The Beginning of Innovation: Kraken Watch
I smiled with satisfaction amidst the sweltering heat of the workshop.
The first-floor workshop was bursting with energy.
The scent of metal and sparks mingled in the air, brushing past the tip of my nose.
Grover lifted the finished product with a proud expression.
"There, it's finished."
In his hands, he held a blue-tinted Kraken Sword and a Kraken Wave Staff.
The balanced design and the intricate patterns engraved on the surface immediately caught my eye.
Chloe gasped in admiration.
"Whoa..."
I nodded at the sight.
The quality was so high that it wouldn't pale even when compared to my own work.
As expected of skilled dwarf blacksmiths; they truly were in a league of their own.
Teach them one thing, and they would figure out three more on their own.
I had only taught them the crafting methods for the Kraken series a week ago, yet they were already churning out finished products.
Their curiosity and passion for new techniques were truly remarkable.
It was obvious at a glance that they were genuinely enjoying their work.
Watching their work ethic, a faint smile crept onto my face.
As long as they were provided with plenty of food and beer, they would happily craft away like excited children.
Seeing how the design notebooks I had given them were already tattered and worn, it was clear just how hard they had been studying.
Lucentia, the capital of the Empire.
It was the center of innovation, where the Empire's finest talents and technologies gathered.
A massive wind of change was blowing through the heart of this empire.
The rumors of the Kraken series, which had started around the Academy, had now spread across the entire city.
At first, most people couldn't believe it.
"Casting magic without mana stones? Don't lie to me."
"I'm telling you the truth. It even recharges automatically."
"What? Is that really true?"
Though skeptical remarks were exchanged, the truth behind the rumors gradually came to light.
Sage Street in front of the Academy.
Originally, it was a quiet street lined with magic bookstores, shops, and cafes.
But now, it looked completely different.
A long line had formed since dawn in front of the newly opened 'Kraken' store near the workshop.
Students on their way to school and passersby stared at the sight with puzzled eyes.
"What is... this line? Did a new shop open?"
"Ah... you still don't know?"
"What are they even selling?"
Just then, someone spoke with deep meaning.
"They are selling a revolution over there."
I was sitting in a cozy coffee shop on Sage Street.
Located near the workshop, the place was filled with a warm atmosphere and the fragrant aroma of coffee.
Through the window, I could see people busily passing by.
Lisa took a sip of her coffee and spoke.
"*Slurp*... Ah, that reminds me, I have something to tell you."
I looked at her with curious eyes.
"I'm thinking of changing the name of the shop near the Academy to 'Kraken' altogether."
"Huh? Are you sure you're okay with that?"
Lisa smiled, looking slightly embarrassed.
"Yes. The original name didn't have any special meaning anyway; I just came up with it in a minute. Since we're running it as a specialty magic weapon shop now, I think this would be much better. It's fine, right?"
I shrugged.
"Well, as long as you're fine with it..."
I handed the production reports over to Lisa.
She took the documents and began to examine them meticulously.
After a moment, Lisa spoke in admiration.
"The new hires are incredibly skilled. At this rate, launching sales at both the first and second branches simultaneously won't be a problem at all."
I nodded.
"Right. That's true, but..."
"But?"
Lisa asked, looking puzzled.
"Hmm..."
I brought the teacup to my lips and fell into thought.
Something feels a bit lacking...
Since we were opening a new branch, I felt we needed some kind of fresh change.
It felt even more that way because I hadn't created any new items for a while after developing the Mana Circulation Shield.
Expanding the magic weapon business in the capital was a good move.
However, the rapid spread of the Kraken series at the Academy was largely due to its unique environment.
The students' passion for self-improvement and their competitive spirits had played a huge role.
While I was sure the magic weapons would soon become famous in the capital as well, we needed something to cement our brand image even more strongly.
Something special.
Something that could capture everyone's attention in an instant.
What could it be...
As I was lost in thought, a loud voice erupted from nearby.
Turning my head, I spotted a couple who seemed to be in the middle of an argument.
The man was chasing after the woman, but she kept walking without looking back.
"I'm sorry, Matilda. I didn't realize how late it had gotten."
The man apologized, grabbing the woman's arm.
They happened to stop right in front of us.
With both of them being quite attractive, it felt like a scene from a youth romance film unfolding before my eyes.
Oh... are they lovers?
"Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting?"
"I'm sorry. I must have missed the bells from the clock tower."
"Forget it. I'm leaving."
It seemed the woman was furious because the man was terribly late for their appointment.
Lisa looked at me and teased.
"Hehe, you really are a guy, Edward. Are you envious of those young lovers?"
"No, it's not that."
Hmm, the medieval era really is inconvenient in many ways.
Mechanical clocks did exist in this era.
However, due to technological limitations, they were old-fashioned devices running on massive gears and numerous complex parts.
They were mostly installed as large tower clocks in monasteries, cathedrals, or clock towers, announcing the time with bells at the top of every hour.
Even those were scarce, so people living far from a clock tower suffered great inconvenience.
"By the way, Lisa, you don't have a clock at home either, do you?"
"A clock? Isn't that normal for most people?"
"Then how do you open the shop on time?"
"I live near the Academy. I can hear the bells from the main gate's clock tower, and I can see it from a distance to check the time."
"Just as I thought..."
"Besides, waking up early has just become a habit by now. Why do you ask?"
