Chapter 72

"Ahh..."

My awkward voice echoes uselessly.

I wanted to introduce Charlotte to Torre and the others, but...

Wait, hold on.

The other apprentices weren't in there... right? Probably.

"Charlotte, I know you're busy, but can you spare me a little more time?"

"Of course! Your ambitious eyes... I can feel my heart race with excitement!"

I didn't really show much enthusiasm, but maybe it's because she's always so straightforward.

Anyway, I arranged for horses and brought Charlotte and Elly to the blacksmith's shop.

◇◇◇

Pant, pant.

I managed to drag Nathan out of the blacksmith's shop.

As I expected, the other apprentices were busy working there.

"It's not finished yet!"

"I'll be done soon!"

Penguin, unwilling to give up, clung to Nathan's legs with its flippers.

However, flippers aren't designed to grip, so they quickly slipped off his legs.

That's right.

Penguin was conducting an experiment with Nathan.

Still, since I asked Charlotte to come all this way, I had to hurry.

I told Penguin it would be quick and brought Nathan outside.

"Hurry up and finish."

Sequoia poked his head out of the window, said that, and then pulled back in.

I had asked them to investigate the ore I brought back from the bat colony yesterday... What happened?

I'll ask later. Later.

"Charlotte, sorry to keep you waiting."

"No, who is the adorable person behind you?"

"Ah? You mean Mr. Penguin?"

"Mr. Penguin, is it?!"

Charlotte's hands trembled and her cheeks flushed.

I think she finds it a strange creature, but I'm glad she didn't say, "Monster! I'll defeat you!"

"I'll introduce you later. This is Nathan. And this is Charlotte. The one flapping in the back is Mr. Penguin."

I stood between Nathan and Charlotte and introduced them to each other.

"I'm Nathan."

"Nice to meet you, Nathan."

The two shook hands firmly.

"Charlotte, right away—"

"Yes."

As soon as they let go of each other's hands, I got straight to the point.

"I wanted to introduce Nathan to you because of 'papermaking.' I want you to work with Nathan to find a more efficient method."

"Understood!"

Charlotte, who never says such things to someone so young, replied energetically and saluted.

I can't deny that she believes in the abilities of the people I introduce.

But I know she doesn't care about age or status.

Or rather, she has come to understand that.

"I've gone through the papermaking process with Nathan. His Gift, 'Purification,' will definitely be useful. If possible, I want you to find a way to make paper more efficiently without using Purification."

"Paper is the most important material for running the town. Every shop and farm needs it! I'm deeply honored to be entrusted with such an important product!"

"The only raw material we have found so far is 'Stuka.' I plan to plant and grow Stuka eventually, but I'll look into whether we can use more easily obtainable plants as substitutes."

"Understood!"

Oops, I ended up talking only to Charlotte.

I turned to Nathan, who had been left out.

Penguin was still flapping behind him...

"Nathan, I know you're busy, but can you help?"

"Yes! If my Purification can be of use—"

"It's not just useful! It's a revolution!"

"Mr. Penguin, can you understand our language now?"

"I'm receiving simultaneous interpretation from Sequoia. Unfortunately, my words can't be translated into your language due to physical limitations. It can't be helped."

Ignoring the desperate Penguin, I patted Nathan's shoulder and said, "I'm counting on you."

He nodded vigorously and smiled.

I feel a bit guilty for pushing him, but I'm counting on both of you.

"Charlotte, that's all. Mr. Penguin will also attend tomorrow's meeting, so—"

"Although it's a shame, I'll head back to the town. See you tomorrow, sir."

She mounted her horse gracefully and waved at my bright red hair.

...

I grabbed Penguin, who was still flapping behind Nathan, and tried to lift him... but he was too heavy.

"Would you like me to carry him? If so, I can."

Bending down next to me, she easily lifted Penguin by his sides.

"Nathan, I'm sorry for letting Penguin cling to you. I should have done this earlier..."

"No! It's very reassuring for me to be relied on!"

What a good kid... Yes, yes.

I almost teared up.

Awakening some mysterious paternal instinct, I ruffled Nathan's hair.

"So, Mr. Penguin, why are you so desperate?"

"Nathan's Gift, Purification. It's revolutionary. I can't contain my excitement!"

"Ah, Purification."

"Purification? No, no, it's more like 'Extraction.' It's amazing! You can purify substances without catalysts or complicated filtration processes!"

Despite his excitement, I couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of him flapping his legs while being carried by Elly.

We entered the blacksmith's shop while talking.

◇◇◇

I knew Nathan's Gift was very useful, but Penguin, with his deep scientific knowledge, was even more impressed than I was.

Of course, the scientific equipment here is far more primitive compared to modern Japan.

Even for Penguin, there are limits to what can be done.

However, with Nathan, chemical extraction can be done without elaborate setups.

Of course, the "Purification" Gift can't extract specific substances with fine control.

For example, when purifying seawater to make fresh water, it doesn't just extract salt.

The fresh water isn't pure distilled water, and the salt will still contain impurities.

It won't be easy, but it's a significant step forward compared to pure scientific methods.

This Purification Gift was a great discovery for Penguin, who has endless scientific curiosity.

I came in just as Penguin was asking Nathan, "What about this? What happens if you purify this?"

When we returned, Penguin was already pestering Nathan to use Purification.

"Fascinating."

Sequoia's eyes sparkled as he watched them.

"Sequoia, did the ore I brought back yesterday contain saltpeter?"

"Yes, Sojiro said it was fine."

"Then, can we assume we have all the materials needed for the battery?"

"Probably, but Sojiro is in no condition to help."

Sequoia shrugged but didn't try to stop Penguin.

"Mr. Penguin, can you handle the battery project?"

"Of course. That's why I'm asking Nathan for help."

"I see. Sorry about that."

"I also plan to ask for help with 'the next step.' First, we'll focus on the battery and motor. Oh, what an exciting time. You never know what will happen in this world."

At this rate, they'll stay on track and make progress.

I sighed in relief.