Chapter 2
Everything is burning.
And from the shimmering space in the sky, monsters I've never seen before are pouring down.
Buildings collapse, blood splatters everywhere, and screams fill the air.
Hell.
Just moments ago, I was living a normal day, but the street has suddenly turned into hell.
I ran like a madman.
When I reached home, the family I had been chatting with just until this morning was nowhere to be found. Instead, monsters from the sky had taken over the house.
And at their feet, there were disfigured lumps of flesh scattered around.
Crack.
The view changes.
Once again, that event repeats.
A precious connection who had come to my aid in my wounded state.
By the time I realized what had happened, it was already too late.
I lost my family twice, thanks to the hateful monsters.
I will kill them.
I think that was when it all started.
The decision to kill every monster that exists in this world.
But I had no power.
No special abilities, combat sense, or skills.
So, I hammered, touched, combined, and calculated.
Using the "Gate" where those hateful monsters poured out as raw materials, I created the ultimate Aether weapon.
A Powered Suit.
The culmination of my hatred, created solely to kill monsters.
With that, I will kill the monsters.
“Ni…el.”
I will kill them all.
“Raniel!”
Gasp!
I opened my eyes at someone's touch. And I saw a familiar ceiling.
But the face was still a bit unfamiliar.
Senil Leventisia.
My mother was looking at me with a very worried expression.
“Phew, did you have a nightmare? You look awake, but I can’t tell if you’re really awake or not since you look so much like me.”
Her joking words made the dark feelings inside me dissipate in an instant.
“No, it wasn’t a nightmare. I was just dreaming of falling from a tree while playing…”
“Really? Well, I’m glad. But if you ever have something on your mind, you can always talk to me.”
My mother gently stroked my head and cheek.
Her hands were slightly cold, as her body temperature is a bit low, but strangely, it felt warm.
“Hmmm, well, there is one thing I’ve been thinking about…”
“Don’t mention your father.”
“Well then, I have nothing.”
“……”
Did I come off too blunt?
I could sense a hint of disappointment from my mother.
“Another way of putting it, I guess it means I’m just incredibly happy to have you as my son.”
“Oh my, you really are something else.”
I smiled kindly as I looked at my mother, then rose to my feet.
It’s time to start the day.
“I’ll wash up and come down in a bit. I’ll see you downstairs.”
“You can sleep in a bit longer if you want.”
“Not today, I have a lot to do.”
I straightened my clothes, and my mother looked at me with a proud yet somewhat sorrowful gaze.
“Don’t overdo it. As long as my son is happy, I’m satisfied.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not overdoing it. And I’m doing what I enjoy.”
“I see… Well, then.”
After my mother left, I opened the window to ventilate the room and then headed to the bathroom.
It’s been many years since I, a weapons developer from South Korea, was reincarnated into this world.
The body that was once an infant has now become that of a precocious boy.
I’ve also adapted somewhat to the language and culture of this world.
The nightmare that started on Earth still lingers.
Fwoosh.
But after a nice, clean shower, the effects of the nightmare have eased a bit.
Of course, as it has been until now, it will occasionally resurface and trouble me.
But it does feel like it's less frequent than before.
Maybe one day, it’ll disappear entirely.
No, probably not…
I smiled faintly and headed downstairs to the dining room.
The path to the dining room looked like something out of medieval Europe.
Stone architecture, long hallways, high ceilings.
The strange thing here, however, was that there were "lights" installed in the middle of the ceiling.
"This is still something I can’t get used to."
This world is a fantasy realm with kings, empires, knights, and wizards. But at the same time, it has developed a form of magic engineering that is almost identical to gate engineering, creating a lifestyle similar to Earth's modern civilization.
From the lights hanging from the ceiling to faucets that provide hot water just by turning them, to cars rolling around outside, and even tablet-like devices—it's a strange blend of magic and technology.
Basic science is almost nonexistent, but they’ve used mana, a cheat-like energy source, to push the boundaries of technology and create a civilization comparable to Earth's modern level.
“Some magic engineering techniques, especially some of them, even surpass Earth’s gate engineering.”
With an advanced civilization but poor foundational science, it’s quite an interesting area of research.
