A Fateful Encounter

In the morning, Moris began work on a new project in his secret laboratory — a plasma weapon he had once dreamed of in his previous life but never had the chance to complete. Fate had never allowed it… until now.

He entered the lab and approached the drafting table. On the desk lay a blank sheet of paper, a ruler, a mechanical pencil, and a beam of light streaming down from above. Around the room were scattered minerals, metal scraps, and chemical elements stored in glass containers.

Moris took a deep breath and began to draw. First, he sketched the weapon’s internal structure: its power core, control modules. Then came the outer shell, cooling systems, and safety mechanisms. When the blueprint was complete, he activated magnetic magic to levitate metal parts and assemble the weapon midair.

Once the weapon was complete, he named it “Plasma 01.” It had three firing modes:

1. Mode One — extremely fast, armor-piercing plasma rounds.

2. Mode Two — medium speed, with small explosive impact.

3. Mode Three — a heavy shot that took five seconds to charge and delivered a bazooka-level explosion.

Moris stepped out into the academy courtyard and selected a large boulder as his test target.

In Mode One, the plasma bolt pierced clean through the rock.

Mode Two caused a small explosion, reducing the stone to dust.

Mode Three obliterated the rock completely.

Satisfied with the results, Moris smiled and lay on the ground, realizing he needed rest. Soon after, he set out toward the nearest city.

Evening. The City.

By the time he arrived, the sun had set, and city lights were flickering to life. Moris stepped into a small restaurant — the air inside was warm and peaceful, filled with the scent of delicious food and the soft sizzle from the kitchen.

In the corner sat Laurence, a member of the Magic Council. He immediately sensed an unusual magical energy surrounding Moris but said nothing, observing from afar.

Moris ordered grape juice and roasted chicken. The food was tasty, but he noticed Laurence watching him. Choosing to ignore it, he finished his meal and left the restaurant, heading toward the market.

The Market. A New Encounter.

The bazaar buzzed with life — merchants shouting, deals being struck. Suddenly, Moris noticed a girl selling grilled skewers.

She was Aurora.

Curious, Moris approached and examined the food.

— “Are these skewers any good?” he asked.

— “Yes, freshly grilled,” Aurora replied with a warm smile.

He tried one — it was indeed delicious. Moris introduced himself and asked her name in return. She told him her name was Aurora, and shared that both her brothers had died in the war, leaving her to care for their aging parents.

Moris was struck by her strength and determination.

— “But I have a proposal for you,” Moris said.

— “Have you ever thought about making sweets?”

Aurora looked puzzled. Moris offered to teach her about chocolate and coffee. She had never heard of such things before.

Moris showed her cocoa beans and coffee grounds. The aroma made her eyes light up.

Home and Hope.

As they walked together, Aurora confided that she had always been curious about science but, coming from a farming family, never had the chance to pursue it.

Moris encouraged her:

— “This is the first step toward your dream.”

They arrived at Aurora’s small home. There, Moris improvised a makeshift oven. As he made chocolate, Aurora watched in awe, breath caught in her throat. Then they roasted and brewed coffee. When she took a sip, her expression lit up in amazement.

— “This is amazing! Why has no one ever thought of this?!”

— “Because in this world,” Moris replied, “science is forbidden.”

Aurora fell silent, her eyes filled with wonder. And d

eep down, Moris thought to himself:

— “Science can awaken… even in this world.”