[Progress]
Thankfully, despite that rather worrying encounter in the alley, Tanya was not thrust into yet another life or death situation that demanded her immediate attention. In fact, life seemed to continue much the same for her.
True to her word, she returned to Krov’s shop when the artificer sent word. Just a few days after she and Tanya reached their agreement, the woman got the blessing of her goddess to pursue work on their business venture. Judging by Krov’s enthusiasm at the prospect, it had been a very enthusiastic blessing indeed. Krov was quite possible the most excited that Tanya had ever seen her, and that was saying something considering the woman's usual demeanor when they were together.
A week or so after that meeting, Tanya was contacted again, this time by way of the woman herself showing up to the Hostess far earlier than even Tanya deigned to rise. She had finished the placeholder/prototype that she had promised Tanya and Tanya, despite the fact the water for her morning coffee hadn't even had the chance to warm, followed her to Babel to see the results.
And that was how Tanya found herself standing in a dusty shop before the sun had even risen, staring at a bundle wrapped in burlap that had been placed in her hands with the reverence of some holy text. Krov gazed at her excitedly from underneath soot-stained lashes, practically vibrated with excitement. Or perhaps that was the sleep deprivation. It was abundantly clear that the woman had not slept for at least twenty-four hours.
"Like I said, it's just a prototype so don't be too hard on it, alright? It's nothing close to the little beauty you let me study but I think it's getting there."
Tanya carefully unwrapped the bundle, eying the device as it was revealed. It was similar in shape to her Type 95, but that was about where the similarities ended. The housing was made of some kind of silver alloy rather than brass and the ruby-colored jewel that housed all the delicate instruments had been traded for a much more opaque piece the same color and shade as a sapphire.
"I couldn't manage to properly emulate the four core setup that your previous one had; it was just too unstable to properly function. The fact that the designer even managed to make it functional is a miracle I wasn't able to copy." Krov rambled. She gestured to a spot on the orb jewel where the internal mechanisms just barely managed to peek through. "To that end, I went with a dual core system with a third core just in case one of the other two get overloaded. It's smaller and slightly weaker, but it should function well enough as a fallback. I know it's not ideal but I should be able to improve on the design in the future."
Tanya bit back a incredulous chuckle at the dissatisfaction in the woman's voice. She didn't seem to realize what she had done. Reverse engineering the Type 95 was a task that most accomplished engineers would balk at, yet here the woman had produced a workable prototype in such a short amount of time. Tanya may have just stumbled upon a generational talent. Assuming this thing worked, of course.
Tanya ran her fingers over the length of the device, mildly impressed by how smooth it was, as if it had been factory pressed rather than molded by the hands of a worker. Krov watched her with barely-hidden nervousness, awaiting the final verdict as Tanya poured over her work.
"It's heavy," Tanya noted. Her Type 95 had weighed around a pound or so, but this was noticeably denser. Wearing this around her neck would be a challenge. They would have to design a specialized holster or mount to ensure that it didn't shift during high-mobility combat. Breaking an active connection had rather nasty side effects.
Krov looked ready to explode. "Just... just try it! Please!"
Taking pity on the woman, Tanya lifted the prototype to her neck and let it fall. The chain dug into the back of her neck just so, slightly uncomfortable but bearable, at least for a short stint.
Nothing happened immediately, but then, Tanya didn't really expect it to. She concentrated and reached in the back of her magical formula that she plied countless times during the war. Without a proper vector, the formula was practically impossible to maintain for any length of time as the mental processing required would render even the most skilled mage incompetent in any real sense. But if Krov's work was quality...
The prototype hummed against her chest. Gears turned and circuits flashed with mana as the computations cascaded through reality. It wasn't quite the same as her Type 95 or in fact, any vector she'd used before, but it worked. Krov's orb glowed, and Tanya's feet lifted off of the ground.
Krov made a strangled noise, her eyes going wide as saucers as Tanya rose above the shelves and touched the ceiling. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. "You're flying!"
Tanya ignored her, focusing on the spell. The flight was shaky but she quickly adjusted for the differences. Within moments, she had stabilized herself, hovering a few feet off the ground with relative ease.
