As soon as Joshua left the stage, he was swarmed by enthusiastic undergraduates, skeptical professors, curious journalists, and even foreign nobles who had attended the fair and taken a keen interest in the reactor. After what seemed like an eternity of repetitive questions and complex answers, Joshua managed a quick escape from the crowd, slipping out of the seminar hall.
"Joshua, you crazy bastard! You actually did it," a voice called out. As Joshua leaned against a hall pillar to catch his breath, Ferdinand Clooney greeted him with a mixture of surprise and genuine respect.
"Thank you, Ferdinand," Joshua replied, "but truthfully, I wouldn't be where I am now without the help of my team ".
Ferdinand gave him a friendly slap on the back. "Don't be so humble. You're the one who turned an impossibility into a breakthrough. You deserve every bit of the credit." The two walked together toward Joshua's dorm before Ferdinand excused himself to attend to other matters.
When Joshua entered the room, he was immediately snatched into a hug and lifted off the ground. Saria, overjoyed, spun him around while laughing, "You did it, Joshua!" Seeing Saria—usually so rigid and stoic—blooming with a smile reminiscent of her younger days filled Joshua with immense gratitude.
"Thank you," Joshua asked curiously, "but why do you seem happier about this than I am? ".
Saria set him down, smirking with pride. "Because now I can be assured that no one will ever look down on my boyfriend again." Ever since her first birthday celebration, she had dedicated herself to transforming from a timid girl into the protector she was now. She had always looked out for Joshua, knowing that despite his dismissive attitude, he cared deeply about his inability to use Originium Arts. This reactor was his answer to that flaw.
"Ah, that's so sweet of you, my darling," Joshua murmured. Touched, he leaned in to kiss her. Startled at first, Saria quickly closed her eyes and lost herself in the intoxicating sensation. As they began to lose themselves in their own world, a sharp cough shattered the illusion.
"Uh! Hello! How long are you two going to flirt with each other? Did you forget that this adorable Mumu is still here? ". Annoyance was visible on Muelsyse's pouted face as she looked at the couple, who were slightly blushing from their previous actions.
Still, Muelsyse thought to herself, who would have imagined that Saria, the 'Iron Wall,' would actually be able to show such expressive affection?. She supposed love really does change people. Ever since Muelsyse joined the group, the dynamic between Saria and Joshua had seemed absurd to her. Saria was well known for being cold, stoic, and strong. Many admired her, but only a few could even call her a friend. Those who tried to push her boundaries received a harsh response or a punch that sent them to the infirmary—or both.
However, the moment Joshua came into the picture, her entire demeanor changed. She would always leave lectures exactly on time just to go back to him. Whenever he came to see her, her face would light up and her tail would sway with frequency. Muelsyse thought that if Saria grew feline or vulpo ears, they would undoubtedly wiggle like a chopper. When they were alone, she would stay close to him, sometimes cuddling in his arms while they wrapped their tails around one another and smiled blissfully. This made Muelsyse's heart fill with envy and a sensation like overwhelming sweets in her mouth. She couldn't help but imagine having someone by her side to be a safe haven when she was tired, down, or lonely.
Feeling herself getting sidetracked, Muelsyse decided to tell them to head to the dining table for the celebration party. The feast was mostly cooked by Muelsyse and Saria, while Kristen had ordered some of the other dishes. For a while, the group enjoyed their dinner until Muelsyse asked the question they all wanted to know: "Joshua, so which investor did you decide to take a sponsorship from?".
When a new innovation appears with the potential to revolutionize an entire industry, many will try to offer their hand; the choice of investor will determine the trajectory of their future. However, Joshua gave an unexpected answer: "Oh, about that... I declined all of them. "
A heavy silence took over the table for a few breaths before erupting. "What! Are you crazy?" Muelsyse, Saria, and Kristen were completely baffled by his decision.
"But why?" Saria questioned. Refusing an investor meant cutting off the starter pack for early development and expansion.
Seeing his friends' confusion, he gave his reason: "Because it's no longer just my creation alone; it belongs to all of you too." As the group struggled to understand, he elaborated: "I may be the one who brought the idea of the reactor into existence, but it only became real because of your help."
Joshua looked at each member and began to list his reasons. "Muelsyse, because of you, the reactor was able to operate its cooling system effectively; without you, it would have entered meltdown. Having you here was truly fated. Kristen, you always pointed out my flaws and helped me rethink my approach, allowing the reactor to reach its true capacity. Without you, the energy production wouldn't be worth the shift from conventional sources. Saria, my love, you are the one who is always there for me. When I was in danger, you protected me; when I proposed insane ideas, you supported me; when I was at my lowest, you comforted me. Because of you, this isn't just a pipe dream. I'm the luckiest man to have you."
