Fools Enter the Tiger's Mouth
Akion handed the carpenter a new power drill...
"That bastard definitely smuggled it out, right?"
"Yep, young master! Just as you predicted, he leaked the power drill to the black market through a fence!"
He'd immediately dispatched investigators to track and analyze their movements.
It wasn't like Akion had been slacking off oblivious since Toby's incandescent bulb fiasco last time.
Akion-brand magic tools?
Rumors had quietly spread across the empire.
Of course, they'd fetch a high price from any noble tempted by them. Who wouldn't be hooked when light bulbs were everyday luxuries?
And those smug thieves thought they wouldn't get caught, but they always left traces behind.
"It flowed into Viscount Steelbern's family in the empire's south."
"When did it make it all the way down there...?"
"Young master, even we were shocked when we dug into it."
But in the meantime... it had traveled all the way to the distant south from Energies territory?
Akion was left dumbfounded by the report.
"No way... what did they do to get it there so fast? Did they ride an electric car or something?"
"If it's not too rude, young master, could you explain what an electric car is?"
"Uh... you ride horses, right? Imagine a steel horse that runs on mana feed, never tiring for a whole week."
"Damn, young master. That's one hell of a magic tool! Make it right now!! I'll give you all my money and my life!!"
"Can't make it yet."
"Yet! You said yet!! Woo-ha-ha!"
"This guy."
In any case, the reason Akion had pretended not to notice the power drill theft was...
"Gotcha!!"
"You criminals! Stay put!"
"Hieeek?!"
...to nab the carpenter trying to smuggle another one, along with his inside accomplice and the black market fence.
These types always popped up one by one with gambler's nerves anyway.
And inevitably, accomplices employed in the viscountcy got dragged in too. Better to sweep them all up clean in one go.
And so, they fell perfectly into Akion's trap investigation.
"Y-young master. Heh heh! Sorry!"
"We'll make it up to you for sure, so please forgive us!"
Of course, the caught culprits were grinning, relieved.
It wasn't like Tanner Toby smuggling them out in bulk—just one measly power drill!
Akion had always been merciful before, so surely he'd forgive them!
"They said the parish reformatory's short on workers, right? Hand them over to the parish in my name."
"As you command, young master!!"
"Y-yes?! Wait a sec! Young master! R-re-reformatory?!"
"I heard you come out crazy from there!!"
"Hieeeeeek! Please!! Young master, mercy pleeeease─!!"
But even the mild young master was pissed this time.
They'd taken the flower garden he'd kindly planted in their heads and used it to screw him over. Like he'd forgive that?
And from what Akion had learned, the reformatory healed you with holy power if you looked like you'd die from labor, forcing you back to work.
No dying allowed, so you came out drooling insane on release.
Too harsh a punishment?
"I warned you."
Well, Akion had issued a warning through the count once already.
Stealing more was an insult to House Energies—cut it out.
Toby was an exception among exceptions, kept outside the reformatory, but in truth, he was getting shredded and healed with holy power just like the rest.
"If they pull this crap again, I'll reclaim the bulbs handed to their families, ban them from the bathhouse, slap a relocation ban, and put them under surveillance so they can't run."
"Hieeek! Goldie knows! That's social death!"
"A house in Energies where lights don't shine at night, bathhouse access banned, and soldiers dropping by randomly... No surviving in this viscountcy."
If they mistook his continued kindness for suckerhood,
they'd better prepare to get chewed up in the tiger's maw.
As a bonus, he sent desk lamps as gifts to nearby nobles with territories, requesting future cooperation.
They all gladly accepted, thanks to that.
"Young master, this week's magic tool loss and theft incidents: zero!"
"Good. Very good..."
Thanks to that, even bulb thieves had vanished.
Now, the story spread far and wide inside and outside Energies viscountcy.
"Heard about that?"
"Reformatory... Ugh, better off dead."
"Akion young master's scary when he's mad..."
Even though the thieves had only smuggled 'one single' power drill,
this time Akion young master didn't forgive, dooming them to a fate worse than death.
Another warning, far harsher than before.
Thanks to it, one line etched into everyone's minds.
"Never make Akion young master mad...!!"
"Reformatory's a no-go...! B-better work honestly and earn it."
