I Became a Genius Mechanic at the Academy

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The Swordmaster Illeia.

He has been sighing a lot these days.

It was a blunder to underestimate Edgar Fix and suggest merely taking him as a male concubine.

“That guy has a value greater than a Count’s family…”

At first, he thought of Edgar as just a talented commoner.

Martial strength, eloquence, situational judgment, politics, and social skills.

Although he wasn’t born into nobility, he was undoubtedly a genius whose capabilities were top-notch.

Because of this, Illeia had intended to introduce Edgar as Enya’s male concubine.

If that guy’s abilities and wisdom could support Enya, it was obvious that the Cruel family would thrive as the true strongest family in the Empire.

“No, he has the power to influence the Empire.”

However, Ed was more than that.

He possessed an immense potential capable of establishing a new noble family altogether.

As evidence, he had received an invitation from the Dwarfs this time.

This stubborn, inflexible race, amidst a cold war, had shown interest in Ed and sent an invitation to their Iron Hammer Exhibition, their own festival.

“He managed to move an entire allied kingdom just because of one person.”

This was an incredible feat.

The relations between nations and diplomatic direction could shift because of one person.

“A new market is forming around that guy.”

Moreover, while creating the extraordinary item known as ‘Graham’s North Wind,’ a new industry was being born.

To supply ‘Graham’s North Wind’ to the whole Empire, a mass production system had begun, bringing vitality back to the Empire’s previously stagnant blacksmiths.

In other words, thanks to the items he created, jobs were being generated, and the economy was circulating.

“I was foolish. The Great Mage and Her Highness the Princess weren’t wrong in their judgments.”

Indeed, the Great Mage was a Great Mage, and the royal family was the royal family.

A sigh escaped Illeia at the foresight of the two who had recognized that guy’s talent early on.

He had always prided himself on his ability to read people and situations, just like any other strategist, but now he saw it had all been mere arrogance.

“I wonder if our daughter is doing well…”

Given the circumstances, the Swordmaster had no choice but to rely on his daughter.

As the head of the Cruel family and a Swordmaster himself, it would be beneath him to change his mind and call him back again.

The only remaining method was for Enya, who had feelings for him, to win his heart and naturally invite him into their home.

Then, he could naturally apologize for the past and propose that he become a husband rather than just a concubine.

“To do that, she must be selected for this Dwarven delegation…”

The Dwarven delegation.

A tremendous opportunity for young men and women to stay in a foreign land for a whole seven days!

No matter how much political savvy he had, he was still just a teenage boy.

Where the sparks of his heart would land is impossible to know until it hits.

“Already, several families must have given their instructions…”

So if a head of a family who knew how to think was involved, they must have given their daughter such instructions.

She must be selected for this Dwarven delegation and win Edgar Fix’s heart.

Moreover, she must participate in this diplomatic event involving the imperial family to make a good impression.

Given how unusually high the competition was, with nearly every student participating, it was clear that such instructions had been given.

Even if it were a son, he probably would have been instructed to establish a friendly relationship with Edgar Fix.

“Enya… she must be chosen.”

Competitors were increasing one by one.

As that guy’s value soared, Enya had to ride that wave of success.

“Our Enya will definitely be chosen.”

However, Illeia wore a satisfied smile.

He had given Enya a kind of tip to help her secure a spot in the delegation.

If Enya honed that well, she would surely get selected for this Dwarven delegation!

“If our Enya gets picked for this delegation…”

Imagining Enya being selected for this process, a fantasy quickly formed in Illeia’s mind.

After the expedition of this delegation, his daughter would bring news that she was now dating that guy.

Then, he would invite both his daughter and that guy, support their relationship, and show a humble side of himself to the commoners to win their favor.

After that, as long as he efficiently managed those who would interfere with their relationship…

“Father-in-law.”

“Kahaha!!”

He would become that guy’s father-in-law.

Welcoming one of the most extraordinary talents in imperial history as his son-in-law.

If that were to happen, other Grand Duke families would surely cast envious glances and regret it.

“Wait for me, son-in-law Edgar. There’s so much I can offer you if you join our family…”

Thus, Illeia’s thoughts, which started with regret, spiraled into delusions.

In his mind, he was already picturing himself drunkenly dancing with Edgar, arms around each other.

With his grace and nobility, he would undoubtedly become both a good son-in-law and a true friend.

***

“Eliminated.”

Enya’s pupils dilated in shock.

Her heart dropped; it felt as if she had gazed into the eyes of Medusa and turned to stone.

The words that Edgar had casually uttered pierced her eardrums.

“Hu-huh. Hu-huh.”

Yet she couldn’t freeze in place now.

