14 April, 1874
6:00 A.M.
Forge Town
The shrill ringing of a clock pierced the silence.
Nicolas stirred beneath his thin blanket, his eyes slowly opening.
Six already…?
He sat up, rubbing his face. His body ached—another night with barely any sleep.
Nicolas was an architect. Despite graduating from an average college due to financial limitations, he had always been exceptionally gifted from birth, brilliant in countless fields. Over the years, he had taken on various construction projects, steadily building his reputation. His latest commission, however, was unlike any other: a complex structure designed to preserve food and drinks for unusually long periods.
He swung his legs off the bed and stood, yawning.
"I worked until two in the morning… and now I'm back at it again. Fuck, why did I start doing this work?," he muttered, staring at his reflection in the cracked mirror.
Dark circles clung beneath his eyes.
He opened his closet and pulled out his clothes. As he reached into the drawer beneath, his fingers brushed against two objects—a broken pocket watch and an old lighter.
He paused.
For a moment, he simply stared at them.
Then he picked them up, slipped them into his coat, and headed out.
At the Construction Site
The air was thick with noise.
Metal clanged.
Machinery groaned.
Cement churned.
Yet something felt… wrong.
Nicolas noticed it immediately.
The workers' faces were pale. Their eyes were like a hollow. Their movements were sluggish.
They looked like men who were already defeated.
"Did something ha—?" Nicolas began.
Nicolas Interrupted.
"Sir! Here you are?"Jimmy hurried towards him.
"Something happened while you were gone," he said.
Nicolas forced a small smile. "If you're looking for me this urgently, then it must be something serious, right?"
"This isn't the time for jokes, sir."
Nicolas stiffened. Jimmy's expression wasn't one of annoyance—it was fear.
"What happened?" Nicolas asked. "Just when I thought everything was finally under control."
"The owner… Mr. Williams…" Jimmy hesitated. "He sent someone with a message."
"And?" Jimmy continued"He wants the building completed six months earlier than planned."
Nicolas blinked. "What?"
"And if we can't—he'll hire another team. And he'll…" Jimmy swallowed.
"And he'll what?" Nicolas snapped.
"He'll revoke our contract."
The words hit like a hammer.
"Son of a bitch!.." Nicolas exhaled sharply. "Did he give any reason for this madness?"
"He said his competitors will finish their building four months before ours… so he wants ours done six months earlier."
"What the fuck is that old man spouting, what does he think this is?" Nicolas said.
"That's impossible," Nicolas said, his voice rising. "Utter nonsense."
He clenched his fists.
"At best, maybe three months earlier—if everyone works eighteen hours a day."
"That's why everyone looks like that," Jimmy said quietly.
Nicolas looked around again.
They weren't just tired.
They were hopeless.
This project—this impossible structure—was his life's 2 years work. Every detail, every calculation, every solution—it was all his. And now it was about to be handed to people who didn't even understand it.
The thought made his blood boil.
"I won't let this happen," Nicolas said.
Jimmy looked up.
"I'll go meet Mr. Williams myself," Nicolas continued. "I've worked for him many times. He'll listen."
The workers' expressions slowly began to change—tiny sparks of hope returning in their gloomy eyes.
"I will leave for Rozanta tomorrow morning."
Time for basic explanations
Rozanta- A large city where all the rich merchants reside. It is also a hub where goods from the Empire first come here, and then it will export to other states.
Characters appear
Mr. Williams- A wealthy merchant who owns pharmacies, mines and a food and drink transporting company
Jimmy- A subordinate of Nicolas
Forge town- A small town that is famous for its blacksmiths. ***