[Do You Still Drive That Kind of Carriage? (1)]
“This is a guaranteed success, I’m telling you! It’s absolutely going to work!”
“Yes, yes, I heard you. Calm down, will you? How many hours has this been going on?”
“How can I not be excited! Dwarves are geniuses!”
“They are. Yes…”
Kalisa, who had been coordinating the fine details of the contract with Aimhand, had been continuously expressing her awe, noting that he was far more formidable than she had initially thought.
He would act as if he were willing to give you the shirt off his back, but the moment numbers were involved, he became a seasoned veteran—haggling over contract durations, royalty percentages, and demanding ratio adjustments during periods of profit decline.
Even though he hadn’t received any formal training in commerce, the young dwarf had struck right at the core of every issue.
Nevertheless, the fact that he had structured the contract to favor the North was entirely due to his goodwill.
“Don’t rely on his goodwill. Cut the contract duration down to ten years.”
“But, Administrative Officer…”
“Sharing the profits for ten years is more than enough for what the dwarf has contributed. You know that, right? And if he develops new technology, we’ll just share the profits for another ten years. Is there a problem with that?”
“I suppose not, but still.”
The instinct of a merchant, clinging to the profits in their hands and unwilling to let go, is truly terrifying.
But what can you do? From the moment you become a civil servant, you do what the higher-ups tell you to do.
“You shouldn’t be too greedy. Mr. Aimhand happened to have a favorable impression of us from the start, which is why he made this offer first. If you assume all other craftsmen will be the same, you’ll end up disappointed before you even begin. That’s why we need to create a standard contract that both sides can accept from the start.”
“Understood. I will take care of it immediately.”
“Good. Oh, and give Felix a space to use as a laboratory.”
“He didn’t seem to want to quit his job as a secretary.”
“I know. Instead, let’s set his working hours. From lunch until dinner should be enough. He can join us on business trips, but otherwise, he works five days and rests for two.”
Jamie glared at Aiden’s words.
“I haven’t been able to go home in two days.”
“Then sell that house and move into the Lord’s Castle. Your bedroom is still empty, isn’t it?”
“I only just bought my own place two months ago. How can you say such a terrible thing?”
“I’m telling you to give it up since you can’t go there anyway.”
“I’m still dreaming of a life that includes evenings.”
“That’s a very leisurely thing to say.”
Aiden said it so casually, the kind of thing that would get a worker mobbed by their peers.
“Where did you decide to build the factory?”
“I think next to the trading post would be best. It’s a place outsiders always pass through, so the promotional effect should be good.”
“You said mass production of the prototypes is possible right away, right?”
“Yes. We have enough parts already made, so it seems we can start churning them out immediately.”
“Let’s start spreading the rumors in advance.”
If this goes well, the Northern economy will take a quantum leap in no time.
“Aimhand’s Carriage Workshop?”
A merchant who had been trading regularly with the North for over a year tilted his head at the new sign next to the trading post.
“Sounds just like a dwarf’s name, doesn’t it?”
“How did you know?”
“Whoa, you startled me!”
“Hehe. My apologies. You recognized at a glance that our boss is a dwarf. Your eye for detail is extraordinary! Surely, a veteran merchant like yourself can spot these things instantly!”
“Ahem. Well, it’s not that big of a deal… It’s just that the naming style is so typically dwarven, I couldn’t help but notice.”
“I only found out after I was hired, but truly, your knowledge is vast, sir!”
The employee’s flattery was transparent, but no one dislikes being praised.
The merchant stroked his beard, acting unnecessarily haughty.
“Hmph, well, it’s nothing… But is the owner of this carriage workshop really a dwarf? Do dwarves even live out in the open like this?”
“I heard it’s rare in other regions. Hehe.”
“True. There have been quite a few demi-humans here in the North. Seeing a proper shop, he doesn’t seem to be a slave, either.”
“That’s right.”
“But carriages are quite unusual. Don’t they usually open smithies to make swords and armor?”
“I’ve never seen another dwarf besides our boss, so I wouldn’t know.”
“That’s true, too. Still, a carriage…”
The merchant still looked puzzled.
It made sense; why would a blacksmith, not a carpenter, be making carriages?
‘He’s a dwarf, but does he lack smithing skills?’
If that were the case, it would make sense. Even if they were a race born with natural dexterity, everyone who knew anything knew that they had lost all their skills during their hundreds of years of slavery.
He seemed to be living among humans and even acting as a boss, but since he likely had no skills or training, if he was just carving wood with his natural dexterity to make pretty carriages to earn a living,
‘Hmm. That’s plausible.’
The merchant concluded as much.
Then, a spark of interest ignited.
He wondered just how gaudy the carvings were.
The latest trend in carriage design was reaching the peak of extravagance.
People were carving all sorts of sculptures to attach to their carriages, or even carving the carriage itself like a sculpture.
He had heard of carriages gilded with gold, hung with precious gems and minerals, or even painted entirely with dyes more expensive than their weight in gold.
“Can I take a look? If I like it, I might even contract one.”
The merchant acted haughty for no reason.
Partly because he liked the employee’s friendly attitude, and partly because,
‘If it’s a dwarven-made carriage, it’ll be enough of a conversation piece.’
Regardless of the actual performance or design, just owning a carriage made by a dwarf would be a great topic for small talk with new acquaintances. For a merchant who had to meet all sorts of people, it was a worthwhile investment.
Of course, that was only because he hadn’t heard the price yet.
“Ah, of course! I’ll explain it to you. Our carriages are a bit unique.”
“Unique?”
The merchant followed the employee, who gestured for him to follow, into the workshop.
