Chapter 35: Sherria Miranda

“Incorporate it into water? Seems like… it might work?”

“No! Nonsense! How could water ignite instantly?”

Mitia interjected again: “Why not change the ignition method? For example, once the dust is liquefied and sprayed out, if the air infused with elements rushes in, it would explode.”

Incorporating it into liquid—that was what came to Mitia’s mind as she looked at the crude craftsmanship of this finished internal combustion engine.

It should still be the same old problem of subpar materials.

As the amount of dust injection increased, the energy of the explosion also increased, and the pressure exerted on all the components inside the cylinder reached the critical point of the material’s tolerance.

In fact, with just the power intensity just demonstrated, if it were changed into a parallel eight-cylinder configuration, it could already be put into production and used.

However, the results might not be satisfactory, and the failure rate would be extremely high.

So for now, it was better to set it aside and wait for improvements.

By altering it so that magic crystal powder and liquid—for instance, a small amount of water—were fused together and delivered as fuel, water could serve as a solvent to transform the powder into fluid, thus partially avoiding the problem.

Furthermore, once heated to ignition, water itself would evaporate into steam, which could simply be expelled together with the exhaust gases.

In this case, compression ignition would be a more suitable method.

Mitia’s words opened up a new line of thought for everyone.

Compression ignition was easy to understand.

Simply put, it first involved inhaling air and compressing it to raise the temperature, then spraying fuel to cause an explosion that pushed the piston to work.

The principle was actually even simpler to implement than the previous design.

Because there were already some magical elements in the air, compression ignition could eliminate the need for the previous elemental filtration plate and directly function.

Due to the difference in fuel injection and ignition methods, the piston rods would be made longer, producing greater torque, which was better suited for Mitia’s envisioned needs for trucks and armored vehicles.

Glancing at the battle-damaged internal combustion engine on the platform, Mitia couldn’t help but feel a sense of meeting an old friend in a foreign land.

Old friend, I will give you the most suitable fuel.

This world will no longer abandon you~

“Hm?”

A doubtful hum slipped from the girl’s nose.

The factory director, who was respectfully following behind Mitia with his head bowed, noticed from the corner of his eye that the trailing edge of her white skirt had vanished.

Startled, he quickly raised his head, only to find no trace of Mitia at all.

He finally let out a breath of relief and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

He knew this meant she had already left.

At this moment, Mitia had already flashed outside the factory, flying at low altitude toward the city gate along the aura she had sensed.

Her speed, however, was not fast, for she had to allow passing soldiers a clear view of her face.

Since this world had magical beasts, it naturally also had aerial cavalry.

Thus, most of the time, high-altitude flight was prohibited in Uruk City.

If one ignored warnings after being discovered, the quadruple anti-air Maxim machine gun emplacements atop the buildings would shoot them down like turkeys.

As she drew closer, the familiar yet unfamiliar aura grew increasingly distinct.

Mitia was filled with confusion.

She was very certain that none of the people she knew had an aura like this, yet it felt strangely familiar.

It was very peculiar.

Only when the figure appeared before her did Mitia suddenly realize the truth.

Their magical auras intertwined—Mitia probing, while the other responded with pure simplicity.

【? What a beautiful witch!】

【What a cute little witch!】

The “little girl” before her, stopped by guards at the city gate, wore an exquisite, luxurious, and pink gothic puff dress.

Her rounded cheeks framed a pair of vivid rose-violet eyes.

Her soft pink lips were pouted high, and she stood pitifully before the soldiers, tilting her head to look up at Mitia: “Help me~”

Her twin silver ponytails, nearly as long as her height, were eye-catching.

Her petite frame embodied the very essence of “cuteness” to perfection.

Watching the awkward soldier scratching his head in embarrassment, Mitia dismissed him back to his post.

In principle, Uruk City did not obstruct the entry and exit of ordinary people, but those dressed in extravagant clothing were more likely to be questioned.

First, it was to confirm identity.

Second, to make sure outsiders understood Uruk City’s special rules.

After all, the Astal Family’s city recognized neither slaves nor nobles, which made it an anomaly across the entire continent.

Many so-called “nobles” could not accept this.

It was better to explain the situation early than let them commit offenses inside and then cry out for mercy when dragged off to the firing range by Astal.

But the “little loli” before them was a special case.

She looked no different from a lost child who had wandered away from her family.

Most likely, the guard had been asking about her circumstances to make a report.

However, it seemed the guard’s looks were not up to standard and had been rejected~ So she released her aura directly, summoning Mitia over.

From this alone, Mitia understood—the girl had come specifically for her.

Mitia was well aware that, despite her petite appearance, given a witch’s lifespan… this might well be an old granny in the body of a loli—an extremely powerful one, at that.

Only those at Saint rank or higher possessed the ability to restore youth.

As if sensing her thoughts, the little loli crossed her arms before her chest, glaring adorably at Mitia: “You seem to be making very unladylike judgments about me!”

Instead of answering, Mitia countered: “Who are you? Why are you here?”

“Can’t I be?”

“It’s not that you can’t, but your appearance makes me feel somewhat uneasy.”

“It’s nothing really. I just wanted to see what kind of person the strange junior my other sisters spoke of would be.”

She circled around Mitia, arms folded: “Hm… apart from your looks, you don’t seem all that remarkable. Your magic is so weak.”

Mitia: “...Other sisters? You’ve been watching me?”

“I don’t like the word ‘watching.’ I think ‘protecting’ is much more fitting. Besides, are you sure you want to keep standing in this dusty place chatting with me?”

Her baby-fat cheeks leaned close to Mitia’s face, her big eyes full of curiosity.

Mitia lowered her gaze to look at her, but suddenly a strange thought popped into her mind.

If she had a daughter, she might look just like this.

But she would never seek out a man.

In this lifetime, she would probably never know the bond of having a child.

“Hey!!! Why are all your thoughts such rude ideas? Are you some kind of pervert!”

Mitia: “...You can read minds! I think using that to pry into others’ thoughts is extremely rude.”

“Mm, fine. I, Sherria Miranda, apologize to you!”

“I, Mitia Ackerman Astal, accept your apology. Let’s go, I’ll take you into the city.”

“By the way, do you need me to carry you? It might be faster that way.”

“Scram!”

“......”

As they walked along the street, Mitia smiled and nodded in response to passing citizens.

She then turned to Sherria, who was happily licking a candied hawthorn, and asked the question that had lingered in her mind:

“Why do you all call me a strange junior?”

“See, that scene just now was strange.” Sherria raised her little face and gestured at the retreating back of the citizen who had greeted her:

“His emotional reaction was strange. You’re strange. This place is strange.”

“I’ve been to many countries and seen all kinds of relationships between lords and their people—fearful reverence, terror, hatred. Even reverence is rare. Most of it is the latter.”

“But from him, I felt many indescribable, complex emotions. Some of them I’ve only ever felt within families.”

Hearing this, Mitia smiled: “That sounds like a compliment.”

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