Bike (4)
Vulcan's outer walls looked peculiar no matter how many times he saw them.
The buildings were already tall, and perched on elevated ground they were visible from anywhere in Eidras.
Dark-blue steel plates and silver tower-like structures rose so high that they caught the eye more readily than even the Grand Duke's castle. Without Vulcan's emblem carved at the summit, newcomers to Eidras might well have mistaken the place for the Grand Duke's seat itself.
Creeeak!
After dropping Andersen off on the outskirts of Eidras, I came to Vulcan alone. The Black Terahole R1 Father had discarded when he switched to the Brutal Force was my current ride.
"Huh? Ain't that the guy from back then? The one who desecrated the Black Terahole!"
A muscular blacksmith at Vulcan's entrance spotted me and pointed a finger.
"I never desecrated anything."
"Same difference! What, you here to play around?"
"I'm here to see my aunt."
"That so? Go on in."
His voice was thick with dissatisfaction. Had I done something wrong? Why was he so snippy?
The moment I set foot inside, scorching heat wrapped around my skin. A massive furnace belched endless flame, and the ceaseless ring of hammers made it feel as if I had stepped onto Iron Street itself.
"Isn't that Robon Blædwin?"
"Damn it! Hey! Young Master! I'm dying because of you!"
"What the hell are they doing over at Blædwin? After going there, Head Engineer Sophia's eyes went completely crazy..."
The blacksmiths poured out their grievances the instant they saw me. What on earth had Aunt Sophia done to them?
"But none of you look like you've been sleeping well. Those dark circles under your eyes..."
"You little punk! You mocking us right now? Huh?"
"Hahahahaha! Look at your own face! It's so black we couldn't find you if you fell into a pile of ash!"
"Look at those wrinkles! I'd think you were friends with the old man from the general store! Hahaha!"
"What? Yours are worse."
"What?!"
Bang!!
A shout came from the second floor, accompanied by the slam of an iron door.
"Quiet!! Why aren't you all working instead of making such a—wait, Robon?"
"Aunt, I'm here."
I seized the moment and fled upstairs. As I climbed, hot stares burned into my back. Just my imagination, right?
"What brings you here all of a sudden?"
"I had business in Eidras, so I stopped by while I was in the area."
"Come in."
Saying that, my aunt leaned over the railing and raised a fist—as if to say, Make noise and you die.
"Why is everyone in such an uproar? They were saying something about me earlier."
"Ah, that? I figured Blædwin was developing so fast because they do overtime, so we started doing it too."
"Ah... But you should still give them some time to sleep, shouldn't you?"
"...The engineers at RMEL don't seem to sleep any better."
"That's because the engineers choose that themselves."
"...Right. Well, that isn't what's important."
Why was Aunt looking like that? Hmm. I had only spoken the truth.
"But why does everyone listen to you so well?"
"Because I saved them."
"What?"
"There's a reason."
She waved a hand dismissively, as if she couldn't be bothered to explain, and went into her room.
Her room was very spacious—not merely an office for paperwork, but a workspace as well. A long workbench dominated the center, crowded with mana engine parts and prototypes. One entire wall was a vast bookshelf packed with magic-engineering texts, blueprints, and research materials.
"Sit."
"Yes."
She brought out tea and set it on the table.
"So, what's this about? Did you come because of what I mentioned last time?"
"That's right. And there's more to discuss as well."
With so many things demanding attention, I needed people who could help. The most crucial among them was Sophia Blædwin, Vulcan's magic engineering director.
"I'm planning to build a power plant here as well."
Even Blædwin's hydroelectric plant alone could cover the entire principality's power needs, but transmission was the real problem. Running long power lines—and maintaining them—was no small matter.
Moreover, this world not only had monsters and magical beasts; it was crawling with villains like demon worshippers. Would transmission cables stretching from Blædwin really stay intact?
I was certain they would not. And when new things arrived, people's curiosity surged. There was no guarantee even humans would leave the cables alone. Installing them without proper education was a recipe for accidents.
At least Blædwin conducted regular electricity education at Iron Hall, so that was fine. It would be better to establish a Blædwin Power Eidras branch and manage things from there.
"Vulcan will provide the management personnel, Blædwin will handle education, and the principality will handle construction. In exchange, we'll share the power plant technology."
Aunt's eyes shook violently. She must have been conflicted—once she understood the power plant's potential, this was a proposal she could not easily refuse.
"And the transmission technology?"
