Chapter 329

Jane is one of the few who really understands the power of machines.

Born and raised in the land of science, Santia, she has witnessed countless machines, and naturally, she was drawn into that world.

Among them, the most overwhelming has to be the steam locomotive. A massive hunk of iron moving solely on the power of machines.

With her exceptional talent and passion, Jane found herself closer to machines than anyone else.

– Pffft!

‘Is this not it…?’

Of course, even with talent, having no failures is impossible. Success is essentially the end product of failures stacking up.

She realized this vividly when her first creation unexpectedly exploded. So, Jane prioritized “theory” above all else.

Just because the theory is perfect doesn’t guarantee a good outcome, but it could at least lower the odds of something going wrong.

Above all, Jane’s goal was to create assistive devices. The world is loaded with dangers everywhere.

Even with advancements in science, the situation remains unchanged. Many have lost their limbs due to industrial accidents.

Her grandfather was one of those who experienced leg troubles from an industrial accident. Even with a prosthetic, it was uncomfortable.

Though her grandfather has passed away, Jane’s goal remained the same: to invent something for those with mobility issues.

‘Magic power spreads throughout the body. If we integrate it with machines, we can make it happen.’

She learned basic medical knowledge just for the sake of the assistive device. It was just simple stuff.

Only after thoroughly studying various knowledge and establishing the theory could she start creating.

There were hardships along the way, but she met incredibly valuable people, allowing her to proceed without issues.

“Hmm…”

And then, she faced another obstacle. Or rather, the results were unexpected.

Originally, the goal was the assistive device. A device to help in everyday life, and for those heading into dangerous situations.

Something that could lift heavy rocks with one hand or reach heights with a single jump.

“Is the output too excessive?”

The goal of the device was achieved, but its power exceeded imagined limits.

Jane pondered while looking at the boots that she had received back from Rod. They had briefly broken due to overheating, but she fixed them quickly.

The boots were made for simple strength enhancement and mobility. But the performance was too good, which became a problem.

‘Even though there’s an overheating issue, that’s because of Sivar’s magic… That’s something we can resolve.’

Jane alternated between the board where she wrote down her theories and the boots. Although they worked perfectly, they worked too well.

As a natural genius does, she dived deeper and started untangling the problem step by step.

‘Is it because of the magic knowledge Professor Godin taught me? That shouldn’t be the case.’

She was stumped. Really stumped. Jane spent days and nights diving into research.

The results came swiftly. In a ridiculous turn of events, she realized she had miscalculated.

Just think of it as forgetting to carry a zero. The problem is, zero can sometimes show terrifying power.

‘Wait… Wouldn’t this mean I can crush rocks too?’

It was becoming close to ‘enhancement’ rather than a simple assistive device. Jane felt a bit uneasy.

Enhancement matched the goals, but it had exceeded expectations tremendously. An unexpected creation surfaced.

It wasn’t just a child beating an adult; it was as if an ordinary person could face an ogre in a strength contest.

‘While the downside is high magic consumption… this is something that can be tackled over time.’

No matter how strong the armor is, if you can’t move, it’s no different from a pile of scrap metal. So, she came up with an idea.

Unlike the suit, it was still in theory, considering a method to convert mass into energy, or rather, magic power.

But first, she needed to find a suitable material. She planned to experiment with magic stones.

‘Or, I could boost the overall efficiency of the armor. That might be the best option.’

Either way works. Jane couldn’t help but smile with joy at the blooming theories.

What had initially been heavy output turned out to be a breakthrough rather than a setback. It was just a temporary measure, but it opened up a new path.

Thus, completely engrossed in her work and skipping class, Jane managed to create a masterpiece that had only existed in her imagination.

“I did it! Finally made it!”

The long-awaited dream appeared before her. Jane’s eyes sparkled as she gazed at her creation.

At first glance, it resembled the full plate armor worn by knights. But it was much more ergonomic.

She poured her heart into making it move as naturally as her own body. The downside was, it took a long time to put on.

This wouldn’t be much of an issue if someone helped her.

“I can’t wait to show this to Sivar!”

She thought to herself, but she had been so passionately focused that she lost track of time.

As soon as Sivar arrived, Jane collapsed from overwork. So, the test was delayed by about two days.

But what does it matter? No one was going to take it away. Jane, once she regained her health, went to the workshop with Sivar.

She didn’t forget to clean up nicely before visiting. She was filthy enough that mud was coming out of her skin.

Finally arriving at the workshop, Jane revealed the completed Steel Suit to Sivar.

“I dedicate this honor to you, Sivar! Please put it on quickly!”

“Really? Me first?”

“Yes!”

Jane eagerly encouraged Sivar to wear it. Through her glasses, her blue eyes glimmered with respect and gratitude.

All of this was thanks to Sivar’s investment. Without his support, her dreams could never have been realized.

When would she ever be as happy as the moment her dream came true? She struggled to keep her heart from bursting with excitement.

“Does Jane not want to do it?”

“Yes! I prefer that Sivar wears it first!”

“Why?”

“I just feel that way!”

She simply wanted Sivar to wear it first. That was Jane’s wish.

Sivar, perhaps understanding Jane’s feelings, complied obediently. However, putting it on required her assistance.

He had never worn armor in his life, and it was only natural that he was unfamiliar with the process.

“How does it feel?”