“…This is a carriage?”
He stood frozen, unable to react to the excessively bewildering design of the carriage.
“The masterpiece of Aimhand’s Carriage Workshop!”
The display was different from a typical carriage workshop. While most workshops simply left carriages standing in an empty lot under a tent, this workshop had the carriages literally ‘on display’ in a clean, indoor space.
They were even placed on a platform, as if for a performance by bards or actors, looking more like works of art than vehicles, which was so unfamiliar that the merchant could only roll his eyes.
Furthermore, the shape of the carriage was something else.
“Aimhand’s [Model] embodies the image of a free wolf running across the Northern plains. As you can see, the form is very unique, isn’t it?”
“It, it is certainly unique.”
“The body, made from a single piece of Northern Black Oak, adds luxury with its unique black luster and straight wood grain. Moreover, the seats are quilted with the finest Northern buffalo leather, and the glossy black sheen is perfect for revealing the owner’s wild spirit!”
The [Model] was completely different from a typical carriage.
Usually, a carriage was just a square passenger cabin on wheels, with only differences in size and decoration. But this all-black thing in front of the merchant—which was hard to even call a carriage—was an open-top structure without a ceiling, with a long, streamlined body. And while noble carriages usually had seats facing each other, this one had two rows facing forward, a layout much easier to understand from a modern perspective.
It was only natural.
Because it was based on the crude drawings Aiden had handed over when the dwarf was struggling with the design.
In other words, the 1903 Cadillac Model A Runabout.
That classic and beautiful old car.
Aiden had interfered with the carriage design because of an unexpected competitor.
— It’s certain that Aimhand’s carriage has significantly improved ride comfort compared to a standard carriage. But it will be difficult to charge ten times the price for that alone.
— Why? You said there would be plenty of people willing to pay for a comfortable carriage made by a dwarf. Plus, it’s a limited edition.
— There is one problem.
— A problem?
— The carriages made by mages.
Before deciding on the prototype’s design, Kalisa had informed him about carriages laden with magic.
— Central nobles and wealthy people commission the Magic Towers to modify their carriages. I’ve heard they’re like moving beds. More accurately, they say you don’t even feel like you’re moving.
— Hmm…
Aiden realized once again why this world’s scientific technology hadn’t developed.
— Of course, using magic has its downsides, too.
— Downsides? Tell me more.
— First of all, there is no such thing as permanent magic. You have to periodically go to the Magic Tower to have mana infused. That’s the only way to maintain performance.
Judging by the intervals, it was longer than refueling but shorter than maintenance.
— Also, like most magical items, the durability is… terrible. It doesn’t go well with carriages that have to travel on rough roads. It’s not cheap, yet it breaks down at the drop of a hat, and you have to commission repairs again, but the mages’ fees are exorbitant. It’s no wonder that even among the wealthy, people often say that buying a carriage laden with magic isn’t the problem—it’s the maintenance.
Listening to Kalisa, Aiden thought it sounded like a story he’d heard somewhere before.
‘Isn’t this the story of foreign luxury cars?’
Luxury cars where buying them wasn’t the problem, but maintaining them was. Yet, so many people drove them that the term ‘car poor’ was eventually coined.
It meant that no one could deny the allure of luxury goods.
After all, the desire to differentiate oneself from others is a human instinct.
— Besides, some of the high-ranking people don’t trust mages to begin with. If a mage takes a commission and casts an attack spell on the carriage, then makes it go ‘BOOM!’ on a deserted mountain road and claims it was an accident…
— That’s strangely realistic.
— There were many such accidents in the past.
— ….
— That’s why in the capital, there are mages who specialize solely in checking if any strange spells have been added after you’ve had your carriage maintained by the Magic Tower or individual mages.
— To summarize, it’s expensive, cumbersome, has poor durability, and is even dangerous?
— There’s a lot required just to get a comfortable ride, isn’t there?
— Then isn’t the success of our dwarven carriage a foregone conclusion?
— Eh. But you lose out on ride comfort.
— That’s…
In truth, Aiden had never ridden a magic carriage, so comparison was impossible.
‘If it’s really so smooth you don’t feel like you’re moving, that’s impressive.’
Then you wouldn’t get motion sickness, right?
Wait, if it’s that smooth, are there no people in this world who drive for fun?
Hmm. Come to think of it, everyone rides horses, but I don’t think there were any high-ranking people who drove their own carriages.
…Huh?
If I play this right, can’t I target a niche market?
Back at Aimhand’s Carriage Workshop.
“It’s the optimal model for the rough men of the North who enjoy a sense of speed. If you drive the horses yourself, you’ll understand exactly what I mean at once.”
“Drive the horses myself? Then what does the coachman do?”
The merchant scoffed, thinking he’d heard the most ridiculous thing, but,
“Once you take a test drive, your mind will change.”
“Uh-huh.”
Pushed by the employee’s smooth talk, the merchant found himself sitting in the test-drive carriage prepared outside.
Three horses were already hitched to the carriage.
“……?”
And the whip in his hand.
“…G, giddyup!”
Neighhh!
Thud-thud-thud-thud!
“Whoa!”
Perhaps because there were no walls or ceiling, the sense of speed was absurd.
Yet, despite no magical treatment, the ride was strangely stable.
Nevertheless, the feeling of conquering the rough fields as he raced across them was felt through his entire body.
“Wahahaha, giddyup, giddyup!”
The awkwardness of doing the coachman’s job himself vanished in an instant.
The merchant was lost in the imagination of being a knight charging into enemy lines, racing the carriage.
It was the moment the carriage became a sport, not just a means of transportation.