Ch.153Butterfly Effect (2)

The news of the invention of the steam engine—no, the Magic Engine—spread like wildfire. The contamination of the World Tree’s roots, signs of demon summoning, and the Reaper—these three secrets had already emerged, but the Magic Engine was the crowning revelation.

Because of this, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the Magic Engine was drawing more attention than ever before. The invention of the Magic Engine meant that it wouldn’t be long before the steam locomotive that appeared in the Biography of Xenon would become reality.

When the steam locomotive first appeared in the Biography of Xenon, people dismissed it as mere fiction, but everyone had thought at least once:

If such an invention could be realized, it would bring tremendous progress. The steam locomotive had potential beyond imagination.

But since everyone considered it just “imagination,” no one dreamed of inventing it—except for the eccentric dwarf who seemed to have stepped out of a novel.

And now that the steam engine—no, the Magic Engine, the crucial component of the steam locomotive—had been invented, it was enough to capture the attention of world leaders. They had already dispatched high-ranking officials to negotiate contracts with Eins, the inventor of the Magic Engine.

If a steam locomotive or Magic Engine locomotive were to be invented, it would naturally strengthen a nation’s economy and military power. Moreover, the steam locomotive would have a profound impact not just on science but on “culture” as well.

Despite the existence of refrigerators and air conditioners, the concept of “machinery” had been virtually non-existent in this world. This was because both relied more on “magic” than on complex mechanical principles.

The invention of the Magic Engine essentially introduced a new culture. It’s complicated to explain, but comparing before and after the Industrial Revolution would provide the answer.

Therefore, nobles from various countries made Eins offers he couldn’t refuse to monopolize not just the Magic Engine but the Magic Engine locomotive. However…

[Rather than me, seek permission directly from Xenon. I may be the creator, but without his book, I would never have invented it.]

[I don’t know what kind of future he’s seen, but Xenon was the first to conceive the concept of ‘rails.’ The steam locomotive isn’t one-way—it can go anywhere as long as there are rails. This is something only someone from the future could imagine.]

[I’d like to claim ownership, but without the Biography of Xenon, I would have been just an ordinary dwarf. Let me first invent the steam locomotive, or rather the Magic Engine locomotive, then we’ll talk.]

Eins unexpectedly claimed he had no ownership rights. While he was certainly the creator, he insisted the ownership belonged to me.

It wasn’t because the concept of patents didn’t exist. This eccentric dwarf genuinely believed he had no ownership rights to the Magic Engine.

His reasoning was quite something. Let’s take a look:

[If the Biography of Xenon is truly a book of prophecy, then the eccentric dwarf in the book wasn’t me but my disciple. It would be like stealing my future disciple’s invention.]

[So even if I invent the Magic Engine locomotive, I’ll follow Xenon’s word. I need to focus on inventing the Magic Engine locomotive, so I’d appreciate not being disturbed for a while.]

Haha! I’m so impressed by Eins’s humor that I’ll slap my… No, wait, what nonsense is this? I can’t help but be dumbfounded by his answer.

I don’t even know the structure of a steam engine, let alone a Magic Engine, yet he claims I own the rights. It feels like he’s passing the bomb to me just to avoid the hassle.

Anyway, for this reason, it’s only natural that the number of people looking for me has skyrocketed. Since even the creator of the Magic Engine transferred ownership to me, my value has risen beyond imagination.

That’s not all. It’s one thing for people to treat me as a prophet or returnee, but their search range is gradually narrowing.

[If Xenon is truly from the future, he might be young now.]

[Due to constraints, he probably hasn’t revealed himself as Xenon to others. Xenon might be living among us.]

[The exact time period in the Biography of Xenon isn’t specified, but it’s clearly several decades from now.]

A claim has been made that rather than being an elderly sage or scholar who came from the future, I might surprisingly be young. My heart skips a beat at this.

It’s like stepping on a mouse while a cow is backing up, but the narrowing search range is something I can’t ignore. This is precisely why I’ve been able to avoid suspicion until now.

