Chapter 15 - I Was Called 'Believer Archion'. But It’s Full of Misunderstandings.
I Was Called 'Believer Archion'. But It’s Full of Misunderstandings.
Translator : Elizabeth
Chapter 15
“Thanks to that flashlight… we were able to sweep away several pureblood vampires. Although a few escaped.”
Archion couldn't understand what he was hearing.
So, to clarify,
“You’re saying the incandescent bulb sucked up divine power and burned vampires…?”
“It must be bewildering. Yes, that is correct. Believer Archion’s incandescent bulb ignited divine power and incinerated pureblood vampires with holy light.”
His incandescent bulb sucked up divine power, not mana, to shine, and that light completely burned the vampires, who are vulnerable to divine power and sunlight.
“Unfortunately, immediately after, the filament inside burned out and it became unusable… but that was enough. The remaining few lost their will to fight and fled.”
The Saintess, eyes sparkling as if she had received salvation from God right then and there, looked like she was about to offer a prayer.
“Saintess. If it’s alright, may I examine that incandescent bulb?”
“Of course, Believer Archion.”
First of all, from the perspective of Archion, an engineering student, this made no sense.
Even if divine power was similar to mana, Archion had heard their properties were so different that they were considered separate things. But to say divine power operated similarly to mana, and on top of that, emitted sunlight strong enough to burn vampires?
‘That makes no sense.’
Unlike the sun, incandescent bulbs do not emit ultraviolet rays. The wavelength of the light they emit is different.
So, does an incandescent bulb shining with divine power emit ultraviolet rays? But then that would conflict with other theories?
But then again, wasn't it nonsense in the first place that mana is electricity possessing the characteristics of both direct and alternating current?
Archion stopped thinking. If he went any further, he’d become a mathematician gone mad trying to solve the Riemann Hypothesis. Anyway.
“Fufu, if you need it for research, please ask the brother who brought you here. He is the owner of the flashlight.”
“Ah, could that person be…?”
Then Archion heard that the bulky Holy Knight who brought him was the creator of the flashlight. He thought it worked out well since he wanted to meet the person responsible.
Just as he was about to satisfy his curiosity as an engineer—
“Therefore, Believer Archion.”
Squeeze.
The Saintess held Archion’s hand. Wrapped heavily in blood-soaked bandages, she couldn't even grip properly except for her thumb…
Squeeeeze….
“Thank you so very much. I heard that incandescent bulb was one of the things you bestowed to be installed in this monastery, in addition to the residents.”
“Ah, yes.”
It was just an incandescent bulb he ended up distributing to the monastery because he casually said, ‘It must be dark, so let’s install them everywhere, shall we?’ Archion didn't know it would come back this big.
“I am also aware that the production cost of that thing called an incandescent bulb is not insignificant. To give such expensive items all for free, even for an Enersis….”
And the Saintess’s sparkling and moved appearance was way too burdensome. Archion wanted to pull his hand away, but—
Grip!
The Saintess’s strength was too great. For an injured person, she was six or seven times stronger than Archion…!
“I heard the flashlight was also based on Believer Archion’s blueprints? Wishing that the patrolling guards and Holy Knights wouldn't suffer… the knowledge and grace you bestowed saved our expeditionary force.”
Now it felt like eight or nine times stronger. Feeling like his hand bones were about to break, Archion hurriedly pulled his hand away.
“That is not true, Saintess.”
Then he immediately began to clarify. Since Archion hadn't intentionally helped the Saintess, he wondered if it was okay to receive such gratitude.
“Isn't all of this the result achieved by that Holy Knight and everyone’s firm will and conviction?”
“However, it would have been impossible without Believer Archion’s incandescent bulb and flashlight blueprints.”
More than that, to think that Holy Knight imitated and made it as soon as he saw the blueprints. Archion felt somewhat grumpy.
Rather than finding it impudent….
“Is that so? Then may I make one wish?”
“Anything.”
“I wish to hire that Holy Knight in my workshop. Seeing how he understood the blueprints immediately, I covet his talent.”
He was jealous of the Saintess. Understanding the entire structure and making an imitation just by looking at the blueprints? He’s perfect as a workshop slave!
“Ahahaha!”
It was a joke with the nuance of, ‘Can’t you give him to me?’ Of course, the Saintess caught on quickly too.
“Of course, it is a joke.”
“Haaa, what a mischievous joke. Still, it’s been a long time since I laughed like this.”
Archion dismissed it thinking the Saintess’s sense of humor was strange. Anyway.
“Then, Believer Archion. Would you tell me your wish?”
The Saintess intended to repay the favor somehow.
No matter how modest he acted, without his flashlight—and by extension, the incandescent bulb, this expedition would have been a massacre. Not only did he bestow such things for free, but he also showed exemplary conduct by showing the flashlight blueprints and asking for opinions out of consideration for those on patrol.
“We have received grace, and we must repay it.”
Of course, she also had thoughts of putting this nobleman of excellent character slightly in her debt.
The Saintess had just become an adult and seemed young, but she was also a seasoned politician. Although all brothers and sisters believing in the Lord of Heaven serve, when discussing methods and budgets for that service, political maneuvering runs rampant among them.
“Saintess.”
She was the one who had survived in such a place for years and kept her position as Saintess. Just as she tried to draw Archion in using dozens of such reasons as a pretext—
“I do not need it.”
“Pardon?”
She was rejected by Archion.
The Saintess saw Archion off as he left in his carriage.
“Saintess. Is your body alright?”
The Bishop of the Lidasid Diocese, worried about her standing in front of the monastery, followed her out. She too had participated in the battle and was cut deeply here and there. Even if regenerated by divine healing, her stamina would have been greatly consumed, making it hard to even stand.
