The First Project, Part 2
Lily bit her lip and hesitated for a moment.
A complex swirl of emotions flickered in her eyes.
"Ah... if you're developing that kind of equipment, I don't think I'll be of much help."
She picked up a small crystal sphere resting on the desk.
As she tapped it with her finger, a faint light began to shimmer inside.
"Let me explain my research to you."
Lily held the crystal sphere up to the light.
Inside, multi-colored lights could be seen swirling around.
"It is possible to return mana of various attributes to its pure state. But..."
As she gently rubbed the sphere with her finger, the swirling lights gathered toward the center.
However, in the process, most of the light faded away.
"As you can see, too much energy is lost. Only about ten percent of the original amount remains."
Lily sighed and set the crystal sphere back down.
The light inside soon dimmed before vanishing entirely.
"Furthermore, the converted mana is so unstable... it simply disperses into the air."
She absentmindedly fiddled with a stack of papers on her desk.
"In the end, it was never published in any academic journal. My advisor..."
Lily's voice trailed off.
"...told me to stop pursuing this research."
A heavy silence settled over the room.
Lily looked up at the young student standing before her.
He had been listening to her explanation without a word.
Breaking the silence, the young student spoke.
"That's not true. Would you mind showing me your detailed research data?"
Lily looked surprised for a moment, but a bitter smile soon crossed her face.
"It doesn't matter anyway. It's a dead project."
She pulled a thick stack of documents from her desk drawer and handed it to him.
It was a record containing three years of her passion and hard work.
The young student immediately began flipping through the pages with intense focus.
His eyes darted rapidly as he scanned the contents.
Occasionally, he would pause at seemingly important sections, lost in deep thought.
Watching him, Lily was overcome by a strange sensation.
The way he analyzed the experimental data and verified the formulas with such a serious expression felt oddly familiar.
It's like... looking at myself three years ago.
She suddenly recalled when she had first started this research.
The passion, the curiosity.
And above all, the absolute conviction that she would succeed.
She could see all of those things in this young man's eyes.
Looking at him, Lily felt an inexplicable sense of kinship.
He, too, is chasing a dream.
Yet, at the same time, she couldn't help but compare her current self to this student.
Unlike her defeated self, he still radiated sincerity and overflowing passion.
Suddenly, the young student's expression changed.
His eyes lit up as if he had discovered something, and he spoke.
The young student abruptly looked up and met Lily's gaze.
"Miss Harper, could you take a look at this part?"
Lily peered closely at the spot he was pointing to.
"If you look here, energy loss is occurring at the intersection of the mana circuits. The mana flows are colliding at this point, causing the energy to disperse. I assume that's why you tried to create a bypass route to minimize the loss?"
Lily's eyes widened.
"Yes! That's exactly right. How did you know?"
"And here."
He pointed to another page.
"You applied the mana attribute conversion formula in this section. And you applied the same principle here as well."
Lily could not hide her astonishment.
A highly technical conversation began to flow between her and the young student.
Complex topics such as mana circuit structures, energy conversion theories, and elemental interactions were discussed in rapid succession.
Meanwhile, William and Chloe, who were standing behind them, exchanged bewildered glances.
William craned his neck and whispered.
"I don't understand a single word. Do you know what they're talking about?"
Chloe gave an awkward laugh and shook her head slightly.
"Well... I feel like I catch a glimpse of it here and there, but honestly, I'm mostly lost too."
The two of them sighed and shrugged.
As the conversation progressed, Lily's amazement only grew.
The depth of this young student's knowledge far exceeded her expectations.
We're communicating surprisingly well... Lily muttered to herself.
Who on earth is he? He seems like a senior in the Magic Department... No, maybe even higher than that.
She was filled with admiration despite herself.
"Are you listening?"
The young student's voice snapped Lily out of her thoughts.
"Ah! Yes, so you're suggesting we try doing this here...?"
"Exactly. Instead of bypassing it, if we rearrange the mana flow like this and modify the attribute conversion formula, I think we can drastically reduce the energy loss... What do you think?"
Lily looked at him skeptically.
"Come on, there's no way that would work..."
Reflexively, she pulled out a small wand.
Light flickered at the tip of the wand as complex magical calculations began.
Lily's eyes darted quickly as she verified the results.
Suddenly, her eyes went wide.
"Huh...? Wait, what? Why does it look like it's working?"
Lily stared back at the young student in disbelief.
He was still completely absorbed.
His fingers moved rapidly, writing down complex formulas.
No, how is he performing such a vast amount of theoretical calculations so quickly...? Lily muttered, unable to hide her shock.
"No... this is a method I never even considered... How is this possible? Wait, is this really working?"
Her face was a mix of confusion and wonder.
Hope was blooming that what she once thought impossible might actually be achievable.
