(Jason, 16)

Pistons! That's what I'm missing! I scramble out of bed, pull on some pants, and teleport into my workshop, a bedroom I converted for me to do work in. I remove the boxes that serve as the walls and roofs of each carriage of the train and look through it.

What are pistons? I just had a dream where they were mentioned, but it was in regards to an engine. They must be the thing from that other world that caused the engines to power the wheels. After taking several minutes to try to figure out what pistons are, I shake my head.

No wonder the engines didn't work. Maybe having them linked directly to the wheels of the first carriage was wrong after all. Whatever these pistons are, they must be what causes the force behind the turning of the wheels.

Papa Jared and I were always trying to get the engine to directly affect the wheels, and that's where we went wrong. There was some medium that I was unaware of, a thing between the engine and the wheels.

However that worked is a mystery to me, I doubt my past self was very literate when it came to technology, based on what I do remember of being Lucas. Most of it was the bullying and abuse suffered at the hands of his peers. Or, well, their words.

I am definitely a reincarnation, and the fact that I do not have the same personality and knowledge, the same 'experiences' as Lucas, tells me my theory is likely the real one. Consciousness is separate from the soul, and that's where personality and experiences are. It's why I wasn't born with a full-fledged personality.

Though I do wonder what those people would say, were they to learn of my life as Magus Nolan or my life now as Jason.

Shaking my head, I return my focus to the engine. The engine moves something else, and that other thing moves the wheels. Another wheel, maybe? Is that what a piston is?

Closing my eyes, I lean back and think about the situation, attempting to pull forth any memory I have or have forgotten that might grant me further insight into this dilemma. Now that I know it's not an issue with the mana engines, I can possibly adapt those to other things. The issue will be fueling them, of course, but that won't be too much of a problem. Mana crystals, magicians, ambient mana, those can all fuel things.

Did Magus Nolan know something that would be relevant? It's not like I could tap directly into the ley lines, even if he did. They're quite a distance beneath the surface, and the one I carved a path to, while massive, is also dangerous to get close to. I also don't want to risk damage to the world by messing with them.

After awhile, I give up attempting to recall a memory that could be useful and look at the mana engine. A train would probably need a magician to constantly supply it with magic, maybe two. Probably not a constant supply of magic, but enough. It would pass through areas too quickly to succeed in drawing much ambient mana from an area. In theory, we could place batteries along the tops of the trains, to increase what mediocre amount it would be, but the trick then would be having those fuel into the engine through the separate carriages.

What about other applications, though? I'll let Papa Jared know about my epiphany and let him sort it out. There must be other applications for the mana engine, which is essentially a giant mana battery.

In theory, I could use it to power a permanent gate. It would need to be set in a place that naturally has a lot of ambient mana, though, and probably also need to be regulated. The gate would be turned on when in use and off when not to save on the stored mana. Then it would also probably need guards to ensure people don't try to abuse it, magicians to supply magic that it can't supply from the engine, and such.

(Alex, 16)

I knock on the door to Jason's workshop again, though he doesn't answer. If he doesn't come out soon, then he will risk us both being late to university. When he doesn't respond after another knock, I open the door and find him sleeping, his head resting on his arms on his workbench. He's wearing just a pair of pants, which he probably threw on before coming down here earlier.

I've only lived here a day more than a week, and I already know this means he had some sort of epiphany. Mostly because it happened yesterday and the day before as well. I knew he was a magician, but didn't think that extended to enchanting as well. I'm of the opinion that he probably got inspired to try creating magical technology because of the mysterious patent holder creating so much.

He said the idea of the trains came from the mana batteries, that what if instead of using horses to move carriages, we used magic? And then connected them together and used them to travel between cities? As a result, he's been attempting to create a train using a small mana engine. I guess he got his hands on it because his family literally owns the company that makes the mana batteries; it must be a prototype for something.

My gaze is drawn to the wooden train he has, which is curiously not on the workbench, but on one of the shelves. Whoever the reincarnate is developing the magical tech, I wonder if they had trains on their world. If they did, they probably would have already brought us at least a simpler version of it. Perhaps just a single carriage?

Jason seems to favor a long-distance travel for groups of people, since he's designing a train rather than a carriage, and his craftsmanship is quite good. I've seen the wooden train a few times, and each time, I'm amazed that someone who studies magic could carve something so detailed.

It's missing its mana engine, and when I look at the workbench, I find two stone archways sitting on the bench, each around three inches tall and two wide. They do have runes all along them, though, and both are connected to mana engines. At least I know where the one for the train went. There's one gate on either side of his arms, and a small metal rod maybe five inches long and extremely thin resting beside a marble.

What in the world?