Joshua went into his room and returned with three neatly packed files, which he distributed among them. Their eyes widened as they saw the contents.
"Joshua, do you know what you just gave us?" Kristen asked with a doubtful and worried face.
Joshua smiled and nodded: "Of course, I'm giving you all a copy of the blueprint of the Arc Reactor". It was a secret formula most inventors would guard with their lives, yet Joshua gave it away like it was nothing. "Because of you all, the reactor was able to materialize."
As the weight of the documents settled in their hands, the room fell into a thoughtful hush. Kristen traced the complex schematics, seeing in the blue-lined ink the power she needed to finally pierce the "False Sky" that had haunted her family's legacy. Saria looked at the core's design and realized this was the foundation of a world where people were defined by their will, not their arts. Muelsyse felt the overwhelming warmth of Joshua's trust; for an elf who often felt like a fleeting shadow in a world of stone, this was an anchor—a promise that she finally belonged to something permanent. His vision didn't just inspire them; it validated their individual struggles and bound them together with a shared purpose.
"So, would you like to create history with our very own hands?" Joshua asked. Mesmerized by the dream, they agreed to officially form their own organization.
"So what will our company be called?" Saria asked with expectation. Joshua projected a hologram of the logo: an infinity symbol with positive and negative poles in each loop.
"We are a conduit," Joshua stated. "Like a river carving through stone, forcing a path where there was none."
"Rhine Lab".
In the middle of the year 1082, Rhine Lab was founded.
Here is the revised version of Chapter 14. I have expanded the descriptions while preserving your original phrasing and metaphors to ensure the narrative feels complete.
Chapter 14: The New Founding and Approaching Storm
As soon as Joshua left the stage, he was quickly swarmed by enthusiastic undergraduates, skeptical professors, curious journalists, and even nobles from various countries who had come to the fair and taken a keen interest in the reactor. After what seemed like an eternity of repetitive questions and answers, Joshua managed to make a quick escape from the crowd, slipping out from the seminar.+1
"Joshua, you crazy bastard! You actually did it". While Joshua leaned against a hall pillar to catch his breath, Ferdinand Clooney greeted him with a hint of surprise and deep respect.+1
"Well, thank you, but truthfully I wouldn't be where I am now if not for my team's help".
"Oh, don't be so humble; you're the one who turned the impossible into a new breakthrough. You deserve all the credit". Ferdinand then gave him a friendly back slap. The two walked together toward Joshua's dorm before Ferdinand eventually left to attend to other matters.+2
As Joshua entered the room, he was immediately grabbed into a hug and lifted off the ground for a spin by an overjoyed Saria, who laughed, "You did it, Joshua!". Seeing Saria—who was usually so rigid and firm—blooming and smiling as she had in her younger days for his accomplishment filled him with immense gratitude and happiness.+1
"Thank you, but why do you seem happier at the result than I am?" Joshua asked curiously.
Saria answered proudly with a smirk, "Because now I can be assured that no one will look down on my boyfriend ever again". Ever since her first birthday celebration, she had decided to change herself from a shy, timid girl into the woman she was now. Saria always looked out for Joshua's Originium Art flaw. Despite Joshua often dismissing it and saying he didn't care, she knew deep down that he did; that was why he was so dedicated to making the reactor a reality.+3
"Ah. That's so sweet of you, my darling". Touched by her remark, Joshua leaned in to kiss Saria on the lips once he was put back down. Initially startled, she quickly closed her eyes and began to immerse herself in the intoxicated sensation on her lips. As they slowly began to get lost in their own world, a cough instantly broke the illusion and brought them back to reality.+2
"Uh! Hello! How long are you two going to flirt with each other? Did you forget that this adorable Mumu is still here?". Annoyance was visible on Muelsyse's pouted face as she looked at the couple, who were slightly blushing from their previous actions.+1
Still, Muelsyse thought to herself, who would have imagined that Saria, the 'Iron Wall,' would actually be able to show such expressive affection?. She supposed love really does change people. Ever since Muelsyse joined the group, the dynamic between Saria and Joshua had seemed absurd to her. Saria was well known for being cold, stoic, and strong. Many admired her, but only a few could even call her a friend. Most who tried to push her boundaries received a harsh response or a punch that sent them to the infirmary—or both.+4
However, the moment Joshua came into the picture, her entire demeanor changed. She would always leave lectures exactly on time just to go back to him. Whenever he came to see her, her face would light up and her tail would sway with frequency. Muelsyse thought that if Saria grew feline or vulpo ears, they would undoubtedly wiggle like a chopper. When they were alone, she would stay close to him, sometimes cuddling in his arms while they wrapped their tails around one another and smiled blissfully. This made Muelsyse's heart fill with envy and a sensation like overwhelming sweets in her mouth. Sometimes, she couldn't help but imagine having someone by her side to be a safe haven when she was tired, down, or lonely.+4
