The Genius Engineer's Legendary Territory - Black Terrahole (2)
Hey, Noh Bo-jun. How many majors are you planning to take on this time?
Seoul National University, the best in the country. Noh Bo-jun, majoring in mechanical engineering, was already pushing toward a master’s degree at twenty, studying fourth-year courses while barely scraping by on a fourth-year load.
“It’s actually pretty fun. You should try auditing too, Hyung. They say electronics material design is tough. Learning anything else besides that will help you understand the field better.”
“You madman. Who doesn’t know that? Other people can’t even finish one major, so they don’t even try for extras.”
“But Hyung’s taking two extra majors the rest of the university avoids: electronics and energy, right?”
Kim Kang-soo, sitting dead-center in the front row of the lecture hall without even glancing at anyone’s face, felt zero ill will.
“That’s the human limit, idiot. You’re not human. How do you study five majors at once? I’m barely keeping up with life itself right now.”
“They overlap a lot, so it’s doable.”
“Doable? You’ll wreck the place no matter where you go.”
“Is that an insult?”
“Heh. I don’t know if it’s an insult or a compliment. Either way, you’re gonna cause a big stir. Whether in Korea, overseas, or somewhere completely different from this world.”
* * *
“Robon just overhauled the Black Terrahole?”
Ted Bladewyn, arriving at the garden after hearing the news, could not shake the disbelief.
The state-of-the-art mobile chassis developed by the top genius minds at Vulkan, the premier magitech research institute of the Mardin Principality.
They had slaved over it for months, yet this kid had finished the overhaul in a single week?
Just him?
‘That’s ridiculous.’
Ever since childhood, when he tinkered with all sorts of gadgets and acted strangely, Ted had let him do whatever he wanted.
He had known since his son was little that Robon’s talent lay outside the knightly or magical arts, so he never pushed him toward those fields.
Although he disliked it, he had left the boy alone to make a living in other ways. He had no desire to repeat past mistakes.
But…
‘This time I really need to give him a stern warning.’
Even worse than breaking the Black Terrahole he had waited decades for was the fact that his third son was taking the royal heir’s own vehicle to meet the Grand Prince as if it were his personal toy.
This was not merely granting talent; it was an outright breach of the head family’s authority.
At his age the boy should have known better. Had he spoiled him too much? Ted’s head throbbed.
“Lord Bladewyn has arrived.”
“Lady. A guest is also present. How do you plan to view the head’s authority after seeing Robon’s latest antics?”
“I am deeply sorry. I will personally scold him severely.”
“Enough. I will handle it myself. Call all the children. This time we will set a proper example.”
She nodded slightly.
“You must be stern. If you soften…”
“Wife! I am the Iron-Blooded Knight! I will not soften!”
He gave her an overly formal shout, yet she only nodded slowly.
“We will return shortly.”
“Hmph.”
As he opened the lobby door, a heavily modified Black Terrahole waited beside the grand fountain.
Knights and retainers lined both sides, bowing deeply.
“We greet the Lord!”
At that moment, Robon Bladewyn stepped out of the line and gave a clumsy bow.
“Father. I prepared this for you.”
“Robon! You absolute madman!”
Eldest son Gain Bladewyn glared at him like he wanted to spear him through the chest.
“As expected! Robon-ssi! Heh heh. I knew it would be too good to be true.”
Wendy Bladewyn smirked, muttering under her breath.
“Everyone, quiet.”
Ted’s deep voice froze them all instantly. The oppressive aura made the air itself feel cold.
“Robon Bladewyn.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Do you understand what you have just done?”
“For you—”
“Silence!”
Robon flinched and clamped his mouth shut. The garden air turned bone-chillingly cold; his body trembled.
“I knew you had no talent for swords or magic, so I gave you freedom. Yet you have crossed every line.”
“No, that’s not—”
“How dare you speak before me!”
CLANG—!
Ted’s sword slid from his waist. Even the slightest touch would have sliced everything in its path; a faint blue glow still leaked from the blade.
‘That’s the Iron-Blooded Knight… terrifying.’
Watching from behind, Siena Askan could not help but sigh in admiration.
She stole a glance at Robon Bladewyn.
The useless third young master was finally causing real trouble.
“You must be Siena Askan, Vulkan’s successor?”
She recalled the arrogant noble she had met before and nearly laughed. But facing the Iron-Blooded Knight like this was something she never imagined.
‘Maybe one of my arms will fly off?’
She studied him carefully.
‘Huh?’
Her eyes showed no fear even as her body shook. The unyielding glare of a master artisan—something she had only seen in the tiny handful of elite craftsmen at Vulkan—now radiated from this so-called good-for-nothing.
“If you want to cut me, cut. But I have no intention of joking with Father or offending his authority.”
His tone had changed completely. The earlier timid slumping was gone; his voice, eyes, and posture now carried absolute certainty. It was almost as if the Robon Bladewyn she remembered was a different person.
“…”
Two gazes collided in the air, crackling with invisible sparks.
‘So the Bladewyn third son was this kind of person?’
They both knew the Black Terrahole would never have been properly modified otherwise. Ted, in particular, had known how much effort the Vulkan artisans had poured into it.
The useless third son who spent his days loafing in the territory had not only ruined the machine but had actually improved it?
It was as absurd as declaring war on the entire Arken Empire.
A fleeting, absurdly funny thought crossed her mind.
She smiled inwardly and stepped forward.
“Ted Bladewyn, Lord of the Head Family. As a master artisan of Vulkan, I must ask one favor.”
Ted’s face froze. He had not expected Siena to intervene.
“This is a family matter.”
