"Understanding how Magi-Tech works can be as simple as solving a puzzle... or as fiendishly complicated as slaying a dragon. It all depends on how much you're willing to immerse yourself in this world."

After his lecture on mana, Edan began explaining the technology he had created. My attention was entirely focused on him and the artifact he was holding in his right hand.

"The purpose of this technology is very simple: to replicate human talent," he continued. "I told you that the philosophy of Mana Engineers is to seek efficiency in spellcasting, right? Well, Magi-Tech takes that concept to another level. The truth is, we humans are fallible creatures. It's impossible for us to perform at our very best all the time. However, that factor can be crucial when it comes to improving your magic... or fighting in a war."

He wasn't wrong. The machines in my former world had long since surpassed humans in efficiency and skill. If one man could make ten pieces of furniture in a day, a robot could produce a hundred—and of higher quality.

The vast majority of jobs were taken over by robots that needed no rest, no training, and made no mistakes. They didn't complain about working conditions, even those that would have been unbearable for humans. And in war?

How many enemies could a man kill with his bare hands? A bullet was much faster—and much easier.

"That is why we Mana Engineers have created these artifacts. When filled with enough mana, they can activate spells flawlessly," Edan said, fiddling with the orb in his hand.

"And how are these artifacts made?" I asked, leaning forward. "They don't look like they're made from ordinary materials."

Edan smiled. "Oh, are you that perceptive? You're absolutely correct. Artifacts can't be made with just any material. They must be crafted from what are known as 'magic metals.'"

He placed the orb gently on the table and turned back to the blackboard, picking up a piece of chalk.

"There are metals in this world that have the ability to resonate with mana. What does that mean? They're exceptional conductors of mana. For example, if you were to try channeling mana through a piece of wood, it would just explode. But a magic metal? It absorbs and channels mana smoothly."

Like copper with electricity. That must be why copper was the material of choice for wires in my old world.

"So far," Edan continued, "we've identified only a few metals that have the ability to resonate with mana. Other materials, such as the magical jewels of Thamel and Lanian, or the branches of the World Tree, can also be used for magic. But that's a far more complicated matter involving magical properties and resonance compatibility. I don't want to overwhelm you on your first day, so we'll leave that for now."

I glanced at the earrings dangling from my ears, suddenly appreciating how intricate their creation must have been. Now the exorbitant price Betia had mentioned made perfect sense.

"Magic metals conduct mana cleanly, which makes them ideal for activating spells without alteration," Edan explained. "That's why most of the artifacts I create are made from magic metals. However, they're scarce and expensive, and Meridan controls the distribution of most of them."

He sighed, his expression darkening slightly. "Although, with sufficient resources and the right contacts, they can be obtained... by other methods."

Like everything else in the world. For once, I felt genuinely pleased to be so wealthy.

"The most common is called limurite," Edan continued. "The vast majority of the artifacts we'll be working on will be made of this metal. It's malleable and conducts mana well, but it's not very durable. Its lifespan is no more than five years. However, it's cheap and relatively easy to acquire."

Edan walked over to one of the desks in the lab, opened a drawer, and pulled out what looked like a jagged piece of metal. He tossed it to me without hesitation.

"Here," he said, "familiarize yourself with it."

I caught the piece of limurite and turned it over in my hands. The sensation was strange—soft but firm at the same time. It was warm, as if it had been sitting under the sun for hours. Its aluminum-like color was marbled with layered patterns that reminded me of an onion.

"This feels... fun," I said with a smile.

Edan smiled back. "Then there's orichalcum. It's primarily mined in the North Sea and is often used in jewelry because of its gold-like color. It's stronger than limurite and can hold a much higher concentration of mana, which allows for more powerful spells. Unfortunately, I'm out of samples."

But I got the idea. Orichalcum existed on Earth, too. Of course, it lacked any magical properties there... how boring.

"And now, saving the best for last," Edan said, reaching into the front pocket of his coat. He pulled out what looked like a black nugget, no larger than a lentil. "Lunaria."

The sample was small, yet for some reason, I felt deeply unsettled just looking at it. Its blackness was profound, almost as if it absorbed every bit of light that touched it. My vision seemed distorted the longer I stared at it, as if the metal was warping reality itself.

Uncanny.

"Lunaria is the most powerful magic metal in the world," Edan said, his tone reverent. "It's perfect in every way. Its ability to conduct mana is unmatched, far surpassing limurite and orichalcum. And it's... monstrously resilient. I think only the Duke's Aura could split this thing in half."

