Chapter 26: Better To Play Hero

Chapter 26: Better To Play HeroThe day had finally come for Lord Cedric's messenger to arrive, and Adrian had long made up his mind.

He leaned back in his chair, his fingers drumming on the table as he accessed his thoughts. He'd decided to accept the duke's offer, but not in the way Cedric might expect.

The decision had been truly agonizing for him, but after days of critical thinking, he'd reached a conclusion that felt both inevitable and strategic.

'It's impossible for me to make enough products for everyone,' he thought.

All his inventions were were revolutionary, but scaling them to Cedric's vast domain was impossible for one person.

So, the only logical move was to teach others to produce them, but not his magical inventions though — those ones were too valuable to share.

Instead, he'd share the purely technological designs, the ones that didn't rely on magic crystals or runes.

It was a calculated risk. 'Someone's bound to copy them eventually,' he reasoned. 'Or invent them independently. Better to play the hero now, profit while I can, and control the narrative.'

By teaching Cedric's men to build them, he'd secure a hefty payout and cement his reputation as a benefactor, all while keeping his magical creations exclusive.

[Superpublish] ensured no one could reverse-engineer those without catastrophic consequences, giving him a monopoly on the magical market.

'For now, I'm done with pure tech,' he thought, his gaze drifting to the surplus of magic crystals in his [Inventory].

He didn't have a grand goal yet. For now, he only wanted to improve his combat power and spread his inventions... Whether he would pursue world domination next, he didn't know.

"Past 9 a.m," Adrian muttered after glancing at the clock.

Having nothing to do at that moment, he returned to the history book he was reading.

***

By 10:15, a sharp knock on the door finally broke Adrian's focus. He closed the book, adjusted the fine tunic he'd commissioned from Tulia's tailor, smoothed his hair, and adjusted his glasses before confidently walking to the door.

Opening it, he found a man wearing a cloak embroidered with the family's crest. The messenger, a lean figure with a neatly trimmed beard, bowed deeply.

"Master Adrian," he said, his voice respectful but tinged with urgency. "I am Torren, sent by Lord Cedric of House Borin. His Grace awaits your response to his proposal."

Adrian nodded with a cool expression. "Nice. Tell the duke I've decided to teach ten of his men how to make my technological works. He should send for me tomorrow to discuss terms. Thanks."

Torren blinked, clearly expecting more, but Adrian closed the door with a gentle click, leaving the messenger stunned on the doorstep.

'Poor guy,' Adrian thought, a twinge of sympathy surfacing. 'Traveling kilometers just to ferry messages. My communicators would change his life.'

He paused, his mind sparking with a sudden realization. The Communicator's three-mile range was limited by its low-grade magic crystals and a need for a pair.

'With higher-star crystals, I could push it further—ten miles, maybe more.' He accessed his knowledge, Tech Core's database confirming his hunch: a 2-star or 3-star crystal could amplify the resonance exponentially.

'Time to start demanding better crystals as payment,' he thought. 'Shouldn't be a problem... I'll need advanced knowledge to nullify the need for pairs though. That would be for later.'

He stepped into the kitchen, where Eli was sharpening a blade and Mara was kneading dough.

"Sir. Ma'am," he greeted respectfully. "I'm heading to the Borin estate tomorrow. I have a deal to discuss with the duke. I might be gone a few days."

"The Borin estate?" Mara asked with worry. "That's no small trip, Adrian. What's this deal about? You've been so secretive lately."

"Yeah, lad," Eli came in with a grin. "Spill it. You're off to hobnob with dukes now? Our boy's getting too big for Tulia, eh?"

Adrian laughed a little from their reactions. "It's business. The duke wants my inventions, so I'm going to teach his men how to make them. Could open doors for bigger projects."

"Bigger projects?" Mara echoed, her voice a mix of pride and worry. "You're already changing Tulia with those contraptions of yours. What's bigger than that, love?"

"Magical stuff. Things like my communicators, but better. The duke has connections I could use." He hesitated, then added, "It's a chance to make my mark, you know? Beyond this village."

Eli's grin faded into awe. "You've always had a fire in you, lad," he said in a reverant tone. "Ever since we took you in, I knew you were made for great things. But this duke... he's a big name. Are you sure you're ready for his kind of game?"

Adrian met Eli's gaze. "Yeah, I'm ready. I'll keep my head."

Mara stepped closer, her hand reaching out to brush his arm.

"You're so much like your own man now," she said. "But you're still our boy, Adrian. We worry, is all. This duke... he's got power, and power twists folks. You'll be careful, won't you?"

"I'll be careful," Adrian promised.

Eli rose and clapped his broad hand on Adrian's shoulder. "That's our lad. But don't you go forgetting us."

"Forget you? Not a chance. You've helped me far too much. I'll be back soon, it's not yet time for me to leave."

Mara stepped back, wiping her eyes with her apron. "You better," she said teasingly. "And bring us a story or two from that fancy estate."

"Deal," Adrian said with a chuckle, lingering a moment longer before turning to his room. "See you at lunch."

'Time to prepare for tomorrow.'

***

Far from Tulia, in the grand halls of the Borin estate, Torren knelt before Lord Cedric in the duke's study, its walls adorned with tapestries and ancestral swords.

"Your Grace," he said, his voice trembling slightly, "Master Adrian has agreed to teach ten of your men to craft his technological inventions. He requests you send for him tomorrow to discuss terms."

Cedric's face lit up immediately with unrestrained joy, his white hair catching the firelight as he clapped his hands.

"Yes!" he exclaimed, rising from his chair. "He's coming! Go, prepare to fetch him now, what are you waiting for?"


Torren swallowed, his fear evident. "He specified tomorrow, Your Grace."

Cedric paused, his enthusiasm dimming but not extinguished. He nodded slowly with a resolute expression.

"Very well. Arrange a royal carriage, first thing tomorrow morning. Ensure it's befitting his... potential. Dismissed."

Torren bowed and scurried out, leaving Cedric alone. The duke turned to the window, his gaze drifting over the sprawling gardens below.

A smile spread across his face, warm but tinged with determination.

"I'll make sure he doesn't want to leave once he's here," he murmured. "Serena and Mirena must know. They'll help me convince him."