I Became a Genius Mechanic at the Academy

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Dwarf Dagran.

He was bestowed with the title of ‘artisan’ and is the creator of the holy sword ‘Guide of Emotions.’

Originally lacking any significant talent, he was often disregarded among the dwarven blacksmiths, but he rose to prominence that year by crafting the ‘Guide of Emotions.’

This was a remarkable achievement, as no one had ever created a weapon that utilized emotions as an energy source.

However, what made him a star was not merely the creation of this great weapon.

The ‘reason’ behind the creation of that weapon made him a star.

So, what was that reason?

It was love.

The love for a human knight.

The timeline goes back 40 years.

In an era when the Empire and the Dwarf Alliance Kingdom maintained a friendly relationship, the knights of the Empire were often dispatched to the Dwarf Alliance Kingdom to offer assistance.

During that time, the Dwarf Alliance Kingdom was busy securing new silver mines, necessitating protection against monsters encountered in the process.

It was then that Dwarf Dagran met human knight Reina.

While Dagran and his comrades were climbing the mountain, leading laborers for the mine, they were ambushed by a large monster known as the ‘Snow Beast,’ and it was Reina who saved him from the brink of death.

“Ugh!”

“Ar-are you okay!?”

However, during that process, Reina sustained an injury to her leg.

It was a severe injury that would leave her immobile for at least several months.

The Snow Beast had a corrupt substance in its body that rendered healing magic ineffective.

“I’m sorry. I got hurt trying to save you…”

“…”

Reina, who got injured trying to save him.

But Reina’s companions didn’t care about her condition at all.

Instead, they mocked her, saying, “At least she knows how to look pained,” and ignored her.

When Dagran confronted them angrily, they replied:

“Don’t poke your nose in if you don’t know anything. It’s actually a good thing she got injured. We were worried we might be stuck with her in the same party anyway, so this works out.”

After leaving those words, they abandoned Reina and continued up the mountain.

Dagran’s own companions hurried off too, needing to find the mina before nightfall.

Unable to leave Reina alone, Dagran decided to stay by her side.

However, her reaction was frigid.

“What are you doing here? You’re not going back with the others?”

“…Huh?”

“We’re merely in a contractual relationship. I’ve fulfilled my duty of protecting you. But you’re not fulfilling yours.”

“No, it’s just that I was worried about you…”

“Go find the mina. You need to discover it for my pay to go up based on our agreement. You being here doesn’t help me in the slightest.”

…Hah.

It was absurd.

She was making him feel bad after he stayed by her side out of concern.

Yet, it was true that because of him, she got hurt, so Dagran tried to calm his anger.

He sat down beside her and said,

“You have a bit of a temper. I may lack skills but I have a touchy personality and have been bullied too. We can be buddies amongst outcasts.”

“…”

Reina stared at Dagran with a blank expression.

Eventually, she averted her gaze and said,

“I’m not angry.”

Not angry?

That was an unexpected answer.

He had thought her companions were ignoring her because of her unique way of speaking, but it seemed not to be the case.

“Then what? It can’t be because of your skills. You took down the Snow Beast alone.”

Dagran spoke up with curiosity, trying to break the ice.

Given that it would take at least half a day for her companions to return, he hoped to fill the dull time with conversation.

“…”

But Reina remained silent.

She seemed uninterested in conversing, merely staring straight ahead and keeping her mouth shut.

Thus, Dagran, eager to avoid being embarrassed, also forced himself to look forward.

Now he was stuck enduring this tedious time without the chance to move.

“…It’s just that I’m different from others.”

But then, unexpectedly, she replied.

It came after a good ten minutes of silence.

Yet Dagran didn’t let that faze him.

He carefully observed Reina.

What exactly made her different from others?

She wasn’t unattractive.

In fact, from a human perspective, she had a face that could be considered beautiful.

With pale skin and vibrant blonde hair.

Long eyelashes framing her eyes.

But there was no vitality in her face.

Her gaze looked lifeless.

Now that he thought about it, she hadn’t shown any expression while climbing the mountain.

In the midst of this, she expressed what seemed to be an anticipated response.

“I cannot feel emotions.”

“…”

He had somewhat anticipated it, but it left him mentally stunned.

To not feel emotions.

But as if to justify her statement, she continued,

“It’s a good trait for a knight. I won’t make mistakes driven by emotions.”

“…”

“Thanks to that, I survived. When a comrade I had for four years fell into a pitfall and everyone rushed to save them, I was able to remain rational and live. Had I panicked and rushed in like the others, we all would have been wiped out.”

Dagran nodded.

He began to understand why she was alienated.

“What happened to you?”

“Fate. They say I was born with a brain injury. My parents discovered it too late to treat it.”

…Fate.

That word felt strangely sorrowful to Dagran.

Had she accepted this life as her destiny?

“At first, everyone makes that face.”

At that moment, Reina stared at him with her expressionless face.

She was referring to his expression.

“This, this face…?”

“Yes. The expression of pity.”

“…Ah. I apologize for that.”

“It’s alright. I don’t feel anything anyway.”

