Chapter 9 - Necessary Requirements
◆ Gold and Connections
Time passed, and during the four years between the ages of twelve and sixteen, I devoted myself entirely to studying.
。
My research advanced, and I meticulously refined the design of the gun to the point where it seemed practical for use. The new mechanism I devised... resulted in a rifle-shaped gun equipped with a magazine, modeled after the shapes that existed in my distant memories.
--- That process required a considerable amount of gold.
The days I spent at the Alchemy Tower undeniably saved me in this regard.
As the son of a knightly family from the frontier, I didn’t have access to that kind of money. In fact, there were times when I struggled to afford the necessary materials for my research. Since consulting with the knight department people was out of the question, I turned to my classmates from the alchemy department for advice, asking if they knew of any jobs that could earn me some money.
The answer was a resounding no. It turned out that students enrolled in the Magic Academy were forbidden from working in exchange for money. We were instructed to dedicate any available time to furthering our studies. Then how was I supposed to afford the materials necessary for research? When I thought about it, most of the students at the Magic Academy belonged to families of at least count rank or higher.
For wealthy nobles, it was a simple matter of writing a letter to their families to have the required funds sent immediately. No, some didn’t even need to do that; with their signature alone, payments could automatically be charged to their family accounts, and they could acquire whatever they needed. I was careless... There was no way around it. Just as I was quietly despairing, one of my classmates from the alchemy department offered a brilliant suggestion.
"Hey, you’re from a frontier region, right?"
"I am from a frontier knightly family. Why?"
"Do you know much about magitech tools?"
"Of course. They’re one of the valuable sources of income for frontier knightly families. I even know the craftsmen who make them. Some of them were my playmates when we were kids."
"I see. So, I’ve heard rumors about a box that can keep things cold while storing them."
"Oh, you mean the temperature-controlled storage? I know about it. Right now, they only exist as small box-shaped items, but they can keep drinks and vegetables cold or warm while in storage. Why do you ask?"
"Well, I’ve been creating all sorts of experimental solutions for my research, but they deteriorate quickly at room temperature. If I could store them at a lower temperature, I could carry out my research much more efficiently. I don’t care about the cost—could you sell me one?"
"Hmm... I see. Very well. It will take about two months. Is that okay?"
"The sooner, the better."
And so, a path opened up for selling magitech tools from the frontier—one of the knightly family’s traditional trades. By bypassing merchants and avoiding sales to an unspecified majority, we instead created the appearance of exchanging goods tailored to the needs of noble families through direct arrangements between households. This approach was truly ingenious. It didn’t qualify as business—it was simply considered... discussions and agreements between families.
I quickly wrote a letter to my family back home, addressing my mother, who managed our household’s affairs. One of my childhood friends—who had been granted the Craftsman Skill—was now recognized as an artisan and had found work in a workshop crafting magitech tools.
I requested my mother to arrange for me to connect with him to procure a temperature-controlled storage. I set the price slightly higher and asked my mother to acquire it in the form of a purchase. There was a reason for setting a high price—it was to have the rune used in the temperature-controlled storage disclosed to me. While this would involve some extra costs, it promised significant benefits for my future work.
Two months later, the item my classmate had requested arrived, and I handed it over in exchange for a compensation that included a reasonable profit.
"This is great. No, really, it’s amazing. I’d like to use it at home too. Can you arrange that?"
"It will take some time, but I can prepare one."
"I’ll leave it to you."
Inside the delivered temperature-controlled storage, there was a specification sheet detailing the rune required to create it. This, in fact, had been my true objective. I possessed the ability to imbue objects with magic inscriptions. Additionally, the techniques I intended to use for my guns could be adapted to improve the temperature-controlled storage.
Rather than creating one from scratch, the key was making an improved version based on the existing design.
As a member of the knightly family that protected the region where the creator of this magitech tool lived, I wouldn’t face any patent issues. However, if a magitech toolmaker from the royal capital attempted to replicate it, it would be considered a grave act of forgery. The kingdom’s laws strictly prohibited such actions. Disrupting the livelihood of those in the frontier regions could harm not only the local economy but also the kingdom’s economic stability. The impact on the frontier's economic strength was a significant concern for the kingdom’s national security.
