Chapter 110
The empire has a strong tendency to disregard pure engineering that doesn't use magic stones.
In the past, it was because of the privileged culture of importing and using expensive magic stones that only came from demon realm magic stone mines. To the extent that it was shameful for a noble to be unable to use magic stones.
Currently, the perception of looking down has solidified, mixed with backlash from the magician class feeling wary of the emergence of firearms and the imperial family's checks feeling uncomfortable with the development of weapons easily usable by subjects.
"Even amid bad perceptions, we've steadfastly worked for academic development and. We barely caught an opportunity by exhibiting a steam engine train at the industry-academia cooperation festival. But our department ended up like this."
The upperclassman sobbed, perhaps feeling wronged by fate. His face reddened and moistened, looking like he would burst into tears.
Uwaa.
Though a kneeling senior feels good, seeing a crying appearance doesn't make me feel good.
She firmly grasped the senior's hand. Objectively the sensation wasn't great since it was wet with sweat, but a popular person doesn't mind!
"Senior! What hardships have you gone through until now! Spill it all! That's what the student council is for!"
"I can't even say! Looking back on long history, the engineering department before magic stones appeared meant the pure engineering department! It was strange to attach the word 'pure' in the first place! Engineering is just engineering! But some rolling stone came and pulled out the stuck stone, now everyone thinks of magic stone engineering when you say engineering department!"
The excited senior regained informal speech.
Uwa uwa.
Since he was no longer crying, Pastel subtly let go of the hand with unpleasant sensation. She roughly wiped off the sweat with a handkerchief.
"Junior! Tell me honestly!"
The senior pointed.
Uwet!
Was wiping sweat too rude?!
I wiped unconsciously!
"Can you distinguish whether we're the Pure Engineering Department or Pure Engineering Major?! Do you know the official name?!"
Huk.
Is this senior from the Pure Engineering Department or Pure Engineering Major?
I don't know.
Pastel's pink eyes trembled, suddenly in a situation to become a noble steeped in privilege consciousness. It was a difficult problem even demon in the library would be unsure about.
I-improvisation!
"Pure Engineering Department!"
I don't know but the important thing is a confident voice!
It must be important so it was mentioned first!
"Ah. Even the student council doesn't know! Even professors from other departments get confused!"
The upperclassman beat his chest in frustration.
"We're officially the Pure Engineering Major! Under the Engineering Department with Pure Engineering Major and Magic Stone Engineering Major. But we call ourselves the Pure Engineering Department and are campaigning to be called that."
Uwang.
"Originally we said to call it the Engineering Department but people got too confused with Magic Stone Engineering Major so we compromised on Pure Engineering Department."
The upperclassman was regretful in front of cold reality.
"I understand! I was also considering saying to call me Great Popular Pastel Your Excellency these days!"
Pastel somehow empathized extremely well.
"Great is great so that's that! Popular is popular so that's that! Plus I'm refining the expression to Pastel Your Excellency because needless resentment arose from Craft Your Excellency!"
Should I request the newspaper club to publish this campaign?
Ellie who was doing paperwork and only listening to the conversation glanced over.
The senior was the same. He calmed his excitement then looked with eyes saying an authority figure is cosplaying as a commoner.
Seems only I empathized.
People lacking empathy.
Puu.
"Anyway ahem."
The senior took out a handkerchief and wiped his hands. Though he didn't mention it, seems he was bothered by Pastel wiping her hand sweat.
It was objectively dirty!
"Marquis Your Excellency, the Pure Engineering Department is in crisis of being abolished. We gathered department students and invested in a trading company but the company collapsed and everyone went bankrupt! There's no one sane among our department students now! Please save us!"
The senior hesitated then quickly added.
"Great Popular Pastel Your Excellency is the only one we can rely on!"
Uwa, a pleasant title.
Pastel suddenly overflowed with sympathy.
Developing a steam engine train.
Isn't that a completely unrivaled achievement in this empire where even fountain pens aren't widespread and quill pens are still used?
"Of course I should help! What do you need? Personal rehabilitation? Department support? Budget allocation?"
Just tell Great Popular Pastel Your Excellency!
Ahem.
The senior's expression brightened.
"Purchasing the trading company's liquidation assets!"
Oing.
The senior hurriedly took out documents he seemed to have prepared hard from his briefcase.
"The imperial bank as senior creditor decided to sell the trading company's assets. If sold like this, it will be sold to an irrelevant trading company only interested in cheap land and real estate! A trading company that won't even think of doing demon realm railway business and will discard it!"
