Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 610

“Next up is the artisan who participated in the selection ceremony on Councilor Langmuir’s recommendation,” the staff member announced, guiding the judges around the stadium and showcasing the artisans’ work.

“The registry lists his name as Lyman. He’s been away for a few years but recently returned to his workshop and resumed business.”

The judges, who had been following the guide, glanced at Renok and murmured amongst themselves, as if a memory had been triggered.

“That’s the fellow who was ordering the other artisans around earlier.”

“He seems to possess exceptional sensitivity as an artisan. I’m eager to see his results.”

“Then, let’s begin with the production field. Lyman, could you explain what you’ve created?”

“It’s a mechanical wing with intricately crafted joints,” Renok replied calmly.

“It wouldn’t be suitable for attachment to a human body, but it could be effective if connected to the nervous system of a bird that has lost its wings.”

He had created a mechanical wing that resembled Gilleon’s armored wings, a model that simply imitated its external structure.

Remembering the shape and structure, he was able to produce a decent result using the metallurgy skills he had learned from other artisans.

Of course, it wasn’t an artifact like Gilleon’s wings or equipment that could be used by humans, but rather something that could serve as an artificial limb for birds.

As Renok had anticipated, the judges’ reactions were lukewarm.

“Hmm, the structural design is quite reasonable.”

“The idea of replacing a bird’s wing is unique, but its practicality isn’t very high.”

“I acknowledge your effort. Shall we move on to the modification and maintenance section?”

Renok was slightly surprised that the evaluation wasn’t as harsh as he had expected.

However, he realized belatedly, as he saw the judges’ gazes sharpen, that they were also aware that his specialty as an artisan wasn’t in production.

They were willing to overlook the production field, but they planned to strictly evaluate the results of the modification and maintenance fields, which were his true strengths.

While Renok was lost in thought, one of the Meisters [Master Artisans] approached and picked up another item from Renok’s workbench.

“What’s this?”

A small metal sphere that fit in one hand, smaller than a fist but slightly larger than a human eye.

Several Meisters surrounded it, voicing different opinions.

“There was no such item among the equipment presented at this selection ceremony. It’s a result from the modification field, not maintenance.”

“The appearance itself isn’t very appealing. A perfect sphere requires a stand for storage.”

“It doesn’t react even when magic is channeled into it. Does it require a specific trigger?”

Renok calmly answered the Meisters’ questions without being flustered.

“It’s a filter.”

“…A filter, you say?”

At Renok’s words, the judges’ gazes turned back involuntarily.

Coincidentally, the artisan who was judged right before Renok had also chosen a filter as their submission for the maintenance field.

And the filter that the artisan had maintained was in the shape of a jar, almost the size of a moving truck.

Looking at the house-sized filter and the small metal sphere in his hand, the artisan asked,

“You’re not going to say that this tiny iron ball is the same thing as that filter, are you?”

“Explain its purpose precisely. Did you choose the same item as the filter that the artisan maintained?”

“Yes, I did.”

Renok nodded.

“Considering the seawater power generation field, which is responsible for a significant portion of Machina’s power supply, I attempted to miniaturize the seawater filter.”

“Miniaturization, miniaturization…”

One of the artisans, who was laughing while holding the sphere, said,

“I’d like to see it in action first, is that alright?”

“I’ll prepare it.”

As Renok began to pour water into a basin he had brought behind his workbench, the artisans exchanged glances.

“…It seems we were mistaken.”

“Were our expectations too high?”

“Miniaturization of a filter? Why would you attempt such a reckless task…?”

Most of the seawater filters used for magic power supply were used in large-scale facilities like factories.

As they had to withstand the magic power overload that occurred during the filtration process, it was important to design them robustly.

Of course, if it were possible to miniaturize the filter and use it, it would be possible to recycle it in various fields, but it was almost certain that the stability and durability of the equipment would be compromised in the miniaturization process.

Councilor Brahms, who was standing next to them, noticed the Meisters’ reactions and added his opinion.

