fully automatic espresso with steam wand

In a world hanging by a thread, where fragile order crumbles under the weight of arrogance, an empire's ambition reignites the catastrophes of a forgotten age. Ancient souls, long slumbering, awaken to a realm haunted by echoes of castles and towers, consumed by lust, betrayal, and bloodshed. Amid the chaos, mysterious cards—relics of a bygone era—stir with untold power, weaving the threads of magic and fate. As the past and present collide, an inevitable doom looms on the horizon, drawing ever closer with each passing moment!

In a world where mysticism and steam industry coexist, cursed objects, the Reception Bureau, and Evil God fanatics... That year, the King was bedridden with illness, the successor was inexperienced, and power slipped away, leaving the empire teetering. That year, external forces gathered around the empire, and foreign civilizations eyed it covetously. That year, the prophet delivered a prophecy that the era of civilization was nearing its end. That year, Ethan arrived at a small town on the outskirts of the imperial capital. To survive in this perilous era, he began practicing Fireball Skill. Years later, Ethan looked at the meteor falling from the clouds and realized there was a problem. The beginner Magic he learned seemed a bit off.

"Lin Yi transmigrated into the world of Xianxia and found himself bound with a Supreme Downloading System. For a man who could not be more ordinary, he began his trip to the pinnacle of life. While everyone else worked hard to cultivate, all he needed was to press a button to download it! Be it superior cultivating manuals, superior physiques, spiritual treasures, or elixirs, all Lin Yi needed to do was press download and they would be his. Lin Yi was exasperated. It was not like he did not want to work hard, but the system itself was just too great!"

“CLICK-CLACK. A message notification sound broke the dormitory's silence. The message contained only four characters. Ban Feng, save me!" In order to save a friend's life, Li Banfeng had gone to Platform 96, boarded the 1160 Steam Train, and arrived in Puluo State, which lingered in the steam era. After getting off the train, Li Banfeng felt like he was the most eye-catching man on the platform—truly radiant. He even had the distinct illusion that his body was emitting light. "Mommy, that man has light on him!" said a child behind him. He stood there, frozen. "Sir, what's wrong? Sir? Sir… You haven't been touched by the Heavenly Light, have you?!"

Lu Jingzhi, a bigshot who reached the highest level, transmigrated. As soon as the game started, she found herself in a cottage with three family members. Lu Jingzhi clenched her fists tightly. She wanted to rise! She was a tri-elemental mutant who had control over space and an endless supply of food. Why did she have to starve herself to death in a valley? However... Something was wrong with her mother. What? Did her mother reincarnate? Was she a noble consort in her previous lifetime? There was something wrong with her older sister. What? Was she a female CEO who transmigrated from the future? There was something wrong with her younger sister. What? She also transmigrated here... Lu Jingzhi was overjoyed... If they worked together as a family, the days of eating hot pot and living in a villa wouldn't be too far away! They started hunting, farming, making fruit jam, growing chilis, and opening a tea store... Life was constantly getting better.

Author: Donald Firesmith is the prize-winning author of speculative fiction including The Secrets of Hawthorne House (teen paranormal urban fantasy), the Hell Holes series (alien invasion science fiction), and Magical Wands: A Cornucopia of Wand Lore (fantasy). Named a Distinguished Engineer by the Association of Computing Machinery, he is also the author of 7 technical books in system and software engineering. In his spare time, he crafts one-of-a-kind jeweled magic wands. It was only an old book that the professor found while traveling by train through Scotland. A scholar of medieval history, Professor George Smith was on sabbatical studying Scottish legends and myths when he chanced to meet an aged Scotsman and his granddaughter on their way to her new boarding school in the Isles of Skye. The young girl had accidentally left her book behind, and the professor picked it up meaning to send it on to her. But then he looked inside and discovered it was no ordinary book. It was a school textbook on magic. Could it be real? Could it have actually been left by accident and found by chance? Or was it all an elaborate hoax played on the unsuspecting professor? Did he ever find the secret Isles of Skye School of Magick? Did he ever discover the hidden world of wizards and witches implied by the book's very existence? Or did they find him? The professor vanished soon afterwards, and the answers are unknown. Read the book and decide for yourself. Magical Wands: A Cornucopia of Wand Lore is that textbook from The Isles of Skye School of Magick. The first chapter begins with a basic overview of magic wands followed by an introduction to magical theory including the four planes of existence (Astral, Spectral, Physical, and Daemonic), the five metaphysical elementals (Quintessence, Air, Fire, Earth, and Water), and the three preternatural phases of Light, Twilight, and Darkness. It also contains sets of the commonly used spells associated with each of these elementals and phases. The first chapter then describes the different types of wands, their components, how they are crafted, and how they are used to cast spells. Chapter two teaches the 17 principles of wand making. Chapters three through six comprehensively cover the materials used to make magic wands including magical creatures (both beings and beasts), magical woods, mystical crystals, and mystical metals. Chapter seven documents 26 famous and infamous witches and wizards, their wands, and how well their wands suited their needs. Chapter eight concludes the textbook by nicely summarizing the contents of the entire textbook. Each of the chapters ends with student exercises, the answers of which are included in the back of the textbook which also includes a glossary, references, and afterword by the editor. If you have ever wondered what young witches and wizards actually study in their hidden magic schools, then this book is for you.