Enya took a deep breath, calming her wildly beating heart.

The person Edgar had declared eliminated was none other than candidate number 97.

It wasn’t herself back at number 98.

“Candidate number 98, please enter.”

However, as her number was called, the suppressed tension began to stir within her.

And as she stepped into the judging room, the face of the guy she had a crush on came into view, causing her previously calmed heart to race like a runaway train.

Her heart was pounding so fast that she could feel her face heating up.

“Candidate number 98, please introduce yourself.”

So, when it was time for her to introduce herself…

Enya couldn’t deliver the lines she had so diligently prepared.

Like a buffering AI voice, she could barely string coherent sentences together.

“I-I-I am… the only daughter of the Cruel family… Enya…”

It felt like her brain had short-circuited.

With no clue what she was saying, she spewed disjointed phrases.

Why was she this nervous?

Her feelings for Edgar had grown so immense that distracting thoughts gnawed at her cognition.

Even at this moment, she found herself foolishly thinking how handsome he was.

“……”

After her introduction, the expressions of Her Highness the Princess and the Great Mage were frosty.

Edgar looked at her with a pitying expression.

The world started spinning around her.

“No, I can’t… If it goes on like this, I’ll fail.”

This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

This wasn’t how she envisioned herself.

Originally, as the greatest beauty in the Cruel Territory and a genius in swordsmanship, her default state was one of confidence and acknowledgment.

That’s why she always spoke directly and carried a fierce determination in her gaze.

Boys her age merely admired her, trying to find ways to break the ice.

“How did I end up like this…”

But when she truly liked someone, she became such a mess.

Every night she would fantasize about holding hands and kissing with him, hugging her pillow to comfort herself in a pitiful state.

“I’m no different from those girls I used to look down on…”

She had become indistinguishable from those deluded girls lost in fantasy.

They had been distracted with similar emotions towards their fictional princes, neglecting self-improvement while living in a vein of daydreaming.

“Now I…”

She had turned into one of them.

As reality grew further away, her mind was still entangled in fantasies of a future with him.

Even now, his lips filled her vision, overlapping with her imagining herself passionately throwing themselves against him.

“So, um… the reason I decided to apply is… something, um… like the Empire’s introduction?”

This is a disaster.

Desires had completely swallowed her rationality.

Her intense longing for Edgar was warping her mind into grotesque daydreaming.

Her once-clear eyes were now hazy, spinning aimlessly, and the face that used to exude confidence was flushed red and melting away.

Becoming a fool in front of the person she liked was not an exception for Enya.

“I’m… going to fail…”

Elena and the Princess’s expressions were frigid.

Edgar scratched his head, looking doubtful.

However, as she drifted further from passing, Enya’s delusions began to run wild.

“It’s okay… even if I fail here, I’m still… closest to Edgar…”

The basis for this thought was her belief that she was Edgar’s closest friend.

Moreover, this delegation was just for a week, and the chances of anything major happening in that time were slim.

It might be better strategy to be the first to welcome him back from accumulate fatigue after a long journey.

Besides, her family was well known for their physical therapy that alleviated fatigue; providing such care for Edgar could earn her far more favor than the mere impact of the delegation.

As they had physical contact during the process, if he felt the same desire as her, perhaps her wild fantasies could become a reality.

“I… I should get to the dorm quickly…”

Thus, she wanted to wrap up this disastrous evaluation and return to the dormitory to continue her wandering thoughts.

She imagined scenarios like “What if a lucky coincidence happened during physical therapy, leading to something more mischievous” while rubbing her body against the pillow.

“Y-Yes…! What if I could use one of Edgar’s pillows while he’s away… that would feel better…”

Now she was even picturing herself sneaking into Edgar’s dorm while he was gone, hugging his pillow in a faceless fantasy.

In the midst of this, Elena threw a final question.

“…Please explain why you must be selected.”

…Why must she be chosen?

Now, there was no such thing.

Regardless, the examination had gone terribly, so she should hurry to her dorm to embrace her pillow and soothe her disappointment…

—The human will. The human’s will to seek order.

But at that moment,

Suddenly, something Edgar had once said pierced her mind.

And that voice served as a catalyst, recalling a conversation they had shared.

It was a trivial exchange from his lab one day.

—Ed, what are all these records?

—Huh?

—Here, these writings all neatly written by date. What are these records?

The multitude of records displayed on the screen.

In her memory, she had asked him about the document that was covered in X marks.

Then, when Edgar approached and smirked, he answered.

—Ah, that. It’s records of my experiments.

—…Experiment records? …But they’re all failures?

—Yeah. They’re all failures. It’s a bit of a tricky topic.

