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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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“What do I do?”
The worst possible thing had happened.
I had no idea how to fix this mess.
The fundamental premise of working in the academy forge as James’s assistant had crumbled.
‘Sneaking into class is going to be ridiculously difficult now.’
Reaching Lecture Hall 5 from the forge took 20 minutes.
Sneaking in from outside the academy would take much longer.
Infiltrating from inside versus outside were different levels of difficulty entirely.
The Imperial Royal Academy prioritized student safety above all else, meaning tight security.
“Sigh… I didn’t see this coming.”
How did things get so twisted?
Was I too careless using the forge?
But I had reason to be less cautious.
The academy was minimally staffed; only the blacksmiths, the professors, and a few operational staff were present.
The chance of getting caught using the forge was low.
But the cat I helped was Elena’s, and she came to the forge looking for it.
The game never mentioned this, so I didn’t consider it. I was just unlucky.
“···It’s no use. I’m already disqualified.”
These thoughts were pointless.
Blaming my luck wouldn’t change reality.
I needed to accept my failure, understand why it happened, and improve.
That’s the mindset of an engineer and scientist.
“First, I need to tell James.”
I accepted my failure. Accepting and admitting mistakes wasn’t difficult.
Mechanical engineering, my life’s work, was about eliminating thousands of failures to achieve one success.
Failure was inevitable.
This was just one step in the process.
“Father.”
I told James everything.
He looked momentarily dejected, then asked,
“Did you fix the cat’s prosthetic leg properly?”
“Yes. It’s fully functional now.”
“Then it’s fine. I was getting tired of waiting anyway.”
“···I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. Your intentions were good. You didn’t mess up the prosthetic. You were just unlucky.”
“······”
“Your only mistake was replacing it without permission.”
…He was right. Judging someone’s belongings was arrogant.
Even if the prosthetic was poorly designed, it might have been precious to Elena.
“I’m reflecting on it.”
I nodded. James smiled and ruffled my hair.
“Good! Let’s go home. We’re in the city; let’s get something delicious.”
“How about Big Bess pork?”
“Excellent choice.”
“I’ll buy it.”
“Great! My son’s treating me!”
I’d messed up the competition, but I had to fix this awkward situation.
I’d treat James to Big Bess pork, then use my skills to expand his business.
I had crafted Rare grade equipment in just two months; I could make even better things now.
‘I’ll need a new way to sneak into the academy, too.’
Finding a new route would be difficult, but I would grow in the process, and eventually, I would succeed. After all, I had two ‘Eternal’ grade items.
“Big Bess pork it is, then?”
“Yes. Let’s feast.”
James and I left the academy.
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Elena’s eyes, shimmering with blue mana, focused on Wayongi, observing the mana flowing within her.
She was genuinely amazed. She’d never seen such a stable flow.
“Amazing…”
She could only express admiration.
All it took was a change in the prosthetic leg.
The new prosthetic had perfectly stabilized Wayongi’s usually unstable Qi.
“He did this in such a short time…”
It was an extraordinary talent. The prosthetic was custom-made.
This level of mana stability required a perfect match of volume, weight, shape, and structure to Wayongi’s leg.
Edgar Fix, a commoner, had achieved this in a short time.
Even the renowned blacksmiths would need months of research, yet he’d done it in hours.
“Meow!”
Wayongi was more lively than ever.
She ran, jumped, and swung her paws, fulfilling her hunting instincts, expressing the primal urges she’d had to suppress.
Elena hadn’t seen her like this since taking her in two years ago.
‘But I…’
She’d found Wayongi, a cat with a severed leg, crying on the roadside.
She’d reminded Elena of an old friend, so she’d taken her in.
Now Wayongi was happy, but Elena had said unforgivable things to her benefactor.
She’d dismissed him due to his social status, condescendingly offering a “life lesson.”
“Ah! Aaaah!”
She wanted to erase that moment. It was like telling a future Archmage to know their place. Edgar Fix’s skill was in the realm of genius.
“Why did I do something so stupid?!”
She had trampled on his goodwill. He hadn’t wanted a reward; he’d simply wanted Wayongi to be comfortable. He’d used his talent out of kindness.
‘Don’t be discouraged… Don’t touch a noble’s belongings…’
She’d uttered such arrogant nonsense. She’d lectured and disqualified him, despite him helping Wayongi. It was unacceptable.
“Oh, man… This is driving me crazy.”
Elena rushed back. Ed’s dejected face haunted her.
“Chief Professor Elena. You’ve arrived.”
The professors and assistants stood as she entered. Elena had no time for them. She needed to rescind Ed’s disqualification.
“Where are the applicants waiting?”
“Pardon?”
“The bidding competition applicants. Where are they?”
The candidates for the bidding competition.
They were waiting far from the examination room. Since the academy was established by royal decree, thorough security checks were necessary.
They were waiting in separate areas, Buildings A and C, due to security and the professors’ (who were nobles) disdain for sharing space with blacksmiths (commoners).
“Ah… they are isolated in Buildings A and C…”
“Where is applicant number 27?”
“Number 27… is in Building C.”
“I’ll be in Building C. Postpone the judging.”
Elena turned to leave, but a professor said,
“If you’re looking for applicant number 27, it’s a wasted trip. He’s already withdrawn and left.”
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