“Bishop.”
“Yes, Saintess.” “Perhaps I... have been harboring wrong thoughts all this time.”
“Pardon?”
She was looking at the carriage with eyes wet with melancholy.
“Why… do you think he refused?”
“Because I truly do not need it.”
It was because of the words Archion left as he stood up from his seat earlier.
“As the youngest son of an affluent family, I live without lack.”“Believer Archion. I apologize for bringing up politics, but this is a matter that might help your Earldom.”
Usually, a noble family’s young master would have at least minimal greed regarding succession and titles, but—
“I do not need that either.”
“Why?”
“Because I am already living without lack. Is it not a life far more blessed than the orphans in the back alleys?”
Saying that, he requested, ‘I’d rather you take in the talented children living in the slums of Lidasid.’
“To bestow as much as possible upon the poor, he deliberately covered his own eyes with a cloth.”
It was a modest wish for a favor. Moreover, taking in talented children and raising them as clergy. It would actually be of greater help to the diocese.
Looking at such an Archion, the Saintess felt ashamed.
“What... do you mean by that…?”
“Bishop. Who are the ones we are supposed to care for?”
Selecting who to help and who to ignore among the overflowing poor in the capital due to limited budget…. She felt so ashamed of herself for doing that.
“It is the people gasping in hunger, unable to receive education, and suffering from demons.”
“If so, are those who beg in the slums to survive the day also those people?”
“Those who waste taxes without doing such work are—”
Although this kind of thinking is considered normal. Archion tried to bestow his inventions… even to such people.
“Is that the will of the Lord of Heaven?” “……I cannot give you a definite answer.”
“You think the same, Bishop.”
Did she try to provide opportunities to them like Archion? The disabled, the uneducated majority of orphan-turned-criminals, drug addicts.
Did she practice charity so they could stand up again? Did she turn away from them claiming a lack of budget?
“Bishop.”
“Yes, Saintess.”
“Please submit a report on the movements of Enersis from now on. And….”
Looking at the carriage disappearing over the road… the Saintess blossomed a benevolent smile more than ever before.
“Bishop, you submitted a plan to the Vatican to employ the poor in an attempt to rehabilitate those vagrants, didn't you? I will formally propose that agenda to the Pope.”
“R-really?!”
“Yes.”
Leaving the rejoicing Bishop behind, the Saintess moved her steps back into the monastery.
She had received teachings from an unexpected place, from an unexpected person. Of course, Archion didn't intend it, and she just realized it on her own here and there.
“I’ll have to talk about incandescent bulbs when I get back too.”
Because of that, she would be busy for a while… but the Saintess was more motivated than ever.
“Archion, are you alright—!!”
“Guh-eck.”
The next day, the Tower Master, hearing that Archion was dragged away (?) by the Saintess, barged in. And Archion, who was crushed by such a Tower Master, stripped, and even inspected—
“How dare, how dare she to me, a great Dragon…!”
“Does saying that erase the fact that you stripped and harassed me? Ahem, hands are going down!”
“Ugh…!”
He made the Tower Master, who unintentionally (?) harassed him, face the wall and raise her hands. As if used to this now, Goldie laughed pfft-hehe and swept the floor.
“Tower Master.”
“Hmph.”
“What happened to that?”
“Hmph!”
In the meantime, Archion asked about the outsourcing given to the Magic Tower forge. But the Tower Master, sulking un-dragon-like, refused to answer.
“Tower Master. The seat next to me is empty, please sit.”
“Ahem. You finally gained some tact.”
“Easy-to-get Dragon— Eeeeh! I was wrong! So stop pinching Goldie’s cheeks—!!”
Of course, as soon as Archion soothed her, she ran over and sat snugly next to him. Naturally, Goldie was also dragged over with her cheeks pinched.
“So, is it finished?”
“Mm. As you requested.”
And the Tower Master put her hand into her cleavage.
They say the entrance to spatial magic is over there, and Archion heard it’s a trend among female mages of noble origin these days. Of course, he heard it from Goldie, and it’s ironic that the Tower Master also heard it from Goldie. Anyway.
Pop!
“Here it is, the solid rivet. We made it with the mold compression method you transferred to us.”
“Whimper, my cheek hurts….”
A ductile metal pin commonly used in Archion’s world.
A nail that joins thin plates, a rivet. Specifically, a solid rivet used even in aircraft.
Why is this needed?
“However, why is this needed?”
“Honestly, the pressure tank shape I showed you is hard to cast as a whole piece, right?”
“Mm. True. That is why you suggested bending a wide steel plate into a cylinder shape.”
“Then, we need this when connecting the lid and the cylinder plate.”
Because it can be used widely in decent engineering products, including pressure tanks. The press mold compression and the electric screwdriver were also developed for that reason.
Just in time, the electric screwdriver is needed along with rivets for this pressure tank production.
“This thing has killer holding power.”
If you hammer it from both sides while applying heat, this rivet crushes and tightly bites both plates. Plus, it neatly fills the hole drilled by the screwdriver. It’s reliable enough to be used in aircraft.
And above all, the approaching winter season….
“It’s also useful when making boiler pressure tanks.”
“Boil… er?”
“What is that again, Young Master?”
It is absolutely necessary when making pressure tanks for boilers.
“There’s something. Something that heats up hot.”
“Wh-what! You lewd fellow! You actually liked it when I harassed you earlier…!”
“The Young Master is a pervert!”
“Did you two only fill your heads with lust demons?”
Electric heaters that can be made right away. Plus hot water boilers.
Archion intends to spend this winter warmly.