Another World Metal Factory

Chapter 39

The factory crew returned to the workshop after their short vacation.

The factory was bustling with activity again as they had to finish the backlog of work that had piled up during their days off.

The sounds of machines filled the air, and everyone was busy moving around, focused on their respective tasks.

“Factory Manager-nim. I’ve finished cutting them!”

Channing said as he brought the cut parts to the Factory Manager, who received the parts in a plastic box. He then slowly examined them.

There were a total of four parts, all neatly cut.

“Hmm. You cut them well. You’re using the milling machine well now.”

“Haha. It’s already been a few months.”

Channing smiled at the Factory Manager’s praise, and the Factory Manager picked up two of the parts.

“We’ve been getting a lot of orders for hinges lately.”

“Ours are sturdy and precise. The doors here are all made of solid wood, so the hinges need to be strong. This one is also for a nobleman’s study door, so they asked us to make it strong and neat.”

The Factory Manager replied to Channing’s words and tried fitting the two parts together. The symmetrical parts fit perfectly.

“Hmm. They fit perfectly. Channing, give me the pin.”

“Yes. Here you go.”

Channing lifted the pin that was on the workbench, and the Factory Manager pushed it into the hole where the hinges were supposed to connect. The pin went in only about a finger’s length and then wouldn’t go any further.

Thinking that the pin might be too thick, the Factory Manager pulled it out and examined the hole. Then he realized why the pin wouldn’t go in and yelled.

“Channing! I told you to measure and cut accurately! The holes are misaligned, so the pin won’t go in! There’s a 2 millimeter (mm) difference!”

“Oops! I think the chuck moved a little while I was drilling the holes. The others should fit fine.”

Channing replied with a laugh at the Factory Manager’s scolding, and the Factory Manager sighed and took out a cigarette.

“Honestly, that guy’s just getting cheekier… Tehez! We’re working overtime today, so get ready!”

“Overtime again?”

At Channing’s question, the Factory Manager flicked Channing’s head with his knuckle and said,

“It’s not because of your mistake! We have to make eight of these, and if you make a mistake like this from the first one, how are we going to finish on time?! We have to work overtime to meet the deadline! Illia! Go to the restaurant and order dinner.”

Illia nodded, put down her rag, and went outside.

It was just another day at the factory.

2.

“Ugh… Finally done…”

Late in the evening, Channing finished the last weld, let out a cheer, and put his protective mask on the table.

Stretching and twisting his waist, Channing sat down on a chair and looked at Tehez.

“Tehez! Work’s done, don’t you want to go for a drink?”

Tehez shook her head, carefully examining a piece of copper she was polishing.

“No thanks. I’m tired, so I’m going to wash up and sleep.”

“What about the Factory Manager-nim?”

The Factory Manager, who was cutting sheet metal with a steel pen and ruler, shook his head.

“I’m good too. You go ahead and have a drink by yourself.”

“Hmm… Well, if everyone else is done, I’ll be off then.”

Channing took off the top part of his one-piece work overalls, tied the sleeves around his waist, and went out the back door. The Factory Manager silently continued his work.

Tehez stretched and twisted her waist. Illia had already gone to bed, and she thought she should take a shower and go to bed soon since she was tired too.

As she was about to move, Tehez noticed the Factory Manager cutting sheet metal.

After thinking about the orders they had received, Tehez couldn’t figure out what he was making with the sheet metal. She didn’t remember receiving an order for anything like that.

Curious, Tehez walked over to the Factory Manager and spoke to him.

“Master. What are you making?”

“A giant windmill.”

The Factory Manager started cutting the sheet metal.

Tehez approached the Factory Manager as he cut the sheet metal with a large cutter, making a clanging sound.

“What are you doing? Not going home?”

“Just wondering what new and amazing thing you’re making.”

“It’s nothing special. I’m not going to finish it here anyway.”

The Factory Manager continued cutting the sheet metal.

After cutting a bunch of sheet metal into the same shape, the Factory Manager started punching holes in them with a punch.

“I’ll help you.”

Tehez said, putting her gloves back on, and the Factory Manager slid two parts towards her.

“Okay. Then connect this piece to this hole and tighten it with a bolt.”

Tehez brought an impact driver and a wrench and started fixing the parts the Factory Manager had given her. They were pieces that had been bent and punched with holes to attach a round object.

The punched and folded parts were bent at an angle. Tehez fixed them one by one.

“What is this?”

“A giant windmill.”

“A windmill? We never received an order for that.”

“No, we didn’t.”

The Factory Manager punched a hole and took out a cigarette. Tehez looked a little surprised. This was because the Factory Manager, who usually didn’t like to make things even when they had orders, was taking the initiative to make something.

“It’s surprising to see you making something we didn’t get an order for.”

“Well, there are times like this too.”

Tehez laid the completed pieces out in a circle on the floor, and after looking them over, the Factory Manager nodded and put them in a plastic box.

“Good. That’s about it. Thanks for your hard work late at night.”

“Don’t mention it. Tomorrow’s a day off. It’s amazing that we get two days off on the weekend.”

“Is it?”

The Factory Manager loaded the plastic box onto a hand truck and pulled it out the back door.

“Alright. I’m ready to go.”

“Where are you going?”

Tehez asked, taking off her gloves, and the Factory Manager nodded.

“I’m going to the inn tomorrow with Illia.”

“Eh?!”

Tehez exclaimed in surprise, and the Factory Manager, embarrassed, scratched his head and looked away.

