Steel and Mana

Chapter 368 – A Peaceful City

The soft but desperately trying sound of young children learning how to read aloud filled the small classroom, their voices rising and falling as they carefully tried to pronounce the words on the paper before them. They were kids whose parents had nobody to look after them throughout the day, so they were in school and in free daycare while Kiva sat at the front, watching with a contented smile. A decade ago, he would never have even imagined the life he was living now. He killed and massacred not only soldiers but people, following his Master's wishes and orders, without questioning them, drenched in the blood of innocents. He should be dead because he knew nobody could forgive what he did... And they shouldn't. But... Life, his life, did not end. Instead, he now held a book, guiding Avalon’s youngest minds as they learned to read.

While thinking, he heard how one of the boys stumbled over a problematic word, his small hands gripping the sheet of paper tightly, visibly nervous.

"Don't worry; you can do it..." Kiva knelt beside him, pointing at the letters. “Sound it out,” he urged gently. The boy hesitated before repeating the syllables, finally forming the word correctly and able to pronounce it as a whole, a wide grin spreading across his face.

“Well done,” Kiva praised him, patting his shoulder. “You’ll be reading entire books on your own soon! See? If you don't force it, it is much easier.”

Feeling a gaze landing on him, he turned and saw someone he didn't expect, not today, at least. From the open doorway, Lucca watched with a smile before stepping inside. The children instantly quieted at the sight of his imposing posture, something he couldn't shake off, no matter if his usually stoic face was trying his best to be friendly.

“Lucca,” Kiva greeted, looking at the kids as the other man leaned against the desk. “Let's stop for now~! We practiced enough, so you can go out to play. I will be there shortly. Don't make too much of a ruckus, okay?" He said to the children who, instead of screaming or hurrying, organized their little bags and pencils before standing up, fixing their chairs and field out in proper order, only beginning to laugh and be louder when they were out in the schoolyard. "I hope you are not here to ask me something regarding the Summit...” Kiva said when they were left alone, shaking his head.

“Not quite,” Lucca replied with a shrug, crossing his arms. “I just thought you’d want to hear the latest from the Union’s meetings.”

"Not really," Kiva shook his head. “I appreciate it, but I’ve found my place here. If the Sovereign doesn't want to drag me back out... I wouldn't want to go, either.”

"I wonder how Pascal would react if you saw you like this." Lucca raised an eyebrow. “Maybe he would execute you on the spot.”

"He already tried regardless." Kiva chuckled. “Anyway, that man is gone, and I am too. The Sovereign gave me a new life, one I never imagined for myself, but I came to enjoy it.” He gestured to the children playing outside, their laughter coming in through the open windows. “This is my perfect afterlife now.”

"You know... They asked for you," Lucca said softly. “The Federation.”

"I see..." He muttered, his gaze remaining on the kids outside. "I somewhat expected... Am I going to be summoned?"

"No," Lucca answered swiftly. "The Sovereign told them that the Kiva they were looking for was dead."

"They didn't believe him, I assume." He chuckled, finally looking back toward Lucca.

"No, they didn't. But they didn't push it either. I just came to warn you... that doesn't mean they wouldn't try to send someone here after the Union is established, to try and... do something."

"If an assassin's weapon finds its way into my back, I won't complain. I deserve that."

"We both do." Lucca shrugged, then squeezed his shoulder before leaving, "But try to avoid it."

Kiva said nothing in response and only nodded, his gaze drifting back to the window where the summer sun bathed Avalon’s streets in a bright, golden light. This city, his new home, was alive with just as bright people... And he was content being part of it. However long he had left in his life... he wouldn't trade it away.

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Steam hissed loudly from the release valve as Arik wiped the sweat from his brow and pulled himself up onto the steel steps of the train’s engine room. Jonah, his longtime friend and now second-in-command, was busy checking the boiler pressure, his hands covered in soot from the coal.

“Almost ready?” Arik asked, looking out over the massive steel machine that was about to head towards the Grand Duchy of Belse, changing another country forever. They had their order, and Arik was tasked with delivering the first batch of steam trains and overseeing the training of the people of the duchy to handle such machinery.