Satisfied that the basic flight functionality was sound, Tanya prepared another spell. She unsheathed her saber, letting the computation orb handle the brunt of the formula as she channeled a Mage Blade. The blade of her saber glowed with faint magical energy, as the spell took hold. The orb warmed against her chest, the sensation felt vaguely through the leather, but both spells held.
I could probably manage one more simple formula before encountering an issue, Tanya noted as she dipped and floated across the store. Any more than that, and I'd risk overworking it.
Tanya allowed the Mage Blade to dissipate and lowered herself back to the shop floor, her boots touching down with a soft click. She reached up and lifted the prototype from her neck, turning it over in her hands one more time before looking up at Krov who was still staring at the spot Tanya had been hovering.
"Krov."
The artificer blinked, shaking herself out of her stupor. "That... that was incredible!"
"It worked better than I'd expected," Tanya said, holding the device out to her. "You've done excellent work, Krov. Truly."
Krov stared at her for a moment before a grin split her face, wide and unrepentantly delighted. She waved her hands dismissively, though her cheeks flushed with pleasure at the praise.
"Thank you! Hearing you say that means a lot." She pushed Tanya's hands back when the blonde tried to return the prototype. "No, no, you keep that one. Come back in a couple of days or even a week and tell me how it holds up. I'm confident it'll work fine, but it's best to catch any faults in the early stages."
Tanya raised a brow. "Using me as a guinea pig, are you?"
"Yes," Krov said, grinning without a single ounce of shame. "I don't have magic or skills that aren't related to my work and I can't cast any of those fancy spells the elves use. You're the perfect test subject." She winked. "And I get the feeling that you wouldn't want to sell something that isn't up to your personal standards, anyway."
Tanya met her gaze for a long moment, then tucked the prototype into her coat. "You're right about that. Very well, I'll return once I've put it through it's paces."
Tanya paused, glancing down at the device as a thought occurred to her. "What about material costs? If we're going to produce these in any meaningful quantity, we need to keep expenses reasonable."
Krov wiped her hands on her apron, still riding the high of her success. "This one wasn't too expensive, actually. The sapphire core is the priciest component, but I've already got some ideas on how to cut that down. The silver alloy is cheap enough, and most of the internal mechanisms can be standardized if I refine the process." She held up a finger, ticking off points. "Give me a few more iterations and I can probably bring the cost down by half. Maybe more."
"And the selling price?"
"Well, that depends on how much you think people would pay for a one-of-a-kind focus that they can't get anywhere else. Scarcity warrants a premium, no?"
It was here that Tanya was reminded that for all her eccentricities, Krov was still a business woman. A sharp smile split Tanya's lips. "So I hear."
As the two of them exchanged hungry smiles, the door to the shop swung open, a tall figure stepping through with heavy footfalls. Positioned facing away from the door, Tanya only had the chance to view Krov's surprised reaction to the new arrival, before a voice split the air. Lilt, yet powerful and commanding.
"So you're my child's prospective business partner."
Tanya turned. The goddess---for what else could she be?---was tall and lithe, with crimson hair cascading in waves down to her chin. Her expression was stony, her right eye covered by an eyepatch while the left bore into Tanya like an amber spyglass, dissecting her in a moment.
"L-Lady Hephaestus! I wasn't expecting you." Krov stammered. Hephaestus' good eye turned to her, and the woman's lips tilted with a soft smile.
"I just thought I'd drop by and see how things were going. It's not every day one of my children go into business for themselves," her eye slid back to Tanya. "Especially not peddling such unique wares."
there was a beat, before Krov cleared her throat. "This is Tanya Degurechaff. She's the one who provided the original design we're working from."
Hephaestus hummed and stepped forward, her single amber eye sweeping over Tanya with clear scrutiny. "You're quite young."
"I've been told."
"And you don't possess a Falna."
"Also correct."
"Fascinating," the woman breathed, stepping around to Tanya's side as if to examine her from all angles. "I can't say I've ever seen an unblessed human child fly around as you just did. But then, I've never seen one beat a Level Two in single combat either. You're quite interesting."
