A Path To Omniscience

"The attic?" Nillia repeated, her voice tinged with confusion. Frostvale Manor had both an attic and a basement. Although the attic didn't cover the entire space under the roof, it was still quite large. Yet, Asher and his family, along with the staff, hardly ever used it or even went up there—except for seasonal cleaning or maintenance.

The basement, on the other hand, was much bigger and had a lot more room. They used it to house everything from their storage rooms to the secondary walk-in fridge for the kitchen staff.

Seeing that his mother needed more explanation, Asher said, "Honestly, it's not much of a project, more like a hobby I want to pick up. I've been reading a lot about mechanical engineering lately, and I want to give it a try. But I need space and equipment, so why not use the attic?"

Mechanical engineering? Is that why he's been spending so much time in the library? I guess that makes sense, given that Vance and I picked out a lot of books about technology and mechanics since we mainly partner with tech companies. Still, who would have guessed it would spark an interest in mechanical engineering for him?

From birth until now, whether it was before his coma or after, Nillia had never seen her son take up a hobby. He would sometimes play instruments outside of his lessons or read a book or two, but it was usually out of boredom. She had never seen him genuinely interested in something enough to pursue it on his own.

This lack of interest worried her. As important as it was to prepare Asher to take over Frostvale Enterprises in the future, she didn't want him to become someone who only knew how to work for the rest of his life.

Still... mechanical engineering is a pretty big leap from having no interest at all. And isn't it a bit dangerous? What if he ends up hurting himself?

As if he could sense his mother's concerns, Asher shifted his expression and adopted a pleading look while raising the pitch of his voice slightly.

"Please, Mom, pretty please? I really want to try making something. I promise I'll be careful…"

The combination of his tone and expression immediately struck Nillia right in the heart. Her son usually acted so mature for his age, but when he turned on the theatrics and started acting and pleading like a child his actual age, she found it hard to say no.

Dammit... I know he's playing me, but he just looks so cute when he asks for things making that face!

In the end, she couldn't help but smile, letting out a sigh of resignation.

"Fine, but! I'm going to have Lavi keep an eye on you. I don't want to hear about you breaking anything or getting hurt. If I do, that's it, got it?" Her stern expression made it clear she was serious, and Asher nodded in agreement.

"Of course."

"Also, anything you buy will come out of your allowance, and I'll be checking the receipts," Nillia added, to which Asher responded with the same innocent look.

"Yes, Mother." Seeing her son agree so readily, Nillia sighed again as she leaned back in her chair and waved him off.

"Alright then, go ahead. I still have a few more calls to make before your father gets home and we have dinner." Asher lowered his head respectfully and left the office. The moment he stepped into the hall, his face returned to its usual stoic expression as he touched his chin and thought to himself while walking.

The attic doesn't have any windows, unlike a lot of the other rooms in the manor, so I won't have to worry about being watched. Though if Lavi's going to be keeping an eye on me, I'll need to be extra careful to hide the Nexus Space. Still, at least I can finally start ordering the equipment I need without raising any suspicions.

Pulling out his scroll, it displayed a checklist on its holographic screen of various tools and equipment Asher had compiled.

Most of it was top-of-the-line equipment: Dust Synthesizer (Ⱡ200,000), Nanite Fabricator (Ⱡ220,000), Optical Interface Terminal (Ⱡ90,000), and Automated Assembly Arms (Ⱡ860,000).

In addition, there were more standard things he needed, like an Oscilloscope (Ⱡ20,000), a Soldering Station (Ⱡ10,000), CNC Machines (Ⱡ240,000), Laser Cutters (Ⱡ80,000), Microscopes (Ⱡ30,000), and, of course, workbenches with integrated tools, among other things such as materials and basic components.

Everything on his list was practically the best money could buy, aside from the military-grade stuff.

Even with his family's name backing him, he couldn't find a way to get his hands on those kinds of items. Still, the total cost of everything he could get had easily exceeded two million liens—something the average citizen, even in Atlas, couldn't afford after working for years. 

