I asked Doloren.
"That speech, where did you get it?"
"This? They were selling it at the market."
I was flabbergasted. I asked her.
"Why on earth?"
"How would I know? If you're curious, go and ask yourself. They're probably still selling it."
Just as Doloren said, this was something I couldn't let go without verifying. I immediately headed out of the Magic Tower. I didn't bother with a disguise.
The people at the foundation knew what I looked like thanks to the statue, but the general public didn't. My destination was the market street in front of the Bell Tower, where I had solved my first commission. I pushed through the crowd and darted through the market. And then I found it.
"Come on! Almost sold out! The moving speech by Isaac Upperhills, the measure of the Empire! Only 30 copper!"
The scene of my speech being sold. People were gathered in front of a stall in a corner of the market.
"Give me one copy!"
"Hey! You bought one yesterday! Let me have it!"
"Then what's my son supposed to read!"
I stared blankly at the scene. It was a strange feeling. Strictly speaking, that speech is a work of plagiarism.
Is it really okay for me to sell this for money? No. I should be confident. I never decided to sell it.
I don't know who the culprit is, but they must have smelled money in my words. Before I knew it, the stall was empty.
"Sold out! Today's stock is all gone! Please come back tomorrow!"
"Hey, you there, young man. It's all sold out. Come back tomorrow."
The merchant waved his hand at me as I stood there blankly.
"I said, it's all sold... Huh? Wait a moment."
The merchant narrowed his eyes and stared intently at my face.
"I think I've seen you somewhere..."
"...!"
"Are you, by any chance."
"You've got the wrong person."
I hurriedly tried to turn away. But the merchant was persistent.
"No! I've definitely... seen you somewhere!"
Damn it.
It seems he recognizes me. In a world without cameras, how on earth did my face get so well-known? It seems my stand-ins went around selling my face everywhere while I was in the north.
If I get caught here, I'll be dragged straight to a fan signing event... It was then.
"Now, now. You shouldn't be rude to a customer."
A familiar voice came from nearby. It was Barnabas, the Bell Tower keeper. He blocked the merchant who was approaching me and said.
"This young man is my nephew. He just came up from the countryside and doesn't know the ways of the world."
"Ah... he was your nephew? Heh. I got my hopes up for nothing."
At Barnabas's words, the merchant scratched his head awkwardly and walked away.
Saved.
I bowed my head deeply to Barnabas.
"Thank you for your help, Barnabas."
Barnabas chuckled and patted my shoulder.
"It's only been a little over a year, and you're already so famous."
"I know... I'm not sure how it happened."
"Since you're here, how about staying for a meal?"
"Hmm..."
Normally, I would have bought a chicken skewer. But now that I know my face is somewhat known, that plan is scrapped. I bowed my head and said.
"Then, if you don't mind, I'll have a meal."
"That's more like it."
I headed to Barnabas's quarters. I pointed to the sound-absorbing panels on the wall and said.
"Are the panels still holding up?"
"Oh, of course. I can't live without them now."
"If they break, just send a commission anytime."
"The price?"
"To stabilize prices, it's frozen at one bowl of stew, just like last time."
"... You haven't changed one bit."
Thump.
Bread and stew were placed on the table.
"Eat up."
Barnabas's stew wasn't particularly delicious, just like last time. Still, it was a hearty meal.
"Thank you for the meal."
I stood up from my seat and continued.
"Well then, I'll be going. Goodbye."
Barnabas saw me off with a pleased expression.
"Alright. I'm always cheering for you, so keep it up. Cheering for you is what I live for these days."
"Thank you. You stay healthy too, Barnabas."
Before leaving the Bell Tower, I noticed a stack of papers on a corner of Barnabas's desk.
[I Have a Dream] It was my speech.
And not just one copy, but a stack of three. 'Why did he buy so many?' Barnabas said to me.
"If you want one, you can take a copy. That's why I bought them."
"Is that okay?"
"You're the original author, after all."
That's... the part that's a little ambiguous. In any case, I received a copy of my speech from Barnabas.
