The magic engine was complicated and, at the same time, easy to make.
On the inside, it had parts made out of [Mithril], and as for the outside parts, those were made out of [Orichalcum].
Both of those metals were provided by the system, thanks to my [Blacksmith] and [Weaponsmith] jobs.
Along with the ores, the engine was entirely carved with specific runes that absorb, hold, distribute, and recycle the raw magic in the environment.
The flaw is that the lifespan of the engine was cut significantly, after all those ores by themselves could last for at least five thousand or even eight thousand years.
"How does it work?" The highlord asked the man in front of him.
"Once activated, the engine will absorb the raw magic in the environment, and then the magic will be distributed on the magic network of the city, like that crown over there," the man who was wearing robes and a mask explained, and he pointed at the crown that the woman was wearing.
"Hmm..." The highlord didn't fully trust those words, but he knew that he needed to try everything.
"Very well, my research team will take a look at this magic engine."
As soon as he said those words, several people wearing robes entered the room and took the engine.
"Meanwhile, please enjoy your stay."
Then a woman entered the room, and then it started to guide the man wearing the mask outside the throne room.
********
POV Isaac
{They are really desperate, huh?
~{I wonder how much time it will take for them to give up to try replicate my work.} ~
Two days later...
I'm currently sitting on a bench in a plaza-like space in the middle of the city, watching the people go by with their lives—children, adults, and old people.
I've enjoyed my time here. It's like any other country, but everything is powered and made by magic.
{One could say that they are overly dependent on magic; maybe that's why they opted to sacrifice their own to have these commodities}
"Excuse me, sir."
"Hmm?" I looked at the person who spoke; he had a robe and two security automatons with him.
"Yes, what can I do for you?"
"The Highlord is requesting your presence." He said it in such a tone that it says I don't have a choice.
"Understand, lead the way..." I stood up to follow him.
_______________________________________
The throne room The setup was the same as the first day that I came here; the only difference was the mood.
I could feel frustration, hatred, and ¿curiosity.
{Now that I look at the highlord, he is the one frustrated; as for the warrior, he is looking at me as if I killed his wife, so he is the one who hates me, which means that the one curious is...}
I looked at the woman, and our eyes met; we held stares. I could swear that she smirked.
*cough*
That brought me back, and I looked at the highlord, who was more frustrated than before.
"Sorry, Highlord, you were saying."
*Vein pop*
"The engine was a success, a pretty good piece of engineering."
"Thank you for your praise." I made a small bow.
"How did you make it?" He asked, but in reality, his tone was more of an order than a question.
"Highlord, please, just accept the trade; this could escalate into something that you and I will regret."
I tried to appeal to the logical option, but unfortunately, homo magi are just like regular homosapiens.
"You insolent fool, the highlord, give you an order!" The warrior on his left was the one who spoke first.
{Scare tactics?, b***h, please...}
"Last warning, Highlord, please just accept the trade." My tone became deeper even when the mask disguised my real voice.
*Smirk*
(Sigh){I thought that the younger version of him would be smart, but I guess when you control that much power, you become delusional}
"Very well, [Ein Sòf] (Infinity)"
~{Change of plans}~
As soon as my words were spoken, the crown that was floating on top of my head descented to it, and when it touched my head, an alarming magic pressure was expelled from the room.
This changed the faces of the three individuals in the room.
"Stop!!"
The highlord was the first one to react, this time by putting a barrier in front of him, abandoning the woman and the warrior.
It was too late. I saw no value in him anymore; he was not a wise ruler, so I need to change that for my future plans.
I made a poke-like movement with my hand at the barrier that he created.
*Boom*
*Crash*
The barrier crumbled like glass, and the highlord was pushed backwards to the end of the room, crashing on the wall behind him.
When that happened, the warrior finally reacted.
"Highlord!!!" He grabbed the sword on his left side and unsheathed the blade. Then I could see that the blade was enchanted; it was glowing bright red.
Not only that, his entire armor started to glow bright red, then he charged forward.
"[Grasp Heart]" I just made a grabbing motion with my right hand.
*Argggh*
Mid-charge, he stopped, grabbing his chest, and after a couple of seconds, he fell to the floor.
{Death}~{What a waste}~
I looked, where the highlord crashed and fell.
He stood up from the floor, and when he saw his warrior fall, he felt fear for the first time in forever.
"Guards!!!" He screamed his tone frightful.
*Thud*
*Tap* *Tap* *Tap*
Many people, along with automatons, came into the room, and the highlord regained his arrogance.
"Capture him!!" He orders his people.
"I will not say this twice. Those who wish to live get out of here." My voice carried the power of the system; it was deep and menacing.
Some of the people immediately were frightened; unfortunately, when you follow the crowd, you make bad decisions.
"Hurry up, capture him!"
"Yes, highlord!!" x15
(Sigh)A shame." I looked at the woman, and then, with a motion of my hand, the crown that was on her head desintegrated. She was shocked.
"Go outside; make sure that innocent people don't get involved in this."
She put herself together very quickly and wasted no time exiting the room.
"Stop, don't let her escape!" Some tried to stop her, but I was not going to allowed that.
"[Earth Hands]" From the floor, a bunch of hands made of earth captured all the people, and automatons.
"Useless!!" He grabbed the medallion on his chest and pointed at me.
"Die, then!!!"
*Tsszz* A beam of raw magic manifested from his medallion.
I just let the beam reach me; unfortunately for the people around me, they all were desintegrated along with the automatons.
As for me, well, my crown absorbed all that raw magic.
"What!!?" He screamed at the top of his lungs; he was baffled and shocked at how, who, and what was happening, along with him getting paralyzed by fear.
"Here, let me return it to you." I pointed with my right hand at him.
"[Zero]" From the tip of my finger, the raw magic that the crown absorbed was gathered and launched at him.
*Humm* A low-frequency sound was made.
"No, wait, let's talk!" He tried to speak or dodge, but none of that matters; my beam was faster.
*Booom*
Only a giant hole on the wall remained where the highlord was standing.