I Became a Genius Mechanic at the Academy

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“Charlotte?”

Edgar immediately set down the flask and stepped out of the laboratory.

However, there was no one at the entrance of the laboratory where he expected Charlotte to be.

He must have left while Edgar was busy researching another chemical formula.

“Fix, are you sure Charlotte came?”

“Woo-woo-woo~!”

“Hmmm…”

Thus, Edgar looked around the hallway again.

But there was no sign of anyone, no shadows either.

The hallway, intermittently illuminated by flashes of thunder, was engulfed in silence.

***

Charlotte’s room.

Charlotte was reflecting on her own weaknesses.

From this incident, she realized that life’s hardships didn’t only come to her, but that Edgar too was someone who shared the same troubles.

‘Ed…’

Yet, Charlotte felt she was being quite shallow.

While she felt pity for the sobbing Edgar, she was greatly comforted by his tears.

She had thought he was someone unreachable in the divine realm, but now she understood he too suffered setbacks and frustrations like anyone else.

“But Edgar didn’t give up.”

Nevertheless, Edgar was still Edgar.

Despite enduring so many failures, didn’t he eventually succeed?

In the end, the difference between those who can shine and those who cannot was simply the difference in willpower.

An unwavering heart that doesn’t break even after facing countless failures.

Only that heart guides one to a brilliant future timeline.

“Ed… praised himself.”

Then, what must one do to obtain that unyielding heart?

Charlotte was able to glean hints from Edgar’s words.

Once he achieved the result he wanted, he mentally rewarded himself by saying, “Hey, Fix did well.”

Calling out the name of his family, which he hadn’t changed even after becoming a noble, solidified his self-esteem.

“Verdian, you can do it too!”

Thus, Charlotte tried to imitate Edgar.

Like a baby babbling while observing its parents.

She decided to follow after Edgar, whom she admired.

First, she needed to boost her own spirits and forge her own resolve.

“My method is flawed.”

And then she needed to provide feedback.

In Edgar’s research diary, failures were abundantly recorded.

Each failure came with notes for feedback.

Instead of just feeling disheartened, he documented the causes of his failures and proposed hypotheses for success.

Charlotte found Edgar’s scientific approach refreshing and was greatly impressed.

“Why didn’t anyone buy flowers…?”

Thus, Charlotte decided to revisit her failures.

She closed her eyes and imagined herself selling flowers.

“……”

It was the worst.

Overall, she lacked confidence, giving off a gloomy impression, and stammered her words.

Her hair was an uncontrollable mess of unkempt curls, and the design of her glasses looked clumsy and poor.

Who would buy flowers from someone like this?

-Swoosh.

So, Charlotte took out the curling iron that Edgar had gifted her.

Then she began to tidy her hair with a comb and started curling it.

It didn’t come out as beautifully as Edgar’s, but still, she washed her hair and tried again.

Curl, wash, and repeat.

She continued this process.

“……”

As a result, she achieved a hairstyle somewhat similar to what Edgar had styled for her.

If only she took off her glasses, her face wouldn’t be half bad.

“My, my skin…”

Charlotte’s skin was dry and freckled.

She hadn’t taken care of it.

So Charlotte took out the cosmetics Edgar had also gifted her.

She applied some basic foundation, smoothing her skin’s texture.

It was far too apparent that she was wearing makeup.

“Again.”

Thus, Charlotte re-applied her makeup.

She would wash and apply until she achieved the desired outcome, repeating the washing and applying process just like Edgar did.

By the end, she was able to wear makeup that looked quite decent.

“Now I need to decide on the flowers I’ll sell.”

Having groomed herself, it was time to fix the flawed product.

Charlotte began to ponder how she would change the flowers she would sell.

“Ah!”

Then, a suitable idea came to her.

This product might surely sell.

Charlotte threw herself into research to create that product.

***

The next night.

Charlotte, with her hair done and dressed up nicely, headed out to the square.

Perhaps because of the rainstorm that passed through last night, the air outside was cool and refreshing.

She couldn’t shake the feeling that something good would happen today.

“Hmm. Ahem.”

But that was contingent on her perfectly performing the task at hand.

Charlotte cleared her throat and recalled all the things she had practiced countless times yesterday.

Facial expressions, gestures, posture, voice.

Remembering everything she had rehearsed to win people’s favor, she envisioned the image she needed to embody.