“But it concerns Vulkan as well. Right now Robon Bladewyn is belittling something that belongs to Vulkan.”
Ted’s eyes darkened.
That was exactly why he had taken such a strong stand earlier—because Siena Askan was present.
He had shouted louder, hoping she would stay silent. Instead this clever woman had chosen to step in.
“…”
“Speak.”
“I am more familiar with the Black Terrahole than anyone here. I agree that it has not yet been perfected. Many improvements are still needed.”
She shot Robon a quick glance as she spoke.
Robon nodded enthusiastically at her correct assessment, and the sight annoyed her intensely.
‘He’s nodding like he knows everything?’
She had been about to scold him for talking back to a noble, but now her irritation spiked.
“There are many points: Mana Core output and speed limits, chassis instability, fuel conversion efficiency, and more. If even one single aspect has improved, I will grant Vulkan’s prototypes priority over any other house, including the Bladewyns, starting with the Grand Prince. I will also overlook the slight to Vulkan’s creations.”
“…”
“Can you take responsibility for that?”
“Yes. I swear it on my family name.”
Vulkan.
The nation’s leading magitech research institute, operated and managed by the Askan family.
Siena was the closest of the Askan direct line to becoming Vulkan’s successor. In truth, she could already be called the next head without exaggeration.
Her words carried real weight.
“And if I refuse?”
“Then you will lower the price of iron ore supplied by the Bladewyn family by twenty percent.”
Ted’s expression twisted. This was an unfair deal.
Granting priority to Bladewyn prototypes right behind the Grand Prince was effectively the same as being first in line. The Grand Prince would never accept untested goods.
The value of that was far beyond the twenty-percent discount on iron ore.
But this was an unbeatable bet. She would not have risked such a gamble lightly, and the exchange ratio was so lopsided that the odds were absurdly in her favor.
“I cannot accept that.”
“KOOOOOO!!!
A sudden roar drew every eye to the Black Terrahole.
Robon Bladewyn, standing in front of it, rolled his eyes and bellowed at the top of his lungs.
“…”
“That’s loud enough, huh? If you’re scared, just die.”
Robon’s taunt made Siena’s face twist with fury.
“Hah! So full of himself. Is that your idea of acceptance? Fine. I accept! I accept!”
* * *
It was freezing.
The back of her neck prickled with hot, piercing stares.
CLUNK! BRRRR!
Robon slammed the starter button. A thunderous exhaust note erupted, blue mana circuits glowing and vibrating around the vehicle.
“Hmph…”
Robon gripped the steering wheel; his nerves were shot.
On the right, Siena Askan’s eyes sparkled as she scanned every inch of the chassis.
In the back seat, arms crossed, Ted watched him with icy eyes.
One wrong move and his head would roll.
“Ready to go?”
“Wait! What did you do to the Black Terrahole?”
Siena narrowed her eyes.
“What?”
“The exhaust noise is way too loud.”
That made sense. High-output engines burned fuel faster, producing more exhaust.
“It’s a mobile chassis. I changed the exhaust to straight-line, added a suspension, removed the shock-absorption magic, and cut fuel consumption.”
“…”
“Susp… what?”
“You’ll see. Let’s start.”
The exhaust was louder, but efficiency had not improved as much as he wanted.
But the suspension was close to revolutionary for them.
“Hrrgh… here we go!”
A gravel and lime road wound toward the Mardin Principality from the Bladewyn estate gate.
High nobles usually rode horses on such roads because the sections were poorly maintained and bumpy.
The Black Terrahole was no exception.
CLANK!
The vehicle lurched forward. It dipped slightly on one side and shook violently.
Only the chassis moved.
“…”
“What, what—?”
Siena’s eyes widened in shock.
COUGHH—
Robon ignored her and accelerated. The suspension was not perfect, but the shock was already far less than before.
‘If only I had more time, it would be even better.’
He barely finished the thought before—
“Stop!”
“Why? It’s smooth.”
“I said stop!”
She slammed the brake. The sensation was completely wrong.
Unlike a mechanical disk brake, this stopped the wheels with mana. The pedal felt alien.
‘It’s basically friction, but mana fuel is being wasted like crazy.’
“Why is the car so steady? What did you do? You said you removed shock-absorption magic. Were you lying?”
“What nonsense? It’s the suspension I installed.”
“The one you mentioned earlier?”
“Yes. How was Father?”
The head’s expression in the back seat was not terrible. His mouth twitched as if he were short on iron.
“Not bad.”
He stepped out and murmured while watching the accompanying carriages and horses.
“Siena Askan. What do you think?”
Her face flushed red, then purple. She could not even get out; her head was bowed low, thick shame written across it.
CREEEAK—
“This is not—”
“Siena Askan.”
His voice made her shoulders shrink. Even Robon, watching silently from the side, felt the cold killing intent.
“…”
“I lost.”
SWOOSH—
His aura vanished. His face softened.
It was nice having a teammate; he could never be this reliable otherwise. He had easily crushed those troublesome clients before!
“Get down. I’ll tell you myself.”
The head spoke for the first time with genuine warmth.
“Robon. Wait at the estate on horseback. I will give you a reward when we return from the principality.”
“Yes, Father!”
Bonus! As long as he got enough funding for his research, he was satisfied.
‘How much is he going to ask…’
A smile crept onto his lips.
“Lord!”
“What?”
“Still not satisfied with the result?”
Her hesitant reply came from the driver’s seat.
“I… I’m supposed to go to the principality too, right?”
“Why? There’s a horse waiting at Vulkan.”
“…”
“It’s… too inconvenient.”
“…”
“…”
Both father and Robon were momentarily speechless at her brazenness.