As we moved away from the chaos of the hallway, the sound of the boy’s sobs faded, and the scent of burning was left behind. It didn’t take long before we stopped in front of a structure that caught my attention: an elevator cabin made of steel.
The cabin was a spectacle of magical steampunk engineering. Its walls shimred with a faint silvery reflection, reinforced by bronze plates. At the top of the cabin, gears of various sizes connected, spinning in perfect synchrony, while thick chains descended into a shaft that disappeared into the floor.
At the center of the cabin, a motor glowed intensely, releasing blue smoke that dissipated into the air with an ethereal glimr.
Charlotte stopped in front of the cabin where the motor stood and said, almost proudly:
"This cabin was built by our senior, Mateo. He built it by himself after studying for only two years."
I looked at her for a mont, then stepped closer, observing the structure more attentively. Silently, I issued a ntal command to the lab:
"Lab, scan this cabin and project the internal design of the motor for ."
["Beep!"]
Before my eyes, the lab’s interface was projected.
["Internal functioning of the motor"]
["The operator begins the process by feeding the boiler with an item in the form of a blue crystal. The liquid inside the boiler is heated until it reaches the boiling point, generating pressurized steam. A decorative pressure gauge, with numbers engraved on a copper fra, displays the steam levels."]
["The pressurized steam is channeled into the piston cylinders. As the steam enters, it pushes the pistons in alternating motions, activating the crank system and the master gear wheel."]
["The rotation of the gear wheel turns the main pulley. Depending on the direction of the control lever, the pulley winds or unwinds the rope, moving the elevator cabin up or down."]
["The centrifugal regulator automatically adjusts the steam valve openings based on the motor’s speed, ensuring smooth and safe cabin movent. If the speed exceeds the safe limit, the regulator partially closes the valves, reducing the pressure."]
"Interesting," I murmured, crossing my arms and glancing at Charlotte. "How many magical crystals did he earn building this?"
Charlotte, who had been admiring the cabin, stopped and turned to . She pondered for a mont before replying:
"I don’t know... I didn’t have the courage to ask Mateo. After all, no one likes to tell others how rich they are, right?"
I gave a slight nod but continued watching her. It didn’t feel like a complete answer, but before I could press further, she grabbed the lever on the side of the cabin and pulled it.
The motor vibrated softly, releasing another wave of glowing blue smoke, and the gears began to turn. The cabin trembled for a mont before it started pulling the elevator. With each movent, the click of the gears and the rhythmic hiss of steam being released were audible.
Charlotte, noticing my still unsatisfied expression, smiled differently this ti. It wasn’t the casual smile from before but sothing more ambitious, almost greedy, like soone dreaming of swimming in mountains of gold.
"But..." she began, looking directly into my eyes. "If we were hired to build an elevator like this, the price would easily be in the thousands of magical crystals."
My eyes widened, and I almost shouted. "Holy crap! I’m going to get so rich," I thought, trying to control my expression.
As soon as the elevator arrived, my brow furrowed imdiately. The cabin doors creaked open, and I was hit by a strong sll of damp earth mixed with sweat. The heavy air seed to wrap around like a suffocating cloak.
The cabin was narrow and cramped, with walls that glimred faintly thanks to a thin layer of crystal dust stuck to them. In the corners, patches of dried mud clung stubbornly, forming irregular patterns.
Inside, a group of robust miners took up almost all the space, each one seeming larger than the last. Their academy uniforms, which must have once been white like the one I was wearing, were now stained gray, brown, and with darker spots I’d rather not imagine the origin of. So wore leather vests so worn and patched that they looked like they were held together by sheer willpower. The patches were improvised: strips of poorly sewn fabric and thick ropes hastily tied to keep everything in place.
...
Pickaxes and shovels were firmly gripped in their calloused hands or slung across their backs, their tips still coated with mineral residue. Overstuffed backpacks, filled with tools and chunks of ore, competed for space with the miners’ sweaty bodies. The tal of the tools jingled softly as the elevator swayed lightly, almost like a chaotic lody accompanying the heavy silence they maintained.
