Tactical Embarrassment

Evening, Day 45 - Ruri

The ancient manuscripts lay open before me, their pages illuminated by enchanted crystals that floated lazily overhead. The sanctuary's library, once just a hidden chamber, had become the heart of our magical research over the past five days. I ran my fingers along the faded text, the pre-Convergence runes tingling with residual magic as I translated for the assembled students.

"The confluence of Arcana and Umbra requires precise channelling techniques," I explained, my voice carrying through the chamber where our magical study group had gathered. "Most practitioners fail because they approach it with rigid thinking, trying to force stability rather than embracing the inherent fluidity between planes."

Fourteen pairs of eyes watched me intently: Andie, Airi, Hiroko, Kazuki, Amakata-sensei, Kurenai, Mei, Miyuki, Mochi, Miyako, Sakura, Yuna, along with Noel and Fryevia. Even Vinera had joined us tonight, her Nyxashi shadow-sense giving her unique insight into portal mechanics.

I stretched, feeling a pleasant soreness from the day's exertions. My silver-patterned ears twitched forward with excitement as I continued the lesson. The Earthlings possessed such fascinating potential, raw and unrefined, yet surprisingly adaptable. Teaching them proper magical theory was like watching flowers bloom in fast motion, their unusual minds grasping concepts that typically took Voluptarians decades to master.

"Five days of intensive study, and still you haven't started building your vehicle," I observed, gesturing to the pile of notes and sketches littering the table. "The ancient texts have consumed you all."

"The portal magic is too important to ignore," Andie replied, his brow furrowed in concentration as he studied a particularly complex diagram. "If we can establish stable connections between locations, our search for Naomi-san would be revolutionised."

"Not to mention the tactical advantages," Miyako added, her gyaru facade completely dropped as she traced rune patterns in the air. "Instant reinforcement, supply lines, emergency evacuation..."

I smiled, delighted by their strategic thinking. "Precisely why proper technique is essential. The cost of failure increases with the potential reward."

The past five days flashed through my mind, a whirlwind of lectures, demonstrations, and practical exercises that had left everyone exhausted but exhilarated.

On the first day, I'd gathered them all in the clearing outside the sanctuary, demonstrating the fundamental stance for channelling Astra magic. "Your body is a conduit," I'd explained, adjusting Hiroko's posture with gentle hands. "Shoulders relaxed, spine aligned with the cosmic flow." I'd moved from student to student, correcting Kazuki's overly rigid stance, guiding Yuna's hands into the proper configuration for runic inscription.

The second day had been devoted to magical theory, the relationship between the nine planes and their subplanes. I'd drawn elaborate diagrams in the air with shimmering lunar light, explaining how Metamagic from the Arcana plane could stabilise contradictory energies from opposing planes.

"Think of it as a diplomatic negotiation," Noel had added helpfully. "Each plane has its own language and customs. Metamagic serves as the translator."

By the third day, we'd expanded our lessons to include others who showed interest or aptitude: Riko with her scribe talents, Hina's dancer's grace giving her natural affinity for magical flow, Yui's herbalist knowledge translating well to elemental work. Haruka, Rina, Nana, Miku, and Hitomi had joined as well, each finding unexpected connections between their existing skills and magical practice.

The fourth day had seen our first attempts at practical spellcasting, simple light orbs and minor elemental manifestations. I'd clapped with delight when Airi successfully maintained an illusion for over five minutes, her natural talent shining through.

And today, our fifth, had been dedicated to more advanced applications, specifically focusing on portal theory and the stabilisation techniques required for the teleportation circle.

"Your greatest challenge," I told them now, bringing my attention back to the present, "is that portal creation requires perfect synchronisation between opposing forces. The Veil Between is neither here nor there; it exists in the liminal space where Umbra and Astra meet."

"Like shadow and light," Vinera observed quietly from her corner.

"Precisely," I nodded, my ears twitching with approval. "Which is why our next practice session is so critical. We need to establish the proper flow between anchors before attempting another full portal."

I rose from my seat, stretching languidly. Several of the Earth males tried not to stare at my curves as I moved, so adorably transparent in their appreciation. I winked at Andie, who promptly looked away, his cheeks colouring slightly.

"Shall we move to the practice area?" I suggested. "The theory is important, but magic lives in the doing, not just the knowing."

