I stared blankly at the scene before me.
‘This person is… Hyde, right?’
He was the one who spoke well during the interview but lacked the qualifications, so I assigned him to the mines. Seeing him covered in dust, it looks like he's been working hard.
I'm grateful.
I said to him.
"Thank you for always working so hard. Would you like another ion drink?"
"No, no. More importantly, please look at what's in my hand!"
"Your hand...?"
I looked down at the fist-sized rock in his hand. Between the cracks of the coarse stone, brilliant specks of gold were embedded.
"My goodness..."
I immediately used a detection spell. This is... real gold.
"Don't tell me this came from our mine?"
"Yes!"
It's extremely rare to find iron and gold together. Besides, with that level of purity, it might be better to re-purpose it as a gold mine rather than developing it for iron ore.
Hyde said.
"Yes! That's right. I'm the one who dug it up!"
Hyde shouted, his face overwhelmed with emotion.
"Thank you, Sir Isaac! It is thanks to the ordeal you gave me that I was able to achieve such a result!"
"...?"
An ordeal?
What does he mean? I didn't know what it was, but he seemed moved, so I had no intention of pouring cold water on him. I said to him.
"No, I should be the one thanking you. It would have been far more profitable for you personally to hide this and take it, yet you reported it so honestly."
This man, Hyde. He was a much more upright person than I thought. To the point where I wanted to maintain a good relationship with him from now on.
I continued.
"That mine is the property of the imperial family, so I will make sure your contributions as the discoverer are properly recognized through Her Highness the Princess."
"Is there anything else you'd like to ask for?"
"Hmm..."
"If you wish, it's also possible to relieve you of your duties at the mine."
"!"
For a moment, Hyde's eyes wavered. But after a moment's thought, he shook his head with a resolute expression.
"No, sir. I think this line of work suits my aptitude quite well. Once this is over, I'm thinking of seriously looking into gold prospecting."
"I see."
It's a relief that he's found his calling. I congratulated Mr. Hyde. Then, I immediately informed the princess of the news.
In less than half a day, the princess barged into the lab.
"A gold mine? In an iron ore mine?"
"Yes, that's correct. The deposits seem to be quite substantial as well."
"Truly... it seems even the heavens help you in your endeavors."
The princess touched her forehead as if in disbelief.
"I was just racking my brain, wondering if there was a way to shorten the period for the currency reform."
"This is all thanks to Mr. Hyde."
I actively emphasized Hyde's contribution. The princess said with a bright laugh.
"Good people tend to gather around other good people."
"No... this wasn't me, it was Mr. Hyde..."
"I will commend that mage's contribution sufficiently. You said the deposits are substantial, so he'll probably be able to live the rest of his life without worrying about money."
"... Thank you."
"More than that, I'm curious about your leadership, which earns you the respect of even your lowest subordinates. Is there a special secret?"
"Um..."
I tried my best to recall everything that had happened until now.
‘I don't think I've done much for them...’
The imperial family is funding it, so there was almost nothing I did myself. I answered the princess.
"I gave them ion drinks often."
"Ion...? I don't know what that is, but giving them drinks... you mean you paid attention to employee welfare."
"Oh. That's right."
As expected of the princess. What was essentially a bribe to look good was instantly transformed into employee welfare. Anyway, with this, the problem of the gold shortage, which was the biggest obstacle to the currency reform, has been solved.
Gold refining isn't that difficult, so soon we'll be able to create the new coins in advance to handle the influx of old coins.
‘But doesn't this mean the period I can receive interest will be shorter?’
The princess said.
"Of course, since your contribution is great, I will extend the contract for a few years even after it's completed and continue to pay the interest."
"Ooh... thank you."
All hail, all hail. I did well to get on the imperial family's good side. But with things resolving so well, another worry popped up.
"But, Your Highness."
"Hm?"
"I'm not trying to blame you, so please don't misunderstand."
"Speak your mind, without reservation."
"With this, where will we get the already scarce iron ore? The amount of iron mined will decrease because we'll be digging for gold."
"Do not worry. you gave me gold, do you think I cannot procure something as simple as iron? I will find a way."
The princess promised confidently.
"Thank you once again, Isaac. If I hadn't met you, what I might be doing right now... I can't even imagine."
"Hahaha."
I laughed it off awkwardly. The princess was always competent, so wouldn't she have been doing something well, regardless? Even if the Empire fell, I couldn't imagine this person falling.
