Flipping through the pages of the thick book the bald man had placed on the counter, my eyes fixated on the detailed descriptions of laboratories. There were options for all types of specializations: engineering labs for building machines and devices, spaces for alchemists equipped with cauldrons, distillers, and precision tools, exclusive areas for rune writing, and even more specific subdivisions for those seeking sothing unconventional. But I already knew exactly what I wanted. I didn’t need to think twice.
"I want this one," I declared, pointing firmly at the page showcasing a laboratory for engineers.
The bald man’s eyes lit up with excitent, and his smile grew even wider. He enthusiastically slapped the palm of his hand on the counter. "Excellent choice, my boy! That’s one of the best we have around here. You won’t regret it, I can guarantee that! Not only does it have everything you need to create anything from prototypes to final products, but this lab also cos with a special storage area already stocked with various materials. Just imagine! It’ll save you a ton of ti and effort."
I took a deep breath, letting his words sink into my mind. He was right — it was exactly what I needed. But then my eyes fell on the price listed: 600 magical crystals. It was a steep amount, no doubt. I clenched my fists for a mont, feeling the weight of the sacrifice, but I knew why I’d been saving that money. This was the purpose. This was the reason I had hoarded every crystal until now.
"All right," I murmured, trying not to show my hesitation. Reaching for the pouch tied to my waist, I pulled it out slowly. The sound of the crystals clinking inside seed louder than usual, almost as if they were protesting against being handed over. I held the pouch for a mont, my heart pounding, but I finally placed it on the counter.
The bald man, with the quickness of soone who did this daily, grabbed the pouch and checked its contents, his eyes shining like those of a boy who had just received a new toy. He weighed the pouch in one hand, confird the paynt, and then opened a solid wooden drawer behind the counter. From within, he pulled out a golden key—simple, but adorned with intricate details that shimred subtly under the light of the room.
Before handing the key, he made a point to warn . "Listen carefully, boy. Don’t lose this key. It’s the only one you’ll have for your lab. If, for any reason, you lose it, you’ll need to pay another 600 crystals to regain access to your space. That’s because breaking into the door or walls would require hiring a specialized mage. The lab’s isolation and protection are top-notch. But if you’re careful, you won’t have any problems." His gaze was both serious and friendly at the sa ti.
I took the key, feeling its weight in the palm of my hand. With the key secured, I turned and walked down the long corridor of white marble, noticing the movent of other acolytes entering and exiting their labs. Most seed focused, almost cold, as if the presence of others was nothing more than a fleeting distraction. Each carried tools or flasks, visibly engrossed in their own experints and ambitions.
As I moved forward, my eyes caught a group of acolytes ahead, gathered in a semicircle near one of the doors marked with alchemical runes. They were speaking in hushed tones, but loud enough for to catch part of their conversation.
"It doesn’t make sense to use the Flower of Eternity in an unstable solution," one of them, a thin young man with dark hair, said with conviction. "You’ll just create an uncontrollable energy explosion."
"But that’s exactly what we need," countered a girl with short hair and sharp eyes, holding a small flask glowing with a green liquid. "The energy explosion is the catalyst required to activate the Awakened Erald Powder. Without it, the process remains incomplete."
"That’s absurd!" retorted another, a three-eyed acolyte with a long scar across his forehead. "You’re forgetting that the residual energy could contaminate the entire batch! Are you trying to blow up the lab in the process?"
They were so engrossed in their discussion that they didn’t notice my approach until I was just a few ters away. The mont they saw , the group fell silent abruptly, exchanging quick glances among themselves. For a brief mont, I felt the weight of their eyes analyzing . This kind of reaction was common — many in the tower preferred to keep their ideas and experints far from prying ears.
I didn’t mind the sudden silence. I simply inclined my head slightly in a quick nod, keeping my expression neutral. "Good afternoon," I murmured softly, with no intention of prolonging any interaction.
