The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Both of them wanted to create something. Both were brimming with enthusiasm. It was a situation that couldn’t get any better.

Unable to hold back any longer, Galbarik bombarded Ghislain with questions.

“So, where do we start? Should I overhaul the cosmetics equipment for you? Or should we get to work on those shared housing projects first? Since the harvest season is approaching, what about agricultural tools? Just say the word, and we’ll get it all done within the timeframe you want!”

“Wow, just hearing that is reassuring. Of course, we need to do all of those things. But there’s something even more urgent we need to tackle right now.”

“And what would that be?”

“We’re going to build something that flies.”

“Pardon? What did you just say?”

“I said we’re going to build something that can fly.”

A brief silence passed before Galbarik, his voice trembling, asked, “Have you perhaps gotten your hands on the legendary airship schematics from the ancient empire?”

“No, nothing that grand. Isn’t that just a myth, anyway?”

“Then how do you plan to make something fly?”

Galbarik clicked his tongue, dumbfounded.

The ability to fly was exclusive to creatures with wings and those who could defy natural laws.

While an Archmage wielding immense magical power might be able to make something float, calling that a “flying device” would be a stretch.

“We’re not exactly in a position to summon an Archmage. Well, let’s hear it, then.”

As Galbarik and the dwarves wore skeptical expressions, Ghislain instructed a servant to light a small bonfire.

“Watch closely.”

Ghislain tossed a piece of paper into the fire. Naturally, the paper quickly burned to ash.

As Galbarik watched blankly, silence fell again. Scratching his head, he finally asked, “What exactly are we supposed to be seeing here?”

“Watch how the ash rises as the paper burns.”

As he spoke, Ghislain picked up another piece of paper and tossed it into the flames.

Sure enough, as the paper burned, tiny fragments of ash briefly floated upward.

Still confused, Galbarik asked, “And that… means what? Isn’t that just the wind blowing it up a little?”

“Then why does it rise upward?”

“Well… because it’s… uh, light?”

Ghislain shook his head, his expression one of smug satisfaction as he continued.

“I showed you this to make the concept easier to understand. Hot air rises. That hot air can lift lightweight objects.”

“…?”

Hearing this unfamiliar and strange explanation, the dwarves tilted their heads in bewilderment.

They had often handled fire and had indeed witnessed such phenomena on occasion.

However, they had never given it much thought or attached any significance to it.

With a doubtful expression, Galbarik asked again, “Why does hot air rise? Are you certain about this?”

‘How would I know why it happens? Why does it rise, anyway?’

What Ghislain was attempting to create was a hot air balloon, a device developed in his previous life.

The hot air balloon, which used heated air to lift a large envelope into the sky, was often employed for military reconnaissance in his past life.

Of course, Ghislain didn’t know the detailed theory behind why heating air caused the balloon to rise. He had only overheard a passing explanation. If Galbarik kept pressing with such questions, it was honestly becoming troublesome.

“Ahem, well, that’s just the way the laws of the world work. Things are made that way. It’s like throwing an apple—nobody knows why it falls to the ground, right? It’s just the natural law of the world, isn’t it?”

At this, Galbarik gave him a look that seemed to say, What nonsense are you spouting? Then he spoke.

“What are you talking about? That was already explained to us by the Great Dragon of Wisdom, Schwarzschild. The center of this world holds a powerful force that pulls everything towards it. The manipulation of this force’s direction and magnitude is what we call gravity magic. Isn’t that why demons are so powerful and have longer lifespans compared to humans? Their realm has a stronger concentration of this energy than the Middle Realm. Nobles even learn these basics at the academy…”

‘…What the hell is this guy talking about? Schwarz… what now?’

True to his dwarven nature, Galbarik couldn’t help but ramble on when theoretical knowledge came up, and he was even chattier than Vanessa.

Ghislain, on the other hand, had never attended an academy and had no clue about this Schwarz-whatever ancient dragon. Belinda hadn’t taught him such academic theories either.

That said, Ghislain did have a rough understanding of gravity. He’d even trained using gravity magic before.

But as for why such forces existed in the world or how they operated? That was the sort of research desk-bound scholars busied themselves with.

In both his current and previous lives, Ghislain had no reason or means to dabble in scholarly pursuits. Most of what he knew came from hands-on experience as a mercenary.

Getting dragged into some academic debate like this meant engaging in an argument, and that was far from Ghislain’s preferred style.

So, as always, he cleanly ignored it.

“Anyway, just memorize this: hot air rises, and cold air sinks.”

“…Let’s assume that’s true. But how do you plan to use that to make a flying device? I’ve never heard of anything floating just because there was a fire nearby.”

“Click, click, think about it for a moment. Air is everywhere. If you warm it up a bit, it will quickly mix with the surrounding air, right? So, you need to trap the heated air to prevent it from mixing with the surroundings.”

“Trap the air?”

“Exactly. If you create a large air pocket, fill it with air, and heat it, the pocket will rise. All you need to do then is attach a basket that people can ride in. That’s a hot air balloon.”

“Oh… a hot air balloon!”

The dwarves nodded, their expressions showing a mix of intrigue and understanding.

It was an idea they had never heard of before, and curiosity over whether it was truly feasible overtook them.

“But is this really possible? It doesn’t look like you’ve made one yourself, my lord… There’s not a single hot air balloon in the estate, is there?”

“I’ve been busy with other matters. Let’s start with a small one. Use the thinnest fabric possible, and with the help of mages, it will be easy to fill the air and heat it. I’ve given you the concept; the rest of the technical details you’ll have to figure out and refine yourselves.”

“Let’s say it floats in the air like that—how would it move?”