"No reason, just curious."
Pocket watches or wristwatches made with ultra-lightweight mana stones did exist, but they required extremely precise craftsmanship and expensive mana stones, making them symbols of the ultra-wealthy.
"So that's how it is..."
Just then, Lily arrived late at the cafe.
"Hehe... Sorry I'm late. Have you been waiting long? I misheard the clock tower bells..."
Lisa glared at Lily with disapproval.
Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, and her lips pressed into a tight line.
Ever since they first met, Lisa seemed particularly conscious of Lily.
I could see her gaze turning strangely sharp only when it directed toward Lily.
"Lily. You didn't just oversleep, did you?"
There was an edge to Lisa's voice.
"Ah! No, I didn't!"
Lily reacted defensively, clearly guilty.
"Lily. Wipe the drool off your mouth before you speak. The drool."
Startled by my words, Lily quickly wiped her mouth with her sleeve.
"Hehe, you caught me."
Lily laughed sheepishly.
Lisa crossed her arms in annoyance.
The movement subtly accentuated her elegant curves.
Feeling awkward, Lily quickly changed the subject.
"Anyway, when are you going to start developing the new product? I heard the training for the dwarves is already finished..."
At that moment, a sudden flash of inspiration struck me. I grabbed a napkin and began scribbling furiously with a pen.
"What are you doing?"
Lisa asked, looking bewildered.
I stood up abruptly.
"Follow me, Lily."
"Huh? But the coffee I ordered hasn't even come out yet... Wait a minute!"
Lily protested in a flustered voice, but I was already walking out the door.
A social salon where noblewomen gathered.
Centered around Lady Adelhart, several ladies were looking at something and chatting excitedly.
Sebastian and Aldrick watched them while conversing.
"Ah, what a pleasure to see you, Lord Aldrick."
Sebastian offered a greeting.
"It has been a while."
Aldrick replied.
The two sipped their wine and chatted about recent political affairs, horse-riding competitions, and other light topics.
After a while, their gaze naturally drifted toward the gathered ladies.
"What are they all gathered around for?"
"Ah..."
Sebastian replied with a sheepish smile.
"I gifted my wife a wristwatch for our wedding anniversary. It seems she's showing it off."
"A wrist... watch?"
At Aldrick's surprised tone, Sebastian scratched his head in embarrassment.
Just then, something glinted on Sebastian's wrist.
It was indeed a wristwatch.
Aldrick couldn't hide his astonishment.
He had a clock in the center of his mansion, but a wristwatch?
No matter how much he wanted to show off, to buy such an expensive item...
He had heard rumors of wristwatches crafted by foreign artisans using mana stones and magic.
Of course, he remembered being deeply shocked when he heard the price back then.
How could a single watch cost as much as a whole castle...
While indulging in luxury was a noble's hobby, this was going too far.
He had heard that the Adelhart estate had a bumper crop last year, but the profits must have been astronomical.
"Just how much did you make to buy two of them? I heard they cost as much as a castle..."
Sebastian laughed and waved his hand dismissively.
"Ah, you must not have heard about Kraken yet."
"Kraken?"
Aldrick asked back. He quickly regained his dignified composure.
"Ahem. Even so, don't you have to replace the mana stones and reset the time eventually? I wouldn't use it simply because of the hassle."
Despite his words, Duke Aldrick's eyes were filled with envy.
"Ah, this one is different."
Sebastian extended his wrist.
What he wore on his wrist was a hemispherical device that looked like a crystal ball cut in half.
It was a dark blue watch, but it had no second hand and was completely different from a standard clock that ran on gears.
"If you touch it here..."
Sebastian said, tapping the watch.
Instantly, the time appeared in glowing digital numbers.
"W-what in the world...! Isn't this a magic tool? Where did you get such a rare item..."
Aldrick couldn't hide his shock.
Sebastian smiled and said.
"You can even do things like this with this watch."
He drew a heart shape on the watch's surface with his finger.
At that moment, Lady Adelhart, who was standing in the distance, raised her hand.
"Darling, I received it!"
She called out with a smile.
Aldrick's eyes widened as he looked back and forth between Sebastian and Lady Adelhart.
"What on earth... how is this possible? It's not even a magic communication stone..."
Sebastian explained.
"With Kraken's technology, you can send and receive simple messages within a certain range."
Aldrick examined the watch more closely, growing even more astonished.
Then, he noticed another strange detail.
Magic tools usually relied on mana stones for power.
Otherwise, a skilled caster had to directly manipulate mana.
Yet, there was no mana stone to be seen on this device.
Furthermore, it was incredibly light... and sophisticated.
Should he call it cool? Perhaps the word 'hip' was more appropriate.
Just then, Lady Adelhart walked up behind Sebastian.
"What are you two chatting about so merrily?"
As she wrapped her arm around Sebastian, the same wristwatch could be seen on her wrist.
Aldrick, who was usually highly interested in high society fashion and trends, asked, momentarily forgetting his dignified demeanor.
"That magic tool doesn't seem to have a mana stone. Since when could you manipulate mana?"
The lady laughed elegantly and replied.
"Hehe, manipulate mana? Don't you know that I've been completely hopeless with mana since I was a child?"
"T-then..."
Aldrick trailed off, growing even more confused.
Lady Adelhart wore a meaningful smile as she spoke.
"Kraken is a revolution."