“No, it’s just… I’m going to the hot springs to relax and there’s something I need to install. It’s been two weeks since we went there.”

Tehez smiled and approached the Factory Manager.

“That sounds nice. I’ll go with you. Let’s take Channing too.”

“Leave Channing. What use would he be?”

“You’re not good at driving the carriage, Factory Manager-nim. It’ll take you an extra day if you drive.”

Persuaded by Tehez, the Factory Manager scratched his head.

“I… Is that so?”

“Yes, it is. So take Channing with you. I’ll go to the pub and drag him out now. If he drinks too much, he won’t be able to drive the carriage tomorrow.”

As Tehez said that and walked out the door, the Factory Manager started to reach out to stop her, then stopped.

-You’re young.-

“Shut up!”

The Factory Manager shouted, and the black sword burst out laughing.

-I heard about it from Channing. The innkeeper is quite a beauty, isn’t she?-

“Don’t say such strange things, you inanimate object.”

-Do you know how long I’ve lived? I know all about the stories of men and women.-

The Factory Manager reached out and grabbed the sword.

“Don’t say strange things to the kids.”

-What’s wrong with that? If you don’t have a wife and the innkeeper doesn’t have a husband, there’s nothing wrong with getting along.-

“Yeah, do whatever you want. Do whatever you want.”

The Factory Manager hung the sword back on the wall.

3.

Arriving at the Red Rooster, Tehez carefully entered. Despite the late hour, the place was packed with drinkers.

“Oh my? Tehez, what brings you here so late?”

Richel, who was carrying two full glasses of beer, asked in surprise when she saw Tehez. Tehez pointed to Channing, who was sitting in the corner of the restaurant.

“I came to get him.”

“Really? He said he was going to drink like crazy today since tomorrow’s a day off.”

Tehez shrugged.

“The Factory Manager-nim said he’s going to the inn tomorrow.”

“Ah. To your aunt’s place? Didn’t that end with the last visit?”

“I guess there’s something he needs to install. He said he was going with just Illia, but I thought we should go with him.”

Richel nodded and then whispered,

“Let me come too. I’ll sneak over to your factory in the morning.”

“What?!”

“Shh!”

Tehez exclaimed in surprise, and Richel signaled her to be quiet and glanced towards the kitchen.

“If my mom finds out, it’ll be a big problem. I need a break too. So, see you tomorrow.”

“Hey! Where’s my beer?!”

“Yes! Coming! Take good care of Tehez!”

Richel shouted back at the call of a drinker and moved away, and Tehez slowly walked towards the corner.

In the corner, Channing, Kelper, and other familiar apprentices were laughing and drinking boisterously.

“So, there’s a cheese shop in the west alley, and the daughter there is quite pretty.”

“Channing, are you always talking about girls from other alleys? There are plenty of pretty girls in our alley. Like Tehez in your workshop.”

“Hey! Tehez is pretty?! You’re a metalworker, but your eyes are that bad…”

Channing, who was laughing and talking, suddenly stopped when he saw Tehez.

The other apprentices cheered when they saw Tehez.

“Wow! Tehez! What brings you here?”

“Yeah! Hey! Make some room!”

The apprentices hurriedly welcomed her and made space, but Tehez shook her head.

“No. I didn’t come to drink. I came to get Channing.”

“What?! Me? Why?!”

Channing asked in surprise, and Tehez sighed and spoke.

“The Factory Manager-nim is going to the inn tomorrow. He has something to install. You need to drive the carriage and help with the installation. I’m going too.”

“That’s not fair. I made all sorts of plans for this week off.”

The drunken Channing collapsed onto the table with a look of despair, and the apprentices laughed and shook his shoulders.

“Hey! If the Master says so, the apprentice has to follow!”

“That’s right. That’s what an apprentice is! Hahaha! Get up, man!”

As the other apprentices forcibly pulled Channing up, he reached out to Tehez with a tearful expression.

“Ugh. I don’t want to go. I wanted to sleep in tomorrow…”

As Channing approached as if to hug her, Tehez subtly dodged to the side. Channing fell flat on the restaurant floor.

“Wahahaha!”

“Hey! Mister! What are you doing getting drunk already!”

The drinkers in the restaurant burst into laughter at the sight of Channing collapsing with a thud.

Richel, passing by, nudged Channing with her foot.

“Hey! Channing! Go home if you want to sleep! Don’t sleep on our restaurant floor!”

Channing staggered to his feet and sighed.

“Alright. I’m going. Going.”

“Good! Have a good trip! We’ll drink a little more!”

“You idiots! You have to work tomorrow! Stop drinking too!”

Channing yelled at the apprentices, but they just laughed, raised their glasses, and toasted, enjoying the moment.

Channing sighed and looked at Tehez with a sad expression.

“Let’s go… Tehez… I need to wake up early tomorrow…”

“Uh… Yeah… But is not being able to drink more really that sad?”

Tehez asked, looking at Channing, who replied with truly sad eyes.

“There’s nothing sadder than deciding to drink a lot and not being able to drink that much…”

“Honestly… Elves don’t have the image of being heavy drinkers.”

“That’s a prejudice. Elves, humans, Orcs, Mazoku… Everyone becomes happy and friends with alcohol. No wars, everyone’s happy.”

Tehez sighed deeply at Channing’s nonsense.

“That’s the most pathetic thing I’ve ever heard. Come on! Just walk straight!”

Tehez shouted, grabbed Channing’s arm as he staggered, and helped him out of the restaurant.