"Mm. Guess I gotta give up back channels... Send young master a formal purchase request."
'Don't make him mad.'
After that, Akion's work proceeded smoothly.
Power drills shifted from unlimited rental to check-in after work.
"Giving it then taking it back—what's that?!"
"Bastards. Aren't they just gonna make us buy our own later?"
Naturally, some carpenters grumbled,
"You wanna work at the reformatory or what?"
"Nooo─!!"
"Take it quick!! Anything but the reformatory─!!"
But thanks to the precedent of the smuggler scum, everyone neatly fell in line.
No one wanted to get dragged to the reformatory.
With the second anti-theft measure—the end-of-day return policy—in place...
"Bought it from a black market dealer, and I gotta politely send a letter...?"
"Heh heh, don't worry. This mother'll help you out."
"Yes, thank you, madam."
"...Hiiing."
Time to recover the relocated power drill.
Akion sent Viscount Steelbern a letter titled 'Request for Cooperation in Recovery'.
"Young master! Young master! Reply already came!"
"Already? Even express owl post shouldn't be this fast."
The content was polite,
but summed up: 'That's ours—give it back? You pay shipping. Thief spawn.'
"Thing is, former head of Steelbern's coming personally to deliver it!"
"Wha—cool."
But he wasn't expecting the 'hammer-wielding Sword Master' to bring it...?
Clad Steelbern.
A knight who started as a mere blacksmith, drove off half-beast half-devils in the south with swords he forged himself.
Received the Sword Master title directly from the emperor, one of the south's strongest.
Retired due to an unfortunate accident and old age, but...
"Tower Master, how's my outfit?"
"You could stand at a lectern right now."
"Nice."
The emperor's personal 'Sword Master' title didn't fade.
It meant he'd earned it through feats worthy of it.
"But aren't they the ones who bought smuggled magic tools? No need to be so formal."
"He's a Sword Master."
"Even so, he's a decrepit old man who's lost his strength. Nothing before this lady."
Of course, as the Tower Master said, no need to overdo courtesy. They'd bought black market goods, after all.
Still, Akion stayed tense.
"Word is, half-beast half-devil forces recently invaded Steelbern. Head couldn't leave, so..."
"They're sending the former head with maximum courtesy?"
Delpord's political read:
Steelbern sent former head and Sword Master Clad Steelbern to say 'sorryyyy~'.
"Don't crush them with brute force."
"Tsk tsk, fine."
Even Energies couldn't be rude when Steelbern showed such deference.
Thus, Akion had to observe basic noble etiquette.
- Click.
Akion and the Tower Master waited in the reception room.
They looked toward the opening door right on cue.
"Hoo."
The Tower Master beside him shivered at the instant analytical aura scanning her.
"That Sword Master title's no joke..."
"Mm...? What brings a dragon here...?"
The Tower Master had aided the empire a millennium ago, before its founding.
In her experience, foes who analyzed that fast... usually inflicted two or three wounds before dying to her.
"Ah! I've heard the rumors. Beside genius alchemist young master Akion Energies of Ridaside stands the Tower Master herself...!"
"Mm. Correct. This lady is Ridaside's Tower Master. But today, this lady won't join the negotiations."
"Grateful for the consideration, pillar of the empire."
And unconsciously probing Clad eased his guard with a kindly smile despite his pale face.
"This unworthy old man of Viscount Steelbern, Clad."
"Akion Energies of Count Energies. Honored to meet a Sword Master."
Akion bowed in respect too.
Not just as a noble, but out of reverence for the Sword Master title.
"No need to stand. I'm here to apologize."
Clad stepped forward first, gently pressing Akion's shoulder to sit him.
More humble than expected... Akion was a bit flustered.
But work was work.
"Ahem. Sir Clad, where's the power drill I requested in the letter?"
"Right here."
At Akion's words, Clad pulled it from his bag.
No visible outer damage, but Akion's sharp eyes noted the scratches and dents everywhere.
"Looks like it was handled roughly."
"Circumstances demanded it. Can you forgive me if I compensate?"
"Circumstances..."
Akion suddenly sensed the Saintess's vibe from the old man.
Not noble or anything,
but absurd usage territory.