I was startled. Though I couldn't fully grasp the gravity of his statement, it gave me a clear sense of its magnitude. That shard made me feel uneasy. But the Duke?

He gave me nightmares.

"And I guess because it's so special, its price—"

Edan burst into laughter, cutting me off. "This tiny shard I'm holding is worth far more than those magic earrings Prince Damian gave you."

"Ho-How do you know that?!"

"But you're correct, Princess," he continued, ignoring my outburst. "Lunaria is the metal... No. Lunaria is the most valuable material on the entire planet. And unless you're an archmage of Meridan or part of the royal family of a nation, owning even a shard of it is strictly illegal."

"Huh... And I suppose you don't meet either of those criteria," I said, raising an eyebrow.

Edan smiled, utterly unbothered. "I'll trust your discretion."

"Can I touch it?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.

"No..." Edan said, his tone shifting slightly. "While I mentioned that lunaria is a perfect material, it also has a property that... well, depending on how it's used, it can be either a blessing or a curse."

Before I could press him further, Edan's nose suddenly started bleeding.

"Well... it's terribly poisonous to humans," he added casually, dabbing at the blood with a handkerchief as if this were the most normal thing in the world.

"Huh?!"

He calmly slipped the nugget back into his pocket, as though it weren't the cause of his current condition. "What artifact did you say you wanted to build again?" he asked, smiling as if nothing had happened.

"Hey... are you sure it's safe to just carry that thing in your pocket?" I asked, frowning.

"Oh, don't worry. I've been sick from far worse."

"That's not a reassuring answer..."

"Lunaria can absorb natural mana from the environment," Edan explained. "It's such a good conductor that it does this passively, without any intervention. You don't even have to ask it to work! But here's the catch: natural mana is poisonous to humans. Our bodies have to filter it first, and lunaria emits more mana than we can filter in a short amount of time. That's where the imbalance—and symptoms—come from. As long as I don't touch it directly with my skin, I'll be fine."

So lunaria was like uranium. Extremely powerful but incredibly dangerous. I had no choice but to trust Edan—he clearly knew far more about it than I did.

"Are only these three metals capable of cleanly resonating with mana?" I asked.

"Yeah... so far," Edan replied. "Though I suspect the Duke is hiding a newly discovered material found near the Tower."

That caught my attention. Why did the name Tower feel so familiar?

"In any case," Edan continued, "you'll have to make do with these three. It's not like the Duke is going to share his discoveries with you."

I sighed. "You're right. In that mansion, even a table seems more important than I am. There's not even a single picture of me anywhere."

"That's... I don't really know what to say to that," he admitted, looking momentarily uncomfortable.

How sad.

"Fine!" Edan cleared his throat, clearly eager to change the subject. "Let's start on your project."

"Right. What I want to create is a machine shaped like a trunk that can freeze food," I said, stepping up to the blackboard. I asked for a piece of chalk and began sketching a basic blueprint for the refrigerator I had in mind. Though I wasn't an expert, I had a steady hand, and the lines came out surprisingly clean.

"It needs to have these dimensions to hold the approximate volume of products I plan to sell with the pastry shop owner. And the cold must remain constant and evenly distributed throughout."

Edan studied the drawing in silence for a few moments. Finally, he nodded. "I see... It's really not that complicated."

I couldn't help but smile. "Can we start today?"

"Of course. You mentioned this was for the dessert you created? What's it called?"

"Ice cream! You'll love it."

"Oh... I grasp the concept," he said, his tone intrigued. "You're quite inventive, Princess. Only in Meridan have I ever seen people experimenting with cold desserts like this. Can I assume you took inspiration from them?"

Meridan again. Just how far ahead were they?

"Well, I don't know any Meridan techniques," I replied. "The dessert I suggested is very simple—just a blend of fruit and milk that freezes to create a smooth, delicious texture. Anyone could have thought of it."

"I see... So your goal is to create a low-cost dessert?" Edan asked.

"Exactly. That way, everyone could afford it, and it would gain popularity. I need to build this machine—otherwise, I'd have to rely on mages to freeze the ice cream every single time."

Edan smiled, a glint of admiration in his eyes. "You've really thought of everything, Princess. Don't sell yourself short by saying anyone could have done it. And as for your artifact..."

He gestured for me to follow him to another area of the lab. The space was cluttered with blueprints and formulas scrawled across piles of paper, teetering precariously like a miniature mountain ready to collapse.

Fragments of magic metals lay scattered across a workbench, some of them shaped like molds for projects Edan was developing. Most bore inscriptions similar to the magic circle he'd drawn earlier on the blackboard.