I guess I should be glad I hardly ever spent my monthly allowances. Add that to all the money I've been given during my birthdays and the gifts I've received up till I turned ten and I should have quite a bit saved up.

He swiped on his scroll, switching from the checklist to a bank account summary. It was technically his account, but his parents were the ones who set it up. A safety measure to keep track of his spending in case he ever bought too much and they needed to cut him back. But that ended up never becoming an issue. 

[Asher Frostvale]

Date: May 21st

Current Balance: Ⱡ9,778,660

Monthly Allowance: Ⱡ50,000

Last Transaction: Ⱡ1,340.00 (Withdrawal)

Alright, so I have almost ten million lien to spend on whatever I need. Buying all this equipment will take a significant chunk of that, but it's a necessary investment. If it really comes down to it, I don't think I've ever asked my parents for money directly before, so I'm sure they'd be willing to give me more as long as I provide a good reason.

As he considered this, Asher reached the staircase leading to the attic. It was located at the far end of Frostvale Manor, in a corner that wasn't often visited. The nearby rooms were mostly empty, and apart from cleaning, staff rarely bothered with this area.

Passing through the wide opening where an unusually large door once stood, Asher entered a tower-like room with a spiral staircase leading to the attic. Climbing the stairs, he reached the top and found himself in a spacious, empty area with a rugged stone floor and high wooden beams connected by rafters and braces.

Hmm, it looks like I have a little more than a hundred square meters to work with. That should be sufficient, considering I'll be doing most of the important work in the Nexus Space rather than here.

His reason for setting up a workspace in the attic was mostly for convenience but also to have a cover story for anything he invented. He planned to use this area for more routine, basic work while the Nexus Space was reserved for more advanced projects.

As he surveyed the area to determine where he would place all his equipment in the future, Asher noticed that everything was relatively clean. There were a few scattered boxes that were from when his family first acquired the manor, but the cleaning staff had kept it well-maintained and fairly dust-free.

After looking around, Asher tapped his foot against the ground a few times. 

Still, this floor is a bit too uneven, and the exposed wood might be problematic if I start working with anything explosive. I'll need to spend some extra money to install metal flooring and coverings.

Having seen what he needed from the attic, Asher pulled out his scroll again and navigated to his contact list before placing a call. The phone only had to ring twice before someone answered. The familiar, courteous voice of Lionel, the Frostvale Family Butler, greeted him from the other end.

"Young Master, you called?"

"Yes, I need your help with something," Asher replied, before messaging Lionel the checklist he had prepared.

"I've just sent you a list of tools and equipment I need you to order for me. You can charge it all to my account." Lionel paused on the other end, slowly reviewing the list before responding.

"I see... This is quite an expensive order, Young Master. Are you sure? Also, most of this equipment will need to be installed somewhere properly in order to function."

"Yes, I'm sure. I want everything installed in the attic. I'll send you a layout plan tomorrow. Also, I already have my mother's permission for all of this, so there's no need to worry." Hearing that Madam Frostvale had given her approval, Lionel sounded a lot less apprehensive.

"Ah, understood. Very well, Young Master. Is there anything else I can assist you with?"

"Yes actually, before the installation, I need you to contact our general contractor and have them inspect the attic. I want it fireproofed to prevent any risk of a blaze with all the equipment running. You can charge those fees to my account as well."

"Of course, I'll arrange that right away." With everything covered, Asher thanked Lionel and ended the call.

It will probably take a week for them to finish consultation and planning, and then a few more for the actual preparation work, construction, and fireproofing. At the minimum, it's going to be about four weeks until I can use this place, and then probably another few days for all the equipment to be moved, built, and installed. 

Still, that's fine; he had some other things he needed to do in the meantime, like drawing up the layout of where he wanted all the equipment to go.

On top of that, I should order some more books. While I know how to make a lot of things, I still don't really understand anything.

