As much as Clay regretted not listening to his foreman friend enough, he still held on to the belief that he wasn’t entirely wrong, either. Garrick’s suggestions were sound, and there was merit in listening to his years of experience, but that would entail exorbitantly higher costs and construction time.
Thinking back o...
2025-07-08 02:22:21 +0000 UTC View PostAN: As promised, another bonus chapter, restoring the Patreon to be 20 chapters ahead.
Google Docs Link
I may have gotten a little too hasty earlier…
As soon as Clay was alone, worry crept in. He had confidently claimed a few low-level oozes were not a problem to assure his friend, but to be honest, he ...
2025-07-07 04:26:35 +0000 UTC View PostAN: Extra chapter, should be another one tomorrow.
“Those stupid merchants may only know how to count coins, but most of them are still tolerable. The really bad ones are really something else. They don’t even bother to learn about the characteristics of our work and then have the audacity to make thi...
2025-07-06 03:13:38 +0000 UTC View PostAN: Happy Fourth of July!
Two days passed by in a flurry, as Clay resumed his usual routine as if nothing had happened. Unfortunately, he knew it wouldn’t last. The day to pick up the S-traps he ordered had come, and he would soon be working on toilets and water heaters for his Delver acquaintance and, more...
2025-07-05 02:00:08 +0000 UTC View Post“Taverns are great! What better way to end the day than downing some ale with good company?”
“Taverns are essential to locals and travelers, commoners, rich merchants, and nobles alike. It allows information to flow and me to get a feel of how the domain is doing.”
“What do I think about tave...
2025-07-04 02:00:06 +0000 UTC View PostAN: Better late than never! (Yeah, I fell asleep early the previous night and was behind a chapter)
Four strong horses sped out of a forest, pulling along a luxurious carriage that was a full size or two larger than what was commonly seen. Even with eight passengers, the interior wasn’t cramped at all. O...
2025-07-03 12:20:24 +0000 UTC View PostAN: Just realized we're only 19 chapters ahead of RR release. Must've messed up count somewhere during the extra chapters. I apologize for the mistake and will fix it after the Rising Star run, when I have the leeway to do so. In fact, I plan to go beyond and increase the release rate on Patreon, as long as I can handle it. You can think of it as raising from 4 chapters a week to 4.5 chapters for now, until I'm sure I can handle it long term.
Anyway, thanks for ...
2025-07-02 02:00:03 +0000 UTC View PostAN: Showed changes in the status screen now, let me know if you prefer it like this or not. May work to do the same with all prior chapters
AN: Showed changes in the status screen now, let me know if you prefer it like this or not. May work to do the same with all prior chapters when I have time, if it is what people prefer.
2025-07-01 02:00:06 +0000 UTC View Post“Craftsmen guilds like ours never recovered from The Descent, but we continue to exist. It’s just that our influence over the markets of entire kingdoms has been reduced to the local level. Make no mistake, though. We are essential to every city’s upkeep.”
-Excerpt from an undisclosed guild’s records.<...
2025-06-30 02:10:28 +0000 UTC View PostAN: Hope you're all having a great weekend! Here's a bonus chapter, and probably another one tomorrow!
While the four Delvers took a break, Clay got a better look at their wounds. He had some first-aid supplies to stop basic bleeds, but that was it. He quickly realized that it was far from enough. The injuries th...
2025-06-29 02:11:08 +0000 UTC View Post“Every city charges a different amount to register as a Delver, changing the dynamics greatly depending on where you are. I wonder what it’s like in the other countries? I’d love to go see for myself one day.”
-Anonymous
***
After splitting off from Malik and the female Delver, Clay ...
2025-06-28 02:00:06 +0000 UTC View PostAN: I don't think I've properly greeted all the new readers coming in this past week, so I would like to take a moment to say welcome and thank you for choosing to support me!
Construction Mage is now near the top of Royal Road's Rising Star, which I'm super excited about. No matter how many stories launched, it's still quite nerve-wracking when posting something new. Anyway, I'm glad you're all here, whether you're new or not, and I hope you enjoy the ride!
“My liege, we must explore alternatives to the gold and silver coins we use within our kingdom. It’s been brought to my attention that it’s only a matter of time before the Delvers literally strike gold within the dungeons, collapsing the value of our coins in an instant! Such a threat cannot be ignored any longer. I implore ...
2025-06-26 00:56:18 +0000 UTC View PostAN: Here's an extra chapter, and I already owe another one! The next one won't be until the weekend, though. Enjoy!
After another fruitful morning in the dungeon, Clay retired to his house and got straight to work on his home renovations. He had religiously worked on his makeshift house ever since its completion....
2025-06-24 11:57:02 +0000 UTC View Post“The rate at which nobles had started adopting the teachings of the church was alarming to the Royal Court at first, but they calmed down when they found out the reason. The nobles in question all happened to have selected a mage class, which meant they chanted the name of what the Church of Life claimed to be subordinate gods da...
