Copper Valley, Part 2
Magic had always struck him as this all-purpose power at first glance.
From the otaku perspective of early Lee Dam, he wielded it like telekinesis, believing it could achieve anything impossible in his previous life.
*Ah, I was so naive.*
If he could see himself right now, Lee Dam would let out a sigh that bordered on a complaint.
Magic wasn’t all-purpose at all.
Things possible in his previous life could be done here, but the reverse was equally true—things possible here were impossible in his previous life.
Honestly, Lee Dam had often thought about this.
*Maybe the other way around is better?*
The development of technology and civilization.
Only now, after losing all the conveniences it provided to humanity, did he truly understand.
It wasn’t just obvious things like cars, phones, or bathrooms.
He had learned the value of the tiniest details.
For example, toilet paper, stretchy socks, zippers that didn’t need tying, garbage bags.
In short, magic wasn’t all-purpose—it required technology.
In that sense, the technicians and engineers he met in Copper Valley were both fascinating and impossible to look away from.
“Yeah yeah, one by one. Let me see them.”
The sight of elderly technicians and engineers bringing their creations to the girl who was practically their granddaughter was downright bizarre.
“Look at this. It’s an automatic sewing machine! The beak is shaped like a needle at the tip. With this, I can embroider or sew clothes!”
“Whoa? A sewing machine? But it’s much smaller than I expected… not bad at all. The fine details seem perfect for the joints.”
“What about this? It’s a sound memory box. It records and replays short clips of voices or music.”
“It reacts to vibration, right? There are so many ways to use that.”
“Look at this. This is a folding knife with a blade sharpener. See—.”
When Lee Dam offered his assessment, the old men nodded enthusiastically without a clue what it meant.
It didn’t sound like a bad review, so they kept pouring out more stories.
They had spent years creating in solitude, proud of their own inventions, but deep down they all yearned for someone to see their work.
Although they tried to look nonchalant, the instinct to show their creations to others was undeniable.
The old men watching nearby gradually slipped away, heading home one by one.
They figured their own inventions were far superior and no one else would appreciate them as much.
*They want to see if this young, energetic woman will give them high praise like they’ve always dreamed.*
*Ha, what a situation.*
Poll, who had been watching from the side, sipped his beer with a bewildered expression.
The tavern had turned into an old men’s invention contest.
The owner was pleased to have so many customers, but that joy faded quickly.
“Ah, give me a drink, too!”
Since the conversation had become more important than the beer, refills were scarce.
Only flat, emptied beer remained on the table.
“*Ssuk*… Hey, you old geezers.”
As he listened, Lee Dam discreetly waved his hand.
“Hand me a pen and paper. I want to hear your advice.”
Lee Dam was drawing blueprints.
It was difficult because of the oversized cuffs on his wrist, so he had hastily sketched something rough.
The technicians’ eyes lit up as they leaned in closer.
“The design’s almost done. But this is pure theory, right?”
The others listened calmly as she explained with the pen.
It was an interesting idea to them, yet the question that cut the silence first came from the bespectacled old man.
“How big is it exactly?”
He squinted, grease-stained hands suggesting solid skill in the village.
“Eighteen meters.”
Lee Dam’s deadpan reply widened every pair of eyes.
The bespectacled man had expected something large but hadn’t imagined anything on that scale.
With a slightly bewildered look, he continued.
“Miss, building something that big isn’t just about using strong metal. Friction and heat always come with movement, especially with something as massive as you described.”
His fingers tapped the blueprint.
“Look here. Large joints like the shoulders can melt from friction heat if not properly treated. You seem to think iron is amazing, but—”
“Here.”
*Thud!*
Lee Dam lifted the cuff and proudly displayed it.
“This is the iron I created.”
“…”
The technicians and engineers finally reached out.
They only touched the cuff on Lee Dam’s wrist, never her body.
“Whoa?”
“You really made this iron?”
“It has impressive density—no impurities.”
*Tap.*
“I never thought I’d live to see something like this.”
“I heard you’re from the Iron Magic Tower. It’s miles ahead of us.”
The old men couldn’t contain their admiration.
They had missed it before because all attention had been on the woman, but
Her cuff was the stuff of dreams to the technicians and engineers.
How many inventions had failed or melted due to insufficient durability and strength?
Creative ideas were worthless without sturdy material; they were nothing but daydreams.
*Is that all?*
Of course, Poll, the complete outsider and hunter, stared in bewilderment.
His only worry was that if the cuff broke, a mage might go wild, so he kept a close eye.
“How is it?”
Lee Dam asked with a thumbs-up.
Everyone nodded and continued the discussion.
The place had turned into a full-blown engineering conference.
“First, we need to check the thermal expansion coefficient.”
“Didn’t I say? Too much heat and your own hand can melt. That alone makes it superior to existing steel—”
“Eighteen meters is a colossal piece. The friction heat will be several times what we know—”
“Hold on, what’s the power source? We need to know how something that huge is even moved—”
Lee Dam organized every point in his head as he listened.
At that moment, the engineer with an impressive beard spoke up.
“To handle friction heat, simple lubrication won’t do. The Boulian Republic’s unique pressure lubrication system might work.”
“Lubrication system?”
“Tiny steam tanks built in, releasing compressed steam with every movement. Temperature control and lubrication solved at once.”
“…”
“It’s the standard factory method. We don’t have any military weapons that use it anyway.”
Ambiguous.
The moment he heard it, he thought it sounded good.
*But in the end, all power will come from human mana.*
No engine meant lighter, and that allowed movement at that scale.
But adding steam pressure lubrication to every joint?
*He couldn’t handle the weight.*
No matter how many auxiliary tools were added, it would be too heavy.
*Ssuk.*
Even as Lee Dam kept worrying, the old men continued their deep discussion.
They were pouring out increasingly unhinged yet logical stories to build their own inventions.
*Clang!*
“Pol— Poll! Is Poll here?!”
A sleeveless man covered in grease burst into the tavern.
“Zeland? What’s wrong?”
Why so much commotion in a peaceful village?
Poll had grumbled earlier that the rare event was happening all at once today.
But this wasn’t something to grumble about.
“Giant worms emerged from the mine! They’ll come out soon!”
“What?!”
Poll’s face twisted in disbelief.
The mine had been closed for ten years—how could giant worms appear?
But Zeland’s terrified expression and detailed explanation looked genuine.
“They look like giant worms! Their teeth are enormous! And, and… one could swallow a person whole!”
“Damn…”
Clearly not normal monsters.
If dozens appeared, Copper Valley was finished.
“Old men, spread the word—run!”
Even as an officer, Poll couldn’t take them all on alone.
Copper Valley, with its long tradition, had decided it was time to close the gates.
“Hey.”
The woman in sky-blue, the only one with color in this dull tavern, smiled playfully.
“Kill them all?”
She lifted her wrist slightly.
Unlock the cuff.
Then I’ll help.
Lee Dam was making the offer.