29 Hein, The Workshop Owner

A week passed by, Jack had taken up on patrol duty, providing the city defence with his trusty Armatus mobile suits and the P.N.I bots.

There wasn't much movement from the Dunkelheit forces in the area, only the occasional flyby of a battlecruiser some one hundred kilometres away. Yet, none seemed particularly interested in the region or in Hasenwald.

All the while, Jack focused on what he did best: scavenging debris.

Believe it or not, within a thirty-kilometre radius of Hasenwald, quite a few fallen Armatus suits lay scattered about, remnants of the Light of Punishment or its aftereffects. Jack was able to strip them for usable parts.

His plan was to piece together functional units, expanding his fleets and potentially raising the city's defence.

Fortunately, the magistrate had recommended an engineer named Hein to assist with the task.

Hein was a rabbit Wildren, around forty years old, who owned a workshop specialising in the repair and maintenance of the city's elevators and escalators. He was a thin man with long dark hair tied into a single ponytail and large brown eyes. More often than not, he was wittier than he let on.

It was a stark reminder for Jack that, despite the existence of arcane magic, technology was still deeply integrated into daily life, continuously improving the quality of life for residents.

One evening, when the sun was more forgiving and the weather less harsh than the day before, Jack arrived at Hein's workshop. It was situated on the far left corner of town, its spacious front yard overlooking a pristine lake.

A small dock led up to the front gate, used for transporting materials and spare parts. Waist-high metal fences enclosed the scrapyard, securing Hein's property and assets.

The Armatus and two puny bots made a soft landing in the scrapyard's vacant area, their thrusters dimming as they kicked up clouds of dust.

Dressed in his brown jumpsuit, Hein approached, a pleased look on his face at the size of the haul. He motioned for his team to prepare their equipment before stepping in to inspect a fallen Armatus suit, which was missing both legs and its thruster.

"Howdy, howdy!" Hein greeted with a small wave.

"Evening, Hein!"

Standing before Jack's first-ever hijacked Armatus suit, now fully equipped with a new functional arm, Hein called out over the noise of the engines, "Wow! Nice loot today, Jack!"

"Thanks! Found a treasure a few kilometres from the coast!" Jack's voice boomed from the speaker.

As the engines wound down, Jack stepped out from the cockpit of the puny bot beside his main suit.

Hein turned, scratching his head awkwardly. "Oh… you're in that one?"

Jack laughed. "Ahaha! Yeah, an old habit of mine." He approached the rabbit Wildren. "I just feel more comfortable in the puny bot's cockpit than in an Armatus."

"How's that one looking?" Hein asked, pointing at the fallen Armatus.

"Initial scans show a functional system up to the torso, but the main circuit and engine are fried," Jack explained as they walked towards the workshop.

Hein paused, pondering for a moment. "But we scavenged those parts a couple of days back, didn't we?"

"Luckily, we found the missing piece," Jack said with a grin.

"Bingo!" Hein gestured a duel finger gun and winked.

Inside the high-ceilinged workshop, technicians worked on an overhead crane, carefully transporting a massive motor. One controlled the crane via a wired remote, while two others guided it with ropes, preventing it from swaying.

"The more, the merrier, I'd say," Hein remarked, gesturing for Jack to follow.

He then proudly stood beside a newly modified Armatus suit, painted silver and white. It was fully equipped with thrusters, ionised blades, and plasma guns, towering at a staggering ten metres in height.

"Holy moly, you've finished the modifications?" Jack asked, his eyes gleaming with excitement and admiration.

He examined the colossal war machine, appreciating its sleek and aesthetically refined design.

With Hein's expertise, his workshop, and his crew, they had managed to recreate a sophisticated war machine — an army of their own.

"Well, my old man used to say. One should never seek out war, but be prepared for it." Hein quoted, glancing at Jack, "I never expect it to be literal."

"I despise wars, too. But this war machine is a beaut!" Jack subconsciously ran his fingers along the sleek, glossy finish of its legs, admiring the immaculate paint job.

The sensation reminded him of a flashy sports car, but this one could destroy mountains and withstand storms.

"Yes, yes. I knew you'd love it," Hein said, arms crossed, a prideful grin fixed on his face.

On the quiet evening of the second week, Jack and Hein had managed to produce one more Armatus suit, bringing Hasenwald's defences to a total of three Armatus suits and two puny bots.

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"Get home safely, Jack," Hein said, waving over his head. The technicians echoed the friendly sentiment.

Standing in the middle of the workshop, Jack frowned. "What about you guys?"

"We'll go out to have some fun in the city. Wanna join?" Hein invited, a wide smile spreading across his face.

"That's quite sudden." Jack slowly turned towards the shop door.

"Come on, we were just too busy. Now's the time!" Hein pressed, wrapping an arm around Jack's shoulder. "There are cute girls," he whispered.

Oh, that's even worse than I thought. Jack tried to find a good excuse, but with this intense peer pressure, he wasn't sure he could get away with it.

"He's got a date with me."

A stiff voice cut through the air. They spun to find Lupus standing in the doorway, her arms crossed in discontent.

"Oh, boy. Okay!" Hein raised his palms in defeat before dipping into an apologetic bow and scooting away.

A grown man acting like a teenager, Lupus grumbled under her breath, motioning for Jack to follow her.

"Thanks for saving me," Jack whispered, joining her side.

