"What? You don't understand it? The blueprints are right here, and you're telling me you don't understand them?"
"Wasn't it very convenient for you when you were modifying the Golden Armada? What do you mean you assembled it by gut feeling?"
"If you're so capable, why don't you do it? Looks like you don't understand your place... I'm the noble client!"
Babel Tower, Engineering Department
Although there were all sorts of unfamiliar Machinery scattered around, the Engineering Department was quite empty at the moment, as the staff were working overtime to build the new Medical Department.
On the central workbench, two black spheres were constantly pushing and shoving around a blueprint.
"Isn't this simple? Just assemble the machines according to the lines on the screen, right?"
Vane grabbed the blueprint and stuck it on Little Black's face, a rare display of anxiety on his face.
Are you kidding me? My rooftop garden is going to be stillborn before it's even built? No way!
The misty gas within the Wandering Soul Core trembled violently, making no sound, yet its meaning was conveyed.
Give me a simple blueprint; if I don't understand it, I don't understand it!
"What are you talking about, little ones?"
As Vane pondered whether to change his teaching methods, a gentle female voice interrupted the two's argument.
Looking at the Sarkaz driving the wheelchair, Vane thought for a while before remembering who he was.
"Whitesmith?"
"Hmm? Little one, you know me?"
Approaching the workbench, Whitesmith curiously lowered his head and tried to hold the two little ones in his palms.
"Oh, I'm Lucky, and this is Little Black. As for how we met... Scout introduced us."
The Wandering Soul Core dodged and circled around his head with a grin, while Lucky simply jumped into Whitesmith's arms.
"Scout? How... how did he introduce me?"
"An excellent engineer, a very reliable partner."
"Oh, I see..."
As if realizing his disappointment was too obvious, Whitesmith coughed twice and changed the subject.
"Are the little ones playing a game? Be careful, there are a lot of parts here, don't get hurt."
As Whitesmith manipulated the robotic arm to clean the desktop, he glanced at the blueprint and was drawn to its intricate design.
Is this design... by Mechanist?
"Emm... Whitesmith is an engineer, right?"
Lucky interrupted Whitesmith's probing gaze, and the latter smiled and nodded, then began his work.
"Yes, does Lucky want me to help him make some small toys?"
"A small toy... ah, it really is a small toy."
Lucky swayed and flew onto the blueprint on the table.
"This? Can you understand it?"
"Is it yours? I thought..."
Somewhat surprised, Whitesmith took a closer look at Lucky; its familiar shape reminded her of Closure's drones.
Are you a friend of Closure?
"Hmm, it looks a bit complicated."
Whitesmith picked up the blueprint and glanced at it briefly; his expression gradually turned serious.
Some of the external armor structures are understandable, but the more unusual the internal structure, the more alarming it becomes.
Although it was completely different from the mechanical structures he had learned about, Whitesmith was certain that it was not some kind of random scribbles.
"Can it be made?"
"It might be difficult for me to do it alone, but with everyone in the Engineering Department here, maybe... we can give it a try?"
Whitesmith wasn't entirely sure; although she was hailed as a genius, she had learned that knowledge on her own.
Perhaps the reason you can't understand it is simply because it's outside your area of knowledge. Shouldn't a mechanic understand this?
"Hmm... If you don't mind, we can discuss it with the Mechanist later."
Looking into Lucky's (physically) sparkling eyes, Whitesmith rubbed and kneaded them.
"Right now, I'm sorry, I need to finish the work I'm currently working on."
"Work?"
"Yeah, Scout's going on a mission. His weapon sling is worn out again, so I'm planning to send him a sturdier one this time."
"Oh~~"
Hearing Lucky's meaningful sigh, Whitesmith shrugged uncomfortably.
"W-What's wrong?"
"Giving gifts is a good thing, but have you considered that if the quality is poor, Scout will come back to you to fix it, and then you two will..."
Before Lucky could finish speaking, Whitesmith's face inexplicably flushed.
"No, no!"
"Equipment is crucial to the safety of soldiers on the battlefield, so the materials used in its construction must not be taken lightly!"
Quickly convincing himself, Whitesmith, somewhat embarrassed and annoyed, began to shoo people away.
"Alright, alright, come play at my workstation, I'll be done in a bit."
Honestly, I found out as soon as I arrived at the Babel Tower. Who spread this rumor...?
As Whitesmith picked up his welding torch to start working, Lucky bumped into the Little Black that was still circling around.
"It's alright, it's alright, I have a more efficient way."
He handed the other person a simple diagram of the firearms on the table, the smoke around Little Black swirling lightly.
That's easy!
Black mist spread and enveloped the workbench, and amidst Whitesmith's exclamation, a gun belt identical to the design drawings was instantly completed.
"How about that? It's pretty simple, isn't it?"
Holding a slowly descending gun strap, Whitesmith recovered from his shock and quickly got into work mode.
The material is fine.
The connection is perfect.
Size, a perfect replica.
In summary, this is a gun sling without any problems.
But...
"How did they do that? Is this child's body a furnace? How did those different metals melt into an alloy so quickly?"
"Dead Souls, isn't that amazing?"
