Chapter 11: The Research Division
The courtyard slowly emptied, but Kael remained standing before Vice Principal Aldren.
Around them, students continued whispering.
Some looked at Kael with admiration.
Others with disbelief.
Marcus walked past without saying a word. His jaw was tight, and his fists remained clenched. For the first time since entering the academy, he had nothing to say.
Aldren noticed Kael’s silence.
"You don’t need to answer immediately," he said. "Follow me."
Kael nodded and followed the old man into the academy’s main building.
The deeper they walked, the quieter the halls became. Ordinary classrooms disappeared, replaced by reinforced stone corridors covered with ancient runes. Every door was protected by magical seals.
"This wing isn’t open to regular students," Aldren explained. "Only instructors, researchers, and selected apprentices may enter."
A heavy steel door slid open.
Behind it stretched a vast workshop unlike anything Kael had ever seen.
Rows of enchanted furnaces burned with blue flames.
Mechanical arms assembled weapons with incredible precision.
Shelves overflowed with monster materials collected over decades.
For a moment, Kael simply stared.
This wasn’t a workshop.
It was a paradise for a craftsman.
Aldren watched his reaction with a faint smile.
"I thought you’d appreciate it."
Kael slowly walked between the workstations.
His System activated automatically.
Blue windows appeared one after another.
[Unknown Material Detected.]
[High-Purity Mithril.]
[Ancient Rune Steel.]
[Monster Core: Tier 4.]
His breathing slowed.
The value of a single shelf exceeded everything he had seen in the market.
"If I had access to these materials..." he thought.
"...I could create equipment far beyond Rare grade."
Aldren stopped beside a large workbench.
"I’ve reviewed your combat report."
"You don’t fight like a normal Artisan."
"You study your enemies."
"You dismantle them."
"And then you build exactly what you need."
Kael didn’t deny it.
"My class rewards efficiency."
"No," Aldren replied quietly.
"Your class rewards creativity."
"Most people only see trash."
"You see possibilities."
Those words lingered in the air.
After a moment, Aldren opened a wooden chest beneath the table and placed several damaged items before Kael.
A cracked sword.
A broken gauntlet.
A shattered mana crystal.
"Show me."
Kael looked up.
"Show you what?"
"What you can do."
Without another word, Kael placed his hand on the broken sword.
Mana flowed from his fingertips.
The System responded immediately.
[Material Analysis Activated.]
Tiny fractures became visible.
Impurities separated from the metal.
The damaged blade slowly regained its original shape.
Several researchers nearby stopped what they were doing.
"...Did he repair that without a forge?"
"Impossible."
Kael continued working.
Within minutes, the broken gauntlet had been restored.
The shattered mana crystal was purified into several smaller but stable fragments.
Silence filled the workshop.
One elderly researcher finally spoke.
"I’ve spent thirty years studying restoration magic..."
"...I’ve never seen anything like this."
Aldren folded his arms.
"The invitation still stands."
"You may join the Research Division while remaining a normal academy student."
"You’ll have access to this workshop."
"And in return..."
He looked directly at Kael.
"...I want to understand your craft."
Kael remained thoughtful.
This offer would solve many of his current problems.
Better materials.
Better equipment.
Faster progress.
But it would also place him under constant observation.
After several seconds, he answered.
"I’ll accept."
Aldren smiled.
"I expected you would."
At that exact moment...
Far beyond Oakhaven...
Inside the headquarters of the Royal Artificers’ Guild...
A crystal communication orb suddenly lit up.
A middle-aged man wearing crimson robes read the incoming report.
His eyebrows slowly rose.
"’An F-Rank Scrap Artisan capable of producing Rare-grade equipment...?’"
He read the report a second time.
Then he stood.
"Prepare my carriage."
"I want to meet this boy personally."
Far away, Kael had no idea...
His name was no longer spreading only through the academy.
It had begun to attract the attention of the kingdom itself.
To Be Continued...
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