The empire has a strong bias against pure engineering that does not use magic stones.
In the past, the culture was entwined with the privilege of importing expensive magic stones that only came from the demon realm’s mines. For a noble who cannot use magic stones, it was a source of shame.
Currently, the perception has solidified due to the resistance of the magical community, which has become conscious of the emergence of total firearms, and the imperial family’s unease with the development of weapons easily usable by commoners.
“We have persistently worked toward the advancement of academia despite the negative perception. During the academic-industrial cooperation festival, we managed to display a steam engine train and barely seized the opportunity, yet our department has come to this.”
Perhaps feeling unfairly treated by fate, a senior student was on the verge of tears. His face was red, and he looked like he might burst into sobs at any moment.
Ugh.
Kneeling, the senior’s mood seemed good, but seeing him cry didn’t lift my spirits.
I held his hand tightly. Objectively, it felt rather unpleasant because he was sweaty, but who cares about popularity!
“Senior! What kind of hardships have you been through until now? Please spill it all out! The student council is the place for that!”
“You can’t even say it! If you trace back our long history, before the emergence of magic stones, the engineering department referred to pure engineering! It’s strange to even attach the word ‘pure’ in the first place! Engineering is just engineering! But now everyone’s associating the engineering department with magic engineering after some rock rolled in and removed other rocks!”
The excited senior had returned to using informal speech.
Whew.
Now that they weren’t crying anymore, Pastel subtly let go of the unpleasant hand. She roughly wiped the sweat off with a handkerchief.
“Junior! Be honest with me!”
The senior pointed an accusatory finger.
What?!
Was wiping sweat too presumptuous?!
It was done unconsciously!
“Can we distinguish between pure engineering department and pure engineering major?! Do you even know what the official title is?”
Huh.
Is this senior from the pure engineering department or the pure engineering major?
I don’t know.
In an unexpected situation where Pastel could become a privilege-soaked noble, her pink eyes quivered. It was a challenging problem even for the demon in the library who might be wondering.
This, off the cuff!
“Pure engineering department!”
I wasn’t sure, but the important thing was to say it confidently!
It must have been mentioned first for a reason!
“Ah, even the student council doesn’t know! Professors from other departments are confused by it!”
The senior struck their chest in frustration.
“We are officially the pure engineering major! There are pure engineering and magic engineering majors under the engineering department. But we are campaigning to refer to ourselves as the pure engineering department.”
Wow.
“We initially suggested calling it the engineering department, but since everyone was so confused by the magic engineering major, we compromised to call it the pure engineering department.”
The senior lamented the harsh reality.
“I understand! I’ve been considering whether to demand that everyone call me the great popular Pastel as well!”
Pastel strangely felt an immense sense of empathy.
“Great is great, so that’s fine! A popular person is a popular person! Besides, since Craft would only end up feeling wronged, it’s better to soften it to ‘Pastel’!”
Should I request to publish this campaign in the student newspaper?
Eli, who had been just listening to the conversation while doing paperwork, glanced over.
The senior felt similarly and, calming down, looked at me as though a powerful figure was cosplaying as a commoner.
Perhaps I was the only one who resonated.
A lack of empathy among those people.
Phew.
“Anyway, ahem.”
The senior took out a handkerchief to wipe their hands. Though unmentioned, it seemed my hand-wiping had bothered them.
Objectively speaking, it was dirty!
“Viscount, the pure engineering department is facing a crisis. After gathering students and investing in the trading guild, the guild went bankrupt, and now none of our students are doing well! Please save us!”
The senior hesitated before adding quickly.
“We have no one to rely on except for the great popular Pastel!”
Wow, what a nice title to hear.
Pastel suddenly felt a surge of empathy.
The development of a steam engine train, after all.
Isn’t that a remarkable achievement in an empire where even fountain pens haven’t been distributed and people still use quills?
“Of course, I need to help! What do you need? Personal recovery? Departmental support? Budget allocation?”
Just tell the great popular Pastel!
Ahem.
The senior’s expression brightened.
“Acquisition of the trading guild’s liquidated assets!”
Huh?
It seemed the senior had hurriedly brought out some documents they had prepared.
“The imperial bank, as the first-ranking creditor, has decided to sell the assets of the guild. If it’s sold as is, it will go to some absurd trading guild that only cares about cheaply acquired land and real estate! This is a guild that has no intention of engaging in the demon realm’s railway business and will be discarded!”
Sounds like a salesperson.
Eli approached with new black tea.
“It’s cold, so drink this.”
