Chapter 18: Invention (1)
Braster Sallow currently resided in his office. He had his own space where he conducted his business and settled issues. The place had gone unused for years, but now that the Duke and his family had been forced to reside here for about a year, it was heavily lived in. The Duke tried to stay as organized as possible, but it became too much in between his meetings with King and council. He's been stuck here dealing with politics for too long.
Oslo was the one who managed any missives from back home and often took up roles organizing whatever Braster couldn't handle. Trisha spent most of her time out rubbing shoulders with other nobles. It took a lot of willpower to attend so many meaningless tea parties. It was a service the Duchess performed in order to keep up to date and not be blindsided by anything. It wasn't like they were all dreadful. There were a few in her personal circle that she got along with swimmingly.
With the pregnancy, she would have to host more gatherings from the mansion instead of going out. Braster wanted to get her home and out of this accursed capital filled with danger. It was much more unstable than it appeared. Things were more than hectic with the skirmishes creating turmoil along the southern desert borders and the winter savages raiding his own Dukedom. He left his Knight Commander in charge of the territory for now, but Braster's place was in his Dukedom. His family's place was in the Dukedom.
Braster realized he had wrinkled a document in his clenched fist. Sighing, he relaxed his grip.
A knock at the door.
"Come in."
Braster was expecting Oslo to return by now with more papers to sign. However, to his delight surprise, it was his son! Braster actually felt the corners of his mouth leveling and even turning slightly upwards.
"Are you busy, Father?"
"Not at all. What is it, Bellavarn? Also, the staff seems much more comfortable around you. Well done."
Trisha had been attached to his shoulder, speaking about how outgoing and proactive Bellavarn had been lately. A proud mother makes a proud father.
"It was about time I stopped hiding. I think I'm able to remember everyone's names now. But I had a concern."
"Oh?"
"Do we employ any blacksmiths or crafters?"
"Hm. Not in the capital. The Astor House mostly runs a monopoly on both crafters and trading. Most of our blacksmiths are back home producing cold iron blades. Why? Did you want something commissioned?"
Bellavarn nodded. He stepped over with a small drawing board and handed it to Braster.
"Yes. I've come up with a preliminary design for a new magic tool, and I wanted to discuss specifics with a professional."
Braster accepted the board. It held a few papers that had the appearance of schematics. Shaded illustrations complete with dimensions and multiple views displayed an odd, rounded, three-pronged object.
"And what does this do?"
Braster caught his son smirking proudly.
"If I can get some prototypes and etch the magic circles correctly... It is a device that spins."
Braster raised an eyebrow. Starting simple was good, but the cost would outweigh the benefits. Magical tools are four times as expensive as normal alternatives. His list of questions was wrapped in a single word.
"Spins?"
Bellavarn shone.
"Yes. A handheld toy enchanted to accept mana from a recipient. In return, it spins. It is simple. Too simple. I don't know why no one ever thought of it..."
"Care to explain fully, son?"
"Ah, sorry. So, I thought of a problem—magic capacity. Different individuals are born with different capacities. What if there was a way to grow that magical pool. By exercising, one gains muscle. If someone 'exercises' their magical capabilities, their magical capacity will grow. This tool is designed to be reusable and an easy outlet for mana without it getting out of control."
Braster quirked his eyebrows. The explanation could use restructuring, but this invention had the potential to be revolutionary. The way most nobles expanded their mana pools was through combat and sparring. This was an incredibly safer alternative. Such a simple device?
"That's not all. I have three options in mind. The one on the first page will be sold to the masses as a children's toy. It can help develop latent talent while they are young while also being placed with restrictions as not to overburden their systems. The second is the standard option. It only differs in that it allows more strenuous exercises. This can be sold to anybody. The third is my exclusive project."
Braster flipped the pages and noted the subtle differences. The last page was much more detailed.
"This last one will not only be a training tool. It will be a hidden weapon."
"A weapon?"
"Yes! Imagine! A normal tool distributed to the masses and even to children, no one would expect a harmless training instrument to be lethal. I believe I can up the frequency of the device to emit a miniscule edge as it spins. It can then be used as a type of sickle or throwing star."
"People will find out the potential to weaponize it if we start using it as such."
