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HELHEIM SCANS
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Chapter 72: Delivery Department (2)
“So, in other words...”
Lately, he seemed to have developed a hobby of observing the different expressions of the Deputy Tower Master.
Since he rarely shows his emotions, every time he makes a different face, it’s quite amusing.
“Are you telling me... the White Anvil chieftain is currently in the hallway?”
“Yes.”
“Goodness, I did hear that Sir Oscar planned to visit their city alone, but...”
He never thought he’d bring him back so easily.
Honestly, he had assumed he’d return empty-handed without even meeting the man.
Even the White Tower had been attempting to establish contact with them every year but never succeeded.
“What exactly did you offer to persuade him?”
“I tempted him with an airship.”
Oscar revealed the secret to how he managed to convince the White Anvil clan.
Upon hearing this, the Deputy Tower Master clapped his hands in admiration.
“Of course! Drinking beer above the clouds—that’s enough to tempt even someone like me, who doesn’t particularly enjoy alcohol.”
“Now imagine how irresistible it would be for dwarves, whose lives revolve around drinking.”
This was the chance to become the first dwarves in history to drink alcohol above the clouds.
It was an offer they couldn’t and wouldn’t want to refuse.
“There’s no time to waste. Please bring the chieftain inside.”
“Yes.”
Oscar opened the door and gestured to Hagor, who had been waiting with a sullen expression in the hallway.
As he entered the room, the Deputy Tower Master rose to greet him.
“Hamel Grimwiz, Deputy Tower Master of the White Tower. It’s been a long time.”
“Indeed, about 13 years, if I’m not mistaken?”
Hagor, arms crossed, raised his chin confidently.
Though his childlike appearance robbed him of any real intimidation.
“It’s hard to believe so much time has passed already.”
“To humans, it must feel like quite a stretch. You’ve aged a fair bit yourself.”
Seated now, Hagor extended his hand.
“Anyway, I’m sure you’ve been briefed, so I’ll count on you going forward.”
“Briefed? About what exactly...?”
“Hm? You mean you haven’t been told yet?”
Hagor gave Oscar a sharp look, as if to ask what on earth they’d been talking about until now, before explaining directly.
“Our White Anvil clan will now reside in the White Tower. The exclusive contract has been renewed for another 50 years, so we’ll be seeing a lot of each other.”
The Deputy Tower Master’s pupils shook at these words.
Who were the dwarves, after all?
Their touch alone could skyrocket the value of any item—a miracle-working race.
And now their skills would be at the White Tower’s disposal for the next 50 years?
‘Especially in a time when all contact with the dwarves has been severed…’
This was nothing short of a monopoly, an undisputed claim to unparalleled technology.
Even just selling their crafted equipment could make Sirin the wealthiest city on the continent.
As the Deputy Tower Master suppressed an inward scream of joy, Oscar spoke up.
“I think it would be ideal to dedicate an entire floor as a massive workshop for their operations. What do you think?”
“Of course, of course! Absolutely, no objections at all.”
The Deputy Tower Master sprang up immediately, fetched a floor guide from a drawer, and began flipping through it.
“These are the currently unused floors. Do you have a preference?”
“Hm.”
Hagor looked through the booklet before pointing to a choice.
“The 13th floor looks good. The floors above and below are empty, so we can be as noisy as we want.”
“Understood. If you need any materials, don’t hesitate to let us know.”
There was no such thing as noise complaints in the Magic Tower.
In other words, Hagor had deliberately chosen a location where he wouldn’t have to deal with other humans.
“Then, for the time being, you can rest while setting up your workshop and accommodations—”
“No, that won’t do.”
It was Oscar who cut off the Deputy Tower Master’s kindness.
Ignoring Hagor’s sharp glare, he continued.
“On the way in, I noticed that the tension between the Potion Department and the Delivery Department seems to have worsened. Is that correct?”
“...Sigh. Yes, it seems they’ve clashed again.”
The Deputy Tower Master nodded with a heavy sigh.
“That’s right. I’ve been racking my brain for a solution that could satisfy both sides, but everything takes time. And abandoning the Potion Department’s sales isn’t an option, either.”
“That’s why I have a suggestion.”
“Oh? Let’s hear it.”
The Deputy Tower Master’s eyes lit up.
After all, this wouldn’t be the first time Oscar’s ingenuity had resolved a crisis.
With all eyes on him, Oscar spoke.
“This is the perfect opportunity to overhaul the Delivery Department.”
“Overhaul? In what way?”
“First and foremost, the biggest issue is inefficiency. Right now, the Delivery Department employs a significant number of mid-level and senior mages.”
“...I can’t deny that.”
“If we reassign those personnel to magical research or contract work, most of the complaints will disappear.”
“But we can’t just shut down the delivery service, especially with airships coming into play in the future.”
“Yes, I understand. Which is precisely why we need to address this now.”
Once the airship was complete, the White Tower would soar to new heights—literally.
To have it hindered by inefficiencies at that point would be unthinkable.
