Evolution:The Bloodthirsty Saga of the Magic Engineer-Chapter 40: Charlotte

After I glanced at Miguel, my eyes were immediately drawn to her.

An acolyte working alongside Miguel, she was a breathtaking sight, even in the metallic and oppressive atmosphere of that steampunk laboratory. Tall, with perfect curves that the lab uniform couldn’t hide, long legs that seemed drawn by an artist, and silky brown hair cascading like a waterfall down to her waist. Her skin was flawless, and those lips… Ah, those full lips had a natural color that almost made me imagine their taste.

"Damn it, why are all the women in this world so hot? Focus, Tyler," I thought, shaking my head discreetly to chase away such ideas. It wasn’t the time for distractions.

She wore a steampunk lab outfit meticulously designed to be both functional and elegant. A tight black leather corset adorned with bronze buckles emphasized her silhouette, while an asymmetrical layered skirt in shades of brown and gold revealed part of her thighs as she moved. Fishnet stockings and leather boots reinforced with metal plates completed the look, giving her an air of practicality without losing aesthetic appeal. Over the corset, she wore a sort of long vest equipped with small pockets for tools and glowing vials, all fastened with leather straps and metal buttons. A pair of fingerless gloves covered her delicate hands, leaving her nails—painted a vibrant red—exposed.

Charlotte also wore steampunk goggles, resting on her forehead like a tiara, with lenses of varying sizes and colors.

When Miguel finally finished adjusting the automaton and turned to me, wiping the sweat from his forehead, he said with a mildly sarcastic tone, "At least you’re punctual."

I watched him as he stepped away from the automaton and almost laughed when steam from the valves on the wall blew directly into his face. He waved the air with his hand, muttering something incomprehensible. "Seeing an engineering genius defeated by a bit of steam is amusing," I thought but wisely kept a serious expression.

"Thank you, professor. Of course, I’d be punctual. It would be disrespectful to someone as esteemed as you," I replied, slightly bowing my head.

Miguel smiled, satisfied, and then gestured toward Charlotte.

"Come, let me introduce you. This is Charlotte, my other apprentice. And this is Tyler, the new acolyte from yesterday!"

Charlotte turned to me, bowing gracefully as she said, "Hello!" Her voice was sweet, but there was a hint of confidence in it, like someone who knew her worth.

I placed my right arm over my chest, responding with noble elegance: "Hello!"

Miguel continued, "Charlotte is your senior. Besides her, you also have another senior named Mateo. His engineering skills are excellent."

Charlotte added, with a spark of enthusiasm in her eyes, "Mateo is called a genius who only appears once in a century. He’s considered the most likely successor of our mentor!"

Miguel laughed, clearly proud. "Haha! Indeed! Mateo has shown exceptional talent in engineering! If there’s something you don’t understand, you can seek his help."

I simply nodded, though my mind was already contemplating how competitive this hierarchy seemed to be.

Miguel shifted his tone, now addressing me directly: "Now, let’s get to the point. Starting today, you must come here every day to pick up tools and go with Charlotte to the mining caverns on the other side of the tower. You’ll mine for about five hours a day. After that, if you still have energy, the rest of the day is yours. You can attend public lectures, visit the library, or do whatever you wish."

Upon hearing this, I frowned. "Sir, but won’t I learn anything directly from you?" I asked, trying to hide my frustration.

Miguel gave a mischievous smile. "You’re still a level 0 acolyte. You surely only started studying magical language and numbers yesterday. Even if I wanted to teach you something now, you wouldn’t understand the basics. Once you advance to level 1 and are minimally literate in magic, I’ll instruct you in the world of magical engineering."

I swallowed my indignation and nodded. "Yes, sir."

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Internally, my mind raced. "If he knew I learned to read magical language in just a few hours yesterday… That would cause a panic. They might dissect me alive or worse."

Still, the reality was clear: five hours a day mining… At least I’d have Charlotte’s company.

As soon as Miguel gave his order for us to go, Charlotte wasted no time. She cast a quick glance at me before delving deeper into the laboratory, her confident and agile steps echoing on the metallic floor.

"Come on, we need to grab the tools," she said in a practical voice, though not losing that slightly authoritative tone.

"Okay," I replied, following her as I took in the surroundings.

In the corner of the room, next to one of the many ducts that blew hot air at irregular intervals, there was a large shelf filled with tools. The space was functionally disorganized, with pickaxes, shovels, axes, and other tools hanging from iron hooks, while gears, chains, and other accessories were scattered across smaller shelves.

