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“Ugh… Ugh…”

On the ground, a red-haired girl opened her eyes, adjusting to the familiar atmosphere. The first thing she saw was towering buildings and a sky that had turned grayish.

“Ah…” She muttered absentmindedly, then quickly sat up. She touched her body slowly, then squinted in confusion. “Why am I lying here?”

She held her head, feeling as if it would split open, and after some thought, frowned upon realizing why she had fainted. An overwhelming sensation took over her, reminiscent of her hemophobia.

“Damn this blood phobia…”

It was an ailment that had plagued her for a long time, one that even the temple had said was not easily cured. Just seeing blood made her feel like it was being drained from her body. It was a trauma from her childhood that had tormented her for a long time.

“Ugh…” Brushing off her dusty clothes, she sighed deeply at the sight of a ruined and crumpled golem by her side. “Ah… another failure…”

She had attempted to create something new. Being a noble who cared little for money compared to her achievements, she had amassed a lot of debt. In this city-state, numerous alchemists competed against each other, showcasing their skills daily. As such, impressing them with just any invention was not easy. Months of continual failures had shaken her confidence.

“And to think someone would just leave me here, collapsed! Who does that?!” She exclaimed angrily, quickly getting up.

She tried to move the massive 4-meter metal golem with her small, white hands, but it proved impossible. After struggling for a while, she sighed resignedly and walked away. “Argh… I should ask Grandfather for help…”

She might get scolded, but she had no choice.

“I’ll give that boy a piece of my mind the next time I see him.” She fumed at the boy who had left her behind.

* * *

Without a moment\'s hesitation, Davey left Tiara behind as if discarding a worn-out item and continued with his business, visiting various places in the city-state, including its famous observatory. After all, there was not much he could do until the eccentric dwarf craftsman emerged from his workshop.

Odd artisans typically detested letting anyone into their workshops. What if someone disrupted their work? Since Davey intended to establish a cooperative relationship with this dwarf named Edison, he decided not to interfere with any aspects they might find problematic. It was the kind of respect he could offer.

"Master! I\'ve been waiting for you."

Upon returning to the Craftsmanship of Creation (Periholk) with Perserque, who seemed quite satisfied with the mysterious city\'s view, Davey was greeted by an elderly dwarf who acted as if he had been waiting for him. It was Elder Golgouda.

"Did I arrive too late?"

"Not at all. I just received a message and arrived right away. I knew this cranky old man would be like this."

Chuckling, Davey could sense a longstanding bond with Elder Golgouda, especially when Davey saw his distinctive bottle of liquor.

At that moment, the workshop door opened, and a dust-covered dwarf slowly walked out and shouted. Although one would expect all eyes to be on him due to the sudden commotion, no one seemed to care or found it familiar.

"Hey! Who keeps calling for me?"

"Hey! Darned old geezer! If you call for me, I should pop out immediately, not be stuck in the workshop!"

Angered by Elder Golgouda’s reprimands, the other dwarf, with a dagger at his waist, frowned. "Huh? Aren\'t you the yellow broomstick?"

"Yes, it\'s me, the old geezer!"

Davey watched in surprise as the two scuffled, grabbing each other by the collar. Just as others began to intervene, the fight abruptly ended.

"Who does this yellow sack of crap think he is, coming here?"

"Don\'t you need the famous ale from Dikenti Mountain for your grand workshop?"

"Who said we don\'t?"

Sneaking glances around as if to ensure no one would steal from him, Elder Golgouda snatched the flask that was offered and expertly popped its lid. After a sniff, he frowned.

"What\'s the matter, sack of crap? Why are you here?"

"You damned old hag! Didn\'t my benefactor send a letter saying they\'d come to see you?"

Upon hearing this, the blue-bearded dwarf, Edison, turned his gaze to Davey. "Ahem! Oh, did they now?"

"Hey! Even if you are old, that’s very stupid of you!"

Edison looked incredulously at Golgouda, seemingly taken aback by his outburst. "Sack of crap, I never expected you to be so respectful toward a mere human."

"Are you deaf? Calling my benefactor a mere human?! Do you think your knowledge even compares to theirs?! Want to die by my hand today?"

"What, what? Come on then, you damned sack of crap! Bring it!"

As they started fighting again, Davey shook his head in disbelief. "What a pair of characters."

The fight continued for quite some time. Somehow, despite their age, they managed to grab at each other\'s beards and throw each other to the ground. It got so wild that the staff from the workshop had to rush in to separate the two elderly dwarves.