"I plan to keep it a Sallow exclusive item and only give it to select individuals who are able to use it properly. I will give one to Kerv during the testing phase. My countermeasure in stopping from being reproduced is to carve the spell shapes myself. They can't be activated without approval from my spell signature or the recipients. The advanced version can't be reverse-engineered that way. The mass-produced one may be copied in time, but that will only help the populace as a whole, and we can demand royalties."
Bellavarn sucked in a breath before finishing.
"In the meantime, we rake in a massive new cashflow."
Braster had to lean back. Bellavarn outdid himself. Hells, Bellavarn outdid Braster and everyone Sallow before him. He looked at his son, who was currently beaming with pride.
"How long have you been cooking this up?"
"The preliminary idea came to me about two weeks after Melody, when I started requesting books on magical theory and crafting. I only just came up with a plausible concept now. It still isn't feasible without a testing phase, though."
"In just over a month, you came up with a fresh idea that can change the entire world while also increasing the worth of our house?"
Bellavarn fidgeted.
"Well. Yeah."
Braster slammed his hand on the table and roared with laughter. He let it last long and well. His son was a genius! Where had he been hiding this all along?
"Amazing! I've never been more proud of you. What do you need to get started?"
Bellavarn blushed a bit and scratched the back of his head; his hair had grown out a bit more in the past month, swaying past his ears.
"Just a blacksmith. I was hoping you had some ideas of who we could hire without the invention getting out to the Astors. I don't want to wait to get home to start this."
"Of course. Oslo probably has a list of people. I can give you funds to pick out someone yourself, for now. Mass production can be started once we get home. I don't expect us to stay in the Captial longer than another month. I will petition the King himself if need be."
Bellavarn gave a charming smile, happier than he's ever been.
"Thanks. I'll speak with him and take Kerv out to meet someone at the soonest."
Braster handed the drawing board back and laughed one more time.
"Is that laughter I hear? From my husband of all people?"
"Trisha."
"Mother?"
Trisha appeared in the doorway. Her long blond hair waved along with an icy blue dress. Roughly three months pregnant, the bump on her bell had just moved past subtle. Behind her was Parcy, one of her personal attendants.
"What were you discussing that made Braster laugh like that. I haven't made him laugh like that since..."
She let herself trail off. Braster chuckled lightly, moving around his desk and slapping a hand on Bellavarn's shoulder.
"Just that our son is a genius."
"What? Dad..."
Bellavarn drew out the word like he was a child all over again. Trisha's smiled at her son changing color.
"I've always known that. I don't know what took you so long, Braster."
Braster started their wordless communication again, leaving Bellavarn to simmer. When he couldn't take it anymore, he spoke.
"What brings you here, mother?"
"Oh? You call Braster, dad, but don't call me mom? How about mommy? Like you used to..."
"Mother..."
"Ah, fine. I was actually searching for you, Bellavarn. I heard a rumor that you mentioned not minding being paired off by me? Was that true?"
Her mother's voice was playful and dangerous. Her smile was false; a masquerade meant to hide cruel and evil intentions. Witch! Trickster! Demon! No. Bellavarn had to run. Oh, but his mother blocked the only escape route.
Bellavarn took a step back, hitting the desk and knocking over a scroll. Braster looked at the situation and decided to retreat, lest he becomes a needless casualty.
"I'll leave you two to talk."
Braster slipped past his wife and Parcy, making a hasty withdrawal. Bellavarn gulped. His father was just preaching his genius, and now he abandoned Bellavarn? Traitor!
"Aha. Ha. Mother. Please. It was only jest. I swear."
He didn't like the twinkle in her eye.
"Are you sure? Parcy swears it was the truth. That you would accept being set up by your mother."
"Ha. Hahah. No. No. I said... What did I say?"
Bellavarn trailed off. The memory of his exact words escaping him under pressure. He remembered the book he discussed with Parcy but not his previous words. Looking over the Duchess's shoulder, he saw Parcy cover her mouth with a hand, preventing herself from smiling.
It was an ambush. Where was Kerv when you needed him!
Bellavarn let out a heavy sigh. Defeated.
"Haaaa... Alright. You win. You can... You-you can set up a lunch date. Nothing more!"
The Duchess clapped her hands together and smiled toothily.
"Wonderful! I have just the person in mind. You'll have a great time! Parcy, set aside that special tea I received from Lady Wyre. Make a note to purchase some flowers, chocolates, perfume, streamers, and-"
A whimper escaped his throat as he watched all his hopes being dashed.
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