Chapter 30
Chapter 30
As expected, the Ex Machina device caused a stir both inside and outside the cradle.
“Due to the investigation of the Ex Machina device, outsiders are entering the cradle. Since communication with the outside will be frequent for research purposes, students are asked to….”
Olga Hermod even called the students together to give this warning.
That alone shows how chaotic the current situation was.
No matter how capable Olga Hermod is, when politics is involved, it’s hard to take action, and that likely leaves gaps in security.
In fact, there’s a high probability that something will go wrong. Unlike Olga Hermod, I have some idea what caused this situation. It seems deliberate, and there’s nothing to be done about it.
“Haa…”
Saint, Tillis.
The eye of the storm, she drew all sorts of chaos into one place.
She normally roamed areas where crime syndicates or slums existed, so she must have earned quite a few grudges.
Even just from the events I’d seen in the game, there were at least five incidents.
A living, moving provocation totem staying in one place—what a mess it would be.
“For now, we’ll have to live quietly in the cradle.”
I had already been cautious after Tillis entered the cradle, but now even walking around campus felt unsafe.
Especially near the main gate—I mustn’t even go near there.
“Hmm…”
I need to think more flexibly.
Even if I hide, can I truly be safe? So far, I’ve focused on avoiding trouble.
And what was the result? Robelia cornered me even when I did nothing, and the cult identified me as someone connected to the Oracle.
Even if I do nothing, problems arise.
And now, with Tillis as a variable, there’s no telling when, where, or how a terror might strike.
I need to prepare at least minimally.
“Yuna?”
“Huh? You called?”
Yuna popped up from behind me with a pop!
Not surprising anymore. Still, I hadn’t expected her to be right behind me.
It was good that she was nearby.
“Hmm…”
“Why? Why did you call? Do you have a request? You don’t need to ask if it’s something you want to do as my disciple.”
I hesitated for a moment, shook my head a few times, then finally nodded.
I was ready.
“Alright, Master. I want to learn some techniques.”
“Huh? Hmm? Ah! You just want to steal my techniques, don’t you?”
Even if she looked naïve, she was hardest to fool. I had expected her to be happy that I acknowledged her, but she immediately saw through my intention.
Darn it. Tch…
“Good, then I’ll teach you a secret technique you can learn quickly.”
“Really?”
“Yes! But this is a favor, okay?”
That works in my favor. I get a secret technique just for acknowledging her.
If she’s an assassin, it’s likely a technique that could even overcome differences in strength.
“Then let’s do it at lunchtime. You’ll still go to the workshop after class, right?”
“Thanks, then.”
Things were going surprisingly well.
Almost unnervingly so.
Around lunchtime, after a simple sandwich with Yuna, we went somewhere secluded to start training.
“Honestly, what I’m going to teach you isn’t some extraordinary technique.”
“I didn’t expect it to be.”
If it had been extraordinary, it would’ve taken much longer to learn.
There aren’t many shortcuts in life. If there are, I probably wouldn’t know them. People have to be diligent.
“Remember the barbarians last time? Your decisive strike failed.”
“Yeah. If I had sharpened my dagger beforehand, it would have been fine.”
“The dagger isn’t the main issue; it’s your stance.”
Yuna smiled and opened her hand.
In the blink of an eye, the dagger appeared in her grasp.
Like a card trick—you watch it, yet you can’t catch when the dagger appears.
“You were holding Princess Ariel, so you could only use one arm. That’s why your strength wasn’t enough.”
Click!
Yuna moved her hand again at an invisible speed, and this time the dagger’s tip pressed lightly between my ribs.
Exactly between two bones.
A masterful demonstration.
“A stab focuses force on a point for destructive power. Even with minimal strength, it’s remarkably effective.”
Whoosh!
Yuna flicked her hand again.
Bang!
The dagger lodged perfectly in the wall.
“Now, what do you think is the problem with a stab?”
I shrugged.
As a beginner, I couldn’t give a proper answer.
“Any attack has pros and cons. The biggest problem with a stab is revealed when you fail to concentrate your force properly.”
Whoosh!
Yuna drew another dagger from her sleeve and flicked it at the wall again.
Ting!
This time, it bounced off.
“Because it’s a point-focused technique, if the force isn’t aligned correctly, it behaves like this. That’s why you couldn’t pierce the barbarians’ skin.”
“So?”
“I’ll teach you the simple, proper techniques.”
Shtrak!
Yuna grinned and produced multiple daggers in one motion.
It really looked like a card trick.
“Regardless of stance or situation, you can channel your force correctly. It’s the foundation of an assassin for surprise attacks.”
The technique she was teaching looked remarkably useful.
It felt tailor-made for someone like me.
The weak must strike indirectly rather than head-on.
