“How…is it?”
Davey, who ignored Aeonitia’s uneasy question, continued to look at the notes with narrowed eyes. He was fully aware that his younger sister did not have any proper education in alchemy or engineering.
Aeonitia had been confined to her palace during Queen Lynesse and Duke Bariatta’s heyday, and she was still not allowed to freely leave her palace. Fortunately, she loved reading books even at her early age. That was the reason why Davey could tell that she had read a book about alchemy and engineering in her spare time.
‘This is much better than I thought.’
Davey sighed, hiding his admiration.
Aeonitia immediately looked up at the sighing Davey anxiously. “It’s…not going to work?”
“Can I ask you why you decided to make it this way?”
“Th-That…” Aeonitia hesitated to answer Davey’s question, looking as if she was going to cry at any given moment. She murmured, “I’m… I’m sorry… Sob, sob, sob.”
Davey thought that Aeonitia was truly just a child, especially when she cried from being unable to figure out what the problem was and seeing the greed on Davey’s face.
“I’ll… I’ll do it again.”
“No, there’s no need for that.”
Aeonitia’s eyes grew wide at Davey’s cold response. Thinking that Davey was disappointed in her, she insistently said, “Th-That… I’ll do it right this time! I will make something better!”
However, she was completely unaware that she had gotten the situation all wrong.
“There’s no need for you to do it again.There’s no particular flaw in the item.”
Aeonitia’s eyes grew even wider at Davey’s words.
“I don’t need some sort of great invention. Just tell me exactly what you wanted to achieve with this.”
“T-That… A watch that everyone can easily use…”
“Right. If you add this and that to the watch, then it won’t really be that expensive. Even commoners will be able to buy it.”
What mattered the most here was how inexpensive and easy to use Aeonitia’s watch was.
“I’m not going to argue with you if that’s the case.”
Aeonitia’s eyes just kept on growing wider and wider with every word that her brother uttered.
“Then, you have to make an appeal. What made you come up with this idea? How can you make this happen? If you want to become an alchemist or an engineer, then you should have that much knowledge.”
“Ah…”
“You’re not going to remain under me forever, are you?”
In fact, Davey did not want to let Aeonitia go since she was signing a lifetime contract. However, once she grew up and wanted to truly stand on her own, then Davey would tear the contract apart. However, he would only let her go after settling a few provisions.
“So, do you think you can make it possible?”
“That… I read in a book that there’s a White Tree, known for lightness and durability, among the trees in the continent!” Aeonitia hurriedly explained, “It’s…a light, cheap, and durable material. However, it doesn’t have to be too durable! It can be used for a long time but not that long! And it’s very inexpensive!”
The brat was a natural. Although Aeonitia should be of elementary school age by modern Earth standards, having fun and playing around, she could already pull out ideas and thoughts to achieve her dreams.
Even if a member of the royal family were sent to study at a very early age, they would still be children. In most cases, excluding Baris, Winley, and Tanya, young children who were raised ordinarily would often be immature and childish. And even though Aeonitia could have grown up to be a regular child, she had still grown up with a different mindset.
“The commoners should be able to use it too! I saw it in a book… I saw in a book that the commoners often do dirty and awful things, so they often get wet and muddy! Even the mercenaries! From what I heard, they often receive shocks and sustain impacts because they always fight!”
That was the reason why Aeonitia had chosen the White Tree. If they used the White Tree as the main material, then they would not have to worry about the watch breaking down from water or huge impacts. After all, the White Tree was actually a mysterious tree that, with the exception of its roots, was waterproof.
In the first place, their plans would not be ruined just because of water alone. However, using waterproof wood would mean that they would be able to prevent the internal parts of the watch from being damaged.
Unlike other trees, the White Tree was famous for feeding on both light and insects. It was also said to be very low on moisture content and tough enough to withstand shock, since it grew in areas with strong winds. It was also a material that anyone interested in alchemy could easily recognize.
“But there’s a problem, no? You need to process the White Tree’s wood to make this watch. So, how can you handle a tree that will easily break even if you use the sharpest and most delicate carving knife?”
