—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Thursday night.
Once Ed decided on “mosquito extermination” as the theme for the evaluation, everything else fell into place.
He collected several mosquitoes for sample data, conducted experiments, and thoroughly investigated their characteristics and weaknesses.
“They’ve evolved into monsters.”
He discovered they were impervious to ordinary physical force.
Having been “crushed to death” countless times by humans, they had evolved to reinforce their exoskeletons using absorbed mana.
‘And that’s not all.’
They had also evolved to become even smaller, practically invisible to the naked eye.
Combined with their increased speed, they were a menace.
They could tear through mosquito nets and were resistant to most repellents.
‘Even electric mosquito nets are useless.’
To his shock, even the electric mosquito net he had installed was ineffective.
Having evolved to withstand considerable force, they could easily ignore the electric shocks.
‘It was all thanks to Fix.’
So, how had he avoided being bitten?
The answer was Fix.
Fix, active almost 24/7 (excluding charging time), had diligently repelled any approaching mosquitoes.
Living in the attic, above the mosquitoes’ maximum flight altitude of 8 meters, also helped.
“No wonder Dream Guardians are necessary.”
Even nobles, with all their power, couldn’t conquer mosquitoes.
Everyone had to sleep, and the moment they became vulnerable, the mosquitoes, having evolved to target sleeping humans, would strike.
“Vicious creatures.”
Ed decided to exploit this characteristic.
He would create a decoy that attracted mosquitoes, luring them to their doom.
But first, he needed to understand how they identified their prey.
“I see.”
Through various experiments, he discovered their detection method.
Their antennae could detect scents from 20 meters, sense body heat, and even detect exhaled carbon dioxide.
They hovered around faces not to annoy people, but to track their breath.
“Then…”
He needed a decoy that mimicked human scent, body temperature, and carbon dioxide emissions.
‘And…’
Adding mana synthesis, like the Dream Guardians, would complete the trap.
“Let’s begin development.”
He started by creating a device that converted oxygen into carbon dioxide, mimicking human breathing patterns.
He then inscribed heat preservation formulas to maintain human body temperature and added a reservoir of chemically treated water that mimicked human sweat, a crucial attractant for mosquitoes.
“First experiment, commencing.”
He placed the makeshift decoy in a test tube to observe the mosquitoes’ reaction.
“Failure.”
The first experiment failed.
The mosquitoes showed no interest.
Why?
The decoy had the right scent, temperature, carbon dioxide emissions, and even subtle mana synthesis.
“…Let’s add more detail.”
He decided to make the decoy more lifelike, replacing the rubber exterior with artificial skin.
He needed collagen.
He went to the market and purchased a large quantity of pig and fish skin, a readily available and easily processed source of collagen.
“This is getting expensive.”
Now, he had to extract the collagen.
This required several processes, including chemical and enzymatic hydrolysis, which needed specialized equipment for controlling temperature and pressure.
“I’ll use the hologram.”
He activated the “Hologram” sub-skill he had acquired when his “Engineering Mind” reached level 3.
A 3D holographic model of the “Collagen Processing Machine” appeared, displaying its mechanical components.
“List retrieval.”
He then accessed a list of all the weapons and machines he had created, hoping to repurpose existing components rather than building everything from scratch.
“Hologram, extract the necessary mechanical components for the Collagen Processing Machine.”
Mechanical components were the basic building blocks of machines, categorized into five main types: joining elements (for connecting parts), power transmission elements (for transferring motion), shaft elements (for supporting rotating parts), control elements (for braking and regulating), and fluid power elements (for transporting liquids and gases).
He instructed the hologram to extract the necessary components from his existing creations.
The list appeared:
1. Joining Elements: [Titanium Alloy Plasma Gauntlet] – base plate linear actuator connector, flange lock slide unit, tubular handle…
2. Power Transmission Elements: [Genetically Modified Web Shooter] – gears, chains, belts…; [Research Mana Experiment Device] – centrifuge parts, links, cams…
3. Shaft Elements: [Devil Suit 1 Scapula Engine Injection Device] – sliding keys, taper keys…; [Three-Dimensional Maneuver Gear] – wire connector, rotating tube…
4. Control Elements: [Devil Suit 1] – mechanical & hydraulic braking system parts; [Superconducting Mana Fusion Engine Propulsion Unit] – engine injection braking system parts
5. Fluid Power Elements: [Research Component Extraction Device] – liquid & gas conversion transfer pipe (PVC pipe, rubber hose, stop valve…); [Devil Suit 1 Mana Transfer Pipe] – steel pipe, copper pipe, pipe joint, globe valve…
The hologram indicated the source of each component.
