Chapter 28 Winds Carrying Wings
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The first to react to my declaration was Rogas. He grabbed my chest, pressing down with a force that was almost unbearable.
”Do you even understand what you just said? This isn’t some kid’s Crafter game!?”
”…Rogas-san, do you really think I walk this path with that kind of shallow mindset?”
The pressure he applied didn’t bother me at all. Did he just call my Crafter work a child’s play?
The path my parents acknowledged… he called it a game.
”Do you see my research as a toy?”
”…”
”Did the ‘Lonisera’ I gave to Ethelena look like a plaything to you?”
”…”
”Did the ‘Fiero’ I made for Knight Calmys seem like a mere trinket?”
”…”
”When did your eyes get so clouded?”
My vision reddened, heat burned deep in my eyes. My fingertips tingled, fists clenched instinctively. My throat went dry, words almost caught in it.
”You’re the one underestimating me. Don’t look down on someone just because they’ve only lived halfway.”
At my words, Rogas released me. His expression showed a flicker of regret, and I caught his hand lingering in the air as if unsure.
I didn’t care about his feelings. What mattered now was whether he would help Tatia.
”So, will you help Tatia, who you care about, or not? If not, Ethelena and I will go alone.”
”…”
Rogas closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them to look at me.
There was something different in his gaze this time.
”You said you wouldn’t deny wings. So, what will it be?”
”If I say yes, will you cooperate? If not… I can’t say.”
”…Depends on the situation.”
”Then I don’t need someone who can’t side with Tatia.”
”O-oi, Master Crafter Julon!?”
Tatia tried to stop me, but I ignored her. Gathering the materials would take only a day, and even if we lent a little help, her strength made it manageable.
”Will Tatia really accept wings?”
”She will. You called me the next Chief Crafter, right? I can make something like that.”
”I see…”
Rogas bowed slightly to me, as if thinking carefully.
”I can’t help anymore. Take care of my daughter.”
”Understood.”
”And Tatara—”
”Huh?”
”Sorry for stepping on your pride.”
”…Can’t help it. You’re a parent too.”
Once he apologized, I couldn’t stay mad.
Rogas smiled wryly and headed to the entrance.
”Hey, take this back with you!”
”This!? Treating it like a thing!?”
”Well, you two are business partners now, right? It’s not my place.”
”What… you mean you want me to handle it here!?”
”Ah, we’ll go back to the dorm, of course…”
”Oh, good. At least that’s taken care of.”
Even from behind, Rogas’s laughter at our exchange was obvious.
”You two will make a good team.”
With a relieved look, he left.
…He really left Tatia behind.
”…”
”…”
I glanced at Tatia. We thought for a moment, then spoke.
”Let’s start by having her check what we’re making.”
”Y-yeah…”
”…I’ll brew fresh tea and bring it.”
And so, Tatia and I went to the workshop.
She looked around with keen interest, curious about my workspace.
I remembered my juniors, Shamir and Est, had the same reaction when they first visited the academy workshop.
”So, Master Crafter Julon-dono, what kind of armor do you make?”
”Let’s drop that long title for now. Keep it up and I’ll call you Knight Trainee Tatia.”
”Ugh… then… Tatara-dono.”
”Good. First, it’s armor for Tatia. It’s Arcane Armor, combining pieces I made back in elementary school.”
I turned on the magical projector in the workshop, casting the blueprint on the wall.
”Elementary school…?”
”Well, I updated the tech recently. So technically it’s a new version, but the original design shows the core idea. Early model explanation is fine.”
”Arcane Armor is usually expensive. Do you know why?”
”Hmm? …Because few can make it?”
”Partly, yes. But that’s not the main reason.”
”…Because the materials don’t exist?”
”Correct.”
”Ah… the materials are missing.”
Tatia realized the problem immediately after my question. She’s surprisingly sharp.
”The heart of Arcane Armor is body enhancement using a high-output Mana Reactor, and its artillery weapons.”
”Artillery…”
”Honestly, the artillery mechanism can’t be handled by my current Arcane Armor, so forget it.”
”I don’t need such dangerous equipment…”
”Some princesses actively use it to protect their countries.”
”A princess of a nation!?”
She was even a heroine from a past work.
”This artillery needs a high-output Mana Reactor. Ignoring that, the body enhancement can still work.”
”Wait… isn’t that amazing?”
”I struggled to make it. I dismantled various Magic Circles and Spell Formulas to piece it together.”
”In elementary school?”
”Exactly.”
Tatia’s expression seemed like she was staring at a monster.
”Instead of a high-output Mana Reactor, my simplified Arcane Armor channels the wearer’s Mana into the armor, continuously activating body-enhancing magic to assist in battle. That’s the core principle.”
”…Why are you, Tatara-dono, still a student? Shouldn’t you already be able to work as a researcher or Crafter?”