“But it’s just interesting, nothing I’d really study…”
Suddenly, I heard a voice and turned my head. A girl in a maid outfit with sparkling eyes was looking at me.
“You look like an idiot when you’re muttering to yourself and staring blankly.”
“Is that what you’re saying?”
“No, I’m not!”
I frowned at the maid’s nonsense.
“Linia, if you keep talking nonsense, I’ll dock your pay.”
“Master Raniel, the young lady was simply concerned about the future of the Leventesia family. Please spare me!”
“So now you’re calling me Master?”
“My pay is precious!”
Linia, an orphan from the war, was taken in by my father and employed as a servant. But since we grew up together, we were as close as family.
“Oh, right! I was actually looking for you. Glad I found you!”
“What is it?”
“My tablet’s broken! Aaaah! My three months’ worth of pay is about to go down the drain!”
“Let me see it.”
I took the tablet that Linia cautiously offered and examined it.
Since this world’s foundation of science is mostly a mess, the functions of these devices are lacking compared to their appearance. However, you can still use the mana network, which serves as the internet here, albeit at a slow, modem-like speed. It’s decent enough to read the news or send emails.
“So what’s broken…”
Looking closely, it wasn’t too damaged, but it seemed like the magic circuits had gotten tangled due to an overload.
“How’s it looking? Can you fix it?”
“Yeah, I can fix it right now.”
I manipulated my mana lightly and corrected the tangled circuits, and soon the tablet’s screen began to display properly.
• Today's weather is clear, but there will be a brief shower in the afternoon.
• The Empire Academy is recruiting new students.
• The highly praised adventure novel The Chronicles of Kalaritan Vol. 3 is now available.
“Wow! You fixed it right away?!”
“This much is nothing.”
“As expected of our Master! Your swordsmanship might be awful, but your magic engineering skills are amazing!”
Is that a compliment or an insult?
“Anyway, thanks! I saved on repair costs, so I’ll treat you later!”
“Hey, you sly maid, what do you mean by saving on repair costs? You think you can just settle it with a meal?”
While the civilization here is advanced, it's not exactly the same as modern times, so there’s no concept of a service center. Usually, repairs are done at personal workshops, where the cost can be incredibly high.
“Eh, we’re family, aren’t we?”
“Don’t you know that family should be more meticulous when it comes to money?”
“Please! How much do you think my pay is?”
“I provide you with food and lodging, so why do you need a salary?”
"Evil employer!"
"Yeah. Naughty maid. You skipped cleaning again, didn’t you? Should I tell Tania unni?"
"Eek! Please, don’t! There’s only me and my sister working in this ridiculously big place!"
I sighed lightly as I looked at Linia, who was pouting.
"Alright, fine. I’ll let it slide, but you have to sign this."
"What is this? An oath...?"
After reading the contents, Linia crumpled the paper and shouted.
"Didn’t you say you were letting it go?"
"I’m letting it slide in the sense that I won’t tell Tania unni, but you still have to pay for the repair."
"You’re squeezing me dry!"
"I’m not squeezing you; I’ve seen people sell it off."
I stood my ground firmly, and Linia eventually gave in with a defiant attitude.
"Ugh, whatever! I don’t have money! I really don’t!"
"It’s fine. If you don’t, I’ll break it again, and you can take it to a workshop. As family service, I’ll make the repair ten times harder, with interest."
At my calm response, Linia shuddered.
"Wow, you’re evil. A devil is here!"
"Do devils make a lot of money? If so, becoming a devil wouldn’t be such a bad idea."
"A devil who would sell anything!"
"So, are you going to sign or not?"
Linia reluctantly signed the document.
"Ugh, I feel like I’m being sold off somewhere."
"Slave trading is illegal in the Empire."
"Would you still try to sell me if it wasn’t illegal?"
"……."
I quietly closed my mouth.
"Right?"
Linya grabbed my shoulder and shook me.
"Why? Why are you avoiding my eyes?!"
"Ahem, I have to go for a family meal, so I’ll just…"
I quickly grabbed the document in her hand and started walking away.
"Oh, wait! Breakfast is now separate for everyone!"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"The head of the family went out early this morning because of something urgent."
My father, who always insisted that we eat breakfast together, suddenly left? What could it be?
