A Wild Man Has Entered the Academy

The first place Don and I headed to was none other than Jane’s Workshop.

It was a chance to check on the progress and also indulge Don’s childhood curiosity—killing two birds with one stone.

When I told Don we were going to see steel dolls, ones that could even move, he was brimming with excitement.

It seemed like robots were universally appealing to kids, especially boys, across all times and places. This was rather fascinating.

‘Well, I’m no different.’

Ah. Now that I think about it, Jane’s Workshop has been relocated.

Thanks to my investment, it was upgraded to a much better facility, and materials could now be supplied more smoothly.

I heard that during her impoverished days, she used to gather metal scraps from a blacksmith or collect junk.

Even with just that, she managed to create steel suits, proving how extraordinary her genius truly is.

‘I heard she’s also assisting Godin’s research. That’s intriguing too.’

Moreover, Godin, having recognized her genius, was offering her his support.

In return, Jane was likely helping with Godin’s research as well. It was a mutually beneficial relationship.

Some people say graduate students willingly walk into hell, but she seems to enjoy it.

In fact, she mentioned that exploring an unfamiliar field was proving to be highly beneficial. Both of them are geniuses, so it seems they connect on that level.

“Mister.”

“Not mister. Call me hyung.”

“What do you usually do for fun, hyung?”

The new location of Jane’s Workshop was a bit far, so Don and I chatted along the way.

At five years old, his curiosity was at its peak. Everything was fascinating and full of wonder to him.

Hearing Don’s question, I pondered for a moment before answering.

“The forest.”

“The forest? Do you go exploring in the forest?”

“Something like that.”

“Wow! Just like me?”

Yeah. I suppose it’s similar.

But for me, hunting is the main activity, whereas for Don, it would be more about collecting things.

If he wanted, I wouldn’t mind taking him to the forest, though I’d mostly be watching over him.

“Then let’s go together later. I know a secret passage.”

“A secret passage?”

“Yep! I’ll tell you where it is later. But for now, I want to see the steel doll.”

Ah, he must be talking about the dog hole. As I mentioned before, Don knows about a dog hole that leads to the forest.

Even though entry to the Forest of Chaos is prohibited, Don isn’t allowed in anyway because of his age.

But no amount of restrictions can suppress a child’s overwhelming curiosity. He found the dog hole and sneaks in and out as he pleases.

‘There’s no point in trying to stop him.’

He’d just find another dog hole somewhere else. Blocking them all would be exhausting.

In other words, it highlights how lax the Academy’s defenses are.

Thankfully, leaving it unchecked doesn’t really change much, but measures should still be taken for safety.

“Here we are.”

“Is this the place?”

“Yep.”

After chatting with Don while walking, we finally arrived at Jane’s Workshop.

Previously, you could hear the sound of hammering as you approached her workshop, but not anymore.

Now, it was more like a faint buzzing sound. I quietly opened the door and peeked inside.

Buzz! Crackle!

Sparks flew vividly, accompanied by a small, sharp noise.

Jane was working, wearing a mask to protect her face and eyes.

From the description alone, you might have guessed—she wasn’t hammering but welding.

You might wonder why welding exists in this era, but it’s actually a form of magic.

I’d like to explain it in detail, but it would take too long, so let’s just call it fantasy.

“Phew······”

Jane paused her welding and removed her protective mask. Her blue hair, drenched in sweat, clung to her face.

She inspected her work carefully, but perhaps sensing our presence, she looked over at us.

“Hmm? Ah! You’re here!”

Upon spotting me, Jane greeted me with a genuinely delighted expression and tone.

I waved back at her warmly. As for Don’s reaction······

“Wow. She’s a pretty noona.”

“··· ···”

This kid is already showing signs of trouble. To be fair, Jane is quite pretty, even without trying.

Besides, kids are naturally incapable of lying. Being honest isn’t a bad thing.

Above all, that kind of reaction is just a simple expression of fondness. The same way he acts toward me.

“What brings you here today? Is there something you’d like me to do?”

“Not really. Just came to check. How’s the progress?”

“It’s going well! Please, come this way!”

Perhaps because she could now freely pursue her inventions, Jane’s voice was extremely cheerful.

No, it wasn’t just cheerful—it was overflowing with happiness. Her expression showed it all.

I followed Jane but paused for a moment. Looking back, I saw Don curiously examining the workshop.

Maybe it was because he was a child, but he seemed fascinated by the place. The workshop was somewhat confined and had a unique smell.

“Don.”

“Yeah?”

“Come here.”

When I called him, Don obediently followed, lightly grabbing onto my pants.

Despite his mischievous side, he was still just a kid. It was natural for him to feel uneasy in an unfamiliar place.

‘And yet, this same kid roams the forest so freely.’

I gently guided Don as I followed Jane. Along the way, I checked what she had been working on.

