Chapter 473. The Contest, Dominance of the Golem
As darkness blanketed the sky, the workshops behind the alchemy faction's building remained immersed in their work. The Periholk, serving as the Workshop of Creation at its core, primarily functioned as a workplace. Although it might not resemble a conventional workshop from the front, the expansive space behind easily qualified as a massive workshop in its own right.
In some aspects, this area could be likened to a science park. Among them, Edison's workshop, home to the technical advisors, wasn't particularly spacious, but everyone inside had a distinctly eccentric appearance. It was a common belief that outstanding technicians often possessed quirks, and Edison's workshop embodied that notion.
"Oh my..."
Late into the evening, a dusty girl cautiously opened the workshop door, expecting a reprimand. An unexpected failure had nearly caused a major commotion, and she feared her grandfather might chastise her, as he often did, with his rough hand.
"Ugh... I really dislike that."
Whenever she made a mistake, her grandfather would sternly scold her. However, she never held any resentment toward him. To her, he was the most precious person she had.
"Huh? Who's there?"
The workshop, usually filled with the rhythmic clanging of hammers, was eerily quiet. She knew very well that her grandfather, Edison, who habitually worked late into the night, was preparing for the contest by crafting golems every evening to protect her.
"No, no! This isn't it! Dammit!"
Lately, her tired-looking grandfather, his voice tinged with bitterness, had been facing numerous trials and errors, despite being hailed as a genius by the world. Understanding the extent of his struggles only deepened her attachment to him. She wondered if there was any way she could assist him, even in a small way.
In her separate attempts to design new golems, she had caused multiple accidents and received scoldings as a consequence. Nonetheless, she couldn't stop trying.
Edison had agreed to the contest partly due to financial debt, but mostly because the detestable Prince Duran was plotting to secure a marriage alliance with her.
Running out of time and exhausted from her continuous failures, she slapped her cheeks to motivate herself before entering the workshop.
"Alright, time to put on a smile."
As always, she planned to approach her grandfather, alleviate his fatigue, and bring a smile to his face. She could never show a gloomy countenance to her beloved grandfather; her laughter was the only gift she could offer.
"Hehehe, Grandpa..."
"HAHAHAHA! This is incredible! Absolutely amazing!"
She froze. The hearty laughter was unusual. Glimpsing through the slightly ajar door, the first thing she saw was her grandfather, gazing at a massive metal sphere, laughing uncontrollably. What could have possibly happened? It had been a long time since she had heard her grandfather's genuine laughter.
She stepped inside, her previous exhaustion forgotten, and stared at her chuckling grandfather.
"Grand...father?"
Setting aside her previous worries, she called out to Edison, who turned his attention toward her.
"Ah, Tiara. You've come."
"What happened, Grandfather? Why are you laughing so heartily?"
She had braced herself for the worst, so this unexpected turn of events was surprising. Filled with a mixture of astonishment and confusion, she inquired about the situation.
"Take a look, young lady. How can a technician leave things in such disarray?"
At that moment, a boy—or perhaps a young man? He appeared too old to be a boy yet too young to be a man—emerged from one corner of the workshop, clad in a disheveled apron.
"Ah!"
Of course, Tiara was aware of his presence.
"Huh?"
"The insufferable scoundrel who left the injured person behind!"
Upon her exclamation, the boy seemed to chuckle lightly. "As expected."
* * *
Tiara, caught in the act, appeared somewhat flustered. After all, Davey was right there in front of her, entangled because of her rampaging golem. The crucial point was that he had left her, who had fainted at the sight of blood.
"HAHAHA! Caused another accident? Ah, you really need a good scolding from this old man," Edison exclaimed.
"Grandpa! Mistakes happen when you're inventing things! Why make such a fuss about it?" Tiara retorted.
"Oh, you! Your careless attitude could have gotten someone hurt!" Edison scolded.
"That's not...!"
"Inventions created through alchemy shouldn't go haywire like that!"
"I know! I thought it was a completely new approach!"
Tiara's complaints prompted Edison to click his tongue disapprovingly. "Oh dear, who would ever tolerate such a clumsy troublemaker? Tsk, tsk..."
"I'll have you know I'll marry well! And will you spend your life with that metal contraption? Hmph!"
Although many golems were used as weapons of war, their primary purpose was to benefit and protect their creators. A rampaging golem, no matter how innovative its design, was nothing more than junk.
"By the way, as I've mentioned before, you and your grandpa really do resemble each other."
Both of them had a penchant for fainting easily.
Tiara's eyes turned to Davey at his comment. She murmured, "What a coincidence... You're Prince Davey?"
"It seems I didn't meet your expectations."
"No, it's not that..." Tiara trailed off, sighing. "When I was young, I always wondered who the Eastern Prince I made a promise with was."
Davey recalled the story Edison had told him. In his youth, the King of the Rowane Kingdom, King Krianes, had unilaterally arranged a strategic marriage. Of course, they now had no connection.