“A bit heavy.”

“Not to the point of not being able to move, right?”

“Uh-huh.”

Then they began checking how heavy it was, and whether it hindered movement, and so on.

They identified issues while moving around without any power. Jane was next to him, diligently taking notes.

“So when there’s no power, it’s just an ordinary set of armor. Got it, so now…”

“Now?”

“We should use magic power.”

This was the most crucial part. Jane’s face lit up with expectation.

Just in case, she also prepared measures to prevent overheating. Sivar’s output was higher than others.

Sivar was aware of this, so he was thinking of lowering the intensity a bit.

“Then open the ceiling.”

“Uh? The ceiling?”

“Yeah. We need to fly.”

“Bu-but we need to start with strength increase first…”

Jane was about to say something when Sivar suddenly recalled a line from a movie.

To be exact, it was a line spoken during the first operating test.

“Jane.”

“Yes?”

“Sometimes, you have to jump before you learn to walk.”

Honestly, if he had said something like that to a ‘normal person’, they would have outright refused.

Attempting something without any theory could lead to unexpected accidents.

“I see! That’s a wonderful saying!”

“Right?”

“Yes!”

But Jane had already reached a point where she unconditionally accepted Sivar’s words.

Hearing him was like a rice cake dropping from the sky; not believing it would be unreasonable.

No, it would be rude or an insult to him. A financier’s word is law.

In Jane’s eyes, Sivar was the person who sweetened her ‘dream’ more than any drug ever could. She would gladly serve him.

Moreover, if he felt uncomfortable, she would utilize all her knowledge to help him. That was her mindset.

“I’ve opened it!”

“Got it.”

As the retractable ceiling opened, Sivar looked up. Suddenly, loud noises began echoing from the thick armor.

Simultaneously, a faint red light started to leak from the armor’s surface, resembling circuitry.

-Kuuuuu!

Energy began to erupt from the palms and soles of his feet. With that, the heavy steel suit slowly rose into the air.

Jane, with a look of wonder, watched the whole scene. She didn’t even think to adjust her slipping glasses.

Soon, the energy release became stronger, and at one explosive moment.

-Kwaaaaa!!!

Sivar shot up into the sky, soaring high above the opened ceiling.

“Whoa!!!”

Like a child riding a scary ride, he let out a tremendous cheer.

Jane rushed outside, her heart racing as she stared at Sivar flying high above. She couldn’t miss this sight for the world.

“I did it! I did it! It worked!!”

A person was flying in the sky, not by magic, but through pure mechanical power.

Jane cheered for a brief moment but then felt overwhelmed watching Sivar soaring.

How many misunderstandings and hardships did she endure to witness that scene? Tears flowed uncontrollably.

‘…What should I make next?’

She felt worried at the same time. Now that she had created what she wanted, what should she craft next?

As long as Sivar continued to invest, everything else was secondary. No, she desperately wanted to make sure she gets the investment, even if it meant lying.

The only connection was investment. He was the benefactor who helped her dreams come to life, and she never wanted to lose him.

Having even lost her grandfather, she appreciated the one who recognized her talent that no one else did. She wanted to repay him for a lifetime.

“Sniff. I wonder if he needs anything?”

Jane wiped her tears, readjusting her glasses. The mixture of emotions—joy and sadness—felt peculiar.

“Wait, where did he go?”

It felt strange. Jane looked up at the sky, puzzled.

Sivar, who had been circling around in the sky, had vanished. In a panic, she rushed out of the workshop area.

Though she wished to ask passersby, her introverted nature made it tough to inquiry.

The only courage she mustered was to propose an investment to Sivar—nothing beyond that.

“Hey. Did you see that earlier?”

“The one flying with magic?”

“Of course I saw. He was super fast!”

Then she overheard a conversation that caught her attention. Jane quietly eavesdropped.

“What was the activation range of that new monument again?”

“It should be higher than before. But a defense barrier was added, right?”

“Oh, right. That must be why he fell.”

The moment she heard “monument,” Jane felt as if lightning struck her head.

Since the last monument crumbled, the newly built one was constructed with far better specs than before.

The activation range had increased, and a barrier now surrounded the entire academy.

In other words, Sivar might have collided with the barrier without knowing anything.

As that scenario played in her mind, Jane bravely mustered the courage to ask a passerby.

“Uh, where did he go?”

“W-what?”

“The thing I just saw! Where did it fall?”

“I-I think it dropped over there…”

“Thank you!”

Jane expressed her gratitude to the passerby and dashed towards the fallen spot, praying for Sivar’s safety.

As she reached the location, she could see exactly where Sivar had landed.

Whether by chance or fate, she couldn’t tell.

“Now, say it again. Who are you?”

“U-uh… Sivar.”

“Nope. Wrong. When you fell, you said ‘I am Iron Man.’ From now on, you’re Iron Man.”

Sivar had absurdly landed at Rod’s Residence. The same ridiculous situation unfolded as before.

Jane looked from the open ceiling to Sivar standing there with his hand raised in punishment. She had a rough idea of what was happening.

“Is it you again? This time, you managed to create the full product.”

“Oh, that’s…”

“Shut it, and you too, stand there with Sivar, hand raised in punishment.”

“Yes…”

And so, by some stroke of luck, Jane found herself alongside Sivar, both serving sentences.

---