We relocated to the cleared space behind the sanctuary that had become our training ground. The night air was cool and crisp, carrying the scent of pine and distant water. I inhaled deeply, feeling the distinctive magical currents of this night.

Above us, the three moons of Voluptaria told their own story. Azura, the largest, had gone completely dark, its new moon phase casting no light upon us. Selune was waning, a slim crescent that offered little illumination. Only Liluna, at first quarter and waxing, provided any significant light, but it was the weakest of the three moons.

"Not an auspicious night for Astra magic," I murmured to Noel, who nodded in understanding.

"Perhaps we should focus on Elementa practices instead?" she suggested.

I shook my head, silver-patterned ears swaying gently. "No, this is perfect. They need to learn how to channel effectively even when conditions aren't ideal. In real situations, we rarely have the luxury of perfect alignment."

I clapped my hands, gathering everyone's attention. "Tonight, we'll practice combat casting, maintaining focus while under pressure. Who would like to demonstrate first?"

After several practice rounds where I paired the students against each other, I decided it was time for a more challenging demonstration.

"Andie," I called, my voice carrying a hint of playful challenge. "Perhaps you'd care to spar with me? Your abilities have grown impressively these past days."

He hesitated only briefly before stepping forward. "I'd be honoured, though I doubt I'll present much challenge."

"Don't underestimate yourself," I purred, taking my position across from him. "Begin with defensive casting only; I'll attack first."

I centred myself, drawing upon my centuries of practice. Even with the moons unfavourable, lunar magic flowed through me like quicksilver. I began with a simple light orb, a distraction tossed toward his eyes. As expected, he deflected it easily, his barrier shimmering into existence with barely a thought.

"Good," I praised, circling him slowly. "Now multiple vectors."

I cast three simultaneous pulses of force, from the front and both sides. His reflexes were impressive; each pulse dissipated against hastily erected shields. The earthlings watching gasped appreciatively.

"Excellent control," I called. "Now, your turn to attack. Nothing lethal, of course."

He nodded, his expression shifting to one of intense concentration. I prepared my defences, curious to see how his unique talents had developed. The shadow-bond with Rurielle had changed his magical signature in fascinating ways, a hybrid of Umbra and Astra that shouldn't theoretically be possible.

As we exchanged increasingly complex magical volleys, my mind wandered to the portal problem. The teleportation circle kept failing because the anchor points weren't achieving proper resonance. Perhaps if we adjusted the runic configuration to account for the shadow influence in Andie's magic...

The momentary distraction was nearly my undoing. Andie had cast something unexpected, a swirling orb of shadow and flame that moved with uncanny intelligence. My eyes widened as I recognised the technique, a miniature version of the forbidden combination we'd discovered in the Whispering Hollow.

"Andie, hold..." I began, but it was too late. The orb accelerated, its trajectory shifting as it sensed my surprise.

With barely a second to react, I swept my arm in a wide arc, channelling pure lunar energy in a desperate counter. The collision was spectacular, far more powerful than I'd anticipated. The resulting explosion sent a shockwave through the clearing, striking a nearby pine tree. The trunk shattered, sending deadly splinters flying in all directions.

"Everyone down!" I shouted, throwing up a hasty barrier around the spectators while simultaneously trying to deflect the wooden shrapnel heading for me. My power stretched thin between the two tasks, and I felt several sharp pains as splinters found their mark in my arms and shoulder.

The force of the magical backlash sent me stumbling backward, my legs suddenly unsteady beneath me. Using so much power with unfavourable moons had drained me more quickly than expected. I swayed, vision momentarily darkening at the edges.

Strong arms caught me before I could fall. Andie's face hovered above mine; concern etched in his features. "Ruri! Are you alright?"

Before I could answer, Noel was at my side, her diplomatic composure giving way to genuine worry. "That's enough for tonight," she announced firmly to the gathered students. "Return to the sanctuary, please. We'll continue tomorrow."

As the others dispersed, murmuring anxiously among themselves, Andie continued to support my weight. His warmth was pleasant against my skin, and despite my exhaustion, I couldn't resist teasing him.

"My, my... it usually takes much more effort to get a man to hold me like this," I purred, though the effect was somewhat diminished by my breathlessness. "Though I appreciate the concern, I'm not as fragile as I appear."

"You're bleeding," he pointed out, indicating the splinters embedded in my skin.