"That's all in the past, isn't it?"
"Why shouldn't I be curious? We were once engaged," Tiara replied, shrugging her shoulders.
"Tiara, enough of the unnecessary chatter, bring more of those alloys."
The main focus of the work was on Edison. Davey simply crafted the blueprint where Edison got stuck and adjusted it on the spot based on Edison's feedback. The majority of the work was done by Edison, and most others intermittently assisted him.
The contest was not Davey's forte. Even though the final product might differ significantly from what Davey envisioned, this process was indispensable. The technical advisor, Edison, was an exceptionally talented dwarf. The golem blueprints Davey produced were challenging for most golem manufacturers to grasp, but Edison effortlessly understood them and began production. It was no wonder he had built such a reputation.
Tiara and Edison, who had been skeptical about the blueprints, were astounded by the transformations they witnessed firsthand. In essence, it was a difference in knowledge between worlds, much like showing Damascus steel or titanium alloy to someone from the Bronze Age. It was a product of the continent of Yurgian, the source of Davey's alchemy.
Both the Yurgian and Tionis continents had their differences, but both were inhabited by humans. Naturally, there were many similar materials, and Davey utilized them to the fullest. Even if the knowledge came from another world, there were limitations to the changes, but if Davey could reproduce even a fraction of it, he would not hesitate to use magic.
"Take a good look. Elasticity is really crucial."
Clang!
He forcefully struck two well-made metal rods together. As anticipated, the metal rod crafted using the advanced alchemical techniques of the Yurgian continent bent and shattered the metal rod from the Tionis continent, which remained perfectly intact. It was an inevitable outcome.
The Tionis continent, where magic and alchemy had advanced in parallel but whose technological progress had declined due to prolonged peace, couldn't match the purely alchemical advancements of the mana-deprived Yurgian continent.
Of course, some of the techniques Davey taught were secrets uncovered by the god-like alchemist Eva, mysteries not even known on the vast Yurgian continent.
"My word... I can't believe it even after witnessing it."
"What, what is it? Why is this so challenging?!"
"Simply adjusting the carbon content and introducing a catalyst can produce satisfactory results. Just thickening a glove isn't very efficient."
Light and sturdy. At their core, Tionis's battle golems were massive with a simple appearance. Especially the metal golems, renowned for their weight, were clearly powered by immense force. The energy source was naturally the mana stone, designed for a robust and powerful golem, which naturally led to poor fuel efficiency.
"Why become like those hollow giants? There's no need to simply increase size and weight to enhance destructive power."
If magic was to be employed, it should be harnessed to its fullest. While the opposing side may compress vast amounts of metal to increase weight and destruction, this side would hollow it out to improve fuel efficiency, yet maintain an equally powerful force.
"Hey, isn't there a close relationship between weight, acceleration, and power?"
From behind Edison, a timid girl peeked her head out, her hand raised as she spoke. "That's correct. Weight and acceleration significantly influence destructive power. But to harness that power, one must accept extremely poor fuel efficiency."
Mana stones were not infinite. Although they could be recycled, they did not last indefinitely. There was no such thing as an infinite resource in the world. In reality, the mana that filled the world was a cyclic energy, constantly disappearing and reappearing.
"If the structure is simple, it's easy to break. On the other hand, if it's overly complex, it can crumble with the slightest shock."
What was needed was a design that intricately balanced their weaknesses without being excessive.
"The rest, you can manage on your own. Can you do it?"
Upon hearing Davey's words, Edison's eyes sparkled with determination. "After showcasing such tremendous technology, if I can't accomplish it, I might as well face-plant into a ditch and die!"
"No, Grandpa! You can't die!"
"Hey! It's just a figure of speech!"
"Don't even joke about dying in front of me! Aren't you supposed to stay by my side until I grow old and pass away?"
"Ah..."
Watching them exchange banter, Davey rose from his seat. He had already provided all the fundamental technical knowledge. All that remained was suitable support and supervision.
Edison held no resentment when Davey evaluated and critiqued his technology. In fact, whenever a problem arose during their work, he promptly approached Davey for advice and assistance.
The man who had once been excessively prideful had undergone a remarkable transformation. He accepted and acknowledged excellence, displaying assertiveness without servility. Davey felt that selecting him had been the right choice. However, what truly amazed Davey was not just Edison's presence, but Tiara's.
Though Davey and Rinne might have referred to the golems she created as scrap metal or junk, the methods Tiara employed to create them single-handedly were innovative and unprecedented. Her audacious approach, without concern for danger, resulted in incredibly rapid advancements.
Tiara, a girl of Davey's age, represented a different kind of genius compared to Aeonitia, who was presently in the Heins territory. She was a genius in a slightly more unconventional way. On the contrary, if she were to meet Aeonitia, their personalities might clash to the point of causing a chemical reaction. But, on the other hand, they might unlock tremendous synergy and serve as catalysts for each other's growth.
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