“I believe it would be ideal to have a few mid-level mages oversee and manage the department.”
“And who would handle the actual deliveries?”
“We’ll need to recruit new couriers.”
The Deputy Tower Master groaned at this response.
“Oscar, the White Tower’s delivery service is entirely dependent on the existence of the Flight spell. Where exactly do you expect to find people who can meet that requirement?”
“We already possess the technology to operate airships. We’ll use it.”
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“...That technology?”
“Yes.”
Oscar used magic to sketch an image in midair.
The first thing he drew was a large ship.
“Airships can carry massive amounts of cargo. However, while this will create a new trade category for the Delivery Department, it won’t be very useful for deliveries within the city.”
“True. Airships are far too large for that.”
“So, we should develop miniature airships, both for practical use and as a way to gather data.”
Next to the ship, Oscar sketched a two-wheeled vehicle.
“Have you heard of bikes?”
“Of course. They’re one of the vehicles developed by the Yellow Tower, smaller and simpler than cars. But...”
The Deputy Tower Master blinked.
“Didn’t that project get abandoned by the Yellow Tower due to battery limitations?”
“That’s correct. While large vehicles can be equipped with massive batteries and run for over 10 hours, the maximum running time for these bikes was barely 2 to 3 hours.”
Because of this, most people involved in bike-related businesses went bankrupt.
At the current level of technology in the Yellow Tower, it was impossible to create smaller or more efficient batteries.
“But don’t we have Ouroboros?”
“That magic is only used to power airship engines or—oh!”
Finally realizing what Oscar was implying, the Deputy Tower Master exclaimed in astonishment.
“You’re suggesting we modify the bike to turn it into a miniature airship that can fly!”
“Exactly. Of course, it will be challenging to significantly reduce the weight and modify it to carry cargo…”
Oscar glanced sideways at Hagor.
“We have the best blacksmiths on the continent to make it happen.”
“Hmmph.”
Hagor let out a groan, sensing what kind of task awaited him.
“So, basically, you’re asking me to modify this bike into something that even ordinary people can ride?”
“Exactly. Going forward, we’ll hire civilians, train them, and only allow those who complete the training to work as delivery personnel. Naturally, the most essential feature will be theft prevention. It’s crucial to make it so that only qualified individuals can operate and ride it.”
“Hmph. If it’s going to fly through the air, we won’t need wheels. In that case, we can remove the wheels and move the cargo compartment to the rear.”
Though he pretended to dislike the idea, Hagor became deeply engrossed in the project once it was assigned.
After all, he was a dwarf artisan who found creating new things the most exciting challenge.
“I’d have to see this ‘bike’ myself, but I think its shape will change quite a bit. From what I’m envisioning, it might end up looking a bit like a sleigh.”
“I don’t care about the shape, but please make it as stylish as possible. Later, I’ll provide a sample of the magical battery developed by Elder Schwein. It would be great if you could allocate space for it.”
The Deputy Tower Master, who had been listening to their discussion, spoke up.
“Oscar, listening to all this, it seems like this approach will take some time, won’t it?”
“Yes, it will take quite a while. First, we’ll need to recruit new employees and provide thorough training on bike operation. Naturally, we’ll need to weed out any spies or individuals with poor character during the process.”
“Then isn’t it impossible to quell the complaints of the delivery department in the meantime?”
“That’s fine. Let them go on strike.”
“?”
Oscar casually dropped the bombshell as though it were nothing.
“I’m giving us exactly two months to reorganize and relaunch the business.”
“Halting a business for two months is practically suicidal…”
“Deputy Tower Master. Even if we suspend the delivery business, no one is going to take it over.”
“……”
The Deputy Tower Master mulled it over briefly before nodding.
It was true; everyone already thought this unprofitable business was a foolish endeavor.
In 15 years since its inception, not a single competitor had emerged.
“Hmm. This might be a good opportunity to remind people of the convenience and importance of delivery services.”
“Though not intentional, people will certainly express significant dissatisfaction.”
There’s a term called “reverse adaptation.”
It means that once people get used to something convenient and beneficial, its sudden disappearance makes the gap feel all the more pronounced.
‘Especially with services like delivery, which people take for granted.’
At the peak of their inconvenience, the White Tower would return with a vastly improved service.
“And one more thing. Since civilians, not mages, will handle deliveries in the future, we’ll be able to operate with far more personnel than before. In other words, we can scale up the business.”
“Business expansion? Are there fields to expand into through delivery?”
The Deputy Tower Master raised a question, and Oscar smirked.
“Yes. It will be more expensive than regular delivery, but it will be entirely different from the multi-day delivery services currently available. It will be a premium service where you can request a delivery in real-time, and it arrives within an hour.”
Everyone has those days.
When you’re too lazy to lift a finger but crave delicious food from a restaurant in town.
Or when you need to urgently send someone something but can’t go there yourself.
“Our newly expanded service, Wind Riders, will be the perfect solution for those situations.”
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