Crafting and Temptation

Shane sensed that Capernian's approach was deliberate. He still had much to do and had no energy to deal with another seductive elf.

Constructing the skeleton of a construct was far simpler than making arcane metal. Hardened steel did not require particularly precise control and could be completed in a single smelting, but the required quantity was enormous, which was why it took so many days.

He poured the molten steel directly into molds made with shaping magic. Once it cooled, a piece of the skeleton was complete. He started with the main support frame, then moved on to the joints and smaller bones. He assembled them all onto the construct frame. With the Eye of Truth's assistance and the blueprints to follow, the work was quite efficient.

"Next, draw the arcane metal into wire and embed it into the skeleton." Using a wire-drawing tool unique to construct engineering, Shane embedded strands of arcane metal one by one into the grooves reserved in the bones. He also had to set ping-pong-ball-sized pieces of arcane metal at the nodes.

The entire process took fifteen days. Once the power cores and intelligent core were installed, it would become a moving skeleton.

"User, the power cores can be repaired simply by replacing the arcane crystals. It is recommended that the intelligent core be reset." He had run into a minor problem. Altering the original intelligence settings would be troublesome. Shane had overlooked the fact that the guard golem's recognition authorization was set for Silvermoon City officers, and the weapons and powered wheels he had added required new behavioral patterns as well.

"Eye of Truth, is there another option besides making a new intelligent core?"

"This device can use quantum states to modify the core settings, but the process will draw upon the user's mana. Proceed with the modification?"

"Proceed. Delete the existing recognition authorizations and add behavioral modes for weapons and powered wheels."

"Understood. Modification in progress. Estimated time: 60 seconds."

He could clearly feel his mana being drawn away, though the amount was not great. A sensation like someone pressing a finger against his brow arose, while the intelligent core on the table emitted a faint, hot glow.

"Is the glow and heat energy loss during the quantum-interference conversion process?" Shane guessed as he observed it.

"This device's database is incomplete and contains no theoretical knowledge of its operational principles. However, some energy is indeed wasted during modification... Modification complete."

Since it involved higher arcane theory, Shane did not dwell on it. After repairing the four power cores, he installed them together with the intelligent core in the construct skeleton's chest, arranged in a five-point plum blossom pattern. Eight rib-like supports protected them there.

One final step remained in the crafting process: engraving an energy-absorption array so the cores could draw power from the Sunwell's radiation.

He drew all the remaining arcane metal into fine wire. Using Mage Hand to control eight wire ends at once, Shane encircled the five cores and inscribed an energy-absorption array with eight branches. The array looked like a spider clutching its prey.

Once it was finished, he did not pause. He fired a burst of arcane energy into the array, and the construct's single eye flashed repeatedly, indicating that it had been activated. Upon activation, the core automatically recorded the arcane fluctuation, granting the owner of that fluctuation the highest recognition authorization.

"Can you understand commands? Flash once for yes, twice for no," Shane said.

The single eye flashed once.

"Raise your right foot."

The construct raised its right foot.

"Raise your left foot."

The construct raised its right foot.

"Raise both arms and clench your fists."

Under his commands, the construct performed a series of movements: turning around, crouching, and more. The results were excellent. Everything from the arcane circuits to the skeleton functioned normally.

"Remain still now. Maintain an energy-saving state."

The single eye flashed once. It sat on the ground, every joint in its body relaxed.

It would take three days to fully charge, and he still had several days left on the construct workshop's usage period. He would rest for a day first, then memorize the fourth-circle spells.

When he returned to his small house, someone from the family had delivered a contract transferring five percent of the shares in the Dawnblade trading ship to him. A generous gesture—the vessel was an eight-hundred-ton oceangoing merchant ship. Shane accepted it without ceremony and with a clear conscience.

When he returned to the fourth-floor library, there was still hardly anyone inside. Everyone was busy with their own affairs. After consulting the construct administrator, Shane found the spell archive and began searching for the spells he needed.

But even library members did not have unrestricted access to knowledge. After looking through the spell archive, Shane found that only eight fourth-circle spells were publicly available, one from each school.

Shane selected three spells from his own schools.

Conjuration: Summon Monster IV

Abjuration: Remove Curse

Evocation: Flame Shield

Ordinary mages needed to memorize spells in a dedicated meditation chamber. Shane did not. With the Eye of Truth's help, the three spell models were engraved into his mind in an instant. All that remained was practice and honing his casting techniques.

After making another round through the shelves, he found no spells above the fifth circle.

"Where are the spells above the fifth circle?" Shane returned to the entrance and asked the construct administrator.

"Fifth- and sixth-circle spells are available only to management. Spells above the sixth circle can only be obtained from the Royal Arcane Society."

"Then are there more fourth-circle spells?"

"Management can access all fourth-circle spells retained by this library."

The library's management was the Arcane Brotherhood: four members in total, the librarian Aldorron and the three administrators beneath him.

Arcane matters could not be rushed. He still had plenty of time, so Shane continued reading the other books. As he accumulated knowledge and sharpened his skills, the higher gates of arcana would naturally open for him.

<The Principles and Applications of Flame Shield—A Record of Aldorron the Blaster's Campaign to Wipe Out Thirty-Three Troll Nests> He casually selected a book related to his new spell, only to find that it told the librarian's own story and had been written by the librarian himself.

He sat down and began reading. A fiery red figure took a seat not far from him. It was Capernian.

Shane looked up at her, then lowered his head and continued reading.

Capernian, however, deliberately and casually kept changing the position of her legs, sometimes crossing her left over her right, sometimes the reverse. She also adjusted her chest slightly to the angle most favorable to Shane.

"User, what is that female elf doing?"

"She has a fever," Shane wanted to say, but the Eye of Truth had already gone astray when it came to "a man's romance." After some thought, he said, "She's practicing yoga."

"Establishing conversational task. New term accepted. Practicing yoga: does it refer to a creature, driven by reproductive instinct, displaying the beauty of its body to the opposite sex in order to win favor and obtain mating rights?"

"Where did you learn that?" Shane wondered why the Eye of Truth always went off track in certain areas.

"This device derived it through analysis of Biological Reproductive Behavior."

Shane had read that book before entering the library.

"No, no. Her purpose isn't reproduction. She has another purpose."

"If her purpose is not reproduction, then what is the act of displaying bodily beauty to the opposite sex called? The user sometimes says that dating without the goal of marriage is hooliganism. The purpose of marriage is reproduction. Following that logic in reverse, is the female elf Capernian engaging in hooliganism?"

"...Just treat it as yoga." Shane decided not to correct it anymore.

"Understood. It has been added to the database."

While Shane was conversing with the Eye of Truth, Capernian called out to him.

"What is it, Mage Capernian?" Shane looked up and asked expressionlessly.

"Magical attack detected: effect determined to be charm, intended to gain favor. The user's will is strong and has resisted the spell's effect."

At the moment he resisted the spell, Shane became certain that Capernian had also studied the enchantment school. No wonder her Flame Strike had been able to confuse its current target in his previous life. He had heard of such an ability: the metamagic technique, Composite Casting.

"I've been watching you for a long time. You're so diligent that you hardly seem like an elf." Capernian leaned her chest forward slightly. Gravity landed a critical hit; the great white rabbits cheered, and vivid pearls atop the Alps could vaguely be seen. "Why rush so much? We still have such long lives ahead of us. Why not find somewhere to have a proper chat and discuss the secrets of arcana? What do you say?"

"I say..." Shane closed his book, looked at Capernian with utmost seriousness, and enunciated clearly, "I have no interest in elves who spend all day selling flesh and running fevers." He landed a critical hit as well.