First-Generation Magic Armor Blueprints

Wait, Roxy was a member of the Migurd Race. I'd heard their bodies stopped developing at fourteen. What a twisted bit of worldbuilding. If someone wrote that into a novel, it would probably get banned.

Roxy looked about fourteen, too. Did that make her a legal loli...?

What am I thinking?!

"No, you can't..."

Roxy stole a glance at the curiosity on Cain's face, pressed her pink lips together, and crossed her arms in front of her.

"Huh? Can't what?"

"I'm not telling you my age, Cain."

Why had Roxy suddenly pulled out her teacherly authority? With her hands on her hips, she looked so imposing...

Cain watched Roxy puff out her cheeks for some reason. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he coughed twice to ease the awkwardness.

"I wouldn't ask something that rude."

"Phew..."

Please don't look relieved right in front of me. Now I'm even more curious.

Cain scratched his cheek helplessly and went back to designing his armor.

Roxy watched him draw on the paper and leaned closer out of curiosity. The crooked lines seemed to form a suit of armor, but she tilted her head, puzzled.

Could her pupil be a designer, too?

"Is that armor?"

Roxy pointed at the armor-like drawing on the page.

"Yeah, that's right, Roxy. But none of these designs feel quite right... I'm just doodling."

Cain pressed his lips together and gave a faint smile.

"Mm. Whatever you do, you should give it your all."

Roxy puffed out her cheeks and looked at Cain earnestly. Then confusion crossed her face.

"Cain, you're a Sword God of the Sword God Style, aren't you? Why do you want to wear armor? Even an amateur like me can tell it would affect the wearer's physical abilities to some degree."

A swordsman needed both physical ability and Battle Aura. Armor would inevitably interfere with coordination. Only a school like the North God Style, which would do anything to win, would consider wearing it.

Roxy had traveled the world for over a decade, so she knew a little about the subject.

Cain's eyes lit up as he looked at her puzzled face. He couldn't think of anything himself, but perhaps his experienced, well-traveled teacher could give him some valuable inspiration.

"Roxy, I want to make armor that won't restrict my movement but still offers good protection. Do you have any ideas?"

"Mm, you're asking for a lot, Cain. I don't have any brilliant ideas like that."

"I see..." Seeing Cain's disappointment, Roxy smiled. Teasing her genius pupil now and then was rather fun.

Roxy had no inspiration for designing armor, but that didn't mean she had no ideas at all.

Still smiling, she cleared her throat twice and assumed the air of a master. A faint blush on her face, she looked at Cain, who was a few centimeters shorter than her, and gently ruffled his hair.

"But if you'd like, I can take you to the Magic University in Sharia. I used to study there. Its library has plenty of books on making and designing magic items. You'll probably have to buy the materials yourself, though."

"Really? That would be a huge help! Thank you, Roxy!"

Cain's eyes lit up. Smiling back at Roxy, he began sketching again, noting the functions and requirements he wanted beside his drafts.

Roxy propped her chin on her hand and offered guidance as her foolish pupil drew with renewed enthusiasm. In the end, she took over and drew the armor he wanted herself.

Her foolish pupil was no good at drawing; every line came out crooked. Roxy had been an elite student at the Magic University, and his sketches were so hard to make sense of that she couldn't help taking matters into her own hands.

Ten minutes later.

Cain stared wide-eyed at the armor blueprints Roxy had drawn. Her skill at drawing and design stunned him.

Roxy really was a genius. Her blueprints were as beautiful as a work of art. Though they were still a draft, they mapped out every stage of construction down to the tiniest gear. An amateur like him couldn't compare.

Well, she had been an outstanding Magic University student with a degree qualifying her as a candidate for a professorship.

By evening.

The two worked through the afternoon and finally finished around midnight.

"This is amazing, Roxy!"

Cain held the Magic Armor blueprints, practically a first-generation prototype design, and trembled with excitement. He praised her without restraint.

He gazed at the striking Magic Armor on the page, colored a gleaming silver-white.

Roxy's Magic Armor blueprints were every bit as precise and tidy as the magic circles she drew.

"Ah, don't get excited too soon. The armor you want won't be easy to make, Cain. The materials alone will cost an astronomical sum, and I think it would take an exceptionally talented smith to build it."

Roxy rubbed her tired eyes as she spoke, her tone serious. Looking at the first-generation Magic Armor design, even she found it hard to believe.

It would draw power from Magic Power and Battle Aura, withstand Saint Rank attacks, float against gravity, remain extremely light, and fold down small enough to carry at all times.

Roxy didn't know how she had managed to draw it. The gravity-defying part was probably impossible. The other requirements were just barely conceivable, but building it would take a vast number of Asura Gold Coins.

Roxy blinked her blue eyes. Cain was clutching the blueprints like a delighted child, clearly unwilling to put them down. Her lips curved into a faint smile. She stretched, then looked at him with one eye open.

"Don't get too excited. I only modeled it after the legendary Fighting God Armor described in an old book."

You could search the whole world and probably never find armor like that. Roxy wasn't even sure the First-Generation Magic Armor she had drawn could be built.

"Even if it's only an imitation, making armor like that would be harder than you can imagine. You should be able to find books on the materials and construction methods in the Magic University's library, or you could ask a large magic-item workshop to make it for you. Either way, it'll take an awful lot of Aras Gold Coins."

"You've already helped me so much, Roxy!"

Cain put down his pen and studied the blueprints again and again before carefully tucking them inside his clothes. Roxy's design was as exquisite as a work crafted by a god.

Gratitude filled Cain's eyes as he looked at Roxy, who was shyly playing with her blue hair. His respect for her had reached its peak.

She'd helped me navigate, taught me magic, and now helped with the armor. Roxy was the real genius.

Whoever married her would be lucky.

Huh?! Why am I thinking that? Roxy's wonderful, but I'm not into little girls. Well... not really.

Cain blushed and cleared his throat twice before turning to Roxy.

"Um, Roxy, are you free? I'll treat you to a big dinner tonight."

"Huh? You have that much money?!"

Roxy's expression softened. Twirling a lock of blue hair by her forehead, she looked at Cain as he scratched his flushed cheek. She sighed softly and gave him a helpless smile.

"Armor like that is bound to cost an astronomical amount. Save your money, all right? Don't spend it on someone like me."