EPISODE 151: MAGI-TECH REVOLUTION
— GREAT EDRYAN, YEAR 7291. SEASON: COLOR FADING.
Simra hummed happily as several juicy chicki skewers glittered like gems on the plate before her. She picked up the glistening skewer, the smell of roasted chicken tickled her nostrils and did its best to seduce her. She swallowed heavily and took a small bite before quickly dabbing at her mouth with a handkerchief. Her gaze glanced around at the hundreds of unfamiliar faces doing the same. Many were dressed in a style that showed themselves far more well-off than the people Simra was used to.
Her family was far from poor, but this type of wealth and activities were something she’d never seen. It truly made her pause and become conscious of the type of world she was stepping into. The men and women around her laughed in a carefree, unrestrained manner, their bodies decorated with gold and jewelry that glittered from the mage lights above. She looked around, as the men and women easily seemed to interact with one another regardless of whether they were familiar.
Simra stood there, alone, her plate suddenly heavy and the smell of her favorite food no longer as appetizing.
‘ I don’t belong here… ’
The thought was sudden, but once said it wormed its way deeper and deeper into Simra’s heart. Her plate dropped lower, and suddenly the power she felt she wielded didn’t seem like anything much anymore.
‘ I don’t belong here… ’
The strength and class she was proud of seemed like nothing in the face of those around her. Her journey to becoming an Imperius Academy student hadn’t been easy—and convincing her parents of her dream was an entire other story. Since the second act of the Imperius Law came into effect, Simra began her journey in school. She’d learned about Edryan and even countries outside of her borders through the school. She learned of the Goddess’s victories and challenges she faced to become the [Protector of Magi]. It was during her childhood and schooling that her dream to become a Queen’s Guard blossomed. Yet, it was the conversation overheard as a child that ignited her sense of responsibility to uncover the truth of her last name.
ENLAR.
Brother and sisters to the Edryani. The history of them was nearly scrubbed clean, regardless of where Simra looked. After the betrayal, the family name became dishonored and a taboo among the Edryan society.
She Didn’t Belong Here.
Both in name, as her family were traitors to the country, and in body, as she felt no connection to the people around her.
“I don’t belong he-“
A hand clasped her shoulder and jolted Simra from whispering those words. She nearly jumped in fright and almost dropped her plate—attracting the attention of those around her. Their gazes left after a moment and returned to their conversations as they ignored the two youths.
“Yes, you do,” a familiar masculine voice said to her. A voice that gave her strength and renewed her confidence. Their hands were filled with warmth and energy that pushed their way through her clothing and into her body.
Simra turned to face the voice, but as she gazed upon the person, she looked confused and spoke hesitantly. “I’m not sure whether we’re familiar with one another.”
The young man’s hand dropped and he chuckled. “Is that the chicki lover I know? Can’t even recognize a disguised friend?”
She studied the young man, he was taller than her, standing at 193 centimeters with a thin athletic build. He had unremarkable brown eyes and an aura that couldn’t help but attract attention. His hair was long, nearing the end of his shoulders, and it was a common black that was seen throughout Edryan. Simra was still confused and took a step back away from the youth. He felt familiar, but she just couldn’t place her finger on it.
“You are…?”
“I made a promise to you to be a better friend—and I haven’t much lived up to it. I’m trying to now,” he finished, smiling.
Instantly, Simra’s eyes widened as a familiar face and frame superseded the young man’s body.
“Lawruth…“
Before she could finish, the young man moved swiftly and covered her mouth. His eyes held a stern warning in them before he withdrew his hand and took a step back. Eyes once again turned to them but quickly lost interest as nothing happened between the pair.
“Just call me Law—all my friends do,” Lawruthian said with a chuckle.
“How are you here!?! Why are you…,” she began to ask a second question but stopped herself. The Edryan Fair was taking place on the palace grounds, and someone did live here.
“Nonstop traveling and a bit of demigoddess magic—I haven’t slept in the past few days,” he responded with a laugh. “May I join you on your tour?”
Simra’s heart greatly relaxed and the worry she was feeling melted away. She tilted her head slightly, a finger placed on her chin as she spoke in a teasing voice. “I don’t know… I am touring with a famous rising star of Imperius Academy. I’m not sure if you have what it takes to walk with us.”
‘ I’m not sure if I have what it takes… ,’ she whispered internally.
Lawruthian seemed to see right through her. His voice was filled with confidence that helped to further bolster Simra. “I wouldn’t know if I didn’t try. I wouldn’t know if I didn’t give it my best shot. You and Karla, Zie—Luke, are part of the greatest generation of students to rise. You are friends with the [Chosen of Madris] and have achieved your position through your own merit and hard work—don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.”
Simra nodded, and her plate of skewers rose back up as she savagely took a bite. The hot juices exploded in a flavorful display of goodness and the young woman chewed with relish before extending the plate toward Law.
“Do you want one? They’re from this marvelous invention—a magic oven by that group over there,” Simra exclaimed, gesturing with her chin.