While channeling Enya’s bright energy, she strove to maintain the nobility and elegance of Isabella.

She neatly combined the strengths of both into her inner self.

‘Verdian, you can do it!’

Finally, Charlotte shouted a chant towards Edgar and opened her eyes wide.

Holding a glowing flower basket, she began approaching her customers.

The expressions of the customers were vastly different from yesterday.

***

She was a beautiful woman.

The woman seen through the eyes of the man walking down the street for a dinner appointment.

Charlotte, dressed up to the nines, was undeniably mesmerizing to anyone who laid eyes on her.

“It’s lovely weather today, isn’t it? Are you off to meet your sweetheart?”

At that moment, Charlotte elegantly smiled and spoke to the man.

The man, momentarily entranced by Charlotte’s smile, stared at her face for a while before belatedly scratching his head and responding accordingly.

Charlotte smiled gently and pulled a flower from her basket.

“Hehe. How about giving your handsome date a flower as a gift? It’s a flower that blooms even more beautifully at night, so your sweetheart is sure to love it.”

With those words, Charlotte lightly waved the flower.

As she did, a bright light began to emanate from the flowers, and a delightful fragrance wafted through the air.

It was the “glow flower” that Charlotte had developed throughout the day.

“What is this…?”

“It’s a glow flower. There’s not another one like it in this world.”

Charlotte said this as she proffered the flower.

The man, taken aback, received the flower and sniffed it.

The scent was one that naturally uplifted one’s mood.

“Isn’t it nice? It has been specially treated with magic to clear the mind.”

“…How much does it cost?”

“Hehe. Thirty thousand Orden.”

“Hmm. Thirty thousand Orden…”

“Of course, that includes the wrapping. If you write your beloved’s name on this wrapping and rub it…”

-Fwooosh!

“It will glow with their name on it! What do you think?”

Finishing her pitch with a bright smile, Charlotte couldn’t help but beam.

The man smiled back at Charlotte’s infectious grin that brightened his mood.

He then pulled out the wallet he had kept close to him.

Finally, a proper first transaction began.

***

Three days later.

Thanks to her recent sales, Charlotte had managed to save up a considerable amount of money.

Her glow flower became well-known, attracting customers of all ages.

“I-I-I…”

She felt flabbergasted.

The once inconsequential her was now handling such a significant amount of money through her own efforts.

“Everyone… it’s thanks to Ed.”

Charlotte muttered as she gazed at the curling iron and diamond necklace sitting on her desk.

Thanks to that gift from Edgar.

And due to the human side of Edgar she had stumbled upon by chance.

She was able to rise again and, for the first time in her life, create a result she could truly be proud of.

She gained the ability to pay her academy registration fee without relying on others.

“Gi-giving a gift…”

So, Charlotte decided to buy a present.

Since she had only received gifts from Edgar until now, she wanted to do something nice for him with the money she had earned for the first time.

“H-How much is this?”

“Seventy thousand Orden.”

“I’ll take this.”

And so, Charlotte bought a high-quality journal made of fine fabric and leather.

She hoped that this journal would be filled only with records of her successes, so she bought it for Edgar to write in.

“Here, let me add some fragrance…”

Then Charlotte infused some scent into the journal.

Even when documenting her failures, she wanted to provide a sense of comfort with a calming aroma.

“It’s done…”

With that, Charlotte completed the gift for Edgar.

Looking it over from all angles, flipping it open and reviewing it carefully.

She wondered if Edgar would like a gift like this, but she didn’t think it was bad.

Because there was no journal with a soothing fragrance like this in the world.

“……Ugh.”

Yet, suddenly, tears began to flow.

After finally gaining the qualifications to stand by Edgar’s side.

On such a joyous day, why were tears welling up with overwhelming emotion?

“Ooooh… Huh… Huh… Hahhh…”

She couldn’t understand why.

Charlotte just hugged the gift she prepared for Edgar and continued to cry.

After crying and crying, Charlotte seemed to come to understand why she was crying.

She was letting it all out.

All the memories and feelings that had suppressed her self-esteem.

As she reflected on those bitter and lonely moments, she was releasing it all.

Healing the wounds of a heart hurt by unrequited love with the feelings of warmth for someone else.

The long growing pains had finally come to an end.

“Ahhhhh… Hahhhahhh…”