Chapter 629: The Architect (2)

Elava Artemeyer.

The moment Lennok heard that name, he understood why Ibert had brought Elava.

“Master Lyman. Are you alright?”

“…No, it’s nothing.”

Quickly collecting his thoughts, Lennok nodded, looking back at Ibert.

“Let’s hear it out first. What does it mean that Master Elava’s help is needed for the Heart-Star Vault summons?”

“Instructions came down from above.”

Ibert replied calmly.

“For the first time in decades, permission has been granted to open the Heart-Star Vault to outsiders, and as I explained before, there’s a high possibility that Master Lyman will be summoned.”

“…”

“They said Elava’s help is needed to authorize external access during that process. That’s why we’re introducing her to the masters who will be summoned this time.”

Ibert looked back at the hesitant Elava and said,

“And Elava, having heard rumors about Master Lyman, took this as an opportunity to ask for your help.”

“I originally wanted to learn metallurgy for crafting equipment, but several workshops said it would be difficult to work with me because I had bad habits…”

Elava, who had been listening silently, seemed to feel a need to explain, opening her mouth hesitantly.

“I had no choice but to work in factory-style workshops that handle large amounts of iron, but Ibert said he’d help me if I wanted to learn.”

“So, you were introduced and came to my workshop, is that it?”

“Just a moment.”

At that moment, Mouser, who had been listening without a word, abruptly grabbed Lennok’s shoulder and led him to a corner of the workshop.

“Van, can you handle this?”

Mouser whispered quietly enough so Elava couldn’t hear.

“She’s the most difficult type of client you could possibly encounter.”

“…Perhaps.”

The human body and joint range of motion are limited from birth, and it’s natural to seek movements optimized for oneself.

Striking a balance between ideal movement and physical conditions is the role of habit and experience, and once ingrained, it’s difficult to change.

Mouser, as an excellent master, knew well how vague a request to ‘correct habits’ truly was.

“It seems she barely got introduced through Ibert by chance, but you don’t necessarily have to take her on.”

Mouser said with a slightly serious expression.

“If you meddle unnecessarily and her condition worsens, you might end up taking the blame.”

However, Lennok shook his head, even as he understood Mouser’s words.

“No, I think it’s worth checking.”

“Van…!”

Elava Artemeyer. Her appearance at this moment was no coincidence.

Lennok was certain that the client who had come to this workshop was undoubtedly a descendant of the master who designed the Ascension Gate.

The reason that name, which left no trace in any literature, data, or databases, appeared at this moment.

And why Elava’s help was needed to issue the summons for the Heart-Star Vault.

Lennok believed that even if just to solidify his own hypothesis, he couldn’t avoid helping her now.

But he couldn’t openly explain or persuade Mouser with that fact.

Therefore, Lennok decided to make Mouser understand his judgment in a different way.

“This isn’t severance pay. Look closely.”

“Huh?”

Lennok pulled out the banknotes from inside the paper envelope he held, showing them to Mouser, whose eyes widened.

“These banknotes are at least 20 years old. Yet, they’re in excellent condition, crisp and uncreased. What kind of workshop would keep this much cash on hand to give to a retiring master?”

“…”

“She naturally speaks of setting up her own workshop, as if she doesn’t know how much money that requires. Furthermore, what does it mean that despite being rejected by several workshops on the pretext of ‘bad habits,’ she still got an opportunity to work in front of a furnace?”

“…So she has backing. But I’ve lived in this city for decades and never heard the name Artemeyer.”

Mouser frowned.

“Are you sure?”

“Well…”

If you ask what’s certain, it’s probably the most certain name in the entire Machine City.

But Lennok didn’t bother to say it out loud, merely hedging the answer.

“I’ll manage that part somehow.”

Turning, Lennok moved towards the workbench, slowly observing the nervous Elava.

“First, I’d like to see how you usually work in a workshop. Is that alright?”

“Ah, yes. Of course.”

Lennok idly rubbed his chin, then nodded as if something had occurred to him.

“Let’s make a self-defense pistol. It must be 100% handmade, of course.”

The parts that go into a pistol vary widely in type and size, making them good for assessing metallurgy skills.

Handmade self-defense pistols, in particular, are among the best-selling items in Machina, making them a common test for masters in workshops.

Elava also seemed to know how to make a self-defense pistol, as she nodded without hesitation.

“Understood!”

Elava, responding energetically, immediately began working.

She placed the metal in the furnace to melt it, then joined pieces and hammered them ceaselessly to form components.

She used a grinder to cut and refine the intricate parts, assembled them, oiled them, and then loaded a bullet.

Placing the loaded pistol, grip facing the end of the workbench, upside down, completed one cycle.

Lennok watched Elava, who was sweating profusely as she worked, from the side.

Even Mouser, who had said he wouldn’t interfere, was observing her with considerable interest.

“Hmph…!”

Elava, who had been sweating profusely while cooling heated iron and assembling the remaining parts, turned her gaze.