But as the range continues to narrow, I can’t help but feel anxious. As if this wasn’t enough to give me a headache…

“Issac.”

“Yes?”

“Are you really someone from the future?”

“…”

Some of my acquaintances have also begun to suspect me as a prophet or someone from the future. Like Cyris, whom I just summoned.

I looked at Cyris with an expression that showed I was at a loss for words. Yesterday, Marie, Cecilly, and even Rina asked me seriously, and now Cyris is doing the same.

For reference, the three above initially treated it as a joke, but once the Magic Engine appeared, they began to give me suspicious looks. Even when I vehemently denied it, except for Marie, they didn’t seem convinced.

Fortunately, my daily life hasn’t changed, but the stress is unbearable. And now with Cyris asking too, I’m about to lose my mind.

“…Absolutely not. I’m not from the future or anything. I don’t know anything. I don’t know anything at all.”

“They say strong denial is affirmation.”

“I’m telling you I’m not! I don’t know if I’ve told you this, but if I were from the future, I would have invested or bought stocks. Or I would have set up a trading company and made a fortune.”

“Hmm… I understand.”

Though she responded, she still doesn’t seem convinced. I pressed my fingers between my eyebrows and let out a frustrated sigh.

The reason I called Cyris was to receive books about beastkin and, incidentally, to get her advice. In the Biography of Xenon, the elven hero and dark elven hero join forces to blow up the World Tree, which has become nourishment for the great demon Diabolos.

They combine the power of light wielded by elves and the power of darkness wielded by dark elves to create a massive explosion—a strategy that’s more practical than one might think. But since I haven’t heard of it being used in reality, I wanted to ask Cyris about it.

“…First, give me the book.”

“Here it is.”

“Thank you. How’s Arwen these days?”

“She’s very busy. The Senate is pressuring her daily to find you, so it’s a difficult situation for her.”

I already had a rough idea why the Senate was looking for me—for propaganda purposes. Thanks to my speech, support for the Queen has increased, and the Senate must be well aware that their position is becoming increasingly precarious.

But coincidentally, because I saved the World Tree, I’m revered as the savior of Alfheim. And then, signs of demon summoning appeared, so you can imagine the situation.

The Senate is trying to use this to their advantage by searching for me. In fact, with my popularity at its peak in Alfheim, public opinion is forming that I must be found.

If Arwen permits it, that’s one problem; if she doesn’t, the support that has risen might fall. The cunning Senate is exploiting this well.

“It would be difficult for Arwen to keep blocking them, right?”

“I think… it would be hard. After all, public opinion in Alfheim leans heavily toward finding you to repay the debt of gratitude.”

“Why won’t they believe it was a coincidence?”

“Even if it’s a coincidence, coincidences don’t happen four times.”

Cyris immediately countered when I grumbled. I was examining the book when I turned my head and stared at her.

Cyris wasn’t expressionless but had a determined look, as if she truly believed it. I’m tired of saying I’m not from the future.

At this point, it might be faster for a god to directly certify that I’m not from the future than for me to prove it. I wonder what the gods are doing at such a crucial time when the world is shaking.

‘I should visit a temple soon.’

While I might not be able to go out on weekdays, I can leave the academy on weekends with a permit from the professor in charge. Since I’ve been appointed as a recommended student, I just need to get a permit from Elena.

It’s a bit burdensome without someone to go with, but I’ve heard that temple people are all kind, so there shouldn’t be a problem if I just find my way there.

“Anyway, I understand. The reason I called you, as you might have guessed, is because I have something to ask.”

“Is there really a need to ask…”

“If you start with that future person nonsense again, I won’t include you in the book.”

“…”

When I threatened her, Cyris shut her mouth. She looks quite cute with that expression.

I let out a slight breath through my nose and then voiced what I wanted to say.

“It’s nothing else, but dark elves use power received from Mora, right? The power of darkness?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“And elves use the power of light received from Luminus.”

