Melted Countertop

"Sir, there was a small incident while you were gone. The countertop in your room was melted, and the smoke set off the fire alarms, then the fire department showed up. Everything is back to normal now, except the countertop."

I sighed, "Alright, where are they? I'll get it fixed like new or pay for it."

"Your companions are in the room."

We parted ways, and I rode the elevator up.

When I reached the room, the girls were all sitting on the couches. Elaria looked distressed and barely able to hold back tears. Lila looked barely able to hold back from teasing her, and the others looked like it had nothing to do with them.

"I heard you met the fire department?"

Elaria burst into tears and kept trying to apologize. Luna gave her a hug while looking at me murderously, "It's okay; I'm sure it's fine." I received another terrifying look from Luna saying it better be fine.

Jeez what did I ever do to her?

"Yes, the countertop is easy to replace. Well, it's just heavy."

I peeked into the kitchen and saw the blackened, scorched, and melted stone countertop with traces of the magic circuit used to heat food.

I went over and sat next to her, putting my arm around her, "I suppose you thought it was fine to heat since it's stone but didn't know stone countertops are like 7-12% resin, which melts. It's fine. Not too hard to replace."

She nodded, wiping away tears, "I'm sorry Master. I tried to make food and couldn't figure out how to heat things."

I stood and pulled her up with me, "Come on, I'll show you."

I led her into the kitchen and went over to the stove, setting a kettle on it and turning the knob.

"Turn the dial to turn the burner on. It will only heat while the kettle is on the stove. The number is how high the heat is."

She nodded and glanced at the messed-up countertop, bowing deeply, "I'm sorry, Master. I know you said no magic, and I thought you were meaning when people could see. I'll never do it again. I'm really sorry Master, please forgive me."

"Don't worry about it. I do mean no magic when people can see, so do what you thought. Just make sure stuff won't melt or something. Today, I forgot how heavy stuff was and carried a bag that is too heavy to lift and only realized it when someone else tried to pick it up."

I traced a circuit on each burner of the stove she could also use, since it was probably easier for her, "Here. This should be a safe surface to use it on."

I made some coffee beans that were already roasted, "Here, you brew some coffee, and I'll fix the countertop."

---

It didn't take me long to replace it. It wasn't even heavy anymore. I knew how to replace them from helping my grandpa who used to do it for lots of people. Now the caulking just had to dry, I told everyone not to touch it till tomorrow.

Elaria handed me a cup of coffee and watched me try a sip. As I took a sip, her face fell, and she took the cup back from me, hurrying back to the kitchen.

"I'm sorry it's not good. I'll try again!"

It was so watery, and the flavor was not good.

I realized one of her problems and called after her, "You have to grind it or boil it for a long time!"

Then on her next try, there were too many fines and I gave her filters. It took a few tries to get it to the passable level.

After I was sure she wouldn't melt something else, I'd send her for proper lessons. I have very little knowledge of making good coffee to give her.

I went into my room and started my next project: Weapons.

Nyla had a ridiculous amount of knives and daggers she kept asking for, and I'd given her, along with multiple swords, bows, and spears. The other girls all had 2 of each.

None had guns, I planned to fix that. They all needed one for every occasion I could think of: A variety of different-sized pistols, a short-range rifle, a mid-range rifle, a long-range rifle, and a shotgun. I'd make myself a set also.

I started buying the parts I needed and putting them together. I made sure all the rifles worked the same, so they only had to learn the controls of one.

I also built a set for each of my mom and sister. I planned to send it to them as if I had won a raffle drawing or something before I died, but they couldn't ship them till I was 21 since I should have been 21 now. Hence the reason they are being delivered now.

It didn't take long to put them together. The long part came in enchanting them, so they can be stored in the aether. This whole process would take several hours.

---

I finally finished, and now I had to make a jade slip containing the information on how to use these.

The best way would be to extract it from someone who already knows it. Since everyone is a mortal with no cultivation here, it shouldn't be a problem.

I set up my new computer and started looking for the school where the best special forces in the world are trained. I'll just extract it from their instructor; they should have already reached the peak of human proficiency.

I found a picture and activated my invisibility before teleporting to the roof of the building they were in.

Looking through the void, I saw patrols all over the place, a tall fence around the perimeter, and a guarded gate.

I found the place where there was a guy supervising people practicing clearing a structure a little ways away. This should be one of them that I need.

I teleported behind him, and he whirled around staring right at me, searching for what was there. At this world level, people can sense things like killing intent. I didn't release any, and I don't intend to harm him, but he still sensed something. I guess heightened senses are probably acquired in their line of work.

I started extracting all his knowledge, and he took a few steps away. Since he can't fight my extraction, it won't affect him negatively to have this done, but he still seems to think something is going on.

After I got what I needed from him, I moved onto the instructor for snipers since he only had short to mid-range knowledge.

The instructor for snipers tensed and glanced around when I teleported behind him, but just shook his head.

I next teleported out to the middle of nowhere and zeroed all the guns. It was a lot easier being able to hold them perfectly still and take the human error out.

Since I got everything I needed, I teleported back to the hotel, hoping they hadn't gotten in trouble again.

Thankfully, everything was fine, and I started handing out jade slips with the new information.

I handed them each the guns I'd prepared for them along with enough ammo to start a war. They finished the enchantments linking them to themselves and expertly loaded the guns before sending them to the aether.

I started handing out the latest model of cell phones and the accompanying jade slips so they could communicate like the rest of the world.

Luna and Lila went off to play with their new toys, which allowed the rest of the girls do the same.

My next task was giving the guns to my mom and sister. A set each, 3 sets in total since this company supposedly doesn't know I died.

I started by creating a website where I supposedly entered for a chance to win a "Complete Gun Package" in case they tried looking this company up. I'd only made 1 website before, so it wasn't perfect, but it was at least believable.

I packed up the guns nicely and added a little congratulations note to myself along with holsters, which the girls didn't need for obvious reasons. I also added 2 hammer-less revolvers that could work while in a pocket, plenty of ammo, and a note explaining the function of each gun.

I packed up the box and addressed it to myself. I'd have to deliver it personally since the post office would x-ray it and cause a fuss.

I looked through the void to see if they were home. They still weren't, but that wasn't too unusual as it was only about 2:30. After teleporting to the porch and dropping off the package, I teleported back to the hotel.

I started looking myself up. It's a little weird to read your own obituary. Only then did I realize the date today. My death anniversary wasn't far off. My deathaversary?

I then started browsing my sister's social media accounts. It was almost blank except some notes to me from last year around this time and a picture of an acceptance letter to the same university I went to.

Well, it looks like I know what I want to do next. I'm going to school. It only started a few weeks ago, so it should be fine.

I called out to Luna and Lila, "Do either of you want to go to school?"

Lila immediately shouted back excitedly, "Me!!"

I suddenly realized what my school days were going to look like, visiting the bathroom stalls several times a day, and wished a little bit I'd never asked. I can't take it back now as I'd lose face, and she just sounded so excited.

Now I just have to figure out how to get in.

After thinking about it for a while, I remembered that the president of the university took several days off when his grandson was diagnosed with a rare incurable disease.

I started looking up the president, and found it was still the same guy. Then I found his social media accounts and finally that his grandson was still alive and what hospital he was in.

I wrote my phone number and that they should redo the tests for the disease again, then that his grandpa should call me on a paper.

It was pretty simple; I saw a picture of the room from birthday pictures. I went invisible, teleported in, cast the healing spell, made sure it worked, then I laid the paper on the sleeping boy's chest and teleported back out.

Now all I had to do was wait for a call.