Spark let the silence hang for a moment. He watched the faces of the three men across the table.
Prince Lionel merely tilted his head. Curious. Prof. Ashenowl leaned forward. Interest sparkled in his sharp eyes. Mayor Ginheron, ever the pragmatist, cut straight to it.
"And what, precisely, do these cards and boxes do, Spark?" Ginheron asked. Gesturing with a thick finger towards the stack.
He wasn't impolite. Just direct. Spark appreciated that. It saved time.
"They're simple enough." Spark said. Picking up three of the plain cards.
"Hold this." He offered them to the three academic nobles. One each. "It's a 'Talent Revelation Card'."
He paused. "With a single drop of blood, applied anywhere to the surface..." He tapped the blank paper. "... This card will reveal your innate Talent, or Talents, in detail. It will also show your natural affinity. Specifically towards the three major power systems: Soulcraft, Technomind, and Framepath."
Spark leaned back slightly. "Think about it. Right now, identifying a child's specific Talent is guesswork, or reliant on expensive, rare methods."
He looked at them calmly and continued. "Affinity is even harder to gauge before the Awakening Ceremony. Most people just try their luck. This..." He tapped the stack. "... takes the guesswork out. Pinpoints potential early. Lets children focus on specializing from a much younger age. Maximizing their development."
The young Prince Lionel spoke up in thoughtful tone. "That sounds remarkably similar to the function of the 'Orb of True Path'." He was referring to one of the royal artifacts housed in the capital.
Spark gave a slight nod. "Indeed. I took inspiration from it. Can't deny that."
He smiled. A broad, friendly expression that hid the sharp calculation behind it. "Though my card isn't as grand. The information isn't as detailed as the Orb provides. And yes..." He picked one up, turning it over. "It's a consumable item. One drop of blood. One use. Then it's... just a piece of paper."
He put the card down. "But..." He continued. "It's simple. It's easy to create. And crucially, it can be mass-produced. In staggering numbers. Given the easy resources."
The implication wasn't lost on the three men. They were all intelligent. Academically trained. And deeply involved in how Avianest Kingdom harnessed and developed its power users.
Widespread, early talent identification? Available to the common folk. Not just those with access to rare artifacts? The potential societal impact was enormous.
Prof. Ashenowl's eyes were gleaming behind his spectacles. "May we... try one?"
Spark made a sweeping, inviting gesture with his hand. "Be my guest."
Each of them immediately produced a small, sharp pen-knife from their pockets. Standard aristocratic and academic practice. Useful for opening letters. Trimming quills. Or, apparently, performing minor blood rituals.
They dripped a drop of blood to each of their cards. There was a dim glow. And the plain card changed.
They didn't show their results to each other. That would have been foolish. A display of personal power potential was best kept private. Even among supposed allies. That was a standard aristocratic lesson in this world.
But Spark watched their faces as the runes on the cards activated.
He saw the quick, sharp intake of breath from Professor Ashenowl. Followed by a slow, satisfied exhale.
Mayor Ginheron's normally placid expression settled into one of deep contemplation. His brow furrowed slightly as he read.
Lionel, the teenage prince, simply nodded. A faint, knowing look appeared on his face.
They finished examining their cards. Prof. Ashenowl carefully folded his and placed it in an inner pocket. Mayor Ginheron did the same. Prince Lionel merely set his card face down on the table.
"Mine matches." Prince Lionel stated. His voice was low. "The results align precisely with what the Orb of True Path showed me. Three years ago."
Spark nodded. Good. Consistency was key to trust.
Mayor Ginheron looked at Spark. "Impressive, Spark, truly. A genuinely useful invention. How do you intend to market this? This isn't just a noble curiosity. This has potential for the entire kingdom."
Spark was ready for this. He wasn't planning to get into the manufacturing business himself. Not on this scale.
"I'm willing to provide the blueprint, the entire process for creating these 'Talent Revelation Cards', to the Wiztech Group."
Wiztech was one of the largest technological and runic manufacturing conglomerates in the kingdom. And its CEO happened to be Mayor Ginheron's brother. "In exchange for a twenty percent profit share, of course."
Twenty percent. It was a high figure for a blueprint. But quite standard for something potentially disruptive. And with such wide application. It was a fair price. For a revolutionary product.
Prof. Ashenowl nodded slowly. "Twenty percent... Yes, that seems reasonable for something of this potential impact. It requires significant investment on Wiztech's part. But the returns... the returns could be immense."
"I'll speak with my brother without delay." Mayor Ginheron said. Already making a mental note. The deal was virtually struck.
"Excellent." Spark said cheerily. He then gestured to the small, intricately carved boxes next to the cards. "Now, onto these. The 'Second Chance Box - Framepath Edition'."
He picked one up. "As the name suggests, this box addresses a specific problem. It allows individuals who have failed their initial Framepath Power Awakening attempt to retry."
