Episode 31: The Peerless Beauty’s Obsession with Transforming Mecha

 

“First, there are Industrial Class students using the blacksmith. Should we come back later?”

“Ah, y-yes..!”

…

…

Several days had passed since I saw the madness-filled glint in Baek Si-ah’s eyes.

Baek Si-ah was truly a unique individual.

Normally, she was timid and secretly watched the protagonist from behind, fitting the common trope of a submissive heroine who assists like a perfect wife……

-Hey, if you’re not using that machine, can you give it to me…….No. Just give it to me. Right now.

-Um, Miss Si-ah? It’s almost lights out time….

-Wait, I still haven’t figured out this machine’s internal structure. I absolutely can’t go to bed until I solve this.

Her character created a fascinating gap between her usual self and the madwoman who refused to sleep during training camp until disassembling machinery, going berserk at any mention of mechanics.

Players went wild over this contrast. They called her the “engineering student heroine” obsessed with her field.

‘I… unfortunately don’t know much about that.’

Well, from the moment I first started the game until being possessed into this world, I was desperately trying to make Yun Se-ah the heroine while risking my life……so I’m genuinely clueless about romance routes.

The only character stories I somewhat know are Seong Arin, Kang A-yul, and Hanae Sakura’s routes from my first playthrough before discovering Yun Se-ah’s charm through Yu Eun-ha’s story.

‘Well, that’s all in the past now.’

Frankly, remembering just the main story is exhausting enough……memorizing heroines’ info is too much.

To clear all stories and return home, to protect this world after I leave by nurturing its characters……I need to focus on Baek Si-ah first.

“Now, first Miss Si-ah – how much do you know about blacksmithing?”

When I asked, Baek Si-ah answered calmly like a model student who’d memorized the textbook.

“Hmm……Heroes enter Gates to create equipment, and can engrave beneficial effects through additional inscriptions. Mainly weapon or armor enhancements……equipment with inscriptions costs about 10 times more than plain gear. That’s about all I know.”

“Correct. You’re quite knowledgeable.”

“My parents kept telling me – they hoped I’d do that kind of work someday.”

‘Just like the story.’

Baek Si-ah’s talent was so optimized for creation that one might say the god of blacksmiths had reincarnated as her.

Her parents knew this well, convincing her that while being a Gate-exploring hero was good, equipping heroes to enhance their abilities was equally noble.

To summarize her situation – it’s like a child with incredible fighting game talent wanting to become a pro fighter.

However, after meeting the protagonist (player) and A-Class’s master blacksmith, Baek Si-ah fully realized her talent. Like a firefly from that train game, she’d eventually fly through Gates in steel armor as the ultimate firepower dealer.

Back then, she immediately joined production after telling her blacksmith friend this……but I wonder what quality her debut work will show.

-Clank……

Opening the iron door, the cold forge greeted us.

‘No one’s here, so they didn’t light the furnace.’

After intense protests (even threatening to remove Eve’s earrings), I’d secured this private forge for Baek Si-ah’s weapon crafting.

-Creak, clank!

“Let’s see……the manual says to activate the furnace like this. Miss Si-ah, could you bring the hammers and low-purity Mithril?”

“Ah, yes!”

Baek Si-ah swiftly brought a truckload of low-purity Mithril fragments on a massive cart.

‘She seems full of questions.’

Her expression while transporting them showed she didn’t understand my request – truly befitting a genius mechanic.

“But……why low-purity Mithril? Its durability is……”

“You know low-purity Mithril has high magic amplification but terrible overall durability, shattering easily from weak impacts.”

“Yes, I know that much. That’s why high-purity Mithril is considered top-tier material alongside Alternium alloy and Orichalcum.”

Alternium alloy – humanity’s pinnacle crafting achievement combining superior materials.

Orichalcum – rare metal found inside Gates.

Their commonality? Both conduct magic well while maintaining decent durability.

Our material was Mithril – less durable than Orichalcum but with top-tier magic amplification among all materials.

‘Tier-wise……high-grade Mithril = Orichalcum = Alternium alloy >> other metals >> low-purity Mithril.’

Even regular Mithril wasn’t particularly durable, so low-purity Mithril was considered trash – some said wooden swords were more practical since it would shatter during forging.