Lucky explained with a grin, while Whitesmith remained silent.
Just kidding, if Dead Souls really had that effect, rebuilding Kazdel wouldn't have been so difficult.
Looking at the Wandering Soul Core, Whitesmith felt a bit like a textile worker seeing a spinning jenny for the first time.
"So, how about it? Can you help us now?"
"Given this ability, do they really need our help?"
After quickly calming himself down, Whitesmith asked in confusion:
"Since we have the blueprint, why not just build it directly like we did before?"
"I'd like to too, but unfortunately this guy is a cane-wielder."
The Wandering Soul Core Charge against Lucky in dissatisfaction, seemingly because it had changed bodies and its fear of Vane was no longer as intense.
"I see..."
Watching the two playful children fall into deep thought, Whitesmith solemnly said:
"So... Little Black, would you like to study with us?"
"Um?"
The two looked at each other with a puzzled expression, while Whitesmith's face was full of seriousness.
"Although it's uncertain whether Little Black is Dead Souls, it's such a waste to let such a powerful talent go to waste."
"Please let us teach it. I promise that both I and everyone in the Engineering Department will teach it everything we know."
"Oh! That's a good thing!"
Lucky pushed the Wandering Soul Core closer.
"Then this guy is yours."
Huh? You just agreed like that?
Whitesmith stood frozen in place, Lucky, as if remembering something, bounced twice in the air.
"Oh right, we can't let you work for nothing, so how about... we make a deal?"
"Trade?"
"Whitesmith, you taught it, at least got it to make what was in the blueprints, while I..."
Lucky paused, looking at Whitesmith's wheelchair.
How about I help you stand up?
"... Stand up?"
Whitesmith was momentarily stunned, realizing it was a kind gesture, and softly declined.
"No need for trouble. Passing on knowledge is my own wish."
"It's alright, you can continue your practice, it won't affect my treatment."
It landed on Whitesmith's arm, Lucky suddenly said:
"By the way, would you mind changing your race?"
"What?"
"To be honest, this is my first time doing something like this, not counting Seaborn. I don't know if I'll be able to succeed..."
Listening to the other person's mutterings, Whitesmith grew increasingly uneasy.
"Um, actually, you don't need to... um!"
The sharp canine teeth pierced the skin, but instead of flowing out, the red liquid continued to flow inward.
Whitesmith's body went limp for a moment, and he almost slipped off the wheelchair if the robotic arm hadn't provided timely assistance.
But at this moment, her spirits were more vibrant than ever before.
Whitesmith saw with his own eyes that his veins had turned a faint red, gleaming faintly through his skin.
A strange warmth flowed through his wounds and spread throughout his body, making Whitesmith feel as comfortable as if he were in warm water.
She heard the strange creature, which had taken flight again, say this—
"So weak! It's supposed to be Sarkaz, but its body is way too weak."
"There's no other way; you can't handle more blood. We can only add a little Bloodline Heir as an aid."
"The feedback is pretty good. The strength... is about 0.5 Abyssal Hunters? By the way, have you acquired any skills?"
What is it saying?
Whitesmith looked at Lucky with a bewildered expression, observing the lines in his eyes.
Wait! My eyesight!?
Whitesmith instinctively touched his eyes before realizing that he could move again.
"You can move now? Try standing up..."
Lucky grabbed Whitesmith's hand and pulled him upwards with all his might.
"Wait! I can't..."
With half his body off the wheelchair, Whitesmith frantically tried to use the robotic arm for assistance.
Lucky suddenly increased the force, and Whitesmith's entire body was completely pulled away, subconsciously—
She took a step.
"Huh?"
The belated robotic arm caught Whitesmith, but she simply stared at her feet.
"Walk a few steps?"
Whitesmith had already started walking before Lucky spoke.
From cautiously holding onto the robotic arm to joyfully striding forward.
Whitesmith finally stopped at the end of the Engineering Department.
"I... can I walk now?"
"Of course. Oripathy is an infection that occurs at the cellular level. While I can't cure it, I can certainly improve your physical condition."
Lucky calculated the amount of blood lost, then flicked it with satisfaction.
"It seems to be working well so far, and there haven't been many changes in appearance."
Picking up a mirror and bringing it closer, Whitesmith saw the magnificent ruby.
The heterochromia caused by Oripathy disappeared along with his blurred vision; at this moment, Whitesmith should be—
"A half- Vampire, barely, but living for a few hundred years shouldn't be a problem."
The robotic arms manufactured by Whitesmith swarmed around them.
It was a lifeless machine, yet it seemed to be concerned for its owner, checking him over and over.
Whitesmith occasionally dances with them, but can only perform hand gestures.
But this time...
Sarkaz began his dance, the robotic arms followed suit like perfectly synchronized dance partners.
Without music or accompaniment, the chaotic Engineering Department became the stage for the mechanics to showcase their skills.
The Wandering Soul Core watched this scene with curiosity, playfully blending into the surrounding Machinery.
In an instant, all sorts of Machinery began to dance around the Sarkaz.
"Oh! It's a new CG!"
