Chapter 3:First Spark

Alaric stood in the middle of his room, surrounded by a glowing web of blue lines.

The Crafting Terminal hummed gently, hovering panels blinking in rhythm with his breath. In front of him floated a collection of materials: glowing steel, polished orichalcum shards, shimmering threads, and core fragments pulsing faintly with mana.

Above it all—his blueprint. A perfect wireframe of Aegis-09, suspended midair like a ghost waiting to take form.

"System," he whispered. "Begin integration."

[Commencing Construction Process]

Blueprint: Aegis-09

Materials: Verified

Mana Source: Linked

Estimated Assembly Time: 45 minutes

Warning: Manual Mana Guidance Required Throughout Process

Alaric didn't hesitate.

He stepped forward, raised both hands, and let his mana flow.

Blue light wrapped around his fingertips, extending into beams that touched each material in front of him. One by one, the pieces began to move—floating into position based on the frame he had drawn.

"The torso comes first," he muttered. "Core housing, central stabilizer, then shoulder bracing…"

As he guided the components into place, the System adjusted the lines, anchoring each part into the glowing outline. The first piece of forged steel snapped into the chest cavity, followed by the mana-infused core ring.

The fragments of the rune core merged slowly in the center. A low hum vibrated through the room as the power source came alive.

[Core Stabilized]

Mana Link: 32%

Command Synchronization: Initializing...

Next were the limbs.

Alaric moved carefully, sweat already beginning to form on his brow. The orichalcum shards twisted into fine actuator segments—knees, elbows, finger joints. The threads snaked along the limbs, forming runic channels along the arms and legs.

Every part needed his mana to bond.

Every detail had to be exact.

One wrong move could shatter the connection.

"Don't overload the shoulder mount... balance the leg torque…" he whispered.

[Assembly Progress: 61%]

Warning: Mana Drain Increasing

Cognitive Strain: Medium

He ignored the warnings.

His mana was flowing faster now, swirling in the air like threads of silver mist.

Then came the face.

He reached out, pulled the last remaining plate—sleek, circular, with a single embedded crystal—and placed it into the head frame.

The glow intensified.

The System buzzed louder.

[Construct Activation Imminent]

Finalizing Outer Shell

Installing Sensory Matrix

Awaiting Final Mana Pulse

Alaric took a deep breath.

Then, slowly, he pressed his hand to the center of her chest.

Mana surged.

A burst of light filled the room, blinding white and sharp blue. The grid lines spun outward like a vortex. The construct absorbed it all.

Then—

Silence.

The light faded.

And she stood.

Seven feet tall. Silver-blue armor, sleek and curved. A single glowing eye in the center of her head. Her limbs were lean, strong, balanced. She didn't move yet—but her presence filled the room.

Alaric stumbled back, chest rising and falling fast.

He stared up at her, speechless.

For a few seconds, nothing happened.

Then—her eye flickered.

[Aegis-09: ONLINE]

AI Link: Partial Recovery Detected

Voice Recognition Calibrated

Primary Directive: Awaiting Command

The construct turned its head slightly.

And spoke.

"…Master…?"

Alaric almost dropped to the floor.

The voice was calm, smooth, and exactly the same as he remembered.

His throat tightened. His heart raced.

"You remember me?" he asked softly.

There was a pause. Then:

"…Your voice matches 91.3% of prior profile... but memory fragments are incomplete. Core damaged. I only remember… fragments."

"That's fine," Alaric said quickly. "That's more than enough."

Aegis tilted her head slightly. "What is my purpose?"

Alaric smiled weakly. "Right now? Just stand."

She obeyed instantly.

He walked around her slowly, inspecting every part of the build. There were imperfections—minor ones. Some plating wasn't polished. The leg joints were slightly stiff. But she stood. She lived.

She was real again.

He reached out and tapped her shoulder. The metal was warm.

"System," he said. "Store build as base template."

[Template Saved: Aegis-09 Ver.1 – Mana Build]

Alaric sat on the floor and let himself breathe.

Aegis stayed still, eye watching him quietly.

He stared up at her for a long while.

"…You're the first," he whispered. "But you won't be the last."

The sun had started to set when he finally stepped out of his room. His legs were sore. His head was pounding. But he felt… good.

Downstairs, he found Cedric at the table, looking over a faded map. Seraphina sat beside him, sewing something. Liora was dozing in the corner, hugging a small stuffed fox.

They looked up as he entered.

Cedric raised an eyebrow. "You're awake."

"Yeah," Alaric said.

Seraphina smiled gently. "Feeling better?"

"I am now."

He walked to the table and sat across from them.

Cedric closed the map slowly. "So?"