I waved dismissively. "Minor inconvenience. The moons weren't aligned in my favour tonight, that's all. Triple moon convergence was... forty-five days ago? My powers are at their weakest this time of cycle."

"Let me help remove those splinters," he insisted, his infinitely charismatic features set in determination.

"Such a gentleman," I teased, but allowed him to help me to a nearby log where I could sit.

Noel approached with a small medical kit she'd retrieved from her pack. "Here, let me," she said, gently taking my arm and examining the wounds. "You pushed yourself too hard again."

"Worth it for educational purposes," I replied lightly. As Noel worked to remove the splinters, I smiled up at Andie. "You're quite strong, you know. That combination of shadow and flame, very few can manifest it, let alone control it."

His expression darkened. "I wasn't trying to create that. It just... happened."

"The shadow-bond influencing your castings," I nodded. "Fascinating, really. Though perhaps we should work on control before power."

Noel gave me a reproachful look. "You shouldn't have attempted combat casting with unfavourable moons. You know better."

"How old are you two anyway?" Andie asked suddenly, seemingly without thinking. "You talk about centuries like they're decades."

I laughed, the sound like crystal bells in the night air. "My, my, didn't your Miyako teach you it's rude to ask a fine lady her age?" I winked at him, enjoying the blush that crept up his neck. "If you must know, Noel and I have seen over one hundred triple convergences."

His eyes widened. "That's... that's over three hundred years!"

"Give or take a few decades," I confirmed with a playful smile. "We're practically children by Velunari standards. We won't even begin to show our age for another millennium or so."

Noel helped me to my feet, her arm supportive around my waist. "Come, let's get you inside. You need rest."

As we walked back toward the sanctuary, I leaned heavily on Noel, more fatigued than I cared to admit. Once we were out of earshot of the others, she spoke softly.

"You're driving them too hard, Ruri. And yourself harder still."

"They need to be prepared," I replied, my playfulness momentarily setting like the sun. "The portal must work next time. What they discovered in that dungeon, the shadow-flame fusion, it's only the beginning. The Incendiveth experiments grow more dangerous by the day."

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"I know," she sighed. "But you won't help anyone by collapsing from magical exhaustion."

I chuckled weakly. "When did you become the sensible one?"

"I've always been the sensible one," she retorted with a smile. "You've just been too busy flirting with everything that moves to notice."

We reached the entrance to the sanctuary, the stone warm and welcoming after my exertions. Inside, concerned faces turned toward us, but Noel waved them away with practiced diplomatic grace.

"Just a minor incident," she assured them. "Nothing that won't be healed by morning."

As we made our way to my quarters, I found myself thinking of the strange blend of shadow and flame that had manifested in Andie's attack. The implications were troubling, either his control was slipping, or the shadow-bond was growing stronger than anticipated. Either way, our portal research had just become even more urgent.

The three moons continued their silent vigil overhead, indifferent to our mortal concerns, while below, ancient magics stirred and blended in ways not seen since the Convergence itself.

Morning, Day 46 - Andie

I awoke with the memory of last night's magical mishap still fresh in my mind. The image of Ruri swaying on her feet, blood trickling from splinter wounds that I had indirectly caused, made me wince. Even with infinity intelligence and wisdom, I was still finding ways to screw up spectacularly. So much for being maximally smart; apparently, I'd mastered the art of maximum screw-ups instead.

The sanctuary was quieter than usual this morning. Noel had announced that magical training would be suspended for the day to give Ruri time to recover, and everyone else a chance to focus on our vehicle project. Which, admittedly, we'd been neglecting in favour of the fascinating portal research.

After a quick breakfast, I made my way to the outdoor workshop area I'd created using Transform. The space was already buzzing with activity; several groups huddled around workbenches covered with sketches, smartphone references, and partially assembled components.

"Morning," Miyako greeted me, looking up from a detailed engine diagram displayed on her phone. "We're actually making progress today instead of just reading about magic."

"How's Ruri?" I asked, peering over her shoulder at the screen.

"Sleeping it off, according to Noel," she replied. "Apparently using that much power during an unfavourable lunar phase was like running a marathon with weights. She'll be fine, just needs rest."

I nodded, relieved, and turned my attention to the workshop. Kazuki, Sora, and Yuto were hunched over a workbench, comparing notes on internal combustion engine designs. Nearby, Masato was examining metal samples with a critical eye.