A short while later, after the princess left, I also set out to head home. I was heading toward the foundation's office when the scene in front of the main building looked somewhat unfamiliar.
"... Huh?"
Behind my statue, something huge was towering. When I got closer, I saw that it was also a statue.
"They made another statue?"
A statue of Isaac that vaguely resembled me, but was much more handsome and gigantic.
"I'm sure it wasn't here yesterday...?"
It was even enormous in size.
‘It's a size that's impossible to cast all at once...?’
It looked like it had been welded.
Oso-so.
Goosebumps rose all over my body.
‘They figured out welding technology? Heating metal using mana stones shouldn't be possible with circle magic yet, right?’
I hurriedly activated my detection spell. Then I felt a symbol carved with a hammer near the base of the statue. This is the seal that dwarves leave on their creations.
"What is this...?"
The dwarves can't be such big fans of mine that they'd even build a statue of me. I asked Laura.
"Did you happen to see that statue out front?"
"Ah, you mean that. I heard the dwarves who had nothing to do after work made it."
"... They make something like that because they have nothing to do?"
"Yes. They said they didn't like the previous statue because it was too crude, so they spent a few days making it in the school's vocational workshop."
They made it in the student workshop, not even the Upperhills Workshop? I blankly looked around the giant statue.
‘That...? In the workshop meant for the kids at the school to get experience?’
Next to the hammer seal, a short phrase was engraved. -‘Can't have our comrade's face looking this shabby.’
"Hah..."
I had expected the dwarves to have some surplus time after I gave them the welding machine. But I never thought they'd use that time to make something like this. And to erect a giant statue in just a few days...
I have no idea what on earth these folks will get up to during the two years it takes to complete the airship. While I was marveling, Laura asked from my side.
"Is it alright if we run an article about how the dwarves voluntarily built a statue of you, Chairman?"
"As long as you don't mix in any strange fabrications... like they built it because they adore me, it should be fine."
"Of course."
A few days later, the article about my statue being erected was placed after the special feature on the 'Accomplishments of the Metric System'. It looked perfect for being misread with a nuance like, 'Isaac, who achieved such a great feat, now captivates even the dwarves.'
Dozens of trips back and forth between the lab and the office. It's gotten to the point where I can't remember what day it is. Still, I wasn't tired or finding it difficult.
After all, everything I was doing these days was because I wanted to. I even had breaks in between. Even now, I was sitting on the lab sofa, chatting with Anna.
Anna chattered on about the 'moving special lecture by the president of the central bank'. I was glad that the person I most wanted to tell had gotten to hear it.
"Most of all, I liked that he didn't discriminate against our foundation's 'brothers'."
"... Brothers?"
I tilted my head.
Anna replied.
"Ah, that's what the kids at our foundation call each other these days."
"It's annoying to call everyone 'older sister,' 'older brother,' or 'younger sibling' individually, so we just decided to lump it all together and call each other 'brothers'."
Calling each other 'brother'. Gives off a real American back-alley 'hood' vibe.
‘... Well, they'll figure it out.’
It's a good thing for the foundation's solidarity to grow stronger.
"Little sis. But what about your academy classes? Why are you here?"
Don't tell me some professor's position disappeared again? ... I wish this would stop happening. Before Anna could even open her mouth to answer my question, Doloren, who was reading the newspaper, interjected.
"Ah, that? It's because those dwarves you brought over completely overturned all the theories on metal processing."
"What...?"
"Because of that, I heard every single metallurgy professor at the Magic Academy applied for a sabbatical. That's why the classes were canceled."
"... Really?"
I was aghast. Not just one or two, but everyone related to metallurgy? Does that even make sense?
‘Well... every time I push someone out, a new professor position opens up, so maybe it's actually a good thing for newcomers?’
As I seriously pondered this, Anna spoke with a bewildered expression.
"Lady Doloren... I'm just here because it's vacation."
"...!"
I blankly lifted my head. Doloren clutched her stomach, cackling with laughter.
"You actually fell for it! How naive."
Hey, this person is teasing her innocent junior! I muttered blankly.
"... No wonder I haven't seen Liam in the dormitory lately, and the halls of the Magic Tower have been so empty."
It's vacation already?
"Exactly. Who told you to work like a madman without even knowing it was vacation?"
Tsk, tsk.
Doloren clicked her tongue.
"There's been so much about the dwarves in the papers, I thought it was real this time, too."
