Chapter 11: Chapter 11 - The First Invention

Chapter 11 — The First Invention

"What kind of world do you intend to build?"

Dorian’s question lingered heavily inside the hall.

Nobody spoke afterward.

The guards watched carefully.

Chief Rowan looked nervous.

Elena observed me silently.

And I...

honestly didn’t know how to answer.

Because until now, everything had been survival.

Improvisation.

Lies becoming reality.

But the moment I touched that faith coin and felt spiritual energy reacting with my authority...

something changed.

For the first time since arriving here, I saw a future.

Not just survival.

Creation.

Possibility.

Technology here wouldn’t simply imitate Earth.

It would evolve alongside divine power.

And that combination?

Terrifying.

I slowly placed the coin back onto the table.

"A better one," I finally answered.

Dorian smiled faintly.

"Every revolutionary in history says something similar."

Ah.

So revolutions existed here too.

Good to know humanity remained consistently chaotic across dimensions.

Elena crossed her arms.

"And every revolutionary leaves destruction behind."

The atmosphere shifted slightly.

Interesting.

I looked toward her.

"You think progress is dangerous?"

"I think humans are dangerous."

Honestly?

Fair answer.

Very fair answer.

Dorian chuckled softly.

"That is why progress always changes civilization."

The merchant leaned back calmly.

"Fire cooks food... and burns cities."

Again.

Fair point.

This world might lack modern technology, but human nature clearly hadn’t changed at all.

I stared at the faith coin thoughtfully.

Then suddenly asked—

"How expensive are these?"

Dorian raised an eyebrow.

"Faith coins?"

I nodded.

The merchant picked up the silver coin carefully.

"This small coin contains enough purified spiritual energy to power divine tools for several days."

Power.

There it was again.

Energy source.

My thoughts accelerated rapidly.

Electricity on Earth depended on fuel and infrastructure.

But here?

Spiritual energy already existed naturally.

Meaning I might bypass entire stages of technological development.

No fossil fuels needed.

No massive industrial age first.

If spiritual energy could function like electricity...

then even simple inventions would look miraculous.

A dangerous excitement spread through me again.

Elena noticed immediately.

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"That expression worries me."

Rude.

Accurate.

But rude.

I ignored her and looked toward Dorian.

"Do you have more?"

The merchant smiled slowly.

"Several."

Interesting.

Very interesting.

I extended my hand calmly.

"May I inspect them?"

Dorian hesitated briefly.

Ah.

Important resource.

Makes sense.

Faith coins were probably valuable.

Still, after a moment, he placed three more onto the table.

Bronze.

Silver.

Gold.

Each emitted different levels of spiritual energy.

The golden coin especially radiated strong power.

The blue divine core inside my chest reacted immediately.

Warm pulses spread through my body.

I carefully touched the bronze coin first.

Nothing unusual.

Weak reaction.

Then silver.

Sparks flickered faintly again.

Interesting.

Finally—

I touched the golden coin.

BOOM.

Blue light erupted across the table instantly.

Everyone stood up sharply.

The faith coin floated into the air.

Spiritual energy swirled around my hand wildly while the blue core inside my chest pulsed like a heartbeat.

The hall lights flickered violently.

The villagers outside screamed in surprise.

Oops.

Probably should’ve warned them first.

The golden coin suddenly split apart into streams of glowing energy.

Instead of dispersing...

the energy gathered around my phone.

My dead phone.

Everyone froze.

Including me.

The screen suddenly lit up.

Battery symbol: 32%.

Silence filled the room.

Complete silence.

My heartbeat nearly stopped.

No way.

No actual way.

I stared at the phone screen in shock.

The faith coin had charged it.

Not metaphorically.

Literally.

Dorian slowly stood.

"What..."

Elena’s eyes widened completely.

"That artifact absorbs spiritual energy?"

Artifact.

Honestly at this point maybe it actually was one.

I looked at my phone carefully.

The charging symbol remained active.

Holy crap.

Technology and spiritual energy were compatible.

No—

more than compatible.

They naturally synchronized through my authority.

Which meant...

Earth technology could evolve here.

Not copies.

Something entirely new.

The blue energy around the phone slowly stabilized before fading.

Everyone in the hall remained speechless.

Even Dorian looked genuinely shaken now.

Interesting.

First time the businessman lost composure.

Good sign.

Chief Rowan whispered shakily—

"A divine relic..."

The villagers outside began panicking again.

Word was spreading already.

Wonderful.

Absolutely wonderful.

Elena stepped closer slowly.

"Can I see it?"

I hesitated briefly.

Then handed her the phone carefully.

Elena held it cautiously like it might explode.

Honestly fair concern.

The screen illuminated her face softly.

Her blue eyes widened slightly.

"It feels..."

She searched for words.

"...alive."

Interesting description.

But honestly?

She wasn’t wrong.

Compared to this medieval world, smartphones probably looked impossibly advanced.

Magic mirrors from mythology.

Devices containing endless knowledge and light.

To them, technology truly was divine.

That realization hit harder than expected.

Because suddenly I understood something terrifying.

Earth never saw technology as religion.

