Chapter 2207: Chapter 2207

"Can I really do this? I'm so old already."

The old man asked softly, his voice full of apprehension.

"Think about it. At your age, if you don't even try, are you planning to take this regret to your grave? Besides, giving it a shot won't cost you the life you have now. And frankly, it doesn't seem like you have much left to lose."

He scratched at his thinning hair, his gaze drifting uncertainly to the collection of parts spread across the table, gleaming under the bright light of a high-powered gas lamp.

"Give it a try. The worst that can happen is you waste a little time, lose out on the cost of a few meals. If you fail, you can write it off as a lost month's work. But if you succeed, you'll never have to live in a place again. Your inventions didn't make you rich when you were young, but this isn't some grand new invention. You're just modifying a music box—not even modifying it, really, just adding a few new features. How hard could that be? Perhaps it's difficult, but you know how to build a music box inside and out. You have half a lifetime of experience in mechanical engineering. What could possibly stop you, short of the end of the world?"

Jenkins continued his temptation, feeling he might have the potential to be a devil himself. Of course, he was certain that an animal lover like him would make for a very good devil.

At that thought, he reached up and patted Chocolate, who was perched on his shoulder. Ever since they'd arrived in this Mysterious Realm, the cat had been uncharacteristically well-behaved. He'd only ever acted this docile when he'd made a huge mistake or was begging for a tasty treat.

It made Jenkins marvel. After more than half a year together, his adopted cat had finally matured. He was no longer the gluttonous, lazy creature of the past.

The old man in the white lab coat remained hesitant. His life was stable now, predictable. Even though the future Jenkins described was enticing, it was still fraught with risk.

Seeing that a simple appeal to profit wasn't enough to sway him, Jenkins decided to try a different, more potent tactic:

"Do you remember why you started inventing in the first place? That burning desire from deep within, the way your heart would race just from the touch of these cold metal parts?"

"That was many years ago."

"But what about in the middle of the night, when old dreams resurface? Or when you're drunk in some tavern? Have you ever thought back to the ambitions you had when you were young? Have you ever dreamed, even for a moment, of making those youthful ideas a reality?"

"Once or twice, perhaps."

"So, is your chance really gone? If inventing a machine no one has ever dreamed of seems out of reach right now, why not start by improving something that already exists? Like that music box, for instance."

He was still wavering. Even when presented with the possibility of satisfying both his financial needs and his lifelong dreams, the old man hesitated. He wasn't young anymore. It wasn't that he'd lost the drive of his youth, but that he was burdened with far more worries.

So Jenkins had one last trick up his sleeve:

"Just imagine, we're living in an age where steam is propelling society and everyone in it forward. Are you really content to waste the rest of your life on the same manual labor, day in and day out?" This update ıs available on novel★fire.net

The old man's expression was unreadable.

"Think about it. How many people get to live through an era one? Even now, we can see what a magnificent, unpredictable age it is. Are you truly willing to accept a life of mediocrity? To let the last significant act of your life be hiring a few rude youths to polish parts for you in a basement?"

The old man's head tilted slightly, and his brow furrowed.

"Imagine your epitaph. What will it say when you're gone? 'A humble artisan'? Or maybe 'Assembler of music boxes'? Is that the legacy you want to leave?"

He was surprised at the words coming out of his own mouth.

"But if you could just summon the courage to take one more risk, things could be completely different. You could spend the latter half of your life riding the wave of progress, using your intelligence and wisdom to become one of the pioneers of this new age... I hope you understand the metaphor. If you become a factory owner, someone might even write a book about you, praising you for achieving success so late in life. All those failures from your youth would just become part of your legend. When you really think about it, is that so hard to imagine?"

The old man swallowed hard, the harshness in his eyes softening.

"Then, your epitaph will tell the story of a great life. Admirers and successors will boast of your contributions. And it all comes down to one thing: are you willing to make a change, to seize this chance to alter your destiny? Yes, change your own fate. That isn't something one can do just any time. If you hadn't been lucky enough to live in this era, you'd have no opportunity, no matter how brilliant your ideas. You are fortunate to have realized this in your twilight years. So, for money, for yourself, and for society... go create something."

"For the money, for myself, and for society..."

He repeated the phrase in a low murmur, turning to stare at the parts on the table with a new light in his eyes. He reached under a heavy, oil-stained gear and pulled out a sheet of paper. As he unfolded it, it revealed a hand-drawn schematic—an exploded diagram of a music box mechanism. It had all three orthographic views, complete with precise dimensions. Jenkins saw at once that this was no ordinary music box.

"It's time for a change."

The old man muttered, spreading the schematic out flat on the table. He then rummaged through a wooden pencil holder and found one that still had a point.

Jenkins took two steps back, watching as the old man, bathed in the lamplight, bent over his work. A transparent, heart-shaped diamond emerged from the man's chest. This gem was smaller than the others, and when Jenkins cupped it in his hands, it didn't feel quite as hot. Nevertheless, he had obtained the "Heart of Whimsical Ideas."

"You see? It wasn't that difficult."

Jenkins presented the gem to the cogwork man behind him, who then asked:

"Are you certain you didn't use your powers to deceive him?"

"You've been standing right here. If I'd used my powers, wouldn't you have felt something? I'll admit, I don't feel entirely right about changing someone's mind so easily with just words, but I can assure you, it was only persuasion. I think... I can understand where the old inventor is coming from. His way of thinking might not be entirely correct, but it isn't entirely wrong, either..."

With that, he tossed the gem to his companion. As they walked toward the basement exit, the cogwork man mused:

"After witnessing all this with you, I've confirmed it once again. Humans are truly fascinating creatures. Utterly fascinating."