Law looked in that direction and saw a group of men and women serving a constantly growing crowd an assortment of products. Many smells mixed into the air and attracted an ever-growing crowd over. Chicki, beef, and other commonly eaten meats were served on skewers. Law watched silently, as ordered lines formed, and money was exchanged as men and women dressed in similar attire took orders. He turned to Simra and smiled as he accepted a skewer.
“Thank you, it seems the crown has already snatched those young talents,” he gestured at a symbol near their booth.
To any inventor, group, or more who decided to partner with a Great House or an organization with status. A simple emblem was left in a visible place near their booth. This showed who already held a claim or stake in the business. Near the front of the food serving booth, was an emblem of a chibi golem with an open jar of honey in their lap.
The pair finished their snack before Simra looked around, curious about the rest of the booths displaying various things. She noticed how plenty of the inventions functioned through the use of a mana battery. Simra wondered how they would feel to know that the inventor and proliferator walked amongst their midst. Before her thoughts could wander too far, that proliferator spoke.
“What happened to your partner in crime?”
Simra let off a wry smile and contemplated for a moment before spilling the beans to one of her best friends. “She’s extorting a few of her admirers—although, I don’t think they’ll stay that way for long. Let’s go rescue those people.”
Law raised an eyebrow, but Simra just beckoned him forward. She couldn’t help but start laughing at Law’s earlier words as they walked, and her giggles would interrupt their small talk. Once they drew close to the Gu’Berg booth, her giggling erupted into full-blown laughter.
Before them, kneeling on both knees was a scene straight out of a comedy—at least Simra thought so. When she first left Karla to sort out the Gu’Berg brothers, only one was before her, now all three sat in a prostrating position while Karla leaned over them menacingly. The only thing missing from Karla was bandit attire, and this would look like the scene of a robbery. It truly looked like a crime was being committed.
Law turned to her with a confused expression but didn’t hide the mirth in his eyes. A half-smile was on his face as he asked in a questioning voice. “What… exactly happened…?”
There was a small crowd watching with interest at the ongoing show. Karla, however, didn’t care and continued to berate the Gu’Berg brothers. While that happened, Simra updated Law on what happened. Once she was finished, she began to step forward, deciding it was time to save the Gu’Berg brothers.
“…there are specific requirements for printing my newspaper—you can’t be all willy-nilly and…”
“Karla,” Simra called, alerting the young woman to their presence.
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“Simra, you’re back,” Karla exclaimed. “I’m almost finished up here, just give me a second…”
It was only during the end of her words that Karla noticed the unfamiliar figure standing close to her friend. She sized him up and down, as he was clearly past the distance of an acquaintance and stood close to her as if they were familiar friends. Karla knew everyone Simra was friends with and this gentleman certainly wasn’t one of them.
SCANDAL!
She could smell a hint of a story, and her gaze turned sly and narrow. “So… who is this… friend ?”
Simra was unaware of Karla’s exact thoughts, but having grown up with her since they were toddlers, she knew trouble when she saw it.
“This is Law , a fellow student of Imperius Academy,” she emphasized. However, when Karla’s face took on a hint of recognition, followed by an even deeper gaze of slyness, Simra knew her friend was coming up with some random scheme and story. She rolled her eyes as Karla gazed her up and down.
The Gu’Berg brothers seemed to have been forgotten, and John nudged his two brothers as to quietly move away. Carefully, slowly, while the vixen was distracted, they began to slink away.
“Where do you three think you are off to?”
Without turning around, Karla’s question pierced into them, forcing the three brothers to halt in their tracks.
“These are the Gu’Berg brothers, who’ve managed to make a miraculous invention. They’ve revolutionized the standard printing press and have,” she gestured at the large contraption, “…managed to create a machine that can print a thousand pages per hour. However, they have stolen my work and profited by reselling my stories on lower quality paper to the less fortunate.”
Law’s eyebrows raised, and he glanced at the three brothers before back at Karla. “So, how do you wish to deal with them?”
Karla showed off a wide smile. This was the prince giving her permission to handle them how she saw fit. It was great working for the crown.
“I’d like to hire them, but dock their pay until they’ve sufficiently returned a portion of the assets they profited. Their invention is marvelous, truly,” she began—when the Gu’Berg brothers heard her words, they looked up at Karla in astonishment.
“I think with its purchase, and with a few more built, we can easily provide newspapers in mass to the entire city,” she finished.
Law looked at her deeply and slowly nodded. “Are you certain? This will increase your workload by several grades, and you are still a student. You’ve been restricted mainly to Imperius Academy to ensure you can still focus on school. If you are certain, then it can be done—however, it’s long been time to expand your team. If you have any names in mind, forward them to the proper channels.”
Karla nodded, “I’m certain. Although they were profiting from others’ work, they truly held no malicious intentions. They only wanted to provide entertainment to the [Common] man.”
To outsiders, it would appear like the students were just having a general conversation—no one around them would guess that the youth before them was the [Chosen of Madris]. His attractive aura, which usually drew the attention of all followers of the Goddess, had diminished significantly. He still held a presence, but it was more inclined to draw a glance before being disappointed by his normality.
Law gave a thumbs up at Karla’s words. “It’s done.”