"Of course, that too. But the electricity fees generated from it will have to be split with Blædwin."
"Even though we're building all the related facilities and managing them?"
"You know what it means to share technology, Aunt."
She clicked her tongue.
"Fine. But this will need to be discussed with His Grace the Grand Duke."
"I was planning to meet with His Grace anyway."
She was probably just putting up a token resistance. She had already finished her calculations. But so had I.
Looking at the long term, this is the right move. By leaving the large-scale construction to the principality and Vulcan, I can just collect electricity fees.
Money would pour down like snow. I could use it to build a giant snowman, an igloo, or even a giant robot—whatever I wanted. Even sharing electricity, their development speed would never catch up to Blædwin's. No—having gained electricity, they would become even more dependent on us. Properly utilizing electricity required overwhelming technical capability.
"What about the bike research? Do you have a plan?"
"I do, but there are too many practical problems. That's why I need more magic-engineering knowledge."
"How many more days are you planning to stay here?"
"I'll know once the Magic Advisor's business is done, but I'll probably leave within two days."
"Good. Help me with my research in the meantime."
"Yes, but I have a question."
"What is it?"
Feeling her kindness so steadily, something suddenly occurred to me.
"Why did you leave the family?"
Her expression hardened.
"...You know, don't you? The old men in the family hate magic engineering. Your father too. Knights must wield swords, training the sword comes first..."
She gritted her teeth and shook her head as if just thinking about it made her shudder. At this point, what I was curious about was—
"But then why does Father leave me alone?"
He even actively supported me. It was hard to say it was simply because I had made great inventions. I had already had a workshop ever since becoming Robon Blædwin. If he had hated it that much, he would never have left me alone.
Aunt glanced at me and pouted.
"How would I know? Ask him yourself."
A cave somewhere in the Valces Mountains. A man covered in black tattoos was stirring liquid in a giant jar with an iron rod.
"Damn it! Nothing works! Nothing works!!"
He kicked the jar while staring at the purple liquid that bubbled and boiled with a bluish tint.
Crash!!
Shards of the jar flew, and the liquid soaked into the floor. White bones, human eyeballs, skin, and organs that had been in the liquid were strewn about.
Crunch!
He stepped on something long and squiggly and went outside.
The pouring rain made it almost impossible to see ahead. In the white mist, a black silhouette swayed. A man in clothes shredded to rags appeared and bowed his head before him.
"Lord Weko. The Black Foots are gradually trying to break free of control."
"You useless bastards!"
He smashed the man's head with the iron rod he had been using to stir the liquid.
Crack!
The man's temple caved in and blood burst out. Still not satisfied, Weko struck him several more times, then whistled. A black cat dropped down from the cliff—a magical beast with white bones protruding from its back and tail. One of the black cats that had previously attacked Robel.
"Huff... huff... You idiot. If you morons hadn't been discovered by those thieves, I wouldn't have to go through this hell. Hey, you deal with this—eat it or whatever."
The black cat, similar in size to Weko, split the corpse's skull with its bone-protruding tail. Then it crunched and chewed the shredded body. Looking at the scene with disgust, the man walked into the rain.
After walking through the rain for a while, six Black Foots gathered in a wide clearing growled until they saw him and lowered their tails. Massive bodies nearly five meters tall, two fangs the size of human fists protruding from their mouths, purple hide mixed with black spots. Only their feet, with vicious claws protruding, were pitch black—hence the name Black Foot.
"Damn Robel, Blædwin, Rahen—I'll kill them all..."
The reason he was so stressed was that all his previous plans had failed. The ritual of releasing magical beasts on Robel to draw the principality's attention, then massacring humans in Eidras, had been ruined by some thieves and Rahen's mages. His subordinates were all dead, and the materials used for the ritual were all exhausted. Remaking them would be a massive headache.
"Especially those thieves and mages."
He could never forgive those who had interfered with his perfect plan. If only that had succeeded, he would have completed the sacrificial ritual of killing a thousand humans with demonic energy and becoming a demonkin.
Grit—
"I will never give up like this. I will... I will!! Become a demonkin and take my revenge. You Magic Tower bastards. I'll make you clearly realize who you messed with..."
Lava-like rage gleamed in Weko's eyes.
Andersen returned to Vulcan.
"Director, I have a request."
"What is it? Did things not go well?"
"It is not that. You told me not to do anything dangerous, did you not?"
"That's right?"
"That is why I am saying this. I need bikes."