Lucky quickly recorded it while wiping away non-existent tears from the corners of his eyes.
Meanwhile, the agents in the monitoring room were also wiping their eyes.
Am I hallucinating?
The operative, who had just finished pouring coffee and was about to enjoy watching the surveillance footage, covered his head in confusion.
"The Engineering Department... is dancing?"
"I think I'm hallucinating too." Another operator pinched her thigh hard.
"Sure enough, I don't feel any pain at all now!"
"[Sarkaz curse!] You fucking pinched my thigh!"
"Damn it! Is this the time to discuss this kind of thing? Let's go find Closure!"
As Closure rushed to the Engineering Department after receiving the communication, the performance on this side came to an end.
Lucky's vigorous flapping of its wings served as applause, making Whitesmith blush with embarrassment.
"That..."
"Alright, alright, no need for thanks or anything, it's all a transaction."
Filled with joy at the addition of a new piece to his collection, Lucky landed on the wheelchair beside him.
"Since you can walk anyway, you don't need this, right? How about you give it to me?"
"No problem! But even this much..."
"Oh, you people are so pretentious, but I just like it."
Thinking about the possibility of drifting in his wheelchair, Lucky looked at the timer on the wall.
"Time's almost up, Scout's leaving soon. Aren't you going to give him the present?"
Whitesmith hurriedly glanced at the time and bowed deeply.
"Thank you so much! I'll be right back!"
After saying that, Sarkaz grabbed his gun and ran outside.
"Whoa! Whitesmith, why are you running so fast?"
"Closure? Sorry! We'll talk later!"
Upon arriving at the Engineering Department, she was nearly tripped by the impact. Closure put her hands on her hips and sighed with feigned maturity.
"Honestly, Whitesmith is running around like a little kid... By the way, what's that nice smell?"
Miss Vampire Demon felt dizzy after sniffing the air.
This smells so familiar... where did I smell it from?
Closure shook her head and turned to push open the door to the Engineering Department.
Never mind, business is more important.
"What do you mean the whole Engineering Department is dancing? It's probably just some weird piece of junk that some idiot made again."
"..."
Frozen in place, Closure, whose thoughts were disrupted by the mysterious scent, only then noticed the abnormality.
"Hey? Wait! Wait! Who just ran past?!"
"Whitesmith!?"
Scout was undoubtedly shocked when he saw Whitesmith running towards him from the tunnel entrance.
But before they could ask their questions, the girl held out the gun sling.
"Huff... huff... your equipment."
"Ah? Oh... thank you..."
Scout carefully took the item, instinctively wanting to ask what was going on, when ACE slapped him on the back.
He stumbled forward a few steps, but was caught by a panicked Whitesmith.
ACE flashed a bright white smile and gave a thumbs-up.
"If you dare say anything else at a time like this, I'll beat you up with the Mechanist and the others."
Without ACE's prompting, Scout was speechless at this moment.
Before him, even more vibrant than Whitesmith's ruby-like eyes was the girl's complexion.
At this moment, even the most obtuse person could understand the girl's thoughts.
"I..."
"That!"
The two spoke at the same time, Scout tensed up, and said cautiously:
"You go first..."
The Elite Operator behind him looked at this disappointing colleague with disdain, but fortunately, another colleague had mustered up the courage.
"After I return from my mission... would you mind dancing with me?"
Scout stood frozen in place, while the Elite Operator beside him anxiously egged him on.
Outcast: "A dance party, huh? I'll provide candy!"
Logos: "What's a grand ball without music? Aifanel is willing to provide the entire performance."
Mechanist: "The Engineering Department is in charge of the stage! Nobody can take it!"
ACE: "I'm cheering for you guys!"
Amidst the expectant gazes of the operators, His Highness the Demon King stepped forward.
"I accepted on Scout's behalf."
Seeing Scout's embarrassed look, Theresa winked playfully.
"This is the Demon King's privilege; you cannot refuse."
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Scout scratched his head and looked at Whitesmith.
I'm not very good at dancing.
Whitesmith's expression froze, while the Elite Operator behind him practically spit fire in their eyes.
"So... can you teach me?"
"..."
No words are needed; an embrace is the best answer.
Amidst the relieved looks of everyone, Scout and his group boarded the Bad Guy (the only aircraft they owned).
Seeing his good brother's downward gaze, ACE's mood shifted from initial relief to current displeasure.
So he slapped Scout on the shoulder hard.
Say goodbye!
Scout glared at him angrily and waved his hand downwards.
"Wait for me to come back!"
Whitesmith was laughing, about to retort, when a sudden pain shot through his chest.
The Bad Guy was already far away, and any greetings were no longer audible.
Whitesmith reached out his hand, as if to ask him to stay.
The Elite Operator behind him quickly surrounded Logos, who used magic to examine his body.
"Whitesmith? Are you feeling unwell anywhere?"
"Thank you, I feel great now."
Smiling and shaking his head, Whitesmith attributed the slight unusual sensation to his body's discomfort.
With His Highness here, what danger could possibly arise on this escort mission?
The girl looked at the disappearing black dot on the horizon and uttered the unspoken reply.
I'll wait for you to come back.