The morning sun filtered through the iron trapdoor of the family lobby, casting warm golden rays across the gathered faces.
Neil stood in the center of the spacious lobby, still wearing the iron armor that he had made that morning. The metallic surface gleamed with an otherworldly shimmer, catching the light in ways that seemed almost alive.
Lyra's curious eyes traced every corner of the armor, her earlier playful demeanor replaced by genuine fascination. She circled around Neil like a cat studying its prey, her bare feet silent against the stone floor of the lobby.
"Neil, is it because of the armor that you weren't afraid?" she asked, her voice carrying a mixture of wonder and suspicion.
Neil shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny, the armor making no sound despite its apparent weight. "Yes, this armor can protect me from harm, but it seems that it doesn't work if someone doesn't intend to hurt me... like your tickling."
The admission hung in the air for a moment before Lyra's face broke into a smugly triumphant grin. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she clapped her hands together.
"Hey, does that mean I found its weakness? So even if you have armor, I can still deal with you!"
Neil's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. The great protective armor that had made him feel invincible suddenly seemed as useless as a paper shield against his sister's relentless teasing. He stared at her grinning face, completely at a loss for words.
From his stone chair at the large stone table that dominated the room, Grandfather Eldrin cleared his throat, his weathered hands resting on the cool surface. His gray beard rustled as he spoke with the authority that came from decades of experience as a former high official in the Solara Kingdom.
"Hey, Neil, can you tell us about the armor you're wearing?"
Neil nodded gratefully at the change of subject and straightened his shoulders. As he began to speak, his voice grew more confident, the familiar territory of explaining his craft putting him at ease.
"The armor has an invisible energy shield," he began, gesturing to his torso. "It protects the entire body, even the parts that aren't covered by the physical armor. The shield extends about a centimeter from the surface of my skin."
He demonstrated by running his hand along his arm where the armor didn't cover him. "And it can change shape to fit its wearer perfectly. See? It doesn't feel heavy at all, and I can move just as freely as if I were wearing nothing."
To prove his point, Neil executed a series of fluid movements—bending, stretching, and even doing a small jump. The armor moved with him like a second skin, its joints flowing seamlessly without any visible mechanisms.
The children's mouths hung open in amazement. Caspian's eyes were wide as saucers, while Orion leaned forward so far he nearly fell off his seat.
But it was the adults' reaction that truly caught Neil's attention. Their faces bore expressions of reverence and awe, as if they were witnessing something sacred.
Father Anil exchanged meaningful glances with Uncle Kael and Uncle Rhys. Grandfather Eldrin leaned forward in his chair, while Grandmother Linnea pressed her hand to her heart, her lips moving in what appeared to be a silent prayer. The unspoken conclusion was clear in their minds—this could only be divine intervention.
Lyra's excitement bubbled over as she bounced on her toes. "Hey, Neil, how did you get such awesome armor?"
Before Neil could respond, the adults spoke in unison, their voices carrying the weight of absolute certainty and stern warning.
"Lyra, it's a gift from the goddess to Neil; you can't have it."
Lyra's shoulders sagged, and she nodded weakly, her dreams of acquiring such magnificent protection crumbling before her eyes. But Neil found himself oddly amused by their assumption. A small smile played at the corners of his mouth.
"Well, it was made by me," he said casually, as if announcing the weather. "No one gave it to me."
The words hit the room like a thunderbolt. For a moment, complete silence reigned. Father Anil blinked rapidly, shaking his head as if to clear water from his ears.
"Did I just hear that Neil made it? Oh, look at my poor hearing." He looked around desperately at the other faces, hoping someone would correct what he'd heard.
But when everyone nodded in confirmation, his face went pale. Uncle Kael and Uncle Rhys both looked at him blankly, unable to process what he just said. While his mother Maya gripped the edge of the stone table, her knuckles white against the gray surface.
Grandfather Eldrin leaned back in his stone chair so hard it scraped against the floor.
"Neil... did you truly craft this armor yourself?"