“Ah! Thank you! You’re the best, Eli!”
Even though she must be busy with paperwork, she still prepares tea every time we entertain guests!
I downed the previous black tea in one go and accepted the new one.
Eli collected the teacup, cast a quick eye over the documents, and then left.
The senior was now pounding their chest.
“This is all part of the imperial bank’s conspiracy! They’ve purposely made the guild bankrupt by using credit downgrades and loan recovery in an attempt to thwart the development of railroads in the demon realm! Seeing that guilds tied to the demon realm were completely excluded from the sale negotiations due to national security concerns makes their intentions clear!”
Eh.
“Though it’s called the imperial bank, it’s likely the royal family’s influence behind it! If you consider how the royal family views engineering, everything from start to finish is displeasing! Even magic engineering is focused only on military use, showing no consideration for the essence and sophistication of engineering! Not sophisticated? Anyway, that’s how it is!”
Ugh, a political statement!
I’m just Pastel, so I don’t really know about this. It’s a difficult topic for a popular person.
If they’re openly criticizing the royal family, does this senior consider me an ally?
Honestly, there were indications that the emperor cooperated when my dad sold our assets to the cult, so there might be hostility.
“Mr. Department Representative, please don’t go that far. The royal family must have its circumstances. It’s just that there are a few more innocent victims.”
The senior gradually calmed down, allowing their head to droop.
“I’m sorry, Your Grace. That was unseemly. It wasn’t something to say as a department representative.”
“I understand how you feel! It can be frustrating with the adults’ circumstances!”
Pastel skimmed through the documents.
“I’m very interested in railway businesses! While the initial investment costs too much, operating infrastructure privately could be incredibly lucrative! Selling air for money!”
Air, yum yum!
“Huh? Infrastructure? What’s that?”
The senior looked bewildered.
Huh?
Pastel tilted her head.
“If you didn’t predict the railway infrastructure, what were you looking at when the entire student body invested all their fortunes?”
Is risky technological gambling the tradition of the department?
The senior hesitated, seeming troubled, before reaching into the document bag. A secret compartment in the bottom opened, and a document was retrieved.
“There’s a secret contract with the guild…”
The document was not immediately handed over and remained raised for a moment.
“You must guarantee confidentiality.”
“Of course! A popular person has to be careful not to spill secrets!”
“It’s a must.”
“Yes!”
“Absolutely!”
“Fully guaranteed!”
How daunting must the secret be?
Could it mean death if discovered?
The document received detailed transaction records filled with transactions ignoring imperial trade laws. There were records of exporting fuel, which was legally prohibited without exception to the demon realm.
Wow!
There’s a lot of smuggling in Sky Island!
Geopolitically, there’s no choice, but everyone has no conscience…!
Pastel felt the weight of responsibility as a responsible authority figure.
With a sense of obligation, her eyes immediately caught sight of the profitability.
300% per transaction.
Wow.
It’s worth investing all my wealth.
“How, how is money made from this?”
The professional smuggler, Senior Horace, had optimized the route for a 100% profit per transaction, right?
“Magic stones only come from the demon realm’s mines, but the demon realm itself can’t produce magic stone products as the distribution is controlled there. Especially the construction golems essential for railway construction. While renting them is possible, one must buy the official magic stone fuel from the demon realm company at a ridiculous price under duress. Interference in the business is an extra option.”
The senior’s face became grave.
“So we created magic stone fuel and sold it at a bargain price. Just at 300% of the cost. This was solely for the advancement of pure engineering.”
Pastel’s mouth fell open.
“But magic stone fuel is not pure engineering?!”
Why are the seniors selling that?!
The magic engineering department must be feeling wronged for missing the opportunity!
“The final product is pure, so it’s pure engineering.”
The senior wore a face blinded by money.
What a ridiculous reasoning…!
“Senior! You’ve lost your purity like this; it’s the curse of bankruptcy that has fallen upon you!”
The senior flinched.
“That’s…”
Their expression suddenly turned somber.
“I’ve worried about that. Are we losing our essence? Where has the purity that made us choose the thorny path fascinated by the sound of steam engines gone?”
“That’s exactly it! You have been cursed! This won’t do!”
Pastel’s expression became grave.
“I deeply resonate with the cause! But if you seniors lose your way while leading, it will completely defeat the purpose! Such a twisted future must not be allowed to happen!”
“Pastel.”
The senior looked at her with a wistful expression.
“Now the junior will take charge!”
I clenched my fist and placed it over my heart.
“That sense of mission! In this heart!”
For the sole advancement of pure engineering!