He had assimilated practically all the books in the library that were of interest to him into the Nexus Space, with some of them surpassing a hundred percent, allowing him to learn about technological advancements years beyond what was currently available. However, there was a critical difference between knowing something and understanding it.

As it stood, Asher had the equivalent of a cheat sheet with all the answers. However, he didn't understand the equations and principles that led to those answers. For instance, he knew how to design advanced propulsion thrusters that had a much higher yield than the ones commonly used today. But it was like drawing inside the dotted lines without grasping why certain lines were made. 

He wouldn't truly comprehend what he was doing or why he was doing it because he lacked the foundational knowledge of the systems he was creating.

This might not be an immediate issue, but if people start asking questions and I don't have answers, it will raise suspicion, especially for a fourteen-year-old. I need to do more than just look the part of a genius for Atlas Academy to take notice of me; I need to sound like it too.

That's why he planned to order a diverse range of books over the next few weeks. He needed to build a solid foundation in various fields, including cybernetics and robotics, aerospace engineering, manufacturing processes, biomechanics, and dust engineering.

Oh, I suppose I can also use this time as a chance to come up with a few blueprints for the things I want to make as well.

He had a few theoretical inventions bouncing around in his head that he could make based on the knowledge he possessed at the moment. But he hadn't written any of them down yet or decided which one he actually wanted to make. Since he had around a month before he could get to work, he might as well use some of that time to figure that out as well. 

And so, with a goal in mind and a plan partially underway, Asher left the attic and went back down the spiral staircase before heading to his room. As he pushed open the doors, an immaculate living space came into view. Asher kept his room fairly muted in terms of colors, reminiscent of a clear, snowy day.

A step-up king-sized bed with canopy curtains was centered on the far wall. Opposite to it was a sunken seating area with a large couch placed in front of a warm, crackling fireplace. The dome-shaped roof was engraved with intricate patterns and designs and made of stone that looked as polished as glass.

The ceiling also had built-in lights to illuminate the room and acted like a mirror, reflecting Asher's entire living space, including the glass doors that led out to the balcony overlooking a portion of Atlas.

Walking over to his desk, Asher pulled out his chair and sat down, but didn't reach for a pen or paper. Instead, he entered the Nexus Space. In an instant, his mental form, a projection of his consciousness in the Nexus Space, was standing on the makeshift platform within the illuminated void.

This time around, though, he wasn't naked.

He had continued to experiment with bringing certain things into the Nexus Space, which was why random items like books, pillows, and tools were scattered about. And through that, he learned that he could wear clothes in the Nexus Space, but they had to be brought in with him and couldn't be the ones he was currently wearing in the outside world.

He personally picked out a simple white trench coat and put it over a black top, and pants he found in the recesses of his closet. It was a simple look compared to what he normally wore, but it seemed easier to clean if something happened.

"Alright, let's get started." The moment Asher spoke, a projection appeared in front of him. Unlike the ones he had created before, this one was white and completely blank. It was also opaque, unlike the others, which were slightly transparent.

Without wasting any time, Asher began drawing and writing, using his finger as a pen in combination with his mind to start making a blueprint of one of the many things he planned to create in the future.

He had no clue how much time had passed, as there was no sense of time in the Nexus Space, but he soon got lost in a flow. With so much knowledge in his mind, even if he didn't understand all the fundamentals, all he had to do was have a fraction of an idea, and the Nexus Space would assimilate it, causing it to grow into something tangible.

As he sketched, he saved each blueprint to the recesses of his mind using the Nexus Space's ability and immediately moved on to the next.

By the end, at least six hours had to have passed outside, because while his mental form was busy working in the Nexus Space, he suddenly heard a knock reverberating through the void. Pausing his work, Asher looked up and realized the sound was coming from the real world.

A second later, all the projections floating around him collapsed into one before disappearing altogether. Then Asher brought himself back to reality. Now that he wasn't focused on anything, and his consciousness was back in the driver's seat of his body, he could hear the knocking more clearly; it was coming from outside his door.

