Dien had managed to avoid the sudden performance exam. He now sat in his office, reviewing a report on the collapsed bridge.
Persian was currently attending a meeting. While Dien didn’t know what the outcome of that meeting would be, he wanted to come up with his own solution before Persian returned.
‘They used the FSM method, installing shoring under poor subgrade conditions. But this is very different from the FSM method I know. Perhaps the theory hasn’t been fully established yet.’
Most construction methods were developed after 1950. It made sense if systematic engineering theories had not yet taken root in this world.
As he scanned the data, a smile played on Dien’s lips. The T-shaped piers were already completed, the span was only 15 meters, and the pier height was low.
‘Now that Master Ras has arrived in the capital, I have work for him.’
The Royal Castle was in an uproar, but to Dien, it felt like a trivial matter.
With the technological prowess of Las and Mos, this problem could be solved in an instant. Feeling as though there was nothing more to see, Dien clasped his hands behind his back and relaxed.
‘I should get back to studying for my performance exam.’
Dien sat in his office and leisurely began reading a book. Before long, Persian returned to the office after the meeting ended.
“What? You say there’s a way?”
Persian was aghast. He had returned to the office with a heavy heart after a fruitless meeting, only for Dien to nonchalantly claim he could solve the problem.
“Yes. With the technical skills of the Lasmors Merchant Group, we can resolve this easily.”
“How exactly?”
“We just need to use the Lasmors magic-powered cranes to lift the structural components or steel onto the piers.”
Naturally, there were other tasks involved, such as the deck slabs, floor frames, and paving, but Dien summarized it so Persian could easily understand.
However, Persian still seemed puzzled, as if even the simplified explanation was difficult to grasp.
“Once the engineers arrive at the capital, please entrust the bridge construction to me. I will complete it within two… no, within one year. The engineers from Lasmors are the best on the continent, so they will likely find this to be an easy task.”
“Hah… I see…”
Persian let out a long sigh. He felt a sense of relief that the matter could be resolved so easily, yet he also felt a bit empty.
Everyone had been racking their brains in agony, yet Dien solved everything with a single sentence.
Persian chuckled as if he no longer had the energy to be surprised, and he nodded his head.
“So there was a reason you emphasized the migration of the Lasmors Merchant Group.”
“I didn’t necessarily anticipate this exact situation.”
“I suppose not. Regardless, it’s a relief. May I relay your word to His Majesty that the bridge can be completed within one year?”
“Of course.”
At Dien’s firm answer, Persian’s expression finally brightened.
‘Not a single secretary could come up with a solution… Is this boy’s ability truly superior to the secretaries?’
“Pardon?”
Dien stepped closer, hearing Persian’s faint murmur.
“It’s nothing. By the way, what are you looking at?”
“I was studying for the Academy performance exam. If the Chancellor hadn’t called for me, I probably would have been the last among the students from administrative families.”
Dien gave an awkward smile. At those words, Persian looked at him with a strange glint in his eyes.
“Don’t lie to me.”
“Pardon?”
“Last place? Nonsense!”
The word ‘last’ did not suit Dien at all. Persian shook his head vigorously and headed toward the Crystal Palace. Dien watched him leave with a blank expression.
***
As time passed, news that Dien had become the person in charge of the Kerse River bridge project sent ripples through the Royal Castle.
Dien had boldly declared that he would finish the bridge construction within one year instead of two. It was a radical appointment that usually would have drawn criticism, but the officials of the Chancellor’s Office had long since grown accustomed to Dien’s genius. No one doubted his success.
“Somehow, I feel like Young Lord Dien will actually finish the bridge within one year.”
“Exactly. He isn’t the type to speak empty words.”
“I heard the bridge blueprints Dien revised have already been recognized by the kingdom’s greatest scholars.”
“He truly is incredible. At such a young age, he’s handling tasks that even the secretaries couldn’t manage.”
“Just as the Chancellor said, Young Lord Dien is the treasure of the Chancellor’s Office.”
The Royal Castle buzzed with praise for Dien every day. The palace officials no longer viewed Dien as a mere student receiving successor training; the aides began to trust him more than any veteran secretary.
“Everywhere I go, people are praising you, Master Dien.”
“Please, don’t say that. It’s embarrassing.”
Dien and his aide, Carrick, were conversing while reviewing public notices as usual.
“My mother told me that even the merchants in the Central Plaza know your name. Ever since you handled the grievances of the rural fief residents, they’ve been spreading rumors about your kindness everywhere. Oh! And the matter regarding Master Dante’s honorary master status—that’s practically reached the level of worship…”
“It’s embarrassing, Aide Carrick… Please, stop…”
Dien interrupted him. Lately, he found himself scratching his head more often; the overwhelming attention was a heavy burden.
Just then, Count Noil, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, stepped cautiously into the office.
“Young Lord Dien! A moment of your time.”
“Yes.”
At Noil’s call, Dien approached him.
“The engineers from the Lasmors Merchant Group have arrived at the castle.”
“I see.”
Noil whispered into Dien’s ear while scanning the surroundings. Only Noil, Persian, and King Lonas were supposed to know about the Lasmors engineers entering the castle.
“Where are they?”
“They are in the basement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
Dien was the person in charge of the Lasmors Merchant Group. Matters regarding their settlement and support were, naturally, for him to handle.
“I will head to the Ministry basement quietly after distributing the public notices.”
“Right. I’ve slipped the key into your pocket.”
