MEMELAND

The meeting ended shortly afterward.

People dispersed.

Orders were given.

Reports exchanged hands.

Plans were made.

For once, even Alice seemed too focused to make jokes.

Which was honestly concerning.

Kai and Andre eventually found themselves walking through one of the palace hallways.

For several minutes neither spoke.

Then Kai finally asked:

"Who is Noah?"

Andre's expression changed slightly.

Not much.

Just enough.

"A friend."

Kai waited.

Andre continued walking.

"...That's it?"

"No."

"Then continue."

Andre scratched the back of his head.

Trying to remember.

"He's from my batch."

Kai tilted his head.

"Batch?"

"The people who got summoned."

That got Kai's attention.

Andre nodded.

"A few years after King."

"A few years before some others."

Kai immediately understood.

Another drifter.

Another person from Earth.

Andre continued.

"It was me."

"Zindine."

"Noah."

"And a few others."

"Back when we were young."

Kai almost laughed.

The image of Andre being young felt impossible.

Andre noticed.

"Shut up."

"I didn't say anything."

"You were thinking it."

Kai grinned.

Andre clicked his tongue.

Then continued.

"Unlike me"

"He and Zindine hated fighting."

That surprised Kai.

Most drifters he had heard about were either warriors, rulers, adventurers, or something equally ridiculous.

Andre continued.

"Noah was smart."

"Really smart."

"Scary smart."

"He could look at something once and understand how it worked."

Kai nodded.

That sounded familiar.

Very familiar.

Eric.

The difference was that Noah apparently had that talent before arriving in this world.

"What happened to him?"

Andre shrugged.

"Life."

Not a useful answer.

Thankfully he elaborated.

"He said he wanted a peaceful life."

"What kind?"

"He wanted to build stuff."

Kai blinked.

"...That's it?"

"That's it."

Andre grinned.

"He always liked machines."

"He once spent three days building something."

"What?"

"A machine that launched bread."

Kai stared.

Andre nodded.

"It worked."

"Why?"

"No idea."

Kai decided not to ask further questions.

It was probably safer.

The two eventually left the palace grounds.

The city greeted them immediately.

Crowded streets.

Merchants.

Workers.

Travelers.

Refugees.

Life everywhere.

Andre stretched.

Then pointed ahead.

"Manufacturing District."

Kai followed his gaze.

Even from a distance it stood out.

Massive smokestacks.

Large warehouses.

Metal frameworks.

Crane-like structures powered by magic.

The air itself felt different.

Less colorful.

More industrial.

More practical.

The closer they got—

The louder it became.

Hammering.

Grinding.

Welding.

Construction.

Thousands of workers moved throughout the district.

Everyone busy.

Everyone focused.

Nobody paid attention to them.

Which was useful.

Kai looked around.

"So how do we find Noah?"

Andre confidently answered:

"No clue."

Kai sighed.

Of course.

Meanwhile—

Far deeper within the Manufacturing District—

Sparks illuminated a giant metal frame.

Workers rushed between stations.

Materials arrived nonstop.

Construction never seemed to stop.

At the center stood Noah.

Holding several blueprints.

Giving instructions.

Fixing mistakes.

Building parts himself whenever workers couldn't keep up.

His workshop clothes were covered in grease.

His hair was a mess.

His eyes carried the exhaustion of somebody who hadn't slept properly in weeks.

A worker approached.

"Sir."

Noah didn't look up.

"What?"

"The left arm assembly is finished."

"Good."

"The shoulder mount too."

"Good."

"The shield mechanism?"

Noah paused.

Then nodded.

"Good."

The worker left.

Noah finally looked toward the massive machine.

The GFR.

Almost complete.

He still didn't fully understand why somebody wanted it.

Or what it would be used for.

But he had been paid.

The design fascinated him.

The challenge interested him.

And the workers depended on him.

So he kept building.

No questions asked.

Noah looked at the giant machine.

Then at the blueprints.

Then back at the machine.

"Almost done."

Behind him—

Nobody noticed a small shadow move between the rafters.

Watching.

Waiting.

And somewhere else in the district—

Kai and Andre were unknowingly getting closer.