Following Barnei’s gaze, I saw the blueprint for the magic engineering gun that I had drawn out of boredom.

It was a weapon that still needed much more research before it could deliver the power I wanted.

“But that’s still incomplete.”

“It doesn’t have to be complete. Just showing them that you’re developing such a weapon will shock them! Ha ha ha!”

Listening to Barnei’s confident laughter, I felt a strange sense of unease.

Perhaps from the very beginning, he had planned to take me on as his student.

I was here out of necessity, but I have to admit, I’m intrigued.

You find me intriguing?

No, not you. Your blueprint.

At the time, I thought it was purely a passion for a new weapon, but it seemed he had a deep desire to prove a point to those who had disregarded the field of magic engineering.

As ridiculous as it seemed, it was a plausible notion considering Barnei’s eccentricity.

While I felt somewhat used by Barnei, I didn’t mind because I wanted to attend the symposium so badly.

Regardless of whose nose Barnei flattened, crumpled, or broke, I was happy just at the prospect of participating in the symposium.

“Understood. Master. Shall we try to make that weapon then?”

I too was motivated. If I could attend the symposium, there was nothing I couldn’t do.

“Yes, that’s the spirit. The formulas I’ve been teaching you all relate to that.”

Although it was impressive that he had laid the groundwork even before asking me, the past didn’t matter now that I had a goal.

I unfolded the paper and began to sketch out the design for the gun.

That’s when it happened. As Barnei and I were discussing back and forth, he suddenly said something in a serious voice.

“But how long can we keep calling it this and that? What about naming the weapon?”

I realized that I had not yet given a name to the gun made from the magic stone.

It was true that without an official name, it was difficult to refer to it.

“Well, a name…”

Until now, the weapons of this world were either portable accessories or weapons made by carving magic stones into swords or staffs.

I didn’t know what to call a gun.

“I’m not particularly creative with names, why don’t you name it, Master?”

“What are you talking about? You’re the one who made it, so you should be the one to name it, whatever it may be.”

Seeing him draw a line between us even as we worked together to create the gun made me feel strange.

I couldn’t quite put it into words, but it felt like I was experiencing Barnei’s consideration for the first time.

As I rubbed my cheek, an idea suddenly struck me and I opened my mouth.

“How about K01?”

“K01? What does that mean?”

“The K stands for the name, and 01 represents the first series. This probably won’t be the final version.”

“You’re right. K01… Not bad, I like it!”

Thus, after naming the gun made from the magic stone, Barnei and I put all our effort into creating the K01.

As I immersed myself in creating the K01, time flew by like an arrow.

Every morning when I woke up, the first thing I looked at was the blueprint for the weapon, and I fell asleep every night thinking about the weapon’s design.

The weapon made from the magic stone was not unlimited in its use.

Even my bracelet, which possessed light magic, only lasted for about three uses.

The K01 could only fire about three magic spheres before it became useless. Since it couldn’t be loaded like a bullet, the weapon itself was effectively finished.

This was a critical drawback, but there was no immediate solution.

‘I need to make those three shots as powerful as possible if I want to show some results at the symposium.’

If not, the value of the K01, which could only fire three shots, would decrease.

“Although the K01 is modeled after a gun, it’s not a real gun. It’s a weapon that shoots magic circles equipped with magic stones. How can we make it more powerful?”

I was deep in thought as I walked alone.

Suddenly, I felt my hand being grabbed and I looked up in surprise. It was Askan who had caught me.

“You……”

I was about to ask him what was going on, but Askan spoke faster than me.

“What are you thinking about? You’re going to bump into a pillar if you keep going like this.”

Following Askan’s words, I looked ahead and saw a large pillar in front of me.

It seemed I hadn’t been paying attention to my surroundings because I was lost in my own thoughts.

“Ah, you’re right. Thanks for catching me.”

Askan, with a slightly awkward look in his eyes, let go of my hand. His hand was still warm, maybe he had a lot of body heat.

“Are you going to see the master again?”

“Yes. I’m so busy because there’s not much time left until the academic festival.”

“I heard you’re attending the academic festival.”

“You should prepare too.”

“Me, too?”

“Didn’t I tell you before? Have you ever seen a needle not followed by the thread?”

For some reason, Askan’s eyes narrowed with a hint of amusement at my words.

It was a small change, but it felt significant. It was enough to make me look back at him as I was about to pass by nonchalantly.

“What’s up, you’re not complaining anymore.”

“It’s not my place to say no when Miss suggests we go.”

“Well, that’s true.”

As a slave, he couldn’t refuse where the owner wanted to go. However, it felt like he enjoyed following the order, not just obeying it.

Was he expecting that I would help him escape at the academic festival?

In case, I checked that no one was around and whispered to Askan in a low voice.

“I told you I’ll sneak you out when I see the chance, right? But the academic festival is not the time. The destination is too obvious and there are too many people, so it would be harder to escape.”

I was worried he would be disappointed, so I told him in advance. But strangely enough, he didn’t seem to care at all about what I said.

“I understand.”

Since he didn’t say anything else, I couldn’t gauge his mood, but he seemed the same as when I invited him to the academic festival.

What’s this?

I thought he would be disappointed because he couldn’t escape…

I looked at Askan and said, trying to comfort him.

“Don’t worry. Next time there’s an opportunity, I’ll take you out for sure….”

“I wasn’t worried that you would forget. I was just curious about this academic festival.”

CCurious?

It was surprising that Askan gave such a humanlike response.

Yes, this is what I wanted.

It seems that as he accumulates good memories by going to new places, he becomes more cheerful.

“Actually, I’m also curious. It’s my first time participating, so I’m really curious about what will happen.”

To be exact, I was curious about how would unfold.

Before I knew it, I had walked to where the carriage was. I was working on the K01 research in Barne’s laboratory, which was small but suitable. It was more suitable than the Brellof Mansion, so instead of Barne coming to me, I went to his laboratory every day.

As I walked towards the carriage, I said to Askan.

“Well, I’m off.”

“Yes, Miss.”

As Askan saw me off, he suddenly opened his mouth as if he remembered something.

“By the way, Miss. I heard that today is your mother’s anniversary.”

Mother?

At first, I didn’t know who he was referring to, but soon I realized. It was a reference to Tanashia’s deceased mother.

The only woman Orlando loved.

Charl Lee Rose.

The content of the original book passed through my mind, and I had no choice but to harden up.

I knew too well from reading the original book how much Orlando had fallen into alcohol on Charl’s anniversary.

“……Where is father now?”