Episode 7. The Night Before the Storm (2)
From childhood, I'd often had this recurring thought. If a modern person got transported to the past or an isekai world, couldn't they become filthy rich?
Something like that—a fantasy where, if you could just invent modern conveniences that hadn't been developed here yet, you could live without ever worrying about money.
"Horn."
"What, kid?"
"Can't you make me a carriage that rolls on its own without needing horses?"
So, if I could be the first in this oddly backward world to create a car, wouldn't that be revolutionary? Just making and selling those essential, efficient modern gadgets one by one would make me the richest guy around.
"How the hell's it a carriage if it doesn't need horses, you moron? Say something that makes sense."
"Well... it's a drive system that activates when you add fuel and connects to the wheels to roll automatically, so maybe it's more like a car than a carriage..."
"What's that?"
"Beats me. What is it?"
But truthfully, only experts in that field could explain it properly. For an average guy like me, all that was left was shallow, broad knowledge. Without being able to detail the principles or designs, it just came off as nonsense.
Ah. If only I'd known that getting hit by a car wouldn't end my life but send me to another world.
I wouldn't have been reading novels right up to the end—I'd have studied how to build engines.
"What's with the pie-in-the-sky bullshit all of a sudden, kid? Hm? Head hurt or something?"
"...Kinda feels like it."
Anyway. In short, my now-fuzzy modern knowledge had no real place to shine here.
At least in this world, science and innovative tech had long been overshadowed by magic, reduced to relics of the past.
Shallow and broad knowledge, huh. What a fucking useless pile.
Thanks to Horn declaring he'd swing his hammer properly again, those few modern inventions bubbling up in my mind got shoved back into the depths.
I was sighing over those thoughts when Asha toddled over to me—tap tap tap—stared up with wide eyes, and spoke.
"Ain, does your head hurt? Should I use healing magic?"
"No, it's fine... Ah."
Wait a sec.
"Ain? Why are you staring like that? Your head really hurts, doesn't it?"
"No, no. My head's fine."
"But your face looks weird."
Come to think of it, did I really need to despair over not being able to make proper modern machines with my shallow knowledge?
In a world ruled by magic, wasn't the need for intricate, precise mechanical engineering kinda pointless?
Couldn't magic cover for the lack of detailed designs and make it feasible?
I suddenly realized this as I watched Asha gently touch my forehead with her mana-rippling hand.
"Asha, do you know how to do magic engraving?"
"...Pardon? Um, I've never tried magic engraving before, so I don't know."
No problem if she hadn't. Asha was an overwhelming genius when it came to magic—she'd pick it up fast once she started studying. And I wasn't planning to make and sell anything right away anyway.
"How about our Asha studies magic engraving?"
"O-our Asha...!"
At my words, Asha blinked her eyes wide and looked up at me.
"I think it'd be good if you learned magic engraving. What do you say?"
"Y-yes! I'll start studying right away. We can buy books on it in the next city...!"
Thankfully, she nodded vigorously in agreement, her reaction even more enthusiastic than I'd expected. Her eyes burned with fervor—maybe she'd been interested in it already.
With that, I left Asha hugging my waist and turned back to Horn.
"Horn."
"Talking about magic engraving means you've got some idea brewing. What the hell is it that's got you sighing like a dying man?"
"I want to make a vehicle that rolls on its own with just fuel. Horses have stamina limits, so one that keeps going without them would be convenient, right?"
"So how the fuck does that work, huh?"
"Nothing's impossible with magic, Horn."
Sure, you'd pay through the nose for it, but this was a world with long-distance teleports. So how could self-propelled cars be out of reach?
Hell, if Horn handled the basic frame and Asha engraved the magic for the finicky parts, it just might work. Magic was the all-purpose force that had set science and tech back on their heels.
I could squeeze materials from the dwarves who'd promised support, have old man Horn build the chassis, and let Asha's engraving handle the activation. I'd just cheer from the sidelines.
Ah, and if it succeeded, the company name would be Ain Revolution Corporation, after its president.
Anyway. Lost in these silly money-making schemes, we pressed on.
Truth be told, the real priority wasn't cars or whatever—it was heading east. We needed to find traces of the Fallen Star of Twilight, Nasatya van Gregoryus, and gather ingredients for the ash suppressant.
We had to move quickly to shake any pursuing holy knights, while avoiding cities with strict inspections to keep Asha's identity hidden.
We'd been driving the carriage for over a week like that. The upside? It wasn't that old junk wagon anymore—this luxury one had plenty of room for mattresses, so no one was complaining.
The two kids and Eileen, all hyped about just hitting adulthood, loved the new ride. They sang about how comfy it was before dozing off.
Horn was staring holes into the minerals he'd gotten from old Shillin at the workshop.
Aberly tinkered at his little research station in one corner of the carriage, reading books or carefully mixing reagents.
It was pretty peaceful, all things considered. Nighttime imperl or wild beasts couldn't breach Asha's barriers.
And the occasional bandits or thieves who tried threatening the carriage? We turned the tables and looted them to refill our supplies.
They'd pop up near villages or cities, all cocky, hand over everything they had, and scram.
"Hm, grateful bunch."
"These bandits had a lot too—lucky us. Means we don't have to rush into a city, Ain."
"Right? They must be starving for action, showing up right when we need 'em."
How did they always know when our supplies were running low and deliver so kindly? Food ingredients aside, their weapons and gear—handed over with smiles—would fetch good prices in the next town.
Such good, thankful friends. I'd never forget their warm hearts, stripping down to their underwear for us.
I hadn't even drawn my sword before they frantically stripped and offered everything up—that's why I spared them.
I was nodding contentedly, smiling, when Eileen's cheerful voice chimed in, clearly agreeing.
"Exactly! I wish there were more bandits!"
She beamed innocently, saying something weird and crazy.
"Hm... but saying that, Eileen, you definitely... back then..."
"Eek... Lady Asha. Don't bring up bad memories... I was trying to forget, so why mention it?"
Asha's casual mutter tilted her head, and Eileen's smile melted away.
Back then? What story was that?
I hadn't heard many tales from when those two traveled alone—this was new.
"No, but you brought it up first... Hm, whatever... Yeah, sorry... No, but that was your fault."
"Excuse me! 'You'? Did you just 'you' me?"
"Yeah, you. What're you gonna do about it? You messed up."
"I'm innocent!"
"Keep bullshitting and dodging the point, and you might get hit again. You're all high and mighty lately—think I won't because others are around? Want me to remind you of the old days?"
"H-hey hey hey! F-fists are bad...! Whoa, don't raise that fist, Lady Asha!"
Wait, so what the hell happened back then?
My questions went unanswered as the carriage rolled on, the city walls drawing near amid the usual lively chatter.
Though... the atmosphere seemed a bit off.