After instructing Anna to monitor and take notes, Paul returned to his sketch with steady focus. The soft scratching of pen against parchment resumed as he leaned over the table, brows furrowed in thought.
"There should be at least two floors... with a width of 202 square meters. Eight meters deep, and four pillars—two on each side at the edges..." he muttered, voice low and steady as the design formed on the paper beneath his hand.
His pen traced out the details: a pair of L-shaped staircases tucked neatly into the corners, each with precisely twenty-two steps per level. His lines were clean, confident—mechanical precision guided by imagination.
Two hours later, after finalizing the measurements and structure, Paul leaned back and nodded to himself.
"Now... just need to add the station structure for the subway," he murmured, exhaling in a more relaxed tone.
Switching to a fresh sheet, he dipped his pen again and began sketching the subterranean transit system.
"With a length over 14.5 meters... that gives about 3,480 square meters total area. The platform—twenty-one pillars on each side, so forty-two total... situated eleven meters below the surface..." he continued, noting the support intervals and spatial dimensions.
"Stair access, two flights left and right... sixty-five steps each."
The hours passed steadily. Anna, diligent at her post, occasionally updated the notes from the radio, but Paul remained immersed in his work.
Six hours later, with ink-stained fingers and a stiff back, Paul placed the final dot on the schematic. He set the pen down, slowly stretched out his arms and shoulders, and looked at the complete blueprints sprawled before him.
"Finally... it's done," he said with a tired but satisfied breath.
The once-blank parchment now held the foundation of a hidden world—an underground stronghold and transit hub only he could envision… for now.
As Paul stretched his arms and rolled his shoulders, his muscles aching after hours of sketching, he glanced around the room with a quiet sense of satisfaction.
Turning his head slightly, he saw Renya standing there, arms crossed, eyes locked on the sketch.
"Oh... you're awake," he said, voice heavy with fatigue.
Renya stepped closer, her gaze narrowing at the elaborate drawings spread across the table.
"Yes... I have," she replied flatly. Her expression shifted into a faint, slightly annoyed smile.
"So, Prince... what are you planning this time?" she asked, her tone light but edged with suspicion.
Paul laughed awkwardly and scratched the back of his head with his left hand.
"Uh... just a little change in this area," he muttered, gesturing vaguely at the basement floor plan.
Renya raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. She held out her hand toward him.
"Let me see."
Paul let out a small sigh, his shoulders slumping.
"Okay..." he said with resignation, carefully picking up the two completed sketches and handing them to her.
Renya studied the drawings, her eyes tracing every line and note. The plans showed detailed underground levels, precise spacing, and a hidden transit station buried deep beneath the earth. Her face grew serious as she grasped the complexity.
Renya, aware of the modern science behind Paul's Illusion device, frowned. "Who's going to build all this?" she asked, her tone slightly annoyed.
Paul pointed to himself with a grin. "Me, of course," he said innocently.
Renya sighed. "Prince, it's just you and the robot. This will take over two years!" she said firmly.
Paul looked puzzled. "Not that long. We can ask the city for help and handle what's left," he replied.
Renya slapped her forehead. "Prince, this isn't the modern world. Where are we going to find skilled people?" she asked sharply.
Paul's eyes widened, and he slapped his own forehead. "Oh, I forgot," he sighed.
Looking at Renya, he added, "So… any other ideas?" His voice sounded defeated.
Renya nodded and turned to Alice, who was cleaning the Illusion Magic Device No. 1 after the maids had used it. "Alice, call all the maids here for a meeting," Renya said firmly.
"Yes, ma'am!" Alice replied, saluting like a modern soldier before heading to the back.
Five minutes later.
All the maids—except for Anna —had gathered in the room, standing in quiet anticipation. The air was filled with a low hum of curiosity and unease.
Renya stepped forward, her posture composed and commanding. With a calm but firm voice, she addressed them, "The Prince has a large-scale project in mind. Those of you who are familiar with modern construction, pay close attention."
She held up two rolled parchments, then unrolled them carefully.
"This," she said, handing the first drawing to Alice, "is the primary structure."
"And this," she added, giving the second to Liselotte, "is the secondary schematic."
The detailed drawings showed a sprawling underground facility—layered levels, reinforced tunnels, and what looked like a primitive transit system embedded within.
