Another World Metal Factory

Chapter 29

After Tehez changed into her work clothes and came down.

The Factory Manager, after attaching all four wheels and checking their condition by rotating them one by one, lubricated each bearing with spray lubricant and brought over the hoist.

“Alright. Channing! I’m going to lift this up now, so adjust the angle carefully!”

“Yes! I’ve tied the ropes!”

Channing shouted in response to the Factory Manager’s words.

While the Factory Manager operated the hoist, Channing and Tehez tied ropes to the sides of the carriage and pulled them this way and that, adjusting the center of gravity.

A moment later, the wheels of the completely overturned carriage slowly descended as they faced downwards. In this way, the carriage was returned to its original state.

“Oh. It looks good.”

At Channing’s words, the Factory Manager examined the carriage from various angles to see if there were any problems.

“The center of gravity seems to be well balanced. There doesn’t seem to be any warping. But the seating area is still a mess. It’ll be difficult to ride in for a long time like this.”

The Factory Manager went to the corner of the workshop with Channing and brought something back. It was a car seat. Since it was removed from a car, it was a bit worn, but still soft.

The Factory Manager and Channing each carried one and brought them to the carriage, setting them down.

“It’s a good thing I bought these when I bought the leaf springs.”

“It’s a chair. Are you going to attach this? It’s very soft and comfortable.”

The Factory Manager nodded at Channing’s question and lifted the seat onto the carriage.

After placing the car seat on the part of the carriage originally designed for sitting, the Factory Manager, along with Channing, positioned the seat and marked the spots to drill holes.

“Tehez! Bring the drill! With a 10-pi chuck attached.”

At the Factory Manager’s instruction, Tehez brought the drill and handed it over. The Factory Manager drilled holes in the marked locations and secured the seat to the carriage by screwing in bolts.

Because it was screwed into wood, the seat could come loose due to the vibrations of the carriage, so Channing went under the carriage and tightened the nuts to firmly secure the seat.

“This will be really comfortable.”

“You have to ride for a long time, so your bottom needs to be comfortable. Channing! Go with Tehez and bring the rest!”

Channing jumped down from the carriage and brought the remaining seats with Tehez. The Factory Manager measured and marked the locations in the luggage compartment with a tape measure and pen, then drilled holes.

In this way, they were able to attach two seats in the front of the carriage and a long seat from the back of the car in the rear luggage compartment.

The Factory Manager sat on the seat and shook his body. The soft car seat was fixed and very comfortable. The Factory Manager nodded and looked at Tehez.

“Good. This should be comfortable enough for the journey. Tehez! Sit here.”

The Factory Manager said while sitting on the seat, and Tehez, holding onto the side of the carriage, climbed up with some difficulty and sat next to him.

Tehez shook her body a few times on the seat, then smiled brightly and threw herself onto the seat several times.

“Oh! This is comfortable! It’s so fluffy!”

As Tehez exclaimed in admiration and looked around, Channing also grabbed the side of the carriage to climb up. The Factory Manager pointed to the front of the carriage and said to Channing.

“Why?”

“Open the shutter and pull the carriage outside.”

“What?! You want me to pull this like a horse or an ox?”

Channing looked up with a dumbfounded expression, and the Factory Manager beckoned him with his hand, pointing to the front of the carriage. Channing sighed and put the leather strap used for tying horses over his shoulder and stepped forward.

“Ugh… It’s heavy.”

“Oh! It’s moving! It’s moving!”

As Channing exerted his strength, the carriage slowly began to roll forward, and Tehez began to laugh happily.

“I’m dying from exhaustion, and you’re laughing!”

Channing shouted while looking back, and Tehez started laughing uncontrollably, holding her stomach.

Resigned, Channing sighed and pressed the button to raise the shutter, opening the back door and pulling the carriage out into the backyard.

As the carriage descended, someone standing in the backyard greeted them brightly.

“Welcome back. Did you pull the carriage out?”

Illia greeted them cheerfully. Illia, who had returned after attending mass at the cathedral and playing, was riding on a strange-looking creature.

The Factory Manager was slightly surprised to see the creature and stared blankly.

“What is that chick?”

The Factory Manager asked, looking the creature over.

The creature Illia was riding was a brown bird that looked like a chick. However, it was too large to be called a chick. It was a giant bird, its head probably reaching a height of two meters.

However, the Factory Manager thought it didn’t look scary because it looked like a chick that had been raised as is. It had a rather cute appearance with a short neck and a large head compared to its body.

When their eyes met, the chick gently nudged its head towards the Factory Manager, and the Factory Manager reached out and stroked the chick’s head. He could feel the warmth of its body through its soft feathers.

As if enjoying the Factory Manager’s touch, the chick gently pushed him with its head. The Factory Manager stepped back slightly and looked at the others.

“What the hell is this chick?”

“It’s an Aspur.”

“It’s an Aspur.”

“It’s an Aspur.”

Channing, Tehez, and Popper replied. Only then did the Factory Manager notice Popper standing next to the giant chick.

“Ah. Popper?”

“Yeah. You asked me to find a horse to pull the carriage, so I brought this.”

“Well… I asked for a horse, not a chick…”

When the Factory Manager replied, Popper burst into laughter and patted the Aspur’s back with his hand.

“Aspurs are better. Horses need separate feed and require a lot of attention, but Aspurs eat anything and if they’re hungry, they dig into the ground and catch bugs themselves. They’re also smart, strong, and don’t tire easily, so they’re better for long journeys. Well, humans don’t really like them, so dwarves and Mazoku raise them a lot.”

