Checks and balances

While Rowan was thinking about how he was going to spend his virtual money Maria was talking on the phone with her work office and Rowan's school which was also Luke's. Considering the money in her bank account now and Rowan's state which probably won't change in the near future she decided to move to the town where Rowan's hospital was located at.

Maria had to find a permanent place to stay if things will stay like they are and also a school for Luke. For now, the hotel will be good enough but she had to handle her employment and pay her rent and find movers for their stuff as soon as possible.

Maria knew Luke was still ridden with guilt and he would need professional help to get over this accident especially if it takes a long time for Rowan to recover. Everyone knew it was an accident albeit one with a tragic outcome but no matter how they told Luke his only words were melancholic nods and looking at his feet.

Luke barely spoke to anyone after the EMTs arrived. Maria was worried about both of them. One had his mind broken physically and the other was on the verge of a mental breakdown. She could understand that because of how she was feeling herself but she had to remain strong for Rowan for Luke and last but not least for herself.

Rickman was thinking what else he had to do to get Robert's permission to prolong Rowan's stay in the game. The continent Rowan was on was a huge island. Since they made it a restricted spawning point for new players it would take the other players at least two years to get to a level they can cross the oceans since NPCs rarely moved between continents. Rarely, unfortunately, did not mean never.

Rickman advised Omnia to direct sea creatures to attack all NPC and player vessels coming to Luxaria continent. If they persist she should attack them until they drown.

He also had Omnia block all incoming and outgoing in-game server-side messaging systems to and from Rowan. This included player chatrooms, guild chatrooms, direct messages and different kind of announcements. Rowan should be oblivious to it all.

Rickman didn't want to do it but he didn't want the alternative. Rowan being forced out of the game to the test server or if things got bad and the truth got out his family disappearing before he could make a recovery.

He still remembered a researcher under him who was tempted by the competition and wanted to steal the source code for their artificial intelligence. Somehow the shady investors Robert got them at the start go wind of it. They kidnapped his family before he could deliver the source code and made him bring it back. Then they massacred his family in front of him slowly to find out if he made any backup copies. After killing his family and some additional torture of the researcher just to make sure they disposed of him too.

Robert and Rickman got the research materials back from them and they almost puked watching the link to a video they included. It was a one-time use link so as soon as they clicked it was gone. They saw the whole killing of the researcher and his family like it was a horror movie but they knew it was not. It was a stern warning meaning do not even think of messing with our golden goose.

They were not the only one who got sent the link. The whole senior research staff department got it. Everyone who saw it felt from that day like walking on a tightrope. One wrong move and you and your family could be stars of a horror movie where there no survivors.

The stock price of NovaTech has been rising steadily for the past 5 years and there were no significant bumps since the start. You could say this blunder was their first real hiccup since their source code was stolen although that one got fixed without the public ever getting a whiff about it.

So far the stock price has not moved much since the whole event was handled fast but should things change the shadow investors would surely come out looking for who to blame and punish for it.

Rickman looked at Rowan finish eating oatmeal again then turned off his station and left for home.

By the time Rickman reached home Rowan reached the blacksmith's shop. It was significantly further down the street from Jonas' shop than the jewelry store but he got directions from Old Hugo as he was leaving him. He figured it was probably because of the noise that rang out from the workshop attached to it.

The nonstop clinging noises of hammers hitting the steel would probably drive the clergy insane so even if the blacksmith wanted to occupy the best location they would probably force him to move.

Rowan went past a lot of weapon shops but due to his poor choice of occupations and lack of bonuses in the relevant attributes he could not use any of the gear available. He thought he might as well got to the blacksmith and look if he has anything more basic for him to use or if he could maybe get something forged to order.

As he came inside the shop with a glorious name "Shiny sword" at which Rowan turned his eyes and shook his head then he noticed it was empty. Soon the clanging of a hammer stopped and a door inside opened as a middle-aged man came in.

"Welcome to the "Shiny sword" customer. My name is Fred Ironheart. How can I help you today?"

The reception Rowan received now was totally different from a few hours ago while he was still wearing the beginner clothes. He quickly thought he might even make a better impression if he took his basic hammer out. People of the same ilk and whatnot.

"Hello, my name is Rowan. Ahem. I mean Ayx. And I would like to purchase some simple weapons.", Rowan stuttered.

As Fred saw the hammer his eyes lit up at first then he saw it's just the most basic hammer of all the basic hammers he ever saw.

"Look around the shop I am sure you will find some that suit you.", Fred emplored.

Rowan did as instructed, but frowned at every weapon he tried to pick up. Even the most basic daggers in the shop needed at least 3 strength to equip as a weapon. He had a hard time lifting them not to mention using them to strike an opponent.

Fred was looking at him as if he was looking at a comedian going from a long sword to a short sword and then to a dagger and making the same expression you make on the toilet while constipated at each of them.

"Do you have something lighter perhaps?", Rowan asked.

Fred shook his head and looked at the hammer in Rowan's hand.

"How can you be a blacksmith with such weak strength?", he asked puzzled.

Being a blacksmith was a very physically demanding job and not just anyone could do it. You needed strength, hand and eye coordination and even wisdom.

Had Rowan made better choices of profession selection he would naturally get bonuses in strength but as it turns out he only got wisdom and intelligence which applied to blacksmithing.

"I try my best?", Rowan answered after a while with a sheepish voice.

Fred frowned then gestured.

"Follow me!"

He led Rowan to the workshop adjacent to the store and in front of an anvil.

"Show me what you can do?", he gestured at the anvil.

Rowan just stood there dumbly and looked awkward.

"I haven't really ever made anything ...", he said as he sheepishly trailed off.

"Could you teach me?", Rowan asked next.

Fred was thinking with a frown. He got a big order for arrowheads. It was a tedious job making them not because of how hard they were to make but how many he needed to do to fulfill the order.

He was just about to look for an apprentice when Rowan walked in. He thought luck was smiling on him when he turned out to be utterly useless. He shook his head but then still took out a leather parchment.