And she was teaching the method to hit that indirect point with certainty.
“For people like us, everything is invested in a single strike. How about it?”
“Perfect.”
“Puhihi! I knew you’d say that!”
This was probably a technique she had planned for me if I truly became her disciple.
If I really became her student, how far could I go?
I was curious, but I wasn’t driven by strength, so I decided to shelve that thought.
“Shall we start?”
I need to be careful not to get distracted…
After learning dagger techniques from Yuna at lunchtime, it was now after class.
I rubbed my eyes and headed to the alchemy workshop, having slept through most of the lessons.
Of course, I avoided encountering anyone suspicious on the way.
But…
“Oh, Johan, you’re here?”
“What is all this? Professor Georg.”
When I arrived, all sorts of equipment that usually stayed hidden were spread across the workshop.
It gave me a strange unease.
“See for yourself. We’ve decided to enter a technical partnership this time.”
“Wait, why would we do that? We only know how to make potions, not machinery.”
“…I know.”
“Ah.”
Professor Georg was a famous alchemist.
Alchemy wasn’t just about making potions—it also included metallurgy and handling metals.
Ars Magna focused mainly on potions, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t handle other things.
“Then, I suppose only Professor Georg will do it. I don’t know how.”
“A heartless fellow, huh?”
“I do have a heart, but I don’t want to spill it.”
If I were to cry, I’d do it outside. Looks like I might be working here long enough to shed tears, or even blood.
While I was in this strange power struggle with Professor Georg…
“Hmm? Is that student here Professor Georg’s disciple?”
An elderly man emerged from inside the workshop.
“Oh, Director Koran. This guy? He’s… well, just a parasite.”
“Hahaha! A parasite? Ah! True, back in our day, we were desperate to steal even one skill from our masters. He’ll grow big later.”
To learn a technique, one doesn’t receive it—they steal it from their master. That was the old way.
However, what Georg meant by “parasite” wasn’t a disciple aiming to surpass their master.
What I was feeding off like a parasite wasn’t technique—it was the budget.
“Director Koran, could you explain this to him? He seems not to understand why we need this technical partnership.”
“Ah, very well. I’ve wanted to teach young people someday, and now the opportunity arises.”
Koran Lekias, director of the Imperial Royal Technology Research Division, lit up.
No, it’s a bother… we could’ve just brought Georg.
“What’s your name, student?”
“…Johan Damus.”
“Ah! The Damus family! One of the oldest noble houses in the Empire. An honor to meet you.”
“Not at all.”
Perhaps because of his age, he knew our family well, even though most people didn’t.
“So, you were curious why our researchers need the alchemists’ help?”
“Ah, yes.”
I wasn’t curious. I just couldn’t ignore it. I’ve been raised in a society that respects elders.
“Alchemy is a fundamental science. Started to make gold, it later influenced material analysis and classification greatly.”
“Yes, indeed.”
“What was obtained from that journey holds great value.”
Starting from lead to create gold, the discoveries along the way had immense value, even if not gold itself.
“We seek Professor Georg’s help precisely for that metal refinement technology.”
“I’ve mentioned that much.”
Seeing the conversation lengthen, Professor Georg intervened.
Seems like he’s annoyed at explaining but also dislikes long talks. Poor man.
“Ah, I see. Then we only need to explain why we need these techniques now.”
I roughly understood. The Ex Machina device they obtained probably used some special metal.
But what kind of metal could have prompted all this?
“The captured device’s structure is truly intricate. It’s indeed worthy of being called Ex Machina.”
“Well, we must admit that. Impressive machines, indeed.”
Even one of their technologies spreading properly would raise the Empire’s tech level several steps.
Even the device that went wild now is nearly impossible to reproduce with modern tech.
“But the more we analyze the structure, the more something unexplained appears.”
Such incredible technology, huh?
I recalled the memory. A massive machine of gears and steam engines.
It looked precise.
But could it really be so incomprehensible that even the Imperial and cradle researchers couldn’t figure it out?
“The structure is complex, but not impossible to understand. We could probably replicate it in a week.”
Koran said it as if it were obvious.
Soon, however, his expression turned serious.
“But even if we replicate it perfectly, it won’t work.”
Koran smirked.
“The device is missing something critical. Haha!”
He looked like a child discovering a new toy.
“The cooling system. If we built it using conventional methods, it would overheat and explode.”
A huge, precise machine. Steam engines and gears generate significant heat, yet no cooling system?
It must withstand extreme heat, pressure, and prolonged steam exposure without rusting.
And they expect us to figure out the structure of such a metal?
I unconsciously looked at Professor Georg.
“What are you staring at?”
“…Just cheering you on.”
Darn, that was a poor choice.