"Jason," I say, and he doesn't wake. "Jason, wake up."

After a minute of attempting to verbally wake him, I reach out, then hesitate. Shaking my head, I grab his shoulder and gently shake him, before quickly pulling my hand back. Just touching him makes me uncomfortable, and not just out of fear of a nasty response from him over it. For… other reasons.

"Huh?" He mutters sleepily as he lifts his head up and looks at me. "Oh, Alex. Hi. I did it again, didn't I?"

"Yes," I look at the gates, then back to him. "I just wanted to make sure you knew breakfast was ready and that you were ready for university."

"We can take a gate if we're late," he says. "Thanks for waking me, Alex. Hey, check this out!"

He picks up the small rod and touches one of the arches, and violet energy begins to swirl between them. That looks like-

"Are those magical gates?"

"Yep!" He grins at me, then grabs the marble while keeping the rod touching the gate. "Check it out!"

He rolls the marble through one gate from the inside, and it rolls out of the back of the other. He picks it up and rolls it through that gate's front, and it rolls out the back of the other.

He does that a few times, then his eyes light up and he stops, before carefully turning one of the gates around. Then, he turns them back on by touching one of the gates with the rod and rolling the marble through it, causing it roll out of the other at a high enough speed that it rolls back into the one he rolled it through.

The marble goes through the two gates a total of sixteen times before it slows down enough it doesn't make it back through the initial gate.

"The rod won't be necessary on the full version," he pulls it away, and the gates deactivate. "And I'll try to disable the glow so that we can actually see through it so we know what's on the other side. The only reason I need the rod is because I scaled-down the activator as well, and can't exactly touch it that well."

"How long have you been working on that?" I ask.

"I think it took me four hours?" He shrugs, then stands and stretches, and I keep my gaze on his gates. "But I developed the gate spell years ago, so adapting it into an enchantment wasn't that difficult. With a mana engine and a magician or two on-hand, a full-scale thing should be viable. Only the one being activated between the two here needed to use mana, so that should help with the mana cost. I still want to figure out the trains, I think I'll tell Papa Jared something I thought of last night and see if he can't help make it work. The gates will have to have a higher cost than using the trains, because they require being in a place with high levels of natural magics and will have limited uses without either mana crystals or mana being fed to them, since it does take time for natural magics to recover, even if it's usually enough to cover the draw we use."

"Okay," I say as he pulls out a vest and pulls it on. "Before we eat breakfast, I wanted to talk to you about something."

"About you paying me rent?" He asks, and I nod.

"I don't feel comfortable-"

"And I told you," he says. "I'm not doing this out of pity. You seem a decent person, you are trying to turn your life around, and you have been dealt some bad hands. The universities are a chance at bettering one's future, that's part of why they exist. I'm simply doing the same as them – helping you do that. Not many on the streets would do what you do. All you need to do is keep trying to improve yourself and be a good person, and I won't have an issue with you staying here."

That's what you say, but the way you shy away anytime I draw too near to you tells me all I need to know.

"But-" my protest dies when he holds up a hand.

"No, Alex," he says. "I wouldn't feel right taking money from you when I'm doing this for you, and it wasn't part of our agreement. Some people can offer stuff like this without expecting or wanting anything in return, Alex. Just accept it, okay?"

"Okay," I'll try again later.

He's definitely using it as a way of claiming that he's performing charity.

Jason and I make our way into the dining room and eat the breakfast his housekeeper prepared, then we finish preparing for university and he opens a gate, telling the valet to pick me up after classes. When we step through the gate, we're in the S-Class room for the first years at his university, where the princes and princess, their betrothed, and several others are talking.

When I arrive, Prince Jacob greets me with a dip of his head, then says that we should be heading across the river, so we leave.

"Something's on our mind," Prince Jacob says as we exit the Royal Magic University. "What is it?"

"I shouldn't trouble royalty with the issues of commoners," I say.

"You should trouble me as a friend," His Highness says. "I know you have a hard time making that distinction, Alex, but Jason does, and since you're a friend of his, I would prefer it if you did the same."

"Jason isn't my friend," I say. "No offense, Your Highness, but I know that you and Jason and everyone are only being nice to me so you can claim charity. The moment you all stop finding it fun, I know I'm going to lose any contact with all of you."

(Jacob, 16)

I stop walking at Alex's outburst. He continues walking forward, ignoring me as he sulks in his own mood. I did not expect that thought from him. Does he really believe so little of us? I might not have known Jason all that long, but what I have seen of him so far says that he genuinely cares for Alex, and in more ways than one.

Even if he himself is oblivious to it.

