Chapter 94

While chatting with Malta, I continued to select the lightning ore.

"Zig, how about this one?"

Therese showed me a piece of iron ore. It looked quite good in quality.

"Hmm, is there anything better than this?"

"This is the best one here. If you want something better, you might need to go to the airship production team."

That place... It's hard to ask for high-quality iron ore in this situation.

"That's not possible. Just give me two or three more pieces of iron ore similar to this one."

"Alright."

Therese rummaged through the wooden box again. Meanwhile, I continued to select the lightning ore, but it wasn't of very high quality.

"There's nothing good here..."

"Lightning ore isn't in high demand, so the quality is a bit iffy."

Malta smiled wryly.

"You don't know the power of electricity..."

In the world of Earth, it was a revolution...

"What do you mean by 'power'?"

"Never mind, it's nothing. Can I have a bit more? If it comes to this, I'll compress the elements to improve the quality."

It's a hassle, but there's no other way.

"I've been working here for three years, but I don't understand what Zig is talking about..."

"Me neither, I've been here for six years."

"Me too, eight years. Zigvalt, what do you mean by 'compression'?"

One of the seniors asked.

"Exactly what it sounds like. It's a technique to compress extracted elements to improve their quality."

"What's that? I've never heard of it."

"Probably because I've never told anyone."

Since I'm not part of the magic stone production team, I don't use this technique much.

"Zig, why don't you present this at a conference?"

Therese suggested.

"I hate conferences and presentations. I don't have time to engage in the petty competition of people trying to appear smart despite being fools."

If they were honest and asked for guidance, I would teach them, but proud researchers who have absolute confidence in their own research will never do that. As a result, they become old, harmful elements who only negate new ideas.

"Yeah... That's how I feel, Zig."

"Me too..."

"Being too smart can be a problem."

In the end, I'm a sad monster who only criticizes others.

"I just don't like people who only use their brains to negate things."

If everyone in the world were like Erika, the world would be much kinder. Unfortunately, I wouldn't be in that paradise-like world.

"Zig, can you teach us about this 'compression' thing?"

Therese asked.

"Sure, it's not a big deal. We have to do it anyway."

I took the two selected pieces of lightning ore and went to a nearby empty desk. Then, three people came over to look at the lightning ore.

"Two B-rank pieces of lightning ore, right?"

As Therese said, there were two B-rank pieces of lightning ore on the desk. There was nothing better than this.

"First, I need to extract the elements... Is there an extraction machine?"

This isn't the Riet branch, so there aren't convenient machines here. Besides, demonstrating this is a bit like teaching these specialists how to extract elements.

"Oh, over here, over here. We have the latest extraction machine provided by the machine production team."

In the direction Therese pointed, there was indeed a machine that looked like a microwave.

"Wow..."

Impressive. The latest equipment is easily supplied here.

"I heard the old one we used to have was sent to some branch."

Ah, that's us.

That's how it is.

"Thanks."

I handed the two pieces of lightning ore to Therese.

"It's amazing. The elements are extracted in no time."

Therese said, put one piece of lightning ore into the extraction machine, and pressed the switch. After a few minutes, when she took it out, a gem-like yellow stone came out.

"It's done."

Therese placed the element on the desk.

"Wow, that was fast..."

"Right? I'll do the other one too."

Therese set the remaining piece of lightning ore in the extraction machine.

"While it's convenient, as technology advances, our jobs will gradually disappear, won't they?"

"We might lose our jobs someday."

Malta and the senior smiled wryly at the convenience of the extraction machine.

"Don't worry. Handling this still requires alchemy knowledge, and some processes must be done manually. Efficiency will improve, but we won't lose our jobs."

By the time that happens, we'll probably be retired. It's not a concern for us now.

"I see..."

"Let's be happy that our work is getting easier for now..."

While losing our jobs is undesirable, the current workload is also not ideal. It's a complicated situation.

"It's done."

Therese brought the element extracted from the other piece of lightning ore.

"Wow, that was fast. Give it to us."

"No way. We'd die without it."

It's sad that this doesn't sound like a joke.

"There are 24 hours in a day."

"I can't laugh now. I'm struggling."

I see...

"Um, compression is a technique to combine two elements into one and improve their quality."

"I don't get it."

Therese tilted her head. Malta and the senior also looked confused.

"Think of it like mixing two liquids and rubbing them together."

"But they're solids."

"You have a poor imagination. I said 'imagine.' It's like mixing two 50% orange juice drinks, removing the unnecessary water, and making 100% orange juice."

"Ah, I see?"

Does he understand...

"Anyway, watch this."

I placed my hand over the two stones on the desk, and they immediately began to glow. Then, the two stones slowly moved together like magnets and merged into one. The two stones became one element.

"One disappeared!?"

"No, I compressed them. Look, it's an A-rank lightning ore element."

"Really! Zig, you're amazing! You're a genius!"

Sure, sure.

I've known that since before I was born.

"I've never seen anything like this..."

"Really... As expected of the man who averages 50 points."

What's that?

"What's that?"

Helen asked Malta, who had muttered something strange.

"Huh!? No, I mean Zig is a genius! I respect him!"

50 points?

"Does it mean 100 points in ability and 0 points in personality? I think so too."

Dorothea nodded thoughtfully.

"That's rude! I have at least 30 points in personality! Lord Zig has changed!"

Helen... My self-evaluation is 40 points...

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