I Became a Genius Mechanic at the Academy – Chapter 51

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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Black Obsidian.

This sword, which rose to become one of the Empire’s Four Demonic Swords during the Great War, possessed the unique characteristic of amplifying its power by drawing upon the wielder’s rage and life force.

This made it incredibly potent during the war, a time rife with Madmen, and contributed significantly to the rise of House Sigmund.

“It’s a shameless request, but… I implore you!”

And that very sword, now broken by my hand, was back in my possession.

House Sigmund had sent a servant to request its repair.

“Hmph… What an insolent attitude.”

The Princess, seated in the best spot and enjoying the cool air from the air conditioner, spoke.

Her words froze the Sigmund servant in his tracks.

“Because of the actions of the Count’s son, my esteemed protégé nearly died. Yet, the Count sends you, someone completely unrelated to the incident, to resolve this matter. I believe the Count would understand my intentions clearly if I were to send your head back to him. What are your thoughts on this?”

The Princess.

Because of Max’s rampage, the Princess was currently at the academy.

As the Imperial Family was the largest shareholder in the academy’s founding, she was there to investigate the incident, announce the Imperial Family’s official stance, and declare measures to enhance student safety.

However, in my opinion, it seemed more like an excuse to see Elena and enjoy herself.

“I-I-I apologize! This lowly servant has committed a grave offense by failing to grasp Her Highness’s intentions! I-I will convey Her Highness’s will to the Count to the best of my ability!”

The servant, bowed his head low, pleaded for his life in response to the Princess’s thinly veiled threat.

The Princess replied in a regal tone,

“Bring Count Sigmund to me. I will witness his apology myself.”

“I-I will relay your message to my master!”

“Begone.”

The servant scrambled to his feet, performed a clumsy bow, and retreated backward.

To me, the whole scene felt like a staged performance.

‘These nobles…’

Black Obsidian, the symbol of House Sigmund.

And the crucial matter of its repair.

For such an important issue, Count Sigmund had sent a mere servant, even knowing that the Princess was at the academy dealing with the aftermath.

‘He needed an excuse.’

The Count had orchestrated this charade because he couldn’t bring himself to lower his head to me directly.

With his family’s reputation in tatters, bowing to a commoner was unacceptable to him.

So, he was using the Princess’s authority to create a pretext, a justifiable reason to apologize to me.

If it was the Princess’s command, he could bow his head without losing face.

‘And the Princess seems to be aware of this.’

Indeed, the Princess had already seen through the Count’s scheme.

While she maintained a stern façade, projecting an air of imperial authority, I could see flashes of annoyance in her expression.

She was feigning anger, playing along to provide the Count with the excuse he needed.

“Hmm~ Is everything taken care of now?”

Once the Sigmund servant had left, the Princess’s demeanor changed instantly.

A playful smile spread across her face.

She glanced at me and said,

“Fufu. You have that look again.”

That look?

As I looked at her quizzically, she elaborated,

“That look, like you already know everything. You’ve read the Count’s intentions, haven’t you?”

“……”

…She was sharp.

She had discerned my thoughts just from my expression.

Appearances could be deceiving.

Beneath her cute and charming exterior, there was a shrewd mind at work.

“It’s fascinating. A commoner shouldn’t be this perceptive about these things. How is that possible?”

The Princess continued, rising from her seat.

She walked over to me, plopped down beside me, and stared at me intently with sparkling eyes.

“Are you perhaps living your second life? Were you a high-ranking noble in your past life or something?”

…A second life.

It was more like my sixtieth playthrough of this game. But I couldn’t reveal that, so I offered a plausible excuse.

“…I’ve simply always admired noble society. I’ve been interested in noble etiquette since I was young.”

“…Hmm~ That doesn’t explain your refined aura. Your very soul feels different from other commoners.”

“……”

“It’s… similar to my sister’s, in a way. I can’t read your desires. Count Sigmund’s desires are easy to read – reputation and the advancement of his family. But I can’t figure out what you want.”

…The Princess’s words were strangely insightful.

She was right; my desires were similar to Elena’s.

To protect the Empire from the inevitable catastrophe that would one day occur.

However, Elena only had a vague premonition of this event, while I knew it for a fact.

“Fufu… That’s why I find you so intriguing. You saw through my prank at the entrance ceremony and turned it against me. And you’re using the Imperial Family’s name to sell the ‘Graham’s Northern Wind.’ It’s a bit audacious, but I find it much more appealing than those who just flatter me with obvious insincerity.”

As she spoke, the Princess placed her hand on my thigh.

It was such an unexpected move that a jolt of electricity ran through my body, making my hair stand on end.

Was this another one of her pranks?

“I’m curious. What are you aiming for that makes you so bold against the Imperial Family? If that’s the case, it’s too big a dream for a commoner to even conceive of, but you have the ability, so I can’t help but have some expectations. What if I…?”

But mid-sentence, the Princess suddenly flinched. She had heard the sound of approaching footsteps. And from the sound alone, she seemed to know who it was.

“Unnie!”

She jumped up and ran to the door of the reception room.

At the same moment, the door opened, and Elena entered.

“Unnieeee~!”

The Princess called out to Elena in a cutesy voice and embraced her.

Elena, catching the Princess in her arms, stroked her fluffy hair and said

“Kuku. Sephilia, it’s only been a little while, and you’re already clinging to me.”

