## Chapter 976 – Sea

“Now, we don’t have to worry about labor costs, everyone!!!! This is the beginning of labor reform, aaaaaah!!!”

As the magician, clenching his fist, shouted cheers, the other magicians and armed forces waiting behind him simultaneously roared.

“Waaaaaaah!!!”
“Hurrah for the Urden Circle!!”
“Hurrah for the Urden Circle!!”

The spectators, seemingly pleased with the explanation, nodded in unison and applauded. The goblins were just trembling.

“T-to think they’re using monsters…!!!”

Hilde, still trembling, grabbed my sleeve. It seemed the idea of enslaving monsters was quite shocking to her.

“Hilde, our Illyong and Iryong were originally monsters too.”
“Ah! That’s right! So it’s okay!!”

Upon being reminded, Hilde immediately retracted the aura of shock surrounding her and rubbed her face against my arm, acting cute.

Seriously, why is she so adorable?

“Wow, using goblins as slaves. The world’s gotten so damn good.”
“Indeed… If they could be used in large farms, it would be revolutionary.”

While Karin and Liztina were impressed, I too was impressed.

It was, in a sense, the domestication of goblins.

If something like this existed, managing the manor would be much more efficient. After all, livestock don’t get paid labor costs. Just feed them and whip them, and everything’s OK.

It might work for mine labor too.

The problem was whether we could trust the magicians’ words and the goblins’ lifespan and intelligence. It sounds good, but if they can’t actually be used in the field, they have no market value.

Even if their intelligence has increased, they’re still idiots from a human perspective. There are plenty of people who can’t do what they’re told, even among humans, so would goblins do any better?

They might fear the whip, but the idea that fear and violence can increase an individual’s intelligence is too outdated.

“Begin!!”

Soon, the magician gave the order, and the goblins, making guttural noises, began to plunge tools into the bare ground. Picking, shoveling, scooping it up and putting it in carts… They were doing a pretty well-coordinated performance.

They seemed to be good at simple labor, at least.

“Hmph… Using goblins as slaves. A very ingenious idea.”

Claudie nodded.

“But they’re so damn stupid, I don’t think they’d be very useful.”
“Really?”

Winia clicked her tongue and glared at the goblins with disdain.

“Hehehe, maybe so. Then let’s go over there now.”

Anyway, we looked at other things.

There were many interesting things.

We went around admiring the new technologies. Among them were things that looked similar to the golems we saw in the Berial dungeon last time, and it seemed they had reused the cores and parts we had collected back then.

“It seems they’re reusing the things we found in the dungeon.”

Ari, who remembered that time, pointed out.

“Old technology becoming new technology. Humans are something else.”
“You can say that again.”

Anyway, golems are quite fascinating. They seem like they could be useful weapons against monsters, but it might not be cost-effective. It was an opportunity to think about such things.

That’s when it happened.

“Get out of the way, move!”
“Oooooh!”
“This is…!”

ㅡVrrrrr.

I was startled.

“No fucking way!!!”

Something resembling a car passed by us over there…! What did I just see! I hurriedly looked over there and saw the back of something similar to a car.

Holy shit, is that really a car?

Are they demonstrating that kind of technology too?

“Over there! Let’s go over there!”

Excited, I led my women to where the car had appeared. They were also watching the moving carriage in silence.

“Did you see that! A carriage that moves on its own, a magic car!!! I hope you all recognize its value!!!”

When we got there, a magician wearing a magician’s inhuman hat was giving a speech. I shouted at him.

“Wait! Can you explain that again!”
“Wait… Hmm?! Aren’t you perhaps the Dancing Paladin…!”

Does he recognize me?

“What!”
“The Dancing Paladin!!”
“Is that him?! Is that really him?!”

Instantly, people looked at me.

I reluctantly took off my hood and showed my palm.

“That’s right. Please calm down. Anyway, I’d like to hear the explanation again, is that possible?”
“Of course! I’ll explain it again!! Please wait a moment! I’ll be right back!”

ㅡVrrrrr.

As he said, the car, having made a lap, approached us.

It was a small, two-seater car without a roof. Golem technology was well-developed, so the durability seemed very good, but the speed was slow because it seemed to rely on a core filled with magic power to overcome the weight.

The driver and a person wearing a robe got out of it.

“This is!! The carriage that moves without horses! The magic car!!!”

The magic car!

“Does it move when you get in?”
“It seems the Paladin is very interested in this! It’s better to understand by riding it yourself than by explaining it! Then, let’s do a test ride!”
“Ooooh!”

Can I ride it right away…!
They’re letting me experience it firsthand!

“There! Please sit in the left seat with the steering wheel! Don’t worry! My proud assistant will be riding next to you!!”
“Thank you!”

I immediately went to the driver’s seat, and the assistant got in next to me.

“Nice to meet you. I’m the assistant, Irune. Ooh, you look good sitting there?”
“Hehehe, nice to meet you. I’m Paladin Kim Katte. Can you give me a tour?”
“I’ll start the explanation!”

As the assistant shouted, the people around gathered closer.

Since there’s no roof, everything is exposed.
Everyone could see.

“Look at your feet. There’s something like a button, right? The left one is the brake. If you step on it, it stops, and if you step on the accelerator on the right, it moves in a straight line. You can set the direction by turning the steering wheel.”

The concept itself seems the same.

“Good. I understand everything. You just step on it lightly with your foot. If you step on the left, it stops immediately?”
“You understand quickly. Now, let’s start. Put your left foot on the brake and your right foot on the accelerator.”
“What?”

Is this guy telling me to drive with both feet?

“Excuse me?”
“No, it’s nothing.”