Lately, Akion was breaking cold sweats over 'Holy Light Sword' rumors leaking from the front lines.
Source: Saintess. Rumor had it she wielded a hand lantern as a sword...!
Hence, power drill + Sword Master gave Akion chills, so he asked straight.
"......That's how it went."
"I see."
He'd heard an Armor Basilisk murl—scales that mid-level Sword Experts barely scratched—got drilled through.
"Without that power drill, I'd be at the Lord's side by now. I've received great grace from young master."
"I see."
And Akion stopped thinking.
"I seeeeee, yooooouuuuugh...!!"
"A-Akion?! Breathe! Breathe!"
Because any more thought, and he'd foam at the mouth cursing!!
A tool meant for tooling, in a former Sword Master's hand,
shattered Armor Basilisk scales and pierced its murl!!
Why did his aura sharpen the driver bit automatically,
and the motor react to Clad's mana, ramping up torque like crazy!!
Why the hell!!!
By what principle!!!!
"Y-young master Akion. You okay?!"
"He does this sometimes. No worries."
"Haa, haa...!"
About three minutes of foaming seizure later, Akion recovered.
Tower Master patting his back helped calm him a bit.
"Tower Master."
"Mm. Speak."
"Makes me wanna quit engineering sometimes."
But he didn't want to understand mana anymore.
Felt like high blood pressure collapse was imminent.
He'd wanted to foam over the Saintess's UV lamp and princess's hair dryer too.
At this rate, he wouldn't live long.
"Mm, Akion."
"Yes."
"Give it up. What you've started is too big."
"Yes......"
Intended or not, his engineering was rippling the world as magitech.
Tower Master pointed it out; Akion teared up in agreement.
"Ahem. Thanks for returning it, Sir Clad."
"No, no. Not my choice, but I bought your goods improperly and received grace besides... Just doing my duty."
Recovery done, light chat led to a meal—
"If you're alright with it, I'd like to contribute to your workshop, humble as I am."
"Huh? Pardon?"
"Post-battle, wielding the hammer's grown harder... But I'd lend my blacksmithing strength."
And he didn't leave.
Pale-faced Clad applied to join Akion's lab voluntarily.
"You're... serious?"
"What, I'm retired from the front lines anyway."
Viscount Steelbern forged their own swords.
Hence their self-forged steel topped the empire.
Not bad for Akion.
"Nephew'll handle the house; I must repay the grace. Above all, I want to realize these in your workshop."
"These are..."
Clad showed Akion his diligently drawn blueprints.
Complex machine designs on the table.
Akion looked down and...
"This... an auto-hammer machine? And this looks like an electric—no, mana forge inspired by the bulb..."
"Hah! Right! Genius spots it instantly!"
Akion realized Clad Steelbern excelled not just as Sword Master, but designer.
The systematic blueprints Akion drew here... Precision nearly matched!
"I'm a steel production ace! I'll help however little—could you assist developing these machines?"
Obvious: Clad had innate design talent.
Like an aircraft designer who 'saw' airflow.
And...
"Sir Clad."
"Mm."
"Could you show me your gums?"
"Ah, this bluish-gray line?"
Akion spotted another trace on him.
"And your hands too."
"Mm. Sure. But anything to see? Spotted, bumpy, ugly..."
Pale complexion from before.
Bluish-gray line at teeth-gum border.
Mottled skin with knobby protrusions.
"Lead and arsenic poisoning?"
"Mm? Dealt with lead often. Arsenic?"
Classic heavy metal poisoning symptoms.
Especially, metal poisoning paralyzed nerves, weakening grip on certain body parts.
Arms or hands.
"Sir Clad. When did gripping swords or hammers get hard?"
"Little over a year. Why?"
Fits why Clad couldn't wield sword or hammer.
Actually treatable gradually with activated charcoal, apple pectin peels, garlic, egg yolks.
But... a steel production ace suffering unaware?
"If I can at least ease it, not full cure—what then?"
"Haha, priests gave up... If you can, I'll tell my nephew—open a Steelbern forge branch in Energies. Our steel's empire-best; good for you too."
"Promise?"
"Great! But... why's your face sour again?"
To Akion, it looked like a vine-rolled pumpkin bonanza.
Meaning: drooling at the thought of the boon.