After leaving the Bell Tower, I headed straight for the foundation's administrative office. Because I was sure Laura was at the center of this incident. I placed the speech on Laura's desk.
"What on earth is this all about?"
To my question, Laura answered without batting an eye.
"All proceeds will be allocated to the foundation's scholarship fund, so it does not violate any statutes."
"... I wasn't trying to press you, I was just asking you to explain the situation."
"Ah."
Laura then informed me of the circumstances. It seemed like a case of a guilty conscience, but I couldn't really punish her. Apparently, this kind of activity isn't illegal if it's not for profit.
Those educated folks are something else. Legal snakes, swindling an innocent science student like me. I think I understood why Doloren went around memorizing statutes.
But well...
If people like it, is that all that matters? I said to Laura.
"... Still, if something like this happens again, please let me know in advance."
"Yes. Understood."
Laura nodded obediently, then took a document from her drawer and handed it to me.
"And regarding that matter, there is something I would like to propose."
"What is it?"
"I've confirmed it through the sale of this speech. People are starved for reading material. Especially short, informative, and easy-to-collect texts."
I glanced over Laura's proposal.
[Proposal Regarding the Publication of a Periodical] It was a plan to periodically compile news from the Imperial Palace, the Magic Tower, the Noble Council, and the foundation, and sell it.
It seemed she had already secured permission from the head of each organization. 'You're fast, Laura.' It seemed to be a kind of official newspaper.
Of course, since the publisher is our foundation, it's not entirely state-run. I said to Laura.
"That's a good idea."
There were quite a few people in the capital who could read, so it seemed like a worthwhile venture. Laura bowed her head.
"Thank you. I will proceed with it immediately."
It hasn't been that long since paper was invented, and now a newspaper is coming out. The impact is spreading much wider and faster than I thought. It's probably because I distributed the printing technology as well. ...
Speaking of printing, I thought of Anna again. A scribe in this day and age... If I had left her as she was, it would have been a real disaster.
"Breaking news, breaking news! Our search party manual has finally been decided! It's Sir Wallowitz's!"
"Really?"
"Wow!! Howard! It's been decided!"
In a tavern at a fortress on the northern front, an unexpected festival erupted. The Combat Mages clinked their mugs and rejoiced.
"I told you it would be him!"
"Glasses Faction, attention!"
The Glasses Faction was a term for the group that sided with Isaac in the Howard versus Isaac debate. It was said to have originated from Isaac's appearance wearing glasses during the Festival of Longevity. Of course, the pureblood Isaac Faction vehemently denied such claims.
Just then, a mage asked his friends nearby.
"But isn't this highly unusual?"
"Agh. The Glasses Faction is at it again, trying to make some baseless slander..."
"It's not like that, so listen, you punk! What I mean is, didn't the official decision come out way too fast? There's no way the higher-ups work this quickly."
"Aha."
He had a point. Except for when a magical beast appeared, the Imperial Army in peacetime was as slow as a slug. This was because the decision-making structure was intricately tangled.
The operations staff, the Imperial envoys, and the Noble Council subcommittees were all intertwined, checking each other, so it took over a year for even a minor proposal to pass. It was a sickening structure, but there were unavoidable aspects to it.
If they didn't keep the army on a leash like this, the elected corps commanders might lead the army in a rebellion. For such an army to approve the use of a manual in just a few months was certainly an exceptional event.
"Yeah. You're right. But why did it happen? Are the higher-ups part of the Howard Faction too?"
"No... it's not that. It's probably because of the new metric system."
"Why is that?"
"Think about it. The metric system was proclaimed by Royal Decree, right? Instead of converting the old manual that uses yards to the metric system and rewriting it, it's much faster and more efficient to just adopt Sir Howard's manual, which was written in the metric system from the start."
"Sounds plausible."
It certainly made sense.
"But it's strange."
He muttered, stroking his chin.
"When Sir Howard wrote the manual, it was before Sir Isaac had even established the metric system, right? But Sir Howard's manual is written entirely in the metric system from beginning to end. Even though the army used nothing but yards."
