Steel and Mana

Chapter 286 – Edmund’s Dream

Edmund sat at the small wooden table in his family’s dining room, staring at the freshly opened letter in front of him. The wax seal was broken with the utmost care as it bore the unmistakable insignia of their Sovereign. He made sure to cut around it with precision, wanting to put it away and turn it into some kind of family heirloom. His hands trembled slightly as he held the paper, and his eyes darted over the neatly typed missive, signed by both his Sovereign and Prime Minister, Merlin. Not even his parents dared to breathe loudly as they stood behind him, watching, while his little sister tiptoed next to him, holding onto her brother's arm.

"Dear Master Edmund," stated the letter, already calling him master as he started to read it loudly, "As your Sovereign, I am honored to invite you to participate in a groundbreaking new project within Avalon. As one of the brightest minds in our city, your skills, ingenuity, and curiosity have earned you a place among the select few chosen to join the combined operation between Avalon's Industry and Alchemical ministry branches. This initiative seeks to address one of the most significant challenges of our time, the refinement and utilization of a newly discovered resource: black oil. It is a viable resource for Avalon's growth, one that we are going to pursue to understand and exploit."

"Oil?" His little sister asked, "Are you going to cook?"

"I don't think it is that type of oil..." Her mother muttered, rubbing her head, before letting her son read onward.

"You will work alongside other brilliant inventors, some of your former teachers, and the best engineers in our domain. Your contributions to this endeavor could pave the way for revolutionary changes in energy, transportation, and our industry, solidifying Avalon's place as a beacon of progress not only in the Frontier but in the whole world."

"By the Gods!" his father gasped, his eyes twinkling from the pride he was feeling. "This has to be... just as grand as—!" But then he trailed off, as he wasn't supposed to mention the work on the underground base. Not even before his family, though they already knew everything.

"It does sound like it... doesn't it?" Edmund agreed, grinning, reading on.

"Should you accept, you will be granted a private laboratory equipped with state-of-the-art tools and resources to aid your work. A personal stipend will be yours, and whatever your answer is, a starting fund for your future research has also been arranged.

Please respond to this letter in person at the Ministry within the next three days. A guide will then escort you to your superior for an in-depth briefing. Refusing this offer will not result in any punishment or future slights against your opportunities within our Avalon. Freedom of choice is our most important right; I am not punishing my people for exercising it.

Signed,  

Sovereign Leon

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Managed,

Prime Minister Merlin."

Edmund read the letter twice, then a third time, unable to believe what he was holding in his hands. His heart raced, his mind filling with a mix of excitement, anxiety, and disbelief. They wanted him. They wanted him... He never thought about it like that. He invented something that was now in use almost everywhere, but since then, he hasn't come up with anything else. He just... finished his studies after. Since graduating, he was unsure what to do, finding himself lost in the world. He couldn't go back to school anymore, and the rumors of a future 'university' were still just that, rumors. The dream of becoming a teacher, since tasting the feeling of inventing something, was no longer satisfying. Yet... How could he repeat something so grand? Now, he finally knew that the opportunity had come. He wanted to work and invent things for his Sovereign! Not just a lamp or help refine this... oil, but in the future, so many more things needed to be made. He knew he had to become someone who was there when it happened.

“Edmund?” His mother’s voice broke through his thoughts. “What is it, dear?”

He looked up to see his parents, whose eyes were encouraging. They knew what their son was thinking about, and they knew the time had come to finally look at him not only as their son but as someone who was now his own master—just as the letter had called him.

“It’s…” He swallowed hard, then stood, holding the letter aloft like a trophy. “I think this is my calling, Father. Mother. I think I have found what I want to be. To help others to figure out how to use nature's resources. To make them into something practical. They also think I can help!” He laughed a bit breathlessly and added, “They’re giving me a lab! A stipend! It... It is everything...”

"It is your destiny, my Son." Amon, his father, nodded, patting his shoulder. "I know you will make us all proud.”

“But it means I’ll have to leave, though." Edmund muttered, while his expression turned thoughtful. "I’ll have to move out… start my own life. Maybe I will be even sent away to some other place to work...” Hearing him, his mother stepped forward and placed her hands on his, gently stroking the back of it.

“And you’re ready for that. You’ve done more in the past year than most people dream of in a lifetime. If this is your chance to do even more, to make a difference, then you have to take it.”

"And you can always come back to visit... no?" His sister asked, receiving a warm smile from Edmund.

"Of course!"

“Your mother’s right." His father nodded. "This is what we’ve always wanted for you—to have opportunities we never had. You’ve made us proud, Edmund. Whatever you decide, we’ll support you. We have made Avalon for our children, and I have always known that our Sovereign didn't only say it to soothe us into obedience. I am seeing it happen right before my old eyes! Our Sovereign never lies to us. Avalon is the place where we can make dreams come true; we just need to work for them. And you worked hard, my son.”

