There were two reddish stones on his work bench. Both were of equal size, mass, and physical properties, at least so far as he could observe. In theory, both stones should be able to contain roughly the same amount of mana. He needed them to answer several questions he could no longer put off.
As his experiments in magic powered electronics started ramping up, little oddities and failures made themselves apparent. During his testing he found the results became less reliable the larger or smaller the mana stones he used. With more precise and higher speed connections it would likely grow worse. It was clear he had just naively jumped into it all, in hindsight it was amazing he was able to build anything. He needed a deeper understanding of mana before he moved forward, the calculator he was working on was a good first attempt, but it also ultimately showed the limitations of his current reckless approach.
But from one perspective, that's what science was testing the boundaries of reality and changing our views as we became more aware. As the shadows of understanding manifested into paths or mountains.
Right now, he figured needed to answer questions regarding just how similar mana was to electricity. Which was always his operating assumption. He didn't even know if mana was conserved, or could it just be created from nothing? He has a suspicion that it was conserved, at least locally. Said plainly, that given two mana items interacting closely the mana would remain constant. Which meant that it could be measured easily and worked with easily. If it wasn’t, he'd have to revise everything he thought he knew.
At the end of it all though, one thing became apparent. He was a better engineer than he was a scientist.
His numbers didn’t seem to stay consistent. Which could mean his null hypothesis, that mana was conserved was wrong, or it could more likely be the case that his setup was just too crude and his work too slopy. Other possibilities could be considered too, mana can transfer over some distance, he already knew that. It’s possible that the background mana force that seemed to exist, would change everything fluctuated over time. So maybe mana was conserved locally, but not globally? More questions for his notebook, though, he was leaning towards locally conserved at least, things refused to make any sense otherwise.
One thing was more certain at least, mana didn't seem to exert a physical force, like electricity did. Moving mana from one stone to another didn't seem push or pull either stone. Putting two charge stones next to each other didn't push either away. His view that mana was like electricity, was crumbling.
He tapped at the notebook in frustration. It felt like he was rebuilding modern science from the ground up, and for what? To build some fancy calculator? Why? What was this drive in him to build these machines. It was like a deep calling he couldn’t ignore. In the other world it didn't lead anywhere, a bunch of ideas, scratches on paper in a waste bin somewhere. He wasn't smart enough, even with all his degrees, there was just no way to make it real there. What was this damn calling?
“Mechninos.” A whisper from behind him in a voice he couldn’t help but hate, caused him to jump. No one was there, just screaming whispers from the back of his mind. Maybe it was just undiagnosed schizophrenia. Did that even exist in this world?
“Reese! I’ve been yelling up to you, if you don’t hurry Fense is going to make you do pages again!” His mother was standing in the doorway, watching him.
“Shit.” This experiment seemed far more important than school right now, but he didn’t have a choice. School was important to everyone else, that was something last year taught him. Plus, now that his sisters were attending, he had to be there for them. That was the agreement he made with Fense.
Running down he grabbed a quick bit of breakfast bread and headed off towards the school, bounding through the fields towards the school. The morning bell just started to sound as he hit the schoolhouse door. He had made it in time, if just barely. That wouldn’t matter though because…
“Ok class, please turn in your homework.”
“…shit” he whispered to himself. Unlike prior days he actually did do it, it was just sitting on his work bench, next to the fire mana stones. Which as he thought about it might be its own problem. The town didn’t exactly have a fire department.
If there was one good thing, it was that he wasn’t alone today, as all but two students also forgot their homework. Even Mabel and Meerlet, who he was suddenly very disappointed in.
Fense warned the class there would be a penalty for everyone forgetting, and it would not be pages. He would wait till the last part of class to reveal his teacherly evilness.
At the last hour of school, Fense stopped his lecture. He didn't let the students leave nor did he give them homework. Instead he gave them an extra assignment “Ok class, since almost everyone felt the need to forget their math homework today, I have an exercise for us all. A fun and simple romp into the world of basic addition."
Reese’s curiosity was however peaked. What devious math problems did the wolf have in store for them that would take an hour?
