrying stacks of reports. Some of them even looked panicked, afraid of making mistakes in front of their young lord. But Arkan simply took all the documents with a calm expression and began reviewing them at an impressive speed.

His hands moved swiftly—marking, signing, and issuing instructions with efficiency that stunned his officials.

The newer administrators could only watch in awe. Normally, processing this many reports would take a noble days to complete. But Arkan? He finished everything within hours.

"Incredible... Our lord is truly different from the previous one."

"I heard he works like this every day. Instead of enjoying luxury, he spends his time building the territory..."

Whispers of admiration spread among them, but Arkan didn’t pay much attention. To him, this was just part of his duty.

Once he finished his paperwork, Arkan led Gunnar and Ingrid to their new workplace.

They traveled to the northern part of the territory, where a small river flowed directly into the sea. But what caught Gunnar and Ingrid’s attention wasn’t just the river.

Standing by the riverbank was a massive waterwheel, its blades turning constantly, using the river’s flow to power an intricate system of gears inside a nearby building.

Gunnar frowned. "What... is that?"

Arkan smiled slightly. "A waterwheel. One of the simplest ways to convert water power into mechanical energy."

Gunnar still looked confused, but Ingrid, on the other hand, was completely mesmerized.

"Amazing! It’s like a giant spinning wheel that moves on its own!" she exclaimed, stepping closer with an eager expression.

Arkan glanced at Ingrid, amused by her enthusiasm.

"This is just one of many things you’ll see here," he said. "Come, let’s go inside."

They entered the large building near the waterwheel. The moment they stepped inside, they were greeted by a cool breeze—a result of the ventilation system Arkan had designed to keep air circulation efficient.

Inside, various unfamiliar tools were neatly arranged—large workbenches, modified blacksmithing tools, a primitive lathe, and experimental devices commonly used by Faustus.

Ingrid, despite her young age, was completely captivated. She ran to one of the workbenches, eyes sparkling as if she had just entered a paradise of invention.

"Dad! Look at this! There are so many cool tools here!" she shouted, barely able to contain her excitement.

Gunnar, still cautious, walked inside with slow, heavy steps. He picked up a piece of raw steel from a nearby table, inspecting it closely.

"Steel... But this is different from what I usually work with."

Arkan nodded. "That’s carbon steel. Stronger and more flexible than the common steel used in this era."

Gunnar’s sharp eyes locked onto him, as if trying to determine whether Arkan truly understood what he was talking about—or if he was just spouting nonsense.

"And how do you make it?" he finally asked.

Arkan smirked. "You’ll learn over time. I won’t just hand you the answers. But if you stay here long enough, you’ll discover them yourself."

Gunnar scoffed, but there was a glimmer of interest in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Ingrid was already rushing around the room, touching every tool and device with unfiltered excitement.

"Uncle Arkan, can I learn too!?" Ingrid asked, her voice filled with uncontainable excitement.

Arkan looked at the little girl with a knowing smile. "If you can keep up with what I teach, then you may learn as much as you want."

Ingrid’s golden eyes sparkled with excitement.

Gunnar sighed deeply, rubbing his forehead. "Ah... I suppose there’s no stopping her now, is there?"

Arkan chuckled, amused.

Inside this workshop, a new era was about to begin.

Chapter 24 – Shadows in the NightArkan Lawrence

The night air felt colder than usual. In the vast expanse of my study, the only source of light was a flickering oil lamp, casting long, wavering shadows against the stone walls.

I leaned back in my chair, exhaling deeply after another exhausting day filled with territorial administration, military logistics, and economic planning.

But even as I sat in relative comfort, a feeling nagged at my mind.

’Hmph... just as I expected.’

Without any sign of panic, I rose from my chair, walking toward the large window behind my desk. The moment I unlatched it, a gust of cold wind swept into the room, stirring the wisps of smoke from the oil lamp.

With slow, deliberate movements, I retrieved a cigarette from my coat pocket, lighting it with a simple flint striker. The scent of burning tobacco filled the air, mixing with the crisp night breeze.

Then, without turning around, I spoke.

"What do you want?"

For a moment, silence.

Then—from the shadows above, a figure leaped down, landing without a sound. Wrapped in black cloth, the intruder’s face was concealed except for a pair of piercing eyes, keenly observing my every move.

I remained calm, letting out a slow exhale of smoke before finally turning to face them.

"Sarasota, I presume?"

The woman did not answer, but as the wind caught the fabric of her cloak, her presence became undeniable.

I didn’t speak immediately. Instead, I simply watched her with calm yet unwavering eyes, waiting to see who would break the silence first.

At last, she gave a slight bow, her movements precise and deliberate.

"Arkan Lawrence," she spoke, her voice soft yet sharp, like a blade hidden beneath silk. "We have returned... to settle unfinished business."

I arched an eyebrow, taking one last drag from my cigarette before snuffing it out in the ashtray.

"Unfinished business?" I repeated, my tone relaxed.

"The notebook," she replied curtly. "We retrieved it, but... I am the only survivor."

Oh?

That meant the internal purge had truly happened. Just as I had predicted.

I crossed my arms. "So, your leader betrayed his own people?"

She gave a slow nod. "Yes. He wished to monopolize the information inside the book... and eliminate anyone who stood in his way."

I wasn’t surprised. I had already accounted for this possibility.

The real question now was—what would this woman do next?

I let out a deep sigh, walking casually back to my desk before settling into my chair.

"So, what is it that you want from me?" I finally asked.

Her sharp gaze met mine. After a moment of thought, she spoke.

"We wish to work with you—but under different terms than before."

"Oh?" I leaned back, feigning skepticism. "And why should I agree to your new terms?"

She didn’t answer immediately. I could see her calculating expression, weighing her words carefully before she spoke.

Finally, she stepped forward, lowering her voice.

"Because without us... you will never get the notebook."

I gave a small smirk. "Is that so?"

Her brows furrowed slightly at my reaction.

"I know you’re a smart man, Lawrence," she continued. "But if you try to play games with us, you’ll regret it."

Oh? A threat?

I tapped my fingers against the desk, letting the silence linger before finally responding.

"I don’t doubt Sarasota’s skills, but..." I locked eyes with her, my gaze sharp. "Don’t think for a second that I can be pressured."

She tensed slightly but said nothing.

I rose from my chair and strolled toward the open window, letting the cold wind brush against my face.

"You said you were the only survivor, correct?" I asked without turning around.

"Yes."

I nodded slowly. "That means you are now without an organization... and without resources."

Turning back to face her, I saw her expression shift, the realization settling in.

"Which means... I am the one holding all the power here."

Her fists clenched slightly, but she remained silent.

"Listen, we can work together," I continued, "but this time, under my conditions."

Her jaw tightened, but she didn’t argue. She knew I was right.

I took a slow step closer, letting the weight of my authority press down on her.

"If you want to survive, you will work for me." My voice was calm but firm. "You will be my eyes and ears in the underworld. You will be the one who ensures there is no betrayal among us."

She remained still, her expression unreadable.

"Of course, you can refuse," I added lightly. "But without my protection, how long do you think you’ll last?"

Silence.

I could see the conflict in her eyes. She was a warrior, not someone who submitted easily. But she was also a survivor.

And survivors knew when to adapt.

After a long moment, she let out a slow breath.

"Fine... I accept your terms."

I smirked. "Smart choice."

She gave me a complex look—whether it was resentment or admiration, I couldn’t tell. But it didn’t matter.

What mattered was that I had just secured a valuable asset for my network.