Aeonitia mumbled to herself. Then, with tears in her eyes, she said softly, “W-Well… If we spray water on the roots, the insides will probably turn soft from being full of moisture…”
“Why do you think so?”
“I… I think…”
—Davey, how is she?
‘Frightened?’
The idea came from an innocent child. Originally, most ideas that came from children would be laughable. However, Aeonitia’s ideas were uniquely specific and realistic. Davey admired just how much the girl had read.
In fact, Tionis Continent’s alchemy academies, the academies that Davey had gathered in his territory, had never even thought about using the White Trees in such a manner. Most of them were just looking at the White Tree’s toughness and waterproofing effects.
Aeonitia had actually given a great suggestion. Of course, they should not use water but a special solution. However, her ideas were surprisingly sharp and on point.
Davey looked at his cowardly half-sister in interest, wondering if she could truly make this item. He said, “I’ve already contacted the dwarven craftsmen. If you go and talk to them, they’ll help you and let you do your thing.”
“That… Is it alright?”
Davey shook his head and asked, “What?”
“Uhmm… It looks like everyone was doing something very important…”
The craftsmen in the laboratory were all busy producing an additional golem for the Decepticon Fleet and the Avengers Squadron. They also hadn’t figured out how to properly implement and distribute the surplus electricity from the hydroelectric mana power plant facility that they had made, but…
“They will help you.”
However, there was no need to worry about troubling them. They also wanted to do what Aeonitia wanted to make.
The things that the humans of this continent could not make due to the lack of proper technology could be made in this territory. After all, the Heins Territory had dwarves, who were known for their technological prowess, and the elves, who dealt with spirit magic, communicated with nature and plants, as well as used technology that could be considered to be beyond average according to the Tionis Continent’s standards.
“It’ll be fine. Just try and make it as you planned to.”
Aeonitia nodded, filling up with passion. Then, she scurried off to get started on her own little project. Right now, there was probably nothing that this child could not do. After all, there was an existence who would bring the ideas in Aeonitia’s head into reality.
“There’s no invention that they can’t create if they all put their heads together.”
—You’re really a very vicious human.
Davey knew that it would not take long. He was looking forward to how much impact an 11-year-old girl’s single invention would create.
***
During the next fifteen days, Davey forced Amy to take a break. He sent her back to her hometown and used this opportunity to deal with the problems and issues of the territory that had been shelved one by one.
“My Lord, a letter has come both from the Royal Family and the Divine Tree.”
“At the same time?”
“Both letters coincidentally arrived at around the same time.”
Davey took the letters silently. As he looked through them, he was able to pick up the common parts in both correspondences that had been sent to him.
From what he read, the vampires’ radical faction were continuing to gather people. However, they had no set patterns. It was not easy to pin them down because their movements were very unpredictable. Of course, that was just what it looked like on the surface.
“My Lord?”
“Right, good work. You can go back and get a break. I’ll take care of the rest.”
Being dismissed so quickly, Royal Attendant Bernile looked at Davey strangely. He said, “Your Highness, why don’t you take a bit of rest too?”
Davey paused and said, “Break? All I have left is time, though?”
“Impossible. I’m sure Your Highness has never enjoyed your free time at all.”
Davey smacked his lips, then asked, “I didn’t?”
“Your Highness, I have been serving you for a long time. I can tell a person’s psychological state when I look into their eyes to some extent,” Attendant Bernile said with a small smile. “You’re obviously very exhausted.”
“Is that so? I should go and relieve that exhaustion.”
“Then, let me suggest a good travel destination…”
“No. I will find a good place where I can relieve my stress.”
For Davey, there was nothing better than breaking things down to relieve his stress.
—So, you’re finally going after them.
‘Well, since they’re in over their heads, then we have to drag them down at least once.’
They should definitely be hit hard since they had been playing around when no one was looking.
Davey stood up and opened the window behind him. Then, he stretched his arm out as a large eagle swooped down from the sky and landed gently on him.
Eagles had sharp claws, so receiving them with one’s bare arms would definitely cause serious injuries. But surprisingly enough, the eagle had landed cleanly as if it minded its own claws.