"Yep," Jonah grinned. “Just about! Hard to believe we’ll be the first to drive a train straight into Belse. The people there will be floored when they see it!”

“Even harder to believe we once fought against Avalon,” Arik mused, adjusting his conductor's cap. “Back then, I thought this place was where we would die. Now look at us.”

"Yeah, me too... I didn't expect they would let us leave the mines." Jonah snorted, shaking his head. “The best thing that ever happened to us, getting captured, that is.”

"You tell me..." Arik whispered because life seemed to be a whole different when they were conscripted into Otto's army.

They marched through a frozen hell, fought in a bloody battle, and then toiled for years to wash away their sins with sweat. Now, they were free men, registered Avalonians through and through. While working on Atuvia's railways, Arik had discovered his love for the iron monsters, and Jonah’s knack for mechanics made them a quickly rising and recognized team, even as prisoners. Right after their sentence was up, they applied for actual training, and both graduated and got accepted into Avalon's workforce without further questions. And now? Here they were, heading south to introduce the first railway to Belse, a project that was amongst the very first within the newly established Union.

“Think they’ll like it down there?” Jonah asked, leaning out the window as the train slowly began moving and picked up speed, dragging multiple carts behind it, filled with other workers sent there to teach others how to handle Avalonian technology.

"It won't be like living in Avalon," Arik shrugged. “But they’ll have to. And if they don’t like it, well, they’ll learn to. We got our assignment, and we will do our part. It will be a good mission for promotion...”

"Hah!" Jonah laughed. “Spoken like a true Avalonian, eh?”

"I hope so..." He nodded with a grin, "I saw the new one... the diesel engine. I want to earn my spot to drive one."

"Train maniac." Jonah grinned, patting his back, "But yeah, that sounds good. Shoveling coal is dirty... Oh well, it does pay well!"

"Yeah." Arik nodded, barely even thinking about doing it for money. That was just a great bonus for him, "That it does..."

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In the elegantly built halls of Avalon’s University, Edmund, or as many called him, Professor Edmund adjusted his glasses and examined the final, not yet precisely rubber-like substance on the table before him. The lab smelled of a multitude of chemicals and heated metals, something that he barely noticed by now. The only thing he noticed was that he had to adjust his glasses multiple times, blaming himself for overworking his eyes and having to wear one for the past four years.

“This could be it,” he murmured, prodding the sample with a gloved finger, testing how it felt, trying to compare it to the description his Sovereign passed down of what he was looking for.

His assistants, young students working in his lab within the university, looked on with anticipation. With the newly established Union providing ample materials from the Theocracy, Edmund finally had the resources he needed to create this... so-called rubber. As for its usage, he had already been briefed by the Ministry and Leon. He was amazed by the utility it could provide, so he was doing his best to create the vision of his Sovereign. It was his topmost priority in the past three years.

Leon himself had tasked him with this project, and he would not fail him...

“Prepare another batch,” Edmund ordered, standing straight. “We’re close, but not close enough. We missed something...”

"Um..." One of his assistants hesitated. “Professor, we’ve been at this for hours. Perhaps a short break? Rushing it can cause mistakes...”

"Heh!" Edmund chuckled. “When I have rubber in my hands, then I’ll rest. Or are you saying your scholarship isn't paying enough for a bit more work?” Well... this attitude was why he now had to wear glasses, but... it was a fair trade in his mind.

The room filled with laughter, hearing his gentle chiding as the intensity of their work remained unchanged. This was Primus Universitas. This was the place for the highest level of education and innovation within Avalon. Edmund, as its dean, was the last to stop working. It was a given fact... And those who were his personal students? The brightest minds in the city were not allowed to aim for less, either.

As the assistants scrambled to follow his orders to prepare a new batch, he stepped out onto the balcony overlooking the university courtyard, taking a deep breath. There was no summer break here, not if they wanted to be someone as students bustled below, their arms full of books and tools, walked back and forth between the different wings of the university.