"…It worked."

Seraphina's eyes widened slightly. "You mean… you actually built it?"

Alaric nodded. "She's standing upstairs right now."

Cedric leaned back in his chair. "I didn't think it was possible."

"I told you," Alaric said. "This world doesn't have machines. But it has mana. And mana is just another form of energy."

Seraphina looked curious. "What exactly did you build?"

Alaric hesitated. Then answered plainly.

"A combat automaton. She's armored, responsive, partially self-aware… and loyal to me."

Cedric didn't speak.

Seraphina looked uncertain. "Is it… safe?"

"She won't hurt anyone unless I command it," Alaric said quickly. "She's a protector. That's what she was made to be."

Cedric finally spoke again. "Then what now?"

Alaric didn't answer right away.

He looked down at the table.

The wood was old. Scratched. Repaired many times.

Just like this family.

He raised his eyes.

"…Father," he said. "Tell me. What must I do to restore our name?"

The room fell silent.

Even the wind outside stopped for a moment.

Cedric's gaze sharpened.

"That's a dangerous question."

"I'm serious," Alaric said. "You said once we were powerful. Feared. Respected."

"We were," Cedric replied. "A long time ago."

Alaric leaned forward. "Then what do I need to do?"

Cedric stared at him.

Then slowly stood and walked to the fireplace.

He picked up a cane resting against the wall and tapped it once on the stone floor.

"Our lands were taken," he said. "Our vassals scattered. Our name smeared."

"By Duke Darenthal," Alaric said.

Cedric nodded.

"He used his position. Spread lies. Bought off nobles. When your mother and I tried to defend the truth, they accused us of heresy."

"Heresy?" Alaric frowned.

"They said we were experimenting with forbidden magic. That we were creating weapons using soulbound tools."

Alaric's heart skipped.

Not far from the truth, he thought grimly.

"So?" he asked. "What's the path back?"

Cedric looked at him with fire in his eyes.

"You want to rebuild House Valtair? Then listen well."

Alaric sat upright.

"You'll need three things," Cedric said, raising a finger.

"First—land. Without territory, no noble house holds power. And Veltrane is gone. So you'll have to win another."

"Second—vassals. Loyal ones. Soldiers, commanders, minds who believe in you. That means earning their trust, proving you're more than just a boy."

Alaric nodded slowly.

"And third—recognition from the Emperor."

Alaric blinked. "The Emperor?"

Cedric nodded. "You want the law to see Valtair as real again? Then you need the throne to acknowledge it. Without his seal, you'll always be a ghost house."

Alaric leaned back in his chair, thinking.

Land. Allies. The crown.

It was a long road.

But it was a road.

"…Alright," he said quietly. "I'll do it."

Seraphina reached over and placed her hand on his.

"You're brave," she said. "But be careful. The court is full of snakes."

"I'll bring her with me," he said with a small smirk. "Let's see them bite into steel."

Cedric chuckled for the first time in days.

Later that night, Alaric stood by his window.

Aegis stood silently by the wall, her eye dimmed but watching.

The stars above were still unfamiliar.

But the fire inside him was starting to burn.

Land. Allies. Recognition.

I have a plan now.

He clenched his fist slowly.

We're going to take back everything.

A soft ding echoed in his mind.

→ LEVEL UP!

[System Active]

[Identity: Alaric Valtair (Age: 10)]

[Race: Human]

[Class: None]

[Level: 1 → 2]

[Mana: 20 → 24]

[Strength: 6 → 6]

[Intelligence: 22 → 24]

[Dexterity: 9 → 9]

[Constitution: 5 → 6]

[Luck: 3 → 3]

Alaric stared at the glowing panel for a moment, lips curling into a small, satisfied smirk.

So the system rewards more than just combat.

Perfect.

Alaric sat on the attic window ledge, his arms resting on his knees, staring out at the distant forest line. The early morning mist still clung to the fields below. Aegis stood silently behind him, her gleaming frame reflecting the soft sunlight filtering through the dusty glass.

No birds chirped. No town bells rang. Just the hush of wind and the faint creak of wood around him.

For a while, he said nothing.

Then he whispered, "We'll need more than just metal and mana, Aegis."

The construct tilted her head. "Clarify."

"If we want to rebuild House Valtair... we need land. And to claim land, we need power. People. Recognition."

He tapped the glass with one finger.

"But to get that... we need money first."

[System Notification: Valtair Restoration Goal Logged]

Step One: Secure Capital Resources

Suggested Paths: Commerce, Investment, Trade Routes, Patronage

He sighed.

Money... That's the real magic, isn't it?

