I stayed awake all night, I was frankly tired, my mana levels were almost depleted working for the marchioness is almost like torture, having to manage so many people from one day to the next is no small thing.
Putting aside my insecurities and worries about tomorrow, I needed to understand how magic works in this world. I didn't understand how people used magic, so I spent the whole night connected to the supercomputer while my body rested. This will surely take a toll on me because of mental strain, but the lack of knowledge worried me more.
In this world, as we all know, magic exists; mutants or animals or monsters use magic intuitively, just like Hunt and I, who learned from them. As for people, at least those in this city, they use it differently.
From what I saw yesterday, both in the blacksmiths' workshop and the carpenters' workshop, the artisans used magic circles, like in video games. Apparently, or as I understand it, what Hunt or I can do using magic without casting it is uncommon. According to Astrid, only the most experienced magicians in the king's court could achieve such a feat.
Returning to ordinary people, the most common spell is "Spark." To cast it, you must draw a circle in the air with a finger, releasing mana as the finger moves through the air; then, in the center, you draw the spark character or rune.
From observing the apprentices, I noticed that at least 80% accuracy is required when drawing the magic circle. From our experience creating super-spells, a certain amount of mana is spent to invoke or draw the magic circle and then mana is used to maintain the action. If the spell in question is continuous in nature, for example, a fire sphere, it must be maintained over time, but the spark is instantaneous.
Drawing the magic circle accurately, or at least with 80% accuracy, is somewhat complicated, so they opted to create scrolls with the drawings of the most commonly used spells for each guild. For example, blacksmiths use Spark every morning, so they have the drawing engraved on a stone inside the furnace. Carpenters use other circles, each more complicated than the last. The usual problem: carpenters, like blacksmiths, do not have enough stored mana because their diet is poor.
Due to poor nutrition, several apprentice carpenters fainted yesterday. From what I analyzed in those affected, when a person's mana drops below 5%, they faint; in our case, we can even endure 0% for several hours without noticing.
When we run out of mana, our chest starts hurting and gradually the pain paralyzes us. When I woke up, Dalia wasn't there, so I went straight to the workshop, but she wasn't there either. They told me she had already gone to the university. I woke up a bit late. (:P) When I arrived at the carpenters' guild, the marchioness was waiting for me: she wanted me to assemble the printing presses they already had.
— Sorina — You're a little late. ―
●— I overslept. ―
— Sorina — What?
●— It's just a way of speaking. ―
I spent the whole morning assembling the printing presses with the help of two boys as the morning passed, pieces arrived from one guild and another. By noon I already had 8 assembled and 4 more almost ready.
Since I have the subdimension and need to keep up appearances, I delivered them one by one to the guilds, obviously accompanied by the marchioness, just in case I missed any or something went wrong.
While the artisans were eating, I visited the guilds. First, we went to the labor guild, where Myrla greeted me warmly. Talking with her and the marchioness, we decided to give her only one printing press for now, so we could distribute the others as well.
Myrla and Nira picked up using the press incredibly fast; by the time I left, it seemed like they'd always used one. To help them a bit, I left a sample work contract set up for them. (Actually, Hunt had made a sample for each guild, so I just copied it.) The contract had the usual details: name, surname, address, employee, employer, salary… the usual. Today I realized that the labor guild and the merchants' guild are right next to each other, back-to-back, facing parallel streets. Surely the two had been playing with the presses of Sena and Selene.
Then, at the marchioness's request, we went to the medical guild, where Salvia took over as the guild's master, leaving the administrator position empty. She didn't seem comfortable in her role; in fact, she looked quite stressed. Our visit was a relief, as we spent a good half hour explaining how to use the press. Like in the labor guild, I left a sample patient form with details like age, weight, height…
— Salvia — Neo, do you have a moment to talk to Samuel before you go? ―
●— Not right now, I have more presses to deliver, and I'm with the marchioness, who's in a bad mood because I overslept and she's angry with me. ―
— Salvia — Then I guess it won't be today. ―
●— I don't think so, but tomorrow night, if all goes well, I'll be home, so if you want to come, it will be just for you. ―
— Salvia — It's a promise. ―
●— Of course. ―
I returned to the carpenters' guild to pick up another, but the marchioness told me to eat as well, so I had no choice but to have lunch with her and Antón. After the break, I went back to assembling, under the marchioness's watchful eye. The good part, which let me work fast, was thanks to Durman, who sent boxes ready to deliver; each box had exactly the type pieces I needed for that delivery.
I finished the four I had started in the morning and began the other eighteen at the same time. Thanks to Mateo, we formed fourteen groups of five people; I was in the middle with him, with seven groups on each side, copying every move.
By the end of the day, all the presses were ready to deliver; I just had to take them out. But, unexpectedly, the "amazing" Miriam, the university director, showed up, accompanied, of course, by my two ladies. Their laughter put me on edge.
— Miriam — Hello, good day, how is this marchioness Sorina? ― She went straight to greet the marchioness, ignoring everything else.