”I can, which is why I attend school. Plus, I want the Bracelet.”
”…Bracelet?”
”Ah, you probably don’t have it at the knight academy?”
The difference between the academy and the knight school shows up here.
”Graduates of the academy’s higher courses get a Bracelet that lets them leave a Dungeon freely. Ethelena and I want that. Also, I want the shop to get certified for graduation.”
Graduation comes with perks, but the exams are tough. Despite being called higher education, it’s almost like university.
”That’s enviable.”
”Well, we’re not knights employed by anyone. If graduation meant nothing, no one would continue.”
Politics seems complicated, but I can guess it’s tough work.
”Anyway…”
”Sorry, I drifted off topic.”
”Doesn’t matter. About the permanent body enhancement via the wearer’s Mana… there’s an issue with the Spell Formula.”
”Hmm?”
”While wearing the armor, continuous Mana circulation temporarily lowers maximum Mana.”
”By how much?”
”With my current armor, 20. Raising the enhancement output lowers it further.”
”…That shouldn’t be a problem for me.”
”Exactly. You could even increase output to boost the enhancement effect.”
Tatia was speechless. I had analyzed the secret Spell Formula at the city library. Theoretically, she could increase body ability by 250%.
The only problem: no current material can withstand it.
”Is this… safe?”
”Well, the basic part is patented, so I think it’s fine.”
”Why is it patented…?”
”Because, Tatia, it’s Tatara.”
Ethelena entered, giving Tatia a cup. She drank the tea in one gulp and thanked Ethelena.
”By the way, why did you say it was me for that question?”
”Anyway, about the wings…”
”Yes, that. How can you claim no complaints?”
Changing the topic caught Tatia’s full attention. From Rogas’s reaction, even Angel hybrids like her are easily rejected if their traits show.
That’s why I’ve lived in hiding. So if I claim it can be done safely, it’s no wonder anyone would doubt my sanity.
”Anyway, it’s faster if I explain while showing my current armor.”
I said that and summoned my favorite armor from the inventory.
A prototype black iron set—my current peak achievement.
”This… this is amazing!”
Tatia’s eyes lit up as she praised it. There’s nothing more satisfying than seeing someone enjoy my work.
Meanwhile, Ethelena examined the back with a suspicious look.
”Hey, Tatara.”
”What is it?”
”This back part… it’s very different from before. What did you change?”
”You noticed that?”
”I’ve always watched your back carefully.”
Ethelena answered with a proud smile. Cute.
”This is one of the techniques that will involve Tatia: a wind-magic propulsion system.”
”Wind-magic propulsion…?”
”Yes. Unlike other parts, it uses Mana separately. By releasing a burst of concentrated wind, it can accelerate the wearer.”
”…Hmm?”
”Uh… you know how a strong wind can push your back?”
”…Ah! So it recreates that effect?”
”Stronger than that.”
Tatia seemed pleased with the simple explanation, while Ethelena remained curious. Well, she doesn’t need it.
”But I already have wings, so I can fly, right?”
”What happens if you show them outside?”
”Uh… that’s…”
”Exactly why this armor and mechanism exist.”
”Huh?”
It lets your wings be recognized, at least while wearing the armor.
”I’ll tweak the design so the nozzle area becomes space for your wings to extend.”
”…Ah, I see. You’re using Tatara’s flying mechanism in the armor to make it look like Tatia can fly with her wings.”
”In simple terms, yes. The design changes, but it won’t look like wings are directly growing from the back. The inner layer also needs adjustment, but that’s no problem.”
The inner layer will just be a back-revealing “killer sweater” type design, so it’s fine.
”Because some support goes into wing enhancement, the Mana cap will drop a bit. But you’ll gain overwhelming defense and the advantage of flight.”
”…So this is how Tatara-dono said my wings would be acknowledged?”
”Yes. It’s a trick, but it should let Tatia remain herself.”
Hearing that, Tatia closed her eyes. I couldn’t tell what she was thinking—let’s hope it’s something positive.
”One request.”
Tatia opened her eyes and stared straight at me. I can meet it if possible, but what is she going to ask?
”Even I can’t make wings support twice my weight. So, lighten the armor.”
”Fair enough. By the way, how much can your wings handle?”
”About 1.5 times my body weight at most. Armor alone can be up to 20kg.”
”That means I’ll have to cut armor heavily…”
20kg is very light for armor—thin enough to call it paper.
”…So it’s more like a fake armor than real armor. Mithril would solve it, though.”
”Don’t worry, it’s strong enough in its raw state!”
”…True.”
Physical Defense 40+, Magic Defense 60+, even with Angel blood… are you really human?
”Then, let’s make the outer layer like Light Armor.”
”Even though it’s supposed to be Full Armor?”
”Simply put, it’s armor plates over a Shape Memory Alloy suit that only covers vital areas. You need it for body ability support.”
”…?”