Like a salesperson.
Ellie approached with new black tea.
"This got cold so drink this."
"Ah! Thanks! There's really no one but Ellie!"
To prepare tea every time for guest reception even though office work must be busy!
She downed the existing black tea in one shot and received the new black tea.
Ellie glanced at the documents while retrieving the teacup, skimming them before leaving.
The senior beat his chest thump thump.
"This is all the imperial bank's plot! They deliberately used credit downgrades and loan recalls to bankrupt the trading company to interfere with demon realm railway development! You can immediately see the intent from completely excluding trading companies with demon realm connections from sale negotiations due to imperial security issues!"
Uwee.
"They say imperial bank but it's bound to be the imperial family's hand! Looking at how the imperial family thinks of engineering, everything is displeasing! Even magic stone engineering only focuses investment on military use, not considering engineering's essence and sophistication! Isn't it sophisticated? Anyway that's how it is!"
Uweee, political statement!
I'm just Pastel so I don't know much about this. It's also a troublesome topic as a popular person.
Seeing him openly make slightly dangerous imperial insults, does this senior think I'm on the same side?
Honestly I might have a grudge since there were circumstances of the emperor cooperating when dad sold off my family assets and took them to the cult.
"Class representative don't go that far. The imperial family must have circumstances too. Just a few more innocent victims."
The senior slowly calmed down. His head bowed bow.
"I'm sorry, Your Excellency. I showed an unsightly appearance. It wasn't something to say as class representative."
"I understand that feeling! You can be frustrated by adult circumstances!"
Pastel skimmed the documents.
"I'm very interested in railway business too! Isn't private operation of infrastructure that just has excessive initial investment costs extremely profitable? Since you're selling air."
Nom nom air!
"What? Infrastructure? What's that?"
The senior was dumbfounded.
Aha?
Pastel tilted her head.
"If you didn't predict railway infrastructure, what did you see to invest all the department students' entire fortunes?"
Is gambling on new technology a department tradition?
The senior flinched. He conflicted as if difficult to say then put his hand in his briefcase. A secret compartment at the bottom of the bag opened and documents were taken out.
"A secret contract with the trading company..."
The documents weren't handed over immediately but held for a moment.
"You must guarantee secrecy."
"Of course! A popular person can't have a loose mouth!"
"Absolutely."
"Yes!"
"Absolutely!"
"Completely guaranteed!"
How uncomfortable a secret is it.
Surely not execution if discovered?
The received document was a transaction ledger. It was full of transaction details ignoring imperial trade laws. Like exporting fuel absolutely impossible to export to the demon realm legally.
Uwaa!
Sky Island is full of smuggling!
There's no choice given the geopolitical location but everyone has no conscience...!
Pastel felt the seriousness as a responsible authority figure.
Her eyes immediately went to the profit rate with responsibility.
300% per transaction
Huk.
Worth investing entire fortune.
"How, how is this making money?"
Professional smuggler Senior Horace's optimized route was 100% per transaction?
"Magic stones only come from demon realm mines, but the demon realm itself controls magic stone distribution so they can't produce magic stone products themselves. Especially construction golems essential for laying railways. Though rental itself is possible, they're forced to buy official magic stone fuel from Demon Realm Corporation at cheating prices. Business interference is an additional option."
The senior's face became solemn.
"So we made magic stone fuel and handed it over at dirt cheap prices. Just 300% of cost price. It was only for the development of pure engineering."
Pastel's mouth fell open.
"If it's magic stone fuel, isn't it not pure engineering?!"
Why are you seniors selling that!
The Magic Stone Engineering Major that missed the opportunity must feel wronged!
"It's pure engineering because the result is pure."
The senior had a face blinded by money.
What nonsense...!
"Senior! You lost your purity like that so divine punishment of bankruptcy fell!"
The senior flinched.
"That."
His expression rapidly became gloomy.
"Such concerns did come up. Are we losing our essence like this? Where did the purity go that chose the thorny path fascinated by steam engine sounds."
"That's what I'm saying! You received divine punishment! This won't do!"
Pastel's face became solemn.
"I actively sympathize with the cause! But if seniors take the lead and lose heart, it will be putting the cart before the horse! Such a twisted future must not exist!"
"Pastel Your Excellency."
The senior looked nostalgically.
"Now the junior will step up!"
She clenched her fist tightly and put it to her heart.
"That sense of mission! In this heart!"
Only for the development of pure engineering!