“…Alright, I’ll go then.
Seeing the girl’s stomach growl with hunger, Julius sighed and turned to retrieve the empty lunchbox placed outside the window. “Wait for me a moment, I’ll be right back.”
“Oh~ Thank you so much~ Holy Knight Captain~”
“I told you, I’m not a Holy Knight yet!”
The boy replied helplessly as he hurriedly disappeared around the corridor corner.
Helos clutched her rumbling stomach, looking at Julius’s retreating figure with pleading eyes.
The workshop fell back into silence, with only the slanting sunlight shining through the window, casting a glow over the workbench.
The girl’s slender fingertips lightly traced the intricate patterns on the blueprint, her pale violet eyes reflecting a focused expression.
Maybe this part should be modified?
She muttered silently, repeatedly sketching over a specific node with her fingertip.
The contents of in her mind began to align with the blueprint before her—this was the most basic Magic Power Storage Circuit, essentially a temporary container sealing external magic power.
To prevent her Curse from suppressing it, she deliberately added an additional circuit.
If she could successfully make this, it would mean she effectively had an external Mana Source.
In other words, this device was like a battery from her previous life, capable of powering equipment at any time.
Most importantly, in theory, this product wouldn’t be affected by her own Curse!
A slight smile unconsciously appeared at the corner of her lips.
The afterglow of the sunset gradually faded, leaving only the flickering candlelight inside the workshop.
Helos was nearly sprawled across the workbench, a few silver strands of hair scattered beside her, intertwining with the complex patterns.
Her brows were tightly furrowed, the flickering candlelight reflected in her pale violet eyes as the carving knife in her hand continuously etched new lines onto the metal plate.
The girl was so absorbed that she didn’t even notice the soft creak of the wooden door opening.
Julius stood at the doorway, holding a steaming lunchbox, the kitchen’s warmth still clinging to his black hair.
Seeing Helos’s focused back, he instinctively stepped more lightly.
Carefully, he placed the lunchbox on a wooden crate nearby and quietly stood behind her.
The candlelight cast their shadows on the wall—one perfectly still, the other gently swaying.
He could see the fine scratches left by her delicate fingers on the metal plate, and the slight tremor of her eyelashes from intense concentration.
It was the first time Julius had seen Helos so serious.
Only when the workshop was completely dark did the boy suddenly come to his senses.
Uh-oh…. I got a little too absorbed.
“Miss Helos…”
He glanced outside at the nightfall, then softly called her name.
But Helos gave no response.
Her fingertips continued wandering over the metal plate, sometimes pausing, sometimes darting across, as if playing a silent melody.
Julius saw her lips move without sound, as if talking to herself.
Hesitating, he reached out and gently tapped her shoulder.
Helos jolted as if awakened from a dream and turned her head, the traces of thought still lingering in her pale violet eyes.
“Ah….”
She blinked and slowly focused on Julius’s face. “When did you get back?”
“Come on, didn’t you notice it’s already dark?”
Julius smiled faintly, pointing to the lunchbox that no longer steamed. “Besides, I’ve been here for quite a while.”
“You were so focused you didn’t even hear me calling you.”
Only then did Helos realize the outside was completely dark, and only the two of them remained in the workshop with the flickering candlelight.
She had completely forgotten about being hungry.
No sooner had the girl spoken than her stomach loudly protested, causing Julius to laugh:
“Let’s eat first. This time I didn’t ask Uncle Ron to put meat in it—he looked a little disappointed.”
Helos’s eyes instantly lit up, her pale violet pupils sparkling in the candlelight.
She grabbed the silver fork in a swift motion, nearly creating a gust of wind.
“Well then, I won’t be polite!”
Watching her devour the food, Julius couldn’t help but remind her:
“Eat slower, no one’s going to snatch it from you.”
He picked up a small wooden jar in the corner of the lunchbox, which contained chilled herbal tea. “Here, don’t choke.”
When Helos took the jar, her fingertips accidentally brushed against the back of his hand.
Julius was slightly taken aback, staring at her slender neck as she tilted her head back to drink, his throat involuntarily swallowing.
“Ha—feeling alive again!”
Helos set down the jar, a petal still clinging to the corner of her mouth.
She licked her lips with lingering satisfaction, then suddenly remembered something and asked:
“By the way, how did you convince Uncle Ron? That stubborn old man hates it when people mess with his menu.”
Julius winked mysteriously:
“I told him Miss Eleanor specifically instructed it.”
He mimicked Uncle Ron’s expression at that moment. “He immediately said, ‘Since it’s the young lady’s wish……. fine,’ then obediently did as told.”
“Turns out the young lady’s name still carries the most weight.”
Helos burst into a tinkling laugh that echoed throughout the workshop.
Wiping the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, her eyes sparkled mischievously as she beckoned Julius with a sly grin:
“Come, let me show you what I just finished.”
Julius immediately narrowed his eyes warily:
“Is it going to explode again?”
“You rascal!”
Helos snorted, turning to carefully lift a small sphere from the workbench and handed it to Julius. “This is my improved Mana Core!”
Julius took the orb, feeling a cool sensation beneath his fingertips.
The disk’s surface was etched with intricate patterns, glowing faintly in the candlelight.
He gently flipped the delicate device, spotting a tiny Magic Crystal Shard embedded in the bottom.
“Later, help me inject some magic power into it and see how it goes.”
Helos leaned in, excitement flickering in her pale violet eyes. “Although theoretically, using a whole Magic Crystal would bring out its full effect, conditions aren’t ideal right now.”
“So I can only ask you to charge it.”
“As long as it doesn’t explode, everything’s fine.”
Julius took a deep breath, psyching himself up.
Relax….. Julius.
It’s just a small explosion, won’t hurt you.
With that in mind, he exchanged a glance with Helos, who obediently stepped back to a safe distance.
Julius grabbed a nearby pot lid and cautiously began injecting magic power into the Mana Core.
The circuits on the core gradually lit up, everything seemed to be proceeding steadily.
Suddenly, the previously stable Mana Core began to violently tremble, its magic light instantly illuminating the entire workshop—
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