“That’s simple. If mages ride it and use light wind spells, you can guide it in the desired direction easily. And if you need to keep it stationary, you can tie it to the ground with a long rope. Think of it simply.”

“All right! We’ll give it a shot!”

The dwarves, though uncertain, had slightly excited expressions on their faces.

If the lord’s words proved true, they would go down in history as the first creators of a device that could fly through the skies.

Of course, they weren’t entirely convinced yet. It was an untested theory, after all, and there was no proof of its feasibility.

Nevertheless, seeing the dwarves’ newfound enthusiasm for this challenge, Ghislain nodded.

“Good. We’re busy right now, so you’ll need to complete it as quickly as possible.”

“Leave it to us!”

Galbarik, who had shouted confidently, suddenly asked curiously.

“So, where do you plan to use this thing once it’s up in the sky?”

If it worked, its applications would be endless. Moreover, a new concept could lead to advancements in other technologies.

Though Galbarik likely already knew the obvious answers, he wanted to hear the young lord’s thoughts.

Ghislain replied nonchalantly.

“It’d be incredibly effective for reconnaissance during war. If we address the risk of it falling, it could also be used for transporting goods. And if we sell it as a toy for nobles, it could bring in a good amount of money.”

“Oh, I see. As expected, you’ve thought it through. Is there anything else you need?”

There was plenty still needed. They’d have to create a new alloy and use it to produce strong equipment.

However, it was an impossible plan to complete before attacking the Cabaldi Estate. Producing the amount of alloy required would need a massive supply of iron ore from the outset.

“There’s plenty of work to do. Since there are a few urgent tasks, handle them alongside the hot air balloon production.”

“Just say the word! Our hands are faster and more precise than anyone else’s!”

At Galbarik’s bold declaration, Ghislain gave a thumbs-up and said, “Ah, as expected of the dwarves. I knew I could count on you. Then, let’s start by upgrading the cosmetics production facilities. To meet the contract demands, we need to double the current output. Can you start immediately?”

The scale of the order was larger than expected, but the dwarves nodded. It might be tough, but for these master craftsmen, it wasn’t an impossible task.

“Understood! We’ll begin with the hot air balloon and the cosmetics facility upgrades! We’ll finish them as quickly as possible!”

As Galbarik confidently turned to leave, Ghislain grabbed him by the shoulder.

“Where are you going? I’m not done talking yet.”

“Hmm?”

“You said you could improve the communal housing, right? Work with the mages stationed at the construction sites to research that as well. You’ll have to collaborate with the mages when testing the hot air balloon anyway. Build another village as quickly as possible.”

“Ah… Uh, improving housing…”

“That’s right. When it comes to construction, who else but dwarves?”

If the dwarves got involved in construction, the speed of building residential areas would skyrocket.

They were renowned for digging into mountains to create homes or even building underground cities. With such exceptional construction skills, it was a widely known fact that no one could match their efficiency.

Faced with this logic, Galbarik begrudgingly nodded.

“Grr, fine. Add that to the list…”

But Ghislain wasn’t done yet.

“Oh, right. The harvest season is coming up soon, isn’t it? Creating magically-operated tools might be too much, but at least make some more regular farming equipment. We need to replace all the wooden tools still in use across the region with iron ones.”

“Can’t the estate’s blacksmiths handle that much?”

“There are barely any blacksmiths in the estate, so it’s a struggle. That’s why I brought in so many dwarves! Besides, if we’re making tools, we might as well make them high-quality, right?”

“Uh, hmm… Fine, I get it.”

Sweat began to bead on the dwarves’ backs.

The list of tasks was growing far too long. Yet, having spoken so confidently, they couldn’t back out now—it would wound their pride.

“Well then, we’ll get started on the work right away…”

Galbarik tried to steer the conversation, a veiled plea to stop adding tasks so they could begin.

But Ghislain still had plenty more to say.

“Ah, and we have the leather from the Blood Python. Use it to make under-armor for the knights to wear beneath their armor… And, we’re short on weapons too, so we’ll need to make those as well…”

Ghislain’s demands seemed endless. The dwarves turned pale, groaning under the weight of it all.

“To do all that right now… It might be too much for us,” one of them finally admitted.

Ghislain tilted his head, puzzled.

“Why? You said you’d work hard. I even promised to free you as commoners in ten years. Didn’t you say you’d even become actual slaves if it meant learning the craft? You work hard, learn the skills, and even get a new status. Who could resist that deal?”

“Well, t-that’s true, but isn’t this too much work right from the start?”

“This much is normal in our estate.”

Ghislain’s mind was teeming with plans to utilize the dwarves as effectively as possible.

The estate was already running at a frantic pace with more work than anyone could handle. With time running short and tasks piling up like mountains, the dwarves’ arrival was perfectly timed. He intended to push them to their limits to get results.

If he didn’t, everyone really might die.

Galbarik, oblivious to Ghislain’s inner thoughts, took a deep breath and cautiously asked, “Then… what’s the timeline? Three months? No, at least six months? Honestly, we’d need a year. With a year, we can handle everything.”

The overwhelming workload had inadvertently made his tone much more polite.

The timeline was critical. If they had enough time, they could manage. Working day and night, they could probably finish in about three months. But to eat, sleep, and avoid collapsing, they needed more leeway—so he estimated a year.

Ghislain, however, widened his eyes in disbelief at Galbarik’s suggestion. Then, letting out a dry chuckle, he began to berate him.

“What are you talking about? A year? We don’t have that kind of time.”

“What? Then… how much time are you giving us?”

Ghislain placed both hands firmly on Galbarik’s shoulders and smiled gently.

“One month. I can’t give you more than that.”