”Chest, shoulders, arms, waist, legs—armor only there to keep it light.”
”…Oh!”
”Is this okay…?”
Even with chest armor, the wings must have space.
Outer shell will be thin Demonsteel, like a car hood in my past life. Shape Memory Alloy will contract with muscles to boost defense instantly.
Focus more on reflex adaptation than thought.
I remembered prosthetics that reacted to bioelectromagnetic signals from muscles and spine. The Spell Formula notes… mostly with the City Mayor. I’ll check usage fees; if too expensive, I’ll just create a new formula.
What I’ll produce is lightweight Arcane Armor, composed of Artificial Muscle inner layers and protectors for necessary parts.
Design will borrow from standard armor but look majestic combined with the wings to impress.
”For now, the direction is set.”
”Really!?”
”Yes. Prioritizing weight reduction, so it’s a bit unorthodox as Arcane Armor. I’ll consult the City Mayor about using some outside tech.”
”Huh?”
”If we can’t use it, I’ll create it from scratch. Anyway, I need to prepare blueprints and specs for showing tomorrow, so that’s it for today.”
”Wait—”
”Tomorrow I’ll visit all sides for greetings. If you go into the Dungeon… Ethelena will cover you.”
”Alright.”
”Understood. If you enter tomorrow, be sure to come here and meet Ethelena. Got it?”
”Y-yes!”
”Repeat it!”
”I will come here and meet Ethelena-dono before entering the Dungeon tomorrow!!”
”Good. If that’s clear, dismissed!”
”Yes!”
I gave the order to flustered Tatia. Even as a trainee, this response is proper for a knight.
Ethelena led Tatia to the entrance.
Now, I start my own work.
First, I’ll make a set of blessed equipment for Tatia for tomorrow. Even assuming the same level as me, its defense can reach near max with future growth.
Next, I activate the thought-input magical word processor. It writes blueprints too.
Touching the crystal with a Spell Formula to receive thoughts, I channel Mana.
One breath, focus.
Letters of light appear on the glass in front of me, floating and dancing, sometimes vanishing.
Lines trace full and cross-sectional armor diagrams.
Artificial Muscle fibers are shown in detail, with instructions for creation.
Link diagrams and notes for clarity.
Prepare both paper and crystal records.
Make a backup crystal record and send it to the City Mayor.
Watch the messenger-pigeon golem speed away, and store the master data in the safe.
Store paper for tomorrow in inventory and stretch deeply.
This thought-input word processor speeds up work drastically, though I still do calculations myself. Eventually, I’ll integrate it with computing devices.
I wanted to give a sample to the City Mayor. Everyone else seems to overload because their brains aren’t fast enough.
I nearly froze city functions out of goodwill, and got scolded.
When I turned from the desk, Ethelena stood at the entrance.
Feeling a bit drained, I wobbled toward her and hugged her.
Her shampoo scent mixed with her natural smell—distinct from mine, even with the same fragrance.
While calming from that, I sensed her irritation.
Right, she said we’d talk later.
Cold sweat ran down my back. Looking up, she stared at me sharply.
”Um… Ethelena-san?”
I called cautiously, the pressure increasing.
”You were looking at Tatia’s chest earlier, weren’t you?”
”Hey, that wasn’t on purpose!”
Even though Rogas and I stopped her, that wild girl stripped anyway.
”Tatara may be a chest saint, but still…”
”Why would I be interested in anyone else’s chest besides Ethelena’s?”
”But seriously, I can’t forgive you looking elsewhere.”
”I’m not interested in anyone else.”
”Tatara belongs to me.”
”Please, just listen. Being ignored by you really hurts.”
Ethelena grabbed my clothes, tears in her eyes, shouting loud enough to echo.
”I’m mad now! From this moment, I’m going to squeeze every last bit of Tatara! “
”Wait, we can talk this out—”
That’s practically a death sentence.
”I’ll make sure Tatara can only think of me! Tatara loves me the most!”
”I already do.”
Her childish tone shows she’s serious.
At this rate, Rogas might reach enlightenment as a living Buddha before becoming the city’s top Crafter.
”I’m Tatara’s bride! I won’t give him to anyone!”
After that, my record against Ethelena ended 1 win, 3 losses.
Even though I pulled a last-minute comeback, the whole match was overwhelming.
Using Sex Sorcery in a night battle (if you know what I mean), there’s no way a man can beat a Succubus.
Tatia’s event was added in the remake, so it doesn’t conflict with my previous-life knowledge.
Tatia’s evaluation of Tatara:
City’s top Crafter ↓
City’s top young Crafter ↓
City’s craziest Crafter
Also, I learned that when I enter work mode, others don’t like being treated the same way.
Notes:
• Calmys – War God’s knight, Mayor’s guard chief, whip-master hiding as a swordswoman; sharp tongue, big-sister vibe to Tatara, grants him and Ethelena church protection.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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