Tivian North Suburbs, inside the library of Royal Crown University.
At noon, in a secluded corner of the library, Dorothy is still seated at her desk, diligently working on the design blueprints for an internal combustion engine. In front of her lies a large stack of books, all foundational knowledge she’s been studying.
"Miss Dorothy... what exactly is this machine you’re designing for?"
Sitting across from Dorothy, Nephthys asks curiously, holding a few mechanical part blueprints in her hands. As an archaeology major, she is completely baffled by these technical drawings.
"It’s hard to explain its purpose in a short time. You’ll understand when the actual machine is built one day," Dorothy replies to Nephthys.
"I see... So, Miss Dorothy, you’re also a mechanical engineer? You mentioned you’re a student at Royal Crown University. Is this what you’re studying?"
Nephthys continues, surprised that a high-ranking member of a secret society is studying mechanical engineering. Usually, wouldn’t someone with a background in archaeology, folklore, or history fit the role better?
"All of this... I taught myself. I didn’t learn it in class," Dorothy responds casually.
Hearing this, Nephthys’ eyes widen in disbelief.
"Self-taught...? With so many books... Miss Dorothy, you actually taught yourself all of this...?""My Beyonder abilities enhance my learning speed. These books may look like a lot, but for me, they’re not much of a challenge."
Dorothy continues to work on her blueprints with her tools, answering calmly. Hearing her words, Nephthys nods in understanding.
"A Beyonder ability that speeds up learning... That’s amazing..."
Looking at the mystical texts in front of her, Nephthys sighs with admiration. Reflecting on her own abilities—seeing spirits and communicating with the dead—she genuinely feels that Dorothy’s abilities are far more convenient, at least for everyday life.
As Nephthys thinks this, she begins to curiously examine the blueprints Dorothy has drawn, trying to figure out what kind of machine this is. Meanwhile, Dorothy remains focused on her work.
Inventing and creating to make money has been Dorothy’s long-standing plan, and among her envisioned inventions, the internal combustion engine is a crucial foundational technology. Fortunately, Dorothy understands the principles of how internal combustion engines work from her previous life. After supplementing her knowledge with the rapid learning abilities of a Scholar, recreating it isn’t too difficult. The internal combustion engine Dorothy is currently designing is a machine she’s reinventing based on the principles from her previous world, combined with the knowledge of this one.
The first industrial revolution was the steam revolution. In this world, the first industrial revolution began over fifty years ago. Over these fifty years, the accumulated knowledge and industrial standards in various fields have laid the groundwork for the second industrial revolution—the electrical revolution. What’s missing now are a few key technological breakthroughs that could bring about a major transformation in the world. The internal combustion engine is one of them, alongside the widespread use of electricity.
Dorothy is well aware of the immense wealth hidden within these revolutionary inventions. She is now preparing to create a persona as a great inventor.
Through these inventions, Dorothy foresees endless wealth. She might never have to worry about money again.
“Besides the internal combustion engine... there’s also the reform and widespread use of electricity. Alternating current... electric lights... telephones... I know the principles behind all of these. With the learning abilities of a Scholar, I can create all of these. I might even be able to single-handedly push this world into the second industrial revolution…”
As she draws the blueprints, Dorothy ponders this in her heart. The thought of potentially changing the entire world excites her. She can already imagine the streets of Tivian filled with cars instead of carriages, electric streetlights replacing gas lamps, telephone poles lining the roads, and public trams running through the streets.
Fueled by this excitement, Dorothy continues to work on the blueprints for her internal combustion engine. The series of blueprints is nearly complete. Once finished, Dorothy plans to have a corpse marionette take them to a factory in the city and work with skilled technicians to create a prototype.
And so, Dorothy focuses intently on her design work. Her progress is smooth, and if nothing goes wrong, the world’s first complete blueprint for an internal combustion engine will be born this afternoon.
But just as Dorothy is enthusiastically working on her design, a voice belonging to the system suddenly echoes in her mind.
“Warning: The current actions of the host may have significant consequences, potentially attracting the attention of powerful divine entities... This may lead to unpredictable and severe outcomes... Warning: The current actions of the host may attract the attention of powerful divine entities... This may lead to unpredictable and severe outcomes…”
The system’s emotionless warning reverberates in Dorothy’s mind. Hearing this, Dorothy freezes. Her pen stops on the paper, and she is completely stunned.
“What? The attention of powerful divine entities?!”
Dorothy thinks in shock. She looks down at the blueprints in front of her, her thoughts in chaos, her mind completely blank.
Frowning, Dorothy covers her forehead with her hand. She stares at the numerous blueprints on her desk, her expression growing increasingly complex. After a long while, she finally calms her thoughts.
“What the hell? Inventing an internal combustion engine could attract the attention of powerful divine entities? From what the system says... it’s because the impact is too great…”
Dorothy ponders this in her heart. She knows about the system’s warning function. When she was learning the Dragon’s Shout Slow Time, the system warned her that using it on a large scale could attract divine attention. So, she isn’t surprised by the system’s warning itself, but rather by what triggered it—inventing an internal combustion engine...
“According to the system, causing a significant and far-reaching impact on the world can attract divine attention. The gods will turn their gaze toward the one causing the impact. A Dragon’s Shout Slow Time with a radius of over ten kilometers can do this... and apparently, inventing an internal combustion engine can too... and it seems even more serious, directly labeled as attracting the attention of powerful divine entities.”
