I Became a Genius Mechanic at the Academy

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“The massacre was actually… Lord Edgar Fix.”

“…?”

And the statement that followed was even more shocking.

That murderer from earlier is the new lord being assigned here?

Everyone looked at the captain with expressions as if they had been shot.

“And the new lord has a profound hatred for the Church of Salvation. If you ever think of relying on them again, he said he would come with a double-barrel shotgun and a chainsaw.”

“…”

Silence.

Everyone stared blankly into space, their faces pale with fear.

The image of the new lord running wild, chopping limbs, flickered in front of their eyes.

“So… does this mean we have to go back to how things were before?”

Amidst the fearful expressions, a young man stepped forward.

With a quivering face, he looked at everyone and said next.

“Are we going back to that hellish life? The children begging on the streets, my sister and little sister selling their bodies for money. You want us to live that life again, where men die buried in collapsed mines?”

“…”

“I refuse! I’d rather die fighting! Let them come! I’d rather—”

– Whoosh!

But just then.

Before he could finish his words, an ominous sound pierced everyone’s ears.

The peculiar whooshing sound made by giant wings sweeping through the sky.

“Whoa, it’s here!”

Everyone looked up.

The enormous wings, spanning 6 meters on either side, cast a giant shadow over the ground as they blocked out the sun.

Edgar had returned once again after briefly leaving!

– Whoooosh! Swoosh───!

Finally, Edgar descended rapidly and landed with a graceful pose.

The young man who had been fervently arguing to fight Edgar was now sweating and quietly backing away.

As Edgar rose from the dust, he spoke.

【Gric. Did you explain everything clearly to everyone?】

“…Yes. I believe they understood well.”

Hearing Gric’s response, Edgar scanned the crowd.

In his hand, he held a chainsaw that was revving up.

Edgar then nodded and said.

【Then this won’t be necessary.】

With that, Edgar put the chainsaw into his inventory.

He then pulled out a huge table from his inventory and placed an enormous thermos on it.

It was a thermos filled with cool sweet rice drink.

It was designed so that when you pressed a button, the drink would come out.

【Everyone, take a cup. I have some things to set up.】

Saying this, Edgar opened his helmet and removed it.

The moment the villagers saw his face, their eyes widened in astonishment.

The identity of that demon was such a pretty young man.

“The way you use it is simple. Just place the cup under it and pull the lever—”

– Whoosh…

“Then the drink will come out from within. There’s enough for all of you to drink as much as you want.”

After explaining the general use of the thermos, Edgar began pulling out a massive steel structure from his inventory.

It was a frame to set up a PVC tent that could accommodate 500 people.

As Edgar connected the frames while constructing it, Gric said.

“…Look. The new lord has bestowed us drinks. Let’s raise a cup each.”

Gric shouted, drawing everyone’s attention by banging on the thermos.

Soon enough, the villagers awkwardly approached the thermos, receiving the sweet drink that Gric was handing out.

The cups were filled with sweet rice drink that still had ice in it.

“Slurp.”

The first person to take a sip tasted it.

A sweet flavor danced in their mouth, offering a refreshing sensation that spread throughout.

“What, what is this… What is this!!! Give me another cup!”

It was truly a mind-blowing taste.

It was a flavor they had never experienced in their lives.

Moreover, commoners had very few opportunities to enjoy ice, so sweet rice drink in the form of ice was nothing less than divine.

And so everyone began to praise the sweet rice drink.

“This, this is… This is truly…!!”

“Give me another cup!! Hurry!!”

“I feel like crying…”

“Damn, this is what life is!”

Smiles bloomed on everyone’s faces.

Unlike the nobles, the commoners who had to endure the scorching summer sun found this icy sweet rice drink to be a savior.

– Swoosh! Swoosh!

In the meantime, Edgar was installing the PVC tent.

Given that it was a massive tent needing to accommodate 500 people, it involved a lot of work, but for Edgar, equipped with magic and advanced technology, it was not so difficult.

Moreover, he had Fix, who helped him.

“Whoosh~!”

Thus, Edgar and Fix rapidly completed the frame.

They connected steel beams and sprayed carbon nanotubes to secure the two steel beams together.

“Almost done.”

As a result, they completed the basic frame in less than an hour.