Judging by the chest-like shape, it seemed she was crafting the torso section. Even creating a prototype appeared to take a long time.

That was only natural. This world’s engineering was still underdeveloped. The gap between Earth’s and this world’s technological progress was immense.

While magic could fill in some of the gaps, it was still insufficient. What was needed now was patience.

“Ugh······ Here!”

Before long, Jane came over, struggling to carry something. It appeared to be a pair of boots made of steel.

Unlike the sleek designs seen in movies, these looked a bit bulky. But that made them seem incredibly sturdy.

“These are the boots I made. Thanks to Professor Godin, I was able to complete them a bit faster.”

“Godin?”

“Yes. He helped ensure the mana and the boots’ functions were compatible.”

I didn’t fully understand what she meant, but it seemed Godin’s advice had been invaluable. I carefully examined the steel boots.

Meanwhile, Don had been wandering around the workshop but now tugged on my pants, as if he had something to say.

When I turned to look, Don asked with wide, curious eyes.

“Where is it? The moving steel doll.”

“Ah.”

Come to think of it, it wasn’t finished yet. I had assumed Jane would whip it up in no time.

Feeling a bit flustered, I glanced at Jane. She seemed equally embarrassed and replied hesitantly.

“Well······ It’s not fully developed yet, so there’s no completed model. But if you give me some time······”

“It’s fine. Take your time.”

“So, there’s none?”

He’s quick to catch on at times like this. I was at a loss for words in the face of Don’s sharp question.

But there was something even more impressive than the steel doll. As Don puffed his cheeks like a pufferfish, I hurriedly spoke.

“Th-this is amazing too. It can fly in the sky.”

“Huh? Really?”

“Yeah. Right?”

“It does fly, but······ it will consume a lot of mana.”

That was expected. I reassured her it was fine and urged her to demonstrate it quickly.

Jane, perhaps sensing my urgency or unwilling to shatter a child’s innocence, proceeded with the demonstration.

However, the demonstration itself was conducted by me, not her. She mentioned that she had expended a significant amount of mana during the welding process earlier.

“Since we’ve already tested its operation, there shouldn’t be any issues. You just need to control the mana precisely.”

“Got it.”

“First, please inject mana into the boots.”

I followed Jane’s instructions faithfully. Strangely enough, the boots fit my feet perfectly.

The moment I put on the boots, I felt something shift. It seemed they were equipped with a size-adjustment enchantment.

“Once again, I must remind you that the mana consumption is quite high. Please inject only as much as you think is appropriate.”

“Got it.”

“Me! Me! I want to press it!”

Don, who had been quietly observing, suddenly interjected. It seemed he wanted to press the button himself.

Jane looked at me with a troubled expression, silently asking if it was okay to let him do it.

I nodded to indicate it was fine. Even if something unexpected happened, I was confident I could handle it.

‘First, inject mana into the boots…’

Rather than injecting it slowly, I decided to test the limits right away. Otherwise, the boots might explode.

Think of it as a kind of “breaking in.” I poured mana into the boots until they began to hum.

Vroom! Vroom! Vroom!

The boots started trembling slightly, emitting a sound akin to an alarm. I then gradually lowered the output.

At the same time, Jane handed the launch button over to Don. She then spoke in a cautionary tone.

“Don’t press it right away. Wait for Mr. Sivar’s signal…”

“Take this!”

Bang!!

Before Jane could finish her warning, Don pressed the button. And I shot through the ceiling, soaring high into the sky.

If you’re confused, let me say it again. I shot through the ceiling, soaring high into the sky.

All I could see around me was the endless blue horizon. When I turned my head, I spotted a Memorial Tower stretching high into the heavens.

“…Huh?”

What on earth was happening? I rubbed my throbbing head with one hand, trying to make sense of the situation.

But before I could even process my confusion, my body began to fall, succumbing to the law of gravity.

The point of impact was none other than Jane’s Workshop. And I was heading straight for the gaping hole in the ceiling.

“… …”

It’s fine. They say even if you’re dragged off by a tiger, as long as you keep your wits about you, you’ll survive.

I barely managed to steady my faltering balance. Landing safely had to be my top priority.

Though it was my first time falling from such a height, I figured I wouldn’t get seriously hurt if I executed a proper breakfall.

‘…But will a breakfall even work from this height?’

Before I could dwell on that thought, my body passed through the hole in the ceiling.

Next, the workshop floor came into view. I quickly bent my knees slightly in preparation.

Thud!

As soon as I hit the ground, I rolled to absorb the impact. It was a breakfall technique I’d learned from Kara.

I never thought I’d use a breakfall in a situation like this, but at least it came in handy. Thanks to it, I avoided wasting unnecessary mana.

“A-Are you okay?! Are you hurt anywhere?”

“Yeah…”

More than that, I was worried about the boots. I immediately checked their condition.