“Indeed... the internal combustion engine is a key technology of the second industrial revolution. Once invented and widely adopted, it could bring about a major societal transformation. If other inventions follow, the second industrial revolution would be inevitable... Such a monumental societal change would surely draw the attention of the gods…”
Dorothy thinks this to herself, forming her own understanding of why the gods would pay attention to the invention of the internal combustion engine.
“But this makes things difficult... If I invent the internal combustion engine now, the gods will immediately lock onto me. The consequences are completely unpredictable... I can’t begin to guess the gods’ attitudes. I’m only at the Black Earth rank right now. If the gods have any unfavorable thoughts about me, I’d be completely powerless to resist…”
Dorothy ponders this, feeling deeply conflicted. Inventing the internal combustion engine has been her long-planned path to wealth. But now, actually inventing it could attract divine attention. Dorothy is at a loss, frowning as she leans back in her chair, silently thinking.
“Sigh... It seems that as a transmigrator with a system, it’s better not to attract the attention of the gods until I’m strong enough. I don’t know which powerful deity’s gaze this invention might draw... Even if I knew, I wouldn’t be able to interpret their attitude or intentions. What if their attitude is negative? Wouldn’t I be inviting my own doom? It’s better to play it safe…”
Finally, after much deliberation, Dorothy makes her decision. She decides to temporarily halt her work on the internal combustion engine. The main reason is that she doesn’t know the gods’ attitude toward her. Attracting divine attention recklessly carries immense risks. If the gods harbor any malice toward her, she might be completely unable to resist. Such high-stakes risks are something Dorothy, with her cautious nature, would never recklessly pursue.
After careful consideration, Dorothy decides to put her invention plans on hold for now. This leaves her feeling quite frustrated.
“Damn... I thought I could take off financially with this... But now it seems that’s not happening…”
Dorothy throws down her pen, feeling gloomy. After a while, she lets out a long sigh.
“Sigh... Whatever. What’s done is done. Until I figure out the gods’ attitude, I’ll put the invention plans on hold. I’ve been in the library long enough. Let’s go to town for some coffee.”
Dorothy thinks this, then looks at Nephthys across from her.
"Hey, Nephthys, stop looking at those for now. Let’s go grab a cof—huh?"
Dorothy is about to invite Nephthys for coffee, but as she looks up, she frowns. The reason is simple: Nephthys is acting strangely.
Across the table, Nephthys is staring blankly at one of the blueprints in her hands. Dorothy recognizes it as one of the blueprints for the internal combustion engine’s components.
Nephthys holds the blueprint, her eyes fixed on every line, every shape, every number. Her focus is unnaturally intense. After staring at one blueprint, she immediately picks up another and starts examining it.
Seeing this, Dorothy is startled. She knows what’s happening—Nephthys has been contaminated by cognitive poison!
“Nephthys got contaminated by cognitive poison from looking at my internal combustion engine blueprints?!”
This absurd thought shocks Dorothy. It takes her several seconds to process before she quickly moves to stop Nephthys. She steps forward and snatches the blueprint from Nephthys’ hands.
"Stop looking at that!"
"Give it back... give it back... Miss Dorothy, please... I need to keep seeing it... the heart of steel... the power of iron and fire..."
Nephthys mutters incoherently, trying to grab the blueprint back from Dorothy. Dorothy knows this is a sign of cognitive poison addiction.
Faced with this situation, Dorothy immediately uses Nephthys’ last prayer to cleanse her of the cognitive poison. Once the poison are cleared, Nephthys, who had been struggling with Dorothy, suddenly freezes. After a few seconds, her eyes clear.
"Ah... what happened to me...?"
Nephthys, now regaining her senses, touches her forehead and shakes her head as she speaks. Dorothy, standing in front of her, replies calmly.
"You looked at my blueprints. They contain cognitive poison... You didn’t pray while reading them like you usually do, so you got contaminated. I just prayed to Aka to cleanse the poison for you."
"Ah... is that so? So... Miss Dorothy, were you designing a machine related to mysticism? That’s why the blueprints contained cognitive poison... I’m so sorry. I’ve never heard of mechanical knowledge containing cognitive poison before, so I thought these blueprints were just ordinary, non-mystical knowledge. I didn’t remember to pray while reading them, and I accidentally got addicted..."
Nephthys rubs her head, apologizing awkwardly. Hearing her words, Dorothy’s expression grows serious.
“Ah... I didn’t expect this kind of knowledge to contain cognitive poison either…”
Dorothy thinks silently to herself. She never imagined that her attempt to invent the internal combustion engine and spark the second industrial revolution would not only attract divine attention but also result in blueprints that contain cognitive poison. In this world, the technology of the internal combustion engine... is considered mystical knowledge.
This situation once again overturns Dorothy’s understanding. She had previously concluded that the boundary between mystical and mundane knowledge lies in whether it contains cognitive poison.
Previously, Dorothy had only encountered cognitive poison in knowledge related to lost history, eerie literature, and divine rituals. In her mind, mechanical engineering, mechanics, mathematics... these scientific fields were always part of mundane knowledge. She had encountered knowledge and even physical examples of internal combustion engines in her previous life, so she easily assumed that such scientific creations belonged to the "mundane" category.
But the current situation tells Dorothy that the reality of this world is far more complicated. The distinction between the mundane and the mystical might not be as clear-cut as she thought.
This world has gods. This world is built on the foundation of spirituality. The essence of this world is completely different from her previous one...
Dorothy silently ponders this, then tries to extract the knowledge of the internal combustion engine from her mind. The result? She extracts 4 points of Stone and 3 points of Revelation.
The blueprints Dorothy designed for the internal combustion engine... seem to be recognized as a Stone-path mystical text.