The Beginning of Magic Engineering
What I planned to do was create and sell magic items.
From a modern person’s perspective, that was basically starting a business.
But after looking it up online, I realized launching a company wasn’t something you just casually tried. The legal requirements, what was allowed and what wasn’t… digging through all those regulations made my hair want to fall out.
“Ugh! Why doesn’t that work?!”
“Wait, there’s a law for that?”
“I’m sorry. I’ll look into it again and get back to you.”
Did I really need to deal with any of that? Especially when I already had an excellent business partner my grandfather had arranged for me? Right. Dad was already handling it.
He sat in the office every day, glued to the phone and tearing at his hair.
Magic engineering still couldn’t cure hair loss… but he’d be fine, right?
“Dad! You’ve got this!”
“Ian! Thank you, sweetheart. That’s right! Your dad will take care of all these annoying details! Our daughter should just do whatever she wants and walk a flower path through life!”
“Ehehe! Thanks!”
This wasn’t some unfair contract or anything. It was completely voluntary.
Dad was the CEO. I was the technical director.
My title might have been lower, but it still sounded pretty impressive.
Our two-person company was officially registered at an annex building on a large estate in Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do.
In other words, we were just using one of Grandfather’s storage buildings. A voluntary donation? Gift? Something like that.
The truth was, both Dad and I had basically been penniless before this.
There was a time when I seriously considered asking Mom for money.
“I can’t bear to see Ian’s hands covered in metal shavings! That 3D printer? Your uncle will buy it for you!”
“I’ll get you an automated lathe!”
“And to make sure the air doesn’t get polluted, I’ll install an air purification system too!”
“If anything gets difficult, just call me! I’ll drop everything and come running!”
“Exactly! And why go far? The house is huge, so just work from home. We’ll drop by all the time.”
While I was still trying to figure things out, a full factory and office somehow materialized around me.
They renovated a storage building next to the management annex into an office, then moved all the machines in.
“Whoa~ This is the real romance! Everyone says ventures should start in a garage, right?”
Of course, the facilities were so nice that calling it a “venture” made me feel a little guilty.
It looked more like a mechanical engineering lab at some prestigious university.
Four industrial 3D printers capable of shaping metal lined one wall.
Automated lathes that could handle precision metalwork stood ready as well.
“Okay, so this command runs the lathe… then align it with that…”
While Dad wrestled with the law to register the company, I focused on learning how to operate the machines. Perfect teamwork.
Thankfully, this body seemed to have a talent for studying. My butt was heavy.
Not in the physical sense. I meant I had staying power. Persistence.
Or maybe both?
Anyway, one of the best things about modern civilization was how much you could automate through computers.
And for moving heavy objects, my Dolmaeng-i could handle that.
“Should I try making a mana restraint while studying? I don’t know how many classes it can block, but I’ll just make one and see.”
Tap tap— tap—
A 3D modeling program appeared on the computer screen.
I slowly drew the blueprint while referencing books and taking my time.
I decided on a bracelet shape for the basic form.
I wasn’t making a slave collar, so putting it on the neck felt wrong. And ankles would force the guards to smell feet.
“The core in the center… can’t be too big. If mana leaks out, the power weakens, and it’ll get too heavy for the prisoner to move properly.”
A 3-centimeter sphere appeared on screen, soon covered in a geometric symphony of lines.
To an outsider it might look like random scribbles, but this was serious work.
I was contemplating my inner vision and drawing the laws of the world through my own mana patterns.
“One thing’s certain—the mana patterns here are completely different from my previous life. There are so many circles that it doesn’t feel crude at all. It actually looks really pretty.”
By the time I finished and looked over the whole thing, the curves on the core that would serve as the heart of the restraint were practically a work of art.
It was ironic. A shackle meant to bind criminals, yet beautiful.
Though… maybe pretty people just naturally created pretty patterns?
“I’ll make the restraint itself simple, like a pair of handcuffs… and add a mana lock so it can’t be undone.”
The name might make people think of electronic keys, but it was actually a superior version of a physical lock.
