“I see, so the mixing ratio alone can create this much of a difference!”
“Jin, you’re incredible!”
Jin had just demonstrated the effectiveness of a magical muscle created with a near-optimal mixing ratio. When compared to the conventional versions, it exerted approximately 1.5 times the force.
“Next is the shape,” Jin said.
Metal-based materials contract and expand due to two primary factors: changes in interatomic distance and changes in crystal structure. Thermal expansion is an example of the former, while the expansion caused by martensite formation during the heat treatment—or quenching—of steel is an example of the latter.
In the case of magical muscles, it is the interatomic distance that changes.
While the speed of this change is extremely fast, the actual amount of movement is minimal—that is its primary drawback. To compensate, current designs place the fulcrum and the force point extremely close together, following the principles of leverage. Naturally, this results in a configuration where the distance between the fulcrum and the point of action is large, making it difficult for the mechanism to exert significant power.
After pointing this out, Jin continued his explanation. “By making the muscles longer, we can increase the total amount of change even if the rate of change remains the same.”
“That makes sense in theory, but how do you intend to achieve that?”
“By twisting fine strands of wire together and bundling them.”
To those listening, his words were a bolt from the blue.
“What?!”
“…It certainly stands to reason…”
“To think no one noticed something so simple…” someone muttered.
Indeed, the concepts Jin was explaining were topics covered toward the end of the beginner-level magi-craft courses back in Avalon.
To push performance even further, one could add trace amounts of special elements alongside the mithril, or employ a “pre-stretching” method. The latter would increase the longitudinal interatomic distance, thereby increasing the total amount of contraction. However, since those were mid-level topics, Jin had no intention of going that far.
Even so, the two improvements Jin had implemented were substantial, yielding over double the original performance.
“Jin, you really are amazing!”
“Research has leaped forward since you arrived!”
The general researchers showered Jin with praise.
…However, Karion, the laboratory chief, merely stared at Jin with a complicated expression that bordered on a glare.
＊ ＊ ＊
“Well, you truly are impressive. You said you’ve lost part of your memory?”
“That must be difficult. But to produce such results so quickly, you must have been a highly skilled engineer.”
A welcome party for Jin was held that evening. However, since they were required to return to work at 19:00, no alcohol was served.
“Are the golems currently in use developed here in this laboratory?” Jin asked, curious about their operations.
“No, while there are some like that, most of our combat models are imports. Our dream is to one day create golems that surpass those imports on our own.”
“…That’s a good goal.”
Regardless of their purpose or motivation, Jin could respect the enthusiasm they poured into their development.
“Most of the golems we’re analyzing right now were seized from the Norha Principality during the last battle. It seems that country relies entirely on imports from the Eastern Countries rather than doing their own development.”
“So there are countries like that too.”
Since it was an informal gathering, Jin was able to gather quite a bit of information. He learned several key points:
• There is a country to the east with advanced golem technology. • Skirmishes occur at a frequency of about once every three months. • These skirmishes consist of battles involving fifty to a hundred golems on each side. • The Jagus Principality is the strongest of the three principalities involved, but not strong enough to take on the other two simultaneously. • The Jagus Principality is rich in metal resources. • The Norha Principality mines high-quality magi-crystals, which they sell to purchase golems from abroad.
The researchers, however, did not know the underlying reasons why the three principalities were constantly at odds.
“Keep the people dependent, but not informed,” was it? Are they intentionally withholding information? Jin wondered.
And if I can just meet this “Lordtoss”… there’s bound to be some kind of progress.
＊ ＊ ＊
When 19:00 arrived, the group returned to the laboratory.
“You’re late,” Karion, the laboratory chief, snapped. He had not attended the welcome party and seemed quite irritable.
“He’s just unhappy because you produced results so quickly,” a colleague standing next to Jin whispered softly.
…Maybe I stood out a bit too much? But I have my own objectives to consider…
Jin reflected on how there were always superiors who felt threatened by talented subordinates or grew bitter when their juniors achieved success.
“Now then, as for the remaining analysis items, we have the control core…”
Raig Armor looked around at the team members. “The control core of this golem was destroyed, so there was nothing we could do with it.” He said this partly as a confirmation for the team and partly as an explanation for Jin.
“I see… that’s a shame.”
Jin, showing rare restraint, decided it would be unwise to mention that he could read fragmentary information even from shattered pieces. After all, that technique belonged to the advanced-level magi-craft courses in Avalon.
“Control cores removed from other golems are being analyzed in a separate laboratory,” Raig Armor explained. He told Jin they would be informed once the results were in. “With that said, let’s get to work on the next golem.”
Raig Armor turned toward the row of golems. “Now, which one should we take?”
“Raig, how about this one?”
Coo Fene, the only woman in the laboratory, pointed to a golem whose exterior armor had been partially removed, exposing its internals.
“Oh, that one? Very well.”
This is…
It was a rugged machine with an appearance that clearly marked it as a combat model. Jin didn’t recognize the internal structure at all. It didn't belong to the Adriana-style lineage, which piqued his interest.
“This fellow’s skeleton has an interesting structure,” Raig remarked.
“Haha, it certainly does.”
He was pointing to the forearm. In a human, this part would be composed of the radius and ulna. The same applied to the automata Jin built—and those of the Adriana-style. Their design philosophy dictated that imitating the human skeleton was essential to achieving human-like movement.
Golems generally followed the same principle, though they were often simplified depending on the part. For the forearm, the Adriana-style used both a radius and an ulna. This allowed for the motion of “twisting” the wrist.
To achieve that twisting motion without a radius and ulna, one would need to rotate the forearm bone or the wrist joint itself around a central axis. However, such a mechanical structure usually resulted in a loss of overall strength.
“It is certainly an interesting structure, but…” Jin trailed off.
The golem before his eyes utilized a mechanical rotating axis for the wrist.