After finalizing the future cooperation plan between Schale and Millennium with Noa and having lunch with Koyuki in the cafeteria, I went to the Engineering Departnt to visit by myself.
When I walked through the open doors of the Engineering Departnt, three girls were busy working on a machine in the center of the room. It wasn't until I spoke up that they, engrossed in their work, noticed my arrival.
One of them, a tall girl with light purple hair, whispered sothing to the other two, then put down her work and ca forward to greet :
"Hello, I am the president of the Engineering Departnt, Shirashi Utaha. You must be the Sensei from Schale, right?"
Utaha had a sowhat handso face, with black grease stains on her clothes and skin. Her attitude was enthusiastic and friendly.
After confirming my identity, she had the others pause their work as well, and they all crowded around , leading to a nearby testing ground filled with many strange-looking machines.
And during the short walk, I also learned the nas of the other two mbers of the Engineering Departnt:
Toyomi Kotori, who wore glasses, had short orange hair, was short but well-endowed, and loved to talk.
Nekozuka Hibiki, who had faint dark circles under her eyes, slightly curly black hair, dog ears and a tail, wore fishnet stockings, and gave off the impression of not being good at socializing.
"Sensei, these are the new engineering machines invented by our Engineering Departnt."
Utaha first walked to a machine that was yellow overall, with a huge steel wheel at the front, resembling a road roller, and solemnly introduced its function.
"This machine can use its own gravity to compact loose ground, making it dense."
Isn't that just a normal road roller?
Just as I was about to ask, Utaha continued:
"And it also buries explosives under the compacted ground."
...Huh?
Hibiki smiled proudly. "I've nad it the Potato Mine Planter Road Roller MK1!"
Then, the mbers of the Engineering Departnt boarded the machine and started it. Accompanied by so inexplicably rousing BGM from the vehicle's sound system, they rolled forward.
And then, unsurprisingly, they were flipped over by the bomb they had just buried.
Escaping to the safe location where I was just before a chain reaction of explosions occurred, the mbers of the Engineering Departnt looked at the fireworks rising in the distance and only expressed slight regret:
"Oh dear, the experint was successful last ti. It seems the stability of the bombs still needs adjustnt."
Hearing this, I was having a hard ti keeping a straight face.
But I didn't expect that even more ridiculous things were to co—
Next, the Engineering Departnt showed an excavator that could perform directional blasting, a bulldozer that used explosions as propulsion, a crane that used gunpowder for pulling force, a cent mixer that self-destructed to speed up its operation...
Without exception, every machine ca with its own mysterious BGM when it started.
Without exception, every test ended in a splendid display of fireworks.
"Not very lucky today," Kotori said regretfully, pushing up her glasses. "The theoretical success rate was twenty percent. If they had all succeeded, we wanted to combine them into the Ultimate Engineering Demolition King for testing."
Hibiki shook her head. "It's okay. Failure is the mother of success. We've recorded all the data from this failure. Next ti, we'll definitely be able to create a more perfect work."
"That's right! As masters of Millennium, this is the kind of passion we need!"
Utaha shifted her gaze to , who had been silent since the beginning, and asked for my opinion.
All I can say is, I didn't understand, but I was greatly shocked.
Utaha blinked and remarked, "Isn't it fine? It's quite interesting. Even though we were just testing useless inventions, and they all failed spectacularly in the end."
"But, so-called inventions don't always yield satisfactory results. No matter what you invent, as long as you enjoy the process, you will naturally achieve great results one day."
Kotori chid in enthusiastically, "That's right! During this experint, I accumulated experience in combining bombs with various engineering machines. I have a premonition that this technology will be widely used in the future and will definitely be applicable next ti!"
It won't be widely used! No... this is Kivotos... maybe it's actually possible...
In any case, I understood the principle, but was the point of specially inviting to visit just to witness failure?
However, just then, Utaha changed the subject:
"But, to promote technological progress and conduct more experints, a large amount of experintal funding is needed."
Kotori and Hibiki nodded repeatedly. "That's right, that's right!"
"If we had more funds, perhaps we wouldn't have failed today. After all, the Engineering Departnt has gathered the best engineers in all of Millennium. We're an excellent club with top-tier technical skills!"
"That's right, that's right!"
"Unfortunately, that cold-hearted arithtician from the Seminar, just because of so small accidents that occurred during our experints, rcilessly cut our funding, to the point that we could only use the scraps left in the departnt to make these inventions that were dood to fail..."
I suddenly realized.
Their goal was to play the victim to gain sympathy and financial aid?
Uh, perhaps tech geeks are really like this.
Based on my understanding of the Engineering Departnt, they are artisans obsessed with invention and research. And backed by the financially powerful Millennium Science School, they probably have never been short of money.
Of course, that ans they wouldn't have any experience in swindling investors.
So, what were these "small accidents" that Utaha ntioned, which could make that "cold-hearted arithtician" angry enough to cut the Engineering Departnt's funding?
I was very curious about this.
And Utaha was still sighing, saying pointedly, "Ah... if only there was a club directly under the GSC with more funds than they can use, willing to sponsor us."
I couldn't be bothered to beat around the bush and went straight to the point. "And what's in it for Schale? What can the Engineering Departnt provide?"
Utaha was stunned for a mont, then answered honestly, "The Engineering Departnt is willing to provide Schale with advanced technological equipnt, as well as free maintenance and iteration services... of the sa specifications that the GSC has a long-term order for from us... As far as I know, many of Schale's current facilities are already outdated..."
"How much money do you need now?"
After Yukino's intrusion, I had indeed thought about replacing Schale's security system and even doing a major upgrade of all of Schale's electronic equipnt. I had already applied for a batch of funds from the chief of the General Student Council, Oki Aoi, but I hadn't found a suitable construction team yet.
This was a win-win situation, as it would achieve my original goal and also build a good relationship with the Engineering Departnt.
And Utaha's quote was also very conservative, far exceeding my psychological expectations, so I decided to proactively increase the price.
In just a few words, Utaha and I successfully finalized our cooperation.
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