“I’ll save the mana stones and special functions for other projects. Since this is just a restraint, solid security should be enough.”
The simplest lock, activated by the wearer themselves.
In other words, unless you were the designated guard, the only solution was to destroy it.
You poured mana into the key object, and that mana locked the mechanism.
Essentially, the lock would only respond to the guard’s unique mana pattern.
“Well, I don’t need to worry about teaching modern people how to use mana patterns. This level should be just right.”
I would draw the key pattern myself, but my pattern would only serve as a guide. The output mana pattern would belong to the guard.
If magic items didn’t work this way, only the creator would ever be able to use them.
“The drawing’s done, so let’s make a prototype.”
Click click tap—
The finishing touches were just a few mouse clicks and hitting enter.
The drawing process took time, but sending the final production order was literally just a click.
The industrial metal printer began warming up, then started operating.
Vrrrrrr—
“Oh? It’s louder than I expected. Good thing we didn’t do this in the main house garage.”
I had originally wanted to clear out the underground parking in the main building, but I was glad they stopped me.
I would’ve been kicked out for noise complaints on day one!
Intrigued by the whirring sounds, I peeked inside to see what was happening.
“Why is it so dark in there? I can’t see anything.”
Disappointed, I turned my attention to the internal monitor beside it.
“Whoa~”
On the monitor, finely ground metal powder lay piled up like snow.
And then,
Vrrrr— vrrrr— vrrrr—
The machine seemed to get serious as the cooling fans and pumps kicked into high gear.
“Wow… it’s beautiful…”
In that moment, I offered my sincere gratitude to the god who had sent me into this world of scientific civilization.
The metal powder scattered across the bed met the laser and glowed brilliantly as it fused together. The sight was breathtaking.
“I wouldn’t even mind going blind from this…”
On the sphere glowing from red-hot to pure white, the mana circuit I had drawn appeared without a single error.
“This is a divine miracle. Hic…”
Tears flowed down my cheeks before I even realized it.
If I could create mana circuits with this level of precision, I could make things that even archmages of the 7th circle or higher in my previous life could never have achieved.
“If I stack circuits inside an object, layer after layer, I could create anything!”
The thinner the lines, the lower the output would be.
But if I moved beyond two-dimensional magic circles drawn on surfaces or interiors?
What if I stacked them like semiconductor circuits?
“Just how far could magic engineering reach?”
For a brief, irreverent moment, I imagined touching the realm of the gods.
“World domination?”
But what would I even do with that? Would it be nice to have everyone beneath my feet? I could make plenty of money just selling magic items.
World domination felt too small.
“That wouldn’t be any fun! I want everyone to live happily and enjoy their lives!”
Perhaps this was a warning to my future self, who might one day commit something terrifying.
Or maybe it was a promise to the god who had sent me here, telling him not to worry.
A vow that I would use this power for good.
“Aah… but why do my eyes keep watering? They’re stinging too…”
Wait, I just decided to live virtuously? Why are you punishing me?
I only looked inside the machine because I was curious. It was bright, but why—
“Aaaagh! My eyes! Daaaaad!”
“What’s wrong?! Ian!”
“It hurts so much! It feels like someone threw sand in them!”
“Let me see, open them for a second!”
“Ughhh.”
“Why are your eyes so red?! Hospital! We’re going to the hospital right now!”
Was this punishment for that slightly irreverent thought earlier? I needed to be careful. Live virtuously. Virtuously…
…
…
Beep— beep— beep—
Haha. This was just ridiculous.
I couldn’t see anything because of the bandages wrapped around my eyes. I was lying in a VIP single room at some university hospital.
Let’s rewind about two hours.
At first, I quietly tried to go to the hospital with just Dad.
“What?! Ian’s hurt?! How did this happen!”
“What were you doing next to her?!”
“Chairman! We need to get her to the hospital immediately!”
Unfortunately, we ran into Grandfather who just happened to be passing by. Or rather, he appeared the moment he heard.
“Uwaaaah! Grandpa, I can’t see!”
“Wh-what did you say?! Secretary Kim! Prepare the car! Hurry! No, give me the keys. I’ll drive!”