“Professor!” a voice called from below, noticing his figure. It was one of his former students, now a researcher in her own right. She graduated last year with his perfect approval and was currently working on developing new alloys for Avalon's military, upgrading their mechs' frames. “We’ve got the results from the last test!”

"Good!" Edmund smiled, nodding. “Bring them up; I am still in the middle of work. Let’s see if we’ve finally cracked it... We should be ready too, soon, and hopefully, we can present it to the Sovereign together!”

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No matter how frequently Orin had been visiting Avalon, he never could get enough of this city. Once again, he strode through the bustling workshop he came to visit, his eyes scanning the shelves stacked with complex, almost magic-like mechanical toys.

He was here, exploring Krel's newest manufacturing plant, one of the wonders of the Union, yet Orin was sighing because of how oblivious Krel was to the fortune he was sitting on... He only expanded because he could work on bigger, better models this way. At the moment, he also tinkered with yet another one of his creations... an electric-powered miniature train with interchangeable carts and rails that could be set up on any surface, recreating different sceneries from around the world.

“Krel,” Orin greeted, hands in his pockets, knowing he should announce himself before scaring the man to death. “You’re still making these things by hand?”

"Huh? Ah, Orin. Hi!" Krel barely looked up at him, falling back to work at once when he recognized who came to visit. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

"You..." Orin sighed, “Because they’re worth a fortune!” He picked up a miniature, steam-powered engine that was yet to be painted, flipping it over to examine the craftsmanship from every angle. It looked... way too real. It was perfect. “Do you even know how much your toys go for at auctions? You should produce more, even if it drives the price down a little...”

"We have been through this," Krel shrugged. “I don’t care about your side of the business. Aren't your group in contract with the Ministry? That should give you enough capital...”

"Eh..." Orin blushed, putting the toy back down, “Well, I do. That’s why I’m here.” He pulled out a newly printed contract and placed it on the workbench. “Trailblazers wants to license your name, mass-produce some of your simpler designs, and distribute them across the Union. You’ll get a cut of every sale.”

"Mass produce them?" Krel finally put down his tools, narrowing his eyes at Orin. “Why would I agree to that?”

"You would get a thirty-five percent cut of every sale." Orin grinned. “Because right now, people are already copying your designs and making money off your name anyway... This way, you actually get paid! We could stop people from exploiting YOUR name, Krel! Come on...”

"Tsk..." Krel scowled a little, clearly annoyed by this side of the business, but he took the contract. For the past ten years, he passed all finance and money-related issues to be solved by Orin's group, the Trailblazers. He was always generous with him and never once slanted Krel, even if he was absentmindedly agreeing to their deals. He learned to trust him... and he did; that's why he was ready to sign his latest contract, too. “Fine. But only if I retain creative control.”

"Of course." Orin laughed. “I will just handle your copyright via this. Take down the copycats and ensure your name remains impeccable.”

"You mentioned mass production."

"Of the things that don't require complex mechanics." He nodded, "Those toys and figures that people tend to put on a shelf and admire. We can create a cheaper version, so even the simple folk can buy it... Anyway. I have it all planned out. You will have enough money to retire! Or open up a new shop."

"Or buy more materials..." Krel muttered, his mind already at a different place, needing another reminder from Oring to finish signing the contract.

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As the sun slowly descended further below the horizon, painting Avalon in hues of orange and purple, the city kept to be busy, teeming with life. Kiva walked home from the school, nodding to neighbors who greeted him warmly. Arik and Jonah’s train watched the sunset while rumbling through Ishillian land, heading towards the south. In the University, Edmund’s lab lights burned bright as he remained behind, finishing organizing today's discoveries, getting closer and closer to producing the exact type of rubber his Sovereign wanted.

And... with a barely noticeable buzz, in Krel’s workshop, the miniature electric-powered train began making its first lap around a model recreation of Avalon.

A decade of peace gave rise to a power ready to face whatever the future held in store for them.