[ "I JUST WANT A FULL MP BAR IN ANOTHER WORLD" ]

Chapter 11: Our Homework

The heaviest burden... is halved when someone helps to carry it...

And the most tedious journey... becomes an adventure when you have a companion...

This is the simplest and most complex law of physics in the universe.

— From "The Theory of Friendship Relativity"

I looked at Lunaria... who was still watching me with concern.

I picked up the blueprint of the ward I was working on... and held it out to her.

"Could you take a look at this... I think... I've found a way to protect our home."

It was the first time... I had used the word "our."

And it was the first time... I saw a faint smile... appear on the face of the Princess of Shadows...

After that day... the atmosphere in my father's shed changed.

It was no longer just my "workshop"... but our "command center."

Building the protective ward was more complex and tedious than I had imagined. It was repetitive work that required both patience and concentration... two things I was in shortest supply of. It was just like the "homework" I used to despise in my past life... and the "Shadow" began its work the moment I felt bored.

[...You are feeling 'Boredom'... MP recovery rate from learning is reduced by 50%...]

But this time... I wasn't fighting alone.

"Faelix... does this part need more polishing?"

Lunaria... had become the most excellent assistant. She took on all the tedious, "routine" tasks... polishing the copper plates until they were smooth, mixing the magical ink according to the ratios I calculated, arranging the components in order...

Having her by my side calmed my "Shadow"... and I could devote all my concentration to the most difficult part... designing the main structure of the ward... "debugging" the logic of the runic characters...

A job that should have taken a month... progressed at a shockingly fast pace.

But there were times... when I focused too much and forgot about my own physical condition.

"Faelix..." Lunaria called softly. "...Blood."

I raised a hand to my nose... another nosebleed...

[...Effect of 'Fragile Blood Vessels' activated...]

She handed me a clean cloth she had prepared, as if by habit... but this time... the look in her eyes was different.

In her dark brown (disguised) eyes... a faint red glint flickered... and I saw her swallow once.

"Do you..." I decided to ask, "...like the smell of blood?"

She flinched... before lowering her head.

"I... I don't like it... but..." she stammered, "...my body... it 'responds'... My red eyes... they are not a symbol of the dark elf royal family... but the bloodline of the 'Ancestors of the Night'... those who can convert the 'life force' in blood into their own magical power... like the vampires of legend."

My eyes widened...

"That is why I can always sense your ailments... The scent of your blood... it 'calls' to me... and it makes me feel... worried."

[...You have learned the 'Secret of the Bloodline' of 'Lunaria'...]

[...Bond has developed to the level of 'Close Friend'...]

[...MP restored by 15 points!]

Understanding... and trust... they were the best potions for restoring mental power.

(The last day of the month)

Lunaria and I stood before the "protective circuit board" we had completed... It was a large oak plank inscribed with three layers of overlapping wards... connected to a "mana stone" the size of a fist.

It wasn't beautiful... and was rather crude... but it was the work of the two of us.

Vulcan arrived as scheduled... along with Aether and Elena.

He examined our work with the eyes of an appraiser... circling around it... before taking out his same old mana detector.

He turned it on... nothing happened... The needle remained perfectly still.

"Perception distortion test... Pass."

Then... he took out a small "attack simulation stone" and tossed it lightly at the house.

The moment the stone neared the house's perimeter... the ward on the wooden plank flashed brightly! A thin energy shield materialized and deflected the stone, sending it flying.

"Basic defense test... Pass."

Vulcan turned off his device... and looked at Lunaria and me... A rare smile appeared on his face.

"Beyond expectations... far beyond... You didn't just build a protective ward... you also added a 'detection and repulsion function'... With just these tools... in only a month... This is more than genius."

[ Main Quest 'Shadow Bastion' Complete! ]

[...You have received the reward: 'Runic Engineering' Proficiency +100, Unlock 'Apprentice Runesmith' class...]

[...Level Up! LV 12 -> LV 14!...]

[...The immense experience and achievement have caused a massive restoration of MP!...]

[...MP: 758/1000!]

My eyes widened... 758!

The highest number I had ever reached in this new life...

It wasn't full... the "Shadow" was still there... but for the first time, I felt that... my "mental power bar" was truly almost full.

A feeling of fullness... of peace... and a faint sense of pride... It was a good feeling... a very good feeling...

Vulcan looked at me. "I didn't come here... just to check on your homework."

He spoke with a more serious tone.

"My true purpose... is to make an 'offer' to you... Faelix... and to your family... An offer that will change your future forever."