“Choosing the same filter as a result doesn’t seem like a good idea. Don’t the other artisans feel the same way?”

“…”

Since the artisan who had chosen and submitted the filter right before was from the Steel Heart faction, Brahms was trying not to miss the opportunity to criticize Renok.

Among the councilors of Ex Machina who participated as judges, there were councilors from the Machine Head and War Hammer factions, but they were more concerned about the possibility of miniaturizing the filter than about Brahms’s interference.

In the end, it was the Meisters who would ultimately decide the scores in this selection ceremony, and the criteria would be the artisan’s own skills, not which faction they belonged to.

Brahms knew this, but he didn’t give up and continued to speak.

“Think about it. Regardless of whether the filter can be miniaturized, the fact that its stability is questionable is…!!”

However, the moment Renok poured water and threw the metal sphere into the basin, Brahms had no choice but to shut his mouth.

Crack…!!

Like inflating a deflated tube, the metal sphere, which had rapidly expanded as it absorbed water, transformed into a huge jar-shaped filter on the spot.

Only then did the artisans, who realized how Renok had modified and miniaturized the filter, murmur.

“He used an alloy that expands by absorbing moisture to construct the shape of the filter…”

“That’s right. If we periodically replace the filters and membranes used in the filter, it wouldn’t be too difficult to transport.”

“However, the problem lies elsewhere.”

The artisans, turning to Renok, looked at him with sharp eyes and asked,

“Among the alloys used in the mechanical city of Machina, there is no such thing as an alloy that expands by absorbing moisture.”

“…”

“It is strictly forbidden to use materials other than those provided in this selection ceremony. Where did you get this metal?”

The Meisters did not miss the essence of the matter, bound by the rules of the selection ceremony, as they realized how Renok had miniaturized the filter.

They had confirmed the expansion speed and direction of the metal with their own eyes and realized that it was an alloy that was not present in this selection ceremony.

Should it be said that it was like an artisan to understand the principle first and then pursue the cause?

Renok thought so and answered calmly.

“I made it.”

“…You made it?”

“Considering that I had to make my own tools to use, I thought that making the alloy necessary for modification myself wasn’t against the rules.”

“…”

One of the Meisters, who exchanged glances with a dumbfounded expression, asked,

“You must know that an alloy isn’t a material that can be made so easily.”

“That’s right. It’s almost impossible to make a metal expand by adding moisture and to control it in the desired direction.”

Renok glanced at the filter he had made and said,

“But if you limit it to expanding only to the basic shape of the filter and adjust the properties of the metal, it’s not entirely impossible.”

“An alloy that transforms and expands only into the shape of a filter…”

Only then did the artisans, who finally understood the meaning correctly, nod with stiff expressions.

“That’s no longer in the realm of metallurgy or modification technology. In a way, it can’t even be called an alloy. Do you know this?”

“…”

It wasn’t wrong.

The metal that Renok had forcibly created to miniaturize the filter, which expanded by absorbing moisture.

As the artisans said, this wasn’t metallurgy, but a substance closer to a trick created using Renok’s alchemy.

Although it was made by mixing different metals, it had lost a significant portion of its properties as a metal while using alchemy, so it might not be called an alloy after all.

From the beginning, the fact that it expanded by absorbing moisture was far removed from the existing concept of metal.

However, Renok didn’t hesitate to use alchemy to create a submission for the modification field, even though he knew this fact.

Although he had combined metals to create a non-metal substance, he was confident that he could make a stronger impression on the judges who were looking for special talents.

As expected, some of the judges approached with noticeably changed eyes and began to touch the alloy used in the filter.

“I had a hunch when I saw him recognize and touch the Fold Ring, but he’s an artisan with an exceptional sense of handling magic with his hands.”

“He created a new substance by limiting it to transforming only into the shape of a filter, so this is proof that he inherently understands concepts like Geass [a concept related to magic and will] correctly.”

An artisan who looked like a young man with glasses turned to Renok with a gaze full of goodwill and said,

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen an artisan with such special talent.”