What surprised me most was seeing Hitomi and Hina at the centre of it all, confidently directing the engine research efforts. I'd never pegged them as gearheads.

"Wait, you two know about engines?" I asked, approaching their table.

Hitomi grinned. "My dad runs a racing club back home. I've been helping him tune engines since I was twelve."

"And my uncle was big into drifting," Hina added. "Used to let me help rebuild transmissions during summer breaks."

"Why didn't you mention this earlier?" I asked, genuinely impressed.

"You never asked," they replied in unison, then laughed.

I joined their table, where they'd laid out detailed engine component diagrams. "So, what's the plan?"

"Four-stroke internal combustion engine," Hitomi explained, pointing to her sketches. "Simplest reliable design we can manage with available materials. We're thinking aluminium for the pistons if we can get it, cast iron for the block."

"The challenge is machining everything to proper tolerances without modern equipment," Hina added. "Plus, we need to figure out fuel. I'm thinking some kind of alcohol-based solution might work."

Masato approached, holding several metal samples. "I've been examining what we can work with," he said. "The blacksmith job gives me some insight, but I've never attempted anything this precise before."

For the next hour, we pored over engine designs, discussing everything from piston rings to valves to ignition systems. The smartphones proved invaluable, providing access to detailed blueprints and how-to guides that would have been impossible to memorise.

"What about cooling?" Miyako asked, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "We'll need a radiator system."

Yuna, who had been quietly observing until now, suddenly perked up. "What if we used magical runes instead of mechanical systems?" she suggested, her eyes bright with inspiration. "Fire runes could provide the ignition spark, wind runes could handle air intake and exhaust flow, and water runes could maintain cooling."

Kurenai nodded enthusiastically. "We could enchant the components for durability too. Maybe even efficiency enchantments on the pistons to reduce friction."

"And if water is used for cooling," Emi chimed in from where she'd been listening nearby, "the resulting steam could potentially drive a secondary turbine for auxiliary power. When pressure builds enough, it could even supplement the primary crankshaft."

The ideas were flowing freely now, everyone building on each other's suggestions with growing excitement. I could see the Voluptarians watching with a mixture of confusion and fascination. This blending of Earth engineering with Voluptaria magic was clearly novel to them. Talk about culture shock; we were basically reinventing the internal combustion engine while casually discussing enchantments and runes like they were standard components.

Airi suddenly held up her hands. "Hold on, everyone. Let's take a step back. We need a working engine before we start thinking about sustaining cycles and cooling systems. Let's focus on the basics first."

"She's right," Kazuki agreed. "We need to tackle one problem at a time."

"Speaking of basics," Haruka said with a mischievous grin, "an engine needs lubricant to work properly." She turned to me, her eyes twinkling. "And I believe we have someone with a special talent in that department."

It took me a moment to realise what she meant. When I did, I felt my face flush.

"That's right!" Miyako exclaimed, barely containing her laughter. "Time to put those lubricating fingers to use, charismatic chad!"

The entire group burst into laughter at my expense. Even the normally reserved Voluptarians seemed amused, though they probably didn't fully understand the joke.

"Very funny," I muttered, though I couldn't help smiling. "I think we can find conventional lubricants without resorting to... that." I made a mental note to strangle Seven next time we met for giving me these ridiculous abilities.

Over the next several hours, we attempted our first engine prototype. The results were less than encouraging. Our initial design using stone components cracked under pressure. The wooden version didn't even complete a full cycle before splintering apart.

"This isn't working," Hitomi sighed after our third failed attempt. "We need better materials."

I thought for a moment, then pulled out my phone and opened the Bazaar of Wonders app. The divine credit balance still showed an absurdly high number. I quickly scrolled through the available materials and found exactly what we needed.

"I can get us aluminium," I announced. "And high-grade steel for the other components."

The others looked at me in surprise.

"With what money?" Miyako asked, peering over my shoulder at the screen. Her eyes widened when she saw the balance. "What the... how do you have that many credits?!"

"Divine payment for... services rendered," I explained vaguely, not wanting to get into the whole weapon-crafting episode with the Twelve.

"Hey, we all have the Bazaar app," Masato pointed out, pulling out his own phone. "But I've never figured out how to actually use it. The balance always shows zero."

Several others pulled out their phones, checking their own Bazaar apps with curious expressions.

