The Wizard Has A Biochip

Chapter 22: The dwarf master is incredible.

[00:03]

[00:02]

[00:01]

[00:00]

Trinnngg~~~~

Trinnngg~~~~

The biochip’s alarm echoed directly inside my mind.

I slowly opened my eyes, staring at the simple ceiling of my room. I stretched my arms as a smile escaped before I even realized it.

Yesterday was truly a great day.

I had officially been accepted as an engineer under the tutelage of Master Mage Totil Uril.

But there was another detail...

The night before, I had slept with Ruby.

The memory made my smile grow even wider.

This world is finally starting to cooperate with me...

I got out of the wooden bed.

I stopped by the communal bathroom in the hallway, took care of my personal hygiene, had a quick shower, brushed my teeth, and fixed my hair before putting on the robe I had been given once again.

In the dining hall, I ate quickly. I was still following the diet prepared by the biochip, so I chose foods rich in protein and carbohydrates before heading toward my real destination.

Lucas had made himself very clear.

I had to arrive early.

I had no intention of making a bad impression on my very first day.

After using the Tower’s enormous elevator, I reached the floor reserved for the laboratories.

The corridors were wide, illuminated by magical crystals embedded in the ceiling.

Meanwhile, a steady rhythmic sound echoed from the various workshops.

Each door bore a different symbol.

Alchemy.

Enchanting.

Jewelry.

Tailoring.

.

.

.

Magic Circles.

.

.

.

Until I found the symbol I was looking for.

Above a massive metal door hung a golden plaque.

Engraved upon it were two interlocking gears.

Found it.

That was when I noticed someone else standing in front of the door.

Lina Veres.

She was already fully dressed in the official acolyte robe she had also received from Lucas.

The dark fabric complemented her elegant posture, while the golden apprentice ring on her hand gleamed discreetly.

For some reason...

She looked even more beautiful dressed like that.

My brain registered the information.

Fortunately, my face remained perfectly calm.

She noticed my arrival.

—You arrived early.

—I thought it would be rude to make our new master wait.

She crossed her arms.

—I thought exactly the same thing.

—Then we’re off to a good start.

—I never imagined so few people would pass this year’s selection.

—Neither did I... until I saw that room during the exam.

She let out a small laugh.

—It was the first time I’d seen such desperate looks, staring at a pile of scrap as if they were looking at treasure.

—Well, those acolytes who failed certainly understood that those scraps really were the treasure that could have changed their lives forever. Unfortunately, they failed.

She raised an eyebrow.

—You really seem to like engineering.

—Yes. Personally, I’m much more interested in this field than in the others.

—You remind me of some of my relatives.

—What? How so?

—You talk about machines the same way my cousin talks about magic.

—Maybe I see magic within machines.

She remained silent for a few seconds.

Then she replied in a quiet voice.

—Maybe that’s why you passed... I grew up in a family of humble engineers, so it’s only natural that I passed. But what about you? What kind of family do you come from?

Before I could answer...

A firm voice came through the door.

—Come in!

The authority contained in that simple command made both of us immediately stop our conversation.

We exchanged a brief glance.

We took a deep breath.

And stepped through the door.

...

The moment I walked in...

My eyes widened.

The laboratory was enormous.

The ceiling was nearly fifteen meters high, supported by massive metal beams reinforced with runes.

Suspended walkways crossed the room at different levels.

Magic-powered cranes transported enormous components from one side to the other.

Pipes carried blue steam, feeding strangely shaped machines.

There were dozens of workbenches.

One of them held nothing but carefully cataloged magical crystals.

Another contained only partially disassembled mechanical arms.

At the back of the laboratory stood an enormous metal golem bound in chains while dozens of magical inscriptions glowed across its surface.

At the center of it all...

A muscular dwarf worked with complete concentration.

He was short.

But unbelievably broad.

His arms resembled tree trunks.

He wore a heavy engineer’s uniform filled with tool pockets.

On his face rested an elaborate pair of strange goggles.

The lenses were articulated.

Five small magnifying lenses could be individually rotated in front of his eyes as needed.

As he manipulated a mechanism filled with microscopic gears, several of those lenses shifted automatically.

I couldn’t hide my excitement.

—Amazing...

Beside me, Lina remained silent.

But her eyes wandered across every corner of the workshop with the same fascination.

The dwarf finished a minor adjustment.

He let out a long sigh.

Slowly, he pushed the goggles up onto his forehead.

Then he finally looked at us.

—So... you’re the only ones who passed this year?

The two of us immediately bowed.

I was the first to speak.

—George Gil, Master Totil Uril. It is an honor to be accepted as your apprentice.

Lina gave an equally respectful bow.

—Lina Veres. I hope to learn a great deal under your guidance.

The dwarf observed both of us for several seconds.

Then he smiled faintly.

—Good posture.

He crossed his arms.

—I am Totil Uril.

—Arch-Magical Engineer.

—Level 1 Mage of Arcangrove Tower.

—Head of the Central Arcane Engineering Laboratory.

His smile disappeared.

—I don’t usually accept apprentices.

—In fact...

—I normally reject everyone indirectly through examinations that are far too difficult for beginners.

Lina looked surprised.

I simply remained attentive.

Totil continued.

—But the two of you demonstrated ability.

—And an engineer without ability is only good for carrying tools.

Without another word, he walked to a corner of the laboratory.

There stood an old dust-covered chest, hidden behind a pile of broken devices.

After rummaging through it for a few moments, he pulled out several extremely thick books.

He placed them all on the central workbench.

THUMP.~~

THUMP.~~

THUMP.~~

The stack was nearly as tall as my chest.

Totil rested both hands on the books.

—Before you build any devices...

—You need to learn how to think like engineers.

He pointed to the first volume.

Its cover was made of thick leather.

An embossed gear was engraved on it.

—Fundamentals of Magical Mechanisms.

—This is the foundation of everything.

He opened a few pages.

Exceptionally detailed diagrams filled the book.

Gears.

Pulleys.

Levers.

Shafts.

Bearings.

Transmission systems.

Beside each illustration were small annotations explaining how magical energy altered the function of each component.

—Here, you’ll learn how to turn motion into force, force into precision, and precision into efficiency.

Then he placed another book in front of us.

Its blue cover was covered with dozens of geometric runes.

—Magical Codes Applied to Engineering.

The pages were filled with hundreds of magical symbols.

Each rune included explanations, limitations, compatibility, and the proper methods for inscribing it onto metal, wood, stone, and crystal.

—An ordinary machine depends only on physics.

—A magical machine depends on physics... and magical language.

He pointed to another, even larger volume.

—Arcane Crystals and Energy Cores.

Inside were illustrations of dozens of magical minerals.

Each one listed its mana density, stability, storage capacity, maximum temperature, durability, and practical applications.

—Without energy...

—Nothing works.

—An engineer must know every crystal better than they know their own family.

Next, he lifted a thinner book.

—Enchanted Materials.

Its pages described magical metals, spirit wood, special alloys, runic fabrics, monster leather, and bones used in the manufacture of magical devices.

—Choosing the wrong material can destroy months of work.

Another book was placed on the workbench.

I didn’t even dare blink, wanting nothing more than to grab those books and rush back to my room, where I could copy them using the biochip.

But I had underestimated the dwarf’s keen perception, and Totil noticed.

—I see these books have caught your attention.

—Very much so, Master.

He let out a brief chuckle.

—I thought so.

...

1354 Words