Chapter 15: A Cool Solution

The afternoon heat hung over the house like a thick, suffocating blanket.

Sylvie wiped the sweat from her brow and exhaled, glaring at the wooden beams overhead. The house felt like an oven. The thick stone walls that had once been their greatest defense against the winter chill were now trapping the heat inside, turning their home into a stifling prison.

Across the rough wooden table, Sylas sprawled out like a dying man, his arms dangling at his sides. His usually sharp eyes were dull, his face flushed with exhaustion.

"I give up," he muttered. "Just let me melt into the floor. I don't care anymore."

Mira stood by the hearth, stirring a pot of stew over the fire, her face glistening with sweat. The effort of cooking in this weather was unbearable, but meals still had to be made.

"I don't know how much longer I can stand this," she admitted, fanning herself with a cloth. "We can't keep living like this all summer."

Sylvie tapped her fingers against the wood, her mind racing.

The heat wasn't just uncomfortable—it was oppressive. It sapped their energy, made it hard to think, hard to move. Back home, we had air conditioners, fans, refrigeration—everything to keep cool. But here? Nothing. Unless you were a noble with magic at your disposal, you simply suffered through it.

Sylvie refused to accept that.

She had developed a strict training schedule, and this heat was slowing her down. Every morning, she woke at dawn to practice footwork and precision with a wooden dagger. After breakfast, she pushed herself through physical conditioning—running, climbing, and anything else she could do to strengthen her body. By midday, when the sun was at its peak, she shifted her focus to tinkering, developing new ideas that might help her in the future.

The problem of the unbearable heat had been gnawing at her for days. There had to be a solution.

How did people in hot climates stay cool before electricity?

Then it hit her.

Evaporative cooling.

A slow smile spread across her lips. If she could make it work here, it could change everything.

Sylas cracked one eye open. "You've got that weird look again."

Sylvie grinned. "Because I have an idea."

He groaned. "Unless your idea involves making ice fall from the sky, I don't care."

Mira, despite her exhaustion, gave Sylvie an encouraging glance. "Go on, sweetie."

Sylvie gestured toward the open window. "Have you ever noticed how it feels cooler near the well?"

Mira nodded. "Yes, the stone stays cold even on the hottest days."

"That's because of the water," Sylvie explained. "When water sits in the open, tiny bits of it disappear into the air."

Sylas frowned. "Disappear? Like magic?"

"No, not magic." Sylvie paused. "It's like how when you sweat, you feel cooler. The water takes heat away from your skin as it dries."

Sylas still looked skeptical. "So… water steals heat?"

"In a way, yes." Sylvie nodded. "And if we can make air move through something damp, it'll cool everything down."

Mira's eyes widened slightly. "So if we could do that inside the house…"

Sylvie grinned. "Exactly! If we make air pass through wet cloth, it should cool the whole room."

Sylvie wasted no time. She rushed outside, scanning the yard for materials.

First, she needed ventilation. The house was built to retain warmth in the winter, which meant that airflow was limited. That had to change.

"Sylas, help me!" she called, pointing at one of the small, high-set windows. "We need to open that wider."

Sylas groaned but got up. "You're making me work in this heat? I better not regret this."

Together, they removed part of the wooden frame, allowing for better airflow. It wasn't pretty, but it would help. Sylvie noted that if she could create wooden slats that could open and close, they could regulate air movement later.

Next, she needed a frame—something sturdy to hold the cloth in place. By the storage shed, she found some wooden slats from old repairs. Perfect.

Then, absorbent cloth. She ran inside and rummaged through a basket of old linens, pulling out some cleaning rags.

Finally, she needed a slow water source. A clay pot. If she poked tiny holes in it, it could make the water drip down slowly.

Getting clay pots from the village potter was the hardest part. She had to convince the old man why she needed them without sounding ridiculous.

"A cooling device?" he had repeated, stroking his beard. "Sounds strange, but you always were an odd one."

Eventually, he gave in, and Sylvie returned home with an armful of pots.

Sylas watched with his usual skepticism. "You're really going through with this, huh?"

"Of course," she said, already tying the wooden slats together to form a frame.

Sweat dripped down her forehead as she secured the cloth. She tied the strips loosely, ensuring air could pass through. Then, she balanced the clay pot above it, carefully poking small holes to let water drip down.

Sylas leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed. "That looks ridiculous."

"Just wait."

She adjusted the frame so it covered the open window. A soft breeze stirred the damp cloth, carrying a faint, cool sensation into the room.

Mira approached cautiously, waving her hand near it. Her eyes widened. "Oh."

Sylas blinked. "Oh?"

Mira turned to them, amazed. "It's… cooler."

Sylas hesitated before stepping closer. He moved his hand forward, then back. "Huh."

Sylvie grinned. "Told you."

At first, the effect was weak—barely noticeable. But Sylvie refused to stop there.

She adjusted the position of the frame, letting more air flow through. She experimented with different cloth types, finding that thinner fabric worked better.

She even tested adding a small tray of water below the frame to increase moisture.

By evening, the difference was undeniable.

Mira, who had been struggling by the hearth earlier, now moved comfortably in the kitchen. "This is incredible."

Sylas let out a low whistle. "Alright, I'll admit it. This is actually kind of genius."

Sylvie wiped her hands, satisfied. "I might make a few more of these."

Mira set the table, humming as she arranged the plates. "Sylvie, this is wonderful."

Sylas waved a hand near the cooling cloth. "I still don't get how you figured this out."

Sylvie hesitated. "I just thought about how the well feels cool. Then I remembered how sweat works."

It wasn't exactly a lie—but it wasn't the full truth either.

Sylas shrugged. "Well, whatever. I'm just happy I won't melt in my sleep."

Status Update

A notification flickered in her vision.

You have invented something that does not yet exist in this world.

[Tinkerer's Blessing] Proficiency increased: 10/10

You have reached maximum proficiency. Unlocking new potential.

Sylvie's breath caught.

She maxed it out.

Was it evolving?

She quickly pulled up her status.

Name: Sylvie

Age: 8

Class: Unawakened

Attributes:

• Strength: 4

• Intelligence: 7

• Agility: 5

• Mana: 10

• Dexterity: 11

Aspect:

• [Tinkerer's Blessing] (Proficiency: 10/10) evolving…

Skills:

• Combat Basics (Proficiency: Max)

• Observation (Proficiency: 6/10)