She looked confused but nodded slowly. ‘ Did he just purchase a business like that? ’
“Come on, let’s go explore the rest of the floor,” Simra stated. Several things caught her eye, as it had been just over half an hour since she reconnected with Karla. Perhaps she could help others catch the eye of the Holy Son of Edryan. She grabbed the hands of her friends and dragged them away from the confused Gu’Berg brothers.
John looked at his elder and younger brother, confused. They rose from the ground and dusted themselves off. Once they finished, a figure approached them and began to speak.
“Law’s Sweeeeeeet Golems’ has purchased the rights to your printing press, and hired you full-time.”
John stepped forward, he was the one who held the merchant class between the three. It was his elder brother who was the [Tinker].
He asked, confusion in his voice… “…we haven’t discussed it with anyone yet…? We Gu’Berg brothers are only selling the right of production and not the design itself.”
In response, a ring was tossed to John, and the figure began to speak. “Take a looooook inside.”
They waited for John to peer inside before they continued.
“A spatial ring,” his elder brother stated.
John swallowed, and carefully, he peered inside the spatial ring.
“While you do, allow me to list off the crimes of stealing from a member of the Edryan Royal Family. Oh wait, there is only one punishment— death ,” the figure mused, no longer dragging out a single word.
Inside were coins—at least a few hundred golden coins and more wealth than all three brothers had seen in their lives.
***
“That’s the Spoken Word Typewriter by the Crimson Magic School—I think it would be perfect to help you write your newspaper, Karla.”
“There is the Horus Box of Enchantments—I think it is neat that it can record an [Enchanters] ability—although it is only a low-tier buff—perhaps you can have it next to your desk as you write Law. You might also like the Arcane Dynamo—it’s based on the mana batteries, although a lot of the things here are,” Simra said sheepishly. She didn’t much understand the magi-tech behind the batteries. She’d seen and even held a few, but her calling lay elsewhere.
One by one, Simra introduced the different magi-tech presented. They were all items too got her attention as she originally explored the Temperance Hall—her mind was exceptionally clear, and she was in a great mood.
The two followed, no longer dragged onward by her. Instead, they walked on her right and left respectively—smiles on their faces at her words. However, with each interest she mentioned, a chibi golem sign would appear relatively shortly after—showcasing the business now working with LSG.
“This is the Orcan Barometer—it precisely predicts the day’s weather and can detect mana fluctuations in the air.” A voice said as the trio continued to peruse through the hundreds of booths available on the first floor.
They chatted, making small talk as they enjoyed one another’s presence. A wide smile was on Simra’s face as she enjoyed the company of her two most important friends. Of the booths they passed, some held large crowds with parties interested in investing. Others were less fortunate as their inventions didn’t seem to attract the attention of any present—regardless, they kept walking and talking. One voice continued to describe his product, although there was a significant lack of attention directed toward him.
“This is the Moor Signal Transmitter—right now, it works up to a range of one kilometer, but with your help, this distance can be transformed to cover the whole of Edryan. What might a signal like this entail? Simple—if a preordained message is established, the lighting of the beacon at one end can ensure the message is passed nearly instant!”
Law instantly halted in his tracks, and the young women stepped past him before halting themselves. His halt was so sudden and unexpected that they easily passed him without meaning too.
“Just one moment,” he said to them before heading to the booth that caught his attention.
Simra and Karla glanced at each other, both unsure as to why that booth caught his eye. “Come on, let’s follow,” Karla stated.
They were a few seconds behind, yet Law already was in the midst of a conversation with the young inventor before him. Simra noticed a young lady calmly sitting behind a desk reading a book—her booted feet were settled on the desk. She seemed uninterested in the figures attracted to their booth.
“…different intensities to lower the signal pulse sent. That way you can effectively achieve…,” Law spoke to the young man not noticing his state.
The young man was clearly confused, but he nodded along and continued to speak with Law. The two young women watched in amusement and shared a look.
“What is stopping you from having the parent and child device communicate at farther distances?”
“Sir, I’m only a helper of Ms. Moor,” he said, holding his hands up and backing off. “Just one moment, allow me to grab her.”
Law smiled and watched as the young man went over to the owner. While Simra and Karla approached him.
“What’s so interesting about the… Moor Signal Transmitter,” Karla asked the question on both of their minds. “It can only transfer a single signal—if I heard correctly.”
“Yes, but what if it can be expanded upon—in both range and signal type? If it’s possible, then it would effectively allow communication between two long-distance parties.”
“Isn’t that what [Couriers] are for,” Simra questioned curiously.
“Yes, but what if you are away from home and want to check on your mother or father as you miss them? What if instead of having letters delivered, you simply sent a message that was delivered on the same day, same hour, or seconds after you sent it!”
Before Simra could respond, a fourth voice entered the conversation. “Then you would revolutionize the way our country works in all aspects. You would be able to communicate rapidly and effectively. It would make the country smaller—just like the new rails of Edryan are doing.”
The trio turned to the speaker—a masculine-dressed woman with dark messy hair, and even darker eyes.
“I’m Georgia Moor—inventor of the Moor Signal Transmitter,” she said, extending a greeting to the three of them. Her eyes, however, remained solely fixed on Law.