“I like Aspurs. They’re cute.”

Illia, who was riding on the Aspur, agreed.

“Aspurs are alright. They’re not great for pulling plows, but they pull carriages well. We used to raise one at home. I raised it diligently from when it was a chick. My father eventually sold it, though.”

Channing also said so, approached the Aspur, reached out, and scratched under its chin. The Aspur, as if pleased, flapped its wings and rubbed its head against Channing.

“Haha! This guy is a good one. It seems to be used to people.”

“Hmm… Well, if you say it’s okay, Channing, then it’s okay. Then try tying it to the carriage.”

With the Factory Manager’s permission, Channing and Popper began to tie the Aspur to the carriage with leather straps.

Perhaps because it was used to pulling carriages, it didn’t move much and calmly accepted the leather straps tightening around its body.

Once all the straps were tied, Channing grabbed the Aspur’s reins and jumped onto the carriage.

Sitting in the front seat, Channing smiled at the Factory Manager sitting next to him and Illia and Tehez sitting behind him.

“Well then. Let’s see the performance of this newly made carriage. Let’s depart.”

Channing said so and flicked the reins, and the Aspur started walking forward, taking a step.

“Oh! It’s moving so smoothly!”

“Huh… It’s not shaking much?”

Channing exclaimed in admiration with a smile, and Tehez started looking around excitedly while sitting on the sofa.

The Factory Manager, who was riding in such a carriage for the first time, was satisfied with the ride’s comfort, as it didn’t shake uncomfortably even on the bumpy road made of various stones fitted together, rather than a smoothly paved asphalt road.

“This should be fine even for long journeys.”

“No. More than that, this carriage runs really well. And it doesn’t shake much. So it seems comfortable for the Aspur to walk too. At this rate, we should be able to arrive faster.”

Channing flicked the reins again and made a clicking sound with his mouth, and the Aspur started walking a little faster.

The speed of the carriage increased, matching the Aspur’s brisk pace.

“Hey! If you guys go fast, what about me!”

At Popper’s words, who was following alongside the carriage, Channing smiled and pulled the reins. The Aspur stopped abruptly, and the carriage also stopped in place.

Because of the momentum of the carriage, the Aspur had to take a few more steps, and only after a few more steps did the carriage come to a complete stop.

5.

After seeing the carriage in motion, Popper immediately offered to order one.

The Factory Manager, who was initially reluctant, had no choice but to promise to make one for him after the business trip when he had time, due to Popper’s earnest request.

Instead, they compromised to use existing carriage wheels instead of tire wheels. This was because tire wheels would be difficult to repair if they broke down.

The Factory Manager judged that if they just attached ball bearings to the existing carriage wheels to make them rotate smoothly, they could fix them themselves if the wheels broke down.

“Alright. Then I’ll ask you after you’re done.”

“Okay, man. Let’s talk again after I come back.”

“Then I’ll be going.”

After Popper left, Channing, who had tied the Aspur to one side of the yard, spoke to the Factory Manager, who was smoking a cigarette.

“By the way, Factory Manager-nim, you don’t like making things that require a lot of work, but you’re going to make a carriage for Mr. Popper?”

The Factory Manager looked at Channing while exhaling cigarette smoke.

“Hey. It takes up a lot of space, requires a lot of work, and is a hassle, so why would I make it? Do you want to make it?”

“Ugh. It’s already annoying enough making ours.”

“Exactly. We’re not going to make it.”

“Uh… What? What do you mean… You just took the order.”

Channing asked back at the Factory Manager’s reply.

Channing couldn’t understand why the Factory Manager was saying that, having just seen him promise to make it.

Perhaps noticing this, the Factory Manager threw away his cigarette butt and continued.

“I’m going to subcontract it to that Wagner guy who makes carriages. He has a lot of employees and knows how to make carriages, so he’ll do a better job. I’m just going to provide the ball bearings and leaf springs and teach him how to make it.”

“Uh… What if Mr. Wagner starts making and selling them himself?”

Channing’s question was valid. If he taught him how to make it, there was a possibility that he would make and sell the same thing, and in that case, the workshop’s profits would significantly decrease.

In response to Channing’s question, the Factory Manager stamped out the cigarette butt on the ground with his foot and said.

“Do you think that Wagner guy has the skills to make leaf springs and ball bearings? Even if I teach him, he can’t make them without us supplying the materials.”

Channing opened his mouth in realization and couldn’t say anything.

He thought that the answer was obvious when he considered how many people could make the perfectly round spheres that went into the ball bearings, and make them out of steel.

Moreover, the elastic and sturdy leaf springs were not something that could be easily made either.

“You’re right, Factory Manager-nim.”

“We’ll wholesale the ball bearings and make the leaf springs by processing spring steel plates. It’ll be easier that way.”

The Factory Manager said, looking at Illia laughing on the Aspur’s back and Tehez stroking the Aspur’s head next to her. The Factory Manager smiled for some reason and shouted at Channing.

“Alright! Then let’s pack our things!”

“Yes, sir.”

Channing ran his hand through his hair and took out the gloves he had in his back pocket and put them on.

“Illia and Tehez, pack your things for tomorrow too!”

“Okay. Let’s go upstairs then, Illia.”

“Okay.”

At the Factory Manager’s words, Tehez helped Illia down from the Aspur’s back, and the two went up to the second floor. Meanwhile, the Factory Manager and Channing loaded the finished goods onto the carriage.