I made a bit of a fuss because my eyes were stinging.
Luckily Secretary Kim took the wheel instead of Grandfather, though there was a lot of tire screeching. I hoped that was fine?
Anyway, we made it to the hospital alive.
“Director! I’m counting on you! What on earth happened?!”
“Please wait a moment. Our Dr. Park is very capable. He’ll take good care of her.”
Leaving Grandfather’s insistent voice behind, I went to the ophthalmology department. They put drops in my eyes and ran several tests, but forcing my eyes open hurt terribly.
They drew so much blood even though I said my eyes hurt that I was starting to get anemic.
I sat in front of the doctor, tears streaming down my face, waiting for his verdict.
“Did you look directly at sunlight?”
“Huh? No. I was in the workshop.”
“Workshop? Were you welding?”
Welding? Melting and joining metal? It seemed close enough, so I just said yes.
“Sort of. There was a metal 3D printer.”
“Hmm? And you looked directly at it?”
“Yes! It was so amazing! So pretty.”
“Sigh…”
The doctor let out a long sigh.
It had the distinct flavor of ‘What am I going to do with this foolish child?’
The kind of sigh that said there were many things he wanted to say but wouldn’t.
“It’s a burn.”
“What? Why? I didn’t touch anything hot.”
“Staring at bright light for too long can burn your eyes too. Looking at the condition, it doesn’t seem too severe. You were probably saved by the protective film since it’s industrial equipment.”
“Ah…”
Only then did I remember the dark thing attached to the printer’s production area.
I’d wondered why it was there. Turns out my precious first machine was capable but more dangerous than I thought.
“There are usually warning stickers with safety precautions. Please be careful from now on. You were lucky this time.”
“Yes…”
And now, back to the present.
“Hoo…”
“What should we do?”
“You should have watched her better…”
“There was too much paperwork.”
I could hear Grandfather and Dad talking in the hospital room. They seemed to have gotten a lot closer.
Was this the kind of situation where my injury strengthened family bonds?
Maybe getting hurt occasionally had its benefits?
—!#$!#!
—@$%@$
—Where1#$!
Were there some angry guardians or patients around? The hospital hallway grew noisy with shouting.
Didn’t people know hospitals were supposed to be quiet? So rude. So rude.
Thud thud thud thud
They were even running now? Was there a marathon in the hospital? The building might collapse at this rate.
“Over here!”
“That room!”
The voices grew clearer.
Why did they sound so familiar?
It couldn’t be… right? It shouldn’t be…?
Slam—
Wow. Did they just break the door?
“““I!!! Aaan!!! Ahhh!!!”””
“Where are you hurt?!”
“What bastard did this?! Just give me the name! Uncle will take care of everything!”
Wow. Total nuisance. An unparalleled nuisance. I’d have to buy some juice later and make the rounds apologizing to the other patients…
Too embarrassed to face them, I wriggled deeper under the blanket.
They said I’d have to stay about a week…
Since my eyes were injured and I couldn’t see anything, if I couldn’t see them, then I wasn’t embarrassed! That was my logic.
“Hic…”
I wasn’t embarrassed, so why were tears coming out?
Wait, are you punishing me this much just for having one slightly bad thought?
This is too much! So humiliating…
“Brother-in-law! Where exactly is Ian hurt?! Why is her face wrapped in bandages?!”
“Don’t tell me it’s a terminal illness!”
“Please say something!”
“…”
“…”
It seemed Grandfather and Dad were embarrassed too.
“Children, please quiet down. This is a hospital.”
“Father! Your granddaughter might be dying and you want us to be quiet?! I’m so disappointed in you!”
It was practically a family crisis.
The energy of them about to grab each other by the collar and fight was rising…
And Uncle? Why were they trying to kill a perfectly healthy person…
“Kyaaaaah! Please be quiet! I’m not dying! I’ll be discharged in a few days! This is too embarrassing! Everyone get out! I want to be alone!”
“She says so.”
“…”
I was definitely going to remember the name of this hospital when I got discharged.
I would never come back here again.