“Yes.”

One might wonder which elves use the power of Hirt, the god of nature. In Hirt’s case, since he is nature itself, there are no separate followers in Alfheim, and managing the World Tree alone is sufficient.

Instead, there is a race that worships Hirt—the beastkin. They use a unique power called “sorcery” instead of magic.

Sorcery can make it rain on a clear day or strike lightning—it literally borrows power from nature, so it’s natural for them to worship Hirt.

“Then, is it possible to forcibly combine these two powers to cause a big explosion? Not just this, but using the repulsive force by forcibly combining energies that are opposites to cause a large explosion.”

“Hmm…”

“You are warriors but can also use divine power. That’s why I’m asking.”

There’s always a phrase used to describe elves: a race chosen by the gods.

As chosen by the gods, they can freely use divine power. Each elf warrior is both a powerful warrior and a cleric.

Of course, as the saying goes, specializing in one area leads to greatness, so each has their specialized power. There are warriors specialized in physical combat, mages proficient in magic, and clerics with exceptionally strong divine power.

The only “all-rounder” is the Warchief. Moreover, being an elf makes one versatile; if they were human, such abilities might be considered jack-of-all-trades, master of none.

After hearing my question, Cyris seemed to ponder for a moment before quietly speaking. She looked intrigued.

“That’s quite… an interesting idea. I don’t know much since the powers of light and darkness have never been combined… using the repulsive force when opposing energies combine…”

“Has no one thought of this before?”

“From the beginning, light and darkness were thought to be energies that could never be combined.”

This is problematic. As I’ve mentioned before, I wanted to strictly adhere to the historical accuracy of this world.

To blow up the World Tree, which is much taller and thicker than most high-rise buildings, tremendous explosive power is needed. So I thought if two Warchief-level individuals combined their powers and sacrificed themselves…

‘…Wait. Combined their powers?’

I felt like lightning struck my mind.

In a game famous for its folk games in my previous life, there was a famous character who would unleash devastating attacks while shouting the legendary line, “With overwhelming power!”

The setting was that two units sacrifice themselves to become a massive energy entity—would that work here too?

Moreover, in over 3,000 years of history, there’s no record of two elves combining their powers to become an energy entity. It’s literally something you’d only find in a “novel.”

‘Demons will block the way to the World Tree, and the Seven Deadly Sins will do the same…’

The plausibility is quite sufficient. Honestly, no matter how strong a Warchief is, breaking through all Seven Deadly Sins is a bit unrealistic.

If I also incorporate a setting that instills national pride in elves, there shouldn’t be a problem. A warrior who sacrifices themselves for their country is revered regardless of race.

I nodded in satisfaction as a story with better plausibility came to mind. Such an end would be considered honorable for elves.

‘Still, just to be sure…’

I should first ask Cyris and Arwen. I asked Cyris, who was waiting quietly.

“Cyris.”

“Yes.”

“Have you ever heard of two elves sacrificing themselves to become a single energy entity? I’m asking out of genuine curiosity. This is absolutely not knowledge from the future.”

“I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

Cyris is older than Arwen. If Cyris doesn’t know about it, there’s a high probability Arwen doesn’t either.

I inwardly felt relieved and decided it would be okay to include this. Honestly, apart from the Magic Engine, the other elements were stories that could actually happen, but “fusion” is a completely fictional setting.

The same goes for all the books I’ve read so far. Like units in a certain space war, there’s no record of two units combining to become one.

“I see. Still, it might be good to ask Arwen just to be sure.”

“I’ll go ask her.”

“Yes.”

After that, Cyris left to ask Arwen, and…

“The Queen says she doesn’t know either.”

“Really? That’s a relief.”

Fortunately, even Arwen didn’t know about “fusion.”

However, if I had thought a bit deeper, I would have realized that Arwen and Cyris are “young elves” belonging to the “new generation” among elves.

‘First, I should visit the temple on the weekend.’

A period of 3,000 years is more than enough time for records to be lost.