Fense wrote a single line on the board, “Add all numbers from 1 to 100”
The groans and sighs in the room could be felt, except for Reese who let out a light chuckle at the problem.
Fense sighed, turning to glare at the annoyance. “You find something amusing about the assignment Reese?”
“It’s just, it’s easy.”
Fense shook his head lightly before opening his notebook seemingly to a specific page. “Ok, too easy, then how about you. And this is only for Reese class, the rest of you continue what you’re doing. Add all numbers from 1 to 500.”
Reese shrugged; it really wasn’t any more difficult. “Why not 1 to a 1000, or a million?”
Fense was really getting agitated now, and unconsciously started showing his teeth “I have a solution for 1 to 500. But if you’re so cocky about it, see if you can get it done before everyone else, or you can write two pages for everyone that finishes before you.”
The threat rang hollow. Reese already had the answer in his head.
Within a few seconds, he had sketched out a number on the paper, a quick few notes to verify his own logic, and “Done.”
The look on Fense’s face was a combination of anger, disbelief, and shock. The wolf wondered if Reese was trying to make some kind of joke or mockery of the assignment. If it was anyone else, he wouldn’t have had a second thought.
“If you’re making a joke, I’m going to have you copy an entire book.” He paused and took a breath. “Let me see.”
Reese handed him his solution, '125,250'. Checking in his own notebook. His anger faded and was replaced with just disbelief. “How?”
“There’s a trick.”
“A trick?”
Reese was prepared to explain it but Fense stopped him. He wasn’t in the mood for this, and just wasn’t sure how much longer he could tolerate it. As a teacher, he knew he couldn’t be mad at the boy, or at least he shouldn’t be but it was hard.
“Reese… You’re excused for the rest of the day. But, please come back before I close up the school. I need to talk to you.”
That tone. Not disappointment, not anger, it was something else. Reese knew that tone, that voice and it sent shivers down his spine. Memories of a past childhood, expulsions in all but name. He didn’t mean to cause harm, but in his mind, it was clear he had. It was the tone of abandonment when you finally pushed enough that other have exhausted their patience and just give up on you.
Reese could only whisper, “I’m sorry.” Before leaving. A fear in his heart that it was for the last time.
He missed Emilie, he really could have used her ear right now.
Having nothing else to do, he did what he used to in the other world wander, in search of something that could not be found, solace. Charston was sick again, had been for the past week and wanted to keep the shop closed. Reese didn’t want to go there right now anyway.
A thought crossed his mind as he watched a carriage ride off toward the bridge, he could just run away. That was one thing he was good at, running, and hiding from things. At least, until there was nothing left to run from. When everything behind him just withered away and died. No, that wasn't what he would do, not yet, not here. This time things had to be different, he would be different. It had to be different.
He remembered the old hill where he first saw Emilie cast those fire bolts. Having nowhere else to go he sat down and considered everything around him. What was left for him here? His only friends had left. The bookstore was a place to earn a few coins and read a few books, but there was no future in that. He had his gadgets. Given a few years, the sketches in his notebook could really become something, assuming it was possible and not just the ideal fantasy of that voice inside him. But even if it wasn't, it would be slow, and he lacked the resources to really do what he wanted. There was just too much he didn't know.
His personal spell casting had hit a wall too. He was never going to get better, at least not here. The simple stones and circuits he used just weren’t enough. He needed a forge, but the local blacksmith stonewalled him, and a real lab, but there just wasn't enough space at home.
Really though, right now he just wanted someone to talk to.
His mind drifted back, far back. How many decades was it, 4 now? How old was he truly. Did it even matter. The first time he was expelled, the time he had to leave his school, his friends, what few he thought he had anyway, behind. The disappointment and anger in his parents’ eyes. Two people who were together only because of him. Everything he ever did just seemed to hurt them more. It was after his father had-
“Reese.” The sound of his younger half-sister brought him out of his trance. School must have finished the assignment, or just run out of time. How long had he been in that daymare?
“What are you doing over here Mabel. Shouldn’t you be doing homework? You don’t want to repeat today do you?”
