Chapter 71
Chapter 71
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Artificial Mithril
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【Artificial Mithril】
The chairman's announcement, delivered by Ester, instantly threw the venue into chaos.
And for good reason. The substance he'd just mentioned from his own lips...
Was far more impactful than something trivial like the Millennium Problems.
"Artificial mithril? What on earth do you mean...?"
"Mithril is a miraculous metal that lies beyond human capability to create."
"Are you claiming, Marquis Sephirond, that mithril can be made by human hands?"
Aria, who had been watching from behind the stage, approached Ester and quietly asked the audience to settle down.
"My presentation isn't over yet. I'd appreciate it if you held your questions until the marquis permits them."
Under the moderator's control, the audience finally calmed, and among them, Etilla stared intently at Ester.
"......"
She could understand their reactions.
Mithril was an essential material used in magical device crafting.
In this world, it was the only substance capable of collecting and storing mana.
The miracles produced by magical devices, much like a mage's spells, ultimately required mana.
Mithril served as both a mana generator and storage unit, like a person's heart, and it even amplified output itself, making it highly compatible with magic.
From the start, among substances that could hold mana, only mithril was viable for use in magical devices.
You couldn't craft devices from monster flesh that rotted away in two days, after all.
Anyway.
The one major drawback of this incredibly useful mithril was its extremely limited supply.
Even looking just at the mainstream Flame School, they had the technology to independently create mana cannons and steam tanks long before hell tanks.
Yet they couldn't mass-produce magical devices because mithril was overwhelmingly scarce.
Acquiring it required paying an astronomical sum.
And even if you could afford it, demand was so high it was like trying to pluck stars from the sky.
If the artificial mithril Ester was talking about could be commercialized, it would be a groundbreaking invention solving chronic issues all at once.
'As expected, he never fails to deliver...'
Etilla let out a small sigh.
The audience reactions varied wildly.
Some cheered, thinking, "The genius is working miracles again." Others looked skeptical, faces sour, muttering, "Even Ester Sephirond can't pull this off."
The skeptics were slightly more numerous.
And understandably so—past attempts to artificially produce mithril had all ended in failure, declared impossible by every school.
This special exhibition drew not only mages from the Magic Tower but also plenty of commoners passionate about magic.
They all knew just how absurd the notion of artificial mithril sounded.
But.
'I never thought he'd come back quietly, but this is downright terrifying.'
Etilla, who called herself Ester's rival and had relentlessly strived to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him, was already convinced the artificial mithril existed.
As someone who had observed him more closely than most, she knew this genius never spoke empty words.
What mattered to her now wasn't whether it had been made or not—that was unproductive.
It was how it had been made.
Ester swept his gaze over the audience and smiled.
Etilla met his eyes briefly.
"......."
A strange thought crossed her mind.
Was that smile for me? Her face flushed pink.
"I assume no one here needs an introduction to mithril or how profoundly it impacts us. So what you're all wondering is 'how exactly.' Our Metal School... though calling it that feels a bit off."
Even with the presentation interrupted once,
Ester joked that the Golden Magic Tower had only him and apologized for pretending a failed school existed.
"Heh heh."
"That's right up my alley."
The lighthearted joke eased the mood.
Then the screen advanced.
【Creation Conditions】
Ester continued his explanation.
"The origins of mithril ore vary in theory. Some scholars say it's metal crafted by ancient elves before humans appeared. Others claim it's from meteorites fallen from distant space. Nothing's definitively known."
He explained that mithril was simply a metal born of this earth, formed over millions of years in high-pressure, high-heat environments where various metals fused with mana.
It sounded grand at first listen, but it was actually straightforward, he said. He knew its structure and could artificially synthesize it using that knowledge.
"Dalpi."
"Yes."
Dalpi set down her backpack and pulled out two ingots, handing them to Ester.
At a glance, both looked identical to real mithril ingots.
【Differences】
"You won't be able to tell them apart with the naked eye. Of course not—all properties are identical. The one in my right hand is genuine mithril. The left is artificial mithril. The only difference is their origin."
As Ester released his power, both ingots began rapidly absorbing mana.
Clear proof they shared mithril's properties.
