Chapter 258: Three Dwarves Will Come(2)
Chapter 258: Three Dwarves Will Come(2)
I’ve always been interested in history, not just world history. While I don't dive as deep as I do with global events, I tend to research the parts that catch my eye, even if only on a surface level.
This includes the iconic inventions of the Industrial Revolution: the steam locomotive and its power source, the steam engine.
I’m no engineer, and I don't know the exact mechanics of how a steam engine operates, but I do know the story behind its invention.
The steam engine didn't just pop into existence out of nowhere. It was the result of technical knowledge being stacked bit by bit over a long period, starting with the invention of the steam-powered water pump.
However, those early steam pumps were so inefficient that they quickly fell out of favor, though they served as the foundation for newer steam engines.
Even then, the flaws were so severe that they were rarely used outside of mines. Despite the glaring drawbacks, it was still better than trying to manually haul water out of deep, flooded mine shafts by hand.
In that sense, James Watt truly deserves the title of the Father of the Industrial Revolution for refining the steam engine and making it viable for widespread use.
With that single invention, human civilization advanced at a breakneck pace, kickstarting a new era of history.
Furthermore, the very first automobile was a steam-powered car, appearing even before the steam locomotive was invented.
It was undoubtedly a revolutionary invention for the people of that time, but unfortunately, the inventor forgot to include brakes, resulting in the world's first traffic accident.
Because of this, the inventor was sentenced to two years in prison, and the plan to adopt steam cars was scrapped. Fortunately, I heard the king recognized the man's achievement and granted him a monetary reward anyway.
After various improvements, steam remained the sole power source until the 19th century, when it gradually faded into history due to the development of the internal combustion engine and the rising demand for passenger cars.
Although it was forgotten much faster than the steam locomotive—the true symbol of the Industrial Revolution—the history of the automobile began alongside the steam engine.
Considering that horse-drawn carriages were still used effectively even during World War II, it took a long time for cars to become truly commercialized. Steam locomotives had pre-laid tracks to run on, but the roads of that era were in terrible condition.
Above all, they were obscenely expensive. Even modern cars are pricey enough before you factor in the heavy taxes, so imagine how it was back then. They were likely luxury items that only the nobility could afford.
Anyway, enough with the history lesson. Let’s return to the world I’m living in now.
It had been about six months since the news broke that Eins had invented the "Mana Engine" in Machina, the land of the dwarves. I remember the world being in quite a state of confusion back then as one "How is this actually real?" moment followed another.
My mind was a mess at the time, but thinking about it now, it’s not that strange for a dwarf to invent a mana engine.
Dwarves are born creators, and their mining industry is highly developed to support their need for minerals.
Naturally, they would have invented water pumps to clear flooded mines. Just like in the history of my previous life, refining those pumps into a mana engine wouldn't have been much of a stretch.
They simply hadn't thought of it yet. My Xenon Biography had merely provided the spark of inspiration.
Now, you might wonder: if I knew all this so well, why didn't I include these historical facts in the Xenon Biography? Wouldn't it have been invented much sooner if I had?
To that, I would answer: I didn't think they’d actually build it.
Until the "How is this real?" moments started happening one after another, the Xenon Biography was nothing more than a "novel" born from my imagination.
The appearance of the steam locomotive was just something I added because it fit the dwarven character archetype; I didn't include it with any grand purpose in mind.
Science and technology that didn't fit the current social climate, inspiration drawn from the Xenon Biography, and finally, the unique creative drive of the dwarves.
These three factors harmonized to give birth to the "Mana Engine."
And the "automobile" currently boasting a massive presence right before my eyes was one of the results.
"Hahaha! Much obliged. We almost had to spend the night outdoors."
"Ah... yes..."
I gave a lukewarm response to the brown-bearded dwarf laughing heartily in front of me.
True to his race, he was short and had a thick, bushy beard, but his broad shoulders and arms packed with muscle were particularly striking.
Dwarves don't just like creating things; they love it. Consequently, most of them are blacksmiths.
This is why people hold "Dwarf-made" goods in such high regard. The fact that they developed a sense of "greed" after getting a taste of money during the Race War is a bit of an issue, but their work is certainly worth the price.
"You said you're the son of the local lord, right? I think I heard that earlier."
The brown-bearded dwarf asked confidently, planting his hands on his hips. Since he used informal speech from the moment we met, he might have seemed rude at first glance, but this was simply their culture.
Dwarves revere Hirt, the Goddess of Life and Nature. Under nature, everyone is considered equal—a sentiment that permeates their entire culture.
While they do have a "King" who rules Machina, they consider him a separate case. That said, they don't just spit out informalities at everyone they meet. Between strangers, they use polite, formal speech.
Therefore, the fact that this brown-bearded dwarf was speaking informally to me was a sign of gratitude and friendliness. Since I had helped them out during their dispute at the entrance of the territory, it was only natural for him to feel grateful.
