I looked at the smoking remains. Then at Alador. Then back at the smoking remains.
...
"I'm going to be honest."
Alador looked up.
"I feel like your explosion statistics are slightly concerning."
Emira immediately burst out laughing.
Edric pointed a finger at me.
"Hey. In my defense, this time it wasn't entirely my fault."
"What exploded?" I asked.
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"I was trying to figure that out right before it exploded."
...
I stared at him for a moment.
"That's probably why it exploded."
"That's a valid hypothesis."
Amity let out a long sigh.
"I hate the fact that this conversation is normal here."
"Me too," I said.
"I've gotten used to it."
"That's honestly terrifying."
"Welcome to the Blight family," one of the twins replied.
I couldn't help laughing.
Meanwhile, Alador had already gone back to work.
His pencil flew across the paper.
Adding.
Removing.
Adjusting the design.
As if his brain operated ten times faster than everyone else's.
Then suddenly, he stopped.
"Pierc."
"Yeah?"
"Come take a look at this."
I immediately walked over.
He showed me a new version of the blueprint.
And honestly?
Even I could see the difference.
The design was cleaner.
More efficient.
More elegant.
"Wow."
"I know."
"This is the new version."
...
Behind us, Emira leaned over my shoulder to look at the plans.
"So if I'm understanding this correctly..."
"Which is already impressive," Amity said.
"Thanks, Amity."
"You're welcome."
Emira stuck her tongue out at her before continuing.
"This thing is going to let people use magic?"
The laboratory became noticeably quieter.
I thought about it for a few seconds.
"More or less."
"More or less?"
"It's complicated."
I didn't want to tell them about glyphs.
Not because I didn't trust them.
But once the gauntlet was finished, and I started using it together with glyphs...
It could become a terrifying weapon.
And knowing Odalia, if she ever saw what this machine was truly capable of, she'd do everything she could to claim it for herself.
As far as they knew, we were building a gauntlet capable of amplifying and focusing magical energy.
That part didn't bother me.
Even if the invention was completed, they wouldn't be able to mass-produce it anyway.
The components required for these gauntlets were incredibly rare.
Alador could help design and build the prototype.
But most of the materials would still have to be gathered by me.
Which wasn't really a problem.
After all, thanks to my knowledge of this world, I already had a few ideas about where to find them.
Emira thought for a moment.
"Oh. So it's science."
"Exactly. That's pretty much it."
"Science is just complicated magic," she declared.
Alador immediately raised a finger.
"Technically, she's correct."
"Father, don't encourage her," Amity sighed.
"Too late."
Emira grinned triumphantly.
Several minutes passed.
Then a question crossed my mind.
I looked at Alador.
"By the way."
"Hm?"
"Don't you think this is a little weird?"
"What is?"
"A complete stranger shows up at your house with some strange blueprints, and you immediately decide to build a prototype with him."
...
The laboratory fell silent for a few seconds.
Then Alador shrugged.
"Not really."
"Not really?"
"Interesting ideas are rare."
He set down his pencil.
"Interesting people are even rarer."
I blinked.
That wasn't the answer I had expected.
Amity looked surprised too.
Even Emira and Edric had gone quiet.
Then Alador simply continued,
"If someone brings me a good idea, I'd rather listen than ignore it."
...
Okay.
I could definitely see why he had become one of the greatest inventors in the Boiling Isles.
Then suddenly—
BOOM.
The entire laboratory shook slightly.
Everyone turned toward Edric.
Edric immediately raised both hands.
"This time it wasn't me."
BOOM.
A second explosion echoed through the room.
Then a third.
...
Alador looked toward the far end of the laboratory.
"Ah."
"Ah what?" Amity asked.
"I forgot to deactivate the experimental automaton."
Silence.
"The what?"
At the back of the room, something moved.
A large metal automaton slowly rose to its feet.
Its eyes lit up with a crimson glow.
...
I looked at the machine.
Then at Alador.
"Quick question."
"Yes?"
"Is it dangerous?"
Alador actually took a moment to think about it.
"That depends."
I did not like that answer.
Not even a little.