One woman was supposed to be a Queen but lost her kingdom and was exiled to a city to be it's City Lord. The other woman lost her chance to become an Empress. Can these two strong women build the city of Tomorrow?

On the land, thorns of steel rise in wild profusion. The grinding roar of interlocking gears shakes the heavens, while black smoke veils the skies. Scorching steam surges through iron pipelines, and supercomputers hum softly alongside the whispered secrets of code cards. Blinding white light traces the passage of time, as red fluids seize the throat of fate. Bolts and rivets stand for justice, calibers and artillery assert their dominion. Steel roars, and blades hiss in reply.

In the bustling streets of Shibuya, Hinagawa's ordinary life takes an unexpected turn when a chance encounter with the enigmatic Nika leads to a fateful encounter with a runaway truck. As he faces the brink of death, a divine intervention by the goddess Celestia offers him a second chance at life—but with a twist. Reborn into a fantastical world of magic, Hinagawa discovers that his new form is not what he expected. Transformed into a sentient wand with the remarkable ability to shape-shift, he can only turn into a girl and a wand grapples with his newfound identity as a girl in this new world. Navigating the challenges of his reincarnated existence, Hinagawa must confront the shadows of his past while embracing the boundless potential of his future. With the guidance of Celestia and the unwavering support of newfound allies, she embarks on an extraordinary journey of self-discovery, courageously defying societal norms and forging her own destiny in a realm teeming with magic, mystery, and the promise of redemption. Yet, as Hinagawa endeavors to unravel the mysteries of his past and carve out a place in this vibrant new world, he must confront the ultimate sacrifice he made to save Nika—a decision that will forever alter the course of his destiny. (Main character) Hinagawa (A.K.A. Hina) - Gender: Female - Age: Aliased as 10, though she is actually younger - Appearance: - Eyes: Sky blue - Hair: Sky blue with two pink flower hair clips on each side, and a matching pink hairpin - Clothing: Wears a navy blue dress with pink dress ties - Second Form: Magic Wand - Description: In her second form, Hina transforms into a magic wand with a pink body and a blue energy core. She can shift into this form with ease. Hinagawa, affectionately known as Hina, is a young girl whose true age is concealed by the alias of being ten years old, though she is, in reality, younger. She has enchanting sky blue eyes and matching sky blue hair adorned with two pink flower hair clips on each side and a matching pink hairpin. Her usual attire consists of a charming navy blue dress accented with pink ties, reflecting her youthful and vibrant personality. Hina possesses a unique ability to transform into a magic wand. In this second form, she takes on the appearance of a wand with a pink body and a blue energy core, a transformation she can accomplish effortlessly.

Noah Kim, a second-year engineering student, has little time for distractions. His world is filled with late-night study sessions, caffeine-fueled deadlines, and the constant pressure of excelling in his rigorous program. But everything changes when he stumbles—literally—into The Roasted Haven, a cozy coffee shop near his university, and meets its enigmatic owner, Elias Carter. Elias, a 30-year-old former corporate worker turned café owner, is everything Noah isn’t—calm, composed, and hiding a mysterious past behind his charming smirk. Drawn into Elias's world of rich espresso, rainy evenings, and stolen glances, Noah finds himself coming back to the café for reasons beyond coffee. As their flirtation deepens into a passionate affair, Noah struggles with his growing emotions and the looming question of what Elias is hiding. When secrets from Elias’s past threaten to tear them apart, Noah must decide—will he walk away, or will he risk everything for the man who has become his greatest temptation? -------------- Excerpt: Noah didn’t know how he ended up in Elias’s apartment above the café, but the heat between them was undeniable. The scent of roasted coffee lingered in the air, mixing with the musk of Elias’s cologne as he pressed Noah against the wooden counter. "You keep coming back," Elias murmured, his fingers tracing Noah’s jaw. Noah swallowed, his heart hammering. "Maybe I like the coffee." Elias chuckled, his breath warm against Noah’s lips. "Liar." And then their mouths crashed together—hot, needy, desperate. Noah gasped as Elias’s hands slid under his hoodie, fingertips skimming the bare skin beneath. Every nerve in his body ignited as Elias lifted him onto the counter, positioning himself between Noah’s legs. "Tell me what you want," Elias whispered, voice low and teasing. Noah shivered. "You." Elias smirked. "Then hold on tight, baby." ------