Knowing a bit about dwarven culture, I wasn't particularly offended. More than anything, the dwarven race exudes a sense of joviality that makes them pleasant to be around.
However, as the son of the lord, I had to maintain proper etiquette. I greeted him according to protocol.
"Yes. I am the second son of the Maishal family, Isaac Ducard Maishal."
"And I am Mari Hausen Rekilis, Isaac's fiancée and the eldest daughter of the Duke of Rekilis."
Mari, standing beside me, lifted the hem of her dress slightly and gave an elegant bow. What stood out was that she introduced herself as my fiancée first.
She emphasized her role as my fiancée over her status as the eldest daughter of the Rekilis family.
"Aha. I see. You both have rather... interesting faces, but you make a very well-matched pair!"
"..."
Of course, dwarves don't care about human social cues. For the record, dwarven standards of beauty—specifically regarding facial features—are the exact opposite of humans and elves. On top of that, they never lie.
So, if a dwarf calls you ugly, you should take it as a compliment. It might feel a bit awkward for a human to hear, but that’s just how their race is.
Fortunately, Mari seemed to know about this dwarven trait as well; she only gave an awkward smile instead of getting angry. It’s a confusing spot to be in, right on the border between a compliment and an insult.
"My name is Eins Martinsen. You might have heard of me—I'm the inventor of the mana engine."
As expected, the brown-bearded dwarf's name was Eins. The surname Martinsen meant "Son of Martin," which, as I suspected, was very similar to Northern European naming conventions.
Eins then called over the other dwarves behind him to introduce them.
The dwarves, who had been inspecting the car, stopped what they were doing and approached us.
Watching the short dwarves waddle over was somewhat comical, but I barely managed to suppress my laughter, knowing it would be rude to laugh openly.
Wait, is something wrong with my eyes? Why do they all...
Look so similar? I wasn't just being polite; they all had such similar faces that I had to rub my eyes a few times.
The only saving grace was that their beard colors were different. If I looked closely, their features were slightly different too, so distinguishing them wasn't impossible.
Most notably, one of the dwarves was bald. His beard was lush, but the top of his head was completely bare, making him very easy to identify.
"Greetings, ugly human. My name is Handai Defison. I'm a friend of this idiot here."
A dwarf with a beard similar to Eins's but lighter in color gave a stiff greeting. Despite his gruff and somewhat rough way of speaking, his face was full of goodwill.
Furthermore, calling Eins an "idiot" suggested they were close, long-time rivals or friends.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, young human. My name is Geas Bartson. I wish to express my gratitude for your assistance."
Finally, the bald one. Yeah, let's just call him the bald dwarf.
Unlike the other two, he seemed to be familiar with human culture and spoke politely.
"Hey. Why are you suddenly using formal speech? It makes me want to gag."
"Shut it. You should learn to be considerate of other races' cultures, you ill-mannered brats."
Of course, that courtesy didn't extend to his friends. I let out a small chuckle watching Geas sharply retort to Handai's criticism.
One way or another, there was no denying these dwarves were full of personality. In fact, it would probably be hard to find people like this anywhere else.
Now that the introductions were over, I moved on to the main point. First and foremost: their invention, the car.
"A sincere welcome to the Maishal Territory, everyone. Is that vehicle also something you brought for the exhibition?"
"Of course! It’s thanks to the steam locomotive in the Xenon Biography that this thing was able to see the light of day."
Eins replied solemnly, crossing his thick arms. He was clearly brimming with pride for his creation.
"Listen to this guy talking like he developed it all by himself. I’m the one who made the braking system and the speed transmission!"
"And I’m the one who installed the steering mechanism and the mana storage function. You talk a lot for someone who only developed the chassis."
Naturally, the other two dwarves protested vehemently. Eins seemed to have no rebuttal for that, as he just scratched his head sheepishly.
By the way, it seemed this car actually had brakes and gears. I recalled that the steam car in my previous life lacked those, which led to the first-ever traffic accident.
The design looked like someone had taken a horse-drawn carriage and simply removed the part where the horse goes. Instead, it had everything a driver would need.
As I was staring at the car in wonder, Mari's curiosity seemed to get the better of her as well. She asked with an interested expression, "Would it be alright if we took a ride? I'm curious to see what it feels like."
"Of course. In that case, do you want to try driving it?"
"Me?"
I was suddenly invited to drive. Taken aback, I pointed at myself and asked for clarification.
Eins nodded and confirmed.
"Yes. You helped us out, so we should show some goodwill in return. Operating it isn't difficult; you'll be able to do it just fine after a quick explanation."
"Hmm..."
I looked at the car while listening to his explanation. In dwarven culture, letting someone touch your creation is a significant gesture of favor.
So, I didn't mind being treated like a coachman. The biggest problem was that I knew exactly what a car was.
Moreover, in my previous life, I was what they called a "closet driver"—someone who got their license but never actually drove. Because I knew what a car was capable of, my fear outweighed my excitement.