"Depends on what?"
The automaton accidentally tore a chunk out of the wall while trying to stand up.
CRAAACK.
...
Alador adjusted his glasses.
"Mostly on its mood."
...
I was starting to understand why so many things exploded in this laboratory.
The automaton slowly finished standing up.
Its red eyes scanned the room.
Then they stopped on us.
...
Bad sign.
A very bad sign.
"Uh..." Edric began.
"I think it's looking at us."
"Remarkable observation," Amity replied sarcastically.
The automaton suddenly emitted an unsettling metallic sound.
CLANG.
CLANG.
CLANG.
Then one of its arms slowly transformed into a massive mechanical blade.
...
I immediately turned toward Alador.
"Are you absolutely sure building that thing was a good idea?"
Alador thought for a few seconds.
"At the time, yes."
"And now?"
"I'm starting to have some doubts."
"That's very reassuring."
Then suddenly—
The automaton charged.
BOOOOM.
The floor trembled beneath its weight.
"OH NO!" Emira shouted.
"OH YES!" Edric replied.
"THIS IS NOT THE TIME TO BE EXCITED!" Amity yelled.
The automaton tore across the laboratory at an absurd speed.
Straight toward the group.
Mechanical arms hanging from the ceiling were ripped apart as it passed.
Sparks flew everywhere.
Everyone immediately scattered.
But in the chaos—
A piece of metal broke loose from the ceiling.
Instinctively, I looked up.
And my heart skipped a beat.
The debris was falling directly toward Amity.
She was focused on the automaton.
She hadn't seen it.
"AMITY!"
Without thinking, I threw myself forward.
I grabbed her by the shoulder.
And yanked her toward me.
CRAAASH!
The massive chunk of metal slammed into the exact spot where she had been standing a second earlier.
The impact shook the entire floor.
...
For a moment, everything seemed to stop.
I found myself on the ground with Amity pressed against me.
Her golden eyes were wide open.
Completely shocked.
...
We were so close that I could feel her breath against my face.
Amity immediately looked away, embarrassed.
"...Pierc?"
"Yeah?"
"You can get up now. You're crushing me."
Her face was bright red.
"Oh right... sorry."
I finally came back to my senses and quickly stood up.
Amity got to her feet as well, carefully avoiding eye contact.
Her ears had turned slightly red.
Very red, actually.
...
Yeah.
For my own survival, it was probably best not to comment.
Behind us—
BOOOOOM!
The automaton smashed another workbench apart with a swing of its blade.
Chunks of metal flew across the room.
"FATHER!" Amity shouted.
"I'm working on it!" Alador replied.
"YOU'RE READING NOTES!"
"Because I'm trying to remember where the shutdown button is!"
...
Incredible.
Absolutely incredible.
The automaton then turned its head toward us.
Its red eyes glowed brighter.
Then it started moving.
Toward us.
Slowly.
But with a very unsettling determination.
CRUNCH.
CRUNCH.
CRUNCH.
The floor cracked beneath every step.
I clenched my fists.
...
No.
At this rate, someone was going to get hurt.
Seriously hurt.
My hand quietly slipped into my pocket.
I pulled out a small piece of paper.
One of the ones I had prepared before leaving the Owl House.
I stared at it for a second.
Then the automaton charged again.
BOOOOM!
"PIERC!" Amity shouted.
I took a deep breath.
Then slammed the glyph against the floor.
Light erupted instantly.
WHOOSH!
A glowing blue circle exploded beneath the automaton's feet.
Then—
CRAAAAACK!
A massive pillar of ice burst from the ground.
The automaton was struck head-on.
The impact launched it backward.
BOOOOM!
The entire room shook.
The metal giant crashed into a wall.
A huge cloud of dust filled the laboratory.
...
Total silence followed.
Then slowly...
The dust began to settle.
The automaton was embedded in the wall.
Its torso was covered in ice.
One of its arms had been completely torn off.
And its red eyes flickered erratically.
BZZT.
BZZT.
Then—
PFFFT.
They went dark.
...
I looked at the machine.
Then at everyone else.