Being around Jason is refreshing, because I can relax and be more casual around him. The only thing I want from Alex is for him to let us be his friend. I trust Jason's judgment regarding people because Papa does.

There is no way Jason thinks of Alex as a charity case, not with the extremes he went to regarding protecting him. Alex has no idea just how much Jason has done for him, and I only know because of Papa telling me.

Those boys who attacked Alex are no longer in Varil City. While they were not banished from the kingdom, they were from its capital, and their papas were not pleased by that. Jason wanted to ensure that they did not come after Alex again, and all of them were given stern warnings that should they attempt to retaliate for any reason, even through someone else, the penalties given by Papa would be even harsher.

The actions of the children reflect upon the parents when it comes to nobility, and there is precedence for someone losing their title and status as a baron or earl over a child who refused to behave and the parent not controlling them and ensuring it stopped.

Sighing, I follow after Alex, though walk to my class instead of his once I reach the university. How can I make him realize that none of us see him as charity? That is the first step necessary to making him accept us as his friends. After that, I can work on getting him to admit his feelings.

Seeing those two interact with each other… Lina, Niko, and Tasha all agree that they are as obvious as children looking into a sweets shop.

My musings on those two are cut short when I enter my classroom, and I take my seat. Today is Tuesday, which means that we have academic lessons all day, no physical training at all. The first lesson will be regarding the War of Imatiar Hill, if my memory of what our professor told us yesterday serves true.

I take my seat in the second row and wait for him to arrive, and at precisely eight, he enters the classroom, closing the door and taking his spot behind his desk. He sweeps his gaze over us.

"All of you are here," he says. "Excellent. Before we begin today's lesson on the War of Imatiar Hill, I have an announcement. The first joint training exercise with the Royal Magic University First-Year S-Class students will take place this weekend. You are to remain here after lessons end on Sorday, and we will go straight to the exercise. They will take up the rest of Sorday, all of Felday, and most of Sunday. You are excused from any study, training, and research groups on those days, should any of them require your presence during that time. Please ensure you make arrangements, as this is mandatory for all students in these two classes. Come to lessons on Sorday prepared for the trip. A list of items you need will be given to you at the end of lessons today."

"Yes, sir!" We respond.

This will be fun, I am sure. How will they handle someone like Jason, whose magical power and training puts him so far above us, both classes combined could never hope to do the same that he could?

The professor launches into his lesson regarding the War of Imatiar Hill, and I listen carefully, looking for the information which is either incorrect or missing entirely. One thing I notice early on is that he left out the reason for the war.

Yes, war. An entire war was fought over that hill, and it lasted for more than five years.

Combining the lack of given reason for the war, several other missing pieces of information, and the incorrect details the professor gives, I conclude he is testing us and will check when he finishes to see if anyone caught that he has fabricated the story he gives us.

It's a well-constructed story, but any good strategist, warrior, and general needs to be able to tell when something isn't right. Everyone should be aware that the professors will perform such tests from time to time, but from what I have heard, knowing this and actually passing the tests are not always related.

Eden xan Thomas xal Bourin, a farmboy who barely managed to reach our class but earned the spot and my respect nonetheless, raises his hand, a light frown on his face. He sits in the first row and two to my right, making it easy to notice without moving my head, only my eyes.

He's picked up something that was off, likely the fact that our professor has called the Varilan general by two different names, based on when he raised his hand. Neither of the names were his correct name.

The professor eventually finishes his explanation of the war, then looks at Eden, whose arm must be sore from being raised so long.

"You have a question?"

"Yes, sir," Eden responds.

"Ask it."

Eden stands, as we are instructed to do when speaking beyond a 'yes' or 'no'.

"You called the Varilan general both Camden Bulvite and Michael Intaris, sir," Eden said. "Initially, I thought they were two separate generals working together for some reason, but it later became evident they were the same person."

Judging by the reactions of my classmates, half of them caught onto that and the other half are doing their best to pretend like they had.

"That is indeed correct," the professor says. "Does anyone here know which was his real name?"

I raise my hand as Eden sits back down.

"Yes, Your Highness?"

I stand.

"As you called my 'Your Highness'," I say. "I will respond to you initially in that status and remind you that as I am a student here at the Royal Knight University, my status should have no bearing on how you treat me as a student, Professor. You are to address me the same way you would anyone else."

"Understood, P-Jacob," he says.

"Thank you," I say. "Neither of the names given were correct. The general was actually the son of a man who worked apple orchards nearby. When the first battle began, it was an unorganized, frenzied panic. Preston xan Nicholas xal Aplar was his name, and he had not a drop of noble blood in him. The reason he became the general was because there was no official commander initially.

