Chapter 38 – Reckoning

The sun rose gently over the capital, but for Elara, the morning light felt sharp and clinical. It was the first day after the assassination attempt, and she was still in the royal palace under high security. As always, she was awakened by Sylv—who, after ensuring Elara was alive and relatively stable the night before, had insisted on staying close.

"Wake up, sleepy enchantress," Sylv teased softly.

Elara groaned, but sat up obediently.

"Today, we glam you up," Sylv declared with a triumphant glint in her eye.

To Elara's surprise—and mild horror—this morning's pampering included makeup. Not just perfume or subtle touches, but full-face attention by palace maids, carefully directed by Sylv. Foundation, blush, eyeliner, and even lip gloss.

"Why?" Elara whispered in confused protest.

"You've never used it," Sylv replied. "And after yesterday, I think you deserve to look like the goddess you apparently are."

Despite their best efforts, the final result made Sylv furrow her brows. "You... look exactly the same. Damn it."

Elara blinked at herself in the mirror. It was pretty. But she didn't feel like someone who wore makeup. Still, a small part of her couldn't deny it: the sparkle in her lips, the slight accent to her already radiant eyes—it looked nice. She felt a strange warmth in her chest. Not pride. Something quieter. Perhaps contentment. And that unsettled her.

By midmorning, she met the King and Tolan in the private chamber used for confidential meetings. The King looked better rested but deeply concerned. Tolan stood beside him, arms crossed, holding a folder of written reports.

"Elara," the King greeted. "We've begun questioning the captured leader. It seems he's more pawn than mastermind, but we're tracing links."

"We're trying every angle," Tolan added. "Noble connections, criminal guilds, foreign ties. We'll find who sent them."

Elara listened quietly, her expression unreadable. Then, with a tone colder than winter air, she turned to Tolan.

"How far are we in the training of the mercenary units?"

Tolan blinked. "Sixty percent are operational. The others are close."

She nodded once. Her voice was ice. "Use my money. I don't care what it costs. Find the one behind this. And if the mercenaries aren't enough for total elimination, tell me. I will build something that can finish the job alone."

Tolan paled slightly. The King straightened.

"Elara," he began.

"No," she interrupted. "They used my technology to try and kill me. I'm not letting that pass."

The King hesitated, then finally nodded. "So be it."

The meeting ended soon after, and Elara returned to her workshop to finalize her graduation project.

Solar Mana Sprinkler – Graduation Project

The solar mana sprinkler was a fusion of rune theory and applied mechanics, combining her knowledge of mana conduction with a sustainable energy approach.

At its heart was a layered crystal core embedded with three major components:

Photovoltaic Conversion Rune Array – A grid of rune-inscribed mana-reactive crystal plates designed to capture sunlight and convert it into usable mana. These plates tracked the sun via a basic pivot mechanism controlled by heat-sensitive expansion rods.

Condensation Coil – A curved bronze filament structure, runically charged to attract moisture particles from the air, even in arid environments. The coil coiled around a central chamber where the water vapor condensed into liquid form.

Rotational Dispersal Arm – Powered by excess mana overflow, this mechanism spun a horizontal set of rune-carved copper arms which used vector-enhanced expulsion runes to evenly disperse water in a radial pattern.

The unit was self-contained and self-regulating. It could run indefinitely as long as it had access to sunlight, requiring no human input once placed.

Elara spent days fine-tuning the rotational velocity of the dispersal arms, synchronizing them with mana flow from the photovoltaic array to prevent overload. Each minor failure led to a minor detonation or splattering—which, thankfully, her reinforced lab coat had been designed to resist.

In the academy, whispers about the assassination attempt spread like wildfire. Elara, now surrounded by a heavier security detail, drew even more eyes.

In the cafeteria, a cluster of students murmured as she passed. A bold first-year asked, "Lady Wyrmshade, what happened yesterday?"

She didn't break stride. "Someone made a mistake. It's being handled."

Her voice was devoid of warmth, sharp enough to silence the entire dining hall. Even her fanclub members, usually swooning and gossiping, watched her with wide eyes.

A few days later, Tolan arrived at her workshop.

"It's done," he said, entering with a thick folder in hand.

Elara set down her tools.

"It was a merchant prince from Edervan," he explained. "A competitor who feared your devices would collapse his supply chain. He hired local mercs, smuggled in stolen versions of your early printers."

"Is he still alive?"

"No. Our agents took care of it. The King personally delivered him a warning, then... terminated the issue. His estate and patents were transferred to a holding company we now control."

Elara gave a single nod.

"His family?"

"Dealt with. And compensated, where innocent."

She didn't respond for a moment. Then she whispered, "Good."

Later that evening, a letter arrived from the King himself. It was short and handwritten:

Lady Elara,

The man responsible no longer walks this world. You are now slightly richer than yesterday.

With respect,

–A.

Elara set the letter down, exhaled, and let herself relax for the first time in days.

Tomorrow, she would demonstrate a mana sprinkler. Today, justice had been served.