But here?

People absolutely would.

And the more mysterious technology appeared...

the stronger my authority would become.

Dorian stared intensely at the glowing screen.

"If this artifact can store and release spiritual energy..."

The merchant’s voice became quieter.

"...then it could change trade completely."

There it is.

The businessman recovered instantly.

Honestly impressive.

Elena handed the phone back carefully.

"You planned this?"

I laughed immediately.

"No."

"That somehow worries me more."

Fair.

Very fair.

I sat back down slowly while trying to calm my racing thoughts.

This changed everything.

Until now, I only copied effects using modern tools.

Flashlights.

Sound.

Small tricks enhanced through faith.

But this?

This was true interaction between technology and spiritual power.

A real system.

Potentially an entire new civilization path.

Dorian looked more excited than afraid now.

Another dangerous sign.

"Kaiser," he said carefully, "do you understand what you’ve just demonstrated?"

Probably not fully.

But enough.

"Energy conversion," I answered quietly.

The merchant smiled slowly.

"Revolution."

Yeah.

That too.

Elena remained silent beside me.

Thinking deeply.

Then finally asked—

"If your authority continues developing..."

Her eyes locked onto mine.

"...what else becomes possible?"

That question echoed inside my mind.

What else indeed?

Earth’s knowledge suddenly felt unimaginably valuable.

Simple inventions alone could transform kingdoms here.

Water purification.

Medicine.

Printing systems.

Engineering.

Communication networks.

Electricity.

And eventually...

weapons.

That last thought cooled my excitement immediately.

Because progress never arrives alone.

Where technology grows...

war follows eventually.

I knew that better than anyone from Earth.

Dorian broke the silence first.

"You need protection."

Straight to the point.

I frowned slightly.

"From whom?"

"Everyone."

Honestly?

Again fair.

The merchant folded his hands together.

"The moment major churches learn a new authority can create divine artifacts..."

He didn’t finish.

Didn’t need to.

People kill for less valuable things on Earth already.

And here?

Faith literally equals power.

Elena stepped beside me quietly.

"He’s right."

Interesting.

No argument.

No suspicion.

Just honesty.

"The larger factions won’t ignore this."

I rubbed my forehead tiredly.

Great.

I accidentally speedran becoming politically dangerous.

Wonderful.

Dorian suddenly smiled again.

"There may be another option."

Business proposal incoming.

I could feel it.

"What option?" I asked cautiously.

The merchant leaned forward.

"Partnership."

There it is.

Of course.

Dorian gestured calmly toward the wagons outside.

"My caravan travels through dozens of territories."

His eyes sharpened.

"I hear rumors before nobles do."

Information network.

Trade routes.

Connections.

Useful.

Dangerously useful.

"You want to profit from me," Elena said coldly.

Dorian didn’t even deny it.

"Of course."

Honestly refreshing.

"I profit," the merchant continued calmly, "and your village gains protection through economic value."

Chief Rowan looked confused.

So did most villagers.

But I understood immediately.

Resources create influence.

If Erald became important commercially...

major factions might hesitate before attacking directly.

Not because they cared morally.

Because stability benefits trade.

Classic human civilization logic.

Dorian looked toward me carefully.

"A new god cannot survive alone."

The room became quiet again.

And honestly?

He was probably right.

I might possess unique authority.

But currently?

I was weak.

One village.

Limited faith.

No combat experience.

No political understanding.

And a phone battery permanently threatening my survival.

Not ideal conditions.

Elena suddenly spoke softly.

"There’s another problem."

Everyone looked toward her.

She hesitated briefly.

Then quietly said—

"The divine signal earlier..."

Ah.

Right.

The energy explosion.

Dorian’s expression sharpened instantly.

"...Someone definitely sensed that."

Fantastic.

Perfect.

Exactly what I needed today.

Chief Rowan looked pale.

"Can powerful gods truly notice miracles from such distance?"

Dorian answered calmly.

"Not usually."

Then he looked directly at me.

"But this wasn’t a usual miracle."

The blue divine core inside my chest pulsed uneasily again.

As if warning me.

Danger approaching.

The atmosphere in the hall grew heavier.

Outside, rain suddenly began falling softly against the rooftops.

Cold wind entered through the windows.

And for some reason...

I suddenly remembered Earth.

Late nights.

City lights.

Electric screens glowing in darkness.

Humanity connected endlessly through invisible systems.

Technology changed civilization because people eventually stopped imagining life without it.

Dependence.

Convenience.

Integration.

That was true power.

Not destruction.

Not fear.

Necessity.

Then a terrifying realization hit me.

The original God of Technology probably didn’t conquer Earth by force.

Humanity willingly empowered him.

Every machine.

Every network.

Every invention.

Billions of people unknowingly fed faith into the concept of technology itself.

And eventually...

that belief became divine.

Holy crap.

Dorian interrupted my thoughts quietly.

"What are you thinking about?"

I looked toward the glowing phone in my hand.

Then answered honestly.

"...How dangerous progress can become."

Nobody in the room spoke afterward.

Because somehow...

they all understood that wasn’t a joke.