I Have An SSS-Rank Service System: Hire Me For Anything!-Chapter 28: The Need To Speed Things Up [3]

The forge was already alive when Liam returned. The fire had been lit again, and the steady sound of metal being worked filled the air. Sparks flew in short bursts as Horg brought his hammer down with controlled force, while Dory stood nearby, watching closely, his eyes following every movement. The girls were already in place, some near the furnace, others preparing tools or clearing space. No one looked as rested as they should have been, but no one complained either.

Liam stepped in, setting the empty tray down near the wall.

"They all sold out."

Horg didn’t stop hammering.

"I figured."

Dory turned his head slightly.

"How fast?"

Liam exhaled.

"Faster than yesterday."

That made Dory pause.

"How fast?"

Liam crossed his arms.

"Before I could even step back from the stall."

There was a brief silence in the forge.

Maya looked up from where she stood.

"That bad?"

"That good," Liam corrected.

Lola let out a small breath.

"So we were right to work last night."

Dory adjusted his glasses, his expression calm but focused.

"Did anyone complain?"

"Only the ones who didn’t get any," Liam replied. "The rest just kept asking for more. All five shops want more tomorrow. Maybe double."

Horg finally stopped and rested the hammer on the anvil.

"Double?" he muttered.

"That’s what they said," Liam replied.

Dano frowned slightly.

"Can we even do that?"

Lila shook her head.

"Not at this pace."

Lisa glanced at Dory.

"We barely managed yesterday."

Dory didn’t respond immediately. He just looked at the furnace, then at the tools, then at the group. His mind was already working through the problem.

’...We’re too slow...’

He exhaled quietly.

"We won’t double yet," he said.

Liam blinked.

"Why not? Won’t that make more money?"

"It will," Dory replied. "But we’ll lose control."

Maya crossed her arms.

"Explain."

"If we rush and the quality drops, people will notice," Dory said. "Right now, the demand is high because the product is consistent. If even one bad batch reaches the stalls, that trust disappears."

Horg grunted in agreement.

"That’s true."

Dory continued.

"We increase output slowly. Not all at once."

Lola tilted her head.

"So what do we do?"

Dory turned toward the group fully.

"We work smarter."

Liam sighed.

"That sounds like more work."

"It is more work," Dory replied. "Just more efficient."

He pointed toward the furnace.

"Horg shouldn’t be wasting time adjusting materials between strikes. The moment a piece is ready, it should already be in position."

Horg nodded slightly.

"Go on."

Dory looked at the girls.

"You’ll rotate in pairs. Two assist Horg directly. One handles positioning the heated metal. The other manages the tongs and keeps the workflow steady."

Dano raised her hand slightly.

"And the rest?"

"The rest focus on prep," Dory said. "Not just snacks. Everything. Coal, tools, water. If Horg stops even once to grab something, we lose time."

Lisa nodded slowly.

"That makes sense."

Liam leaned against the wall.

"And me?"

Dory looked at him.

"You move between both sides."

Liam frowned.

"Both?"

"Yes," Dory replied. "You help here when needed, then prepare for delivery. You’re the link between production and sales."

Liam scratched his head.

"...That sounds stressful."

"It is," Maya said.

Lola smirked slightly.

"You wanted to be important."

Liam sighed.

"Not like this."

Horg picked up his hammer again.

"Enough talking. If we’re doing this, we start now."

Dory nodded.

"Positions."

The group moved quickly, taking their places. This time, there was less hesitation. They had already learned the basics yesterday, and even though they were still new, their movements were more confident.

Dory stepped closer to the furnace, activating his focus as he watched the heat.

’...So this is how it flows...’

With Thermal Vision, the heat became clearer to him. He could see the difference in temperature, the way the metal changed color, the way the furnace breathed with heat. It wasn’t perfect understanding, but it was enough to guide his actions.

Still, he didn’t rely on it completely.

’...I can’t depend on the system for everything...’

He glanced at Horg.

’...I learn from him first...’

Horg pulled a heated piece from the furnace, and this time, he didn’t have to move alone. Lola and Maya stepped in quickly, guiding the metal with the tongs and placing it onto the anvil without delay.

"Good," Horg muttered.

The hammer came down.

Clang.

The rhythm started again.

This time, it was faster.

Not rushed, but smoother.

Dory watched closely, adjusting small things as they went.

"Closer."

"Not too far."

"Hold it steady."

The girls followed his instructions, improving with each attempt. It wasn’t perfect, but it was working.

Liam moved between them, bringing water, adjusting tools, stepping in where needed. He didn’t complain this time, though the work was clearly wearing him down.

"...This is worse than walking," he muttered.

Maya didn’t look at him.

"Then walk back to the market."

"I’d rather stay here," Liam replied quickly.

Time passed faster than they expected. The system they had discussed began to take shape. It wasn’t smooth yet, but it was no longer chaotic. Each person had a role, and slowly, they started to understand how their actions affected the others.

Dory stepped back for a moment, watching everything.

’...This is better...’

He adjusted his glasses again.

’...Still not enough...’

He looked at the stack of finished ingots.

They were increasing, but not at the rate he wanted.

’...We need more efficiency... but not yet...’

He exhaled.

For now, this was enough.

The day continued with the same rhythm. Work, adjust, repeat. No one wasted time, and no one stepped out of line. Even Horg seemed more focused than usual, his movements sharper as he worked with the added support.

By the time the sun began to dip again, the pile of ingots had grown noticeably.

Not enough to relax.

But enough to show progress.

Liam leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.

"...We’re actually getting faster."

Lila nodded.

"A little."

Dano wiped her hands.

"It’s still hard."

Maya stretched slightly.

"But it’s working."

Dory looked at the group, then at the forge.

"Yes," he said calmly. "It is."

But even as he said that, his mind was already moving ahead.

’...Tomorrow will be harder...’

Because now, they weren’t just trying to meet a deadline.

They were trying to keep up with demand and that was a different kind of pressure entirely.