Even though I’d injected only a small amount of mana, the output had been strong. Yet, the boots remained perfectly intact.

“Wow! That’s amazing! I want to do it too!”

“… …”

Regardless of my silence, this troublemaker seemed solely focused on his desire to fly.

*****

I felt bad for Don, but flying was far too dangerous, so I refused him.

Predictably, Don puffed out his cheeks like a blowfish, expressing his dissatisfaction.

As a compromise, we decided to play in the forest together. Specifically, through the Dog Hole Don had mentioned.

‘Ah, so this is the place.’

It was part of Porori’s Territory. Perhaps Porori also used this Dog Hole to travel back and forth.

Additionally, it was the safest spot in the forest. Apart from Porori, there were hardly any dangerous animals.

The area was also rich in herbs, making it a prized location. As a result, I heard the herb seeds had all but dried up.

“Let’s have a contest to see who can find the biggest beetle. Got it?”

“Okay.”

“Then, let’s start!”

At the word “start,” Don dashed off immediately. I quietly followed behind him.

If we happened to encounter a wolf, it could lead to a major disaster.

For now, it was better to keep my presence hidden and follow him silently.

‘How big can a beetle even get?’

Deep within the Forest of Chaos, there were beetles as large as the palm of my hand.

Considering the size of my hand, you can imagine how big they were.

For the record, those beetles tasted delicious when roasted. They were packed with protein and incredibly satisfying.

‘Now I’m suddenly feeling hungry.’

I wasn’t exactly starving, but I did feel a craving for a snack. I glanced around to see if there was anything edible.

Occasionally, I spotted snakes slithering by, but they didn’t taste good. Besides, they seemed to sense danger and quickly slithered away.

“Found it!!”

It was while I was tailing Don that I heard his triumphant shout, almost like he’d struck gold.

Upon hearing his shout, I stopped following him and pretended to search for beetles myself, wandering aimlessly.

Soon, I sensed Don’s presence approaching. Judging by his hurried footsteps, he seemed quite excited.

“Hey! Hey! Look at this!”

“Yeah, okay… Huh?”

But the beetle Don had found was no ordinary one. Its size was impressive, but its color was extraordinary.

Its sheen was dazzling, to say the least. In any case, its appearance was striking and quite remarkable.

Especially with its plump, well-fed body—it looked so appetizing that my mouth watered just looking at it.

“What do you think? Isn’t it amazing?”

“It… really is.”

“I’ll give it to you, so hold onto it. I’m going to find another one!”

Don handed me the beetle and asked me to hold it. I accepted it, still feeling a bit dazed.

Then, Don resumed his search, scouring every corner of the forest. Meanwhile, I closely examined the beetle in my hand.

The creature struggled desperately to fly, but my firm grip rendered its efforts futile.

‘What a sturdy little thing.’

It looked incredibly nutritious, almost begging to be eaten. I felt an overwhelming urge to pop it into my mouth.

If I did that, though, wouldn’t Don be furious with me? I barely managed to suppress my instincts.

‘There are tastier things out there. Just hold on a little longer.’

Trying to resist, I searched for something else. However, nothing I found was as plump as the one Don had discovered.

Don also seemed to be struggling to find another suitable one, taking longer than expected. A mischievous thought crossed my mind.

‘Should I lie and say it flew away?’

That might not be a bad idea. Watching Don out of the corner of my eye, I quietly slipped the beetle into my mouth.

As soon as it entered, the beetle flailed its wings and legs in a desperate attempt to escape. But it was too late.

Just as I was about to take a satisfied bite, Don returned at the worst possible moment.

“Ugh. There’s nothing here… Huh?”

“… …”

“Where’s my beetle…?”

Don’s eyes met mine, and I tried my best to keep my mouth shut.

But there was one thing I hadn’t accounted for—the beetle’s legs.

Wriggle—wriggle—

The beetle’s legs wriggled out of my mouth, a last-ditch effort to survive.

Don, with trembling eyes, pointed at me slowly with his finger.

“W-what’s that in your mouth? Are those beetle legs?”

“··· ···”

“S-spit it out right now! That’s mine······!”

Crunch!

Before Don could say anything more, I bit down. The sound of the beetle being crushed echoed throughout the forest.

Crunch! Crunch! Squish!

The crisp sound continued. With every movement of my jaw, Don’s expression grew increasingly blank.

Finally, I neatly swallowed the legs that had stuck out of my mouth, and the beetle made its way into my stomach.

A heavy silence descended at the same time. Looking at the shocked Don, I offered an excuse.

“It went to heaven.”

“··· ···”

I wasn’t lying.

And Don’s reaction was very straightforward.

“Aaaaaaah!!! My beetleeeeee!!”

He burst into loud sobs, just like a five-year-old would.

I was at a loss, unable to console him or do anything else.

[Faith Increases!]

Only Chaos seemed to be enjoying this.