‘This quality should work.’

I pulled a blue potion bottle from my pocket.

A supreme-grade Mana Potion Eve gave me while threatening not to use my Evil Eye or Mephisto’s fragment unless absolutely necessary.

After retrieving 4-5 more from Yuseong Group’s warehouse, I now had exactly……6 bottles.

-Gulp gulp gulp!

I chugged them all at once.

“P-President?! Drinking that much Mana Potion could cause mana overlo……”

“Shh.”

Using psychokinesis, I gathered scattered Mithril fragments around the forge.

Enough fragments to fill a house began merging with eerie sounds.

-CRUNCH…..!!

“………!!!”

Baek Si-ah watched in shock, unable to believe what was happening.

‘Will this work?’

Since fragile Mithril breaks easily, I used psychokinesis to pulverize it before applying extreme pressure and heat to purify it.

-KABOOM!

A heavy thud echoed through the forge as ultra high-purity Mithril emerged, shining brilliant silver-white.

‘Ultra high-purity Mithril appears later when Baek Si-ah develops new materials……but desperate times call for desperate measures.’

“Phew… Glad it worked……”

-Thud!

The result felt underwhelming for consuming 6 supreme-grade potions……but there was enough ultra high-purity Mithril for Baek Si-ah’s full-body suit.

Seeing the 1m x 0.5m x 30cm Mithril alloy, Baek Si-ah staggered toward it, forgetting to catch me.

“How was this precision possible?! Extreme pressure crushing… no, factoring friction heat and variables……Wait, President?!”

“Finally noticed me?”

Fortunately, I’d collapsed onto a prepared cot.

“I-I’m sorry! I must have gone crazy..!!”

“It’s fine. Craftsmen naturally gravitate toward excellent materials… I understand.”

Though she genuinely apologized, one eye kept wandering toward that magnificent Mithril like a starving tiger.

“Your materials are ready. Now show me your talent.”

“Yes! I-I’ll create my greatest masterpiece!”

-Clatter!

“Ah, the furnace instructions……”

“Already know them-!”

Before I could explain, Baek Si-ah operated the machinery like it was her home, beginning to craft silver-white armor from the Mithril.

Well, I’m exhausted……might as well sleep…

…

…

…

“Yaaawn……..What time is……”

[3:58 PM]

‘Slept about 5 hours. Why’s my phone so hot…?’

[Chairman Eve] (99+)

“…..?”

What’s this?

‘Should call her.’

When connected, Eve’s urgent voice confirmed she’d seen everything.

[“How did you do that?”]

“Ah, watching through CCTV?”

[“Yes, seriously… Thank goodness Cheon Ma and Jinmyeong were with me… If others saw, it would’ve caused huge issues!”]

Understandable.

‘Useless low-purity Mithril becoming a new material with better magic amplification than Orichalcum and Alternium alloy-level durability…’

No wonder Eve was shocked.

“Let me clarify first. Only someone who mastered psychokinesis to its limits can do this. Modern technology can’t replicate it.”

[“But if you can……”]

“I drank 6 supreme-grade Mana Potions and still suffered mana depletion. Probably can’t do it again.”

[“……Alright, if you say so. I’ll let this slide.”]

“Thank you for your consideration.”

Fortunately, Eve dropped the matter when I pleaded exhaustion… though she clearly wasn’t exploiting students.

[“Um… Could you leave any extra Mithril in the chairman’s office…?”]

‘The chairman truly is kind.’

I would’ve threatened to recreate the alloy, but she even overlooked the incident.

‘Surely she didn’t use it all for armor…’

As expected, leftovers remained.

Baek Si-ah had disappeared, leaving behind a Mithril ingot about 1/3 remaining.

‘Eve’s staff was made of Alternium alloy, right?’

An ultra high-purity Mithril staff would be more efficient. It might restore her prime S-rank Hero power.

[“President! Are you awake?”]

“Ah, Miss Si-ah……”

As I calculated Mithril for the staff, Baek Si-ah’s voice called out… followed by:

-KER-THUNK….!!!

“…………Wow.”

Before me stood a steel giant easily over 2 meters tall.

Now I understand why firepower enthusiasts weep uncontrollably.