"You need to top it up with local currency," I explained, taking Masato's phone. "See this button here? It lets you deposit Platinum, Gold, Silver, or Copper coins."

I pointed to a tooltip on the screen. "According to this, 1 Divine Credit equals about 1 Platinum in the Solenari trading system. And 1 Platinum equals 100 Gold, 1 Gold equals 100 Silver, and 1 Silver equals 100 Copper."

"So, we need actual coins to buy things?" Hina asked, frowning at her screen.

"Yes, but the exchange rate is pretty good for small items," I continued, showing them the listings. "Clothes cost around 0.0005 DC, and metals range from 0.00005 to 0.000005 DC, depending on the type. The app currently offers steel, iron, aluminium, copper, and bronze."

"What's the catch?" Kazuki asked suspiciously.

I pointed to the fine print. "Once you deposit money, it's locked in the app forever. There's no way to withdraw it. So only deposit what you're planning to spend."

"That's... not ideal," Miyako said, "but at least we have access to materials we couldn't otherwise get."

"I'll place the order for now," I said, quickly selecting the aluminium and steel we needed. "We can figure out a fair way to split costs later."

Within minutes, a shimmering portal appeared beside our workbench, and several ingots of pure aluminium and steel dropped onto the table. The others stared in amazement.

"That's so convenient," Masato breathed, examining the perfect ingots with professional appreciation. "I'm definitely going to start using this for my blacksmith projects."

With proper materials in hand, our progress accelerated dramatically. Masato's blacksmith skills proved invaluable as he worked the metals with surprising precision. Hitomi and Hina directed the assembly process, their mechanical knowledge transforming our theoretical designs into reality.

By late afternoon, we had our first functioning prototype, a small single-cylinder engine that, while not particularly powerful, actually completed multiple cycles without exploding.

"It works!" Yuto exclaimed as the crude crankshaft turned steadily, driven by the controlled explosions within the cylinder.

"Barely," Hitomi qualified, listening critically to the rough running sounds. "It's not producing much torque or horsepower, but the concept is proven."

"Now we can start refining," Hina added. "Better seals, more precise machining, multiple cylinders eventually."

"This is a good start," I agreed. "Kurenai, Yuna, do you think you could start working on those magical enhancements now that we have a basic design?"

They nodded enthusiastically, already discussing rune placements and enchantment sequences.

"Let them handle the refinements," Miyako suggested, taking my arm. "I want to check on Ruri anyway. Coming?"

We left the engine team to their work and headed back inside the sanctuary. On our way to the library, we passed the room where we'd been conducting our portal experiments. I paused, an idea forming.

"Actually, I want to check something," I said, entering the portal room.

The runic circles we'd drawn on the floor remained intact, the complex symbols still charged with residual energy from our previous attempts. I ran my hand over one of the circles, feeling the magical current beneath my fingers.

"Still thinking about teleportation?" Miyako asked, watching me curiously.

"Something Ruri said last night got me thinking," I explained. "About the relationship between personal teleportation and fixed portals."

I began searching through the pile of tomes and scrolls we'd brought from the library for our experiments. After a few minutes, I found what I was looking for, a slim volume bound in midnight blue leather with silver constellations embossed on the cover.

"Personal Translocation Arcana," I read, my Arcane Interface Lenses automatically translating the ancient script. "This might be the missing piece."

Miyako leaned against the wall, crossing her arms. "So instead of focusing on the fixed portal, you want to try personal teleportation first?"

"Exactly," I nodded, quickly scanning the text. "It's like learning to swim before building a bridge. The principles are related, but one is much simpler."

According to the tome, personal teleportation required three key elements: clear visualisation of the destination, a precise runic sequence to stabilise the transition, and sufficient magical power to pierce the Veil Between. The incantation was surprisingly simple, just seven words in an ancient tongue that my Lenses translated phonetically.

"I'm going to try it," I announced, standing in the centre of the room.

"Are you sure that's wise?" Miyako asked, concern evident in her voice. "After what happened with Ruri last night..."

"This is different," I assured her. "Single-person teleportation is much more stable than creating a fixed portal. Besides, I have infinity intelligence and wisdom, remember?" I added with a self-deprecating smile.

"Which apparently doesn't prevent you from making questionable decisions," she retorted, but stepped back to give me space.