"They say there’s been some strange phenomena near the village, but I don’t know much about it."
"So, Father’s gone, but where’s Mother?"
"Mother also went out for something urgent."
"I see?"
This is starting to sound interesting.
"Got it, thanks!"
"Wait, wait! Before you go, this debt! There’s an extra zero on it?! No, wait a second!"
Now she notices?
Of course, once she signs it, there’s no backing out. I didn’t really deceive her either. It just so happened that my thumb was positioned at the end of the number when I had her sign.
"Although even with that, it’s still cheaper than a local workshop."
"Hey!! Ranieel!"
Ignoring Linia’s shout, I quickly left the room.
Upon hearing that my father was gone, I immediately avoided Linya and exited the mansion, heading toward the backyard.
Then, with a cautious glance around, I carefully examined my surroundings before entering the barn.
Inside the barn, the stored grains and farming tools prepared for rental were neatly arranged.
I moved towards the area where the tools were displayed and placed my hand on one of the walls.
Hummm.
I flowed mana into it in a specific pattern, and a secret passage appeared at my feet.
Beyond it lay my personal workshop, a private forge I had set up.
But there was one more thing.
Hummm.
As I poured more mana into the wall, another passage leading elsewhere revealed itself.
I once again glanced around to make sure there were no witnesses, then slowly descended into the secret workshop.
"Ugh! How long has it been? How could so much dust have accumulated?"
Unlike the workshop I regularly used, the secret workshop hadn’t been maintained and was in a terrible state. Dust was piled up thickly, and scattered equipment lay everywhere. It was hard to remember the last time I had been here.
‘Since there’s no assistant to clean up after me, this is such a hassle.’
But it wasn’t easy to just push everything aside, because even though it looked like a mess, each of those scattered items were expensive experimental tools.
So, swallowing my frustration and the dust, I carefully began to move and organize them one by one.
After a brief pause to catch my breath, I stood before the final object, covered by a white cloth.
"Well then, let’s start working again after all this time."
I steadied myself, lifted the cloth, and there it was—my masterpiece from my past life, now reduced to scrap metal.
The prototype of the Powered Suit.
Chapter 2
Everything is burning.
And from the shimmering space in the sky, monsters I've never seen before are pouring down.
Buildings collapse, blood splatters everywhere, and screams fill the air.
Hell.
Just moments ago, I was living a normal day, but the street has suddenly turned into hell.
I ran like a madman.
When I reached home, the family I had been chatting with just until this morning was nowhere to be found. Instead, monsters from the sky had taken over the house.
And at their feet, there were disfigured lumps of flesh scattered around.
Crack.
The view changes.
Once again, that event repeats.
A precious connection who had come to my aid in my wounded state.
By the time I realized what had happened, it was already too late.
I lost my family twice, thanks to the hateful monsters.
I will kill them.
I think that was when it all started.
The decision to kill every monster that exists in this world.
But I had no power.
No special abilities, combat sense, or skills.
So, I hammered, touched, combined, and calculated.
Using the "Gate" where those hateful monsters poured out as raw materials, I created the ultimate Aether weapon.
A Powered Suit.
The culmination of my hatred, created solely to kill monsters.
With that, I will kill the monsters.
“Ni…el.”
I will kill them all.
“Raniel!”
Gasp!
I opened my eyes at someone's touch. And I saw a familiar ceiling.
But the face was still a bit unfamiliar.
Senil Leventisia.
My mother was looking at me with a very worried expression.
“Phew, did you have a nightmare? You look awake, but I can’t tell if you’re really awake or not since you look so much like me.”
Her joking words made the dark feelings inside me dissipate in an instant.
“No, it wasn’t a nightmare. I was just dreaming of falling from a tree while playing…”
“Really? Well, I’m glad. But if you ever have something on your mind, you can always talk to me.”
My mother gently stroked my head and cheek.
Her hands were slightly cold, as her body temperature is a bit low, but strangely, it felt warm.
“Hmmm, well, there is one thing I’ve been thinking about…”
“Don’t mention your father.”
“Well then, I have nothing.”
“……”
Did I come off too blunt?
I could sense a hint of disappointment from my mother.
“Another way of putting it, I guess it means I’m just incredibly happy to have you as my son.”