"Should I return the limurite to you?" I asked, holding out the piece he'd given me.

Edan shook his head. "Keep it," he said. "Limurite in its natural state isn't useful for crafting artifacts. One day, I'll teach you how to process it. For now, we'll use a prepared piece."

He picked up a perfectly flat hexagonal slab of metal from the workbench. Its surface shimmered faintly under the lab's dim light.

"This limurite is almost ready to be worked. I'll show you how to carve it."

My heart began to race with excitement.

Edan placed the hexagonal piece back on the table and grabbed what looked like an incredibly thin chisel and a small hammer. Positioning the chisel on one edge of the limurite, he began to carve.

"Normally, you'd start with magic metal that's been stripped of the natural mana it accumulates over time," he explained. "But since this is just a prototype, we'll skip that step to keep things simple. Watch closely."

I leaned in, my attention fixed on Edan as he worked. His hands moved with practiced precision, carefully carving symbols into the metal's surface. These weren't mere random scratches—they were the same intricate designs he'd drawn on the blackboard earlier. What were they called again? Runes?

As he carved, a strange sensation washed over me—a sense of cold. I couldn't explain why, but every stroke of the chisel made me think of icy winds and frosted air.

"Remember what I said about magic circles?" Edan asked, breaking my concentration.

"Yes. They're instructions for casting spells," I replied.

"Exactly. We're doing the same thing here, but instead of a mage, we're using the metal as the channeler. By engraving runes into the limurite, we're giving instructions to the mana that will be poured into it, activating a specific type of spell."

He continued carving until the entire surface of one side was covered in runes. The patterns seemed to hum with a quiet, unseen energy.

"This," Edan said, holding up the engraved piece, "is an engine. Every artifact we create must have an engine engraved with the Magis Scriptum."

"Magis Scriptum?" I repeated.

"That's the sequence of runes used in each magic circle," he explained. "The Magis Scriptum we use on magic metals is different from the ones mages use for their circles, but the theory is the same."

It was like giving instructions to a human versus a machine—they couldn't perform the same task in the same way, so their instructions had to be tailored specifically for each.

"In other words, if I wanted to use these runes in a magic circle, it wouldn't work, would it?" I asked.

"You're quick to catch on," Edan said with a smile. "Exactly. They're incompatible. Magic circles are designed to work exclusively with humans. You need to create a new sequence of runes specifically for magic metals."

He set down his tools and placed his right hand on the engraved limurite.

"I'd show you how to activate the engine with your own mana, but I'm afraid you'd vaporize all of Avantgar if you got it wrong, Princess," Edan added with a laugh.

"You must be joking." I stared at him.

Silence.

"Right?"

"Pay attention," Edan said, ignoring my concern. "This is your idea... coming to life."

Suddenly, a faint bluish glow began emanating from Edan's hand. Immediately, the runes carved into the limurite started to light up, growing brighter with each passing second.

I stared in awe. A subtle vibration hummed through the table, and I noticed the air around us growing colder—noticeably colder.

Magic.

"Has the engine already started?" I asked, still mesmerized.

"Yes. Do you feel how the air has chilled? That's the spell at work. It'll keep going until the mana I injected runs out... which will be in a few seconds."

As if on cue, the cold dissipated just moments later. A shiver ran down my spine as the air returned to its previous temperature. I couldn't stop myself from smiling.

"It's perfect," I said. "If it can cool the air around me so effectively, it must have great power."

"It does," Edan agreed. "But there's room for improvement. We'll need to drain the natural mana from the metal so it can better absorb human mana. And we'll have to add your specifications. If you want the cold to be evenly distributed, we could incorporate an air spell to circulate the temperature throughout the box."

"Excellent!" I exclaimed. "Can we also add a spell to absorb moisture?"

"Of course. Do you want it applied to the entire interior?"

"No, just the walls. I still need moisture in the dessert," I clarified.

Edan grabbed a pen and paper, jotting down notes. "Then we should also add a spell to alert you when the desired temperature is reached."

"Oh, and a freshness sensor!" I added. "That way the ice cream doesn't sit for too long and spoil."

"And what about...?"

We brainstormed endlessly, bouncing ideas back and forth until my throat felt raw from talking. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the process. It was so different from my chaotic first encounter with Edan. Working together felt natural—almost fun.

The development became a bit complicated as we added more features, but Edan's explanations were clear, and I quickly began putting his instructions into practice. He showed me how to engrave the next Magis Scriptum on the other side of the limurite to activate the air spell.