She smiled and sat down next to him. Mabel had grown quite close to him since she formally joined the family. Lilith tried to be her mother, and she kind of was, but it just wasn’t the same. Nemi still bullied her, but it had slowed down at least after Reese began protecting her. As for Meerlet, well she rarely seemed to let anyone in. Their father was, complicated to say the least. Mabel had been trying to make inroads with him, trying to learn how to use a wooden sword. But that was quite difficult for someone not even 5 yet. Reese knew that well.
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No, for Mabel Reese was pretty much it.
“I’ll get it done. I just want to make sure you are alright.” Her voice held a deep concern, that he also held for her.
“I’m fine. I think I just crossed a line with Fense." He rubbed his hands over his face. "I just, need to go apologize.” His mind began to run with things he might be able to do, beg, apologize, write an entire book. That lost thought caused a shutter to roll down his body.
“Fense told the class you were really smart.”
“What?” He was not expecting to hear that, the shock snapping him out of his rolling shutter. Hearing Fense say that he was something along the lines of being annoying or an asshole, or an annoying asshole would have made more sense. Though, perhaps not those specific words.
“The class all started laughing after you left, and he told them to stop that you were really smart. That was why he let you leave. He told us you weren’t in trouble this time.”
Reese could only laugh at the last part of that statement.
Mabel smiled back at her brother’s laugh, believing the worst was over. As she looked around, she quietly proclaimed, “I like this hill.”
“So do I Mable.”
With a sigh of relief coated in subtle appreciation, Reese stood up. “I’m going to go talk to Fense. You make sure you start your homework, I’m going to check it tonight.”
“Blech.” Despite the sound, she was still smiling.
The walk was slow, not that the building was far away. As he walked up to those red doors, he mused to himself, all that was missing were the skulls and angles carvings as he passed thought the doors of judgment.
“Reese, come on up let's talk.” Fense’s voice was unusual, it sounded direct and lacked much of the minor formalities he used. It felt more like he was trying to talk to Reese as a peer more than a student.
“First, explain to me what you did. What was the trick.”
With a bit of paper Reese began sketching his logic, “Look, every number has a pair. 1 pairs with 500 and that gives you 501, 2 pairs with 499 and gives you 501, 498 and 3 is again 501, and so on till you hit the middle at 250 and 251 which is also 501. You have 250 groups of 501 so just multiple 250 by 501 and you get, well… 125,250.”
Fense could kind of understand the logic, but not how he was able to see it so fast. “How did you see it that fast.”
“In truth, I kind of cheated.”
“You cheated, off who?”
Reese could only shrug, “A book, one I read a while ago and I don’t remember the title I’m sorry.” It wasn’t a lie, he had read it a while ago, maybe thirty years or so. There was a formula for it, discovered possibly by Gauss, but that would have just been another name Fense wouldn’t have known. “It’s a trick of addition. It works for any continuous integer series. There’s even a formula.”
“Integer?” The wolf twisted his head slightly, and it was hard not to laugh at the thought of a dog trying to understand his human.
“Sorry, like a whole number 1, 2, 3, 50 etcetera.”
“Never heard that term before. But then again, there is a lot I haven’t heard before. Reese…” Fense paused to consider his words. “You and Emile were both absolutely brilliant. I mean that in all sincerity.” Fense paused, for a moment it looked like he might even cry.
“I have nothing that I can teach you. Anything I know, you’ve probably already read about. Any new books I bring in, you’ve read it first or at least something similar. You know ideas and concepts; I hadn’t even thought of. Which is the problem. You keep taking my classes on sidetracks. It’s fantastic you want your fellow students to learn new things, but I have to teach them this stuff first.”
Now Reese was trying not to cry. The nightmare situation he had considered before, and try to dismiss as miss-found pessimism, was right. “You’re going to expel me then?”
“No Reese… I’m graduating you. I want you to continue to study and learn, I just don’t have anything left to give you. Not that I had much to begin with in your case.”
Fense considered his next words carefully, a little uncertain whether he really wanted to do this. “Now, if you want to keep coming, I’d be willing to take you on as a sort of apprentice. I see how you teach your fellow students. It’s why I even considered letting your sisters in with as young as they are. You're very good at it and you seem to enjoy it. If you want you can aid me in my teaching, I think you have the potential to be an exceptional teacher. I know with your lack of a gate; future job prospects may not be the best and this could be a good avenue for you. Something you could excel in. I’d share my lesson plans, and while we can’t go outside of them, I’d take your input into consideration. Of course, I can’t pay you, but maybe we could arrange something with Ard.”