“Oh my, you really are something else.”
I smiled kindly as I looked at my mother, then rose to my feet.
It’s time to start the day.
“I’ll wash up and come down in a bit. I’ll see you downstairs.”
“You can sleep in a bit longer if you want.”
“Not today, I have a lot to do.”
I straightened my clothes, and my mother looked at me with a proud yet somewhat sorrowful gaze.
“Don’t overdo it. As long as my son is happy, I’m satisfied.”
“Don’t worry, I’m not overdoing it. And I’m doing what I enjoy.”
“I see… Well, then.”
After my mother left, I opened the window to ventilate the room and then headed to the bathroom.
It’s been many years since I, a weapons developer from South Korea, was reincarnated into this world.
The body that was once an infant has now become that of a precocious boy.
I’ve also adapted somewhat to the language and culture of this world.
The nightmare that started on Earth still lingers.
Fwoosh.
But after a nice, clean shower, the effects of the nightmare have eased a bit.
Of course, as it has been until now, it will occasionally resurface and trouble me.
But it does feel like it's less frequent than before.
Maybe one day, it’ll disappear entirely.
No, probably not…
I smiled faintly and headed downstairs to the dining room.
The path to the dining room looked like something out of medieval Europe.
Stone architecture, long hallways, high ceilings.
The strange thing here, however, was that there were "lights" installed in the middle of the ceiling.
"This is still something I can’t get used to."
This world is a fantasy realm with kings, empires, knights, and wizards. But at the same time, it has developed a form of magic engineering that is almost identical to gate engineering, creating a lifestyle similar to Earth's modern civilization.
From the lights hanging from the ceiling to faucets that provide hot water just by turning them, to cars rolling around outside, and even tablet-like devices—it's a strange blend of magic and technology.
Basic science is almost nonexistent, but they’ve used mana, a cheat-like energy source, to push the boundaries of technology and create a civilization comparable to Earth's modern level.
“Some magic engineering techniques, especially some of them, even surpass Earth’s gate engineering.”
With an advanced civilization but poor foundational science, it’s quite an interesting area of research.
“But it’s just interesting, nothing I’d really study…”
Suddenly, I heard a voice and turned my head. A girl in a maid outfit with sparkling eyes was looking at me.
“You look like an idiot when you’re muttering to yourself and staring blankly.”
“Is that what you’re saying?”
“No, I’m not!”
I frowned at the maid’s nonsense.
“Linia, if you keep talking nonsense, I’ll dock your pay.”
“Master Raniel, the young lady was simply concerned about the future of the Leventesia family. Please spare me!”
“So now you’re calling me Master?”
“My pay is precious!”
Linia, an orphan from the war, was taken in by my father and employed as a servant. But since we grew up together, we were as close as family.
“Oh, right! I was actually looking for you. Glad I found you!”
“What is it?”
“My tablet’s broken! Aaaah! My three months’ worth of pay is about to go down the drain!”
“Let me see it.”
I took the tablet that Linia cautiously offered and examined it.
Since this world’s foundation of science is mostly a mess, the functions of these devices are lacking compared to their appearance. However, you can still use the mana network, which serves as the internet here, albeit at a slow, modem-like speed. It’s decent enough to read the news or send emails.
“So what’s broken…”
Looking closely, it wasn’t too damaged, but it seemed like the magic circuits had gotten tangled due to an overload.
“How’s it looking? Can you fix it?”
“Yeah, I can fix it right now.”
I manipulated my mana lightly and corrected the tangled circuits, and soon the tablet’s screen began to display properly.
• Today's weather is clear, but there will be a brief shower in the afternoon.
• The Empire Academy is recruiting new students.
• The highly praised adventure novel The Chronicles of Kalaritan Vol. 3 is now available.
“Wow! You fixed it right away?!”
“This much is nothing.”
“As expected of our Master! Your swordsmanship might be awful, but your magic engineering skills are amazing!”
Is that a compliment or an insult?
“Anyway, thanks! I saved on repair costs, so I’ll treat you later!”
“Hey, you sly maid, what do you mean by saving on repair costs? You think you can just settle it with a meal?”
While the civilization here is advanced, it's not exactly the same as modern times, so there’s no concept of a service center. Usually, repairs are done at personal workshops, where the cost can be incredibly high.