"Are you sure you didn't just want to go with them?" Lupus retorted, words tinged with sarcasm. She wouldn't meet his eyes.

Lately, Lupus and Frain had been immersed in local government duties, assigned directly by Magistrate Ludwig. Unlike Jack's tasks, Lupus's work was monotonous, providing security details and acting as a personal escort.

"Nope! I'd rather be with you and Frain," Jack blurted out. He opened the P.N.I. bot, one for her and one for himself.

"And Frain?" Lupus asked, glaring at him.

"Family, am I right?" Jack replied. It seemed everything just pushed her further to the wrong side.

She exhaled sharply. "I… I've been worrying about you, Jackie."

"Me?" Jack pointed at himself, confused.

Stepping so close he could feel her warmth, her eyes locked onto his. "You've turned into a workaholic, barely home. And you even wanted to join the drinking club…"

"Wait a minute… That's hardly true. I just…" Jack paused, the air hissing from his nose. "I just want to keep you and everyone in this town safe."

"Hm?" Lupus looked at him strangely.

"With the Armatus! I can protect the city if war comes knocking!" Jack clarified, his voice cracking.

"You must know that you are not the soldier. I am. And my other three Stellius sisters," Lupus argued.

I know that… But the thought of seeing her in battle scares me to the core.

Jack closed his eyes, the feeling of loss, the void in his heart, stirring. "Still, I… I just don't want to lose you… You are all I have."

His words, accompanied by his husky voice, seemed to calm her. The vibrant smile returned to her face.

"So… a date?" Jack cleared his throat, banishing the awkwardness.

Lupus's cheeks reddened as she looked away sheepishly. "Suit up! I've got a place in mind!"

The date night, where Jack and Lupus spent their time chattering about minor things, was pleasant. The atmosphere was lively with the live pop music that Lupus loved.

They ordered two assorted meat platters to share. The short, bunny Wildren waitress served them to the best of her ability.

"Please enjoy the food!" the waitress said, her voice sweet and sugary. However, her big eyes lingered on Jack a bit longer than he would have liked.

She made it worse for him with a small wink.

When he turned to look at Lupus, she was devouring the meat with fury.

"Um… Lupus… Are you jealous?" Jack asked, rubbing the tight sleeve of the suit Lupus had given him. He couldn't get used to it.

"I'm not," she said, eating the sausage from his plate too.

Clearly, she's mad. Jack knew enough to interpret her behaviour by now.

"Lupy, I'm not looking at another girl. I swear on my life," Jack said, his eyes genuine.

Surprised, she spoke through a mouthful of food. "I~I know. We're not together or anything… Hmfp!" she ended with a pout.

"Hey, where's my cheerful Wildren?" Jack asked, brushing his hand against hers. Surprisingly, it worked like a charm; her bad mood visibly vanished.

"Here, here!" she chirped, showing him her toothy grin.

Do I just have a Midas touch? Maybe I have persuasive magic, Jack looked at his palm with awe.

"By the way, Lupy. How's work with your parents?" he asked. "Frain helps out, too, right?"

"Um! We're inseparable. The work, well, is boring!" Lupus confessed, dipping a piece of meat into a creamy white sauce.

"Really?"

"Yeah… There is little need for a warmongering mage of my calibre in Hasenwald," she spoke with pride.

"True that. After all, the town has been largely neglected amid the brewing war," Jack nodded. "There are also three Stellius siblings in Hoffmann House as well, right?"

"Larry, Lenny, and Big Sis Lunice!" Lupus replied, kicking her feet playfully.

Perhaps the magistrate simply sought to have his long-separated daughter by his side at all times, Jack concluded internally.

"Four Stellius mages and a small Armatus fleet. This town could likely fend for itself against a small squadron," Jack analysed, almost as if talking to himself.

"Not again, Jackie," Lupus warned, shaking her head. Then, a bright idea struck her. She quickly cut a piece of meat and held it out on her fork. "Try this one, Jackie!"

"I have my own," Jack hesitated, looking at his platter. Oh well, she stole that one earlier.

"Come on! It's roasted pork!" Lupus urged, wiggling her fork.

"Will that be considered an indirect kiss?" Jack asked, grinning.

"No!" Lupus denied sharply, squeezing her eyes shut, "Unless you want it to be."

"Fine…" Jack gave up and took the meat. The bursting flavour and perfect balance of savoury hit his taste buds. It was really, really good. Now he understood why she had stolen that piece out of pure instinct.

"Want more?" Lupus smiled from ear to ear, her eyes closed with contentment.

"I'm~I'm good, Lupy," Jack chuckled.

Later that evening, Lupus recounted the events of her week. With four Stellius mages, her own title as an Olympian Mage, and Frain accompanying the magistrate, negotiations over trade routes with Porand merchants and discussions on property development with contractors had proceeded seamlessly.

In this society, wealth was considered a form of soft power. But if one chose to invest in an army, that soft power could quickly transform into hard power. Much like arcane warfare.

A successful agreement had been reached. A new trade route for spices was secured with Porand, granting Hasenwald advantageous tariffs while maintaining a non-predatory contract. Meanwhile, the contractors finalised preparations for the construction of a large pier to accommodate the expected increase in trade traffic.

He wished the night could last forever. Listening to her chatter about everything and nothing, he realised the painful echoes of his past were finally starting to fade…

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