— Sorina — How have you been, dear, it's been a long time since we last met. ―
— Miriam — Since the banquet of your… ―
— Sorina — No need to talk about that now. What brings you here? ―
— Miriam — I heard some young people have created a device for copying documents, and I just wanted to know more. Word is, this week they'll make one of these presses for each guild. What foolish young people, thinking they could make thirty machines in a few weeks. Surely it took months to make one. ―
— Sorina — Well, you're mistaken, it wasn't both of them, just one, and today he finished making the thirty presses I commissioned. ―
— Miriam — How amusing, really. I personally went to the merchants' guild to see one of those machines, and I'm certain no single craftsman, no matter how skilled, could build one of those alone. ―
While Miriam and Sorina exchanged words, my confident and beloved girlfriend didn't hesitate to ignore her. Dalia came up to me and kissed me. (Out of nowhere, as if it were normal. Damn, it's the first time she's kissed me in public—what's gotten into her? Ah, how embarrassing, and right in front of Astrid, who's sure to think of something.)
— Astrid — Well, well, what do my eyes see. ―
— Dalia — Mom, can't you see my dear boyfriend is eager to see me. ― (She's wicked.)
●— Well. ― Dalia took my hand and stood in front of me, forcing me to look at her alone. ― What brings you here? ―
— Dalia — Can you make a printing press for us too? ―
●— That's not up to me. ―
— Dalia — Come on, don't be like that. ―
●— Seriously, the press plans belong to the marchioness; you need her permission. ― At that moment, Dalia let go of my hand and went over to the marchioness.
The marchioness took two steps back to show off. She positioned herself between Antón, Dalia, and me, who were talking in the background. She spread her hands like a bird, flaunting herself.
— Sorina — That's why the boy used the entire carpenters' guild and the blacksmiths' guild. ―
In the meeting I had with the marchioness yesterday morning, we agreed to keep the identity of who made the thirty presses a secret. So, instead of naming me, she said "the boy," though her discretion leaves much to be desired.
— Miriam — That boy made all the presses. ―
●— I don't know what you're talking about, I'm just here by chance. ―
— Miriam — How insolent, who do you think you are? Don't you know who I am? ―
●— Unfortunately, I do know who you are, but I couldn't care less about your position as university director, especially if you can't create an invention worth anything. ― Astrid and Dalia let out a small, restrained laugh.
— Miriam — How disrespectful, I'll call the guards to have you arrested. ―
— Sorina — As… ― Astrid cut her off.
— Astrid — You don't pay attention to anything, do you? Don't you remember I introduced you to the boy at the banqu…? ―
— Miriam — I don't remember anyone so foolish… ― She looked down to see Dalia and me holding hands. ― Ah, now I remember, you're that simple blacksmith, Dalia's boyfriend. ―
— Dalia — And creator of the little magic furnace, and he made me rewrite all the sequences of my inventions. ―
— Mateo — Ladies, don't hassle the boy, this is only his second day and he's nervous. ― He put an arm around my shoulder and separated me from Dalia.
— Astrid — You're telling me he's the famous master of the carpenters' guild. ―
— Mateo — In the flesh. What can I do for you? ―
— Dalia — My aunt and I were wondering if you could make a press for each of us… ―
— Mateo — If the request comes from my best friend's daughter, I can't refuse. ―
— Sorina — You can't do it without my permission. ― She said it in a strange, showy way. (:v)
— Mateo — Do you doubt these two brilliant magical inventors? ―
— Sorina — Actually, I trust them more than Miriam. ― (Bro, she's a meter behind you, tone it down a bit, she's listening.) ― I'll pay for those two new presses too, but I want you and Durman to make them. I want to see if you can build them without the boy who just left. ―
— Mateo — I have no problem with that. ―
The marchioness ordered Mateo and Miriam to the office, saying she wanted to talk to them. She turned to us, looking completely confident, and said:
— Sorina — I don't think she realized you made the presses. ― (Not sure what to say.)
— Astrid — Nah, I don't think she noticed. ―
— Dalia — Good thing, right? ―
— Sorina — I have my little tricks. ― She said proudly. ― Well, how about tomorrow you return my press and finish delivering the others? ―
●— Okay ―
— Sorina — Sorry, I didn't catch that. ―
●— It's an expression from my village, meaning "understood" or "alright" or "agreed." According to the… ―
— Sorina — I don't care, just do that tomorrow, and when you're done come to the mansion to discuss what you'll make in the afternoon. ―
●— Wait a moment, we agreed I'd handle the order, I've met the deadline, what else…? ―
— Sorina — The deal didn't cover the artisans' meals or extra pay. ―
●— You're right. My fault for not specifying. ―
— Sorina — See you tomorrow. ― She heads to Mateo's office.
●— Give me a heads-up, so I can start thinking about what I need to make. ―
— Sorina — Doina always complains that the city is too dark at night. ― (She wants me to create public lighting.)
Since it was already night, we went straight home, but Astrid stopped to look at something in a shop. She told us to go ahead alone.