I spent the first few days in my room at the Dragon's Den, performing maintenance and watching the street below through dusty windows. The mechanical joints in my legs needed cleaning after the long journey, and my fingers required careful calibration. But soon the quiet isolation began to wear on me.

On my fourth morning, I ventured out into Monster Town's winding streets. My first impression had been of decay and poverty, of crumbling buildings, garbage in gutters, clothes hanging limp between windows. But as I walked the crowded lanes day after day, I noticed different details.

A goblin woman had planted flowers in broken pottery along her windowsill. The blooms added splashes of color against gray stone walls. Outside a bakery, a kobold arranged his daily goods with careful precision, his blue scales gleaming as he worked. The smell of fresh bread drew a steady stream of customers.

I paused to watch a group of orc laborers gather at a corner, sharing jokes before heading to their jobs in the human districts. Their loud laughter echoed off the buildings. A harpy perched on a rooftop above them, her wings folded as she observed the scene below with clear fascination.

The winged beings, who were called harpies, intrigued me most. They rarely walked the streets, preferring to soar between buildings or find high vantage points. I often spotted them on ledges and roof peaks, simply watching the flow of life below. Sometimes they called to each other in musical voices that carried across the neighborhood.

My fragmented memories held no reference for these people. The bits and pieces I recalled from before my awakening showed only humans: armies marching, kings in their courts, peasants in fields. But here was an entirely different society existing alongside that familiar world.

Children played in the streets, darting between market stalls. Green-skinned goblin youngsters chased each other while young kobolds drew elaborate chalk pictures on walls. Even the smallest seemed to instinctively dodge around adult legs and cart wheels with practiced ease.

What had first appeared as crushing poverty revealed itself as something more complex. Yes, the buildings were old and resources clearly limited. But the monsters had built their own culture in these narrow streets. They had shops, gathering places, systems of commerce and community that functioned despite the constraints placed on them.

I found myself lingering in the market square, observing the interactions between different species. My black mourning dress and porcelain mask drew fewer stares now. I had become just another figure in Monster Town's tapestry of daily life.

At least, that was what I had thought.

The gang materialized from an alley as I walked back to the Dragon's Den. Six goblins and two orcs, none of them fully grown. They spread out to block my path, trying to look menacing despite their small statures.

"Toll for passing through our street," the lead goblin said, puffing out his chest.

I activated Analyze.

Drek

Level: 8

Goblin (Monster)

Male

Age: 14

The others were even weaker, ranging from levels 4 to 6. Their attempt at intimidation might have been amusing if it wasn't so pathetic.

"We don't want trouble," another goblin piped up. "Just give us some silver and you can go."

The door to the Dragon's Den creaked open. Barnus stepped out, wiping his hands on his apron. Other shopkeepers emerged from their establishments: a kobold merchant, two harpy sisters who ran the textile shop, an elderly goblin herbalist.

"What's going on here?" Barnus's usually jovial voice carried an edge.

"Keep out of this, old man!" Drek tried to sound tough, but his voice cracked.

Barnus just smiled, showing his tusks. "You boys better leave. Now. Or things will turn out real bad for you."

I used Analyze again, this time on the innkeeper.

Barnus

Level: 29

Orc (Monster)

Male

Age: 52

The gang scattered like leaves in the wind, their bravado evaporating instantly. Drek shot one last glare over his shoulder before vanishing around a corner.

"Sorry about that," Barnus said. "Those kids cause trouble sometimes, but they know better than to do it on my street."

Thank you for your intervention, I told the orc.

"Just doing our job." Barnus nodded to the other shopkeepers. "Meet the neighborhood watch. We take care of our own here."

The kobold merchant, scales a deep forest green, crossed his arms. "Have to, since the city guard won't step foot in Monster Town. Not that they don't come collecting their taxes right on schedule."

"Every month, like clockwork," one of the harpy sisters added from her perch on a shop sign. Her feathers ruffled in irritation.

"Yet when there's trouble?" The elderly goblin herbalist shook her head. "Suddenly they're too busy to spare even one patrol."

I reached into my dress pocket, pulling out a handful of silver.

"Put that away." Barnus's voice was firm but kind. "You're staying at my inn, which makes you part of the neighborhood. Looking out for you is just what we do."

My hand froze mid-motion. Part of the neighborhood. The words settled deep inside me, stirring something I hadn't felt since leaving all my friends behind in Weath.