I think I did pretty well.

The remaining spells were engraved on separate pieces of metal. I handled most of them myself, but Edan assisted with the dehumidifying spell, as it was a "compound spell" that required a more advanced approach. He promised to explain it in detail during a future lesson.

We didn't have enough time to assemble the refrigerator, but we finished all the engine components. The next day, we'd piece them together into a single machine. That would require yet another set of steps.

I didn't find mana engineering all that complicated... or perhaps Edan was simply an excellent teacher. My scientific mindset definitely helped. Memorizing formulas and experimenting with new concepts felt second nature to me.

But there was something about it that went beyond logic. Something that genuinely fascinated me. Magic was... cool. And I was working with it. Slowly but surely, I was beginning to understand it. Its fundamentals were simple, but with effort and creativity, they could transform into something truly extraordinary.

Like a single brick that could build a humble house... or a towering skyscraper.

"Can I tell you something without you hitting me?" Edan asked as he prepared his ball to teleport us back to the mansion.

"I suppose just this once... I could allow it," I replied with a laugh.

"Your eyes... they really sparkled while we were working."

I felt heat rise to my cheeks and quickly looked away.

"Don't lose that light, Princess," he said softly.

Before I could respond, Edan set the ball aside and gestured for me to follow him. "Want to see something really cool?"

I hesitated, caught off guard by the intensity in his expression. There was a spectacular gleam in his eyes, one that was impossible to ignore. Without saying a word, I found myself following him through a connecting door into a long, dimly lit hallway. At the end of it stood another room, tightly sealed like a vault.

Edan placed his hand in the center of the door, and a mechanism began to activate. The sound of gears grinding filled the air, followed by a loud, rhythmic clanking that made my ears ring. Slowly, the seal opened, revealing what lay beyond.

It was... a station?

Scattered throughout the room were numerous machines. It looked like a surveillance station of some kind. If I hadn't known better, I'd have thought I was looking at old computers from my world. But that was impossible. In the center of the room was a massive map, one I immediately recognized as the First Continent.

The place where Avantgar was.

"What is... this?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Edan smiled. "This... is the future."

He walked toward the central machine, positioned directly in front of the map. Its golden color stood out, glowing faintly in the dim light. Most of the equipment in the room shared the same golden hue, exuding a kind of magical aura.

I couldn't help but connect it to what he'd told me about orichalcum earlier. This place felt undeniably magical. The central machine was adorned with stones that resembled the ones in my earrings, along with other materials I couldn't even begin to identify.

Runes were carved all over the metal. I recognized a few from what I'd learned today, but there were countless others that left me baffled. I couldn't figure out how they fit together, let alone what they were supposed to do.

I felt like a caveman staring at a modern car.

"This is my greatest secret, Princess Daira," Edan said, his voice filled with pride and reverence. "I wanted to show you the fruit of so many years of learning and working... my life's project."

"Huh...?" I managed, completely overwhelmed. "Why...? Why are you showing me something so important?"

Edan smiled again, his gaze steady and sincere. "Because I feel that you are the only one who can truly appreciate it."

He placed his hand on the machine, and the entire room began to vibrate. By all accounts, I should have felt fear. But I didn't. Instead, my heart pounded with excitement. The hairs on my arms stood on end as anticipation coursed through me.

And then... Magic.

An explosion of colors flooded the room, cascading over everything like water filling a pool. My body felt weightless, as if all the tension of the day had melted away. Moments later, I saw my feet lift off the ground.

I was floating.

I was really floating.

And still, I couldn't feel any fear. My eyes refused to blink, transfixed by the incredible sight before me. I couldn't afford to miss a single moment. As I moved my hands, it felt as though I were swimming through a sea of light. Wonderful. Sublime. Everything...

Tears began to stream down my face.

"I'll interpret that as joy," Edan said, floating toward me with a knowing smile.

"Ye-Yeah, don't worry," I stammered, hastily wiping my tears with my sleeve. "I don't even know why I'm crying. This is... really amazing."

Edan laughed, a sound full of genuine amusement. "Hey, you haven't even seen the best part yet."

He floated toward the center of the room, gripping the massive map. I clumsily tried to follow, the movement awkward but manageable. Somehow, I managed to position myself alongside him, holding onto the edge of the map table for support.

Edan pointed to the location of Avantgar. "What is the most important thing for a kingdom to prosper, Princess?" he asked.

"The people," I replied without hesitation.

Edan's lips curved into a smile. "Damn... I was really hoping you'd give the wrong answer. I had a grand speech prepared and everything. But you're absolutely right. A kingdom cannot survive without its people."

