I Became a Genius Mechanic at the Academy – Chapter 66

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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Cultural impact is immense.

A well-crafted story can move hearts and minds.

The drama ‘Heo Jun’, for instance, achieved an 80% viewership rating in Iraq, exerting tremendous influence.

The Iraqi First Lady invited the actor, Jeon Kwang-ryeol, who played the lead role and treated him like a state guest.

In a travel-restricted country, a foreign actor with a different culture, appearance, and values became a national star, receiving a warm welcome from local media and fans.

And here, in the Dwarven Allied Kingdom, had their own Jeon Kwang-ryeol: Edgar Fix.

He was officially granted the title of “Salvation.”

The honor, bestowed directly by the dwarven king, was accompanied by new legislation outlining the protocols and etiquette for the “Blacksmith of Salvation.”

The treatment he received was extraordinary.

But why was Ed, who had merely presented a single stage performance, not a 16-episode drama, given such accolades?

Because he had orchestrated the entire thing.

From Dagran and Reina’s love story to the unveiling of the truth, the punishment of the villains, and Reina’s final farewell, Ed had written the script, directed the performance, and managed every detail.

This young man from the Empire had captured their hearts.

The moment he drew the holy sword from its display case and presented it to the resurrected Reina was particularly impactful, destined to become an unforgettable legend.

“Thus, I bestow upon Edgar Fix the title of ‘Salvation.’ Blacksmith of Salvation, Edgar Fix, accept this hammer, a symbol of our gratitude.”

Ed received the title and a hammer, representing “Salvation,” directly from the king.

The hammer’s owner was granted the following privileges:

The social benefits were astonishing.

“Name and status, please?”

This led to a peculiar situation.

Dwarves had a long-standing tradition of treating Imperial visitors according to their social rank, and Ed’s presence created an amusing contrast.

“Isabella, daughter of House Graham.”

“Please proceed to VIP Suite 3. Next, name and status, please?”

“Enya Cruel, daughter of House Cruel.”

“You’ll be in VIP Suite 5. Next, name and status, please?”

“Edgar Fix. Uh… eldest son of House Fix? Just a commoner, really.”

“E-Edgar Fix?!”

The officials stared at Ed, their eyes widening in shock, then snapped to attention and saluted.

They knew what he had done, and they had received the official notice of his new title and status as a state guest.

Showing respect to the titled blacksmith was their duty.

“……”

Ed’s companions were dumbfounded.

The dwarves were treating him, a commoner, with more respect than them, the nobles.

They weren’t upset, just surprised and impressed by Ed’s meteoric rise.

“I will personally escort Master Edgar Fix to the Royal Suite.”

An official stepped forward, ready to escort Ed.

The Royal Suite, equipped with every amenity imaginable, was typically reserved for foreign royalty or individuals of equivalent status.

This demonstrated the exceptional treatment afforded to the Blacksmith of Salvation.

Ed was the only commoner ever to be given such accommodations.

“Commoner… so arrogant.”

Isabella muttered, walking towards her own suite, a smile playing on her lips.

It was her way of showing affection.

“My, my. Now he’s staying in a suite reserved for royalty.”

Elena marveled at Ed’s accomplishments, feeling proud of her student.

It seemed like just yesterday he was toiling away in a small smithy, covered in soot.

Now, he was a prominent student at the Imperial Academy, a titled blacksmith, and a key figure in international diplomacy.

‘He’s definitely husband material.’

Enya indulged in a fantasy.

She imagined visiting the kingdom with Ed as his wife, riding in a goat-drawn chariot on a red carpet, staying in the royal suite, sharing a glass of wine, and then, fueled by the alcohol, sharing a kiss…

“Hehehe…”

She giggled, heading to her suite, eager to continue her daydreams. There would be plenty of pillows to hug.

“……”

Charlotte, however, walked towards her suite, feeling dejected. Ed’s accomplishments only seemed to widen the gap between them.

‘At first… I thought we could be together.’

She had envisioned a campus life with Ed, believing he, a commoner, would connect more with her, a fallen noble, than with the elitist aristocracy.

Being assigned to the same team during the first evaluation had felt like fate.

It was a remarkable coincidence that he had sat next to her during the entrance ceremony, and then they were placed on the same team.

‘But I was wrong.’

He was far more exceptional than she had imagined.

His cunning strategy during the evaluation and his incredible gauntlet had caught her off guard.

He was not just eloquent but also a skilled fighter.

After that, he drifted further away.

The seats beside him were now occupied by Grand Duchesses, while she was ignored.

He was greeted by prominent nobles, while she remained unnoticed.

He had become the center of the academy, the center of the Empire, playing a pivotal role in international affairs.

-What? You and Edgar Fix? Don’t make me laugh! Hahaha!

She heard phantom laughter, the mocking voices of those who had scoffed at her imagined confession.

It was a natural reaction.

She had no special talents, no exceptional beauty, and nothing to offer him.

Their connection was fragile, a relationship that would end the moment she let go.

“Haha… such unrealistic desires.”

She had almost given up.

