chapter 65………………………..
The wagons and people were bustling. Watching them move frantically, I gradually realized it was time to head home. Contrary to everyone’s worries and concerns, the work had ended peacefully without any problems.
After my first time entering the mine, I hadn’t stepped into any more dangerous areas, heeding the warnings I’d heard. Since then, I spent my time sorting the reports Rodelia brought and organizing documents to submit to the departments handling academia and industry. Before I knew it, the mine inspection was nearing its final stage.
Sitting in a chair and sipping tea while gazing outside, Teferi approached and struggled to sit on a chair higher than her waist. When I flicked my eyes toward her, perhaps sensing my gaze, she looked up at me. Her still-cute cheeks twitched as she raised the corners of her mouth, and in an unexpectedly bright voice, she said:
“Does it feel good to be heading home now?”
“It feels good because everything ended smoothly.”
“That’s basically the same thing. So, how about it? Any gains?”
“I didn’t come for gains, so not really. It’s ironic that such complicated work and so much manpower are required just to run a normal business.”
“Well, people with wealth, power, and influence always have oversight and challenges. The simplest things are often the hardest.”
Seeing her laugh innocently like that made her seem like an ordinary child, and my hand instinctively went up.
“…….”
Teferi stared blankly at my hand as I stroked her head. Her eyebrows twitched, asking silently what I was doing, and I smiled faintly in response.
“Being ordinary is really difficult, huh.”
“Ordinary?”
“Being like a child under ten—this is ordinary.”
Passersby chuckled as they watched me pat her head. Flushed with embarrassment, Teferi swatted my hand away, hopped off her chair, spun around, and glared at me. When I smiled at her cute face, she seemed about to say something, but then turned sharply and walked away.
Cute. Sometimes I forget that Teferi is the master of the Mana Tower, over ten times older than me. But it’s just her appearance.
“Here you are?”
This time, Rosaline peeked in.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, not really. But on the first day, Ludia said to rebuild the emergency exit. The blueprints for that.”
Ah, that. I had forgotten. I took the blueprint Rosaline handed me and lightly unfolded it. I skimmed the detailed plans before rolling it back up.
“Thanks. I’ll review it.”
“Oh, and… this isn’t much, but could you review this too?”
She handed me another blueprint. Curious, I opened it, only to find not a blueprint, but a bomb.
“This is…”
“A bomb used in mining.”
A mining bomb? In this world, bombs aren’t used except for constructing mines. There’s always a risk of collapse, and handling bombs delicately is difficult. But a mining bomb…
“I reduced the explosive power and focused on safety. The force is limited so it won’t cause a collapse inside a mine.”
“Hmm…”
I’m not knowledgeable about bombs, so I could only stare at the plans. Can this really be used?
“The experiment…”
“Was completed yesterday. The report will be submitted separately, but I can tell you it didn’t cause resonance in the surroundings nor destructive cracks.”
“Then it seems like it might be inefficient at breaking walls.”
“No. Using two bombs was enough to break through blocked areas and find ore veins. But using them too deep could cause collapses, so deep use is prohibited. Still, this bomb should increase work efficiency and production.”
“Oh… really?”
Thinking it was a decent bomb, I examined the blueprint carefully, then noticed the creation date. Huh? Something’s odd.
“Rosaline.”
“Yes?”
“This bomb’s blueprint… wasn’t made recently, right?”
I showed her the date on the blueprint, and Rosaline smiled.
“Oh? Really?”
This woman… I sighed and looked over the blueprint carefully. The date was nearly five years ago, so it seemed she designed this bomb for mining back then, probably presenting it but not receiving much attention.
Research and presentation are the scholar’s choice, but practical application is another matter. I rubbed my forehead, frowning, then glanced up to see Rosaline looking worried. When she noticed my gaze, she quickly forced a smile. Yeah, I can see through that.
“Rosaline, I trust your skill, but I still think using bombs in mines is dangerous.”
When I raised my head, I saw her visibly disappointed expression. She was especially energetic whenever bombs were involved. Is she always like this when she’s fixated on something?
I crossed my legs lightly, rested my elbows, and studied the blueprint, then looked up.
“Rosaline, as you said earlier, you did test this bomb, right?”
“Yes. In that mine.”
“In my mine?”
She nodded calmly as if it were obvious. I stared blankly, then let out a small laugh.
“I was asked to rebuild the emergency exit, so I tested if it was possible with a bomb, and of course, I successfully made holes in the walls.”
“And if it collapsed?”
“It won’t.”
“How do you know?”
Rosaline smiled.
“Do you think I couldn’t calculate that?”
“……”
“Even though I study bombs, I’ve also studied geology for a long time. Plus, Teferi helped, so no worries about collapse.”
“But it could have been dangerous.”
She shook her head lightly. What followed was a complex, detailed explanation about geology, wall structures, support placement, explosive power, radius, and scope—so intricate I couldn’t interrupt. I ended up just listening blankly for about five minutes before coming back to my senses.
“Now, if you invest, I can make even safer, more precise bombs. I’m Seicmen Rosaline, a bomb prodigy who comes once in a hundred years. I’ve elevated bombs from art to sacred innovation. Trust me and invest, and I’ll increase the mine’s production and speed by over 30%. How about it?”
Is this really okay? I tilted my head. There was no one else to ask—frustrating. Shouldn’t have joked with Teferi.
“We can discuss this later…”
“Ludia, opportunities don’t always come. You know that. If I take this research elsewhere and get investment, who will lose out?”
True.
“But if you make a sole investment with me, I promise to supply exclusively to you for the next ten years. The only change is using the bomb, but production and speed increase. Isn’t that amazing?”
It sounds incredible.
“Just sign here. Hurry!”
“Is it really okay to invest?”
“I said it’s safe. If you’re worried, we can start with a provisional contract and formalize it later with the Legal Department. You can cancel the provisional contract anytime, so no harm. Right?”
“Hmm…”
“Oh, still thinking? Fine. Since it’s you, Ludia, I’ll tell you—Teferi helped with this bomb modification.”
Teferi? That’s enticing. Surely Teferi didn’t make something dangerous, and her skill is trustworthy. I looked her straight in the eye.
“Can I trust it?”
“On my name. If you want, I’ll put Teferi’s name on it too.”
I can imagine Teferi throwing a fit. But it works—trustworthy. I feel it. Maybe there should even be a Mana Tower master’s seal on it.
“……Alright. Let’s just sign the provisional contract for now and discuss details later. Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
Rosaline smiled brightly, handed over the documents, and I grabbed a pen to sign. I paused for a moment, but thought it wouldn’t be a problem and completed the signature. Rosaline quickly inspected the papers with a satisfied expression and looked at me.
“Then, I look forward to working with you.”
I watched her walk away lightly, scratching my forehead. Did I make a mistake? But it’s just a provisional contract, so it’s not a big deal. I read the documents carefully, so there’s no issue, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d done something wrong.
Later, Teferi told me that before becoming a university dean, Rosaline was known in the Empire as a promising international negotiator—someone who could practically snatch contracts by force.
In the end, Rosaline’s bombs achieved tremendous advancement, but I was also a victim in all this.