Finally, after what resembled a true brawl, the two were pulled apart. Davey could now proceed to Edison\'s private meeting room.

It was a technical consultation, and although he wasn\'t the dean, Davey was accorded a level of respect commensurate with one.

"Ahem! I am Edison."

"My name is Davey O’Rowane. It\'s an honor to meet the famous inventor of the continent."

"Heh, a hero of the continent, huh? What does someone like you want with an old man like me?"

Elder Golgouda interjected before Davey could reply, showing his impatience. "Hey! This old fool still hasn\'t come to his senses!"

"Shut up, you sack of crap! This isn\'t the place for your antics!"

"Humph!" Elder Golgouda grumbled but did not argue further.

"Would you take a look at this?"

Davey then presented a highly intricate blueprint drawn on magically-treated white paper. Of the hundreds of blueprints he had created, this was the simplest yet most crucial component. The dwarf\'s expression immediately turned serious.

"Hmm?"

"This is..."

"No, let me see it myself."

Edison examined the blueprint carefully, slowly tracing it with his finger while muttering to himself. "Quite innovative."

A while later, Edison finally spoke. "It\'s not perfect, but it\'s intricate. Seems like a system that draws energy using a mana stone..."

"Not perfect..."

As Davey trailed off, Edison tapped the blueprint. "Kid, what\'s the reason for showing me this?"

"I want to make this. I need the help of the Blue Rock Dwarves for this and other aspects."

"So you want me to introduce you to them?"

"That\'s right."

"Who made this blueprint?"

"My benefactor made it, you old hag!"

"Keep out of this, sack of crap!"

Edison asked Davey with a serious tone, "You created this yourself?"

"Yes."

"Listen, kid... No, someone who can create something like this isn\'t just a kid. You\'re way better than those windbags," Edison said calmly. Then, he inquired, "You\'re seeking the Blue Rock Dwarves because they\'re probably the only dwarves who can understand and accept something this intricate?"

"Yes. As per the letter, I thought it would be interesting. What do you think?" Davey responded.

"Our situation with the Blue Rock Dwarves is different from the Yellow Rock Tribe. So we can\'t be treated as subordinates. Right now, the Blue Rock Dwarves aren\'t in a position to commit to such work," Edison explained.

Elder Golgouda furrowed his brows upon hearing this. "What do you mean?"

"They’re all dead."

The atmosphere around them turned cold immediately.

"All of them are dead? What on earth…?"

"Exactly as I said. A plague spread years ago, wiping them all out. Even my granddaughter\'s parents went to treat the village\'s illness at that time and never returned."

Everyone sighed deeply upon hearing this. The crucial element had disappeared like this. Entirely wiped out by an epidemic – it was almost too ridiculous to believe.

"I\'m sorry, but I can\'t introduce them to you. Well, I can introduce you to their graves," Edison continued sarcastically, implying that they could not get help from the deceased. They were off to a rocky start.

"Then, can Master Edison assist us?"

"What? Ha, listen here, young prince."

"This old man?!"

Ignoring the angry old elder\'s shouts, Edison turned to the questioner. "Do you know why I said this isn\'t perfect?"

Davey shook his head. "Honestly, it\'s hard to gauge your perspective."

"Look here," Edison said calmly, pointing to a section of the design. Everyone recognized the components – by the current standards of the continent, they were unattainable technologies and materials.

"Do you understand now? While I\'m impressed with your talent, this is nothing more than a fantasy." Edison chuckled, "But it was enlightening to see something so intriguing. At least the effort was commendable."

"You old man! Are you dismissing a design made by a master?!"

"Tsk, you can\'t differentiate between reality and fantasy even at your age?"

"What if it were possible?"

At this, Edison chuckled again. "Dreamers aren\'t a bad thing. But sometimes you need to face reality. Whatever purpose this design serves, if it takes decades to materialize, it\'s almost the same as being impossible."

"Hmm..."

"You wanted the help of the Blue Stone, didn\'t you? What’s the point of my approval?"

"Your assistance would be even better."

"Me? Hahaha, sorry. It’s interesting, but I don’t have the time."

The old elder narrowed his eyes. "You old rascal, did you rack up more debts?"

"Well, I made some foolish decisions. If I don\'t win in this upcoming competition, my granddaughter will face a tough situation." Edison\'s voice had a tinge of bitterness.

"Competition?"

"Yes. Outwardly, I’m given the respect due to a senior official. But the real head thinks of me as a nuisance. Due to my massive debt, I had no choice but to accept this competition. If I win, the city-state will pay off my debt. If the head wins and believes I can\'t repay the debt, he\'ll dismiss me from my advisory position."