2025-06-24 01:05:41 +0000 UTC View PostBonus Chapter!
With a new member in tow, it didn’t even take a week for Clay to get used to the new normal, and it was great. Having an extra set of hands dedicated to carrying things not only made it easier for him but also increased the profitability.
The agreed split was nine to one, while the amount o...
2025-06-22 14:25:50 +0000 UTC View Post“Why don’t we just hire a few more porters and regroup into one big party in the dungeon?”
“You think you’re the first chap to think of that? Altar only takes five. Good luck trying to regroup inside when you get placed somewhere different every time. Not every dungeon is so forgiving, like in the first lay...
2025-06-21 02:18:53 +0000 UTC View PostWitnessing the sight of the orphans before him, Clay couldn’t help but have second thoughts.
Perhaps I drew my conclusions too soon? Malik isn’t so money-hungry purely because of greed. Based on how skinny they are, they are probably struggling to get by.
Dozens of small reasons mixed together, edging Clay clos...
2025-06-20 01:16:17 +0000 UTC View Post“Being a porter is a thankless job. You have to literally carry the burden of the party and receive a smaller cut of the pay in return. However, it is unquestionable that it plays a vital role in any party’s success. It was something most regular folks, who’ve never delved for days at a time, would ever understand. In fact, m...
2025-06-19 05:50:14 +0000 UTC View PostTwo large men steadily hefted up long wooden pillars to a shabby-looking house in the middle of an empty grass field. The only structures in sight were the grand walls of the third ring and nascent fourth ring, sandwiching the worksite.
“You sure you want me to just hammer away at your hard work here?” the robust man with red...
2025-06-18 02:11:11 +0000 UTC View Post“Does one have to be an active Delver to further their profession classes? The answer is no. You simply need the right recipes and materials, which happen to be found progressively deeper and deeper into the dungeon.
The value of a regular artisan lies in their skill. The value of profession classes lies in t...
2025-06-17 00:18:51 +0000 UTC View PostOver the course of negotiations, it might appear as if the two sides would just be bargaining by leveraging what they could and exchanging concessions. However, under the hood of all this, it could be said that it was a game of grasping intentions. It would be much easier if both sides were honest with their expectations and bottom lin...
2025-06-16 23:32:12 +0000 UTC View PostAnother day went by as Clay toiled away with his little project. Either his summon or he would steadily stack the earthen bricks together, layered between some mud mortar, one at a time. Other times, he would be spamming Earth Blasts to restock their material.
It was all tedious work that he would have dreaded if not for one cruc...
2025-06-14 01:07:07 +0000 UTC View Post“Welcome,” a familiar face said with a smile as soon as Li Lang and Long Yi stepped down from the Skyrunner. “I’ve heard the summary of what happened. I’m glad everything went well. Please follow me somewhere we can talk more privately about what comes next.”
Long Yi politely nodded as he watched Chen Kan bow to his t...
2025-06-13 23:39:25 +0000 UTC View Post“After the False Revolution, few craftsmen bothered to become mage-type Delvers to take advantage of the power of magic. Instead, they chose more physical classes to improve their stamina and focused on leveling up their profession skills. After all, it’s their only way to handle materials found in the dungeon.
However, ...
With no one wanting to prolong their time in the subterranean world, the Rolling Tide disciples escorted their guests back out onto the surface. There was some friction in the air, but they were all professional enough to avoid any conflict while they retreated.
Naturally, the person who was getting the most attention was Long Yi...
2025-06-13 01:10:27 +0000 UTC View PostThe scenes before Long Yi continued to mercilessly flash by, showing his journey through the cultivation realms. He didn’t progress the fastest, but within the same realm, his strength was undeniable.
It caused the feeling of having wasted his talents to grow, making him lose confidence in his decisions so far. Wallowing in des...
2025-06-11 22:30:01 +0000 UTC View PostClay wasted no time and headed straight for the fourth ring to inspect his new land. The sun was high in the sky by the time he got the deed, so he spotted his acquaintances at the church’s construction site, busily laboring away. There was also a long line of people using the road that led out of Ravenhold.
As someone who had ...
2025-06-10 23:57:29 +0000 UTC View Post“What happened?” Long Yi muttered as he tried to survey his surroundings. One second, he was in the subterranean tunnels fi
“What happened?” Long Yi muttered as he tried to survey his surroundings.
One second, he was in the subterranean tunnels fighting off the heavenly earth with Han Zemei, and the next, he found h...
2025-06-10 23:35:18 +0000 UTC View Post“All hail the new land development policy! I can’t believe I can become a landowner with no obligations attached. Brother, you should come over here too, before it’s too late. You won’t have to sign any service tenancy agreement anymore just to rent a place. I’ll be sure to have a room for you and your family. I have inve...
2025-06-10 00:11:33 +0000 UTC View Post