Krov blanched, her head whipping toward Tanya in surprise as if this was the first time she was hearing this. Tanya didn't look at the artificer, eying the goddess currently inspecting her. "Please tell me you don't intend on developing some strange fascination with me as well. There's been quite enough of that going around."
Hephaestus chuckled dryly. "I can't say I do. I only wanted to check out the mysterious girl that my child simply could not stop gushing about. Her talents are quite singular. I'd hate for her to be taken advantage of."
There was a warning there, but Tanya remained calm. "I'm not one to scam myself out of a potential investment. Krov is quite talented. It's just a shame that nobody else seemed to notice until I came along. But it's their loss."
Hephaestus eyed Tanya for a long moment. In the background, Krov wrung her hands together nervously. Eventually, the goddess gave a slow now. "Yes, I suppose it is."
Hephaestus turned her attention to Krov, her expression softening. "You've got a great opportunity here. I'll be watching your progress with great interest."
Krov straightened, a wide smile splitting her face. "I'll do my best, Lady Hephaestus!"
The goddess smiled softly, before turning and leaving the shop without ceremony. After she was gone, Krov let out a long breath. :I was worried there for a second. It's not every day that your goddess decides to pay you a visit. I thought I was in trouble."
"She seems reasonable enough," Tanya noted, eying the door.
"Lady Hephaestus wants nothing but the best for her children," Krov agreed, pushing herself upright again. "She can be a little intense sometimes. It makes me feel like I'm getting in trouble with my mom or something."
"Hm." Tanya hummed, before turning and making for the door. "I'll return in a few days. Assuming nothing explodes between now and then, I'll have a report written up for you."
"Nothing's going to explode!" Krov called after her, offended. Then, quieter, "Probably."
How reassuring.
Azalea stomped through the dimly-lit street, stepping over cracks and potholes in the poorly maintained road as she strode up to the large manor just ahead. She slammed the door open without any preamble, scaring a man who had been lingering just nearby into falling on his ass.
Azalea barely registered the man's startled yelp as she stepped over him, her boots tracking mud across dark, expensive wood. Eyes watched her as she stepped up to the stairs, and another man tried to stop her by stepping into her oath.
"Hold on, Azalea. He said he doesn't want to be disturbed."
Azalea grabbed him by the shoulder and shoved him to the side hard enough that he slammed into the wall. He slumped to the ground, clutching the limb. "Fuck off."
She didn't look at him as she ascended the stairs. The hallway at the top was long and lined with closed doors, illuminated by light streaming in from the windows. Azalea made for the door at the end of the hall, her footfalls rattling the paintings on the wall with every step.
The door was unlocked which was good because with the force she shoved it open with, she probably would have broken it otherwise. Even still, it slammed into the wall with a jarring thud.
The room beyond was sparkly but tastefully furnished. A bed, desk, and small sitting area filled the space. At the far end, a large, stained-glass window dominated the wall, fractals of colored light streaming across a high-backed chair and the figure seated within.
He barely looked up as she approached, his golden eyes flickering to meet her before dropping back down to his book. "Azalea Quinn. Back so soon?"
"Update my status," she demanded, stripping her cloak and tossing it to the floor.
The man turned a page, unbothered by her tone. "Rather impatient, aren't you?"
"I said update my status," Azalea repeated through gritted teeth, her hands balling into fists at her sides.
The God in the chair finally set his book aside and looked up. His pale face and dark hair were painted in the colors of the window behind him. His eyes seemed to glow in the shadows of his features, watching her in that profound way that always made her feel like shit.
"My dear Azalea," he said slowly. "You asked for the same just a few days ago. Has something changed in the interim that would warrant another update so soon?"
"I've been busting my ass all week. I made it to the fourteenth floor by myself today. That's gotta be worth something."
"Impressive progress." He gestured languidly toward the bed. "Lay down."
Azalea did as he asked, stripping off her shirt and laying face first on the bed.
The God rose from his chair and crossed the room to where Azalea lay with languid steps. The bed dipped as he sat upon it, before a sheet was pressed against her back, and a warmth spread beneath her skin
"You've been pushing yourself rather hard," he observed. "The fourteenth floor is no small feat for a Level One."