Soon, the screen's static text and images faded, replaced by a video.
It showed melting gallium, iron, gold, and such into an alloy, then placing it into a mysterious white machine to melt and experiment further.
"To get technical: exposing a liquid metal alloy to methane and hydrogen causes carbon diffusion on the lower surface, transforming it into a structure capable of absorbing mana..."
No one in the audience could follow Ester's explanation.
Likely no one in the kingdom could.
Etilla still remembered words she'd heard from him at the academy before.
-Pressure and oxygen alone can cause explosions.
-Understanding the world's principles allows more efficient magic use.
His eyes always pierced through all creation.
Ester's creativity, grounded in reason and logic, produced miracles.
It sounded like charlatan's nonsense, but he always delivered.
"I'll publish the details in a paper later. This is an expo, not a conference."
His concise logic was persuasive, amplified by his past achievements.
The audience's gazes shifted, enchanted like foxes under a spell.
Ester seized the moment.
【Profitability】
"Mithril isn't just for mages and blacksmiths—it's hugely popular with jewelers as a luxury good. Secure the supply, and you'll hold astronomical wealth."
【Production Cost & Output】
"Current production cost for artificial mithril is one-two-hundredth of natural mithril's market price. For the cost of 50g of natural, you get 10kg."
"Of course, output is limited for now. But with a solid foundation and time, costs will drop further, and production will double."
【Innovation】
"If things go as planned, we can integrate magical devices into everyday life."
【Applications】
"Today, groundbreaking inventions have transformed our lives. The Metal School's artificial mithril is just the beginning."
The video ended, and Ester's turn concluded.
Applause erupted.
"How much funding do they have?"
"My nephew graduates this year—I should tell him about this."
All eyes followed Ester as he left.
He'd used the break to add a 'photo mode' to video-recording cameras for market sale, then left these final words.
"The doors of the Golden Magic Tower are always open. To those who share our vision."
Thus ended the genius's presentation.
***
Etilla washed her hands in the bathroom.
"......"
The more she saw, the more impressive he was.
She'd never expected him to sit idle.
While she'd gritted her teeth and worked hard, he'd surely been busy too.
His year-and-a-half disappearance must've been for this.
"Whew."
She looked in the mirror.
Meeting Ester always spurred her on.
Unlike her tearful, tantrum-throwing academy days, she kept her composure now, slapping her cheeks.
To beat him at magic, she'd need to work harder.
Diligently and steadfastly.
She'd stick to her goals.
"Alright."
She left the bathroom.
"What's got you so happy?"
"Eek...!"
Etilla nearly jumped out of her skin.
Ester was leaning against the corridor wall, calling to her.
'Composure. Composure...'
Etilla cleared her throat and pressed on.
"Ahem. D-don't be rude to someone you haven't seen in ages... Where's your maid?"
"She said she had something to do and left."
Etilla was alone too.
Lange had left Dalpi with the same excuse. Were the servants coordinating or something?
"Perfect timing. I had a question for you."
"A question? What kind?"
"If you cross-blend Hellfire and Life School growth spells, what's the most efficient ratio? Curious about your answer."
Etilla panicked at the sudden question.
'What? Is he seriously asking me because he doesn't know...?'
Realizing this was her chance to flatten his nose, her face lit up brighter than ever.
"W-well, can't be helped. If you're asking that earnestly, I suppose I can tell you once..."
Etilla happily did the mental math, then frowned moments later.
"W-wait a sec..."
She borrowed paper and pen from the next room and focused on the calculations.
"Ah, Hellfire makes the math so tricky..."
"You need a mana multiplier of 0.8 here. It reproduces without errors in the middle."
"Oh, you're right. Thanks for the tip—huh?"
Etilla blinked.
"Y-you didn't actually not know!?"
"No, I knew the answer. I was curious what you'd come up with, so I asked directly."
"Eek...!"
She felt utterly played.
As he stared at her flushed, red-faced calculations, he suddenly asked.
"I heard you graduated the academy. Picked a school yet?"
"No, not yet..."
"Want to join the Metal School? I'll take good care of you."
'What the heck is this out of nowhere...?'
Etilla stared at Ester with a blank gaze.