Chapter 153: The Butterfly Effect(2)
Chapter 153: The Butterfly Effect(2)
The news that the steam engine—no, the mana engine—had been invented spread like wildfire. Secrets regarding the pollution of the World Tree’s roots, the omens of demon summoning, and the Reaper had already leaked, but the mana engine was the final blow that sent everything over the edge.
Because of this, the appearance of the mana engine drew even more attention than it might have otherwise. Its invention meant that the realization of the steam locomotive, which had appeared in Xenon’s Life, was not far off.
When the steam locomotive first appeared in the novel, people had dismissed it as mere fiction, but everyone had harbored a similar thought at least once: It’s just an imagination, but if it could actually be invented, it would bring about immense progress. They realized that a steam locomotive possessed potential beyond their wildest dreams.
However, since everyone dismissed it as a simple "fantasy," no one even dreamed of inventing it—except, perhaps, for a eccentric dwarf who seemed like he stepped right out of a novel.
Once the mana engine—the core component of a steam locomotive—was actually invented, it was more than enough to capture the attention of world leaders. High-ranking officials were already being dispatched to strike a deal with the inventor, Eins.
If a steam locomotive, or rather, a mana locomotive, were to be invented, it would obviously provide a massive boost to a nation’s economy and military might. Furthermore, the locomotive would influence not just science, but "culture" as well.
Despite the existence of refrigerators and air conditioners, the concept of "machinery" was almost non-existent in this world. This was because both of those items relied more on "magic" than on complex mechanical principles.
The invention of the mana engine was essentially the introduction of a new culture. To put it simply, it was as complex as comparing the world before and after the Industrial Revolution.
Consequently, nobles from various countries made Eins offers he couldn't refuse in an attempt to monopolize not just the mana engine, but the future mana locomotive...
[Find Xenon yourself and get his permission rather than mine. I may be the creator, but I never could have invented it without his book.]
[I don't know what kind of future he saw, but the concept of "railroads" was also Xenon's idea. A steam locomotive doesn't just go one way; it can go anywhere as long as there are tracks. This is something no one but a person from the future could have thought of.]
[Part of me wants to claim ownership, but without Xenon’s Life, I would have been nothing more than an ordinary dwarf. I will speak further once I have finished inventing the steam locomotive—the mana locomotive.]
Eins unexpectedly claimed that he didn't hold the rights. He admitted he was the creator, but insisted the ownership belonged to me.
It wasn't because the concept of patents didn't exist. This eccentric dwarf truly believed he had no claim to the mana engine.
And his reasoning was quite a spectacle. Let’s take a look.
[If Xenon’s Life is truly a book of prophecy, then the eccentric dwarf in the book wasn't me, but my disciple. It would be as if I stole my disciple's future invention.]
[Therefore, even if I invent the mana locomotive in the future, I will follow Xenon's word. I need to accelerate the development of the locomotive now, so I would appreciate it if you didn't visit for a while.]
Haha! I’m slapping my knee at Mr. Eins’s humor! ...Not. What kind of bullshit is this? From my perspective, his answer was utterly absurd.
I don't even know the structure of a steam engine, let alone a mana engine, yet the ownership belongs to me? It felt like he had tossed a live grenade at me just to avoid the hassle.
Regardless, it was only natural that the number of people looking for me skyrocketed. Since even the creator of the mana engine had deferred ownership to me, my value soared to unimaginable heights.
That wasn't all. Setting aside the fact that people treated me like a prophet or a regressor, the search area was gradually narrowing.
[If Xenon is truly a person from the future, couldn't he be quite young right now?]
[Since there are restrictions, he surely wouldn't have revealed his identity to others. Xenon might be living right among us.]
[The exact time period in Xenon’s Life isn't known, but based on the circumstances, it's clearly set several decades from now.]
Arguments were raised that, because I came from the future, I might not be an elderly sage or scholar, but surprisingly young. It was a heart-stopping realization.
It was a case of a blind man stumbling into the right path, but the fact that the search was narrowing was a situation I couldn't ignore. This was the very reason I had been able to avoid suspicion until now.