They didn’t respond with words, but the short-haired girl gave a nod in return, while the others averted their eyes, resuming their conversation as soon as I passed them.
I continued down the corridor, the numbers on the doors passing by until I finally reached my destination: door 47. The rune carved into the reinforced wood glowed faintly, indicating that the lab was sealed, waiting for its owner. I took the golden key the bald man had given and turned it in the lock. The click of the chanism was clear and firm, echoing down the hallway.
I stepped inside and closed the door behind , which locked itself with several internal chanisms. I realized that if I lost the key, I’d probably die in here—after all, no one would spend such a large sum of magical crystals to co and save .
I sighed, accepting the situation, and looked around. Stone walls, so lined with cast iron trellises. High ceilings, with wooden beams reinforced by tal strips.
Chandeliers with industrial-style lanterns used copper pipes to conduct gas. The floor was made of polished wooden planks, stained with oil and marked with signs of past use. It seed that soone had owned this laboratory before. In so areas, there were iron plates where heavier work was perford.
There were long wooden workbenches with reinforced tal tops. They had lower cabinets and upper shelves for storing tools and smaller components. A vast collection of wrenches, precision hamrs, files, saws, and steam-powered drills were neatly organized.
Organizer boxes filled with gears of various sizes, springs, screws, leather belts, and small pulleys filled the shelves.
In one corner stood a large gas-powered forge, surrounded by molds for crafting custom tal parts. A crucible for lting tals sat nearby, along with specific tools like iron tongs and molds for detailed creations.
Bars and ingots of copper, brass, black iron, vile iron, and even gold and silver for more delicate pieces were stacked neatly.
In the center of the room was a large drafting table equipped with a drawing board, yellowed papers, rulers, compasses, and inks for sketching detailed designs.
There were also microters, calipers, and other asurent devices, as well as a sturdy prototype-testing station mounted on a reinforced base with visible steam pipes and adjustable valves.
The shelves, tall and tallic, were filled with labeled boxes and glass containers. They contained everything from magical materials (energy-conducting liquids, lubricating oils) to raw materials like nails and other essential components.
A satisfied smile spread across my face. I stretched my arms out to my sides, relishing the freedom of having a space that was entirely mine. "Finally, a lab of my own," I murmured, letting the words echo in the silent room. "It’s not exactly like my garage in my past world… but who cares?"
I walked over to the drafting table, where the drawing boards, yellowed papers, rulers, compasses, microters, and calipers were arranged.
"This won’t do," I thought, letting out a short sigh. For other acolytes, these tools might be useful, but I had sothing they didn’t: my virtual lab, sothing that existed solely in my mind—a priceless advantage over conventional thods.
Without hesitation, I began clearing the items off the table. I picked up the drawing boards and the yellowed papers, slling the mix of mold and old ink, and gathered the asuring tools one by one. Microters, rulers, compasses—all were stacked in an organized pile. I walked to the trash bin near the lab’s entrance and discarded everything at once, without remorse. The clatter of the tools hitting the bottom of the tal bin was sharp and satisfying.
Now, with the table completely clear, I sat in the chair before it, crossed my arms, and allowed myself to think seriously.
"Everything changes now," I thought, the weight of my words reverberating in my mind. "In this world, there’s no room for mistakes. Here, I won’t be manufacturing cocaine, sothing that would be utterly useless to the mages. I have to be careful. If I create sothing too impressive too quickly, I’ll end up drawing the attention of people I’d rather avoid. Sothing worse than the other acolytes… the mages."
I ran a hand over my chin, reflecting. "The best approach is to focus on sothing that generates long-term profit—sothing that keeps within the average but still allows to grow steadily and safely. That’ll give the ti I need to build a solid foundation without attracting the wrong kind of attention. Besides…" A subtle smile ford on my face as the idea took shape, "Now that I have a lab, I can occasionally feign doubts with Miguel. He’ll think I’m progressing gradually in engineering, just as he expects. Nothing to raise suspicion."
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