The news of the invention of a mana engine, not a steam engine, spread far and wide. The contamination of the World Tree, the signs of devil summoning, and the revelation of the Reaper had already caused quite a stir, but the mana engine took it to a whole new level.
As a result, it was safe to say that the emergence of the mana engine attracted even more attention than before. The invention of the mana engine meant that it wouldn’t be long before the steam locomotives from Xenon’s Biography became a reality.
When steam locomotives appeared in Xenon’s Biography, people easily dismissed them as mere fiction, but deep down, everyone had thought about it at least once. Even though it was purely imagination, they believed that if it were invented, it could lead to tremendous progress. Steam locomotives held unimaginable potential.
However, since everyone simply regarded it as “imagination,” they were far from taking it seriously. Except, perhaps, for eccentric dwarves that might appear in novels.
And now, with the invention of the crucial part of the steam locomotive, the steam engine, or rather the mana engine, it was enough to capture the attention of leaders from around the world. Already, they had dispatched high-ranking officials to establish contracts with the inventor of the magical engine, Einse.
Since steam locomotives, or rather mana locomotives was invented, it can undoubtedly provide significant economic and military power to the country. Moreover, mana locomotives would have a great impact not only on science but also on “culture.”
Despite the existence of refrigerators and air conditioners, the concept of machinery in this world has been scarce. The reason for this is that the proportion of “magic” occupying the principles of complex inventions has been high.
The invention of the mana engine could be seen as presenting a new culture. The result can be predicted when comparing the complexity of industrialization before and after the Industrial Revolution.
Therefore, the nobles of each country made an irresistible offer to Einse in order to monopolize the mana locomotives together with the mana engine, but…
[Instead of me, go directly to Xenon and obtain permission. I may be the creator, but without his book, I would never have been able to invent it.]
[I don’t know what kind of future he came from, but Xenon was the one who first thought of the concept of “railway.” As long as there’s a railway, mana locomotives can go anywhere, not just one-way. This is something that can only be imagined by someone from the future.]
[As much as I’d like to claim ownership, if it weren’t for Xenon’s Biography, I would have been just an ordinary dwarf. Once I invent the steam locomotive, also known as the manal locomotive, we can talk then.]
Oddly enough, Einse unexpectedly stated that he doesn’t have ownership over the engine himself. While it’s certain that he is the creator, he believed the ownership belongs to me.
It’s not because the concept of patents didn’t exist. This eccentric dwarf genuinely thought that he didn’t have ownership over the mana engine. The reason behind this was quite absurd. Let’s take a look.
[If Xenon’s Biography is truly a prophecy, the eccentric dwarf in the book would have been my disciple, not me. So I have taken away the invention of my future disciple.]
[So, even if I invent the mana locomotive in the future, I will follow Xenon’s words. I hope you don’t come bothering me for a while since I need to accelerate the invention of the mana locomotive.]
Hahaha! I burst out laughing at Einse’s humor… No, wait, what on earth is this nonsense?
As far as I’m concerned, it was an answer that could only leave me dumbfounded. I didn’t even know the structure of a steam engine, let alone mana engine, yet he claimed that I have ownership. It felt like I’d been handed a bomb to avoid trouble.
Regardless, it’s only natural that the number of people seeking me has surged for these reasons. Even the creator of the mana engine has transferred ownership to me. My value has skyrocketed to unimaginable heights.
That’s not all. Not only am I being treated as a prophet or a regressor, but the scope of people searching for me was narrowing.
[If Xenon is truly from the future, could he possibly be a young person now?]
[Considering the constraints, it’s likely that he didn’t reveal himself as Xenon to others. He could have been living among us.]
[The exact period of Xenon’s Biography is not well-known, but it’s certain that several decades would have passed from now.]
Since he came from the future, it has been suggested that he might not be an old sage or scholar, but surprisingly a young person. It was a moment that couldn’t help but make my heart race.
Though it was a situation akin to accidentally stepping on a mouse while taking a step back, the fact that the scope was narrowing is a situation that cannot be ignored. The only reason I’ve been able to evade suspicion until now was precisely because of this.
However, at this point where even the scope is gradually narrowing, we have reached a point where I could no longer escape the noose. This alone was a distressing situation, but…
“Isaac, sir.”
