Arcane Shaper

With these relationships, Alex had the leverage to position himself as a supplier for the Ministry. The next step was to finalize his product line.

Alex decided to focus on consumables and equipment with high practical value—items the Ministry would find indispensable and need to reorder regularly. Protective amulets that could shield users from curses or hexes were a top priority, with a deliberate reduction in their duration during mass production, ensuring they expired after three months and guaranteeing a steady demand.

 Flash amulets and sonic amulets, designed for combat or escape scenarios, were ideal tools for Aurors and law enforcement. More advanced tactical equipment, such as anti-magic handcuffs, phase shoes, and tactical vests, promised to be invaluable for Aurors on the front lines and would appeal to both the Ministry and private buyers. 

This idea had been brewing for some time. During in-depth discussions with Moody, Alex had identified several challenges Aurors and other frontline personnel frequently encountered. Now, he planned to address those issues with targeted alchemical solutions.

However, as much as the product design mattered, his current concern lay elsewhere: production capacity. Sitting at his workbench, Alex traced the lines of the blueprint spread out before him. The tool he was designing wasn't just another magical item—it was the key to solving his production bottleneck.

Creating stable alchemical items relied on three essential factors: materials, runes, and magic power.

The quality of the materials determined both how effective and durable the final product would be. Superior materials with strong magical properties allowed the runes to work closer to their full potential. On the other hand, weaker materials limited how much magic the item could hold and how long it would last. For instance, crafting a powerful fire spell item might require a material capable of handling at least 30 Lum of magical energy. Without such a material, creating advanced magical tools was out of reach.

The process of inscribing runes demanded careful attention to detail. Inscribing on flat surfaces was already challenging, but curved or irregular surfaces required a steady hand, proper alignment, and a continuous flow of magical energy. Even a slight mistake could lead to failure, making this step one of the most delicate parts of the process.

Finally, magic power served as the engine for all alchemical props. Even with the finest materials, no item could hold magic forever. Most items gradually lost their energy over time or needed an external source of magic to function. This was especially true for Alex's throwing amulets, which required a magic boost to activate. While his personal items had the convenience of being rechargeable, items made for mass production often lacked such features to keep them practical and affordable.

If Alex attempted to handcraft every alchemical item for his business, the output would be laughably low. Many alchemy workshops struggled with similar constraints, producing only limited quantities of high-end items.

For Alex, who intended to focus on consumables for Aurors, quantity was just as important as quality. Hiring workers to assist in production would drive up costs. Selling the items too cheaply would reduce profits, but pricing them too high would discourage sales. The solution? None, but this doesn't mean Alex doesn't have any idea. 

'A fully automated tool capable of crafting alchemical items with minimal human intervention, that's possible.'

The concept was straightforward: feed raw materials into some kind of artifact, and it would handle cutting, shaping, and engraving runes seamlessly. With this, Alex envisioned creating an automated production system in his underground lab, capable of crafting standardized magical props around the clock.

The shaping process relied on moderate-strength materials like treated alloys or metals imbued with magic. High-hardness resources, such as Ulim steel, were avoided due to their difficulty in handling with magical tools. These standard materials were more than adequate for consumable items and far easier to manipulate. The use of a machine ensured a consistency that handmade items could rarely achieve, producing props with reliable performance and eliminating the variability of manual craftsmanship.

The engraving of runes presented a unique challenge. Machines lacked the subtlety and adaptability of human hands, and techniques for embedding hidden rune structures—known as dark engravings—were particularly problematic. To bypass this complication, Alex focused on creating clear and visible rune patterns. While not as refined, this approach allowed the artifact to work efficiently. The result was functional but plain designs, reminiscent of the simple coin-shaped metal amulets Alex had made earlier. "Ugly, but effective," he muttered, prioritizing utility over appearance for items meant for mass production.

The greatest obstacle was energy. Every step of the process, from shaping materials to inscribing runes and activating the finished items, demanded a steady supply of magic. Alex had carefully calculated the energy needs and quickly realized that his existing energy-gathering rune weren't sufficient to keep the artifact running for long. Solving this problem became his next focus, as without a reliable power source, his vision for automated alchemical production would remain just an idea.

'For now I will named this project Arcane shaper, but this energy problem…,' Alex frowned, tapping his quill against the blueprint. The energy issue loomed large in his mind.

To engrave a single rune, the shaper required a steady flow of magic power. On top of that, the items themselves consumed magic to function. Factoring in transmission inefficiencies and mechanical losses, producing a single protective amulet with the shaper consumed three times the magic power Alex used when crafting manually. 

"Do I have to power this thing myself?" Alex muttered, rubbing his temples. The thought of constantly replenishing the shaper's energy was exhausting. He considered installing additional energy-absorbing rune, but even that wouldn't be enough. 

Alex leaned back in his chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. If he, Wimzy, and Fang all poured their magic into the shaper, they'd barely be able to run it for a day before collapsing from exhaustion. On top of that, they needed their magic for other tasks. Clearly, this wasn't a sustainable solution.

Hiring someone to supply magic power might be cheaper than employing skilled alchemists to engrave runes, but Alex wasn't keen on exposing the shaper's existence to outsiders. Its ability to mass-produce alchemy props at a competitive price was a significant advantage. Even if someone tried to replicate his products, the low selling price would make piracy unprofitable.

As Alex mulled over potential solutions, the air in front of his workbench rippled, and a familiar figure appeared holding a tray. It was Wimzy, who had Apparated into the room. "Master, it's lunchtime. Would you like to take a break?" Wimzy chirped, placing the tray on an empty spot on the workbench.

Alex blinked, glancing at the clock. He'd been so absorbed in his thoughts that he hadn't realized it was already past noon. "Oh, thank you, Wimzy."

"Today, I followed the menu you taught me and made steak and kidney pie with a twist—kneazle kidneys, toad-in-the-hole with plimpy sausages, treacle tart infused with a hint of powdered billywig sting, and buttered peas with a sprinkling of salt," Wimzy announced, her voice brimming with pride.

Alex sampled the dishes, nodding in approval. "Well done. It's delicious."