“Her concentration isn’t bad. It’s normal not to notice your surroundings while working.”

Mouser offered his assessment from the side, as if giving advice.

Elava swallowed hard at his words and slowly assembled the pistol parts in order.

Truly skilled masters should be able to understand the assembly order and principles of equipment without relying on blueprints or component diagrams.

This is because they don’t always handle and maintain only predetermined parts or equipment on the workbench.

Elava seemed aware of this fact, as she fitted the pistol parts together herself, without referencing any diagrams.

Click!

Wiping away beads of sweat, she loaded a bullet into the completed pistol, then inverted the grip and placed it before Lennok.

“…”

Instead of immediately picking up and examining the pistol, Lennok remained silent.

Mouser, turning to Lennok, asked first.

“I have something to say. May I go first?”

Without waiting for permission, Mouser looked at Elava with a cold gaze.

“I’m sorry, but I think I understand why you couldn’t stay long in other workshops.”

Elava’s shoulders flinched at Mouser’s cold voice.

“Your force control, rhythm, and balance are all subtly off. Rhythm is crucial when hammering metal, and you seem to have absolutely no feel for it.”

“…”

Elava couldn’t answer, hanging her head low.

Mouser ignored Elava’s reaction and immediately added,

“Design, blueprinting, outward appearance—those can be refined through experience. If it’s too difficult, you can even outsource it. But handling metal, that you must do yourself.”

“Ahem.”

Lennok, who was still practically a beginner when it came to handling metal, merely cleared his throat silently.

Mouser clicked his tongue, looking at the silent Elava.

“I won’t say you lack aptitude. But if you’ve been pointed out similar issues in various workshops and still haven’t corrected them, it would be difficult to get good feedback.”

In place of the speechless Elava, Lennok picked up the pistol she had set down.

“It’s soft.”

“…Pardon?”

“But other parts are exceptionally hard.”

Lennok spoke without waiting for Elava’s reply.

“The strength of the cartridge housing the magazine isn’t consistent. As Master Mouser said, it’s proof that you lack force control during the work process.”

“…”

Seeing Elava’s grim expression of agreement, Lennok gently tapped the pistol’s surface.

“On the other hand, the pistol’s exterior and seams are well-finished. The appearance is flawless. Do you know what this means?”

“No…?”

“Separately from force control, your temperature regulation for cooling and shaping the iron is highly accurate. It also means your dexterity for organically connecting parts is exceptional.”

“Ma-Master…”

“Isn’t it strange to have excellent dexterity and keen senses, yet be unskilled in the feel and force control needed for hammering iron?”

Lennok said this as he hooked his finger around the pistol’s trigger.

“Keen senses mean a wide scope for perceiving and controlling one’s body. Despite that, lacking proper sensory and force control is unnatural.”

Lennok spoke to Elava, who gripped her hammer tightly.

“I believe Master Elava’s physical conditions themselves are excellent. The problem lies elsewhere entirely.”

“…Huh?”

Instead of answering, Lennok raised the pistol and fired a bullet towards the target placed in a corner of the workshop.

Bang!

With a deafening gunshot, the bullet flew, burying itself in the right corner of the wall, far missing the target.

“Shall I fire one more?”

Lennok immediately took out another bullet, loaded it into the self-defense pistol, aimed it at the target just the same, and said,

“This time, it will go to the bottom-left corner.”

Bang!

As he said, despite aiming precisely at the target, the bullet still punched a hole in the bottom-left corner of the wall.

Mouser shook his head, watching this.

“Bullet marks already in a newly authorized workshop… Narcissa will flip out if she ever finds out.”

Lennok ignored Mouser’s mutterings and spoke again.

“This isn’t happening because the force is concentrated on one side. The gun barrel, which should have been solidified strongly, is collapsing, causing it to twist every time a shot is attempted.”

“Th-Then…”

“Parts that require strong hammering are crumbling, while joints that don’t require much force have significant completeness. This isn’t something that can be explained by a lack of force control or insufficient senses.”

Lennok’s eyes shone sharply.

“Though it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact origin, this seems to be closer to a problem of innate constitution rather than senses.”

A quiet silence fell over the workshop.

Elava asked with a bewildered expression.

“S-So, you’re saying I have such a strange constitution…?”

“Perhaps your eating habits or lifestyle patterns have always been different from others since childhood?”

“Th-That’s right!”

Elava’s eyes widened.

“Strangely, ever since I was little, I hated vegetables and only liked meat…!”

“Perhaps that was just being a picky eater…”

At Mouser’s bewildered mumble, Ibert, who had been silently standing back until now, asked,

“Do you think you can solve it?”

“No.”

Lennok shook his head.

“I’m not a doctor, so I can’t be certain about constitutional issues. Meddling carelessly might lead to serious trouble.”

“Is that so…”

“For now, taking her to a good hospital to check her condition wouldn’t be a bad idea. Wouldn’t you agree, Master Mouser?”