Charlotte walked over without hesitation and began grabbing what she needed. She picked up a pickaxe and a shovel, fastening them to her waist with ease. Then she pulled out a large dark leather backpack leaning against the base of the shelf. The backpack looked sturdy, reinforced with metal straps at the corners, and was clearly used for carrying materials from mining.

I stood there for a moment, watching her as she gathered the equipment. Something about the way she handled it all made me think she was entirely accustomed to the routine. It was then that her voice cut through my thoughts: "What are you waiting for?"

I blinked a few times and let out a sigh. "Nothing," I replied, grabbing the tools within reach.

While adjusting a pickaxe and a shovel onto my back, I let my thoughts escape:

"Who would’ve imagined that the son of a baron—me—would end up here, working in mines for ores? If the nobles from my homeland heard this, they’d laugh at the absurdity."

Charlotte paused what she was doing and shot me a sly, almost conspiratorial smile before responding:

"Well, if it’s any consolation, I found it strange when I first arrived too. But now... it doesn’t matter that much. In this tower, there are all sorts of things—even things that are quite pleasurable. You’ll learn that soon enough."

Her expression shifted as she spoke. Her eyes sparkled in a peculiar way, like someone recalling something addictive or even dangerous. That smile didn’t seem consoling but rather one from someone who knew far more than she was letting on.

I furrowed my brow, suspicious, while Charlotte returned her focus to organizing her gear. "???" I thought, trying to decipher her expression. Something felt off, and the curiosity I felt was accompanied by a tangible unease.

Shaking my head to dispel the thoughts, I grabbed a backpack similar to hers and finished strapping the tools to the leather loops at my waist. With everything ready, I followed Charlotte, who had already stepped out of the lab, her confident posture unwavering as she walked ahead.

As I trailed behind Charlotte through the corridors, the environment seemed routine—until it wasn’t. A sudden explosion echoed ahead, followed by a wave of light that briefly illuminated the hallway.

"Boom~~"

In that instant, the lab’s voice in my mind issued a clear alert:

["Attention!"]

["Danger ahead!"]

I froze momentarily, on guard, as a long, drawn-out howl reverberated through the corridors:

"Awooooo!"

Before I could ask Charlotte what was happening, she let out an exasperated sigh and kept walking as if this were just another Tuesday. "Damn it... did a student lose control? Probably a mutation gone rogue from the professor’s lab."

"Mutation?" I thought, but I said nothing. I maintained my composure and kept following Charlotte, who seemed unconcerned, though slightly annoyed.

Soon, we came across a gathering of curious students forming a circle and gawking at whatever was in the center. Charlotte ignored the crowd and began pushing her way through, and I followed suit, shoving a few shoulders to get a clear view of what was happening.

At the center of the circle, a white-furred wolf with red eyes thrashed about. Its imposing frame was marked by massive claws and a body streaked with blood. The wolf seemed injured, and its white fur was matted and stained. Behind it, a partially destroyed door was engulfed in flames, and inside the room, broken test tubes spilled vibrantly colored liquids that mixed together in a chaotic display.

The wolf rolled on the ground as if struggling to regain control of itself. After a few moments of desperate writhing, it managed to sit up, though its gaze remained dazed. Then it spoke, clearly disoriented:

"DAMN IT!! MY LAB EXPLODED!"

Hearing this, the students around us burst into laughter or murmured amongst themselves. Apparently, this wasn’t an uncommon sight. Many began to disperse, likely concluding that the show was over. Judging by Charlotte’s reaction, she seemed equally unbothered.

"Probably testing transformation spells on himself," I thought, observing the wolf while Charlotte moved on. Before I could follow, something caught my attention.

The wolf began to convulse violently. Its bones cracked grotesquely as it reverted to its human form. The transformation seemed excruciatingly painful, judging by the muffled screams of agony. When it finally returned to normal, the young man was left naked—something that should’ve been humiliating, though it was clearly the least of his concerns.

Kneeling on the ground, he wept as he stared at the ruins of his destroyed lab. "I lost everything! I invested about 50 magical crystals into this experiment…"

My mind stopped for a second upon hearing the amount. "Holy shit… 50 magical crystals!" I thought, stunned. To obtain just one magical crystal in the mortal world, a brutal war involving over 5,000 men would be necessary. Acquiring 50 would require invading an empire or something equally absurd.

Of course, that was the logic of the mortal world without magic. Here, in the world of mages, such crystals were traded as common currency among magi.

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