"Analyze them thoroughly. When you're finished, return them to me," Renya instructed, her tone brooking no hesitation.
The maids exchanged glances, their curiosity piqued. Alice and Liselotte both nodded, taking the documents seriously, and began studying the technical illustrations with silent focus as the others gathered closer to observe.
Ten minutes later.
After everyone had reviewed the diagrams and the drawings were returned to Paul, Renya stepped forward and asked, her voice calm but curious, "So… what do you think?"
Liselotte was the first to respond, raising her hand with a measured, firm tone. "I think… if we don't have heavy equipment like excavators, tunnel boring machines, a steady electricity source, and experienced workers—this project simply can't be done."
The other maids nodded in agreement, murmuring quietly among themselves.
Paul's face turned a shade pinker, visibly embarrassed. He scratched his cheek awkwardly, avoiding eye contact. Renya glanced at him and smirked knowingly, her arms crossed in a relaxed manner.
After letting the silence linger for a moment, Renya leaned slightly toward him and teased gently, "So… Prince, you heard them yourself. Any brilliant solutions?"
Paul sighed and raised both hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright…" He reached into his spatial bag and began pulling out papers, placing one on the table with a soft thud.
"There's a tool I've been working on that could help a lot," he said, his tone turning serious. "This one—" he pointed to the sheet, "—is a spider robot. And this…" he handed out another document, "is the remote control device. You can direct it just by syncing your thoughts into the control system."
The maids leaned forward, studying the designs intently. Mechanical limbs, flexible joints, and magical circuits lined the diagrams. But after a moment, Liselotte looked up, eyes hopeful but uncertain.
"But, Prince… even with this, it still might not be enough," she said softly. The others nodded again, sharing her concern.
Paul let out a long sigh, then slapped his forehead. "Okay, okay…!!" he exclaimed, fishing out another thick folder from his bag. Across the front, bold letters read: "TOP SECRET".
As soon as the maids saw the label, giggles broke out across the room. Even Renya couldn't hold back her laughter, covering her mouth with one hand as she tried to compose herself.
Paul, however, stood frozen, face blank and expressionless. He waited silently for the noise to settle.
Once they'd calmed down, Paul opened the folder with solemn dignity. "This," he declared, "is the AMP suit. Amplified Mobility Platform. With this machine, you'll be able to lift, drill, and move with the strength of ten men. Think of it as… wearable heavy machinery."
The room went quiet with awe. Several maids leaned closer for a better look. After a pause, they all nodded in unison, expressions turning serious.
Just then, Hilda—who had been standing at the back—stepped forward briskly. She picked up the schematic and scanned it quickly, then raised her hand.
"But Prince…" she said thoughtfully, "we don't have integrated circuits. Can this thing even function without them?"
She looked up at him, eyes focused, questioning. The drawing looked sleek and compact, but the reality of building it in their world was another matter.
Paul groaned and slapped his forehead again. "Ah… I forgot…"
Without missing a beat, he reached back into his spatial bag and pulled out a thick, leather-bound book glowing faintly with etched runes.
"Here," he said, placing it on the table with a firm tone. "It's a Rune Magic manual. Copy it. Study it. Once you understand how the arrays work, you'll be able to replace the circuits with magical runes."
The maids stared at the book with wide eyes. A few exchanged uncertain glances, but one by one, they stepped forward to begin the work.
After the maids gave their collective nod, Paul looked around and asked in a slightly confused tone, "Okay… there's nothing else to ask, right?"
Liselotte responded with a calm smile, "No, Prince. We'll study it carefully."
The others echoed her sentiment with small nods of agreement.
Satisfied, Paul rose from his seat, brushing off his hands as if shaking off the tension. "Alright then… study hard, okay," he said with a casual grin before turning and strolling toward the far side of the room—where Anna had remained quietly in observation.
He approached her with an easy gait, the atmosphere more relaxed now. "Anna," he said, his voice low but warm, "any suspicious activities out there? I'd like to see the notes."
Anna gave a short, respectful bow. "Prince," she acknowledged with a neutral tone. "Not much… but not little either."
With those measured words, she extended a folded set of notes toward him. Paul accepted the documents and began leafing through them, his expression gradually shifting from casual curiosity to focused attention as he read the detailed logs.