“Yes?”
“Are you truly someone who came from the future?”
“… …”
Some of my acquaintances have begun to suspect me as a prophet or a person from the future, just like the Siris I summoned now.
I looked at Siris with a facial expression that indicated I was at a loss for words in response to his question. Yesterday, Marie, Cecily, and even Rina seriously asked, and now Siris was doing the same thing.
Although the three mentioned earlier were originally treating it as a joke, the coincidences, especially the mana engine, began to raise suspicions. Except for Marie, they didn’t seem to believe me even if I insisted it wasn’t true.
Fortunately, daily life itself hadn’t changed, but the stress was becoming unbearable. And now, Siris was asking me as well, driving me crazy.
“…Absolutely not. I’m not a time traveler or anything. I don’t know anything. I really don’t know.”
“There’s a saying that strong denial is often a sign of affirmation.”
“But I’m telling you, it’s not true. I don’t know if I told you, but if I were a time traveler, I would have invested in stocks or something. Or I would have manipulated the market and made a fortune.”
“Well… I understand.”
I replied like that, but once again, she didn’t seem to believe me. I pressed my temples with my fingers and let out a frustrated sigh.
The reason I called Siris was to receive books related to the beastmen and also to consult with her. The content of Volume 14 was that the heroes of the Elven side and the Dark Elf side join forces to destroy the World Tree that became the nourishment for the Great Demon Diablo in Xenon’s Biography.
It was a surprisingly practical strategy, combining the power of light wielded by the Elves and the power of darkness wielded by the Dark Elves to create a massive explosion. However, I hadn’t heard any reports of it actually being used, so I wanted to ask Siris about it.
“…First, please give me the books.”
“Here they are.”
“Thank you. How is Arwen these days?”
“She’s very busy. The Council insists on seeing Sir Isaac every day, so it’s a difficult situation in various ways.”
“Just hearing about it makes me dizzy.”
I roughly sensed that the reason the Council of Elders was looking for me was for propaganda purposes. With the support for the Queen already increasing due to my speech, the Council of Elders themselves must be well aware that their position is becoming increasingly precarious.
However, due to my accidental role as the savior of Alvenheim, they now saw me as their chosen one. Moreover, with the appearance of signs of devil summoning afterward, they probably have a vague sense of what might happen.
And the Council of Elders was seeking me out to exploit that. In fact, the public opinion within Alvenheim was forming in a way that strongly suggested they must find me, as the sentiment towards me among the Alvenheim residents has reached its peak.
If Arwen approves, that’s a problem in itself, but if she disapproves, it could potentially lower the support rate that we painstakingly gained. The cunning Council of Elders was taking advantage of that.
“Is it impossible for Arwen to keep blocking?”
“Maybe… I think it’ll be difficult. It seems that the weight is leaning towards the idea that the people of Alvenheim should find Sir Isaac and repay their gratitude.”
“Why don’t they believe it even if it’s a coincidence?”
“No matter how coincidental it may be, coincidences don’t happen four times in a row.”
As I grumbled, Siris immediately interjected. I turned my head to look at her, who was staring at me with a resolute expression rather than an expressionless one. I was tired of saying it’s not true anymore.
Rather than proving that I am not from the future through my own efforts, wouldn’t it be faster for a God to directly certify it? I had no idea what the gods were doing at this crucial moment when the world was shaking.
‘I should visit a temple soon.’
Even though I can’t during weekdays, I could obtain a permit from the supervising professor and go outside the academy on weekends. Since I have been appointed as a recommended student, getting a permit from Elena will be enough.
I felt a little burdened because I didn’t have anyone to go with, but I heard that the people at the temple are all friendly, so there shouldn’t be any problems as long as I find my way there.
“Well, anyway, I understand. The reason I called you here is that, although you probably have a rough idea, I have some questions to ask.”
“Do we really need to ask?”
“Wouldn’t I just omit you from the book if you keep talking about me being a time traveler or whatever?”
“… …”
Siris pressed her lips tightly when I brought that up and silently pouted. She looked kind of cute with that expression.
Seeing her like that, I exhaled lightly through my nose and spoke the words I wanted to say.
