The inscription work went faster than Cain expected, perhaps because he had found a faint rhythm in the methodical process of carving each runic symbol with careful precision onto the metal sphere’s surface.

The red light from the formations of Blood Crystals cast steady illumination across his hands, the weight of the Magic Brush comfortable in his grip as he worked through the spatial connection patterns he’d memorized.

’At least this hasn’t changed,’ he thought to himself, pausing briefly to examine the growing runic matrix covering the sphere’s surface.

Despite his inability to sense mana flow patterns directly, the physical process of inscription would perhaps forever be exactly the same.

Each symbol was placed with almost mathematical precision according to principles that existed independently of his current magical limitations.

Of course, that was not all there was to it.

Magic was not something grounded in "logic". Despite the rules and laws, magic also had a tendency to be rather... spontaneous. Things like fate, time, and even space, often acted different from what the designed runic paths dictated, not necessarily making them unstable, but it did mean there was a chance, even if small, for things to go south in the event of a disaster or unfortunate coincidence.

Ambrosia watched from her perch on the stone steps with an expression that seemed caught between genuine curiosity and barely concealed amusement.

It was as if she found something entertaining about his rapidly moving hands and fingers. Her silence wasn’t uncomfortable, exactly, but it carried a strange weight that made him wonder what thoughts were running through her mind while she observed his work.

"You are remarkably more patient than I initially thought, Cain. I am impressed." she said finally, breaking the quiet concentration that had settled over the chamber.

Cain glanced up from his work and shrugged,

"Spatial magic doesn’t respond well to impatience. Rush the inscription process and you end up with unpredictable results, assuming the item even functions at all."

That really was the case. Often times, should something go wrong and the creation fails to work, it could even be considered a blessing. A disaster would be him unwittingly tearing a hole open into reality. Such a thing would destroy his body and soul in seconds. Thankfully, he had not done that yet.

"Mm." She tilted her head slightly, studying him with those magnetic crimson eyes that caught and reflected light in ways no normal human eyes could.

"Most beasts prefer simple solutions to problems. What use are sticks and stones if our claws and fangs are more than enough? Granted, those solutions do not always work out for the best."

Cain hummed even as his hands continued their steady work on the runic patterns. He considered her words briefly. Simple solutions were rather convenient, but the world was complicated. Not everything had an easy answer.

"I couldn’t agree more," that, in the end, is all he managed to say.

Something in Ambrosia’s expression shifted at those words. Her lips trembled, but she didn’t immediately respond. Instead, she rose from her seat and moved closer to where he was working, her movements carrying the fluid grace that seemed natural to her and her alone while still maintaining the careful distance that suggested respect for his concentration.

"These runic patterns you use are quite different and unique from those I employ," she observed, studying the complex geometric arrangements spreading across the metal sphere’s surface.

Her brows furrowed together,

"More sophisticated in their arcane relationships, though I suspect that complexity serves specific functional purposes rather than mere aesthetic preference."

Cain nodded then froze. He couldn’t quite tell her his runic language was mostly derived from an insane Demon.

In the end, he shrugged,

"The stands magic formulas and Mana flow patterns are rather rough around the edges and require a more brute force application of energy to achieve straightforward effects. The runic language I employ are much more subtle in their effect."

He paused for a moment, then continued,

"Still, I don’t think one is necessarily better than the other. Such is magic; there are often numerous paths. The route you follow differs only with your intent. A warrior and a blacksmith use hammers for vastly different reasons."

"I see..." Ambrosia said thoughtfully, as though mentally considering the implications of his words.

Then she chuckled, a deep crimson glow in the depths of her eyes,

"You are truly exciting, Cain. It makes me even more interested in you."

Cain chuckled nervously,

"Is that so..."

Ambrosia walked back to the stone steps and took her seat.

"It’s done. Infrastructure that will serve our mutual interests for hopefully years to come, assuming we can maintain the resource supplies needed to operate it effectively," he confirmed, setting down the Magic Brush as he completed the final runic sequence.

The finished spatial link looked exactly as intended, with every symbol placed precisely where the framework demanded for optimal performance. Now came the practical challenge of activation, which would require her assistance since he couldn’t channel the necessary energy himself.

"I’ll need your help with the activation process," he said, already retrieving the required mana shards from his inventory. "The runic matrix needs a substantial energy input to establish the connection, and it would be more efficient to use your mana since we’re in your territory."

Ambrosia tilted her head slightly, studying him with those crimson eyes. "More efficient? I would have thought the creator of such sophisticated magical engineering would prefer to handle the activation personally."

Cain arranged the five grade 5 mana shards in the activation pattern while keeping his expression casual. "Spatial magic works better when it’s powered by energy that’s already attuned to the local environment. Your mana has been saturated by the Blood Crystal formations here for months, which should create better resonance with the cave’s natural properties."

"How considerate of you to take advantage of my environmental attunement," she said with a slight smile that suggested she found his explanation reasonable enough.

"How intriguing," she murmured, moving to stand beside the activation array with obvious readiness to provide whatever assistance he needed. "And here I thought you were simply being cautious about working in unfamiliar territory."