“…”

“Over time, you too will come to despise me. Even then, I won’t feel anything. Nothing will change.”

It really seemed like that would be the case.

She maintained a blank face throughout their conversation.

Yet for some reason, Dagran felt that her deadpan demeanor held a sorrow that was inexplicably apparent.

As if she was deeply hiding her sorrows inside.

“You saved my life.”

And thus, Dagran made an impulsive resolution.

He stated that commitment, which seemed utterly impossible.

“So one day, I will make you smile. Even if just for a moment, I want you to feel the emotion of joy.”

“…”

But she stared at him with her emotionless face.

With not even a twitch of expression.

Eventually, she averted her gaze and casually muttered,

“It will be impossible.”

“…”

…Impossible.

However, her words sparked something within Dagran.

Her dwarf-like stubbornness was touched, igniting his determination to make her smile.

From that moment onwards, Dagran became obsessed with finding a way to make Reina smile.

***

“Stay at my home. I’ll have a servant assigned to help you recover.”

After descending from the snowy mountains, Dagran proposed one thing to Reina.

Inviting her to his home for her recovery.

This was also aimed at investigating why she couldn’t feel emotions.

“If you pay me, of course.”

But her response was rather unique.

Typically, one would question why they were bringing a woman to their home, yet Reina simply asked for money.

“How much will it take?”

“Fifty thousand Arden a day. Of course, I only accept imperial currency.”

“…Fine.”

However, Dagran had plenty of money.

He was the son of one of the five leading families in the Dwarf Alliance Kingdom.

In other words, he could have been crowned a king.

The problem was that he had absolutely no interest in the throne.

“I will provide accommodation. Follow me.”

Thus began their peculiar cohabitation.

Reina utilized mana to guide her crutches along and was assigned suitable lodging for a human.

A month passed since they began to live together.

“Hehe… Seems like the usual approach just won’t cut it.”

Dagran let out a self-deprecating laugh as he sank into the sofa.

Reina, sitting on the bed, stared at Dagran, who was holding his forehead with a blank expression.

Eventually, Reina spoke.

“Should I terminate the contract?”

“…No. Not yet.”

Dagran had attempted countless ways to make Reina smile.

Yet all of those methods resulted in failure.

Not even the supremely popular joke books or famous clowns, delicious food, fragrant flowers, or even the legendary holy sword could coax a smile from Reina.

But Dagran didn’t give up.

He decided to use a good old dwarven approach.

He would create equipment that could make her smile.

“I swear that I will make you laugh, no matter what!!!”

Thus began the stubborn resolve of the dwarf.

Day and night, Dagran’s forge burned brightly.

During the day, he would engage Reina in conversation about emotions, and at night, he would focus on crafting equipment to stimulate feelings.

Born as the son of a chief responsible for one leg of the Dwarf Alliance Kingdom, he had spent countless monotonous days, but for the first time, he ignited a passion towards something.

Making Reina smile became his most important goal.

“…Your face is looking pretty battered.”

And then one day.

Dagran entered Reina’s room, his face a bloody mess.

Yet Reina seemed uninterested.

After glancing at him, she resumed focusing on the book she had in front of her.

Dagran plopped down on the sofa and said to Reina,

“Aren’t you curious? Why my face looks like this?”

“…”

Reina looked up.

With her emotionless face, she inquired.

“Why does it look like that?”

“…”

Snicker— Dagran couldn’t help but laugh.

After already living together for over three months, she still maintained such a nonchalant attitude; it was a bit disappointing.

Dagran spoke.

“…A comrade who came with you said you were a money-obsessed lunatic. That you could sell your body to a dwarf if it meant making money. I couldn’t just sit still. A knight should never trample on another’s honor, and while I knew it was wrong, I felt compelled to take my own form of vengeance.”

Dagran spoke, hoping that Reina would recognize what he had done.

That he fought against that filthy scumbag because of her.

Even if he hadn’t landed a single hit and had suffered this humiliation, he wanted her to understand that he fought to protect her honor.

Only then could he regain his own dignity that had been crushed.

“You did something pointless.”

But her response was shocking.

In her cold, expressionless manner, she said,

“I do not feel shame. The reason I could abandon my comrade and run was that I felt no attachment and no shame in fleeing.”

“…”

“Why would you do such a thing? Even if he said those words, it wouldn’t affect me at all. The truth is, as long as I can make money, that’s enough. If you were to demand my body, I would request a fee—”

“Enough!”

Dagran shouted as he sprang to his feet.

Gasping for breath, he looked at Reina.

Reina met his gaze with her emotionless face.

“I told you. You would come to despise me as well.”

“…”

“Should I terminate the contract?”

Looking into Reina’s unfaltering eyes, Dagran felt a sinking sensation.

It felt as though all his efforts had been in vain.

However, apart from that feeling, he gained a realization.

He was certain that he had fallen in love with her.

Otherwise, these emotions wouldn’t be swelling within him so strongly.

“…You know nothing about the stubbornness of dwarves. Just wait. I will surely make you smile.”