The Heavens Open
<The Heavens Open.>
The rumor that I was collecting ideas to build up the kingdom's power spread via magic communication networks, not just across Kara Kingdom but throughout the entire continent.
In response, talent flocked from all over the world, hungry for fame and fortune. Most offered useless ideas, but surprisingly, there were some decent ones too. Especially the variolation technique—a treatment method that really caught my eye. A healer from somewhere on the continent got curious about how milkmaids rarely got smallpox. After some research, he discovered that people who caught cowpox were immune to smallpox, and he figured out a way to use that for vaccination.
I immediately verified the facts and told Padilla to award him 1,000 gold leafs and a sixth-class nobility title. But unexpectedly, she bumped it up to 3,000 gold leafs and a first-class title. Turns out, smallpox was the disease that killed her parents and siblings back in the day.
Thanks to that, the Kaoyan Agency was hit with a sudden boom. Way too many visitors flooded in.
So I had Padilla set up a special organization dedicated to collecting inventions and ideas professionally.
No matter how necessary it was, it was a huge hassle. To gather more inventions and ideas anyway, we needed to institutionalize it—and that meant creating a government body to manage it. That way, I wouldn't have to waste time listening to every dumb idea myself; I'd just review the final shortlist of documents.
"Ugh. It's cold."
Winter had arrived. Armida sis, walking the corridor to head to work with me, quickened her steps. She was bundled up in all sorts of coats, so it must've been pretty chilly for her.
But I wasn't fazed. Compared to the winters back home in Karl territory, this was barely a crisp autumn day.
"What's cold about it?"
"You don't feel it? It even snowed yesterday. Shura, you're cold too, right?"
Armida sis looked to Shura for agreement, but Shura just gave a blank stare. Truth be told, her homeland Kalligo Kingdom and the Aim Village where she'd lived for so long were at almost the same latitude as our Karl territory.
Shura glanced between me and Armida sis before taking a neutral stance.
"A little."
"See? See? My little bro here's just numb to it."
As we stepped out of the palace, a cold wind whipped up. Sis tried to dart back inside, but I grabbed her by the scruff.
"Where you going?"
"Bad for the skin. It's already dry weather, and this biting wind'll crack it right open."
"Office is warm. Heat some water, and it'll add humidity too."
Armida sis pouted.
"It's a long walk."
"Then how's Shura supposed to get to work alone? Visitors would be too awestruck to even speak. Gotta have you by her side."
Armida sis turned around.
"Alone? Bro, where you headed?"
"Got some clothes I ordered. Need to pick 'em up."
Sis's eyes lit up. Armida sis goes nuts for fashion items.
"What kinda clothes? Jeweled? Silk? Or both?"
"Just functional stuff. Zero style."
"Oh."
"Anyway, hurry and get to work with Shura. I'll be back ASAP."
"Tch. Fine."
Armida sis grumbled but followed along, lips pursed.
I left the palace main gate, split from the group, and headed to the leatherwork shop on Artisan Street.
"Baekmyeon-nim. Welcome."
The leatherworker greeted me politely. I scanned the area before replying.
"Yeah. Stuff ready?"
"Yes, right on time. One moment."
He pulled out a leather vest. My custom-ordered Freyker vest. Double-layered Freyker hide with Sky Despair leather sandwiched in between—my new baseline armor.
This vest offered perfect protection against any weapon attack short of an Aura Blade, and it could even block non-impact spells up to eighth-cycle level. Plus, basic temperature regulation and anti-wear features meant it'd stay like new forever—cool in summer, warm in winter.
I tried it on and nodded, satisfied. Perfect fit.
"Not bad at all. How much?"
"Just one gold leaf."
"Here."
I paid without haggling. I don't skimp when it comes to my life insurance.
The leatherworker pocketed the small gold coin and eyed me slyly.
"By the way, Baekmyeon-nim. Where'd you get hide like this?"
"Hunted a monster called a Freyker a while back. Why?"
"Nothing cuts it except an Aura Blade—it's amazing. Never seen anything like it."
"Pretty great, huh."
"Think I could get some?"
I shut him down flat.
"Nope. Not selling."
"Ah..."
"What? Someone asking?"
"Yes. A young lady came by yesterday, inquiring."
"Young lady? Hot?"
"Yes. Looked like Blood tribe—quite beautiful."
Makes sense. Blood tribe women resemble elves, so they're pretty. The tribe's got a dark, sinister vibe, but as elf cousins, their looks overlap.
"Huh."
"She seemed to know you well, Baekmyeon-nim. Said you knew her too."
I chuckled. Only one Blood tribe woman I'm tight with. I'd been waiting for her, and looks like she's here in Kara now.
"Oh, that girl. Yeah, I know her. Got it. Thanks."
"Yes. Safe travels."
I left with the leatherworker's send-off.
Walking the street, I grinned at the bustling Artisan District. Lately, it was booming thanks to all the palace commissions.
The weapons lab and industrial research institute were cranking out magic steam locomotives and other magic items, outsourcing tons of parts to civilians. The volume was huge. Even with trade merchants pulling out lately, Kara stayed prosperous as artisans poured in from everywhere.
Especially the dwarves from Yorgant Kingdom.
Dwarves were mighty warriors and master craftsmen, leading human industry for ages. But lately, Kara was threatening that dominance with floods of unimaginable magic products.
It fired up their artisan pride, and droves were immigrating to learn Kara's tech.
Perfect. No race beats dwarves at precision parts and metalwork. If they worked for Kara, our magic products would level up big time.
'Who is it?'
Turning into a shortcut alley, I heard faint footsteps behind. Someone tailing me, no doubt. I rested my hand on Yojyo's hilt, alert, and kept walking.
Soon, a beautiful woman's voice called from behind.