"That\'s not all, is it?" Davey inquired.

Edison looked at him intently. "Do you read minds?"

"No. I just think that a nobleman as desperate as you must have more on the line."

"In this city-state, the king has two sons. One is the second prince with waning power, and the first, who holds significant influence with the Chief Official."

As Davey spoke, Edison suddenly stood up, alarmed. "Oh, I\'ve said too much. Your idea was fascinating, but it\'s best regarded as a fantasy. Even if it was possible, it\'s impossible now."

Just then, the door banged open.

"Is Edison here?"

A bearded old man and a young, hulking boy entered.

"Brats." Edison’s expression turned sour.

"It seems you have a lot of free time. The competition is just a few days away," the old man sneered.

"I\'m not so old that I\'d let young pups like you take the top spot. Get lost!" Edison shouted back.

The old man chuckled. "We\'ve nearly finished our project. But you? Have you even built the basic structure?"

Davey could hear Edison\'s teeth grinding.

"The competition is in three days. I look forward to seeing you stripped of your advisory title and expelled from the alchemical faction. Ha!"

The large boy stepped forward and said, "The competition might just be a spectacle, but the result seems obvious. Master Edison, marriage to Lady Tiara."

At that, Edison\'s face reddened with fury. The old elder reflexively grabbed Edison\'s shoulder to hold him back.

"Argh?! What the hell is this?!"

"Do you think I don’t know you?!"

"Marriage?"

"Huh? You were still around?"

Davey watched the boy with a relaxed gaze, as he was treating Davey as if Davey was not there.

"Well, I\'m not unrelated," he remarked.

"Who knows where this rascal came from..." The boy, after a brief silence, hurled the tool he had in his hand at Davey. "Do you even know who I am?!"

Thwack!!

There was a heavy impact sound. Edison was about to shout, shocked by the boy\'s actions, but contrary to expectations, it was not Davey who fell; it was the boy. From the large swelling on the boy\'s forehead, it seemed he had hit himself with the tool he threw. It appeared that way, but in reality, Davey had caught the tool thrown at him and thrown it back.

"Is this marriage the one from that second story? I heard about it on my way here. You have a granddaughter."

"Ah..."

There was a short silence.

"Prince! Prince, wake up!" An elderly man shouted with urgency.

The boy, who seemed to have lost focus momentarily, slowly got back up. "How dare you... How dare you think you know who I am?!"

The furious boy drew a sword from his waist. At the same time, Rinne reached out and caught his sword barehanded. He gasped in shock. "What?!"

Clang!!

Rinne twisted the boy\'s sword out of his grasp with her bare hand, summoned a lightsaber, and pointed it at his throat.

"Davey, do you want me to handle this?"

"No, leave him be." Davey calmly approached the boy and asked, "Hey, do you even know who you\'re talking to so rudely?"

The boy’s eyes widened in realization, sensing something was amiss.

"Let me ask you, did you know who I was when you attacked so presumptuously?"

"What did you say?"

"Did you lose your nerve because you think you have the Alchemy Association on your side? You should have been careful until you knew exactly who you\'re dealing with."

Davey did not miss the chance. "Hey, Alchemy Association\'s head."

Upon hearing that, the elderly man looked at Davey in shock.

"Do you want to break ties with the Heins territory?"

The man’s eyes widened even more. The Alchemy Association, aside from their moon grass business, also licensed or sold several inventions made by Aeonitia. They made a significant profit from this middleman selling. In a way, the current Heins territory held considerable power.

"The Heins territory has been providing a significant amount of funds to the Alchemy Association."

To be precise, they were sending funds to support Aeonitia inventions and also receiving various materials in return. And it was not a small amount. Furthermore, the Alchemy Association had trade relations with many countries that had close ties with Davey. The problem was that these countries owed Davey a debt. Despite its complexities, Davey was a part of this world and its networks.

“Do you want to end our trade agreement?”

Finally realizing who Davey was, the elderly man turned pale. He exclaimed, "Prince Davey O’Rowane!"

"If you recognize me, then you understand the problem at hand."

Not only did the boy speak offensively to the representative of a major business partner, but he also confronted and attacked a prince from another country.

"And it\'ll be quite entertaining when word gets out that you brandished a weapon at a foreign royal," Davey said calmly, staring at the still-frozen boy with a bulky physique.

"Isn\'t it? You little brat."

‘If you feel wronged, establish a formidable standing in the international community. If not, think twice before attacking recklessly.’