Dazed, Lily looked back and forth between her research notes and the formulas the young student had written.
The young student suddenly stood up.
"As I thought, looking at the research data, this seems feasible. Thank you."
Startled by his sudden movement, Lily jumped up from her seat.
"Y-you're leaving?"
"Yes, we have to go work on our project now, so we'll be taking our leave..."
Flustered, Lily asked hurriedly.
"What kind of project is it? Are you writing a graduation thesis? Do you need my help?"
The young student paused and smiled.
"Ah, I haven't introduced myself yet. I'm Edward Granger, a freshman in the Weapon Creation Department."
Lily's eyes widened to the size of saucers.
A small gasp escaped her lips.
"A... a freshman?"
As Edward headed toward the door, Lily instinctively followed him.
"Wait! Then those theories just now... how did you...?"
Lily hesitated for a split second.
But she quickly made up her mind and spoke.
"Um... could I perhaps be of help? To your project, I mean. My research... it might still have some value."
Edward seemed to fall into thought for a moment.
Then, he nodded.
"Would you? Actually, I think your research will be of great help to our project, Miss Harper."
Lily's eyes sparkled.
She quickly packed the necessary materials into her bag.
"Alright, I'm ready. Where should we go?"
Lily followed Edward and his friends out of the lab.
Before she knew it, her steps had quickened.
As if the gears of a long-stopped clock had finally begun to turn again, something inside Lily's heart started to move.
Chloe opened the door and said,
"This is the Weapon Creation Department's project room."
Lily looked around with curious eyes.
So this is what the Weapon Creation Department looks like...
A neatly organized space came into view.
On one wall, state-of-the-art equipment was neatly lined up, while a small forge sat on the opposite side.
Unlike a typical forge, this place was surprisingly clean and tidy.
As befitted a newly established department, several pieces of modern equipment caught her eye.
It finally sank in for Lily that she was stepping foot here for the first time.
Since the department had been created after she graduated, everything felt fresh and new.
William let out an exclamation of admiration.
"Wow... this is seriously nice."
Chloe smiled and added,
"To be honest, it's our first time in a project room too."
"Heave-ho!"
William began unloading materials from the cart and placing them onto the workbench.
On their way here, they had stopped by the shopping district to purchase the necessary materials.
Lily suddenly recalled the scene in the shopping district.
She clearly remembered how Edward had selected the materials.
He didn't hesitate at all when choosing the materials. It was as if everything had already been planned out.
Recalling Edward's movements, Lily was filled with admiration once more.
He had picked out the necessary items without a moment's hesitation, as if a perfect recipe were already laid out in his head.
A master's seasoned skill could be glimpsed in his hand movements.
Edward raised his voice.
"Alright, let's get started. Since I'm the team leader, I've thought about how to divide our roles."
Everyone's attention focused on him at his words.
Edward's eyes overflowed with confidence.
"First of all, since we're short on time, I want you two to look at this blueprint and make the shield first while I design the mana circuit to be engraved. I've marked all the necessary materials and the space where the engraving will go."
Chloe unfolded the blueprint and asked with wide eyes,
"Wait, when did you even make this blueprint?"
Edward replied nonchalantly,
"Oh, I've made plenty of shields with magic engravings before, so I already know the structure inside out. I drew it earlier when we split up to buy materials since I had some spare time."
Lily glanced at the blueprint.
It contained a detailed design for the shield, with the materials needed for each part, instructions on how to handle them, and precise measurements meticulously recorded.
Edward continued speaking.
"Once the shield's frame is somewhat shaped, I'll look at the mana stones and the circuit design to do the engraving. But since this is a joint project, if there are parts you guys can handle, I'll assign some of the engraving to you as well."
William replied confidently,
"Sure, just leave it to us."
However, a hint of anxiety lingered in Chloe's voice.
"It's our first time, will we really be okay...?"
A slight nervousness was clearly visible on both of their faces.
At that moment, Lily asked hesitantly,
"Um... Edward... what should I do to help?"
Edward turned his head to look at Lily.
"Ah, Miss Harper, please help me with the design."
Lily nodded at Edward's words.
She could read trust and expectation in his eyes.
Help with the design...
Lily's heart fluttered.
Her chest throbbed with excitement at the thought that her research might actually be put to practical use.
"Understood. I will do my absolute best."
Determination filled Lily's voice.
Edward wore a satisfied smile.
"Great. Shall we get started then?"
The four of them moved to their respective positions.
The project room was soon filled with heat and energy.
William and Chloe began crafting the basic frame of the shield, while Edward and Lily immersed themselves in designing the magic circuit.
Lily suddenly realized.
This was the very moment she had dreamed of.
Her theory, which had been locked away in a laboratory, was finally becoming a reality.