Edmund felt a lump in his throat. He looked down at the letter again, then back up at his parents. He knew this decision would influence all of his life in the future. No, it will impact not just his... but his own children's lives whenever it is time for him to have a family.

“I want to do it,” he said firmly. “I want to see what I can accomplish.”

The week that followed was a whirlwind of preparations. His parents packed his belongings, knowing that even if it was a tearful goodbye when Edmund left, it would not be a final one. On the night before Edmund was to report to the Ministry, his family held a small dinner in his honor.

The dining room was filled with the rich, salivating aroma of roasted chicken, spiced potatoes, and freshly baked bread. The table was set with their best dishes—simple but lovingly polished for the occasion.

“To you, my son!” his father said, raising a glass of his own homemade cider. “To the boy who made a lamp that changed our lives and to the man who’s about to change the world!”

“To Edmund!” the rest of the family chorused, clinking their glasses together, making the young man tear up before his parents could.

“You’re all making too much of it,” he mumbled. “I just had an idea and got lucky...”

“Don’t sell yourself short!” his mother expressed, her tone stern but affectionate. “Luck had little to do with it. You worked harder than anyone in your class, and now you’re reaping the rewards. You deserve every bit of this, Edmund.”

As the meal went on, the conversation turned to memories of the past year—the day the Sovereign announced the Edmund Lamp, the first royalties that arrived, and the astonished looks of their neighbors when Edmund's name became forever immortalized.

“You’ve given us so much, my Son,” his father said. “And now it’s time for you to go out there and see what else you can do. Just promise us one thing.”

“Anything.” He replied, wiping his eyes.

“Don’t forget where you came from.”

“I won’t. I promise.” He swore as it was something he knew he wouldn't do, not even under the influence of magic.

The following morning, Edmund stood at the gates of the Ministry, his heart pounding in his chest. The building was almost next to the palace, an arms reach from his Sovereign... His palace. After entering and introducing himself, the guide, who was indeed waiting for him, escorted him to the correct department. He was also young-looking, someone who was barely a few years older than him, working under the current ministers and, one day, maybe having a position to sit at the same table, listening to their Sovereign's orders.

“Don’t be nervous,” the young man said. “You wouldn’t be here if the Sovereign didn’t think you were up to the task.”

Hearing him speak helped a little, so he nodded back in answer, gripping the strap of the satchel slung over his shoulder, bringing around his most prized possessions, ready to perform an experiment on the spot if they asked him to. He felt the same type of nervousness when he was invited to talk with the Queens of Avalon and appear on their radio show. He just hoped that wouldn't be a reoccurring thing he had to do...

As they entered the room, Edmund was struck by the buzz of activity around him. There were already people inside, standing around a big table, clutching blueprints, rolling up old ones, and checking on the newest modifications coming from the palace itself. Certified Ministry Engineers pored over models of devices while clerks took notes on long rolls of parchment by hand before they would type it down later that day. The air buzzed with excitement and purpose, and Edmund swore he recognized one man in there... Karus Lithannan... The Forgemaster!

“This way,” the guide said, leading Edmund to a side office with a large window overlooking the city. Inside, a tall man with black hair and a warm smile stood waiting.

“Master Edmund,” the man said, extending a hand. “Welcome. I’m Minister Paxon, head of Avalon's Industry. We’re thrilled to have you on board!”

“Thank you, sir,” Edmund replied, shaking the man’s hand, unsure if he should have saluted or not. “I’m honored to be here!”

Paxon, noticing his nerves, just smiled and patted his shoulders, gesturing to a set of blueprints spread across a nearby table.

“We’ve got our work cut out for us. The Sovereign believes oil could be the key to Avalon's future, and he’s counting on us to figure out how to make it work. Although I am the one greeting you, Chief Alchemist Marca will be your actual director. She is not here at the moment, but we will do proper introductions later. You’ll have your own lab, of course, and a team of assistants to help you. We want you to feel at home here.”

Edmund’s eyes widened as he looked at the blueprints, his mind already racing with possibilities. His own lab? Assistants?! The letter never mentioned that he would have people working under him!

“I can’t wait to get started!” He spoke, his voice so honest, it almost made Paxon laugh out loudly.

“That’s the spirit! Let’s get you settled in and then introduce you to the team.”

As Edmund followed Paxon through the bustling corridors out of his office, he felt a surge of determination. This was his chance to make a real difference, to contribute to something greater than himself or his lamp. He was ready to face any challenges ahead, to prove that the boy who had invented a simple lamp wasn't just a one-shot lucky guy. He wanted to prove that he could help shape the future of Avalon now and until he drew his last breath.