It was a strange feeling. A combination of being expelled, graduated, and recruit all in one blow. Reese didn’t know how to feel. “I need to think about it.”
“Of course. No rush, thank you for being part of my class.”
Fense stopped Reese one last time before he left the schoolhouse, “Before you go, back when I was an apprentice teacher, under my mother, she told me that a few times in your life you will encounter students who are brilliant, students who are clowns, and students who will leave a mark on you. I can honestly say you fit all three.”
The walk back to the house felt, strange. As he entered the house from the back, he wasn't quite sure what to tell his mother. There in the kitchen, Lilith sat with Mabel and Meerlet at the table. Each tackling a different part of their homework, thankfully they didn’t need to be pushed into doing it today.
“How did school go, did Fense have you write more pages?” She spoke with her knowing smirk, as she mix some kind of salve at the table.
Instead of reflecting the smile or nodding in embarrassment, Reese could only respond with the words on his mind “I was expelled.”
He could feel the shock from his mother, like a cold wake of uncertainty and disbelief, and he needed to correct it.
“No, no… that’s not right.” His words were failing him as his emotions shorted his thought process. He took a breath and started again. “I graduated. Fense says he can’t teach me anymore. He actually wants to recruit me to apprentice under him as a teacher.”
“Oh. I see.” Lilith tried to process it herself. Reese was just shy of being 10. He’d had only been in school for a bit more than 3 years. It wasn’t unusual for children to be pulled out of school if the family needed them to find a job or help with something like a family farm or business, but to actually graduate; To be told there’s nothing left to teach you? That seemed rare.
Lilith always knew Reese was different, and it wasn’t just the lack of a gate. He always seemed far more ahead of his years. She had her own suspicions, but he was her child. It didn’t matter what the truth was, and she loved him.
“Well, maybe it will be a good thing. I know you didn’t enjoy school as much as you wanted to. You just, know too much.” She tried to look on the lighter side of things. “Do you think you’ll accept Fense’s offer to become his apprentice? You liked your job with Charston, you might have to give that up.”
In truth, Reese hadn’t really considered it. Everything just felt like it was moving too fast, he didn’t think about what would come after.
“I like it when you teach us!” Mabel’s cheery voice caused a smile to appear on his uncertain face.
“So do I.” Meerlet gave a rare whisper and insight into her own thoughts.
“See, your younger sisters think you can do it.” His mother had already decided to push him, it was a good opportunity for her son, one he might not otherwise have.
Though, he’d have to consider it. At the very least he’d need to talk to his father about it.
Back in his room, the two stones continued to sit on his desk, almost mocking his inability to focus on them. He needed some way to measure the amount of mana stored and flowing. ‘One stone’s worth could maybe make some sense? One of the resources he truly missed here were the libraries from his old world. He'd have been able to look up the history of phenomena, like electricity. It would have also be a good way to escape his problems and disappear for a while.
His problem, what would accepting Fense's offer actually mean? He'd still be going to school, probably earlier then he did now, that would probably hurt a bit. Even in this world he was still a bit of a night owl. Then he'd probably have to stay late every day, Like Fense. That would almost certainly mean his bookstore job would have to stop. Which further meant access to cheaper books would cease. This world's knowledge was very limited, but it wasn't completely non-existent.
Shaking his head he turned back to the stones.
All mana stones he had seen emitted light when they were charged and got brighter the more charge they carried. If he had a photodiode he could count and measure that. The problem was he didn’t have a photodiode and would probably have to wait a few hundred years for one to be invented, assuming it was even possible here. He knew a bit of chemistry, but nowhere near enough to purify and dope silicon. Maybe vacuum tubes? No also too hard to make, even then, there was no guarantee electricity worked the same here. Friction obviously didn’t, at least around mana, and that was arguably a simpler set of forces.