Belonging. Community.

I… My mechanical fingers closed around the coins, returning them to my pocket. Thank you.

The herbalist patted my arm. "Welcome home, dear."

Home. Another word I hadn't expected to hear again so soon. I stood there, surrounded by these people who had accepted me without question, despite my strange appearance and mechanical nature. The contrast between their welcome and the suspicion I'd faced in human cities was stark.

"Come on," Barnus said. "I've got fresh bread cooling in the kitchen. Everyone's welcome to share."

As we filed into the Dragon's Den, I noticed the harpies taking up positions on the rooftops again, their keen eyes scanning the streets. The kobold merchant returned to his shop but left the door open, staying alert. Even as they went about their business, the watch remained vigilant.

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They had built something remarkable here in these neglected streets, a community that protected its own, regardless of race or circumstance. And somehow, impossibly, they had decided I belonged.

I wandered deeper into Monster Town, discovering it sprawled far beyond my initial assumptions. The crooked streets twisted and turned, revealing new shops and dwellings around each corner.

A simple wooden sign caught my eye: "Enchantments" painted in faded letters. The shop itself was modest, squeezed between two larger buildings, with a narrow window displaying various glowing items.

The bell above the door chimed as I entered. Inside, three young goblins huddled around a workbench while a middle-aged goblin woman sat at a desk, her hands wreathed in blue light. She traced intricate patterns onto a sword's surface, each symbol flaring briefly before settling into the metal.

I used Analyze on them.

Erch

Level: 18

Goblin (Monster)

Female

Age: 42

The younger ones were all below level 10, their faces scrunched in concentration as they watched their teacher work.

One of the students noticed me and scampered over. "What do you want?"

I would like to learn Enchanting, I projected into his mind. Would your mistress be willing to teach me?

The young goblin's eyes widened at my telepathic voice, but he recovered quickly and ran to Erch, tugging at her sleeve. She looked up from her work, the blue light fading.

Her eyes narrowed as she took in my porcelain mask and black dress. "Another one looking to learn?" She sneered, showing yellowed teeth. "I've already got three students. Too busy to take on a fourth, especially one as old as you."

I can pay well for the instruction, I offered, reaching for my coin purse.

"Not interested." She turned back to her work, the blue light returning to her hands. "Teaching takes time. Time I don't have. Find someone else."

The young goblin who had spoken to me shrugged apologetically before returning to his studies. The other two hadn't even looked up from their observation of Erch's work.

I would be willing to simply watch you work, I projected, keeping my tone respectful.

Erch's hands paused mid-gesture. "This isn't some street performance. If you're not here for business, then leave."

I can compensate you for the privilege.

Her face twisted. "Oh, so now you think throwing money around will change my mind?" She slammed her palm on the desk. "Get out."

I pulled out my coin purse. Thirty silver for today's observation.

"Thirty..." She barked out a laugh. "Fine. Your coin, your waste." She snatched the coins from my hand, counting each one before pocketing them. "Sit in that corner. Don't move. Don't speak. Don't disturb my students."

I settled into the indicated spot, watching as she returned to her work. Her hands danced through the air, weaving patterns of light that sank into the metal. Each weapon received different markings: some for sharpness, others for durability. She moved on to tools, imbuing picks with earth-finding properties and hammers with extra force.

The books proved most fascinating. She traced symbols along their spines and covers, muttering words under her breath as magic flowed into the pages. My Assembly ability strained to comprehend the processes, but the underlying principles remained stubbornly opaque.

Hours passed. The young goblins departed as evening approached. Still I watched, hoping to grasp even a fragment of understanding. But the magic remained inscrutable, defying my attempts to analyze its workings.

"We're closing," Erch announced, extinguishing the magical lights. "Out."

I rose from my corner, no closer to understanding enchantment than when I'd arrived. I left the small shop, mind abuzz with all the data I had collected. Erch looked relieved once I exited her door.

She didn't look as happy when I showed up bright and early the next morning when she opened up.

I held out another thirty silver. Her lip curled, but she snatched the coins and waved me to my corner.

"At least you're punctual," she muttered.

Today she worked with strange cylindrical objects, laying them out in neat rows across her workbench. Her fingers traced delicate patterns in the air, blue light flowing into each one.

What are those? I projected.

She shot me an irritated glance. "Pens. Enchanted to never drip or spill ink." She continued her work, completing twenty before moving to a stack of leather-bound books.

