Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Chariot Race Showdown
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At the last medal ceremony, Callen Uphills had been there too.
Too far away to get a proper look, but...
He'd heard it from afar.
Hero! Hero!
The cheers from that day.
That day, Isaac Uphills became Callen's hero.
To think someone with the same family name had walked a completely different path.
Not even as a mercenary or soldier, but succeeding in the Magic Tower of all places...
There must have been grueling effort, flesh and blood shaved away.
Running without rest.
Callen had never met him even once, but he already felt a deep sense of camaraderie.
No one knew better than him how the Uphills lived.
"How about teaming up with me on a job?"
And yet... this man wanted to work with him.
"Yes! I'll give it my all!"
"Whoa, you scared me."
Turning it down would be idiotic.
Callen's back bent at a perfect right angle.
Without a moment's hesitation, Callen Uphills signed the contract with Isaac.
Naturally, Isaac signed it too.
...He'd wanted the signature, but not like this.
Just moments ago, he was set to retire to the countryside, and now he was partnering with the capital's hero.
And the job they were doing together was downright prestigious.
Mechanically replicating shock absorption magic? This was uncharted territory.
"See you next time then."
"Yes! Come by anytime!"
Isaac left Tobin and Callen in charge of crafting the 'spring steel' and headed out.
He'd bring designs for one more part needed for the 'suspension' later.
Once Isaac was gone and it was just the master and apprentice left in the workshop, Callen snapped back to reality.
A nagging real-world problem grabbed him by the ankle.
"Wait, Master! What about that issue?"
"What issue?"
"'Footless Horse'!"
"..."
Tobin's workshop had clashed before with a carriage shop called 'Footless Horse'.
Clash was putting it mildly.
Tobin's side had gotten one-sidedly pummeled.
The spark was from years ago, when Callen had won a prize at a tech competition.
'Footless Horse', bitter about taking second place, had spread malicious rumors about Tobin's workshop.
Stealing clients.
Missing deadlines.
No refunds if the client lacked backing.
And so on...
Every one a poison pill for getting commissions.
Too much for just Tobin and Callen to handle.
'Footless Horse' had connections to major trading companies. Their rumors spread like wildfire thanks to that backing.
That was why Callen had decided to leave the workshop.
If the source of the problem vanished, maybe the attacks would stop.
Tobin's eyes went wide.
"You don't mean... you left because of that?"
"Yes."
"You naive kid... You thought those bastards would let us off just because?"
"...It was worth a shot. It was the only thing I could do."
"I told you not to worry..."
Master Tobin patted Callen's shoulder.
"If you've got the skills, the world eventually notices. Like today!"
"True, but..."
Callen nodded, though his heart still felt heavy.
He continued.
"If we screw up, it might even drag down Sir Isaac..."
"Hm... Fair point."
Even a hero favored by the princess was just one man.
If 'Footless Horse' went all-in on rumors, countering would be near impossible.
"He's a commoner mage to boot, probably short on funds..."
"A scandal on top of that would hit hard."
"Hm..."
He couldn't be a burden to the hero.
Callen's mouth opened.
"Maybe I should still head back to the countryside..."
"No!"
Tobin's eyes flashed.
"Don't talk nonsense. You want me coughing up retirement pay again?"
"...That's not what I meant, Master."
"Let's go straight at them instead!"
Tobin pressed on.
"You know the chariot race got pushed back because of the medal ceremony?"
"The Harvest Thanksgiving Chariot Race?"
"That's the one."
The Harvest Thanksgiving Chariot Race drew eyes from the Imperial Army, trading companies, nobles alike.
Chariots were vital for transport and war—no substitute.
If they won there, 'Footless Horse' would lose all power to spread rumors.
Callen asked Tobin.
"But there's only two weeks till the race. Isn't it too late?"
"We make it work! No confidence?"
"..."
Tobin's voice carried absolute certainty.
"I've never even touched a chariot before..."
"What does that matter? With the 'suspension', everything changes!"
"..."
"Slap a suspension on a standard supply chariot, and victory's ours. You doubting Sir Isaac after fangirling over him?"
"Ugh... Come on!"
Callen felt fired up by his master's words too.
Instead of replying, he hefted his hammer.
"...Aren't you grabbing yours?"
"Now that's the spirit."
Tobin grinned and picked up his hammer too.
A few days later.
I headed to Tobin's workshop with preliminary shock absorber blueprints in hand.
Not an engineer, so detailed designs were beyond me.
But the principles were laid out clearly enough—they'd figure it out.
I trusted my team.
Opening the workshop door, a wave of heat hit me.
"One, two, three!"
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Tobin and Callen were taking turns hammering the same iron ingot.
Drenched in sweat, eyes locked solely on the metal ahead.
They were basically human power hammers.
'Maybe make them a real power hammer later?'
Not a bad idea.
I sat quietly nearby, waiting for their break.
Moments later.
They finished.
Tobin and Callen slumped to the floor, sweat-soaked.
I handed them water skins and asked.
"Spring steel not done yet?"
Callen gulped down water before answering.
"No! It's finished. Stacked over there."
His finger pointed to a pile of uniform carbon steel springs.
Way faster than expected.
"...So what's this you're doing now?"
"Just in case... maybe a better alloy mix. Wanted the best materials to match the hero's blueprints."