Maybe he was thinking too far ahead? How could he even measure a mana field? Thinking about electricity, early meters would use a spring to torque a needle, which would be countered by a magnetic or electrostatic field. The stronger the electric flow, the stronger the magnetic field and the more deflection.
“Stones glow when overcharged.” He read that simple note again. Mana experienced something like resistance, if you try to push too much through a narrow wire, it will slow the drain. He sketched out a simple idea on paper. A triangular strip of gold foil covered with mana fragments. Along the top, mana taps that would feed into a drained stone. A stronger field would push further down the narrow wire, lighting up more of the stone dust. At least in theory. This would only work for strong fields; it would probably be non-linear too.
But maybe he could pump a mana potential up? All his current circuits just used a pre-existing high energy field, but if he could pump it up he might be able to measure weaker fields. It seemed like the human body could do it. Well, most of them.
In his internal ramblings he had completely forgotten about school, teaching, and the time.
“Reese, come on down, we have guest for dinner.”
With a frustrated sigh he put down his notebook. He was close to a working idea and was desperate to try. But food came first, an empty stomach would lead to an empty mind. Guests… Why would there be guests?
He was not expecting either Fense and Ard who sat at the kitchen table. It was strange having the two over for dinner. Ard and Fortus hated each other, and to the best of his knowledge Fense didn’t really visit other people. It had to be about the conversation they had earlier and the opportunity it presented.
“So, I understand you’re interested in teaching, Reese?” Ard jumped right into it before the food had even been served. Perhaps he was just rushing so he could leave.
Reese thought about how to respond, “It would be interesting… I like seeing others learn and tutoring has been kind of fun.”
Fense nodded seemingly in agreement, “I have to admit, I was uncertain about Meerlet and Mable joining class. But with your tutorage they’ve done very well. I’m impressed.”
“Yeah! You’re amazing Reese!” Mabel stood and shouted from the end of the table. Meerlet merely nodded her approval, silent as always.
“I think it’s a good idea, you’re always looking for new things to learn you love explaining things. I remember how you took Emilie under your wings. She grew a lot thanks to you.” Lillith was boastful of Reese, as always.
“I mean… Emilie taught me way more than I taught her. I don’t think I would have ever cast anything without her.”
“I think you’re underselling yourself. Both you and Emilie were quite brilliant, but I saw her copy you on more than one occasion. Which, is one of the reasons I suggested this.”
Fortus remained quiet throughout the conversation thus far. Seemingly not really caring one way or another. If Reese couldn’t be a soldier, a knight, it wasn’t worth engaging with his future. At least, that’s how Reese took it. Maybe it was just because Ard was here.
“I have no objections. My schooling wasn’t like Reese’s I had tutors as a child. I just don’t have an opinion.” Which was the furthest he would come to an agreement. Still, better than nothing. At least he acknowledges the situation.
“You’d want to be paid, I’m sure.” Leave it to Ard to bring up the matter of coin. Still, it had to be considered. If he was going to leave the bookstore or at least reduce his hours, he’d need some way to fund his experiments. “The town coffers aren’t exactly overflowing; we still have payments from the dragon attack a few years ago. I suppose we could arrange a small stipend, say 12 coppers a day for the days you assist?”
That was more than he was getting at the bookstore, but he’d be working a few less days, so it would probably balance out. More free time would be nice, his experiments were getting more advanced and required more time. All of that implied that he would stop working at the bookstore. It was entirely possible he didn’t, maybe he could balance both?
As Reese stared into space, considering his option he realized that they were all looking at him.
"Well, what's your answer?"
Just over two weeks had passed, and the days had grown cold. Fense gave Reese his books, his notes, and ultimately his entire lesson plan. It was his job to study it and learn. So he did. In truth, he was nervous. He didn’t know how the other kids would take it, seeing their fellow student suddenly at the front of the classroom teaching them.
He stood there, next to his former teacher and now boss. "So after his very early graduation, Reese has decided to apprentice under me as a future teacher. I have high expectations for him, and I know you will all treat him well."
This felt very awkward. Reese took a breath and smiled. "Good morning class, I'm… well you know who I am. I'll be assisting Fense for the rest of the year."