I Became a Genius Mechanic at the Academy

---

“Uuuuuuuuh… Uuh…”

Black history.

This was undoubtedly a piece of black history.

Enya could painfully realize this inside the carriage on her way home.

For the next month, she would create a black history that would lead her to countless blanket kicks.

– “N-no! There’s nothing more!”

– “Huh?”

– “W-well… Ah! The time! The carriage will be arriving soon…!”

– “There are still 30 minutes left.”

– “30 minutes left!”

– “Yes.”

“Uuuuuuh…”

Not only did she suddenly blurt out something nonsensical, but she also lost control of her thoughts.

Why did she have to spout something like “There are still 30 minutes left!” in that situation?

She could’ve just said the carriage was early.

What was she thinking just sitting there saying “There’s still 30 minutes left?”

– “Uh… Edgar.”

– “Yes?”

– “Was I… a bit weird just now?”

– “………”

– “For some reason, it feels like the entropy between us has… increased.”

“Uuuuuuuuh!!!”

The more she thought about it, the more her selected words felt like precious gems.

She wanted to reduce the entropy between them.

She wanted to fit the chaos-filled relationship into the mold of friendship.

There’s still 30 minutes left!

It felt like the entropy between them was increasing.

What on earth made her say those things?

What kind of sentiment was that?

She should’ve just started off as friends. That would’ve been enough.

This wasn’t how things were supposed to go.

She had planned to give Edgar a limited edition bromide of Baldoze as a gift and have a casual conversation about it, and then suggest they start being friends since this was fate.

If only it had started off coolly like that.

– “Ah, but in the end, it wasn’t so bad, right?”

But upon reflection, it wasn’t entirely negative.

The conversation afterward flowed quite naturally, didn’t it?

Enya recalled the conversation she had shared with Edgar.

– “You likening relationships to entropy is quite a fresh perspective, Enya.”

– “…Huh?”

– “It’s interesting. When I think about it, it seems like entropy applies to human relationships too.”

– “R-really…?”

– “Yes. This universe is designed for entropy to always increase, right? So, perhaps we are being tested by the universe. Without human will and effort, any human relationship is bound to drift apart.”

– “………”

– “So, I want that too. Let’s create a closed system between us.”

– “Huh, a closed system?”

– “Hehe. I’m saying I want to add heat and energy to my relationship with you, Enya. Let’s be friends, okay?”

– “S-sure!”

Enya smiled contentedly.

Even though she had suddenly lost her composure, the conversation afterward wasn’t too bad.

The conversation took place in a friendly atmosphere.

Enya reflected on the topics they had discussed with Edgar.

Talks about Baldoze.

Edgar’s struggles when inventing something.

Her own training in Baldo magic.

She smiled while recalling all those stories.

She wished she could have had more time— that feeling brushed past her.

She wished the carriage would take another 300 minutes to arrive.

“Sure, it wasn’t that bad after all.”

Although she made some blunders in the middle, it ended quite well.

Enya nodded, rationalizing to herself.

She smiled faintly, gazing out at the scenery rushing by.

The cherry blossoms fluttering in the wind were beautiful.

“…Um, Enya.”

At that moment, Claire, who was sitting across from her, called out to her.

As Enya looked at her, wearing a faint smile, Claire said,

“Are you, uh, crazy?”

“………”

Claire narrowed her eyes and stared suspiciously at Enya.

Something seemed off about her.

As soon as she entered the carriage, Enya had been holding her head and moaning, and now she was suddenly changing her expression to a satisfied smile and humming a tune.

Was she suffering from bipolar disorder?

In just a few minutes, Enya’s emotions were bouncing around wildly, a sight Claire had never seen before.

Her friend, who had always been so cool and calm.

“Yeah. I think I’m going a bit crazy.”

Moreover, her following response was even more revealing.

“I think I’m a bit crazy?”

Ever since meeting Edgar, she’d been in this state.

What on earth happened between her and Edgar that made Enya act so strangely?

As a friend who cared for her, it seemed necessary to investigate.

‘Edgar Fix, I’ll have to meet him soon.’

***

There was a significant difference between playing a game and actually being in it.

Just like the conversation that had just taken place with Enya.

Dialogue inside the game came alive.

It broke free from the confines set by the game.

Though this increased the uncertainty of how relationships with NPCs would pan out, finding one possibility among countless uncertainties held more meaning than walking down a predictable golden path.

With enough human will, it could lead to a better way.

‘Perhaps… I can perfectly overcome the apocalypse scenario and prepare for the following scenarios.’

El Pandor Runtera.

This game was notoriously known for its absurdly high difficulty.

Even I, the number one ranked player, had yet to completely clear the game.

This game was like the manga “Baldoze,” which Enya enjoyed, where the real story began from the extra chapters.

After clearing the Academy, the main trials ensue.

To triumph over those trials, one must abandon the most conventional and rational paths presented in the game.

