The rest of the day in the House of Daena passed in a blur of ink, parchment, and focused silence. Ren's hand moved steadily across the forms, detailing the intricate workings of his creations. He broke down the thermal dynamics of the heater, the energy-siphoning principles of the refrigerator's cooling lattice, the aerodynamic lift equations of the hoverboard, and the complex power distribution network of the hovercar. He wrote about the specific alloy compositions—the blend of iron, silver, and alchemical powders—that made his machines both light and durable.
It was grueling work, the kind of tedious, administrative labor that usually drove inventors mad. But Ren found a strange satisfaction in it. Each form filled, each diagram drawn, was a brick in the fortress he was building around his ideas. It was protection. It was legitimacy.
Around noon, Lisa insisted on a break. She led him out of the library to a small, open-air café overlooking the lush greenery of the city. Over plates of savory Shawarma Wraps and cups of sweet, spiced tea, she explained the next steps of the process.
"Filing the paperwork is just the first hurdle, cutie," she said, wiping a speck of sauce from the corner of her mouth with a napkin. "The Akademiya loves its bureaucracy, but it loves scrutiny even more. Once these documents are submitted and reviewed by the senior scribes—a process that usually takes a few days—you will be summoned for a formal review."
She leaned in, her emerald eyes serious. "Think of it as a thesis defense, but with much higher stakes. It's a panel interview. The heads of the relevant Darshans will be there. Their job is to verify the technology, confirm its uniqueness, and, most importantly, validate your ownership. They will try to pick your designs apart, look for flaws, or suggest that your work is derivative of ancient ruin technology."
She began to count off on her fingers. "The Akademiya divides knowledge into Six Darshans. Amurta handles biology and medicine. Rtawahist deals with astrology and the stars. Spantamad focuses on ley lines, elements, and alchemy. Haravatat is all about semiotics and ancient runes. Vahumana studies history. And Ksharewar… they are the architects, the technologists."
She pointed a finger at him. "Most of your inventions—the mechanics, the structures—fall squarely under Ksharewar's purview. They will likely lead the panel. However," she tapped her chin thoughtfully, "your work is… interdisciplinary. The Elemental Conduits, the artificial Visions… that is pure elemental manipulation. That falls under Spantamad. Your unique alloy compositions involve alchemy, also Spantamad. And the runic control systems you use for the hoverboard? That touches upon Haravatat."
She sighed, shaking her head. "Usually, a panel consists of sages from a single Darshan. But in your case… the chances are high that you will be facing a multi-Darshan tribunal. It's rare, and it can be intimidating. You'll have experts from different fields firing questions at you from different angles."
Ren listened, absorbing the information. He pictured the scene: a room full of stern, robed scholars, looking down at him from high seats, questioning his every move. It was a daunting prospect for anyone, let alone a ten-year-old boy.
But then he thought of his nights on Mt. Aocang. He thought of the long, detailed discussions he had with Cloud Retainer, debating the finer points of adeptal engineering versus mortal mechanics. He thought of explaining his logic to Ningguang, to Ei, to Albedo. He had been defending his ideas to gods and geniuses since he arrived in this world.
He looked at Lisa, his expression calm and unwavering. A small, confident smile touched his lips.
"I don't mind," he said simply. "I know my inventions. I know how they work, why they work, and where every single screw and rune goes. Master Xianyun and I… we went over everything. I've answered her questions, and she's the toughest critic I know."
He straightened up in his chair. "If they want to ask questions, I'm ready to answer them. I'm not afraid of a debate."
Lisa looked at him, at the quiet steel in his gaze, and her own smile widened into one of genuine pride.
"That's the spirit," she said, reaching across the table to squeeze his hand. "Confidence is key. They will try to use anxiety against you, to make you stumble. They expect a child to be easily rattled. But knowing you… I suspect they are in for quite the surprise."
She checked the position of the sun. "Well, the review is still a few days away. You have time to prepare, to rest, and to enjoy the festival. For now, let's go back and finish slaying this paper dragon. We can submit the documents before the archives close."
They returned to the House of Daena, their steps lighter. The mountain of paperwork was conquered, form by form, page by page. By late afternoon, Ren placed the final, completed document on the top of a neat, intimidatingly high stack.
They carried the stack to the administrative desk. The clerk from the morning looked at the pile of paper, then at the small boy, and his eyes widened.
"You… you finished all of them?" he asked, disbelief coloring his voice.
"All signed and dated," Lisa confirmed cheerfully.
The clerk began to stamp the documents, the rhythmic thump-thump-thump echoing in the quiet library like a drumbeat of progress.
"Your application is received," the clerk said finally, handing Ren a small, stamped receipt. "You will be notified of the review date via Akasha terminal… or," he corrected himself, glancing at Ren's bare ear, "via messenger to your registered address."
Ren took the receipt, a feeling of immense accomplishment washing over him. The first step was done. The fortress was built. Now, all he had to do was defend it.
They left the library, stepping out into the warm, golden light of the eve. The city of wisdom stretched out below them, vibrant and alive.
"Well done, Ren," Lisa said, putting an arm around his shoulders. "Now, how about we go find Ningguang and see if she's bought half the Grand Bazaar yet? I'm sure she'd love to hear about your victory."
Ren grinned. "Let's go."
The day had been long, filled with ink and legalities, but as they walked down the winding path, Ren felt lighter than air. He had faced the bureaucracy of Sumeru and won. The panel awaited, but for now, there was dinner, friends, and the beautiful, living city to explore.