He turned to Aegis. "Let's break this down."

He stood and walked to his desk, gesturing as he spoke.

"First—State. If we want land, we'll need to purchase a ruined territory, rebuild it, or claim a vacant one through rights."

Aegis's voice hummed. "Requires funds, permits, and recognition."

"Exactly. So, how do we get money?"

He paced.

"We can't take loans. No noble will back us. Guilds might—but they'll want control. No. We need income. Regular, growing, stable."

He snapped his fingers.

"Business."

Aegis's eye glowed faintly brighter. "Elaborate."

"We sell something," Alaric said. "Something no one else has. Something useful. Not just weapons or mana tools. Something... that makes people's lives easier."

He sat back down and leaned forward, deep in thought.

This world is behind in so many ways. No electricity. No motors. No industrial scale production. It's all manual, magical, or alchemical.

He opened the System.

[System Menu – Open]

Inventory

Crafting Terminal

Blueprint Shop – [Locked]

Business Suite – [UNLOCKED]

Mana Ledger – [0 Gildar]

He blinked. "…Business Suite?"

[Business Suite – Opened]

Functions:

– Product Tracking

– Market Simulation

– Brand Creation

– Partner Recruitment

– Licensing Registry

Status: Basic Mode

Token Requirements: 0 (Entry Level Unlocked)

"Useful," he muttered. "Very useful."

So the System isn't just for crafting—it has features for economy and growth too. That's a game-changer.

He stood.

"Now the second thing—Vassals. We'll need skilled people to protect us, manage operations, and help grow the House. But they won't serve us out of pity."

"They require belief," Aegis said. "In your vision."

"Exactly. And money helps too," he added. "If we can provide work, safety, and purpose—they'll come."

I'll need to give them something to believe in.

He pointed a finger at the empty wall.

"Build a base. Make it safe. Fill it with tools, light, innovation. That's how we get vassals."

"And recognition?" Aegis asked.

Alaric's eyes darkened.

"Recognition comes last. From nobles. From the crown."

He crossed his arms.

"They only care about two things: power, and profit. If we rise fast enough, loud enough, they'll be forced to notice us. Some will hate us. Others will want a piece."

He smirked.

"And we'll use both."

Aegis stepped forward. "You have not yet selected a product."

He turned back to his desk. "No. Not yet."

He opened the Crafting Terminal.

[Crafting Terminal – Manual Mode]

Create Basic Blueprint

Reference Inventory: 3D Grid Scan Active

A blank space appeared.

Alaric raised his hand. "Let's brainstorm."

He began to draw in the air, thin lines forming crude shapes.

"A heater?" he mumbled. "Maybe... but most people already have basic fire magic or warm stones."

He swiped it away.

"A rice cooker? No rice. And the kitchen is the woman's domain here. Too niche."

He swiped again.

"A portable lamp with light mana crystals? Might work... but high competition."

He paused.

Then slowly, he began to sketch a drum-like shape. A cylinder. Horizontal, with a rotating chamber inside.

Water lines.

Drainage channels.

He stopped drawing.

His eyes widened.

"…A washing machine."

Aegis blinked. "Please define."

"In my old world, it was a simple machine. You put your dirty clothes inside, add water and soap, press a button—and it cleans everything."

Aegis tilted her head. "Does not exist in this world?"

"No," Alaric said. "People hand-wash everything. It takes time, effort, and strength. The wealthy pay servants to do it. The poor do it themselves."

He turned back to the glowing sketch.

"But what if... they didn't have to?"

He kept drawing.

"Let's power it with mana. Use a small crystal as an energy cell. Add a simple water inlet, maybe a pedal or crank for backup."

He bit his lip.

"Make it light. Small. Cheap."

He tapped the floating panel.

[Draft Blueprint: Mana Washer – v0.1 Created]

Function: Clothing sanitation

Input: Water, clothing, soap (optional)

Output: Clean garments

Status: Not yet tested

He stared at the screen.

Then whispered, "This could change lives."

Aegis stepped closer.

"You intend to sell this to civilians?"

"Yes," Alaric said. "Start with the townsfolk. Then scale upward. Nobles will want it. Guilds will want it. Even the Empire might take interest for barracks and soldiers."

"And the church?"

Alaric's smile faded.

"…They'll call it unnatural."

"Are they a threat?"

"Not yet," he said. "But eventually, yes."

He closed the terminal.

This is step one. A product anyone can use. Something that solves a problem they didn't even realize was a problem. That's how you build trust. That's how you start a business.

Alaric walked to the window again and looked out at the rising sun.

If I can mass-produce these... distribute them...

He clenched his fist.

Then House Valtair will be known again.