"Knew it was you, Baekmyeon. You spotted me, huh?"
I smirked and turned. My eagerly awaited door-to-door saleswoman. Most peddle useless scams, but not this one.
"Evelyn. Long time no see."
"Were you waiting for me?"
"Yup. In more ways than one."
"Not a fan of guys thirsting after me. I like 'em cool."
"Cool my ass. What's the business this time?"
Evelyn sidled up, sheepish.
"The thing you ordered? It's ready."
Only one thing I'd ordered: a levitation ship. I narrowed my eyes.
"Already?"
"Said we'd make it small."
"Even so. Not even a year."
"Smaller than you think."
"How small?"
"You'll be disappointed. Pure focus on efficiency and practicality."
I shrugged it off.
"If you're right, I'll love it."
"Good. Then let's go."
"Where is it?"
"Far from Kara. Can't just haul it in—everyone'd freak."
Fair. Something dropping from the sky? Conspiracy nuts would scream world end, zealots would throw a divine welcome party.
"Smart. Lead the way."
"Sure. Follow me."
I trailed her eagerly. Finally, my levitation ship. Heart pounding, palms sweaty with excitement.
In the apocalypse days, seeing Katrinah's levitation ship Hildepernos gave me hope for a while. One ship wiped out a horde of hundreds of thousands effortlessly—naturally mind-blowing back then.
Got wrecked stupidly later, but that thrill sticks with me.
Outside the gates, Evelyn tossed a huge Essence to summon her magic horse. A gray skeletal steed from head to toe, ghostly aura rising—with wings on its back, ironically.
I summoned my pitch-black Absolute Curve Horse, mounted up, and eyed hers.
"Evelyn?"
"Yeah?"
"Those wings decorative?"
"Yup. Just decoration."
I nodded, relieved.
"So it can't fly?"
"Nah. It flies."
I glared.
"Hey. You said decorative."
"Wings are decorative. But it flies—air movement spell added."
"For real?"
"Yeah. Wings mean flying magic horse. No wings, no fly. Wings symbolize flight—badge and bling."
I nodded warily.
"So wings = flies?"
"Mostly. That's Chronos sky city style, roughly."
"Got it. Cool."
I thought of Armida sis and spurred my horse. She'd lied. Claimed her winged magic horse couldn't fly.
Gonna grill her later.
* * *
After a full day of riding, we hit the middle of the Death Desert. Six days from Wyverns by wyvern—desolate, sand-covered unlike Kara's wasteland dunes.
Evelyn stopped at a sand dune.
"Just around here. Follow."
Rounding it slow, I spotted three massive metal lumps. Oval, flattened boxes—with thick glass cockpits protruding front and long ski-like runners underneath.
Disappointing. Way smaller than expected. Body just over 10m long, 4.5m wide, 3.5m high.
Not even a levitation ship—barely a levitation boat.
"That it?"
"Yup."
"Ain't it human-sized small?"
"Don't judge by looks. Surprisingly effective."
Up close, twenty armed guys clustered around. They saluted Evelyn politely but eyed me warily. Her organization's crew, probably.
She led me to the metal hunk.
"Check out the levitation boat interior."
Inside: a compartment with 14 seats in two rows. Felt like stepping into a metal room.
"What's this?"
"Combat troops board here."
"Combat troops? What do they do?"
"Just ride along. Think marines."
Marines clicked. Shipboard fighters—deck battles or beach assaults.
I checked holes and small windows in the metal walls.
"These?"
"External gun ports. Troops fire Magic Bullet Launchers out."
Nodding, I passed to the cockpit.
"Control area?"
"Yeah. Pilot and copilot—two total."
I eyed the ladder above the cockpit. Glass-domed narrow room up top.
"That?"
"Front gunner. Heavy Magic Bullet Launcher for close enemies. One more atop the troop bay—rear gunner."
Total 18 crew. More than expected.
"No other special weapons?"
"Nope."
I squinted.
"Practical and useful, huh? Humans could make this. Just levitation and flight spells."
"That's the practicality. Humans can make it. Key feature. Uses only 256 top-grade Essences too."
256? Insane amount.
Top-grade Essence wholesale: 4,860 gold leafs each. 256 = about 1.2 million leafs just for Essences.
But peanuts to me. Once melted my giant Essence from Uroboros—enough for nearly 600 of these.
"Only 256?"
"Yeah. Shrunk the frame, stripped non-essentials."
"Speed?"
"Max 230 kph. Cruise 160 kph."
Dizzying. 230 kph = cross Demon Trade Road in under 2.5 hours.
"Range?"
"4.5 hours at cruise."
720 km max.
"Really?"
"Yeah. Divert mana to front/rear guns, quarter more."
Pure transport: 880 km. Huge morale boost. In apocalypse, evac civvies—no doubt it'd shine.
"Nice. I like it. Price?"
"100,000 gold leafs per unit. Essences extra."
I shot her a look.
"Not steep?"
She pulled docs from her bosom.
"Includes tech fees. Humans build from these blueprints. That's why we did it. Cheap aluminum extraction tech too. Killer design."
Aluminum—silver-white metal, light but extraction pricey, ultra-expensive.
Cheaper than gold, pricier than silver.
"How cheap?"
"Bit more than iron."
Bargain. I'd pay 300,000 leafs for that tech alone. Gold-grade aluminum at iron prices? Cheat code.
"Deal."
Evelyn grinned slyly.
"Knew you'd bite. Good eye for product."
"Save the praise. Test flight first. Gotta check performance."
After, I flew it around the area for a bit. First flight nerves faded quick—actually fun.
I even sweet-talked Evelyn into letting me copilot. Hands on the stick for that speed rush? Best.
* * *
<The Heavens Open.> End