"Yes, Grandpa. I made it."
The confirmation hit Grandfather Eldrin like a physical blow. He sat back, overwhelmed, his mind racing through the implications. A ten-year-old boy creating armor that seemed to possess divine properties? It defied everything he thought he knew about the world, even with all his experience as a former high official of the Solara Kingdom.
While Grandpa wrestled with this earth-shattering revelation, Lyra's eyes lit up like stars in the night sky. The fact that Neil had made it himself changed everything. If he could make one, he could make another.
She practically skipped over to Neil, her voice dripping with honey. "Hey, my cute, dear little brother, could you also make one for me, please? I won't bully you ever and will even protect you!"
Neil's eyes glinted with a mischievous light that Lyra had seen too rarely directed at her. The tables were finally turning, and he intended to savor every moment.
"Well, I don't have much time to make one now," he said thoughtfully, stroking his chin in an exaggerated gesture of consideration. "Or, you could wait until I've made everyone else's armor first."
Panic flashed across Lyra's features like lightning. Her carefully constructed bargaining position crumbled in an instant.
"Hey, Neil, how could you do that to your sister? What if some animal attacks me while I'm gathering herbs or vegetables? Don't you love your sister?" Her voice rose with each word, taking on the desperate edge of someone who had just realized they'd lost all their leverage.
Neil watched her emotional manipulation with a mixture of amusement and genuine concern. Despite her teasing, he truly did worry about her safety when she went out gathering supplies for the family.
He sighed, his resolve melting under her distressed expression. "Okay, okay." Then, struck by curiosity about his own creation, he added, "I still haven't tried the effect on anyone but myself. Then, sister, why don't you try it first?"
Lyra moved so fast she seemed to teleport.
One moment she was across the table, the next she was right beside Neil, her eyes shining with anticipation.
"Yes, I would love to!"
Neil reached up and gently gave a push to his helmet. With a soft click, it detached from his head. He held it out to Lyra, who took it with trembling hands, treating it like the divine armor it was.
The entire family held their breath as Lyra slowly lowered the helmet onto her head. The moment it made contact with her hair, something magical happened.
The helmet began to shift and change, its metallic surface flowing like liquid mercury as it adjusted to fit her head perfectly. Within seconds, it had molded itself to her exact proportions, looking as if it had been custom-made for her alone.
Seeing that everyone was amazed, they heard
Neil say:
"Well, I've never tried the armor on anyone else. I also want to see if everyone else can wear it and what effect it would have," Neil said, his scientific curiosity overriding his earlier desire for revenge. "Though you can't make it invisible like I can, you should be able to access its other functions."
Neil reached into what appeared to be empty air, and suddenly a wooden stick materialized in his hand. The casual display of his inventory magic was lost on the family, who were too focused on the armor test to notice where the stick had come from.
Lyra's eyes widened as she recognized the predatory gleam in Neil's eyes. "What did you take that out for?"
"It's to test whether the armor others wear also has an invisible energy shield to protect the whole body," Neil said, his smile turning distinctly evil.
Lyra immediately understood his true intentions. This wasn't just a test—this was payback for all her tickling and teasing.
Before she could voice her objections, Caspian piped up with the innocent enthusiasm of youth. "Yes, yes, didn't you always say you're grown up? Then you should try the effect of the armor for us."
Lyra shot him a glare that could have melted steel, her eyes promising future retribution. You just wait, her expression seemed to say, I'll deal with you later.
Caspian, suddenly aware of the danger he'd put himself in, quickly scooted closer to Orion, seeking protection behind his big brother.
Neil mentally gave his brother a thumbs-up.
"Good job, brother. Perfect timing."
Trapped by her own claims of maturity and bravery, Lyra had no choice but to agree. She straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin defiantly, though her hands trembled slightly.
"Fine," she said through gritted teeth.
Neil positioned himself a few feet away, the wooden stick held like a sword. "Raise your hand and get ready."