"Using this box..." Spark tapped it. "... provides another opportunity."
He set it down again. "If they succeed, the box is consumed, destroyed in the process. If they fail again, the box remains, usable for another attempt."
Prince Lionel raised an eyebrow. "Retry? But it has been proven that someone who fails their initial Awakening at an Altar... they simply lack the necessary spark. They cannot awaken any further."
Prof. Ashenowl interjected. His academic precision coming to the fore. "That's not strictly accurate, Prince. It's true that the standard Awakening Altars, found in towns and cities, offer only a single attempt. Their rune circuits and energy matrix are designed for that."
He continued. "However, there are... theoretical means. Or exceptionally rare natural phenomena and artifacts, that could potentially facilitate an awakening after an initial failure. They are simply incredibly scarce. But not unheard of."
"Precisely." Spark agreed. Smoothly incorporating Ashenowl's clarification into his narrative. "My box takes inspiration from those rare instances."
"Specifically..." He leaned forward slightly. "... from the fabled Monster Heartstones. You've heard the legends, right? Those incredibly rare cores found in the most powerful beasts? The ones said to guarantee one hundred percent success in Framepath awakening when properly prepared?"
Both Ashenowl and Ginheron nodded. Prince Lionel looked thoughtful. Monster Heartstones were not a myth. There were scientific records of them.
"My box isn't a Heartstone, obviously." Spark chuckled. "It's not that great. But it will work for Framepath Power awakening. Even after a failed Altar attempt. And, like the cards, it can be mass-produced."
He paused. And added honestly. "Though considerably more complex and costly than the cards."
Prof. Ashenowl steepled his fingers. "What are the drawbacks, then? There must be some."
Spark didn't hesitate. He'd calculated this too. Transparency, within limits, built trust. "It requires expensive materials. Specifically, high-grade Sun Amber - not easy to come by - and blood from a confirmed 3rd-Tier Framepath user."
Finding willing 3rd-Tiers to donate significant amounts of blood was a logistical and financial hurdle. Spark had experienced that when he created those prototypes.
"Furthermore, if a user successfully awakens Framepath using the box, the resulting power level is only about eighty percent of what they might have achieved through a successful Altar awakening." Spark added.
Eighty percent. It was a significant reduction. Yet, it was still potentially life-changing. Especially for someone who had thought their path to power was closed forever.
Prof. Ashenowl looked genuinely impressed now. "Sun Amber and 3rd-Tier blood... Yes, that makes mass production challenging. But not impossible for Wiztech. Isn't that so, Koth?"
Mayor Koth Ginheron nodded in agreement.
The professor continued his assessment. "Eighty percent is a notable reduction. But for those who have failed the Altar, it offers a path previously considered shut. This is... significant, Spark. Very significant."
He looked at the pile of cards again. "Combined with the 'Talent Revelation Card' identifying potential Framepath affinity early, this box could truly change how we approach power development. Identifying potential, then offering a safety net."
"Framepath, hmm?" Prince Lionel mused. Sounding only mildly interested. The royal line had always leaned heavily towards Soulcraft and Technomind. "It would be quite beneficial if there were versions for Soulcraft and Technomind as well."
Spark put on a thoughtful expression. One that conveyed the struggles of a dedicated, slightly overwhelmed inventor.
"I've experimented with a Soulcraft Edition." He admitted. "But there are several significant issues I haven't solved yet. Soulcraft is... finicky with external catalysts like this."
He took a deep breath. "As for a Technomind Edition? Well, I haven't made any serious attempts yet." He shrugged, a self-deprecating gesture. "One project at a time, you know? Wouldn't want to spread myself too thin."
It was a lie, of course. Both versions were complete. Sitting back in his heavily warded workshop.
The Soulcraft one was stable. Though it was even more costly than the Framepath box. The Technomind one was astonishingly efficient. Almost as easy to produce as the cards. He had them all.
But releasing all three at once? That would scream 'too suspicious'. It would attract the wrong kind of attention.
The paranoid kind that leads to inconvenient investigations. Or outright attempts on his life. By those who feared such rapid advancement.
It would be better to release them incrementally. Allowing the kingdom to adapt. And accept the changes gradually.
Framepath was the least politically sensitive of the three paths. As it focused on physical power rather than magical manipulation (Soulcraft) or technological dominance (Technomind). It was the safest entry point.
Mayor Ginheron asked, "Would you be interested in selling the blueprint for the 'Second Chance Box - Framepath Edition' to Wiztech as well? Under similar terms?"
Spark considered for perhaps half a second. Maintaining the façade of deliberation. "Provided the price reflects the increased complexity and material costs... yes. A twenty percent profit share seems appropriate."
The deal was cemented with satisfied nods from the Mayor and Professor. The Prince remained somewhat detached. But he acknowledged the significance of the inventions for the kingdom's overall strength.