Transmigrated as an Extra: Awakening of The Ex‐Class'-Chapter 36 : weekend part 8

Aliana stood at the door for a moment, looking at me with a calm smile. She wasn’t worried, nor did she seem to feel the pressure of the environment like I did.

Perhaps noticing my nervousness, she smiled slightly and said in a soft but confident voice:

— You’ll get used to it. Nothing is really that complicated. Everything here always seems bigger than it is. People tend to get hung up on appearances, lose focus, and forget that things are much simpler than they seem.

I just nodded at her words, acknowledging her sincerity, although I didn’t feel entirely calm.

— Thank you, Aliana, I’ll keep that in mind. I looked at her briefly before saying goodbye.

— Oh, right... — Remember to look for me before you leave. She told me as she walked away, her footsteps echoing in the hallways.

As I was left alone, the room seemed to close in on me a little more. Although it had been a long and hectic day, I felt something I hadn’t experienced in a long time: tranquility. Perhaps for the first time since I came to this strange world, I allowed myself to relax. Until now I had been running around fighting for my life, I had forgotten about the simple days, those moments when everything seems to be in its place.

Without thinking much more, I lay down on the giant bed. It was as if I was wrapped in a warm and heavy hug. I sank between the soft sheets, which enveloped me like a cloud, and in a few minutes, sleep swept me away. Enjoying a deep rest.

***

The next morning I woke up early. I knew what I had to do. I couldn’t keep bothering Amelia with my favors; she wasn’t one of those shameless people who took advantage of others. I left the hotel very decisively and walked to the small workshop I had heard about.

The streets of the city were still as bustling as ever, with people coming and going from all directions, some in vehicles, others walking along the cobblestone streets of the old city. The hum of machines and the constant murmur of conversation filled the air.

I headed towards an alley located in a remote corner of the city, almost like a lavish place, I had been told, it was the "Steel" workshop. The facade was a bit shabby, a rusty steel sign, which I could no longer make out its brand, still hanging.

The surroundings were so quiet that at first glance, it seemed abandoned, but I did not hesitate. As I opened the door, a soft tinkling of a bell greeted me, announcing my arrival.

"Who do you want?" shouted a deep voice from a dark corner of the workshop.

Then the figure of a bald old man with a thick, bushy beard appeared from the shadows. His tanned skin and defined muscles gave signs of a life of hard work.

"I’ve come to buy," I answered immediately, without beating around the bush.

The old man looked me up and down before gesturing to shelves filled with all kinds of objects: metal parts, gears, and tools.

"Pick something and get out. I have no time for games, kid," he said, in a rough voice.

Before I could ask a question, a little girl, with brown hair and a lively look, appeared from behind. Her eyes shone with a mix of curiosity and distrust. She was perhaps eleven or twelve years old, and, like the old man, she looked like she had spent many hours in that workshop. She looked at me with a mix of shyness and quickness, and, without saying a word, bowed slightly.

"Welcome, Mr. Customer!" she said, in an exaggeratedly polite tone. "How can I help you?"

Her slight smile contrasted with the old man’s rude tone.

— Lisy, I’ve already told you that you don’t need to do this. You’re too young to be fooling around, so you better go study.

The little girl looked at him as if she were scolding him

"Grandpa, if I don’t do this, you’ll end up throwing him out like the others! I don’t want to eat bread again!" she said angrily

I found her scolding a little cute and funny but I didn’t say anything.

"Oh, excuse me, big brother," Lisy said, with an innocent expression.

The old man looked at her with a sigh, then looked back at me, still serious.

"What are you looking for?" he asked, as if he had forgotten our previous conversation.

"I need ammunition," I said, bluntly. I was looking for something with strong firepower and a bullet is the best option for me.

The man looked at me for a moment, evaluating the seriousness of my words.

"Normal? Or something more specific?"

"Something more specialized," I answered. And with a quick movement, I took out a design from my pocket. It was a sketch of what I wanted: a 70 mm bullet, precise and destructive. The drawing detailed how it was to work, the specific features, and even the materials it was to be made from.

The old man approached the drawing, frowning as he analyzed each line.

The old man approached the drawing, frowning as he analyzed each line.

— Mmm, interesting... Although the design is a bit outdated, the concept is innovative, not bad, kid. If fired, the bullet would expand upon impact with the target. And I see that you also ask for it to be made of tungsten. That makes it a bit more complicated.

—Yes, that’s what I want. I know it’s not easy to keep your balance, but I think you can do it. I answered seriously.

The old man slowly advances, his face now more relaxed.

— I can do it. How many do you need?

— Make me a dozen of them. And, also, a box of standard ammunition — I answered.

— Right, come back tomorrow around this time. Today I need to familiarize myself with the process and make sure it goes well. Let me know if you need anything else.

— No, that’s all for now. Thank you.

The old man moved to his workbench, located in a corner of the workshop, without delay he began to look for the materials and immediately took the necessary measurements to create the object. Meanwhile, Lisy gave me a curious look before returning to her tasks.

***

After leaving the workshop, I headed to the temple, or rather, to one of its branches. Upon arrival, a majestic chapel welcomed me. This place was dedicated to Hemera, the goddess of light, one of the main deities of the twelve predominant religions of this continent.

As I crossed its doors, I was left breathless by the beauty of the temple. The architecture of the building seemed straight out of a dream. The grey stone walls rose towards the sky, adorned with intricate reliefs depicting celestial scenes, while enormous white marble columns that looked like they were going to get lost in the darkness of the ceiling above, whose design evoked the vastness of neatness.

The stained glass windows that adorned the windows were not ordinary: they were made of mana stones and precious metals, which when they received the light, refracted it into a kaleidoscope of vibrant and beautiful colours. Creating a mystical, almost sacred glow that illuminated the chapel, filling the air with an indescribable feeling of reverence.