The students arrived as the sun climbed higher. They settled at their own small tables, practicing on copper rings and wooden blocks. I observed how they pulled energy from within themselves, directing it through their hands into the objects.

The next day, I returned. And the next. Each morning, thirty silver bought me my quiet corner. I watched Erch work on daggers, shields, more books. Her students progressed to enchanting larger items.

Something about their technique nagged at me. The way they drew power from their cores, channeled it through specific paths in their bodies. It reminded me of how I directed my will through my mechanical parts, but more... organic.

On the fifth day, as I watched a student guide mana into a simple bracelet, understanding bloomed. The flow of energy, the careful control; it wasn't so different from my Assembly ability. I felt something shift in my consciousness as the knowledge settled into place.

A system notification appeared:

You have discovered the ability Mana Manipulation!

Mana Manipulation Rank E

You can now move mana within your body.

I flexed my remaining organic hand, feeling a subtle current of power beneath my skin. Finally, I had grasped the fundamental principle of their craft.

Back in my room at the Dragon's Den, I sat cross-legged on the floor. The mechanical limbs I'd crafted whirred softly as I settled into position. Time to experiment with my new ability.

I closed my eyes, focusing inward as I'd observed Erch's students doing. They had described pulling power from their core, from somewhere deep inside. I searched within myself, probing for that wellspring of energy they so easily accessed.

Nothing.

I pushed deeper, concentrating harder. Still nothing. Where they had described rivers of power, I found only emptiness. My organic parts (well, what remained of them) felt hollow, devoid of the energy I sought.

Was this due to my damaged state? Had whatever organ or system that generated mana been destroyed along with the rest of my body? Or was there something more fundamental about my nature that prevented me from producing mana?

I opened my eyes in frustration. This should work. I had seen the principles clearly enough in Erch's shop. The ability was there, confirmed by the system itself. So why-

My thoughts stopped as something caught my attention. A faint shimmer in the air, barely perceptible. I focused on it, and suddenly I could sense them: tiny motes of mana drifting through the room like dust in the sunlight. The energy wasn't inside me, but it surrounded me in a thin, invisible cloud.

I reached out with my new ability, trying to draw the ambient mana inward. At first, nothing happened. Then, slowly, I felt it respond. Like drawing water through a reed, the energy began to flow into my body. The stream was thin, but steady.

Bit by bit, the mana accumulated within me. I directed it to pool in what remained of my torso, building a reservoir of power where before there had been none. The process was slow, agonizingly so compared to the natural generation I'd observed in others, but it worked.

I had found my source. Not internal production like living beings, but external absorption. Different, yet still viable. The implications...

A system notification appeared:

Congratulations! Mana Manipulation has reached Rank D!

You can now absorb ambient mana and store it within your body.

I pulled more mana from the air, watching it coalesce into a faint blue glow beneath my pale skin. The power felt different from Assembly; where that ability was structured and mechanical, this energy flowed like water, responsive to my will yet untamed.

I reached for Kolin's sword where it rested against the wall. The weapon's enchantments hummed as I touched it, and now I could actually sense the intricate patterns of mana woven through the steel. The craftsmanship was remarkable; I saw layers upon layers of spellwork reinforcing the blade, enhancing its cutting edge, protecting it from wear.

This was what I needed to learn. The goblins' lessons had shown me that enchanting wasn't just about power, but precision. Control. Understanding how to shape mana into useful forms.

I set the sword aside and pulled out the mechanical components I'd been working on: replacement fingers, joint assemblies, sensor arrays. Basic maintenance items, but what if I could enhance them? Add magical properties to complement their physical functions?

The Academy entrance ceremony was only three days away. I'd need every advantage I could get. The other candidates would have years of combat training, spelled weapons, magical abilities. I had my Assembly skills and now this fledgling Mana Manipulation.

I held up my flesh hand, watching mana flow between the digits like threads of light. Perhaps I could combine both abilities; use Assembly to create the framework, then weave enchantments through it. The possibilities made my broken body hum with excitement.

My damaged face twisted into what passed for a smile. Time to get to work. I had three days to experiment, to push both abilities as far as I could before facing whatever trials the Academy had in store.

I began gathering materials from around the room: scraps of metal, wire, spare parts I'd collected. With Assembly, I could craft what I needed. With mana manipulation, I could make it more than mere machinery.

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