"I told you," Azalea growled into the mattress. "I've been busting my ass."
"Indeed you have." A pause, before a sheet of paper was placed just in front of her. "And it seems your efforts have borne fruit."
Azalea straightened, snatching the paper he held out to her with wide, eager eyes. Dhe scanned the sheet, drinking in the numbers and letters, and a wide smile split her scarred face as she saw jt.
Azalea Quinn:
Level Two
Azalea's breath caught in her throat. Her hands tightened around the paper, the edges crumpling under her grip. A laugh bubbled up from somewhere deep in her chest, rough and jagged and not entirely sane.
"Fucking finally!"
Azalea sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the paper in her hands as if it might vanish if she blinked. Level Two. After weeks of grinding through the Dungeon's upper floors, enduring cuts and bruises and near-death encounters with monsters that should have killed her, she had finally done it.
The God behind her leaned back, watching her reaction with that infuriating calm of his. "Satisfied?"
"Getting there," Azalea said, still grinning. She set the paper down and pulled her shirt back on, rolling her shoulders. Everything felt lighter now.m. Like the weight she'd been dragging around since her exile had finally started to shift.
"Good." He picked his book up from the side table, brushing dust from the cover. "Then perhaps we can discuss why you've come barging into my room like a feral animal instead of knocking like a civilized person."
"Civilized," she snorted. "I barely even know what that word means."
"So I've noticed," He turned a page. "Now. Was there something else?"
Azalea's grin faded. "Yeah. There's something else. When are we going after the Little Bitch? I'm Level Two now. I can actually fight her on even footing. So when do we do this?"
"All in due time, my dear Azalea."
"That's not an answer," she snapped.
"It is, in fact, the only answer that matters." He rose from his chair and moved to the window, his back to her. The light caught the edges of his silhouette, framing him in a halo of fractured color. "You've made admirable progress. Truly. Reaching Level Two in such a short timeframe speaks to your... Let's call it determination."
"However," He glanced over his shoulder, a faint smile playing at his lips. "The fact remains that you are not ready."
Azalea swung her legs off the bed and stood, her fists balled at her sides. "The hell I'm not. I'm Level Two now. She doesn't even have a Falna. I could—"
"You could what?" He turned to face her fully, and the smile was gone. "Charge into that tavern and challenge her? Make a scene that draws the attention of every god in Orario who has taken an interest in her?" He tilted his head. "Even with the odds stacked in your favor, you would lose."
Azalea's teeth ground together. "You don't know that."
"I know more than you can comprehend." He stepped toward her, and despite the fury coursing through her veins, Azalea found herself taking a half-step back. His presence was suffocating when he wanted it to be. "The girl you are so eager to destroy has survived things that would have broken lesser souls. She has been tested in fires far hotter than anything you have ever experienced, and she emerged from them sharper for it. A mere level up will not bring you closer to her level."
Azalea's jaw tightened, her nails biting into her palms hard enough to leave crescents in the skin. The fury that had been her constant companion since her exile boiled in her gut, but beneath it, something colder squirmed. Doubt. She hated it.
"Then what am I supposed to do?" The words came out quieter than she intended, stripped of their earlier bite. She hated that too.
The God regarded her for a long moment, his golden eyes unreadable. Then he turned back to the window.
"You shall train," he said simply. "You shall grow. You shall learn. You shall become something she cannot dismiss, cannot outmaneuver, cannot humiliate. You shall have patience."
"I'm not a patient person."
"No. You are not." He agreed. "But you will learn to be. Because I am asking you to."
Azalea stood rigid, her chest rising and falling with controlled breaths.
"...Fine," she ground out at last. "But I'm not waiting forever."
"Of course not." He returned to his chair, retrieving his book. "Now. I believe you have a Dungeon to return to. Rest assured, my child, we will take action when the time is right. And not a moment sooner."
With a sharp nod, she stormed out of the room. The God watched her go, his eyes lidded. And as his eyes returned to his book once more, he muttered to himself, "Failure cannot be afforded. Not this time.”