“Dark Elves use power from Mora, right? The power of darkness, so to speak?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“And Elves use the power of light obtained from Luminous.”
“Yes.”
Then, one might wonder which elves utilize the remaining deity of nature, Hart. In the case of Hart, being nature itself, there were no separate priests within Alvenheim, and managing the World Tree alone was sufficient.
Instead, there was a race that worshiped Hart, and they are the beastmen. They used a unique power called “shamanism” to substitute for magic. Shamanism allowed them to make it rain from a clear sky or summon thunderbolts, literally borrowing power from nature. It was natural for them to worship Hart.
“So, is it possible to forcefully combine these two powers and cause a massive explosion? Not only that, but to forcibly merge opposing energies and utilize their counterforce to create a huge explosion.”
“Hmm…”
“You can use both martial arts and divine power. That’s why I’m asking.”
There was always a saying that came up when explaining elves. A race chosen by the gods. As they are chosen by the gods, they could freely use divine power, or in other words, holy power. Each elf warrior can be seen as both a powerful warrior and a cleric.
Of course, each one has their own specialized power. There were warriors specialized in close combat, wizards proficient in magic, and clerics with exceptionally strong holy power. Commonly referred to as “all-rounders” were only warriors. Moreover, being an elf made them only versatile, but if they were humans, they would be considered multi-talented abilities.
Siris listened to my question and seemed to ponder it deeply before quietly opening her mouth seemingly intrigued.
“Quite… an intriguing idea. Although there has never been a fusion of the powers of light and darkness, I’m not entirely sure, but it could harness the counterforce that would emerge when the opposing energies combine…”
“Has no one ever come up with such an idea until now?”
“Well, until just now, I believed that the powers of light and darkness could never be combined.”
This could be problematic. As I mentioned before, I wanted to uphold the rigor of the logic in this world at the very least.
To shatter a colossal world tree even thicker than most skyscrapers, an immense explosive force was required. So, I thought, what if two high-level warriors joined forces and self-destructed?
‘…Wait a moment. Joining forces?’
A feeling akin to lightning passing through my mind.
In a folklore game famous in my past life, there was a renowned character. A unit that would shout the legendary catchphrase, “With overwhelming power!” while annihilating countless enemies.
The setting was that two units sacrificed themselves and became a massive energy mass. But would it be applicable here?
Moreover, in a history spanning over 3,000 years, there was not a single record of two elves combining their powers to become an energy mass. It sounded like a story that would only exist in a “novel.”
‘Since devils will obstruct their path to the world tree, and the Seven Sins will likely do the same…’
The plausibility was reasonable enough. Frankly, even if the warriors were exceptionally strong, it would be somewhat challenging to break through all the Seven Sins.
As an added measure, incorporating a plot where the elves receive a nationalistic boost should pose no problem. Warriors sacrificing themselves for the homeland were revered as noble, regardless of their race.
I nodded with satisfaction as a more plausible storyline came to mind. For the elves, such an ending would be considered honorable.
‘But just in case…’
I knew I had to ask Siris and Arwen first. I looked at Siris, who was waiting calmly, and asked her a question.
“Siris, have you ever heard the story of two elves sacrificing themselves to become a single energy entity? By the way, I’m asking out of genuine curiosity. It’s definitely not future knowledge or anything like that.”
“I’ve never heard of such a story.”
Siris is older than Arwen. If Siris didn’t know, then there’s a high chance Arwen didn’t either.
I breathed a sigh of relief internally and decided it would be okay to include it. Although most of the elements, excluding the mana engine, were stories that could potentially exist, the “union” was entirely a fictional concept.
The books I had read so far were the same. I couldn’t find any records of two units merging into one like in a certain space game.
“I see. It’s still a good idea to ask Arwen just in case.”
“I’ll ask her once and come back.”
“Sure.”
After that, Siris left to ask Arwen.
“Even the Queen doesn’t know.”
“Really? Well, that’s a relief.”
Fortunately, the answer came back that even Arwen didn’t know about the “union.”
However, if I had thought a little deeper, it would have been nice to realize that both Arwen and Siris, as part of the “new generation,” belonged to the “young elves.”
‘For now, I should visit the temple this weekend.’
A span of 3,000 years was more than enough time for records to be lost.