Lyra's heart hammered in her chest as she slowly raised her right hand. What if the armor didn't work for her? What if Neil's magic was unique to him alone? The uncertainty made her stomach churn with anxiety.
Neil didn't give her time to reconsider. He swung the stick in a controlled arc toward her raised hand, putting enough force behind it to make the test meaningful but not enough to cause serious harm if the armor failed.
The stick flew through the air... and stopped. Just as it had when Neil tested it on himself, the wooden weapon came to a complete halt exactly one centimeter from Lyra's skin, held back by an invisible barrier that shimmered slightly in the morning light.
Relief flooded through Lyra's entire body, but her reaction was nothing compared to Neil's excitement. His eyes widened with wonder and delight as the implications hit him. The armor worked on others! His family could use his creations! The possibilities were endless.
"It works!" he exclaimed, unable to contain his joy. "It actually works on you too!"
The entire family stared in amazement at the sight of the stick suspended in mid-air, held back by nothing they could see. Even knowing what to expect, witnessing it firsthand was breathtaking.
Father Anil stepped forward, his merchant's mind immediately jumping to practical concerns. "Hey, Neil, how much time or material does it take to craft such armor?"
The question brought everyone crashing back to reality. Dreams of family members clad in divine armor began to waver as they considered the probable cost.
Such miraculous protection must surely require rare and expensive materials, perhaps even magical components beyond their means.
Lyra felt the weight of the helmet on her head and the warmth of its protection. For a brief moment, she had felt truly invincible. But reality was harsh, and she knew her family's modest circumstances better than anyone.
With visible reluctance, she began to lift the helmet from her head. "Here, take it," she said to Neil, her voice carefully controlled to hide her disappointment. "I am not so weak that I need armor. Keep it yourself."
Neil's heart swelled with warmth at her sacrifice. Despite all her teasing and occasional bullying, Lyra truly cared about him. She was willing to give up something she desperately wanted for his sake.
But she wasn't finished.
"After all, who made you the weakest?"
All the warm feelings in Neil's chest evaporated instantly. Even in her moment of selflessness, she couldn't resist one last dig at his expense.
"Can't you say something good about me for once without belittling me?" he demanded, his voice rising with frustration.
Lyra simply snorted dismissively.
Neil took a deep breath, deciding to address his father's concerns rather than continue arguing with his impossible sister. A thoughtful expression crossed his face, as if he was considering something significant.
"Well, Father, it didn't take much to craft the armor, and I have enough material to craft one complete set for everyone, so don't worry about that."
The words sent a ripple of excitement through the family. Uncle Kael leaned forward eagerly.
"It means you can make one for everyone, Neil?"
"Yes," Neil confirmed, but then his gaze shifted to Lyra with unmistakable mischief. "Oh, but I guess Lyra is strong, so she doesn't need it."
The adults couldn't help but smile at Neil's playful revenge, while Lyra's face went through a series of expressions—shock, indignation, and finally panic as she realized her earlier words had been turned against her.
"Neil!" she protested, but her voice held more desperation than anger.
"What?" Neil asked innocently. "You said you're not weak and don't need armor. I'm just respecting your wishes."
The room filled with gentle laughter as the family watched their youngest member finally get the upper hand over his notorious older sister.
In this moment, surrounded by love and the promise of protection for them all, everything felt perfect.
Lyra crossed her arms and pouted, but even she couldn't maintain her annoyance for long. Despite everything, she was proud of her remarkable little brother and his impossible abilities.
The armor was just the beginning—she could sense it. Neil was destined for things far greater than any of them could imagine.
As the morning sun climbed higher in the sky, the family began making plans for the future, their hearts filled with hope and the unshakeable belief that with Neil's gifts, they could face whatever challenges lay ahead.
end of chapther ....
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today we had completely 30 chapter.
you may have noticed two important point . About grandpa been a high official of Solara kingdom and his father been merchant .
Neil don't know these things yet .
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this is how his artifact look like.
His personal interface...
His inventory.....