Feeling herself getting sidetracked, Muelsyse decided to tell them to head to the dining table for the celebration party. The feast was mostly cooked by Muelsyse and Saria, while Kristen had ordered some of the other dishes. For a while, the group enjoyed their dinner until Muelsyse asked the question they all wanted to know: "Joshua, so which investor did you decide to take a sponsorship from?".+2
When a new innovation appears with the potential to revolutionize an entire industry, many will try to offer their hand; the choice of investor would determine the trajectory of their future. However, Joshua gave an unexpected answer: "Oh about that... I declined all of them".+1
A heavy silence took over the table for a few breaths before erupting. "What! Are you crazy?" Muelsyse, Saria, and Kristen were completely baffled by his decision.+1
"But, why?" Saria questioned. Refusing an investor meant cutting off the starter pack for early development and expansion.+1
Seeing his friends' confusion, he gave his reason: "Because it's no longer just my creation alone; it belongs to all of you too". As the group struggled to understand, he elaborated : "I may be the one who brought the idea of the reactor into existence, but it only became real because of your help".+2
Joshua looked at each member and began to list his reasons. "Muelsyse, because of you, the reactor was able to operate its cooling system effectively; without you, it would have entered meltdown. Having you here was truly fated. Kristen, you always pointed out my flaws and helped me rethink my approach, allowing the reactor to reach its true capacity; without you, the energy production wouldn't be worth the shift from conventional sources. Saria, my love, you are the one who is always there for me. When I was in danger, you protected me; when I proposed insane ideas, you supported me; when I was at my lowest, you comforted me. Because of you, this isn't just a pipe dream. I'm the luckiest man to have you".+3
Joshua went into his room and returned with three neatly packed files, which he distributed among them. Their eyes widened as they saw the contents.+1
"Joshua, do you know what you just gave us?" Kristen asked with a doubtful and worried face.
Joshua smiled and nodded: "Of course, I'm giving you all a copy of the blueprint of the Arc Reactor". It was a secret formula most inventors would guard with their lives, yet Joshua gave it away like it was nothing. "Because of you all, the reactor was able to materialize".
His words were filled with sincerity and trust. As the group looked over the blueprints, the reality of his vision began to settle in. Muelsyse felt a surge of belonging, realizing this was the anchor she had been searching for to ease her loneliness. Kristen saw a path to finally surpassing the limitations of current energy science, while Saria felt a profound pride that their shared journey had led to this moment of absolute trust. The reactor wasn't just a machine to them anymore; it was the key to achieving their own individual goals without anyone to limit them.
"So, would you like to create history with our very own hands?" Joshua asked. Mesmerized by the dream, they agreed to officially form their own organization.
"So what will our company be called?" Saria asked with expectation. Joshua projected a hologram of the logo: an infinity symbol with positive and negative poles in each loop.
"We are a conduit," Joshua stated. "Like a river carving through stone, forcing a path where there was none".
"Rhine Lab".
In the middle of the year 1082, Rhine Lab was founded.
[The Maylander Foundation]
In the office of the Maylander Foundation, a mechanical figure wearing a detective suit sat reading the reports while smoking his tobacco.
"A new energy that would overthrow Originium? Created by a half-Sarkaz?" the Tin Man mused, amused by the information. He took a sip of his tobacco and exhaled with a heavy sigh. "Well, it looks like things are about to get complicated. Other factions won't stand still for such a change".
With that, the Tin Man prepared to head to his favorite bakery. And true to his word, as news of the Arc Reactor spread, many factions began to plot—including a certain white-haired, green-eyed feline doctor who was currently on the move.
Authour's notices:
Dear Readers,
I am writing to let you know that I will be taking a temporary break from posting new content, effective immediately. Due to some personal matters that require my full attention, I've decided to put all upcoming uploads on hold for the next few weeks.
I plan to return and continue with my regular posting schedule at the beginning of next month.
Taking this time away will allow me to return with the focus and energy needed to provide the quality of content you deserve. I truly appreciate your patience and understanding during this time.
Thank you so much for your ongoing support—it means the world to me. I look forward to connecting with all of you again very soon!