Mouser, receiving Lennok’s wink, belatedly understood the hidden intention behind the words and nodded awkwardly.

“Oh? Uh… yeah. Right. I know there’s a large general hospital near the Upper Workshop District.”

“Ah, that’s right. Didn’t you meet her there, when we went to see Ms. Narcissa?”

“I have something to discuss about that. Could we step outside for a moment?”

“Pardon?”

“It’s about Master and Narcissa’s health.”

“…”

For Ibert, who had worked in the Furnace General’s workshop, this was not a topic to be dismissed.

At Mouser’s serious words, Ibert’s expression also slightly hardened.

“Understood. If it’s just for a moment…”

“Take your time.”

Lennok said this, then as soon as Mouser and Ibert left the workshop, he sharply turned his gaze towards Elava.

Seeing the bewildered Elava, Lennok quickly asked,

“Master Elava. Do you want to know exactly what your problem is?”

“…Yes?”

“If you swear not to disclose anything about what we’re about to do, I will help you.”

At Lennok’s calm words, Elava showed a slightly surprised expression, but soon nodded with a firm look.

“…To me, who has no blood relatives, the masters of the workshop were like family.”

“…”

“I want to work as a proper master in a workshop. If I can…!”

“Good.”

Lennok said that, then stood up abruptly and firmly closed the workshop door.

Clank!

At the same time, he drew thick curtains over the workshop windows, blocking any view inside.

Elava blinked, turning to Lennok, as the workshop interior instantly grew dark.

“What are you doing…?”

Before answering, Lennok quickly pulled out wires, ampoules, painkillers, and various other tools from one side of the workbench, meticulously arranging them on top.

“Actually, Elava’s problem isn’t constitutional. Rather, judging by her physical condition and strength alone, she shouldn’t have any trouble working as a master.”

Lennok had carefully observed her making the self-defense pistol from start to finish.

Having fought alongside various superhumans on the front lines, and having observed and striven to imitate their movements and balance, Lennok now possessed a considerably deep understanding of human physical balance and skeletal structure.

“Her manifestation of strength, sense of balance during posture, and grip strength are flawless. It almost makes one wonder if it’s an artificially sculpted result.”

Physical talent and mental talent. It’s not always necessary to possess both to achieve results.

Even if only one of them exceeds the upper limit, it’s natural to achieve above-average results in most situations.

Therefore, considering Elava’s physical condition and aptitude, there was clearly another reason for such poor results.

“A problem not of the body, but of the mind. And something so significant that it obstructs Elava’s talent as a master.”

As Lennok spoke, he picked up a wire and deeply inserted it into the inside of his wrist.

Connected to Lennok’s Ticket, hidden beneath artificial skin, it emitted a faint current.

Bringing the other end of the wire to Elava’s wrist, Lennok said,

“A mental problem severe enough to obscure talent. Interfering with the human vessel itself is impossible without a powerful prohibition like a Geas.”

“A-A Geas?”

Elava’s eyes widened, as if she also understood the meaning of that word.

“In other words, it means there’s a memory or information so crucial that it must be hidden within Elava’s mind, at the cost of suppressing her talent as a master.”

Lennok’s eyes glinted sharply.

“Such a measure itself is not something an ordinary human could endure.”

At his words, Elava’s shoulders twitched, having listened to Lennok’s words with a bewildered expression until now.

“A-Are you saying I’m not ordinary…?”

“We’ll have to properly confirm that now, won’t we?”

Although he said this, Lennok was half-certain that Elava was not an ordinary human.

‘A Geas interfering with memory and mind. A prohibition powerful enough to warp and break senses. None of these are powers an ordinary human mind could withstand.’

Considering this is Machina, at the pinnacle of magic engineering, Elava Artemeyer is either a blood relative of the Ascension Gate’s designer.

Or it’s highly probable she’s someone directly touched by the designer, Artemeyer.

If so, the memories and information hidden to the point of suppressing her talent must undoubtedly be secrets related to the Ascension Gate.

‘Ibert said Elava’s help was needed to allow outsiders into the Heart-Star Vault.’

Lennok’s eyes settled calmly as he connected the connector to Elava’s Ticket.

‘The fact that the bloodline of the Ascension Gate’s designer is needed to open the Heart-Star Vault means there’s a strong connection between those two concepts.’

The Heart-Star Vault, where artifacts and treasures from the Old World are stored, and the Ascension Gate, Machina’s supreme project that ultimately failed.

It’s not strange at this point that these two concepts aren’t vastly different and are intertwined.

He had already thought through everything he needed to do.

After connecting Lennok’s and Elava’s Tickets, he would use it as a medium to directly observe Elava’s mind from the outside.

Through this, he would artificially release the Geas and extract the memories and information of Artemeyer hidden beyond it.

Lennok didn’t hesitate, pouring mana into the wire connecting their wrists.