Daemon's strategic victory in the interrogation chamber immediately paid dividends, allowing him to secure the complete funding and authorization from Chancellor Altdorf to construct a specialized laboratory. Since the Chancellor was footing the bill, Daemon went all out in the construction of his lab, ensuring the facility was not merely a functional research center, but a fortified command center designed for the long-term operations of the Order of the Archangel and housing his revolutionary, non-magical technology. The political tensions were temporarily managed by a grudging, transactional deal brokered between the Chancellor and the humiliated Lord Constable, Duke Steiner: Daemon would produce the raw, synthesized materials for the explosive canisters and sell them directly to the Duke, granting Steiner the quantity he required while ensuring the proprietary, non-Aetheric formula remained exclusively under Daemon's control. Daemon was now keenly aware of the Chancellor's intense obsession with his metallurgy, recognizing that his twin Mythril-Tungsten blades were highly valuable, stable magic artifacts, likely ranking between a C-tier and D-tier. This high categorization alone solidified the Chancellor's determination to secure the manufacturing secrets, validating the immense risk Daemon had taken.
The first phase of the project, the construction of the structure itself, took three weeks of continuous, aggressive work by the Imperial construction teams, all meticulously supervised by Daemon. The site, deep within the forest surrounding the Academy grounds, was chosen for its isolation, its high natural Aetheric density, and its discreet accessibility. The finished building was deliberately featureless: a stark, grey square building standing on a bald spot, designed to look utterly monotonous and boring—the perfect camouflage of uninteresting architecture. The structure spanned three floors and covered roughly 120 square meters, featuring reinforced sub-levels that housed the most sensitive machinery and materials.
The second, most crucial phase took another two weeks: outfitting the interior. Daemon personally designed and oversaw the fabrication of all equipment, ensuring the Sanctum was prepared for advanced physics and chemistry, disciplines entirely foreign to the current magical world. He focused on specialized steam engines of different sizes, intended primarily for pumping water to the electrolysis tanks and, critically, acting as centrifuges for separating materials at the molecular level. Ever the efficiency expert, Daemon made a fundamental alteration to the steam engine design that highlighted his fusion of science and Aether. Instead of relying on inefficient, manual labor to harvest and burn wood or coal, he inscribed a complex, custom Aetheric rune near the boiler. This rune was engineered to draw ambient magic from the heavily Aether-saturated air, converting that potential energy into concentrated, directed heat to boil the water and generate steam power. This system made the Sanctum entirely self-sufficient in terms of power, requiring no external fuel source or maintenance.
The Archangel Sanctum was immediately put to use for its primary chemical purpose: synthesizing the components for the B-1 canisters and Daemon's ongoing research. Daemon established extensive electrolysis arrays and tanks in the basement levels to process large volumes of water and brine . This energy-intensive process allowed him to collect vast amounts of gases like hydrogen, oxygen, argon, and chlorine—all stored in reinforced, sealed containers. More importantly, this electrolysis yielded high purity magnesium—a key component for maximizing the brightness and heat of the B-1 explosive canisters he was obligated to sell to Steiner.
A significant portion of the main floor was dedicated to physical training. Daemon knew that the Order needed not only mental acuity and magical power but also peak physical conditioning to execute missions without relying purely on flashy magic. The gym was sparse but functional, featuring heavy wooden weights, complex rope arrangements for climbing, and reinforced beams suitable for intense calisthenics and sparring. Daemon ensured the floor was covered in sound-dampening material, allowing for late-night, intense training sessions that would remain completely undetectable from the exterior. Outside the main grey structure, Daemon established a small, heavily shielded forge—perfectly positioned for metallurgical work and protected from the volatile chemical processes inside the lab.
During this intense five-week period of construction and setup, Daemon did not neglect the human element. The public display of defiance by Helga had created the perfect environment for recruitment: a surge of commoner interest, fueled by resentment and a desperate search for genuine power. Daemon selected three individuals who demonstrated unique, specialized potential and an absolute disregard for the Academy's structure. First, he recruited the Eichorst twins, who came from a medium-sized merchant family, providing both practical business sense and crucial magical diversity. One twin specialized in Earth Magic, capable of shaping, fortifying, and structurally reinforcing the Sanctum's walls and sub-levels, making the base physically sound. The other twin mastered Water Magic, vital for managing the complex water supply, cooling systems, and large-scale electrolysis required for chemical synthesis. Their dual, balanced elemental abilities and their shared loyalty made them immediately valuable as the Order's technical support backbone. His most critical recruit was Hans Grubber, the bastard son of a prominent noble house, whose unique, marginalized background—possessing noble blood but lacking social status—guaranteed his resentment of the Imperial system and provided him with access to high-society information. Hans possessed a truly singular, untapped power: Sound Magic. This affinity was largely unknown in Imperial circles, making it the perfect clandestine asset. He currently excelled at espionage, using his ability to perfectly eavesdrop on private conversations from a great distance and flawlessly mimic people's voices. This made him the Order's nascent intelligence operative. Crucially, both he and the Academy were entirely unaware of the full spectrum of destructive potential his Sound Magic actually held—the ability to manipulate resonance, shatter crystalline structures, and create focused sonic assaults—a secret Daemon intended to unlock. With the Archangel Sanctum complete, heavily fortified, equipped with advanced science and a gym, and shielded by absolute secrecy, Daemon had secured his base, his resources, and his first loyal, highly specialized subordinates. The stage was now set for the Order to begin its true work, accelerating research and building the tools necessary for an eventual confrontation with the Empire.