Chapter 89
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 89
Chapter Title: Industrial Revolution (13)
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I quickly washed up and returned to the workshop.
Katiranya was guarding it as I'd asked, wearing a peculiar smile.
It was just like a cat shaking its hips right before pouncing.
In other words, something felt off.
But since nothing seemed amiss right away, I turned to check the gears.
I was going to tweak the mana alloy ratios as per Katiranya's advice.
Then, suddenly, a chill ran down my spine.
A bead of cold sweat trickled down my cheek from the gaze boring into my back.
Damn, it felt like guilt crawling up my spine, even though this wasn't that game.
I slowly turned around to find Katiranya standing there, arms crossed and brows furrowed.
Hmm, I'm screwed.
I didn't know what it was, but I could tell I'd gotten dragged into something headache-inducing.
What the hell is it?
As I looked at her in bewilderment, she finally spoke up after staying silent.
"I've been thinking it over carefully. You definitely said a few months ago that you'd write that novel."
"Ahem. Y-yeah, I did."
I knew this was coming.
I tried to play it cool, but my voice was shaking.
At the same time, my mind split into doubt and conviction, battling it out.
One side said Katiranya was genuinely angry.
The other said she was just messing with me on purpose.
But it felt like the latter—she was clearly dragging it out.
As I stared silently, she even crossed her legs.
"So I'm curious. When exactly are you going to write it?"
"Ahem. Soon. But isn't what we're making now pretty fun too?"
"No."
Whoa, so blunt it felt like staring at a rock.
As I gawked in disbelief, she switched from her stern act to a light laugh.
"Pfft, this is fun. Teasing you has its charms."
Ugh, I knew it.
I smacked my forehead, and she grinned wickedly.
Still, after I pretended to sulk a bit, she sidled over and asked,
"So, what are you going to do with those?"
"...For now, tweak the ratios like you suggested, Katiranya."
Truth be told, she wasn't really mad, so I let the topic shift.
Of course, this was more important anyway.
I sat back down and examined the gears that were nearly successful.
I checked to see if any defects were due to something else.
"No defects—it's definitely a material issue."
Improved mana alloy mixed with diamond powder.
Honestly, this would be better as a cutting tool than a gear.
But testing it as a gear was easier with the equipment I had.
"Anyway, once it passes testing, we can machine it into cutting tools and finish up."
I adjusted the mana alloy ratios and produced new gears.
This time I made five, without touching the diamond ratio.
Heh heh, time for another round of hellish trial and error.
"Edn? Your expression looks a bit off."
"It's not off—I'm just happy."
Absolutely not losing my mind.
Katiranya eyed me worriedly from the side, but I ignored her.
Instead, I focused on the new batch in front of me.
**
Another week passed.
The number of scrapped gears during that time easily topped several hundred.
But I hadn't given up—and now it had paid off.
"Gah! Finally found it!"
I really thought I was going insane.
Mixing diamond powder into mana alloy had no precedent back on Earth.
So I had to find the right ratio through pure trial and error from scratch.
"Good work, Edn."
"Thanks, Katiranya."
Fortunately, I'd nailed the optimal ratio before giving up.
If I hadn't... ugh, don't even want to imagine.
But one problem cropped up.
The tolerances were insanely tight, so defect rates would be high.
"Can't be helped. Sacrifices are inevitable."
"True, but that's not the right context here."
She shook her head slightly, but I thought it fit perfectly.
Anyway, materials were ready, so next up: make cutting tools and complete the lathe.
I pulled out the lathe blueprints I'd stashed away.
It was manual, unfortunately, but if it boosted productivity, that was fine.
With this, a new factory era would begin.
"Oh right, need safety protocols too."
Hmm, we'll make them after.
I contacted the smithy again for the needed parts.
I'd optimized the materials for variety and cost-efficiency.
Assembling all the parts eventually yielded a prototype.
"Whoa, that was brutal."
Hadn't been this tough in ages.
About 30% as hard as building the mana engine—that said it all.
Good thing only one material was tricky.
If others had been too, I might've quit.
"Phew, now let's see if it works right."
I connected the lathe to a large mana crystal nearby.
The lathe, now drawing mana from the crystal, finished its startup sequence.
With Katiranya watching, I clamped soft wrought iron—refined steel—into the lathe.
I hit the button, and the engraved magic activated the motor.
"Rotation's good for now."
I slowly adjusted the lever to prepare for cutting the steel.
Operating it carefully and gradually.
Finally, when the cutting tool touched the steel, it shaved off smoothly.
After maneuvering gently to avoid strain, a clean cylinder emerged in the center.
"Success!"
"Congratulations, Edn. Now just take it to the factory."
"Yeah. More precisely, set up formal production and supply."
I cheered at the smoothly operating lathe.
Now we could birth a new factory age with this.
Of course, plenty left to do.
Not just lathes—other machines, and not just metals but fabrics too.
But that could wait.
For now, time to show this off.
"Katiranya, mind helping? Need to load this onto the truck."
"Got it. Showing it to the other nobles?"
Sharp as ever.
I nodded, and she loaded it onto the truck like she'd expected.
By the way, this was just the prototype.
I'd already sent the blueprints to the factory for commissioned production.
"We'll demo it to the nobles and give priority to factory owners. For those without, investment opportunities."
"Not bad. But you're not going with that professor this time?"
Her words brought Professor Herman to mind.
Going with him would offload all the hassle.
But schedules might not align.
For now, I said I'd meet him on the way.
No immediate departure, so I sent a letter first?
I wrote one suggesting a meeting to discuss some matters.
Of course, I didn't wait for a reply.
The day after sending it, I drove the truck straight to him.
It was half a surprise visit, but surprisingly, he didn't seem startled.
"Oh, c-come on in."
Hmm, just acting surprised then.
Makes sense—I'd never done this before.
The professor sighed softly as he looked at me.
"You seem... different somehow."
"Maybe. But did you see my letter?"
"Yes. You've got a plan, but that's not the end of it, right?"
Of course not.
I nodded matter-of-factly and outlined my plans.
From milling machines to presses and various machine tools.
Plus, branching into fabrics and such.
He sighed.
"Even alone, that'd take years."
"That's why I'm seeking investors. There might be folks thinking the same but unable to act."
I was certain.
The moment I announced this, they'd come crawling out.
My tone wasn't that confident, but he seemed to sense it.
He agreed to scout some himself.
"So, inviting the nobles now?"
"Hmm, any chance the assembly hall's free?"
"Three weeks minimum."
Three weeks was too long.
After a moment's thought, I decided to send invitations and set the venue there anyway.
Wrote invites in my name and the professor's, sending to central nobles first.
Then provincial ones in sequence.
Hundreds RSVPed in a flash.
Way over capacity, so we had to reject some.
"Whoa, why so many?"
"You calling that little? Your name carries that much weight now."
Just four days, and this turnout.
Couldn't handle more even if we wanted.
I quickly sorted and finalized the attendee list.
Then sent confirmations.
We'd already rented the hall and brought the lathe.
Now, just prep the presentation.
The professor was helping with that too.
We were planning the event when,
"By the way, Edn. About the trucks—they're in production."
"Yeah? Problem?"
"If you call it that, yes."
Something hard to say?
He hesitated, dragging it out.
I didn't push, and soon heard it.
"Bad rumors are spreading among the workers. That they'll be laid off."
"What the hell?"
My eyes widened at the out-of-nowhere claim.
Why would I fire them?
I stared, demanding an explanation.
"Someone saw the truck and steel mill upgrades and started the rumor."
Aha, which bastard was it?
I smacked my forehead in disbelief.