"Wow... I'm touched."
Hustle like that was next level.
Compared to me scheming ways to slack daily, their work ethic was leagues above.
Made me want to learn from them.
"Really? Haha."
Callen scratched his head sheepishly.
"Impressive. Thought it'd take several times longer."
"Phew... So we've cleared the first hurdle?"
"About seventy percent, give or take."
"...What?"
Their eyes locked on me.
I held out the parchment with shock absorber principles.
"Springs alone aren't enough. Need this device too for proper vibration damping."
"..."
The life drained from Tobin's eyes.
...Too much work?
Callen, meanwhile, snatched the parchment and scanned it in one go.
"This too... incredible tech."
"Take your time. I only wrote principles—don't know the full structure myself."
"No."
Callen looked at me and declared.
"One week. Done in one week."
"No need to rush like that?"
Planning to enjoy break slowly, but if they finish fast, what do I do?
Callen shook his head firmly.
"We're entering next week's race with a suspension-equipped chariot."
"...A race?"
"Yes. And if we don't win..."
Callen squeezed his eyes shut.
"You can void my exclusive contract."
"Hey, Callen! Don't decide that solo...!"
Tobin jumped in shock.
What? They hadn't discussed?
"Master. What else can we do? We're this far in."
"..."
Tobin's mouth clamped shut at Callen's words.
Then he replied.
"...Damn it! Let's do this!"
What was this?
Why were they so fired up?
I had no plans to cancel...
Why hand over people like this?
I'd hold on till the end.
The rumors spread fast.
'Tobin's workshop reopened.'
'Planning to enter the upcoming chariot race too.'
Naturally, word reached the carriage shop 'Footless Horse'.
Workshop head Gerrick stroked his mustache, piecing together the intel.
"That pest of an old man. Should've stayed crushed..."
"..."
He knew Tobin's skill well.
That's why he'd tried so hard to ruin them.
No duds from master to apprentice.
Once they shut down under debt, he'd scoop them up cheap.
Could 'Footless Horse' stay a mere carriage shop forever?
Time to soar.
"Entering the chariot race though..."
Honestly, scary.
That old coot Tobin got things done when he committed. Probably had an ace up his sleeve.
Better avoid direct clashes.
Stick to the usual playbook.
The head grilled his informant.
"Found out who commissioned Tobin?"
"Seems like a Magic Tower student."
"Perfect."
Mages staying in the capital over break were usually backwater commoners without connections.
Lucky break.
Just undercut Tobin with a cheaper deal.
Sure, it broke trade ethics... but for capital workshop peace, necessary.
No assassins.
I'll strangle you slow, Tobin.
Next day.
A mustachioed middle-aged man stood before me.
"You the mage student who commissioned Tobin's shop for a carriage?"
"Carriage parts, not the whole thing. What's up?"
The mustache introduced himself as 'Footless Horse' workshop head.
"Switch to us. Whatever Tobin quoted, we'll do it 10% cheaper."
"You can't make it."
"Hah. As if. We're the best at carriages."
That so?
I decided to test the mustache.
"Know what happens if you heat iron, quench it suddenly, then hold at high heat for a set time?"
"Huh? Why would a carriage maker need that?"
"..."
Fail.
He didn't know heat treatment.
Tobin did, though.
I told the mustache.
"Sorry, but you're not joining me."
"..."
"Learn from Tobin first, then maybe collaboration."
Since becoming head, had he ever been insulted like this?
"Learn from Tobin first, then maybe collaboration."
The gall...
The gall!
A lucky mana-born punk insulting him, who'd clawed up from the bottom!
Gerrick spoke.
"Know how long I've been in this engineering game?"
"Hm... Fifteen?"
"Seven."
"Ooh."
Clap clap clap.
The commoner mage applauded.
"Outta kids grabbing hammers at that age, a hundred... only I'm here now."
"Impressive."
"Grr!"
Grip. Tremble.
Gerrick muttered, fist clenched.
"Acting clueless this whole time..."
"Pardon?"
"..."
Couldn't curse outright.
Opponent was a mage—quasi-noble.
Rational move: retreat.
Then slowly bury the mage later.
But...
"..."
"..."
His calm, know-it-all act pissed him off.
'This smug bastard...'
Gerrick spoke.
"Know who won last year's chariot race? Us!"
"Yeah, got it... but you can't make what I need with your tech..."
"..."
Gerrick wanted to deck the commoner mage.
Not sly tricks—straight up.
Feelings like this in over a decade.
"Fine, mage! Don't know where your arrogance comes from, but prove it with skill!"
"Hm?"
"See you at the chariot race!"
"Ooh. You entering too?"
"You and me—who's the better carriage designer. Let's settle it!"
This time, full throttle.
Mobilize every contact, rake in investment, crush with cash.
"You and me—who's the better carriage designer. Let's settle it!"
The mustache retreated after that.
"...What was that?"
Tobin, Callen, now mustache... everyone had such fire.
More hip-hop vibe than craftsmen.
"Kinda cool."
Originally just planned to make suspension and done.
Honestly, got me pumped.
By their 'sincerity'.
"Maybe I step up too?"
Seemed fun to design a race chariot in spare time.
Easier than suspension.
Just wind tunnel and crash tests till a solid structure pops out.