“But I always love being in your arms. Your breasts are so big and soft.”

“N-No! What are you saying?!”

Elena blushed and lightly slapped Sephilia’s back, as if conscious of my presence.

The Princess, oblivious or uncaring, nuzzled her face against Elena’s chest, reverting to her childish self.

Elena gently pulled Sephilia away and sat down. Seeing Elena naturally take the seat of honor reaffirmed that their relationship was as close as that of real sisters.

“Phew. Sephi, is everything taken care of?”

“Yup! That Muddled Noodles, or Max, whatever his name is, he’s expelled. His dad will come here and bow his head, and I told them to handle the safety measures themselves~”

“What about the Imperial Family’s official statement?”

“Hmm… I dunno? The aides will handle it~ They’re experts at that kind of stuff.”

The Princess replied with a grin.

Elena scolded her, saying, “You should still give them some guidance,” but ultimately praised her for her work and stroked her hair.

“…Ed, you’ve done it again.”

Elena finally addressed the matter of Black Obsidian and acknowledged my accomplishment.

But her gaze held a newfound intensity of affection.

My reputation had risen again thanks to this incident, triggering Elena’s unique characteristic – her strong attraction to those with exceptional talent.

“Ahem, anyway, I have good news.”

However, the trigger didn’t completely overwhelm her reason.

Elena cleared her throat and shared the news.

A letter had arrived for me.

As my official guardian, she had received it and was now handing it to me.

“This is…”

“Yes. The dwarves have taken an interest in you.”

A letter from the Dwarven Allied Kingdom.

It was an invitation.

An invitation to the ‘Ironhammer Exhibition,’ a dream stage for any blacksmith.

“As a blacksmith, you understand how significant this is, right?”

The Ironhammer Exhibition.

This exhibition bore the moniker of ‘Gretun Dagrion,’ the founder of the Dwarf royal family and revered as the God of Blacksmiths.

In other words, it was the most prestigious exhibition among dwarves.

“Yes, I know.”

“Fufu… Indeed. You’re the first one to receive an invitation after 16 years. Especially considering the current cold war.”

The cold war.

Currently, relations between the Empire and the Dwarven Allied Kingdom weren’t amicable.

Thirty years ago, during the Empire’s territorial expansion, they had inadvertently driven a horde of monsters into the Dwarven Allied Kingdom.

The Empire had expressed regret and offered appropriate compensation.

The Dwarven Kingdom had accepted the apology, and the matter seemed resolved.

However, dwarves were known to hold grudges.

While they had accepted the apology at the time, due to the Empire’s overwhelming power, they still harbored resentment.

Secretly, they began selling weapons, previously exclusive to the Empire, to the Empire’s enemies.

This had caused significant damage to the Empire during the Great War seven years ago.

The Empire demanded an explanation, but the dwarves feigned ignorance.

Thus, a cold war had begun, with lingering resentment and frosty diplomatic relations.

“However, the situation is a bit tricky. The item you should submit to the exhibition… your gauntlet or suit… it would be…”

“A risk of technology leakage.”

“Yes. And submitting the ‘Graham’s Northern Wind’ is also problematic. You know why, right?”

“Yes. The climate there is already cold. It wouldn’t be impressive.”

Elena nodded at my answer with a wry smile and continued,

“But the exhibition is only a month away. It might be tight to create a new piece for display… Are you sure? You might just end up humiliated, like the one 16 years ago…”

After the cold war began, the dwarves had openly mocked the human blacksmith at the exhibition.

They hadn’t even extended an invitation since then. In other words, if I participated, they might try to humiliate me.

“A month is enough. I’ll participate.”

But that didn’t apply to me.

I could create something new in a month, and I was confident I wouldn’t be humiliated.

Moreover, with all classes canceled this week due to the Max incident, I could fully dedicate myself to creating a new invention.

Elena smiled and replied,

“Alright. You’re always so reliable. Then, think about who you want to bring with you. Invited blacksmiths can bring up to seven companions.”

Seven people.

James immediately came to mind. I could think about the rest later.

“Then, I’ll go report to my superiors. Sephilia, come with me. This could escalate into a diplomatic issue.”

“Aaaaaw~ I came here to have fun, and now I have to work?”

“You can’t just play all the time. Help your Unnie out. You’re good at this kind of thing.”

“Hmph… Fine.”

“Good.”

Elena left for the Imperial Palace with the Princess.

Left alone, I sat on the sofa and pondered what to create.

Nothing immediately came to mind.

“Hmm… I need to decide soon.”

One month.

Considering my classes and personal research, it was a tight deadline.

I needed to start designing the blueprints now if I wanted to create something for the exhibition.

“What to do…”

My biggest challenge wasn’t the “how” but the “what”.

Even the most ingenious invention was useless if no one needed it.

Elena had likely taken Sephilia with her to get her input on what to create, considering the dwarves’ temperament and history.

“…Wait a minute.”

Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in my head.

How could I have forgotten?

“…Black Obsidian.”

Black Obsidian.

An artifact created by a Master Dwarf.

What if I used the story behind this sword?

What if I could revive Black Obsidian, a once-revered artifact now known as a cursed magic sword?

“Come… bow down before me.”

Excitement surged through me as the idea took hold.

I couldn’t wait for Count Sigmund to offer me Black Obsidian and bow his head.

Only then could I rebuild the sword and achieve my goals.

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