The king's will was not to concentrate everything in the capital and monopolize wealth. He believed that the citizens of the kingdom, no matter where they resided, were the kingdom's children and should live in prosperity. It was with this principle in mind that the concept of patents was established.
This was why it was called a testament to His Majesty's compassion for the people. I merely took advantage of that system.
I completed my creation, the refrigeration storage, filled with various innovations I had developed. Since it was technically a modification, the original patent rights remained with the magitech tool shop where my childhood friend worked. Even if magitech toolmakers in the royal capital tried to replicate it, they wouldn’t be able to sell it. Well, such was the law of the kingdom.
When I informed my classmate that everything was ready, perhaps he had been waiting for it, I immediately received a message requesting me to deliver it to their high comital household in the royal capital. As it was quite a large item, I arranged for a carriage to transport it and personally installed it in their kitchen as a courtesy.
"Y-Young Master! Th-this is incredible. Absolutely incredible!!"
The kitchen staff at my classmate's house was so moved that he almost cried, hugging my classmate and bursting with emotion. Wow, this kitchen staff was incredible. Watching him spin his master's son around in circles in sheer joy was a sight to behold.
"Wait, wait!! Stop! He’s watching! Calm down already!!"
"Well, if you’re that happy, then I’m glad too."
After escaping from the trembling kitchen staff who was overwhelmed with joy, my classmate came to me and started asking questions. Well, considering the size of it, I could understand his concerns. As a student of the Alchemy Tower, it was only natural for him to have such doubts. So, I responded to him earnestly.
"With something this large and the numerous magical circuits that need to be activated, the amount of mana required must be tremendous. Seeing that it's independently powered, I can understand it's using magic stones. But how long do you expect it to operate? A day? Half a day? For someone dedicated to studying runes, that's a perfectly valid question. If it's too short, it will be useless."
"Well, at least a year. I designed it to last that long."
"Huh? How?! I understand the construction of the runes. Well, I haven't analyzed the details yet, but I think I have an idea. However, I have no idea what kind of mana is powering it! What did you use?! The magic stone of a sleeping dragon? Or perhaps a giant's magic stone? Come on, tell me!"
"No, I used the magic powder and crystal powder I’ve been developing for my gun research. On top of that, I utilized the anti-magic paint you created six months ago to design something called a Magic Battery. It suppresses the natural discharge of mana from magic powder and allows for a consistent draw of a certain amount of mana. The total mana storage of the Magic Battery can't be precisely stated, but I’d say it’s at least 'marquis-level'."
"Huh? What nonsense are you spouting? A marquis-level magic battery? That’s impossible! Ain't no way!! And you’re telling me it can consistently draw a certain amount of mana? What kind of runes did you even use?!"
"The circuit structure is just a compilation of known circuits. Well, it worked, so there’s not much else to say. The method has already been submitted as a report to the alchemy department under your name as a research achievement. The circuit and the method aren't difficult. Honestly, you could probably make it yourself."
"What?! ...Then that means..."
"Yeah, the Alchemy Tower's own... Or rather, it seems like it will become your personal source of funds, rather than the alchemy department's income.”
"Urk! You...! What have you done?!"
And thus, I managed to extract a considerable sum of money from his household. Truly, gold coins were a marvelous thing. Thanks to this, my research could progress further. Incidentally, due to patent restrictions, the refrigeration storage was set to be produced on order from his family through the Alchemy Tower, so for a while, I was stationed at the tower.
Eventually, I had him assist with the work, and he took over as the lead producer. With great enthusiasm, he handled the task, and I sold him the rights to use the patent. I also prepared the necessary documents so that his family’s workshop could manufacture the units. This laid the foundation for his high comital household to be recognized as specialists in magitech tools. It was around this time that his position as heir to the family was solidified.
In the winter of my fifteenth year, the son of the high comital family had told me with a radiant smile that a trial implementation had been decided for the royal castle, and had left behind a trunk full of an absurdly large sum for the patent fees. Well, one could never have too much money, so I had gratefully accepted it.
I could say that I had now established a way to continue my research even after returning to my family home.
Oh, of course, I returned the initial purchase funds to my mother. I wrote a letter explaining the circumstances behind acquiring the large sum of money and sent it on the same courier. I even included a small interest and had it sent by express horse. Needless to say, a long, long letter of gratitude, reprimands, and confusion arrived later.
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