However, his response was unexpected.

He had always shown such success; now, he calmly spoke about his failures.

How hard must it have been for him to hide so many failures?

Edgar made her feel sympathetic.

—Must have been tough. I imagine recording those things could be painful.

—Hmm… Not really? It’s just natural.

Yet this time, his response was again surprising.

Surely failures were painful memories one would want to forget quickly, yet he treated them as a matter of course.

Enya asked him why.

—Natural? Writing down failures is natural to you?

—Yeah. It’s engineering and science. Accepting failures and documenting them increases the odds of success. Even if it was a failure, it’s still valuable data.

Valuable data, even if failure.

Enya felt she could begin to understand why Edgar was such an outstanding person.

He didn’t view his failures as a dark past; he fully accepted them, accurately recorded them, and used them as a stepping stone to success.

—Incredible. I find it hard to accept my failures.

On the other hand, she had been rejecting reality.

Being known as a genius in swordsmanship, she could not easily accept the wall of swordplay she faced for the first time.

—…Well, I’m the same in that regard. I get angry when the expected results don’t come out. But distorting or erasing the results makes it tough to measure accurately. If you interpret it however you want and try to fit values, that’s not science. That’s why sincerity is more important than anything in what I do.

For Edgar, the value he held dear was sincerity.

Accurately measuring and documenting phenomena to nourish the next attempt.

‘What am I doing…?’

But in the present.

She had completely forgotten that moment of realization and was running away from reality.

After all, the thought of failing the exam made her dive into fantasies of dating Edgar and secretly wanting to sneak into his dorm.

‘Let me not turn my back on the truth.’

Thus, Enya started to clearly see the reality before her.

She had shown a pathetic side until now, and it was clear that if she continued like this, she would drift even farther away from him.

So now, she began to think not of what she wanted, but what she needed to do.

To become the person Edgar needed.

To stand alongside him and be a person who remains unashamed.

“The reason I must be chosen…”

And so, with her mind now clear, Enya began to speak.

Her eyes, which had been hazy and spinning, were now sharp and focused.

Her flushed face, which had been melting away, now wore a strong expression.

The heat that had been concentrated in her chest and lower body was evenly dispersed throughout.

She began to articulate the reasons why she was necessary.

Edgar’s lips, which had remained tight, curved upwards.

***

Another member had been added.

Enya Cruel.

Although her self-introduction and the reason for applying had been a mess, she successfully convinced them of her absolute necessity for the delegation.

Surely, taking her along would be beneficial.

“Impressive.”

In truth, he had intended to eliminate her.

The Princess, who had been looking at her with a stiff expression, and Elena likely shared the same sentiment.

However, Enya had successfully turned the cooled atmosphere around.

With a sizable marble at hand, she began to demonstrate her prepared “Sword Dance.”

– Swish.

The reversal began at the moment she grasped the sword.

The tip pointed to the ground, a moment of silence engulfed the room.

Amidst this, Enya took a breath.

Opening her closed eyes wide, she began to move.

It was a dance-like form.

Smooth and flexible movements.

One of the Cruel family’s unique styles.

A manifestation of Enya’s innate talent.

It felt as though one might stop breathing in admiration.

The imagined adversary matched Enya’s prowess.

They exchanged strikes like a dance, with the elegance of a grand white serpent coiling and a white tiger dodging, seeking opportunities to strike.

This too was one of the Cruel family’s mastered sword techniques.

Delicate movements added depth to the martial arts.

—Slash!

Finally, the victor was determined.

The white serpent that had aimed to coil around the tiger had been torn to shreds.

That serpent was the marble that Enya had sliced through.

The moment Enya began her sword dance, the white marble became a massive white serpent.

Such was the dazzling nature of her sword dance that it could evoke such a vision.

—Swish, swish, swish, swish.

With adept wrist movements, Enya twirled her sword.

As though shaking off the opponent’s blood, the sword spun rapidly in the air.

In that state, Enya sheathed the sword.

With the grace of flowing water, the sword slipped back into its scabbard.

—Kugugugugung…

And simultaneously, the marble that had been sliced through crumbled.

Yet, the shedded marble revealed a Dwarf.

Iron Hammer.

Gracing the title of the founder of the Dwarf Kingdom and the god of blacksmithing, stood “Gretun Daglion.”

He retained the majesty of his life.

“……”

We all froze in place.

This was the very talent Enya had given up on, obsessed with the swordplay.

Illeia had every right to plead with her to give up on swordplay.

“….You’re accepted.”

Yet I already knew.

One day, Enya’s swordplay would reach this realm.

By then, just as today, everyone would recognize the beauty of her “one sword poured forth with all her might.”