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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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The news was like a bolt from the blue.
But Edgar Fix had already left.
Why hadn’t he even complained? How could he just leave so coolly?
‘He’s so darn straightforward.’
It was unfair from Edgar’s perspective.
He’d acted out of goodwill.
She would have at least protested.
‘I used the forge for this cat…’
She remembered Ed’s interrupted explanation, and how she’d cut him off. Elena sighed.
‘But if he just leaves…’
It was a disaster.
Someone that skilled was hard to find.
While the academy blacksmith position prioritized mass production, someone with his talent could easily handle it.
He’d custom-made Wayongi’s prosthetic leg, a difficult task, in just a few hours.
Edgar Fix should be the forge master.
“I’ll revise the bidding plan.”
Elena decided to change the plan. She couldn’t disqualify Edgar Fix.
“Pardon? Now?”
Some professors were taken aback. They’d planned to choose the final bidder today.
“Yes. The final decision will be made next Wednesday.”
Elena knew there would be objections, but she wanted to give Ed another chance.
“Hmm… Are you changing the plan because of applicant number 27?”
“If so, I object. Delaying the schedule for a mere blacksmith…”
“I agree. We’re offering a position to a commoner who makes training equipment. This is a waste of resources.”
There were objections, mainly from those who looked down on her, a half-noble, or resented her, the youngest, as Chief Professor.
*Crack!*
Elena did what she did best: exerted overwhelming force.
The complaining professors sweated, looking at their telekinetically crushed chairs.
“A ‘mere’ blacksmith? Equipment is crucial for student safety. It’s what protects them in accidents.”
Elena waved her hand.
*Crack! Crack! Crack!*
The chairs twisted grotesquely.
“We’ll keep the schedule changes minimal. We’ll choose two finalists here, and I’ll ‘specially’ invite a third for the final evaluation.”
Elena clenched her fist.
*Bang!*
The steel chair exploded, fragments scattering like shrapnel. Despite the explosion, no one was hurt. Elena’s control was truly monstrous.
Her voice was low and dangerous.
“Any objections?”
“······.”
“Thank you for your cooperation.”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Greta village, home to James’s forge, was in an uproar.
Elena von Iliad Rosario, Archmage, tutor to the Princess, and Chief Professor, was visiting.
“W-We greet Archmage Elena!”
The village head was pale.
Very few could possibly remain composed before someone capable of single-handedly destroying a kingdom.
Elena smiled gently.
“Thank you. I didn’t intend to cause a disturbance. I apologize for the commotion.”
Elena had arrived incognito, hiding her status.
“N-Not at all! You’re always welcome!”
But the village head, a retired magic corps soldier, recognized her.
“Have we met before?”
Elena was curious.
“…I’m a retired member of the magic corps. I saw you during the Great War seven years ago…”
His voice trembled as he recalled the terror he felt, not towards the enemy, but towards his incredibly powerful ally.
Dozens of enemy heads exploded every time Elena waved her hand.
In the face of such overwhelming force, the village head had lost the will to fight.
It wasn’t a war; it was a massacre.
A battle where he wasn’t even needed.
“Ah, seven years ago…”
Elena’s expression was complex as she recalled that time. While that war had led her to her current position, it was a dark period she wanted to erase.
“Seven years ago… We were comrades then. It’s good to see you, comrade.”
Elena forced a smile, masking her discomfort. She extended her hand to the village head, offering a handshake.
“Oh, yes!”
The village head hurriedly wiped the sweat from his palms, bowed, and took Elena’s hand.
His hand trembled slightly. Elena noticed, gave a wry smile, and released his hand.
Clearing her throat, she changed the subject.
“Ahem, that’s in the past. I actually came to this village to meet someone.”
Elena stated her purpose. The village head nodded and asked who she was looking for.
When Elena said she was looking for Edgar Fix, he smiled faintly.
“Ah, Ed? He and James went to the equipment bidding competition evaluation…”
Two days, It had been two days since Ed and James left for the evaluation, and they hadn’t returned.
‘They were probably taking their time, enjoying a leisurely journey back.’
“I see. Do you know when they’ll be back?”
“Hmm… Probably tomorrow. They’re resuming ‘custom orders’ then.”
Custom orders?
Elena asked what that meant. The village head explained it was like “Ed’s talent donation,” and retrieved an item.
“This is what I custom-ordered. Ed made it for me.”
The village head smiled gently, showing her the item.
His trembling had stopped. Elena observed him with interest.
Simply shifting the topic to Edgar Fix had completely changed his demeanor.
“What is this? I’ve never seen anything like it…”
“Hmm… Ed called it a ‘keyboard.'”
“A keyboard?”
“Yes. These keys have letters. You insert blank paper, and when you press a key—”
*Click.*
“—it prints the letter on the paper. It’s amazing he thought of this at his age. It makes writing my stories so much easier.”
The village head tapped on the keyboard proudly. The sentence “How about it? Isn’t it amazing?” appeared on the paper.
Elena, intrigued, asked, “Can I try it?”
“Of course! Here, sit and try it out.”
The village head stood and offered his chair. Elena sat and typed a random sentence.
[I am Elena von Iliad Rosario. Archmage.]
Typed with her hunt-and-peck style, the sentence was complete.
Elena blushed, feeling it sounded like bragging.
“C-Can I erase this?”
“Of course. That’s the backspace key. It erases the ink.”
She followed his instructions, and the sentence vanished.
Elena, enjoying herself, typed a few more sentences, quickly erasing each one, feeling as if her thoughts were exposed.
“This is fascinating. Did Edgar Fix really make this?”
“Yes. He crafted it himself.”
Elena stroked her chin. It was an ingenious device, with a scientific and ergonomic keyboard layout, designed for user comfort. She smiled.
‘Edgar Fix…’
She was impressed. He was a blacksmith who understood people’s needs, unlike the greedy blacksmiths of the Empire.
“He’s such a wonderful young man. He’s not greedy despite his talent. I feel bad, so I always try to give him extra but he barely charges the villagers.”
The village head added that even those who received free work often paid later, grateful for Ed’s craftsmanship. Elena felt increasingly guilty.
The more Elena heard praises about Edgar, the more guilty she felt.
‘Did I misunderstand him? He probably fixed Wayongi’s leg out of pure kindness.’
Edgar Fix. She remembered the shadow on his handsome face, a shadow cast by her misunderstanding.
She wanted to meet him as soon as possible and clear up the misunderstanding.
“Excuse me, where is the inn? I’d like to stay for the night.”
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If Elena can help Ed get a patent for his keyboard he will make a lot of money.