TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 45
Right after the Young Lady collapsed.
I began creating medical supplies to serve as the Lady’s Legs.
Items like walkers that assist with rehabilitation.
Just like blueprints spread out on the dining table, I created assistive devices that could help the Young Lady.
The Young Lady disliked them, saying they were embarrassing, but I kept making them tirelessly.
This world was not kind to people with physical difficulties.
There were crutches, but devices like walkers or wheelchairs had not yet been invented.
There was an invention similar to a wheelchair, but due to the lack of proper brakes, numerous accidents occurred, leaving society with a negative perception of it.
There were cases where High Nobles were injured, leading to the invention being branded as useless among the nobles.
Thus, the Young Lady also disliked wheelchairs.
-It’s ugly.
-…I haven’t even unwrapped the packaging yet.
-It just looks ugly.
Covered with a blanket, I presented the Young Lady with a surprise invention, ‘Venx Prototype 1.’ Made of wood, it had an old-fashioned design and brakes that could be manually adjusted, a groundbreaking invention that could have reshaped this era’s history. However, the Young Lady rejected it before even unwrapping the packaging.
-If you sit on it, you’ll feel differently.
-No. It’s ugly.
-Doesn’t it look like something you’d want to sit on..?!
-Ricardo is faster and more convenient.
-…Oh.
The first prototype was discarded because I fell for the Young Lady’s sweet talk.
It was absolutely not because of any improper intention, like enjoying the feeling of her chest against my back. When the Young Lady said she liked my back, how could I resist?
I liked it too.
The Young Lady liked it as well.
As it was my first creation, it had many shortcomings, such as the danger of having to stop the wheels manually, the poor ride quality, and the clunky design.
I acknowledged that it was unfit to be the Young Lady’s First Car.
As a noble, wouldn’t it feel right to ride something more elegant?
After all, there’s a reason why car enthusiasts exist.
To turn the Young Lady into a car enthusiast, I discarded the first prototype in the Estate Warehouse and started working on the second prototype.
That’s how Venx Prototype 2 was born.
Venx Prototype 2, which addressed the shortcomings of the previous design and brake safety, was crafted with a black coating that added sophistication and an iron frame, combining stability and safety—a masterpiece encapsulating the essence of the Dwarf.
A masterpiece born from the Dwarf’s sweat and hammering.
I could never forget the refreshing smile the Dwarf wore as he wiped the sweat from his brow.
-With this… we could kill an Orc.
-It’s magnificent…!
Three times bigger than the blueprint. That was the second prototype.
I was so excited during its creation that I didn’t realize it had turned into a war machine until it was finished.
The mistake was adding this and that in excitement.
-Don’t you think we need to catch Orcs?
-Orcs? Isn’t it enough if it just rolls…
-Ahem! In a dangerous world where you might encounter Orcs on the road, you can’t afford to think so complacently!
-Indeed…
As a result of igniting unnecessary artisan zeal, the second prototype became more monstrous than requested and was shelved in the Estate Warehouse without being reviewed by the Young Lady.
It would’ve been perfect if the Young Lady had ridden it…
I refrained from showing it to her, fearing I might get kicked out.
Due to many trials, errors, and financial difficulties, the third prototype was delayed.
It seemed destined to fade into the annals of history, but thanks to Malik’s help, it began to see the light of day.
Malik looked at the blueprint with an intrigued expression. Pointing at the wheelchair’s handle, Malik spoke.
His face was lit with the excitement of a child.
“Creating a brake with rubber pads… I never thought of that.”
It was only natural.
In this world, where magic existed as a convenient means, engineering was less of a necessity.
With an energy source like Magic Stone and an efficient method like magic readily available, no one would opt for the costly and inefficient alternative.
Malik, observing the modern knowledge, muttered to himself.
“If implemented this way, it could even be applied to carriages. Using Orc hide for brake pads and adding a handle with wires for deceleration… This could make money. It’ll reduce the cost of Magic Stones and increase convenience…”
Malik’s face lit up with ideas of expanding his business.
Malik asked me.
“Are you a genius?”
“Yes, a genius and handsome to boot…”
“Leave the handsome part out.”
“Jealous? You’ll have to be reborn to match me.”
Malik looked at me with a face full of disdain.
The blueprint now spanned five pages.
Malik furrowed his brows.
He observed the blueprint, which had been reborn through the Interpreter’s hand, with great interest, repeatedly marveling and coming up with new business ideas.
At this rate, he seemed more like a businessman than a swordsman. Why was this Patron swinging a sword instead of running a business? I couldn’t understand his actions.
Time passed swiftly.
Malik pointed out imperfections in the blueprint with his pen, and I applauded his insights, impressed by his perspective.
Initially, it was a simple wheelchair.
But as the opinions of a fashion-conscious noble and a Possessor merged, the wheelchair gradually deviated from its original blueprint.
From ‘Venx’ to ‘Porsche.’
In less than an hour, the margins of the blueprint were filled with dense writing. We had started with the intent of creating something functional, but…
When two Knights gathered, the original purpose began to fade.
Malik, pen in hand, spoke.
“How about adding a Magic Stone-powered propulsion system here?”
“A propulsion system, you say?”
“Yes. It’s the chair that Lady Olivia will be riding. If it’s this plain, wouldn’t the Young Lady dislike it?”
With a serious expression, Malik spouted this outrageous idea of creating a wheelchair powered by a Magic Stone.
I asked Malik with a serious face.