He gestured to another area farther away, a region that appeared to be entirely submerged under the sea.

"There used to be a human kingdom here," he said solemnly. "But it was destroyed by a catastrophic disaster."

The weight of his words settled over me as I stared at the sunken land. It was hard to imagine how such devastation could unfold.

"We humans need good land to prosper," Edan continued. "Flat valleys for raising cattle, towering mountains to shield us from hurricanes, and clean, fresh water to drink and irrigate crops. It's hard enough to find a place with all of these characteristics... but it's even harder to maintain it."

He pointed to another spot, this one just beyond the borders of Avantgar.

"Wars, droughts, plagues—so many things can go wrong in a short time. Isn't it incredibly complicated to survive in this magical world?"

It was difficult enough in my previous world... and we didn't even have dragons.

"We humans are the only race that knows of our impending extinction," I said softly. "And yet, we strive to bring it closer."

Edan chuckled, though his eyes held a glimmer of something deeper. "Perhaps you're right. But I'm more optimistic. Let's set aside the human factor for a moment. Possession of good territories is fundamental to the survival of any kingdom."

"How fortunate that Avantgar has several pleasant biomes," I replied.

"Well, a lot of blood had to be shed to claim them," Edan said, his tone darker. "But how long do you think they will last? What guarantees us that they'll remain ours forever? Because in the natural order of the world, we humans have no control whatsoever."

Oh... I began to understand where he was going with this.

"If Avantgar didn't have the mountain ranges of Thamel, the hurricanes caused by the blue dragons in the North Sea would have wiped us out long ago... just like the second kingdom I showed you. The Second Continent is the most arid place on the planet. Virtually nothing grows there. Its people, without exception, starve every single day."

Edan turned his gaze to me, his expression unreadable.

"Do you know what a farmer's happiest day is?" he asked.

I stayed silent.

"When it rains," he said simply.

I lowered my eyes to the map again.

"It's one of humanity's greatest dreams. Wouldn't it be wonderful to avoid these disasters? To ensure survival over time? If people..."

"...could control the weather," I finished, my voice barely above a whisper.

I looked up at Edan.

"Play God."

He clapped his hands, and the magic in the room sprang to life once more. Colors swirled in a mesmerizing vortex, their playful touch tickling my skin.

And then... the map changed.

Small clouds gathered over specific regions, simulating controlled rainfall. Elsewhere, the sea receded slightly to create better fishing shores. Gale-force winds retreated, their fury quelled. And over the capitals?

Bright, sunny skies.

"For now, it's just an example of what this technology can do," Edan said, his tone tinged with both pride and frustration. "Manipulating weather variables with precision is incredibly complicated. I realized that... I could use some help."

I let out a laugh. "Some?"

"Well... maybe a lot of help," he admitted, grinning sheepishly. "No one ever said it would be easy to change the world."

"Well, in that case... I'll do my very best, professor," I said with a smile.

I couldn't refuse Edan's request. What he was building wasn't just ahead of its time—it was a step toward the impossible. This man wanted to step on the moon, and how could I say no to a dream like that?

Perhaps this was my chance to do some good in this life. To undo the chaos I had caused in my previous world. Science would test me again, and I was ready to prove my worth. Edan could find no better assistant than me.

Because on my Earth, we had already conquered the clouds.

Before we began killing each other in the most brutal ways imaginable, humanity had reached a point where controlling the weather was as simple as pressing a few buttons. If the last war hadn't stalled our progress, we might even have colonized another planet by now.

I had studied this extensively at university. I had enough knowledge to adapt the technology of my old world to the magic of this one. The thought alone sent my heart racing with excitement.

This... this was the world I wanted to be part of.

Hello, everyone! 🌟

Thank you so much for reading this chapter! This one was particularly exciting to write because it dives even deeper into the fascinating world of Magi-Tech. I hope you enjoyed exploring these concepts alongside Daira as much as I did. Seeing her enthusiasm grow and watching her collaborate with Edan is a dynamic I've really come to love.

What did you think of Edan's secret project? Do you believe Daira's scientific background will give her an edge in helping him achieve his dream? And if you were asked to create your own Magi-Tech artifact, what would it be? Let me know your thoughts and ideas in the comments! 💬

If you enjoyed this chapter, don't forget to vote, follow, and share your thoughts. Your support helps keep Noble Soul alive and thriving. As always, I'm so grateful to have you on this journey with me.

See you next time, and may the magic inspire you! ✨😊