Everyone was staring at me in shock.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Emira was the first to speak.
"Okay."
She pointed at the automaton.
"What the heck was THAT?!"
Ah.
Yeah.
Excellent question.
A very bad question for me.
Amity was still staring at the spot where the ice had erupted.
Then at me.
Then at the automaton embedded in the wall.
Then at me again.
...
The entire laboratory had gone silent.
An extremely awkward silence.
A very, very awkward silence.
I was starting to seriously regret some of my life choices.
Then finally—
"Okay."
Emira pointed at the automaton.
"What was THAT?!"
"Ice," I replied.
"Thanks, Pierc. Very helpful."
"I'm doing my best."
Edric walked closer to the crater left behind by the attack.
"No, seriously."
He looked up at the massive pillar of ice.
"That was huge."
"Very huge," Emira added.
Amity still hadn't said anything.
Which worried me even more.
A lot more.
Then she finally spoke.
"Was that an ice spell?"
...
Technically.
Well.
More or less.
I cleared my throat.
"Yeah."
It wasn't entirely false.
Not entirely true either.
But close enough to survive this conversation.
Amity looked at the damage again.
Her expression had become serious.
"That level of power..."
She hesitated for a moment.
"I don't know many students who could do something like that."
...
Okay.
I wasn't sure whether I should feel proud or terrified.
Maybe both.
Meanwhile, Alador was already examining the automaton.
Then he suddenly turned toward me.
"Fascinating."
Oh no.
I knew that look.
The scientist look.
The look that said:
I'm about to ask way too many questions.
"How did you do that?"
"Training?"
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one I've got."
Alador narrowed his eyes.
Clearly unconvinced.
But before he could continue—
CRAAACK.
Another section of the ceiling collapsed.
Everyone immediately looked up.
...
The laboratory was a disaster.
Destroyed workbenches.
Tools scattered everywhere.
A hole in the wall.
And a giant automaton stuck in the masonry.
Alador looked around at the damage.
Then sighed.
A long sigh.
A very long sigh.
"Well."
"Well?" Amity asked.
"I think we'll have to postpone the prototype."
"Finally, a reasonable decision."
"Until tomorrow."
Amity closed her eyes.
"I spoke too soon."
Emira burst out laughing.
Edric joined in.
Even I couldn't stop myself from smiling.
Alador, meanwhile, already seemed to be thinking about twenty new ideas.
Which was probably dangerous for the building.
Very dangerous.
Eventually, I glanced toward the large windows of the laboratory.
The sun was already beginning to set.
...
Crap.
I hadn't realized how much time had passed.
"It's getting late."
Amity followed my gaze.
"Yeah."
I carefully put the schematics back into my jacket.
"I should probably head home."
"Already?" Emira asked.
"Yeah."
"You could stay for dinner."
"Or spend the night here," Edric added.
Amity visibly flinched.
Then immediately looked away.
As if she hoped nobody had heard that suggestion.
Unfortunately for her...
Everyone had.
"That would be more practical," Alador said.
"We could continue working first thing tomorrow morning."
I smiled slightly.
"That's kind of you. Really."
Then I gently shook my head.
"But they're waiting for me at home."
Instantly, the image of the Owl House crossed my mind.
Eda.
King.
Hooty.
And Luz.
Especially Luz.
With a bit of luck, the house was still standing.
With Hooty involved, nothing was guaranteed.
"I'd rather head back."
Alador slowly nodded.
"I understand."
Then he raised a finger.
"But tomorrow morning."
"Tomorrow morning."
"Very early."
"I'm already starting to regret my answer."
"Perfect."
...
Yeah.
Definitely a genius.
Amity let out a small laugh.
A quiet one.
But genuine.
Then she stepped forward.
"I'll walk you to the gate."
Emira immediately flashed a grin that was far too wide.
"Ooooooh."
"Emira."
"I'm not saying anything."
"You're thinking very loudly."
"That's true."
Amity turned red almost instantly.
And honestly?
For the sake of my own survival...
I decided not to comment.
Not a chance.
Not after surviving a giant automaton.
There were some risks you simply didn't take.