Encouraged, Lucien adjusted the complexity.
Schematics. Drawings. Formulas.
The energy cost rose slightly but his mind remained steady. As long as the content was purely informational, the burden stayed manageable.
Then Lucien hesitated...
...and tested something dangerous.
He lifted his gaze and visualized a single rune.
A symbol that carried the Law of Stillness.
He did not anchor it to parchment.
He let it form directly in the air.
The moment the rune began to manifest, his mind tightened.
Pressure bloomed behind his eyes. It was not pain but weight, as if his thoughts were being challenged.
The rune stabilized. Half a second.
And the room fell into a sudden stillness.
Lucien felt it immediately.
Mental stamina drained in a sharp, unmistakable pull. His spirit vibrated in warning.
He released it at once.
The rune dissolved without sound.
Lucien inhaled slowly.
"…So this is the line."
Printing information was easy.
Printing authority was not.