“Eh, we’re family, aren’t we?”
“Don’t you know that family should be more meticulous when it comes to money?”
“Please! How much do you think my pay is?”
“I provide you with food and lodging, so why do you need a salary?”
"Evil employer!"
"Yeah. Naughty maid. You skipped cleaning again, didn’t you? Should I tell Tania unni?"
"Eek! Please, don’t! There’s only me and my sister working in this ridiculously big place!"
I sighed lightly as I looked at Linia, who was pouting.
"Alright, fine. I’ll let it slide, but you have to sign this."
"What is this? An oath...?"
After reading the contents, Linia crumpled the paper and shouted.
"Didn’t you say you were letting it go?"
"I’m letting it slide in the sense that I won’t tell Tania unni, but you still have to pay for the repair."
"You’re squeezing me dry!"
"I’m not squeezing you; I’ve seen people sell it off."
I stood my ground firmly, and Linia eventually gave in with a defiant attitude.
"Ugh, whatever! I don’t have money! I really don’t!"
"It’s fine. If you don’t, I’ll break it again, and you can take it to a workshop. As family service, I’ll make the repair ten times harder, with interest."
At my calm response, Linia shuddered.
"Wow, you’re evil. A devil is here!"
"Do devils make a lot of money? If so, becoming a devil wouldn’t be such a bad idea."
"A devil who would sell anything!"
"So, are you going to sign or not?"
Linia reluctantly signed the document.
"Ugh, I feel like I’m being sold off somewhere."
"Slave trading is illegal in the Empire."
"Would you still try to sell me if it wasn’t illegal?"
"……."
I quietly closed my mouth.
"Right?"
Linya grabbed my shoulder and shook me.
"Why? Why are you avoiding my eyes?!"
"Ahem, I have to go for a family meal, so I’ll just…"
I quickly grabbed the document in her hand and started walking away.
"Oh, wait! Breakfast is now separate for everyone!"
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"The head of the family went out early this morning because of something urgent."
My father, who always insisted that we eat breakfast together, suddenly left? What could it be?
"They say there’s been some strange phenomena near the village, but I don’t know much about it."
"So, Father’s gone, but where’s Mother?"
"Mother also went out for something urgent."
"I see?"
This is starting to sound interesting.
"Got it, thanks!"
"Wait, wait! Before you go, this debt! There’s an extra zero on it?! No, wait a second!"
Now she notices?
Of course, once she signs it, there’s no backing out. I didn’t really deceive her either. It just so happened that my thumb was positioned at the end of the number when I had her sign.
"Although even with that, it’s still cheaper than a local workshop."
"Hey!! Ranieel!"
Ignoring Linia’s shout, I quickly left the room.
Upon hearing that my father was gone, I immediately avoided Linya and exited the mansion, heading toward the backyard.
Then, with a cautious glance around, I carefully examined my surroundings before entering the barn.
Inside the barn, the stored grains and farming tools prepared for rental were neatly arranged.
I moved towards the area where the tools were displayed and placed my hand on one of the walls.
Hummm.
I flowed mana into it in a specific pattern, and a secret passage appeared at my feet.
Beyond it lay my personal workshop, a private forge I had set up.
But there was one more thing.
Hummm.
As I poured more mana into the wall, another passage leading elsewhere revealed itself.
I once again glanced around to make sure there were no witnesses, then slowly descended into the secret workshop.
"Ugh! How long has it been? How could so much dust have accumulated?"
Unlike the workshop I regularly used, the secret workshop hadn’t been maintained and was in a terrible state. Dust was piled up thickly, and scattered equipment lay everywhere. It was hard to remember the last time I had been here.
‘Since there’s no assistant to clean up after me, this is such a hassle.’
But it wasn’t easy to just push everything aside, because even though it looked like a mess, each of those scattered items were expensive experimental tools.
So, swallowing my frustration and the dust, I carefully began to move and organize them one by one.
After a brief pause to catch my breath, I stood before the final object, covered by a white cloth.
"Well then, let’s start working again after all this time."
I steadied myself, lifted the cloth, and there it was—my masterpiece from my past life, now reduced to scrap metal.
The prototype of the Powered Suit.