Davey had only seen one group in his life that used well-trained eagles as messenger birds.
“Attendant Bernile. I feel sorry, but I have to leave again. Please take care of the territory on my behalf during my absence.”
“Where will you be going, Your Highness?”
“Just like you said, I’m going to relieve my stress.”
“Please have a safe trip.”
Attendant Bernile did not ask Davey why. He calmly sent his master away, just like what any servant would do.
[Member Davey, we have seen traces of the elements that you’ve mentioned. There’s an order from the top, asking to find out why they appeared. If possible, your presence is requested in the Knight Order…]
Now, Davey was no longer an apprentice but a full-fledged member. The difference between the two positions was very big.
This method was often used in strategies and tactics. This was the method where they would attract their enemies’ attention by deploying various actions all the while taking advantage of the distraction to do something else.
The kidnapping done by the radical vampires obviously had a purpose, but it was not their main goal. If that was the case, then they had to look elsewhere to discover what the radical vampires’ true goal was. It should be able to escape the eyes of as many people as possible, so they would only be able to assign the smallest number of people on the task.
The idea and strategy was much simpler than what Davey had thought. But unfortunately for them, Davey himself had quite a number of eyes in this continent.
Davey, who noticed Rinne coming from a distance, said with a cold smile, “Rinne, let’s go to your birthplace after doing some countergank[1].”
“Rinne evaluates this very highly!”
Since Rinne was a battle golem, being stuck in the mage tower for quite a long time had been very boring for her. She had also been stressed out lately.
Once Rinne yelled out how much she appreciated this trip and clung to him, Davey activated the ring in his hand.
***
Thud, thud, thud!!!
“Move quickly.”
“We don’t have much time.”
Men covered in black robes moved quickly through the dark forest. One look at these strange men, who looked every bit like a crazed fanatic, would make one think of them as dangerous. These men rode on blue-scaled lizards, rushing through the forest as if they were in some sort of procession. They were escorting a wagon that was being pulled by smaller lizards.
In fact, they looked exactly like escaping thieves who had stolen something very important. However, there wasn’t really anyone chasing after them.
The black robes that entirely covered the men helped camouflage them in the darkness of the forest. However, they still moved quickly through the dark and cold forest to the point that their breaths had turned ragged.
“Stop!”
After the man leading the troop cried out, the procession came to a halt. The men reared their lizards back, noticing their path was blocked by a huge boulder.
“The road has been blocked. This wasn’t the case when we passed by here before…”
“It seems like a landslide has occurred after we entered the forest. Look over there.”
When one of the robed men pointed that out, their leader looked up and noticed that a part of the land uphill had collapsed. It was as if the boulder had fallen naturally from that place. The sight made the leader cry out, “We don’t have time. Quickly get this thing…”
Boom!!!
However, the leader was not given enough time to finish speaking. A flash of purple light lit up the dark forest before striking a couple of his men.
When a small silver-haired girl had flown out from the depths of the forest, the robed men could not even express their shock and fear. The girl had used what seemed to be an iron bar to strike them down immediately.
Thud!!!
The shockwave created by the iron bar spread out at a tremendous speed, a feat that no simple iron bar could pull off. It crushed all of the robed men that it struck.
The sudden explosion made the lizards scream and go berserk. As for the surviving robed men, they had broken their ranks and were running around in a panic.
“This… What is this?!”
No one should have known that they were here, so how was this happening right now? The leader, however, wasn’t given the time to shout and gather his men in this chaotic situation. The lizard that he was riding on collapsed a moment later.
“Welcome. You thought I did not know about what you’re doing, right?” a very laid back and nonchalant voice rang out.
The leader suddenly noticed that a red-eyed boy was standing in front of them. He hadn’t seen the boy just moments ago, but he instinctively felt like the boy had been right in front of them this entire time.
Not long after, a blue sword appeared in the boy’s hands. And with a flash of that sword, all of the protective magic on the leader’s body was destroyed. Then…the boy’s hands moved swiftly, grabbing the leader’s head and slamming him down on the ground.
1. Appearing roughly at the same time as the enemy jungler in the same lane ?
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