Ed cleared the holographic models of his other creations and began assembling the Collagen Processing Machine, piecing together the components like a LEGO set.
He completed the machine in just five minutes, thanks to the hologram.
Now, he just had to physically build it.
“Fix, let’s go to the forge.”
“Weeooong~!”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
James’s forge at the academy.
James was absent.
With Ed’s elevation to Count, it was no longer appropriate for his father to handle subcontracted work.
Moreover, James had reached an epiphany after visiting the Dwarven Allied Kingdom.
Inspired by the Iron Hammer Exhibition, he aspired to become a Master Craftsman, abandoning his life of mass-producing mundane items for his son.
He was now pouring his passion into the state-of-the-art workshop Ed had built for him.
“A-Amazing…”
The blacksmiths James had hired were awestruck by Ed’s performance.
They marveled at his speed and precision as he effortlessly assembled the modern machinery.
“He’s a genius. A true genius from heaven.”
“Dwarf or not, that level of skill…”
They finally understood James’s constant boasting.
Ed’s skills were far beyond their time.
They were mesmerized by his craftsmanship, excited by the innovations he would bring.
They couldn’t comprehend the machine’s purpose, but they instinctively recognized its functional and aesthetic perfection.
“Done!”
After four hours, Ed completed the Collagen Extractor.
It was thanks to the fact that he had prepared a large stock of basic parts — screws, bolts, bearings, pipes, valves, and springs — all standardized to the “Edgar Fix Standard Specifications.”
“A-Ahem, L-Lord Fix?”
One of the blacksmiths, unable to contain his admiration, approached Ed.
He expressed his awe at witnessing such extraordinary skill.
“Please, just call me Ed. You’re my father’s friends. I’m just Ed, the kid who used to cause trouble in your forge.”
Ed insisted they drop the formalities.
They protested, citing his new noble status, but he eventually persuaded them.
“Now I understand why James bragged so much. Hahaha!”
“You’ve grown into a fine young man. You were such a troublemaker six years ago.”
They looked at him with pride.
He was not only incredibly talented but also kind and righteous.
They were excited for his future.
“Keep up the good work, Ed. And it’s a secret that we’re calling you by your first name!”
“Haha, no one can say anything even if they find out. I’ll be going then.”
“Alright, alright.”
Ed stored the Collagen Extractor in his inventory and headed back to his research lab.
His silhouette, bathed in moonlight, seemed larger than life.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Friday morning.
Charlotte was being scolded by her client.
Despite her best efforts, she had missed a mosquito, resulting in two bites on the client’s arm.
“I’ll deduct the payment as per our agreement. A-Ahem! What if I get Mana Transformation Disease?!”
Charlotte apologized profusely.
She was a novice Dream Guardian, still lacking experience.
Her mana synthesis technique, used to attract mosquitoes, was imperfect.
“……”
Her own body was covered in mosquito bites.
As a first-year academy student, specializing in nature-based creation magic, she struggled to control the “Self-Combustion” magic required for the job.
“Here’s 650,000 Arthen.”
“…?”
The client handed her 100,000 Orden more than the agreed-upon 550,000.
“Um… this… this is more than the agreed amount.”
“…Ahem. You said your family name was Verdian, right?”
“…? Yes.”
“I owed your father a favor once.”
“Ah…”
“Consider it a gesture of goodwill. Seeing his daughter working like this… it seems House Verdian has truly fallen, as the rumors say.”
“……”
The client glanced at Charlotte’s mosquito-bitten body, clicking his tongue in sympathy.
“Let me offer some advice, for old times’ sake. Don’t do this kind of work. You’re selling your future for pennies. What if the Mana Transformation Disease returns? You seem to be an Imperial Academy student. You could become mana-disabled.”
Charlotte clutched the money, her head bowed.
He was right.
If the disease returned, she could lose her mana abilities, ending her career as a formula user.
‘I have no choice…’
This was her only legal source of income.
Academy students were forbidden from mercenary work, and using their abilities for private businesses was grounds for expulsion for violating the “maintenance of dignity” clause.
The elitist Imperial Academy wouldn’t tolerate its students being employed by commoners.
“Mana is important for nobles. Even with status, losing your mana makes you no different from a commoner. It’s better to sell your body than to risk losing your mana—”
The client abruptly stopped, realizing his inappropriate analogy.
“Ahem. Anyway, reconsider this line of work. With your skills, you’re at high risk of becoming mana-disabled.”
He turned and left.
Charlotte looked at her mosquito-bitten arms, her fists clenching in frustration.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Sad…