Chapter 77 – Early Snowstorm (2)

In magic engineering equipment, there exists a core that is like the engine of a car.

The core absorbed the mana of the magic stone and moved the exploded force into the mana circuit to run the equipment.

In other words, the core was like the heart that allowed magic engineering equipment to breathe and live.

“What in the world is this……”

The Eternal Embers of our Ember.

The core of the thermal generator, the greatest magic engineering facility and device existing in the Ice Age, was losing its light.

“Just what on earth did they do until the core reached this state?”

Plastering my hand on the outer hull to inspect its condition, I could not help but be astonished as I examined the internal core and circuit board with my mana sense.

The Eternal Embers was invented based on fire magic, and the core was supposed to shine colorfully in hues like the sunset with a bright radiance.

It was meant to emit subtle colors, such as from yellow to orange, and from orange to red.

However, the core captured by my mana sense was not like that.

Unlike the appearance of emitting heat to the outside, no fierce pulsation was felt from the core, and it was merely rattling as if struggling.

Of course, I had not confirmed it directly.

I simply knew the setting of that the core’s vibration was so weak as if it would stop breathing at any moment, and that the core lost its color as its power depleted.

“Whew…… Am I still not fully recovered?”

Withdrawing my mana sense carefully, I took my hand off the outer hull.

Whether it was the lingering aftereffects of using excessive mana during the mutant raid or because I peeked into the core of the massive device called the Eternal Embers, the fatigue was significant.

No, perhaps it was not fatigue from using mana, but rather from the fact that the Eternal Embers might stop operating soon.

Yes, I had to establish a countermeasure right away.

The imminent snowstorm was one thing, but the Eternal Embers was the only survival measure and hope of the Ice Age.

It was the single device that enabled humans to live and cities to be formed.

Conversely, without the Eternal Embers, there were no people and no city.

Therefore, regardless of developing mana guns, golems, or prosthetics, I had to fix the Eternal Embers first.

Otherwise, everyone would die.

Even if the repair failed, everyone would die.

Even if we could not make it in time, everyone would die.

Since a snowstorm was coming to cross the snowfields to find other Embers, and on top of that, there was the greatest risk factor called mutants.

This applied not only to me but to the future of everyone in the Ember.

‘I should meet Demian first.’

Looking up at the Eternal Embers with heavy eyes, I turned my steps toward the magic engineering department.

It was to ask if Demian and the magic engineering department grasped this situation, and if so, whether they had a solution.

Of course, I possessed deeper and broader knowledge about magic engineering than they did.

Yet, I had to seek advice.

Since they were the true residents of this world and magic engineers, possessing practical experience that I lacked.

It was just as I turned around.

“Aylen, so you were here.”

As I raised my head, which had been bowed toward the ground, at the heavy voice, the face of a man entered my sight.

Demian Vale, the Head of the Magic Engineering Department whom I had wished to seek advice from, was none other than him.

“I had something to ask you anyway, so it is good that you came. Do you manage the Eternal Embers yourself, Department Head? When was the last time it was checked?”

As I asked businesslike, Demian’s eyes staring at me swirled with a torrent of all kinds of emotions.

It was bound to be so.

From his perspective, the mutant raid was the worst incident in which he had almost lost his only son, and even though that son barely saved his life, he might end up with a crippled arm.

“I need to see the management log of the Eternal Embers. The records must remain in the magic engineering department, right?”

However, I averted my gaze and passed him, moving my steps toward the magic engineering department.

With the worst crisis ahead where the Eternal Embers would inevitably break down, I had no leisure to pour attention onto mere parent-child emotions.

Furthermore, Demian had tacitly accepted the single-party rule of the leadership using the mutant outbreak as an occasion.

Although he might be useful as a magic engineer, his utility value as a power holder had vanished, so there was no need to strive for recovering our relationship right away.

Of course, I had to cooperate, so my tone of voice was polite.

“……Naturally, I am the manager of the Eternal Embers. The management is being done steadily every day. The logs are kept in my office by year, month, and date.”

Was it because my attitude was firmer than necessary?

Demian spoke thus.

That voice full of lingering attachment proved that he was treating me not as a magic engineer, but as a son.

However, I was more concerned with his words than Demian’s sorrowful voice, so I asked.

“Every day? You say you inspect it every day?”

I asked, narrowing my eyes.

According to his words, they managed the Eternal Embers with utmost devotion without skipping a single day, yet they left it until the core reached this state.

Demian’s answer was completely in conflict with the wretched state of the core.

Soon, he replied.

“Yes. Why would I neglect the management of the Eternal Embers, which is the heart of the Ember? I am observing it thoroughly according to the inspection guidelines.”

“Does that mean you accurately grasp the state of the Eternal Embers?”

“Of course.”

As is the case with all Embers, the management of the Eternal Embers was fundamentally done by the magic engineering department, and they were also the ones in charge.

Naturally, the head, who held the highest position in the magic engineering department, bore the greatest responsibility.

And Demian Vale was the Head of the Magic Engineering Department.

The Eternal Embers ending up like that was entirely his responsibility.

That was why I asked if he knew the condition properly, intending to call him to account.

“…….”

However, meeting eyes with him, I could not say anything.

Because his eyes, which looked tired… no, lifeless, were telling me more than what was visible.