Now, all that was left was to drape a canopy over the frame and connect everything tightly.

Edgar finished that process in about an hour.

“Now, what’s left…”

Once they installed mana lamps inside and air conditioning, it would be complete.

Finally, after finishing all that work, Edgar called everyone inside.

Under the soft glow of the mana lamps, the peasants’ faces lit up with ecstatic expressions as they enjoyed the cool air from the air conditioning.

“Wow… This, this is…”

“Insane…”

“Wow… Wow…”

Those who had endured the brutally hot weather every summer throughout their lives.

Moreover, the residents of this region had poorer living conditions than those in other areas, making them more susceptible to the heat.

People even died from the heat at times.

“Wow… This really feels like…”

Therefore, this place was truly a paradise.

In this place where six makeshift mana air conditioners were fully operational, the winds of heaven blew.

As everyone drank sweet rice drink and basked in the air conditioning, Edgar opened his mouth.

Everyone focused their attention on him.

“I won’t say much.”

Edgar began with his first words as he surveyed the villagers.

As he paused for a moment, he continued.

“I am one of the wealthiest in the Empire. However, there is no one in the world who surpasses my technological prowess.”

“…”

“Serve me with loyalty. Then, I will show you what the power of money can do. Everything you wear, everything you eat. All of it will change. I will make sure you sleep even in the sweltering summer under this refreshing breeze.”

The villagers’ eyes began to sparkle with excitement.

He said he would show them what the power of money could do.

Their hearts were already racing with anticipation.

Is this what they call financial healing?

“Of course, there will be a price to pay. You will work for me for eight hours a day. Lunch will be provided, but unfortunately, your wages won’t be very high.”

Wages?

The villagers doubted their ears.

After having worked like slaves without a penny, would they actually receive wages?

“C-can I ask how much…?”

“Hmm… I won’t know the exact amount until later, but I will give you at least 600,000 Orden a month. I’m sorry I can’t offer more.”

“…?”

They questioned their ears.

600,000 Orden a month???

That amount was almost a top-tier treatment.

Was Edgar Fix actually an angel?

“Of course, meals will also be provided. Since it’s hard labor, you will be given meat for every meal.”

“?????”

Right.

This person was not a demon but indeed an angel.

An angel that chops limbs with a double-barrel shotgun and chainsaw!

“For now, that’s all I can promise. Will you follow me?”

As Edgar’s question lingered, the villagers reached a unanimous conclusion.

Without a doubt, they decided to follow Edgar.

‘The Church of Salvation? What kind of moron believes in that?’

And among them was the young man who had passionately insisted on fighting to not abandon the Church of Salvation.

Having tasted the joy of sweet rice drink + air conditioning, he no longer felt the need for the Church of Salvation.

After all, when presented with the choice between ‘filling one’s belly with icy sweet rice drink while enjoying the air conditioning’ and ‘sweating bullets spreading the word of the Church of Salvation,’ the answer was already decided.

“Edgar Fix! Long live!!”

“New lord!! Long live!!!”

And so, Edgar drew the villagers, who had once despised the nobility, to his side.

It was the moment 500 SCVs were born.

***

At the same time.

In the southern port city of the Empire, a ship from the Clendor Kingdom was docked.

Recently, the Empire had requested assistance from the Clendor Kingdom while embarking on an expedition to the ‘Sea Wall.’

– Creeeak…

Soon after, the hatch of the Clendor battleship, the world’s strongest warship, opened, and a massive bridge extended out.

Elena and Illeya, who had come to greet them at the front of the ship, felt an overwhelming sensation at the majestic presence of the battleship.

– Thud… Thud…

Soon, various groups of people began to walk out from inside the battleship.

Leading them was ‘Leon Clendor,’ accompanied by his guards, secretary, and attendants as they appeared together.

Elena and Illeya bowed respectfully, greeting Prince ‘Leon Clendor’ of the Clendor Kingdom.

“Thank you for responding to the Empire’s request. I am the Great Mage Elena, in charge of this expedition—.”

“By the way.”

However, Leon interrupted Elena’s words with a frown.

He then looked around before speaking.

“Isn’t the princess supposed to come out to greet me? I was certainly invited by the princess…”

He lamented, clearly feeling slighted by the lack of a proper welcome.