"Right? Did Wallowitz see this coming?"
"Hmm... perhaps we could even make a more radical argument beyond that."
"What do you mean?"
His comrade lowered his voice and whispered.
"Sir Isaac's metric system. Do you think he might have been inspired after seeing Sir Howard's manual?"
"What...?"
The 'small speculation' that started at a corner table immediately spread throughout the entire tavern.
"This bastard, there's a limit to slander!"
"It's not impossible..."
"Quiet! Do you still not understand Sir Isaac's intentions? Can't you see the philosophy embedded in this metric system!"
"No, it's a fact! Sir Howard used metric units too."
"Did you see it? Do you have proof that Sir Howard used it before Sir Isaac?"
"So that's how we're gonna play this...?"
The debate that day was said to have continued until dawn broke and it was time for the shift change.
Another peaceful day at the School of Magical Surveying's research lab. Giuseppe was engrossed in his research at his desk, and Doloren was enjoying a nap on a cot. I was alternating between reading a book on dwarf history and idling.
Just then, a 'knock, knock' was heard at the lab door. In that instant, Doloren's eyes flew open. She shot up from the cot and cast an invisibility spell.
Shhhh.
The light refracted, and her form vanished. I could see her with my detection spell, but it would be difficult for most mages to notice. Giuseppe's lips pouted.
He seemed to disapprove of Doloren's actions.
He said.
"I'll get it."
As Giuseppe tried to get up, I stopped him.
"Senior, please stay comfortable. I should go."
"You're the only junior I can count on. Thanks."
When I opened the door, Laura was standing there. Her expression was just a little more flushed than usual.
Laura said.
"They have arrived."
"Who...?"
"The dwarves."
"Huh? Already?"
'I thought they said it would take a month.' It had only been three weeks since Balkan left. I immediately followed Laura towards the city wall.
The area in front of the gate was already in an uproar.
"Open the gate, you bastards!"
"Bring out Isaac and the distilled spirit! You said you would!"
Hundreds of guards stood in formation, tense, and beyond them, a crowd of dwarves could be seen. I checked on them with my detection spell. A swarm of short, muscular figures with bushy beards was gathered there.
There were 127 of them.
"It's not a small number, but it is a prime number."
"Pardon?"
Laura tilted her head at my words.
"... It's nothing."
At the head of the dwarves stood Balkan. And in front of Balkan stood Her Highness the Princess. Balkan said to her.
"When on earth is Isaac coming? He should have been here by now!"
"... It has not even been five minutes since you arrived, Sir Balkan. Please wait just a little longer."
"Tsk. For someone with legs twice as long, you're so damn slow... huh?"
Balkan's gaze landed on me.
"You're here!"
He rushed past the princess and ran towards me. 'Is it okay to act like that in front of Her Highness?' Although the Dwarf Kingdom was not part of the Empire, it wasn't an attitude befitting an envoy.
I hurriedly glanced at the princess to gauge her reaction. The princess saw my face, smiled, and nodded. Fortunately, it seemed she was aware of the dwarves' temperament.
Problem solved.
I focused on Balkan, who was right in front of me.
"It's been a while, Sir Balkan."
"I thought my neck would break from waiting!"
Balkan grabbed my hand with his thick one and shook it up and down. His strength was so immense that my body staggered back and forth. The dwarves standing behind Balkan began to murmur.
"So old man Balkan was telling the truth? He's really a human?"
"My goodness... to think he created such a beautiful mechanical device with such a small body..."
"Lies. He doesn't even look like he has the strength to lift a hammer."
"He said he works with an automatic hammer. Don't you remember?"
Fortunately, their words held no hostility. Just then, a dwarf muttered.
"I don't know about all that, I just want to taste that distilled spirit from last time again."
"Hey, you punk. Don't say it so loudly."
"Ah, why!"
"Humans don't like drunkards."
"Fine."
It seemed they had taken a liking to the distilled spirit I gave them. It was a good thing I stocked up on as much alcohol as possible.