I followed his instructions and put my feet on the brake and accelerator at the same time, then slowly stepped on the accelerator.

ㅡVrrrrr.

Then the magic car slowly moved forward.
I was feeling a kind of joy.

“What’s the top speed?”
“It’s still in the development stage, so it’s slow. You can step on it hard, but… safety…”
“It’s okay.”

ㅡSlam.

When I stepped on the accelerator hard, it soon reached top speed. Honestly, it wasn’t a speed worth mentioning. It was damn slow. It’s just like an old bumper car. Nevertheless, I happily drove around.

Driving a car?
How many years has it been?

“…You’re good at it?”

The assistant said, even though I was just stepping on it and turning the steering wheel.

“You’ve made it simple and easy for beginners to understand. At this rate, you won’t need a high degree of training. If you complete relatively easy education and training, anyone can easily handle it. It seems easy to commercialize.”
“Ooooh! That’s exactly it! That’s what we’re aiming for! How did you see that far!”
“Hehehe, I’m a Paladin, aren’t I.”

Best Driver Kim Katte.

I simply drove around the venue once and returned to where I had been.

“Now, now! You saw it properly, right!! It’s still at that level! But soon it will be faster! And able to load more weight! Please remember the name of our Barculum Circle!!!”

ㅡClap clap clap clap clap!!
ㅡClap clap clap clap clap!!
ㅡClap clap clap clap clap!!

I got out while receiving applause.

“So, what do you think? Is it okay?”

Karin, who had been waiting in front, came up and asked.

“It’s damn good, isn’t it? If they develop it a bit more, it’ll be good.”
“Really?”

But there were still a lot of shortcomings.

There’s no gear and no side brake… Oh. If I give them some advice, wouldn’t this literally be the birth of a damn amazing car?

It’s easy to think that way, but it’s definitely not.

In the first place, this seems to be powered by magic, and I don’t know the structure of modern cars. It’s only field workers, experts, or scholars who usually know that stuff inside and out. Who would know all that? If you asked me to draw the blueprints for an internal combustion engine right now, no one but those people could do it.

Of course, I can provide ideas, but is there any reason to do that?

“Anyway, this place is good. It would be convenient if we had that.”
“Father? What about Illyong and Iryong?”
“They’ll have to retire, those freeloading bastards.”

The downfall of the carriage.

“Katte, that’s too much! How can you say such a thing! Illyong and Iryong must also be treated with care!”
“Hey, hey. I’m just kidding. Just kidding. Of course they’re precious.”

Anyway, just seeing something like that car here was of great value. Isn’t this really going to be commercialized in about ten years?

“It’s amazing. To be able to move like that.”
“It seems quite good.”

Claudie and Risha said that, but honestly, I think golems are more amazing. Anyway, we looked around the venue like that and were returning to the starting point.

“Ah, shit!”

Suddenly, Winia shouted like that, startled as if a caterpillar had fallen on the back of her hand while hiking.

“What is it? Why are you suddenly…”
“Over there!”
“Yes? What’s th… Oh my?”

As Winia pointed, Liztina covered her mouth with her hand. It seemed she had found something shocking, and I followed Winia’s gaze.

What was there was.

“That person is Winia’s…”

It was Winia’s mother, Xenia.

“What? Who… Ah.”

Karin, who was next to me, also checked Xenia over there and made a sound as if she had realized something, then looked back and forth between Winia and Xenia.

“Wow. Look at those tits. What the hell did she put inside…”
“K-Karin?! What are you saying to Winia’s mother…!”
“No, Winia said she hates that a lot, right?”
“Still! Winia! Are you okay!”

Liztina, surprised, shook Winia’s shoulders.

“That, that bitch, why is she here…!”

Winia’s reaction was intense.

“So I’ve heard?”
“Amazing! I didn’t know it was this much!”

While Liztina was in shock, Hilde stroked her chest and stared at Xenia.

“I’m more surprised than that! That size…! I can’t believe it!!”
“W-well, it’s certainly amazing… How can it be bigger than Winia’s…”

It’s amazing every time I see it.

I also stared at Xenia.

She was now examining the goblin slaves very closely. She definitely said she owned mines and manors, right? It seemed she was checking whether or not she could put those slave goblins into them.

She said she had a good business sense, so she would invest if she saw an opportunity.

As I was looking at Xenia like that, Ari grabbed my wrist.

“Father? Do you like that kind of thing after all?”
“What?”

She looked at me intently and asked that.

“Do you like such big breasts after all?”
“No, what are you talking about.”
“But you’re staring at them like that…”
“Gah!!! That’s nonsense! That’s too big!”
“Eung… That’s a relief. Even if it was me, it would have been uncomfortable if I had grown it to that size.”

Ari spoke as if she would change her size right away if I liked it.

“That’s quite an excessive bust.”

Even Risha was impressed.

“Hehehe, she looks like Winia.”
“W-what do you mean, looks like! She doesn’t look like her at all!”

Claudie poked Winia’s waist as if it was fun, and Winia was horrified. It’s a natural reaction since she hates her mother so much.

“Yeah, Winia is prettier.”

Winia is prettier.

“Wow, by the way. It’s definitely genetics you can see with your own eyes. What do you think, should I go say something?”
“No. I don’t intend to. Let’s go. Have we seen everything now?”
“Yeah, well. I’ve seen everything.”

Winia urgently answered when Karin asked.

“Then, honey. Shall we go out now?”

Shall we?

“Then let’s do that.”

So we passed by Xenia and came out. The moment we went out, I looked back, and Xenia was looking at me, having noticed in the meantime.

“…!”

But when our eyes met, she immediately turned her head in horror.

I wonder if that aunt has come to her senses a bit.