"Just try it once. I want to see Isaac drive, too."
While I was debating internally, Mari nudged me from the side.
Looking at her, I could see her blue eyes were filled with anticipation.
How could I say no when she looked at me like that? I let out a sigh and accepted, acting as if I were giving in.
"Alright. But I'm going to move slowly, just so you know."
"Okay!"
"And Mr. Eins, please help me from the side."
"I don't want to see my masterpiece get smashed either."
Fortunately, the car was currently in a spot far from the village, making it a good place to drive. It was a necessary precaution since the vehicle was so eye-catching.
Soon, Mari sat in the back seat—the part that would be the covered cabin of a carriage—and I settled into the driver's seat.
Even though I was a closet driver, a faint sense of muscle memory returned as I sat down, giving me a strange feeling.
I hadn't noticed from a distance, but as the dwarves mentioned, it had everything. There was a steering wheel, and below it were an accelerator and a brake.
The problem was...
"...My legs won't fit?"
"Ah. Sorry. It must be quite small for a human."
Since it was built for dwarves, there was no room for my legs. I could squeeze in, but driving was out of the question.
In the end, I had to leave the driving to Eins and sit in the passenger area with Mari. Fortunately, the ceiling was high enough for a comfortable ride.
Vroooooom—
As Mari and I sat facing each other, a loud noise reached our ears from the back.
Wondering what it was, I looked behind us to see a strange device installed there.
It was roughly the size of a small box, and instead of a rattling sound, it emitted a vibration similar to a cell phone's.
"That right there is the mana engine. Eins's true masterpiece."
The explanation came from the bald dwarf, Geas, who was standing by the side of the vehicle. It seemed that was the car's engine.
In that case, how on earth did they make the brakes, the transmission, the steering, and the battery? I asked Geas, voicing my curiosity.
"If that's the mana engine, where are the other functions housed? You mentioned earlier that it has brakes and a speed transmission."
"They're all contained within that unit. We had a bit of a hard time miniaturizing it. However, the speed transmission is still incomplete..."
I really should have listened to him until the end before getting on.
"...The downside is that you can't adjust the speed at will; it just runs at a preset level."
VROOOM!
If I had, I would have known that the first ride would involve a sudden, violent start.
"Kyaaa!"
"Whoa!"
At the sudden lurch, both Mari and I let out sharp yelps. And where there is a sudden start, the laws of inertia naturally follow.
As a reaction, my body was instantly thrown toward Mari. Fortunately, I desperately grabbed for balance and narrowly avoided a head-on collision.
Squish—
Instead, I collided with an eco-friendly airbag. Honestly, hitting Mari's "chest airbags" was much better than a headbutt.
While not as large as Cecile's, Mari's breasts were quite ample in their own right, and they absorbed the entire impact.
I was momentarily dazed by the sudden softness, but I quickly pulled my face away and corrected my posture.
Mari, also startled by the sudden turn of events, was blushing furiously while covering her chest with both arms. Even though I'd seen everything there was to see before, she seemed flustered by the completely unexpected situation.
"A-Are you okay? I'm... I'm not as big as Cecile, so..."
Should I say it was typical of Mari to say what was on her mind even while embarrassed? She regained her composure before long and asked me.
I nodded in response to her question and cleared my throat. Then, I playfully teased her.
"I think they've gotten bigger since last time."
"...Pervert."
At my joke, Mari gave a bashful smile. I looked at her for a moment before protesting to Eins in the driver's seat.
"Mr. Eins! You can't just take off like that without warning!"
"Sorry! Sorry! I forgot I left the speed transmission engaged when I started! I'll be careful from now on!"
Eins immediately apologized, realizing his mistake. Having accepted his apology, Mari and I began to truly enjoy the sensation of our first car ride.
As expected of something made by dwarves, the ride quality was surprisingly good and not at all uncomfortable. Furthermore, the windows were open, making it easy to take in the surroundings.
"This is truly amazing. How does it move without a horse?"
"I know, right?"
I was someone who had ridden in cars and even airplanes in my previous life. To me, magic was actually far more wondrous.
Would the day ever come when this world invented airplanes instead of just cars? And if so, when?
In my world, the Wright brothers invented the airplane about a century after the steam locomotive. In other words, it could take at least 100 years.
However, with the existence of magic, perhaps that timeline could be moved up. Not that it mattered to me—I just had to keep writing my books.
"How is it! Incredible, isn't it?"
"It's incredible."
"Mwahahaha! This is the power of the mana engine!"
Today, I learned about the potential of the dwarven race.
*
And that evening, I learned one more thing about dwarven racial traits.
"...An accident?"
"Yes. I heard they were driving while intoxicated and caused an accident."
"..."
"I'm not sure how to handle this... Do you have any suggestions?"
A dwarven racial trait: they love alcohol.
The world's first traffic accident and the world's first drunk driving incident...
They were certainly leaving their mark on history.