“There was a reason why Executive Isabella brought him here herself. If I remember correctly, Clark…”

“Ahem…!! This isn’t a topic to bring up here.”

“His metallurgy skills seem a bit lacking, but if he’s taught well, he could become someone who creates truly special items.”

“If he’s selected in the selection ceremony, I’d like to take him as my apprentice for a while and teach him.”

“Get in line, Marlon. This fellow needs to work on his metallurgy first.”

Some of the Meisters were chatting in front of the filter, not even bothering to look at the other artisans, as if there was no need to see more.

Among them were some Meisters from other factions who had initially seemed uninterested in Renok.

“U-um…”

Brahms, whose face was red as he listened to the artisans praising Renok, hurriedly changed the subject.

“We haven’t checked the maintenance field submissions yet, everyone is being too hasty. Isn’t it too early to make an evaluation?”

“Ah, that’s true.”

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen an artisan with such a unique talent for combining metals, so I got carried away.”

“I’d like to check the equipment that Lyman chose as his submission for the maintenance field-”

The Meisters, who turned their heads while saying that, discovered an old musket gun placed on the workbench and had a look of shock on their faces.

An equipment that had been abandoned without receiving any attention, without a name or a score tag attached to it.

It was an item that Renok had personally obtained with the help of the old man from the last display case.

However, from the moment Renok took out the musket gun, none of the judges who were surrounding him opened their mouths.

“…”

“This is…”

“Ummm…”

As if the friendly atmosphere from just a moment ago was a lie, the judges were frozen with their eyes wide open.

Even the artisans were looking at the shape of the musket gun with a sense of caution rather than interest.

Even Brahms, who had been trying to keep Renok in check, stopped in his tracks with a look of bewilderment after seeing the musket gun.

The other artisans, who had been watching Renok’s judging process with envious eyes, also realized that something was wrong and turned their attention.

The silence that had spread around Renok’s workbench soon enveloped the entire stadium as if it were engulfing it.

“It’s one of the artifacts that was displayed in the last display case.”

Among them, one of the Meisters who had been standing at the very back of the group without saying a single word quietly stepped forward.

“Most of the artisans participating in this selection ceremony may not know, but most of the Meisters have already touched this relic-level artifact at least once.”

“…”

“Most of the Meisters who were selected in the selection ceremony tried to repair this relic, but no one succeeded. Do you know why?”

The artisan’s eyes shone sharply.

“Because this artifact wasn’t made with the technology and parts of this world.”

He knew.

The countless nameless artifacts that were displayed without any explanation in the last display case.

They weren’t just items that were displayed because they were thought to be difficult to repair.

Items with completely different standards from artifacts that were completed with magic power or thoughts.

Commonly called relics of the old world, the traces of destruction that have gone through a great cycle.

“Do you know what it means for you to try to repair it yourself?”

“…”

“Repairing equipment always carries the possibility of making it worse than its original state. If you fail to repair this artifact and make its condition worse, you will bear the responsibility alone.”

Was that why there were relatively few artisans who tried to stand out in the maintenance field?

However, Renok nodded without hesitation, even though he knew that fact.

“Can I show a demonstration first before we talk?”

“…Alright. If you’re that confident.”

Even though the Meisters, who had not been interested in Renok until now, stepped forward to warn him, Renok wasn’t greatly shaken.

Renok already knew where this musket gun came from.

A relic of the old world that he had found in the last display case of the selection ceremony, with the help of the old man and the power of the Pentarect [a magical artifact].

However, Renok had already recognized that fact even before the artisan explained it.

The fact that this artifact was a relic of the old world.

And that this gun was a dedicated equipment used for a specific job called the Magunner [a class or profession that uses magic guns].

The highest-grade item that he had used as a Magunner in the second major update of the game that Renok enjoyed.

The world of WORLD 2.0. The magic gun that was treated as a top-tier item that he, as a Magunner, had definitely obtained at least once.

The musket gun that the old man had mentioned now was an equipment used by a Magunner of the old world.