“Yes, thank you for your hard work, Count.”
The long-awaited merchant engineers had finally arrived in the capital. Anything related to them was top secret, hidden even from the other aides in the Chancellor’s Office. Dien distributed the notices as usual before discreetly slipping out of the office.
***
In the basement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs building, there was a secret space unknown to general officials. It was there that Dien reunited with Ras.
“Thank you for making the long journey here!”
“You! No, I should call you Young Lord Dien now!”
Ras had safely arrived at the Royal Castle of Delos after a treacherous journey. Seeing Ras’s welcoming face, Dien hugged him instead of offering a handshake.
“Allow me to introduce you. This is the Young Lord Dien I told you about.”
“Hello. I am Mos.”
Beside Ras stood his younger brother, Mos. They were twins with nearly identical faces, but Mos, dressed in a clean suit, carried an air of gravity that made him easy to distinguish from Ras.
“It is a pleasure to meet you, Master Mos. I am Dien Portran. It is an honor to meet you.”
Dien bowed deeply to Mos, just as he had when he first met Ras. Mos watched Dien with curious eyes.
“Young Lord, I have not yet decided on migrating to Delos. I simply came out of curiosity regarding the stories you told my brother.”
“Yes, I understand perfectly. I would like to invite you and Ras to the House of Portran tonight. Let us finish our conversation there. I believe you will find what I have to say quite interesting, Master Mos.”
“I look forward to it, Young Lord.”
Mos nodded with a serious posture. Seeing a demeanor so opposite to Ras’s caused a small chuckle to escape Dien.
“Young Lord Dien, I have a favor to ask of you.”
“Please, speak freely, Master Ras.”
After the introductions were finished, Ras bit his lip and approached Dien.
“As you can see, most of the Lasmors Merchant Group’s engineers followed me to Delos. However, the families of most of these men are still back in the Empire.”
“Yes, I am aware.”
“Please… help the families of these friends migrate to Delos as well.”
“Yes, Master Ras. It is a matter I have already considered. However, it may take some time. They must enter the country while avoiding the gaze of the Crown Prince.”
“I see.”
Dien could sense Ras’s deep concern. He spoke again to reassure him.
“His Majesty is also concerned about this, so please do not worry too much.”
“Yes, thank you.”
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had already begun moving upon hearing that a large number of engineers had followed Ras.
Dien comforted the engineers one by one, and he could see their expressions gradually softening. Then, standing before them, he began explaining the plan for their stable settlement.
He went over everything from temporary housing to various support measures. He also explained their new identities.
“As you well know, more than half of Delos consists of the frozen lands of the North. You will all live your new lives as vagrants who have migrated from the Northern lands to the capital. After you move to the temporary housing tonight, you will stay there for about two months, after which you will be able to live freely.”
“Young Lord, why will it take as long as two months?”
“On average, it takes about two months for the Northern tribes to be issued residency rights in the capital.”
Northern tribes living in unmapped territories occasionally crossed over to the capital. Since the Kingdom of Delos practiced an inclusive policy toward them, residency cards were issued relatively easily.
“I guess I’ll have to think about what to do for two months as a Northerner.”
“Haha, it takes some time, but please understand that it is all for your safety.”
The men nodded at Dien’s words.
“And… I have a favor to ask of you all.”
After the long explanation, Dien carefully looked over the faces of the engineers.
“Please manufacture the wire cranes that were the advanced technology of Lasmors.”
The engineers’ eyes widened at Dien’s sudden request.
“Cranes?”
“Yes. Right now, our kingdom needs the magic-powered cranes of Lasmors.”
“What is the reason?”
“To build a bridge.”
Dien pulled the blueprints for the bridge from his tunic.
“Could everyone gather around?”
Naturally, a new conversation began, centered on the construction of the bridge.
***
“This is a chance to show off the technological power of Lasmors!”
Once Dien’s explanation was over, Ras pounded his chest heroically and shouted.
“Six months should be enough. Provided that we have the equipment the Lasmors Merchant Group used to have.”
“Do not worry. I have orders from His Majesty to provide unsparing support for that.”
“The crane blueprints are already in my head. This is perfect; the opportunity to repay the debt I owe Delos has come quickly.”
The engineers of Lasmors were all brilliant workers. As Dien expected, they didn’t feel the slightest bit of pressure regarding the bridge construction.
“However, there is something strange.”
“What is it?”
Among the confident faces of the engineers, only Ras had a deep frown.
“The report says the shoring supporting the upper structure collapsed because it couldn’t withstand the torrent… but why did it collapse now, when the rainfall is so low? Even if it were to collapse, it would make more sense during the rainy season when rainfall is high, wouldn’t it?”
“Hmm… that is a valid point.”
It was an observation no one had expected. Having extensive construction experience, Ras had spotted a discrepancy in the report immediately. Dien also nodded in agreement before speaking.
“If someone intentionally collapsed the bridge…”
“Do you have someone in mind?”
Ras looked intently at Dien, noticing his lowered voice.
“No, but we will find out soon enough.”
Dien’s eyes glinted sharply. People who sought to regress the kingdom’s progress. He had a suspicion, but he did not voice it.
Dien’s ill feelings toward those people continued to deepen.
The long conversation ended. Before heading to their temporary quarters, Ras and Mos visited the House of Portran to speak with Dien.
Was it because they were brothers after all, despite their different personalities?
Like Ras before him, Mos was fascinated by the new technologies Dien described, and he decided to migrate to Delos in an instant.