Chapter 107 Remembering the Purpose!
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
The next day, as planned, Princess Laura was giving Ayumu a tour of the Valend Cave Kingdom.
”Good day, Your Highness, Dear Princess Laura… I hear you will personally guide me today… It is an honor to be by the side of Valend’s princess. I look forward to this day,” Ayumu said, following the formal etiquette of the Demi-human Continent.
Princess Laura, however, was far too eager to wait. “Sir Sanai! Over here! This is our proud industrial zone!” she declared energetically.
Meanwhile, Hiyori Sashima had been detained by Princess Laura’s attendants, who were busy measuring her for clothes. Once the fitting was done, an afternoon tea party would be forced upon her, ensuring that Sashima wouldn’t be coming in this direction anytime soon. It was a perfect plan. (Fist pump!)
Ayumu, somewhat puzzled by Laura’s sudden outburst and her brief celebratory gesture, escorted her politely.
”Is something the matter, Your Highness? Let’s go, shall we?”
As they walked, Laura’s heart raced. (I… I’m acting like his girlfriend… this feels like a date!)
Flustered by the thought, Laura quickly shook her head, trying to dispel the emotions.
”Are you feeling alright, Your Highness? Are you unwell?” Ayumu asked, noticing her discomfort.
Laura, flustered by Ayumu’s concern, quickly recovered, shaking her head again.
”No, no, I’m perfectly fine! Let’s continue!” she said, her determination renewed, and she marched ahead, clearly flustered yet motivated.
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The industrial zone of Valend was a sight to behold, filled with machinery and processes that Ayumu had never seen before.
”Wait, could that be… a heating furnace and a distillation tower? Why are they here… in this world?!” Ayumu exclaimed, astonished.
To his surprise, even though the machines seemed crude and rudimentary, Valend was refining crude oil to produce naphtha and something resembling natural gas! It was mind-blowing!
Ayumu quickly realized that the pipes running through the town were gas pipelines, likely distributing fuel to various parts of the kingdom. It was no wonder the streets of Valend were so brightly lit—he’d assumed it was some magical lighting, but it was gas lamps!
”Wait, does that mean even the street lamps here are powered by gas?” Ayumu wondered aloud.
As he observed more, he noticed something else about Valend’s ventilation system: Strong winds blew through the numerous horizontal shafts, ensuring fresh air was constantly circulated and preventing dangerous fumes from accumulating. It was a remarkable, almost modern system.
Ayumu couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of admiration. If he were here alone, he would never have had access to such important parts of the kingdom’s infrastructure. He was truly grateful to Princess Laura for offering to show him around.
”Thank you again for the tour, Your Highness, Laura,” he said, bowing his head in appreciation.
Princess Laura blushed, flustered. “W-Well, it’s nothing, Sir Sanai. You don’t need to thank me…” She lowered her gaze shyly. She was so cute when she did that.
Still, the tour continued smoothly, with Laura guiding him through more of the industrial area.
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”That craftsman is measuring iron,” Laura explained, pointing to a nearby worker. “He has to cut the iron while it’s still hot to get the right measurements… It’s a tough job.”
Ayumu paused, noticing something strange. Now that I think about it… why don’t I see normal saws, or even bow saws, around here? He wondered aloud.
He quickly realized why. It seemed that cutting saw blades—those requiring intricate teeth—would be far too difficult with the primitive tools they had. A saw would need careful craftsmanship to create teeth, and iron that had cooled would be almost impossible to cut cleanly.
It became clear that Valend’s industrial sector, despite its progress, still relied heavily on manual craftsmanship. Unlike the world Ayumu knew, where machines were used in factories, Valend’s industries were still in the early stages of mechanization.
If Ayumu were to return to the Free Yugan Cities, he realized that the first challenge would be creating machinery—specifically, Mother Machines—to produce advanced tools and medical products capable of saving Crown Prince Aare. To produce the pharmaceutical supplies needed to save him, Ayumu would require not just chemicals, but also the factories and equipment to manufacture them.
(What am I even thinking… A whole civilization ahead of me? What an arrogant thought…)
But no matter how impossible it seemed, Ayumu couldn’t afford to back down. He had no choice but to push forward—he couldn’t afford failure. If he gave up now, he would be no better than the helpless nobles he had despised in his old world. He couldn’t let that happen.
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And so, amidst his self-reflection and growing resolve, Ayumu remembered the purpose he had almost forgotten. His earlier thoughts had been clouded by the wonder of the new world, but now he felt his focus returning. In the meantime, Princess Laura, lost in her own swirling emotions, had been watching Ayumu with growing admiration.
So… Sir Sanai thanked me…?
Laura’s heart fluttered as she placed her hand on her cheek, shaking her head as if to deny the emotions she felt bubbling inside her.
(Should I… make my move?)
Her mind raced back to the words of her attendants.
‘It’s now or never, Your Highness! Create the opportunity!’
‘Don’t hesitate, Your Highness! If you wait too long, you might lose him to someone else!’
The pressure was mounting. Laura was torn, but her feelings for Ayumu were undeniable. She feared rejection, especially from him, but more than that, she feared what might happen if she let him slip away.
What if… he chooses someone else? she thought, her heart sinking at the idea.
Ayumu, focused on his task, was oblivious to the turmoil in Princess Laura’s heart. Meanwhile, she stood silently, watching him work, caught between the conflicting advice of her attendants and her own desires.
Is this what I should do? I… I need to act now!
Laura thought, summoning all the courage she could muster.
”Um… Sir Sanai! After this… If you wouldn’t mind…” she began, her voice shaky.
But before she could finish, she saw the focused, serious expression on Ayumu’s face as he recorded his observations. Her words faltered, and instead, she found herself lost in admiration.
He’s so dignified…
As a result, Laura’s bold intentions remained unsaid, and she quietly continued to watch Ayumu, lost in her feelings. Meanwhile, the tour, intended to bring them closer, became a failure in Laura’s eyes, as she stood on the precipice of an unspoken desire.
Maybe one more push is all it will take…
Her attendants’ voices, supportive and eager, echoed in the back of her mind. The push to act would not end soon.
Notes:
• Valend Cave Kingdom – Dwarven realm mentioned in the map.
• Hiyori Sashima – A quiet, caring girl from the library committee, empathetic toward Sanai.
• Sashima – Family name of Hiyori. A quiet, caring girl from the library committee, empathetic toward Sanai. She followed as a Barrier Technique Adept.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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