The First Project, Part 3
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The rhythmic sound of a hammer striking metal echoed through the room.
Lily blinked and looked around.
A sweltering heat filled the entire space.
As the flames roaring in the forge dyed the room crimson, Chloe and William were absorbed in crafting a shield.
These guys haven't taken a single break since earlier...
Lily thought to herself.
Their expressions were filled with intense focus, and every movement of their hands carried the air of experienced artisans.
They're supposed to be freshmen, but they work like blacksmiths with years of experience.
Her gaze shifted to the side.
Edward was also completely engrossed in his work, not resting for even a second.
In front of him sat a chest filled with glowing blue potions, alongside several empty bottles scattered around.
Lily's eyes widened at the sight.
How does he have so many potions? They're chugging them like water.
She fell into deep thought.
She assumed that one of them had to be the child of a wealthy potion workshop owner.
Then, a sudden thought crossed her mind.
Could his genius actually be coming from the potions? Like, maybe they developed an elixir that temporarily boosts intelligence by hundreds of times...
As Lily stared blankly at Edward, lost in her theories—
Edward, who had been focusing while sipping a potion, suddenly raised his head and locked eyes with her.
"Haha... Would you like some too, Lily? Feel free to drink as much as you want."
Edward said, offering an awkward smile.
"Oh, no, it's not that."
Lily stammered, caught off guard.
"I was just thinking that everyone seems incredibly passionate."
"Ahaha, is that so?"
Edward replied with a bright laugh.
But his expression quickly turned serious again as he redirected his gaze to the blueprint.
"Lily. Could you take a look at this for a second?"
He gestured toward the circuit blueprint.
Lily nodded and stepped closer.
"I was thinking of a way to increase the mana conversion efficiency. If we change this part here like this..."
Edward picked up a pen and drew a new line on the blueprint, continuing his explanation.
Lily listened intently, pondering his words.
"Hmm... That would work well. But what if..."
Lily spoke up hesitantly.
"What if we tried this instead? If we modify the circuit in this section slightly, I think we can increase the mana density."
She took the pen and made a minor adjustment to the blueprint.
Edward's eyes widened.
"Oh... You're right!"
He quickly ran the calculations in his head and beamed.
"This will boost the efficiency by at least five percent. Lily, you're amazing!"
Everyone lost track of time, completely absorbed in their work.
Lily and Edward poured all their energy into the shield's design.
As Lily assisted Edward, trading ideas back and forth, their synergy grew increasingly seamless.
After staying up through their second night, just as dawn was breaking, Edward, who had stepped out for a moment, returned.
"Hey guys, let's take a break and eat. I got takeout from the food street."
He carried in a large bag, a mouthwatering aroma instantly filling the room.
"Sweet!"
William exclaimed, his face lighting up.
Chloe teased with a playful grin.
"Wow, the workaholic Edward actually showing some thoughtfulness. What's the occasion?"
Edward scratched the back of his neck, looking sheepish.
"You make it sound like I do nothing but work."
Chloe and William retorted in unison as they unpacked the food.
"But you do."
"Please, you're always working."
Edward shrugged, embarrassed.
"Well, it's good to have things like this once in a while."
Edward chuckled and shook his head.
"Here, Lily, please eat up. Thanks to you, the project is moving along smoothly."
Edward's words made Lily pause.
A subtle shift flickered in her eyes.
"No, I should be the one thanking you,"
Lily said softly.
"To be honest, I thought my research had hit a dead end. But working with you, Edward, I've started to see new possibilities."
Lily paused, slowly looking at the three of them.
It was as if she had discovered something in their burning passion.
Emotions she had long forgotten began to stir within her.
The passion she had slowly lost over three years of grueling research, constant failures, and anxiety about an uncertain future was waking up once more.
The curiosity and excitement she felt when she first started, the hope that she could discover something new—it was all gradually returning.
Lily smiled without realizing it.
Working alongside these passionate freshmen, she was gaining the courage to move forward toward her dreams once again.
For the first time in a long while, determination and hope shone brightly in her eyes.
Time flew, and soon, the morning of the third day arrived.
In front of them lay the nearly completed blueprint they had worked on until just moments ago.
Edward smiled at Lily.