I closed my eyes and visualised a location I knew well, the back room of the adventurer's guild in Crossroads. I'd spent enough time there organising quest boards and verification systems that I could recall every detail perfectly. With the destination fixed in my mind, I traced the required rune in the air and spoke the incantation.

The sensation was unlike anything I'd experienced before, a momentary feeling of dissolution, as if my body had turned to mist, followed by a rapid reassembly. When I opened my eyes, I found myself standing exactly where I'd envisioned, the guild's back room.

Several staff members looked up in surprise at my sudden appearance.

"Andie!" One the Solenari staff exclaimed. "Where did you come from?"

"Just testing something," I explained with a grin. "Don't mind me."

Before they could question me further, I visualised the portal room back at the sanctuary, performed the same runic gesture, and spoke the incantation again. The dissolving sensation returned, and moments later, I rematerialised in front of a wide-eyed Miyako.

"It worked!" I exclaimed triumphantly.

"Show-off," she muttered, but she was smiling. "So, what does this mean for our portal project?"

"I'm not sure yet," I admitted. "Let's try setting up the fixed portal again using this new knowledge."

We spent the next hour attempting to establish a stable connection between two points in the room, using the personal teleportation principles as a guide. Despite my success with individual translocation, the fixed portal continued to fail. The runic circles would glow promisingly, energy would build between them, but the connection would collapse before stabilising.

"I don't understand," I said, frustration mounting after our fifth failed attempt. "If I can teleport myself, why can't we establish a fixed portal?"

"Maybe it's not about the technique," Miyako suggested. "What if it's about the casters?"

I looked at her questioningly.

"You have infinity intelligence and wisdom," she pointed out. "But when we try to create the portal, you're working with me, and I don't have your stats."

"That... actually makes sense," I realised. "The portal requires both anchor points to be equally stable."

"Exactly. So, what if we need people with similar magical potential at both ends?"

I considered this. "Let's gather everyone with magic-related jobs and test your theory."

Within the hour, we'd assembled a group of our most magically inclined classmates: Airi, Hiroko, Kazuki, Mei, Miyuki, Mochi, Sakura, and Yuna. I also invited Ruri (who had recovered enough to join us), Noel, Fryevia, and Vinera.

"Here's what we're going to try," I explained, showing them the personal teleportation tome. "Before attempting the fixed portal again, let's see who can master individual teleportation. My theory is that those who can teleport themselves might have the necessary magical affinity to help establish a stable portal."

I demonstrated the technique again, this time teleporting to the empty male onsen chamber and back. Unfortunately, my visualisation was slightly off on the return trip, and I materialised in the female onsen instead, which was very much occupied.

The resulting chaos involved screams, thrown washcloths, and me fleeing for my life as several irate bathers pursued me down the corridor. So much for infinity intelligence; I couldn't even visualise the right bathroom. This is why I preferred going solo in games; less chance of team-killing your own party with stupidity.

"That went well," Miyako commented dryly when I returned, red-faced and slightly damp.

After that embarrassing mishap, we proceeded more cautiously with the others. Each participant attempted the teleportation technique with varying degrees of success. Airi, Hiroko, Mei, and Sakura from our Earth group succeeded in short-distance jumps. Among the Voluptarians, only Ruri and Noel could perform the technique consistently.

"So, six out of twelve can teleport," I summarised, noting the results. "What do they have in common?"

We compared stats and abilities, looking for patterns. The most obvious correlation was high intelligence and wisdom scores, particularly among Ruri and Noel, who performed the technique most effortlessly.

"Maybe there's something to Miyako's theory," I admitted. "If we pair those with similar magical potential at each anchor point..."

A loud explosion from outside interrupted our discussion. We rushed out to find the engine team standing around a smoking contraption, their faces blackened with soot but expressions triumphant.

"We did it!" Hitomi announced, wiping grime from her forehead. "Triple the power output of the first version!"

"And it only exploded a little," Hina added cheerfully.

As I watched them immediately begin reassembling the engine with improvements, I couldn't help but smile. For all our magical research and portal experiments, sometimes the most impressive achievements were the simplest ones, getting an engine to run, even if it occasionally exploded.

"I think I need to focus on one project at a time," I said to no one in particular. "Multi-tasking isn't really helping anything."

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across our workshop as Earth ingenuity and Voluptaria magic continued their delicate dance, each challenging the limits of the other in ways neither world had seen before.