"The troops that were fighting initially," I continue. "Were actually just a small unit passing through the area. Halvarite soldiers stormed the hill. It was not a battle of thousands, but only around four hundred, only one hundred of whom were Varilan.

"When the fighting started," I continue. "Preston was resting in a tree nearby, slacking off of work. He was sixteen at the time, the same age that we are now. He attempted to escape the fighting, only to be attacked by a Halvarite soldier. Some of the Varilan troops saved him, and Preston immediately took off.

"While the records are a little fuzzy on what he actually did," I say. "The general consensus is that Preston returned, performed some action that dampened enemy morale, and then used his knowledge of the surrounding area to help the Varilan troops chase the Halvarite soldiers out. The chase resulted in nearly two-thirds of the enemy dying.

"The Halvarite soldiers," I continue. "Desperate to lay claim to the rumored minerals beneath the hill, attacked again only a week later, this time with a thousand soldiers. Preston, being familiar with the area, had been helping the two hundred soldiers from surrounding areas combined with the remaining soldiers from the initial attack. They knew that the Halvarite soldiers were likely to return, as they had attacked with enough forces to take out the soldiers that normally patrolled that area and lay claim to hold it until reinforcements could come. At the time, it would have taken a month for more Varilan soldiers to arrive. So he had been assisting them in setting up defenses, as any loyal subject of the kingdom would do if possible.

"By the time the Varilan soldiers had come to reinforcement the position," I state. "Preston had helped the troops already there win four separate fights against the Halvarite, having proven to have tactical genius, despite having been a simple apple picker's son. By the time it was officially a war two months later, even the captain who had been put in charge of the defense of our territory there deferred to him when it came to strategy for the battle. He was the unofficial general until His Majesty King Fredrick III granted him the title one year into the war, officially marking him the first Varilan commoner to ever reach such a position while also acknowledging his abilities."

The professor takes several moments to digest that information. From what I know, few first-year students have ever even heard of the War of Imatiar Hill, much less possess the ability to completely correct or provide information on it.

"You are correct," the professor says. "Did someone warn you of this?"

He's referring to the test, which my classmates are aware of.

"No, sir," I respond. "Though the hill no longer exists, our people still know of it, but under a different name. Well, not the hill itself, but the rumored minerals. The lore had been misinterpreted by the Halvarite, who though the precious metals beneath the hill were minerals, raw and waiting to be mined. In reality, it was referring to the treasure in the Tomb of the King of Spring, a figure I was fascinated with as a young child. General Preston xan Nicholas xal Aplar was later Knighted and made a Baron, given the Landri Barony, a Barony created that encompassed the city of Aplar and the orchards outside of them. He was the first commoner in Varil to ever be Knighted, and the first pure commoner in Varil to ever attain a noble title."

General Preston Landri should serve as a reminder to the common man that anything is possible if they work hard enough and have the skills for it. It's even easier today to become knighted, even though the standards remain the same. The prejudice of centuries ago are not as strong today as they were in his time.

"Thank you, s-P-Jacob," the professor says, then launches into the proper tale of the war and I sit down.

This time, he keeps to the actual facts, leaving nothing out. I know everything he tells us already, as the royal library is extensive and keeps a copy or record of everything. In addition, Papa took me to the Tomb of the King of Spring when I was ten and still obsessed with it.

He also told me a secret, one I already knew. The King of Spring, whose corpse was buried in that tomb three thousand years ago, was a warrior, a Magi who fought against demons, angels, and gods as not just an equal, but a superior warrior.

Not many records mention the Magi, but if one knows where to look, they can find them.

If memory serves me correctly, the King of Spring was the Magi of Earth. He possessed immense abilities over the land, and could even affect plants with his powers. The art of such things was lost, but I am sure Jason has figured it out. If he has not, then I might nudge him and see what happens.

Once someone knows something is possible, it is only a matter of figuring out how it happened. There is no category of magic, no type of special magic, that can manipulate plants or accelerate growth. I'm not sure how the King of Spring did it, but it may have, in fact, been a manipulation of multiple elements and enhancement magic.

When I was little, I even tried imitating him, only to have the servants and guards around me do their best not to laugh when my 'spells' failed.

Hm. That might actually be a good idea. If I can locate a text on the King of Spring using his magic to earn that title of his, then show it to Jason and convince him of its authenticity, he might figure out the method the King of Spring used.

We could use it to bring crops to fruit, increase bounties, bind cities in walls of thorns…

On second thought, perhaps such power should not be remembered. All it would take is a magician with too much power and a vengeance, and it could go seriously wrong. Such power should remain forgotten, even if we still have powers just as terrifying.

Maybe I should locate that book and hide it, so that there is no chance Jason would ever see it?