"Great work. Thank you so much, Lily."
Lily replied with a warm gaze.
"Not at all. I'm the one who's grateful."
Just then, William let out a loud shout.
"Alright, we're finished on our end too!"
He carefully placed the shield onto the workbench.
Intricate patterns were engraved across the silver-gleaming surface of the shield, its edges forming a sturdy yet elegant curve.
A high-quality mana stone was meticulously embedded in the center.
Emitting a soft blue glow, the mana stone radiated a potent magical energy.
Lily thought in admiration.
I don't know much about shields, but... even before the engraving, this quality is incredible. It would easily sell for a high price on the market.
Edward nodded.
"Now, let's start the engraving. I've mapped out the parts for you two to handle based on what I taught you."
He pulled a design draft from his pocket and handed it to Chloe and William.
The two accepted the draft, their eyes filled with curiosity.
"Finally...!"
Excitement laced Chloe's voice.
Anticipation and thrill flushed their faces.
As Chloe and William began the mana engraving on the shield, a faint blue light shimmered from their fingertips.
The light flowed naturally across the shield's surface like running water.
William's engraving was strong and solid, as if carving into stone.
With every touch of his hand, a subtle resonance rippled through the shield, the vibration making it feel as though the shield itself were breathing.
Meanwhile, Chloe's engraving was like delicate embroidery.
As her fingers danced through the air, intricate and beautiful patterns slowly materialized on the shield.
The designs intertwined as if alive, weaving into a unique pattern.
Lily watched them, unable to hide her astonishment.
These two didn't seem to have a very deep grasp of magic theory, but their mana engraving is actually quite good.
She recalled her own academy days.
Back when there was no Weapon Creation Department, she had learned mana engraving as an elective for magic students.
Even compared to when I learned it, they're doing a fantastic job... They're freshmen just like everyone else, so how are they this good?
Unable to contain her curiosity, Lily asked.
"You two... you're freshmen, right? But you're already so good at mana engraving. Did you know how to do this before enrolling?"
Edward shook his head.
"No. They learned it for the first time here."
"Haha... For the first time? No way."
Lily said, completely disbelieving.
Edward replied calmly.
"After rolling around in a forge for a month, they'd better be able to do at least this much."
Once Chloe and William finished their engraving, Edward stepped up to the shield.
"Alright, good job. It's not perfect yet, but this is plenty. I'll handle the rest."
As he stood before the shield, the surrounding air vibrated faintly.
The simple magic circuits Chloe and William had pre-engraved glowed dimly.
Unfinished, the lines stretched across the shield's surface, waiting to be completed.
"Whoa... look at that,"
Chloe whispered, her eyes wide with wonder.
Edward's fingers began to move with grace.
Mana flowed from his fingertips, tracing over the existing circuits.
Watching the scene unfold, Lily was swept up in a strange sensation.
Various runes and complex magic diagrams bloomed over the once-simple circuits.
To her eyes, it looked as if a beautiful melody were filling a blank sheet of music.
The crimson flame runes evoked a passionate, high-pitched note.
It swept across the shield's surface like the sharp, piercing tone of a violin.
The blue defense sigils brought to mind a calm, low bass. Like the deep resonance of a cello, the patterns grounded the shield with stability.
The golden reinforcement circuits wove between the other runes like brilliant ornamentation.
Just as a harp's delicate melody adds grace to an entire piece, the circuits bestowed both strength and beauty upon the shield.
With every pass of Edward's hand, new magical elements were layered on.
Lily felt as though she were witnessing the completion of a grand symphony.
I can't believe this is possible...
Each rune and magic circuit harmonized like different instruments—independent, yet perfectly blended.
The surface of the shield shifted constantly.
At times, the flow of mana surged like a fierce crescendo, only to settle into a quiet pianissimo the next moment.
The magical waves generated by the harmony of the runes and circuits resonated.
That mysterious energy echoed as an invisible melody in Lily's heart.
It was a spectacular fusion of magic and art.
Lily could only watch, utterly spellbound.
Is... is this really mana engraving?
It was completely different from any engraving process Lily had ever known.
The magic unfolding from Edward's fingertips far surpassed her imagination.
It was, quite simply, breathtakingly beautiful.