Chapter 218: Courage, Electricity, Money
Simo said, "I'm not a little kid. I'm over thirty."
"Sure."
To Simo, Owen seemed like a good person, but he wasn't different from other taller species in some respects.
Simo thought about arguing further, but decided to change the topic in the end.
"Teacher, why have you come to Pollivia?"
"I do have other business, but the main reason was to meet you."
"Me?"
Owen replied, "It's been about 10 years since we last met, hasn't it? I was curious about the progress of your research."
Simo avoided Owen's gaze.
"It's not going so well..."
"Hmm." Owen scratched his chin and said, "I'd like to see for myself if possible."
"Out here in the streets?"
"Where are you living now?"
"Well, until just now, I was staying in this building."
"But not anymore?"
"Haha...correct."
Owen said, "Let's head to the room I'm staying in. We can catch up there."
“Alright, if you say so..."
The first time Simo met Owen was also in the streets.
The streets at Pollivia flowed with great sums of untapped money and were home to wealthy targets, so it naturally attracted many seeking that wealth. There were simple street thugs and beggars, but also vendors selling food and individuals who had learned poor magic from somewhere.
What Simo had been selling were various machines they had invented. Technically speaking, science and technology weren't as popular as magic. However, while people saw magic as spectacle, not many could actually do it, so their interest in magic didn’t run deep.
Technology, on the other hand, was different. Anyone could handle science and technology. So even though it was less mysterious than magic, people were deeply interested in it because they believed it could benefit both them and others.
Of course, Simo initially created machines to advertise the mineral water they brought from their hometown in a more eye-catching way, but they found a talent in it, and merchants and other technicians sometimes bought their inventions.
In Pollivia, such street inventors were common, and Simo was one of them. However, the invention Simo was demonstrating at that time didn't gain much attention from the general public. Therefore, when a Lizardman approached and started asking various questions, it was inevitable for Simo to feel a sense of closeness.
"This thing isn't popular?"
"Oh, yes. I had my doubts, but as expected."
"You knew it wouldn't be?"
"Indeed."
The invention Simo had made at that time appeared crude at first glance. It consisted of a thin tungsten rod with copper wire wound around both ends, trailing back and coiling around a metal rod. When a piece of paper was brought close to the tungsten rod, a spark ignited the paper.
"Because it’s electricity." Simo awkwardly smiled. "You don't often see the chosen ones of the Empire, but if you visit the Empire, you might see them from afar, and if you're unlucky, you might even encounter them on the battlefield. Compared to their thunderbolts powered by the Devil, this kind of electricity seems...pretty insignificant."
Simo continued as if to defend themself.
"Of course, there were those who showed interest. Some even asked if it was possible to produce a larger amount of electricity. I decided to call this coiled copper wire a battery, and I said that if the battery was large enough, it might be possible to generate greater electricity. But once they learned roughly how much it would cost and that the battery would be consumed, they just shook their heads and left. They said it would be better to hire a chosen one in some way if it was that big, heavy, and expensive."
"Hmm."
Despite Simo's self-deprecating words, Owen didn't leave.
"Interesting."
"...Is it?"
"It reminds me of a story my friend told me."
"What kind of story..."
The story Owen recalled was about the power of electricity. When Owen was still with the Black Scale Tribe, and even afterwards, the ways in which the chosen ones used their God-given electricity weren’t very diverse. However, Zaol, Lakrak's companion, believed there was something more to electric current.
Owen didn't have a specific idea in mind, but he still remembered Zaol's words.
Simo said, "...Well, that's an interesting thought. I think that electricity can be produced through other forces, stored in specific objects, and its power can be transferred… But I'm not certain yet. I'm not a student of any university so I don't have the privilege to read other people's research, and I don't have enough money to conduct research on my own."
Owen asked, "If things go as you think, what kind of object do you think you could create? For example, gunpowder led to the creation of guns. Do you think something similar could happen with inventions utilizing electricity?"
Simo replied shyly, "...Things would change."
"Huh?"
"The world would change."
That day, Owen heard about Simo's vision of the future. To Owen, it seemed somewhat far-fetched.
If even half of what was said came to be true, empires like the Ronante-Ororban Alliance would collapse. Because once the era of electricity arrived, there would be no more need for kings, nobles, or sorrowful wars.
Above all, electricity belonged to Night Sky. People who did not follow the Pantheon wouldn’t agree, but at least Owen believed so.
Though Simo followed the main religion of the continent, Meteor of the Red Spot, as taught by their parents, to Owen, Simo seemed like a devoted follower of Night Sky.
Owen, guided by God’s will, helped the Xolotl, an unfortunate species.
After revealing that he was a chosen one, he assisted Simo in researching electricity and even gave away most of what little wealth he had.
So Simo regarded Owen as their teacher and spent a brief time with him. Simo converted without much hesitation. Though Simo was interested in Night Sky, they felt more attachment to the Folded Wing Golden Bird.
