The next three weeks were full of activity that left everyone in the workshop exhausted but excited for the long trip and vacation. Greg had no idea how much work went into a month-long trip until they started making lists of everything they would need.

"We need food," Lylia said on the first day as she wrote quickly in her planning notebook. "Non-perishable food for the road, cooking supplies, water containers, medical supplies, extra clothes, bedding, tools, money, and probably fifty other things I'm forgetting about..."

Felix said, "That's a lot of things," as he looked over her shoulder at the list. "Are we going to live in Meridian for that long?"

"It's a month-long trip, Felix. We have to be ready for anything."

"Can't we just buy things on the way? So it can be more efficient, you know?"

"At high prices for travel? No way. We're packing up everything we need from here so that we can use our money for something useful there!"

Greg was introducing changes to the carriage so that it could hold more people. The Eternal Engine carriage he had built months before was big, but it would be tight for eight people and Hammy for two weeks of travel. He spent the first few days making the inside bigger by adding more seats, storage spaces, and even a small kitchen.

Bork looked around the changed interior and said, "Holy shit, Boss! This redesign is fucking amazing. Now it truly feels like a little house on wheels!"

Greg wiped the sweat off his forehead and said, "That's the idea. We might as well be comfortable if we're going to be on the road for that long. And the beneficial part is we don't need to camp or go to the inn to rest."

The carriage now had bench seating that could turn into beds, storage spaces built into the walls, a small kitchen that Lylia had asked for, and even a small space for Hammy to bounce around in without getting in the way of everyone else. The Eternal Engine Core hummed softly below it all, giving off heat and power without needing any fuel.

"Is it okay if I add some defensive spells?" Seraphine asked while looking at the outside. "This is a precaution in case we encounter trouble on the road."

"What kinds of enchantments for defense?" Greg asked with caution.

"Nothing big. Just some basic wards against the bandits, protection from the weather, and maybe a small shock spell for anyone who tries to break in without permission for the night."

"The spell of shock sounds serious."

"It's not a big deal! Just enough to stop them so that they won't do anything."

"Okay, but don't go overboard. I don't want to accidentally shock a kid who is curious and touches the carriage."

Greg and Seraphine worked on the carriage, and Marina and Elwen packed clothes and other personal items. It turned out to be harder than anyone thought it would be.

"How many clothes do we need?" Marina asked, looking at her closet with hopelessness. "It's a month, and we probably needed many clothes. Do I really need thirty of them...?"

Elwen said, "You could do laundry on the way."

"But what if there's a fancy party? Lylia said there would be formal events. I need clothes that are formal. I also need clothes that are appropriate for everyday use. And clothes for traveling. And clothes for sleeping. And..."

"Marina, you can't bring all of your clothes."

"You are challenging me? I can do that, you know!"

Elwen had to physically stop Marina from packing twelve pairs of boots. They agreed on four.

Felix, on the other hand, had decided to use what he knew about games to make a "complete adventuring kit." He needed a lot of rope, a few knives, a compass, maps, emergency food, and what he called 'essential survival tools.'

"Felix, what do you need three hammers for?" Bork asked as he packed.

"It's for different purposes! One for building, one for breaking, and one for throwing!"

"When are you going to throw a hammer?"

"You never know when you'll need to use a hammer, Bork! That's the first thing you need to know to stay alive!"

"That's not how to stay alive."

"It's in my game!"

"Your game isn't real life!"

"It might be!"

Lylia would gather everyone in the workshop's main area every night after dinner to talk about what to expect at the festival. She had brought back detailed notes from her trip to Aethermoor, including information about the rules, the judges' preferences, and her competitors.

Lylia said on the third night, "The Festival of Blacksmith Creation is split into three parts," and she spread papers out on the table. "Useful, Creative, and Unique. People can enter one, two, or all three categories."

"What's the difference?" Marina asked.

"The practical category evaluates functionality, such as whether the item performs its intended purpose and how effectively it does so."

"Artistic category judges how well something looks and how well it was made. How gorgeous is the piece? How much work did it take to make it?"

"And the Innovative category judges how new something is. Has anyone ever made something like this? Does it resolve a problem in a new way?"

"Greg could enter all three categories with one item," Seraphine said. "His works are usually useful, well-made, creative, and definitely one of a unique kind."

"That's the plan," Lylia said. "Even though the competition will be tough, I am determined for us to succeed. Some of the blacksmiths who have said they will come are masters of their craft, and I heard about them when I was in the Order."

She took out another piece of paper. "There's Mikhail the Ironheart from the Northern Coalition. He is well-known for making armor that is almost impossible to break."

"Then there's Adelaide the Precise from the Southern Territories. People think her clockwork devices are works of art because they are so detailed."

"And Allan the Elder from the Mountain Clans, who makes weapons that never need to be sharpened."

"Are you talking about weapons?" Greg wanted to know. "I thought this was about making things, not weapons... if it is a weapon-forging competition, then you know my answer."

Lylia said softly, "Weapons are a craft too. Greg, not everyone agrees with your perspective on them. No matter what is being made, the judges will judge based on skill and artistry."

Greg shook his head but nodded. He had known this would be a problem, but hearing it confirmed still upset him.

Lylia went on, "There's more."

"The winner of each category gets a big cash prize and fame in both kingdoms. Their creation will also be displayed in the famous museum in that place!"

"But! That's not all! The most important thing is that the overall champion, the one who scores the most points in all categories, gets a special honor!"

"What honor?" Felix leaned forward and asked with interest.

Lylia's face got more serious. "They get to meet Lady Rosalina the Valiant."

The name hung in the air for a moment before Bork whistled softly. "No fucking way... you meant The Legend Rosalina herself? The Shield of Aethermoor?"

"Correct," Lylia said.

"Who is Rosalina?" Greg asked, feeling like he was missing some important information.

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