"What is it?" Asher called out as he stood up from his desk.

"Young Master, it's time for dinner. Your parents are waiting in the dining room." The voice belonged to one of the maids in the house, causing Asher to glance at the clock on his desk.

Oh, It's already past 10 PM; I guess mother and father were working late again.

Walking over to the double doors of his room and opening them, Asher saw the maid waiting outside.

"Apologies for making you come get me; I was busy with something," Asher said, stepping into the hall. The maid lowered her head and replied respectfully.

"No need to apologize, Young Master; it's my job after all. Would you like me to escort you to the dining room?" Asher shook his head.

"No, I'll be fine; you're free to go." The maid nodded and, with one last bow, took her leave as Asher headed in the opposite direction, down the hall. 

Eventually, he reached a set of wooden doors with no handles, which opened automatically as he approached, letting him into the dining room. Unlike some dining rooms, the Frostvale Manor featured a round table instead of a rectangular one, though it was still big enough to seat and serve ten people comfortably.

All types of paintings and other forms of artwork adorned the walls, with the roof being a glass dome that provided a clear view of the night sky. Plates of food had already been set out on the table, and Asher saw that parents had taken their seats next to one another. 

Seeing her son arrive, Asher's mother remarked, "Oh good, I was starting to think you would be skipping out on dinner."

"No, of course not. I was just in the middle of something when the maid called for me," Asher explained as he walked over to the table and took his seat. Looking over at his father, he saw him busy looking down at a scroll in his hands that had been adjusted into the shape of a tablet. Nillia seemed to notice this as well, as she turned her attention to her husband.

"Love, you know we don't do business at the dinner table," she said. While still tapping away on the holographic screen on the scroll, Vance nodded absentmindedly at his wife.

"Yes, yes, I know... I'm almost done." Hearing that, Nillia's gaze narrowed with a glint flashing through her eyes. Reaching over, she gently placed her hand on one of his arms. Her grip wasn't tight yet it immediately snapped her husband's focus away from the scroll. Turning to look at her, he seemed to pause the instant he saw the look in her eye before letting out a soft laugh.

"Oh, right, of course, sorry." Without another word, he put away the scroll as Nillia shot him a loving smile. A few moments later, the family began to dig into their food, which consisted of crisp roasted duck with golden skin, prime ribs garnished with fresh herbs, and seasoned asparagus drizzled with truffle oil.

There was a comfortable silence as the family ate. Asher's mother took a sip of her wine while his father turned to him.

"Asher, I heard from your mother that you're interested in taking up engineering as a hobby." Asher had expected this topic to come up at dinner, so he nodded and replied to his father enthusiastically.

"That's right. I was reading a few random books I found in the library, and one of them covered the historical technological discoveries that made Atlas what it is today. It fascinated me, and before I knew it, I ended up reading a bunch of other books that went more in-depth into the mechanical side of the technology we surround ourselves with." Listening to their son's short story, his parents nodded slightly.

"Well, that's good. It's always a positive thing to learn more about the things around you," Asher's mother stated, to which his father agreed. 

"Your mother's right. If I remember correctly, you're planning on setting things up in the attic?"

"That's right, I've actually already called Lionel to help me order everything I'll need, and I plan on having the attic remodeled a bit so it's safe to have all that running equipment around," Asher explained.

"Ah, right, I did get a notification from your account that you had spent quite a bit. Well, if this is really a hobby you're interested in picking up, then we support you. Just be careful, alright?" Whether it be his mother or father, Asher could tell neither of them really knew what to think about his sudden interest.

He had never had a hobby before after all, and if he had to guess, they were probably questioning whether this was a spur-of-the-moment thing or if he was genuinely intrigued.

Well, I suppose being sporadic and making random decisions is something parents expect from their kids. 

Still, Asher put on a smile as he responded, "Of course I will."