So I asked.

“You knew. That the core had ended up like that……”

“……Yes. The members of the magic engineering department do not know, but I know. That the Eternal Embers is reaching the end of its lifespan.”

I could easily infer the space between the lines that Demian did not speak.

Needless to say, due to the friction with the leadership and their uncooperative attitude, he had neither the time nor the resources to manage the Eternal Embers properly.

However, since the Eternal Embers was the Ember itself, he could not avoid responsibility for any reason, so I spoke.

“A defect in the Eternal Embers cannot be tolerated under any circumstances. Even if you were enemies, you could have told the leadership the truth and sought cooperation.”

If the Eternal Embers broke down, the Ember would fade.

Fading meant dying, and there were no exceptions to death.

That was why if a problem arose with the Eternal Embers, even those who usually saw each other as enemies would naturally unite.

“Do you think I have not tried?”

“What? Does that mean…… the leadership even played a game of chicken over the Eternal Embers?”

However, Demian’s answer was something even I had not expected.

“A game of chicken…… Yes, it would be correct to express it that way. Even though I reported the critical defect of the core, Yan was beyond laid-back. It was as if he desired mutual destruction.”

“Mutual destruction? Please tell me in detail.”

“Literally mutual destruction, an attitude like saying let us all die together. At first, I thought he did not recognize the severity of the situation because he was not a magic engineer…… but that was not it. He also knew the situation was urgent. He must have known from reading the report that the fuel efficiency of the Eternal Embers had degraded by nearly twice as much recently.”

If Demian’s words were true, there was definitely something strange about Yan’s attitude.

For someone who had spent all those long years to swallow this Ember to wish for mutual destruction, it made no sense.

There were subsequent words from Demian.

“He demanded that I bow my head and enter under the leadership, promising to provide support so that the Eternal Embers could be repaired. And back then, I refused.”

“What was the reason?”

“It was obvious what would happen if the Ember fell into his hands, and I thought I could somehow resolve a defect of this level with my own ability. Of course…… as you saw, that was my pride and a misjudgment……”

Demian’s anguish and choice at that time were fully understandable.

Because he knew Yan’s low intentions and possessed the talent of being called the next Grand Magic Engineer.

He had considered it better to resolve it on his own, even if it was difficult.

However, I asked about one thing that I simply could not understand.

“But why was a hierarchical relationship formed between the two of you? If a problem arises with the Eternal Embers, it is literally mutual destruction.”

A game of chicken over the Eternal Embers was absolute madness.

Because it was no different from Russian roulette with lives as the stake.

Therefore, even if Demian was the person in charge, there was no reason to grovel to Yan.

Everyone would die if they did not cooperate, so where would there be any upper hand?

If one had to determine the upper hand, it should rather be seen that Demian, who could repair the Eternal Embers, held the initiative.

But as expected, Demian’s belief was the problem this time as well.

“Just as I know him, he knows me. Yan knew that I was a person who could not gamble with the citizens’ lives as the stake. That was why he spoke of mutual destruction and showed the shamelessness of saying he would help if I bowed my head. He probably did not actually think they would truly be destroyed together.”

Yan Casellos had exploited Demian’s firm yet weak belief that prioritized the citizens.

However, whether it should be called good luck or not, Yan’s scheme did not succeed due to Demian’s misjudgment, but he was truly a persistent man.

Demian was a pure victim who was merely toyed with by a villain because he was too righteous.

However.

“I do not want to blame you, but you made two misjudgments.”

“……Two?”

“First, you judged that you could repair the Eternal Embers on your own. Second, even when things turned out that way, you did not tell the members of the magic engineering department who follow you.”

What needed to be pointed out had to be pointed out.

Because he would become the Head of the Magic Engineering Department of the Ember that I would lead in the future, my person.

At that, he retorted.

“How is that a misjudgment? I admit that I was prideful, but to put it another way, a defect of the core is something even I could not resolve. Telling them would only increase worry or cause unpredictable accidents; nothing would be resolved.”

His voice trembled as if he felt wronged.

It must have been considerable suffering to bear that heavy secret alone, so his emotions welled up when that point was pointed out.

However, I spoke firmly.

“Then, what is the reason for the existence of the magic engineering department? If you believe that you can resolve everything by yourself, why does the magic engineering department even exist?”

“What……?”

“A group exists to bear problems that an individual cannot resolve. The one who did not give them the opportunity to repair the Eternal Embers was not Yan Casellos, but you, Demian Vale.”

“…….”

Humans cannot survive alone.

That was true for the Ember as well.

Therefore, they form a group and coexist in a society.

They distinguish what each other can and cannot do to build a life together.

Yet, Demian did not share information with the members of the magic engineering department because their level of academic achievement was lower than his.

Since the initial defect could have been sufficiently prevented if only there were resources, perhaps one of them who was smart could have announced it to the citizens, conciliated the propaganda department, or negotiated with the leadership.

Simply put, even if they belonged to the same group, each person’s ability was different, and there was not only one solution.

“…….”

As if realizing that, Demian was looking at me with a blank expression.

However, that looked more like surprise at my view rather than regret over his misjudgment.

But it was too late to realize it now.

“From now on, I will resolve this problem.”

I had to become the solver of this irreversible problem.

It was something only I could do, and something I absolutely had to do.