But now that the net was closing in, I was starting to sweat. As if that wasn't enough of a headache...
"Sir Isaac."
"Yes?"
"Are you really someone from the future?"
"..."
Even some of my acquaintances were starting to suspect I was a prophet or a future-dweller. Just like Siris, whom I had summoned just now.
I stared at Siris, looking as if her question had left me speechless. My head was already throbbing because Marie, Cecile, and even Lina had asked me the same thing yesterday with dead-serious expressions.
For the record, those three used to treat it as a joke, but once the mana engine actually appeared, they started giving me suspicious looks. Even when I protested that it absolutely wasn't true, they didn't seem convinced—except for Marie.
Fortunately, my daily life hadn't changed, but the stress was immense. And now, with Siris asking too, I felt like I was going to lose my mind.
"...Absolutely not. I don't know anything about being a person from the future or whatever. I know nothing."
"There is a saying that a strong denial is as good as an affirmation."
"I told you, it's not true! I don't know if I told you this, Siris, but if I were from the future, I would have invested in stocks. Or I would have started a merchant guild and made a fortune."
"Hmm... I see."
She answered like that, but she still didn't look like she believed me. I pressed my fingers against my brow and let out a frustrated sigh.
The reason I called Siris was to receive some books related to the Beastkin and to get some advice. In Xenon’s Life, there's a scene where the Elven hero and the Dark Elven hero join forces to blow up the World Tree that had become nourishment for the Great Demon Diabolus.
It was a strategy that seemed surprisingly practical: fusing the power of Light wielded by the Elves with the power of Darkness wielded by the Dark Elves to create a massive explosion. However, since I had never heard of such a thing actually being used, I decided to ask Siris.
"...Just give me the books for now."
"Here they are."
"Thanks. How is Arwen doing lately?"
"She is very busy. The Senate is pestering her every day to find Sir Isaac, so she's having a hard time in many ways."
"Just hearing about it makes me dizzy."
I had already guessed that the Senate wanted to find me for propaganda purposes. Now that the Queen's approval rating had risen thanks to her speech, the Senate likely realized their own position was becoming increasingly precarious.
However, because I had accidentally saved the World Tree, I was being worshipped as the savior of Albenheim. Considering that the omens of demon summoning appeared afterward, one could guess the atmosphere.
And the Senate was trying to exploit that by finding me. It was essentially a checkmate; since the public sentiment toward me in Albenheim was at its peak, a consensus was forming that they must find me.
If Arwen granted permission, that would be a problem in itself, and if she refused, her hard-earned approval rating might drop. The cunning Senate was exploiting that point perfectly.
"It'll be impossible for Arwen to keep blocking them, right?"
"It will... likely be difficult. Public opinion in Albenheim is heavily leaning toward finding Sir Isaac to repay the debt."
"Why won't they believe it even if I say it was a coincidence?"
"No matter how much of a coincidence it is, it doesn't happen four times in a row."
When I grumbled, Siris immediately countered. I looked up from the books and stared at her blankly.
Siris wasn't just being expressionless; she had a firm look on her face, as if she truly believed what she said. I was getting tired of denying it.
At this point, wouldn't it be faster for a god to personally certify that I'm not from the future? I don't know what the gods are doing at such a critical time when the world is shaking.
I should visit a temple soon.
I couldn't go during the week, but on weekends, I could leave the Academy with a permit from my supervising professor. Since I had been appointed as a recommended student, I just needed to get a permit from Elena.
I felt a bit burdened because I had no one to go with, but I heard that the people at the temple were all kind, so there shouldn't be any problems as long as I found my way there.
"Anyway, I understand. The reason I called you, as you might have guessed, is because I have something to ask."
"Is there a need to even ask..."
"If you keep talking about me being from the future, I won't put you in the book, you know?"
"..."
Siris shut her mouth tight at my threat. She looked surprisingly cute with that expression.
I let out a small huff of breath at the sight of her and brought up what I wanted to talk about.
"It's nothing else, but Dark Elves use the power they received from Mora, right? Do they call it the power of darkness?"