Last time, the artisans from the capital's workshops even held a protest, claiming the dwarves would take all their work. ... Of course, aside from me and the people at the foundation, the dwarves showed little interest in the private sector.
Still, when they were bored, they would whip something up at the foundation and get their names in the papers. It's a relief they seem to like life at the foundation. Who knows, maybe they'll end up staying at the foundation even after the airship is complete.
Just then, Senior Giuseppe entered the lab.
"Junior, Sir Balkan is looking for you in the workshop."
"Hmm? What's it about?"
"I'm not sure. He looked quite serious."
What is it? Did a Luddite movement to smash the power hammers finally break out...? I immediately headed for the workshop.
Balkan was silently confronting someone before him. In front of him were a young dwarven artisan and a teacher from the Upperhills school. I first asked Balkan what was going on.
"... You should hear it directly from Moebel."
"...?"
Balkan said to the young dwarven artisan, Moebel.
"Say it again. What are you planning to do?"
"Even after the work on the airship is finished, I do not plan on returning to the Iron Mountains."
Immediately after, Moebel looked me straight in the face and continued speaking.
"I, Moebelwagen, wish to start a family and live in your land. Can you permit it?"
"A family...?"
"Yes."
With whom?
Could it be...? I looked at our school's teacher standing next to the dwarf, Moebel.
She replied.
"Yes. I also want to be with him."
"Wow... I see."
I had thought I might see a multicultural... no, a multi-species family someday, but this was even sooner than I expected.
‘Will they have a child? Will that child be fertile?’
I ended up having a slightly rude thought. Immediately after, Balkan said to Moebel.
"A young pup who's only held a hammer for 74 years is already talking about marriage. I can't allow it."
But wait, isn't 74 years quite a long time...? The dwarves' sense of time must be different from humans'. Moebel replied to Balkan's words.
"I did not ask you, Balkan."
"Isaac Upperhills. I want to hear your thoughts."
Something...
Something huge is happening. I answered Moebel.
"Marriage is a matter of freedom, but... will you be able to adapt to human society?"
"I'll have to try."
"Hmm..."
I glanced over at Balkan.
"Sir Balkan. Is this not a problem according to the laws of the Dwarf Kingdom?"
"In the Dwarf Kingdom, a dwarf entering the service of a human is strictly forbidden... but since it was decided at the last meeting that you are a dwarf, this rule is effectively null and void."
"Then that means Mr. Moebel can do as he pleases."
"... That's right."
"Hmm..."
There was something I'd been wanting to do. I wonder if I could entrust it to him? I said to Moebel.
"Mr. Moebel. What do you think when you see the children of our foundation?"
"The kids? Kids are kids."
He didn't seem to have much of an opinion. Still, he didn't seem to dislike them.
"Then how would you feel about raising a few of those kids to be like Mr. Callen?"
"Callen??"
Moebel's expression brightened.
"Are there more talents like him?"
"That's for you to choose well, Mr. Moebel."
"Hm?"
"Mr. Moebel. Please take on the role of teacher for the 'Engineering' subject at the Upperhills boarding school."
It was time to improve the regular lectures, not just the special ones.
"Will you be my colleague?"
I extended my hand to Moebel. I wanted to send talented children to the Upperhills iron workshop too, but there was no suitable person to teach them. Both Tobin and Callen are too busy, and I can't trust the people from the other workshops in the capital.
If a dwarf becomes the engineering teacher, it'll be very reassuring. Moebel asked back.
"Engineering...?"
"You can just think of it as teaching the children everything that's done in a smithy."
Of course, ironworking is only a very small part of engineering, but there seemed to be no need to quibble over that at this point. Moebel glanced at the face of his wife-to-be.
Nod, nod.
His wife was nodding her head repeatedly. A moment later, Moebel answered.
"Alright. Let's do that!"
Thud.
Moebel grasped my hand. I could feel the hefty thickness, the calluses, and the smell of iron.
Nice.
Moebelwagen, you're mine! I'd better write up a contract before he runs away.
After the contract was written, Moebel left the office hand in hand with our school's teacher. Having a family is something to celebrate. I asked Balkan. "By the way. How old would Mr. Moebel be in human years?" "Are you worried he won't be able to work because he's too young? That won't happen. I, Balkan, guarantee Moebel's skills." "... It's not that. I was just curious what his age would be if converted to human years." "Hmm... 74 years of holding a hammer... would be about 16 in human years?" "What...?"