One must build relationships with as many people as possible and find the answers to lead them towards good on their own.

That was the destiny and fate laid before me.

“…I should prepare for the match tomorrow.”

First, I needed to make sure to do well in the upcoming match.

The research was also progressing smoothly.

If I worked hard today, I should be able to create at least a propulsion system, right?

Vwooooooosh…!

I looked at the operating engine.

The propulsion system I had put the most effort into recently.

Had my manual dexterity not reached level 3, I wouldn’t have been able to create this thing.

As my engineering thinking reached level 3, I became capable of holographic design, and my manual skill also increased in level, giving rise to a subsidiary skill.

With the help of that subsidiary skill, I was able to create the prototype for the propulsion system in this short time.

“Hey, Fix.”

So, I awakened that subsidiary skill.

Its name was Fix.

When I say “Hey, Fix,” it activates.

Like this.

“Vwoooooosh~”

Pretending to be a piece of lab equipment, it quickly transforms.

This robotic arm, gained at level 3 of manual skill, can replicate my hand’s performance 100%, allowing it to take over tasks I can do.

The efficiency and speed of my work have surged remarkably.

Above all, what I liked the most was that it could work even when I was sleeping or momentarily occupied with something else.

I could devote myself to research and development 24/7.

Today, while I was gone, it had made quite some progress on the propulsion system.

“Fix, you’ve done a great job. Well done.”

“Vwoooooosh~♥”

It bounced happily, doing a headbang.

In this way, it was obedient to me.

Even when I’m not around, I can rely on it anytime.

Is that why professors like their graduate students?

Anyway, I examined the propulsion system Fix had been working on.

It looked more stable than before.

When I checked the logs, I noticed the concentration of the orihalcum mixed with mana stones had been lowered a bit.

In return, I had added more titanium alloy.

“Hm. Should I give it a test run?”

Although it was still a prototype, having increased the stability this much should make it usable, right?

I put the propulsion system into my inventory and stepped outside.

9 PM.

Since the dormitory wasn’t in operation yet, the Academy was quiet.

I headed to an open space and took out the propulsion system from my inventory, then connected the coupling device.

The coupling device wasn’t anything extravagant; it was just reinforced fibers that allowed the propulsion system to be strapped on.

“Phew…”

Anyway, I affixed the propulsion system to my body.

While I was considering how much output to set, I decided to try just 10%.

Since Fix had increased the stability of the propulsion system, it should withstand about 20% output easily—

– Pwooooshhhh!!!!

“Uuuuuuuuh!!!!”

***

Last night, I nearly died.

The moment I activated the propulsion system, I was literally shot into the sky.

It was a disaster caused by my assistant Fix not checking if he had drastically improved the performance of the propulsion system.

– Wooooooahhhh!!!

I was shot into the sky, and I hastily pressed the stop button.

But by that point, I was already flying at a height of 300 meters.

I had reached a height that far surpassed the 63rd building.

– Oooooh!! Oooooh!! Uuuuuuuuh!!!

I was in free fall.

The fear that I might die from falling and the overwhelming pressure pounding my entire body made my mind go blank.

As I panicked, getting closer to the ground, a flicker of reason saved me.

Instinctively, I recalled my unique ability, “Engineering Thinking.”

‘A human “Edgar Fix” with a mass of 73kg was dropped from a height of 300m. Calculate the work done by gravity on the object and determine the action directive for human “Edgar Fix” as the work approaches 0J.’

Then, surprisingly, the instinctive fear of death began to fade.

As if I had become a supercomputer, my thought process began to calculate only the answer to the problem I had posed, beyond the basic human instinct for survival.

And I acted on the value derived from that calculation.

– Hah!

First, I straightened my posture.

I directed my feet towards the ground and tested the propulsion system slightly.

– Pwoooosh!

Then, my falling speed decreased.

The energy from the propulsion system was offsetting gravity’s acceleration.

And I continued this action repeatedly.

To prepare for any possible impact, I activated a reinforcement spell, ensuring mana flowed through my body, and continued to offset gravitational acceleration.

– Thud.

Thus, I was able to land lightly on the ground like a feather.

“Phew…”

Still, thinking back to yesterday’s events made me sigh.

At my current level, there was no way to survive from 300m.

But thanks to yesterday’s failure, I learned a lot.

First, I was able to clearly determine how to modify the propulsion system, and I discovered the dramatic application of engineering thinking.

Of course, to develop my own cognitive abilities, I must minimize reliance on “Engineering Thinking,” but in unavoidable situations like yesterday, it could serve as a cheat key to avert crisis.

“Father, I’ll be heading to the Academy.”

“Hahaha! Alright! Do well!”

Thus, after finishing breakfast while reflecting on yesterday’s events, I put on my coat and stepped outside.

Today was the day of the second exam, a tournament match.

A crucial day to earn an S-class ranking.

And astonishingly, my tournament opponent was Isabella, the girl known as the witch.