18 hours remained before the first day of classes.
Morning light slipped quietly through the bedroom window, stretching long golden lines across the wooden floor. The house was silent enough that even the faint sound of turning pages could be heard clearly.
Duke sat alone at the small desk in his room.
His back was slightly hunched forward, one elbow resting on the table while his eyes remained fixed on the book in front of him.
In his hands was a thick hardcover book with worn edges.
How to Smithing.
Duke let out a slow breath.
"So tomorrow's finally the first day…"
His voice was low, almost absentminded.
"I seriously have no idea what kind of bullshit is waiting for the three of us."
He flipped another page.
Shff.
"I need to prepare first."
"Even if it's just the smallest thing."
His expression slowly sharpened with focus.
"Being prepared is still better than rushing in blind."
But then…
His eyes stopped on one section of the page.
A drawing of a forging hammer.
A furnace.
Instructions about heating metal.
Several seconds passed.
Duke grimaced.
"God damn it…"
He leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling.
"Why the hell did I have to end up with a blessing like this…"
His voice carried pure frustration.
"I've never even held a hammer properly before."
"And now I'm supposed to forge weapons?"
A dry laugh escaped him.
"…What a joke."
But after a moment…
His gaze slowly drifted back toward the book.
Silence lingered.
Then Duke inhaled deeply.
"…Whatever."
"If I'm stuck with this thing, then I might as well try."
Time passed quietly.
The sunlight shifted little by little across the floorboards.
One hour.
Then two.
Duke barely took his eyes off the book.
He read quickly, but not carelessly.
He would pause after every few lines, thinking carefully before turning back a page to reread something again.
Occasionally, he even lifted his hand into the air unconsciously, as if imagining the movements in his mind.
Holding a hammer.
Positioning metal.
Adjusting force.
"…The temperature has to stay stable…"
"…If it gets too hot, the structure weakens…"
"…The strikes need consistency…"
He muttered quietly to himself.
It was an old habit from his previous world, back when he used to spend hours messing with wires and circuit boards.
Eventually…
Thump.
Duke closed the book.
The room fell silent once more.
He stood up and walked toward the window.
When he slid it open..
Creeeak.
A cool breeze drifted inside.
Duke took a deep breath.
"Hmm…"
Resting both hands against the frame, he looked out into the distance.
"…Yeah."
A pause.
"…Now I get it."
He nodded slowly to himself.
"I understand now."
"…I'm completely unsuited for this blacksmith crap!."
A long sigh escaped him.
"Seriously…"
His eyes wandered farther beyond the nearby houses.
Outside stretched an unfamiliar world.
Massive wind turbines turned slowly atop distant hills.
Rows of homes lined the streets below, each roof covered with reflective solar panels that glimmered beneath the sunlight.
Even farther away stood strange structures that somehow looked both ancient and futuristic at the same time.
Duke narrowed his eyes.
"…Seriously."
He let out a faint laugh.
"A world with both magic and technology."
"One that completely surpasses our old world."
The wind brushed through his hair gently.
Soft.
But enough to clear his thoughts.
"But…"
His voice lowered slightly.
"…None of this feels realistic at all."
Resting his chin against his hand, he stared at the spinning turbines.
"How can an entire continent run purely on renewable energy?"
He shook his head slowly.
"…It makes no sense."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"…Even though I'm slowly getting used to this place…"
His voice grew quieter.
"…I still feel like…"
"…I don't belong here."
Duke slowly raised his hand in front of him.
Sunlight spilled across his palm.
Tiny scars covered his fingers, especially around the fingertips.
He stared at them silently for a while.
"These scars…oh right" His tone softened slightly
"…They're from messing around with circuit boards and stuff."
A quiet chuckle escaped him.
"…So stupid."
Fragments of old memories flashed through his mind.
Tangling wires.
The faint smell of something burning.
Tiny sparks of electricity snapping through the air.
"…But still…"
Duke slowly clenched his hand.
"It the only thing im good at…the only…"
Something in his eyes changed.
The frustration faded.
What replaced it was focus.
"…Circuit boards…"
"…Electrical wiring…"
His gaze shifted back toward the outside world.
"…Energy…"
"…Systems…"
Then suddenly…A thought struck him.
His eyes widened slightly.
"…Wait." His heartbeat quickened"…What if I…"
He looked down at his own hand.
A very faint smile appeared on his lips.
Not sarcasm this time.
Genuine interest.
"…What if I…"
BANG! BANG!
Knocking suddenly echoed through the room.
Duke flinched.
"…Huh?"
He turned toward the door.
"Who is it?"
Kai's voice came from outside.
"Get downstairs already! Breakfast!"
Duke stood still for a second.
Part of his mind was still stuck on the thought from moments ago.
"…Yeah." He answered.
But before leaving the window..He glanced at his hand one more time.
Then back toward the world outside.
The wind still blew softly.
The turbines still turned endlessly beneath the sky.
Something subtle shifted in Duke's eyes.
A faint smile crossed his face.
Then he turned away and walked out of the room.