Extinguished torches, still smoldering faintly, were strapped to their belts or mounted on improvised holders on their backpacks. The sll of old smoke mixed with the dense atmosphere. In the corner, a skinny boy seed out of place. His thin arms trembled slightly as he balanced two reinforced wooden crates on the cabin floor. The crates creaked under the weight, but he showed no signs of complaint—he simply kept his eyes downcast, perhaps to avoid the others’ gaze.
Once the miners left the elevator, completely ignoring Charlotte and , we were left facing an empty yet thoroughly filthy cabin. The scent of sweat and dust still lingered in the air, and the floor was covered in a mixture of dried mud and small, sparkling fragnts—likely remnants of mined crystals.
Charlotte adjusted the steampunk goggles perched on her head, sliding them over her eyes before stepping into the cabin ahead of . She stopped in the center of the space, observing the walls coated with fine dust, then glanced back at over her shoulder.
"Those guys who just left? They’re students too. Everyone you’ll find here is a student."
I stood there for a mont before stepping in, letting the elevator doors close slowly behind . I leaned against the tal wall, crossing my arms casually. I felt my biceps press against the fabric of my robe, highlighting the muscles I had worked so hard to build through breathing technique training. Watching Charlotte adjust sothing on the elevator’s buttons, I couldn’t help but ask:
"I think I get the school’s situation, but… common tals and ores, like steel, iron, and bronze—the kind of stuff my father could easily get—shouldn’t be so valuable that people work themselves to death in these mines. Unless these mines are full of…"
Charlotte cut off, finishing the thought as the elevator began to descend with a slight jolt:
"Different materials. Those common tals, like steel, you can buy in bulk at the trade district here in the Tower. But magical materials? That’s a whole other story. They’re used in practically every area of the magical world."
She pushed her goggles up with her index finger, as if emphasizing her next point.
"There are tals here that conduct magical energy, like mithral, for example, or rare alloys that react to enchantnts. Not to ntion the crystals. So are used as pure energy sources, whether for chanical contraptions or to be refined and transford into runes or enchanted items. The jewelers here are quite famous for working with these materials."
I listened carefully, frowning slightly as I absorbed the information.
"I see… And where can I learn more about these items?"
The elevator trembled slightly, signaling we were nearing our destination. Charlotte shrugged, as if the answer were obvious.
"Well, you can learn in public classes or spend hours in the library. Of course, there’s always the option to buy knowledge directly from other students. As long as you’ve got money, of course, you’ll find what you’re looking for around here."
I sighed deeply, crossing my arms again as I felt the weight of reality. Money… it was exactly what I didn’t have. I was practically broke, and the idea of "buying knowledge" seed as distant as the rare ore Charlotte was talking about.
Before stepping out of the cabin, she shook her boot, knocking off the dirt that had accumulated in the elevator, and shot a sidelong glance.
"Before you try to do anything, beco magically literate. Take the public classes on the language of magic and study in your free ti. Once you can read and understand it, you’ll have access to everything. After all, almost everything in this Tower—without exception—is written in the language of magic."
Hearing this, I simply nodded and then stepped out of the cabin. As I looked out at the ravine, I was struck by the sight before . It was an imnse, deep abyss, its walls teeming with acolytes scattered everywhere, working like ants in search of ore. The constant sound of pickaxes echoed, reverberating against the rocks like a distant drum.
So miners were tied around the waist with ropes, hanging in precarious positions, while others, bolder or more desperate, balanced on improvised planks that creaked with every movent.
In certain areas, torches mounted on the stone walls cast a flickering yellow light, indicating that those acolytes hadn’t yet learned light spells. In other spots, rarer still, magical light orbs floated, illuminating small groups that worked tirelessly. The contrast between the gentle glow of the orbs and the imnse darkness of the ravine made the scene even more surreal.
"Holy shit! This place is massive," I blurted out without thinking.
...
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