“Is that even possible?”
“There’s nothing in this world that money can’t achieve.”
It wasn’t something an Imperial Knight would typically say.
However, Malik’s clarity about the truths of the world was admirable.
I cautiously added to Malik’s suggestion.
“Then how about adding Protection Magic here? It would be disastrous if it tipped over.”
“Hmm… Indeed. In that case, we could increase the output a bit more, couldn’t we? With Protection Magic ensuring safety, if we use Mithril to make it lighter, it might even be faster than a carriage.”
“Certainly… Oh, and let’s add a Fireball launcher to the handle, since the Young Lady likes it.”
“Then we could also…”
“Oh…! That’s excellent.”
Thus, the Poxche Prototype 1, born from the fusion of Man’s Dream and a Knight’s boldness, came to life.
Malik wiped his nose with a satisfied smile, and I couldn’t help but smile, imagining how much the Young Lady would like it.
Thinking that if we were going to create it, we might as well make it properly, I was in high spirits.
Malik, who had roughly calculated the costs, showed me a figure with multiple zeros scribbled in the margins of the blueprint.
‘One. Ten. Hundred. Thousand. Ten Thousand… One Hundred Thousand… A Million?’
Malik chuckled softly and said.
“I think we can make it with Three Million Gold Coins.”
I had a foreboding feeling that I’d be eating rice porridge for a while. While I was sure the Young Lady would love it, the cost was overwhelming.
I gave Malik an awkward smile and said.
“Could we reduce the budget a bit? Maybe just include the Protection Magic…”
“Why?”
“Because the cost is… burdensome… haha.”
An awkward laugh escaped me.
Three Million Gold Coins.
I didn’t want to stake my life on a single wheelchair. I wanted to give the Young Lady her First Car like an Imported Car, but an Airplane was out of the question.
As the birth of the Masterpiece faced the risk of being canceled, Malik furrowed his brows.
“Money?”
“Yes…”
Three Million Gold Coins wasn’t just the name of someone’s dog.
The Histania Family, with its deep history and Honor, might be able to afford such an amount, but for me, the Young Breadwinner, it was an unbearable sum.
At the same time, another thought crossed my mind.
‘If it were 500,000 Gold…’ That kind of thought.
I spoke to Malik, who was twirling his pen with an awkward smile.
“I’ll transfer the money to your Bank Account…”
Malik’s face hardened. The expression of someone scolding me for trying to pay while eating with a close older brother.
“Why are you paying the down payment?”
“Pardon…?”
“Didn’t I clearly say I came here to express my gratitude?”
“Didn’t you already do that earlier? You even gave me ten Meal Vouchers.”
Malik let out an Empty Laugh as if he couldn’t believe it.
“That was just a greeting.”
Malik tucked the Blueprint into his Pocket and said.
“This is my way of showing gratitude.”
I spoke earnestly to Malik.
“Can I call you brother?”
Malik looked at me with a serious expression.
“Disgusting.”
***
In the Dark Room.
Olivia was sitting on the Bed with Hanna, talking. They were discussing how things had been and how the Academy was running.
Hanna answered Olivia’s questions, and Olivia reciprocated by listening to Hanna’s stories.
In the room illuminated by a small Lantern.
Hanna smiled as she talked about Mikhail.
“So I dodged Senior Mikhail’s sword, and with a ‘pop,’ I placed my sword at his Chin Tip…!”
Olivia’s expression wasn’t good.
In the past, just hearing Mikhail’s name would have made her happy, but now it felt uncomfortable.
The excitement that made her heart race and her face flush was less than before.
Was it because she hadn’t seen him in so long?
After seeing the past, her Emotions toward Mikhail had faded. She was sure she still liked him, she thought she still liked him. But her chest felt stifled.
She could still vividly recall Mikhail saving her when she fell into the Pond…
Her heart seemed to murmur that it wasn’t sure anymore.
Hanna continued her story enthusiastically. With a face full of excitement, she boasted about defeating Mikhail.
“At that moment, when Senior Mikhail sat on the ground glaring at me, do you know how I felt…? Young Lady? Are you listening?”
Olivia asked Hanna.
“You… don’t like Mikhail?”
It was strange. The Histania Hanna she knew was a Girl who liked Mikhail, but Hanna, who was happy about defeating the Man she liked, didn’t seem like a Girl in love.
Rather, she looked like someone happy to have removed a troublesome tooth, and for Olivia, who still had lingering feelings for Mikhail, Hanna seemed strange.
So Olivia asked Hanna.
“Don’t you like Mikhail?”
Hanna looked at Olivia.
She seemed surprised by the unexpected question.
Ahem. She cleared her throat and opened her mouth.
“I used to…”
Hanna awkwardly smiled as she fidgeted with the Blanket on her lap.
For some reason, Olivia found Hanna’s shy demeanor strange and waited quietly for her answer.
Why was she acting so shy?
Olivia couldn’t understand.
Hanna spoke to Olivia.
“I have someone I like now.”
“Isn’t that Mikhail?”
Hanna shook her head.
“No…”
Hanna looked down at the first floor.
Her cheeks turned red.
“I’ve found someone I like even more. Someone really amazing.”
Just as Olivia was about to ask who that was, Hanna, sensing that the question might be difficult to answer, diverted the topic and asked Olivia instead.
“Then what about you, Young Lady?”
Erasing her shy expression, Hanna spoke seriously to Olivia.
“Young Lady, don’t you like Senior Mikhail?”