"Yes. That is correct."
"And Elves use the power of light received from Luminous."
"Yes."
One might wonder which Elves used the power of the other nature god, Hirt. In Hirt's case, since he is nature itself, there are no separate believers within Albenheim; managing the World Tree alone is enough.
Instead, there is a race that worships Hirt: the Beastkin. They use a unique power called "Sorcery" instead of magic.
Sorcery can make it rain from a clear sky or call down thunder and lightning. It literally takes the form of borrowing power from nature, so it's only natural for them to worship Hirt.
"Then, is it possible to forcibly combine the two powers to cause a large explosion? Not just this, but forcibly combining opposing energies and using the repulsion to create a massive blast."
"Hmm..."
"You guys are warriors, but you can also use divine power. That's why I'm asking."
There's a saying that always comes up when describing Elves: the race chosen by the gods.
As they are chosen by the gods, they can also freely use divine power. You can think of every single Elven warrior as both a powerful combatant and a priest.
Of course, as the saying goes, one must dig one well to achieve greatness; each individual has a power they specialize in. There are warriors specialized in physical combat, mages proficient in magic, and priests with exceptionally strong divine power.
The so-called "all-rounders" are found only among the Warlords. Furthermore, they are versatile because they are Elves; if they were human, they might be considered "jacks of all trades, masters of none."
Siris seemed to think deeply about my question before speaking quietly. She had an intrigued expression.
"It is a... very interesting idea. I am not sure because the powers of light and darkness have never been fused... but using the repulsion that occurs when opposing energies meet..."
"Has no one ever thought of that before?"
"To begin with, we thought that light and darkness were energies that could never be combined."
This was problematic. As I've said before, I wanted to strictly adhere to the historical accuracy of this world.
To blow up the World Tree, which was much taller and thicker than any skyscraper, a massive explosive force was needed. So I thought it would be okay if two Warlord-level individuals joined forces and self-destructed...
...Wait. Joining forces?
It felt like a bolt of lightning flashed through my mind.
In a game famous for being a "folk game" in my previous life, there was a famous character. A unit that dominated the battlefield while shouting the legendary line, "Power overwhelming!"
The setting was that two units sacrificed themselves to become a massive ball of energy. Would that work here too?
Furthermore, in over 3,000 years of history, there was not a single record of two Elves joining forces to become a mass of energy. It was truly a story that would only appear in a "novel."
The demons will block the way to the World Tree, and the Seven Deadly Sins will do the same...
The probability was sufficient. Honestly, no matter how strong a Warlord was, it was a bit much to expect them to break through all of the Seven Deadly Sins.
If I also adopted a setting that instilled a sense of national pride in the Elves, there would be no problem. A warrior who sacrifices themselves for their country is considered noble regardless of their race.
I nodded in satisfaction as a story with better probability than before came to mind. For an Elf, such an end would be considered honorable.
But just in case...
I should ask Siris and Arwen first. I questioned Siris, who was waiting quietly.
"Siris."
"Yes."
"Have you ever heard a story about two Elves sacrificing themselves to become a single mass of energy? For the record, I'm asking because I'm truly curious. It's absolutely not future knowledge or anything."
"I have never heard such a story."
Siris was older than Arwen. If even Siris didn't know, there was a high probability that Arwen wouldn't know either.
I felt relieved inwardly and decided that I could include this. Honestly, the other "Why is this real?" moments besides the mana engine were things that could actually happen, but "Unification" was a completely fictional setting.
The same went for the books I had read so far. I couldn't find any record of two units merging into one, like a unit from a certain space war game.
"I see. Still, just in case, it would be better to ask Arwen."
"I will go and ask her."
"Okay."
After that, Siris left to ask Arwen.
"The Queen says she does not know either."
"Really? That's a relief then."
Fortunately, the answer came back that even Arwen didn't know about "Unification."
However, if I had thought just a little deeper, it would have been good to realize that Arwen and Siris were "young Elves" belonging to the "new generation" among Elves.
First, I should visit the temple this weekend.
Three thousand years was more than enough time for records to be lost.