Both were primarily believed in by technologists, however, while Night Sky was associated with academic achievements, the Folded Wing Golden Bird was followed by those considered inventors.
Not long after, Owen's wanderlust prevented him from staying in one place, so he left with a promise to return...and today, they met again.
Upon arriving at Owen's lodgings, Simo said awkwardly, "There hasn't been much change since you left… People really aren't interested in electricity."
"A star, before it rises, may shine but remain unseen."
"That's very profound, teacher!"
"So, what's the issue?"
Simo avoided Owen’s gaze as he got straight to the crux of the matter, but still decided to speak up.
"... It's money, after all."
"Money."
"I worked diligently in the direction you pointed me to, refining and researching, and if there were similar technologies or inventions, I hired people to bring them to Pollivia. But because of this, the money you gave me quickly ran out. And without money..."
"Hmm."
Owen reviewed Simo's research. Simo, not being the best at explaining things and being a scholar of another field, often used their own terminology, so Owen couldn't fully understand what they were saying, but still, it was the direction Owen had hoped for. The light bulb especially appeared promising as it could clearly demonstrate the utility of electricity to others.
"Can’t you just sell these?"
"People prefer oil lamps and gas lights. They question where such a thing would be used."
"But as long as the glass doesn't break, it won't go out even if water is poured on it."
"...That's a good sales strategy. I should note that down."
Simo jotted down Owen's suggestion in their notebook.
Owen said, "Hmm, in my opinion, the inventions have no issues."
"Really? Then what’s the problem?”
"What you lack is courage."
"What does courage have to do with electricity and money?"
"Follow me."
Owen led Simo to the front of a massive trading company.
The Pallet family was renowned in Pollivia, and there was no one who didn’t know their name.
Simo looked at Owen. "...Why are we here?"
"If you want money, go where the money is. Why search for money in the streets where you try to save even pennies over a simple skewer?"
"You're not wrong, but Teacher... Wait, Teacher. Just a moment please. Please stop! Teacher…?”
With his shoulders open wide, Owen confidently walked into the trading company. An hour later, the two of them were thrown out.
"Get lost, beggars!"
The atmosphere seemed fine when they entered. Given the company's size, there were many individuals like Owen, looking for investors. There was an established procedure, allowing them to showcase their inventions to higher-ups in the company.
However, the person in charge was greatly disappointed after seeing the invention, and once it was discovered that Simo was a street inventor and notorious seller of fake medicine, they were immediately kicked out.
Simo lowered their head in shame.
"I'm sorry, teacher. I tried to make money by selling some medicine..."
"Hmm, it's not entirely your fault. We all have to make a living. And while it may not be beneficial for the body, it isn’t harmful either. if someone took it believing it was good, it might not be fake medicine after all." Owen reasoned.
"...What do we do now?"
Owen replied, "I was wrong. We need a change in our tactics."
"...Tactics, you say?”
“Simo, let’s do this.”
Owen lowered his head and whispered something to Simo. After hearing what Owen said, Simo staggered back in shock.
"Teacher! That’s real fraud!”
"You've already sold fake medicine, so what's the difference?"
"If we get caught, it won't just end with jail!”
Owen had never experienced imprisonment, so it was a concern that didn’t really get to him.
"Then we better hurry."
Owen headed to another trading company, Itimo Trading. Established by the famous Elf merchant Theone Itimo, this trading post was the second-largest in Pollivia despite it being a branch office.
Simo was the only one entering through the main door this time. Owen sneaked in through a window when no one was looking. Simo checked on Owen and sighed, but Owen easily held onto the window sill and moved inside silently.
Just like at the Pallet Trading Company, there was already a process in place, so Simo waited in the waiting room until they could meet the representative.
The Elf representative asked, "What item have you brought?"
Simo replied, "Hmm, I'm not quite sure what to call it exactly. It's very mysterious and...dangerous."
"Is it a weapon?"
"It's not only destructive. It's filled with enough potential that could change the world."
"...Well, let's see it first then."
Simo pulled out the item. It was the same invention Owen had first seen about ten years ago. Although now Simo had developed a more refined prototype of battery with a cleaner design, Simo kept this item for memory sake. Simo was the kind of person who couldn't easily discard items they possessed.
As Simo put on gloves, they said, "It's a power-generating device, though it hasn’t been specifically decided where and how it would be used yet. It needs to be handled very carefully."
"Yes, yes."
The representative looked uninterested.
Given the number of street inventors, there must have been many fraudsters as well.
Simo then picked up their invention.
Zap!
A flashing current swirled around the device and heated the air around it.
The representative, startled, fell backward in their chair and mumbled while getting up, "Oh…oh my. That is unbelievable."
And it was. Hidden in a corner of the ceiling, Owen was exerting the chosen one's power into the invention that Simo was presenting.
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