Even Isabella, the remarkable Grand Duchess, was interested in Ed. There was no chance for someone like her.

Charlotte walked towards her suite, her heart heavy, watching the space where Ed had been, lost in thought.

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The next day, Ed and his companions were invited to a banquet.

The dwarves held a grand feast to thank them for ending the 40-year nightmare.

Drinks, food, entertainment…nothing was lacking.

“Hahaha! Bring more beer! Let’s drink ourselves to death tonight!”

The dwarven banquet was different from the Empire’s formal affairs.

There were no protocols or formalities.

The goal was simply to eat, drink, and be merry. Music and laughter filled the air, and even the king and high-ranking nobles joined in the revelry.

“Hey!”

Something caught Ed’s eye.

A makeshift forge in the center of the banquet hall.

A small competition was taking place.

“So! What do you think of my creation?”

“Khehehe. You’re asking for trouble. What is that… little grub?”

“It’s yours.”

“You little─!”

“Hahaha!”

It was an amusing sight. Dwarves being dwarves, competing in glassblowing and metalworking.

“Five minutes, seven seconds! No one can beat you, Vulcan!”

“Impressive! You beat your previous record!”

“Five minutes? I can’t beat that.”

Nearby, another competition was underway: assembling firearms from scattered parts.

Dozens of components lay scattered, and the challenge was to assemble a working firearm within five minutes.

It was a daunting task for anyone but a dwarf.

“B-But it’s my win if it doesn’t fire! Let’s see if it works!”

Even if someone was slower, there was still a chance for victory. A perfectly assembled firearm was useless if it didn’t fire.

-Bang!

“Khehe. You underestimate me!”

Vulcan, the dwarf who had won the previous competition, was exceptionally skilled.

He assembled the firearm quickly and correctly.

The mana bullet, harmless to humans, fired without a hitch.

His opponent sighed and stepped back, defeated.

“Care to join in?”

The dwarven king appeared beside Ed. Ed started to bow, but the king stopped him.

“Forget the formalities. Such stiffness is considered rude in dwarven culture.”

“Haha. Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll enjoy myself.”

“Khehehe. Good. So, what do you say? Many of my friends are eager to see your skills.”

The king was right.

The dwarves were glancing at Ed with interest.

They had invited him because of his reputation.

“Sure. It looks fun.”

Ed accepted the king’s offer. It wouldn’t be wise to keep hiding his skills from such an eager audience.

“May I participate as well?”

As Ed stepped into the arena, the atmosphere shifted.

The mysterious blacksmith was finally joining in.

The dwarves cheered, excited to see him in action.

“Of course! You’re a titled blacksmith!”

“Khehehe. Vulcan, you’ve finally met your match.”

“Let’s see what you’ve got!”

The dwarves crowded around.

Even Isabella, who had been sipping beer in a corner, Enya, who had been dancing drunkenly, and Charlotte, who had been staring out the window with a melancholic expression, joined the crowd.

A dwarf explained the rules.

“The rules are simple. Grab the parts you need and assemble the firearm as quickly as possible.”

“Understood.”

“But it’s useless if it doesn’t fire! Even if you’re fast, you lose if it doesn’t work!”

“Yes.”

“Alright! Then let’s begin! Three… Two… One… Start!”

Ed’s hand shot out, snatching the “bolt carrier group” before Vulcan could reach it. Vulcan was startled.

That was the part he had been aiming for.

‘Hmph. Doesn’t matter.’

Vulcan was a veteran.

He immediately grabbed a crucial component necessary for assembling that particular bolt carrier group.

‘You’ll learn by losing! Khehehe!’

Ed had chosen the bolt carrier group from a firearm known as “Eagle’s Eye.”

It had poor compatibility and required a specific part to function correctly, the part Vulcan now held.

Vulcan was confident of his victory. He had the key component Ed needed.

-Snatch! Swish! Swoosh!

But Ed didn’t seem concerned.

He quickly gathered the remaining parts and began assembling the firearm with incredible speed.

-Whirr! Click! Click! Clack! Whirr! Click! Click! Whizz! Click!

The precise clicking and whirring of the parts fitting together filled the air.

The dwarves watched in stunned silence.

They had never seen such speed and precision.

Was this even possible?

“Hmm…!”

Vulcan, a master gunsmith, had only managed to assemble the receiver. He had already lost the speed competition.

‘But it won’t fire! I have the key component!’

But Vulcan was still confident.

Ed’s chosen bolt carrier group wouldn’t function without that specific part.

“Done.”

Ed calmly announced his completion.

He opened the cylinder of his single-action revolver and inserted a single mana bullet. Then…

-Whirr!

…he spun the cylinder. The single bullet rotated rapidly.

-Click.

The cylinder stopped.

Ed cocked the hammer.

A crisp click echoed through the hall.

The revolver was ready.

-Bang!

He pulled the trigger.

The mana bullet shot straight, hitting the target’s center with precision.

Vulcan stared at Ed, dumbfounded.

“H-How…?”

How?

Ed simply smiled.

He couldn’t reveal his secret weapons: “Dexterous Hands” and “Engineering Mind.”

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