"Bikes? Ah, that much is fine."
"I would like about six of them."
"Six... Me?"
"And knights as well. Preferably knights of five stars or higher."
Robon stared at him intently.
"You're not planning something dangerous, are you?"
"It is something I must do. If I do not do it now, it will become more dangerous."
"Couldn't someone else do it?"
"I have to do it. I told you, did I not? There are few people on this continent who know demon worshippers as well as I do."
Was that not just bluster? He was being serious?
"Six... no, with Wendy's and the ones already being made, I just need three more. But making three more would take at least two weeks."
At those words, Andersen looked over Robon's shoulder.
"What if we do it with them?"
Robon followed his gaze and asked back.
"With Vulcan?"
"Yes. If RMEL and Vulcan join forces, we can cut that time in half."
Andersen thought. Knights on bikes would surely be able to kill Black Foots.
"And show them. Just how great the power of magic engineering is."
Bluetide, the largest port city of the Stens Union.
On a roadside a little removed from the center, a shabby sign on a small building read "Pacific Merchant Group."
A man rode up on a horse, dismounted, and caught his breath. Looking at the reality of a once-renowned merchant group that had completely collapsed, he choked up and hurried inside. Only after climbing a mere three floors did he see the merchant group leader.
"Leader!"
"Matt? Is that you, Matt? Really?"
A middle-aged woman with her hair neatly tied back—her wrinkles increased as if showing her hardships, her rough skin bearing the marks of time—welcomed him with wide eyes.
"You're alive!"
"Yes. Hic..."
After their long-awaited reunion, they got to the main topic.
"Here's a letter from the Deputy Leader. Fortunately, he crossed the Valces Mountains and settled in well."
She rubbed her chest and sighed in relief.
"Thank goodness. Truly."
"Please read it."
"Alright."
She opened the envelope and read what Hector had written. Gradually, her expression hardened.
"Is this... real...?"
As if anticipating her reaction, Matt smiled and nodded.
"It's hard to believe, but it's true. In a place I thought was a well, there was a much wider world hidden away."
"No, I can't believe it. Carriages that move without horses—and are even faster than horses?"
"If that was all, it would still be unbelievable. You'll be shocked when you see it."
Saying that, Matt tugged on her clothes.
"Leader, you should come too. To the Mardan Principali—"
Bang!!
The door burst open and a swaggering group entered.
"I heard someone came looking, and what do we have here? Aren't you that Pacific Merchant Group guy who ran away?"
A middle-aged man with a protruding belly sneered and grabbed Matt's arm.
"Let go!"
"What are you doing! Jackie!"
"I knew it. You think we don't know you skimmed money? When are you going to pay back the debt from the last deal?!"
She gritted her teeth.
"Once this next deal is done, I can pay it back. I told you to wait, didn't I?"
"Bullshit. What if the deal falls through again? If you're merchants, talk with money. Huh? Where's Hector?"
"I don't kno—"
"What's this?"
The man had a mercenary behind him snatch the letter she was holding.
"Give that back!"
"...Mardan Principality? What? A carriage that runs by itself? Faster than a horse, no less?"
"Hahahahahaha!"
"The Pacific Merchant Group has really hit rock bottom! This is insane. That's the biggest load of nonsense I've ever heard!"
"You're not actually believing this delusion, are you? No way? The great Selena Caders?"
At their mockery, she crumpled her face.
"Hector isn't the type to lie."
"The merchant group goes under and you've finally lost your mind! Shit!"
The man clutched his belly, tears streaming as if he were dying of laughter.
"Fine! Let's do this then. Guide us to Hector. If there really is a carriage there that runs without horses, I'll personally wipe out the entire debt! But if it's a lie, the Pacific Merchant Group crawls under my legs like dogs. How about it?"
"Don't talk nons—"
Just as Selena was about to refuse his absurd proposal—
"Alright! Let's go! To the Mardan Principality."
Matt stepped forward and shouted. Selena looked at him with a bewildered face.
"Matt! What are you saying?"
"Please trust me just this once."
She clutched her forehead and collapsed into a chair. Her head felt like it would split. Why was even this Matt who'd suddenly shown up acting like this?
"Hahahaha! You've got guts, I'll give you that!"
"Mardan Principality? Sounds fun! Let's go! Let's gooo."
Finding the situation only amusing, the people of the Raven Merchant Group were busy cackling.
"Fun! Very fun! Hey! Bring the contract! Let's sign right now!"