Chapter 147: Making the Magitek Car – Step 2

First, we started with making the brakes.

Even in this world of Ethersia, carriages have brakes. However, they are mainly used to prevent movement during parking rather than for deceleration. Using them for deceleration purposes would be necessary only during downhill slopes when you want to reduce the burden on the horse and in emergencies. The structure is simple: when you push the lever forward, a metal shaft moves, and the brake shoes at the end directly press against the rear wheels to stop them.

“Hmm, we can probably use this parking brake as it is, so the next thing is how to make the brakes for deceleration.” 

Isamu pondered.

Since you want the carriage, whether it’s a horse-drawn or magic one, to not move when parked, you can use the parking brake as is by just slightly modifying the brake shoe material. The real issue is the brakes used for deceleration. During cornering, you want to decelerate, and even though it’s slower than a bicycle, the carriage is heavier and faster than a horse-drawn one. So, we need brakes that work reasonably well.

“Brake mechanism… Without understanding the structure to some extent, it’s pointless, so, in that case, what about rim brakes used on bicycle front wheels? And drum brakes used on car rear wheels? And maybe disc brakes?” 

Isamu listed the three types of brakes, which would be familiar in the Earth realm.

Although all of them have evolved, their basic form has remained unchanged and they have been used for many years, so their practicality is guaranteed.

“But although I understand the principle behind drum brakes, I’ve never actually taken them apart, so I guess I’ll have to reject them this time…”

However, since he had never actually disassembled drum brakes, which have been used on passenger car rear wheels since ancient times, Isamu decided to rule them out this time. 

Drum brakes operate on the principle of pushing brake shoes outward from the inside to generate friction and deceleration. In terms of braking force, they are actually stronger than disc brakes if the same force is applied. However, due to their enclosed structure, they have poor heat dissipation and maintenance issues.

This is a major drawback, as brakes stop things by converting kinetic energy into friction, or in other words, thermal energy.

And because it is covered, most ordinary people will never actually see what its structure is like.

Of course, Isamu has never disassembled or maintained it, so he doesn’t know how it works.

It may have been possible to make it if we took the time to do some trial and error, but we couldn’t spend all our time on brakes, so we decided to rule out drum brakes as an option.

“So, it’s either rim brakes or disc brakes. The principle is the same for both.” 

As Isamu said, both rim brakes and disc brakes have the same basic structure of clamping something rotating from the outside to stop it. The difference is that rim brakes clamp the rim of the rotating wheel directly, while disc brakes clamp a disc that rotates with the wheel.

Rim brakes, which do not require additional parts, are structurally simpler and cheaper. On the other hand, disc brakes, while more costly, provide stable braking because the brake is attached near the center of the wheel, making it less susceptible to dirt. Both maintenance and heat dissipation are better with disc brakes due to their open structure.

“Since it’s the same to create a clamping function via a lever or pedal and they’re also prone to getting dirty, I’ll try disc brakes first, and if that proves difficult, rim brakes will be the next best option… The problem is how much braking force can be achieved without a hydraulic cylinder. The next step is figuring out what to do with a replacement for the thin metal wire…”

Isamu muttered to himself as he continued his thoughts.

Hydraulic brakes are not used in bicycle brakes except on expensive road bikes, but they are essential in automobile brakes.

In this world, Ethersia, the sealing technology is still lacking, so we cannot expect to be able to produce practical cylinders.

In that case, the only solution is to use a mechanical system that uses levers and gears. Although it cannot reach the same speed as a car, it is still a major problem.

It seems possible to create something like an air brake using a wind-controlling ball, but because there is a possibility that it could be too effective or break if the magical power is adjusted incorrectly, this technology has been put on hold for the next generation.

And the other thing is the absence of thin metal wires.

The presence or absence of thin but sturdy wires significantly affects the freedom of implementation and usability. The reason why the parking brake is made of a metal shaft is also because there are no wires.

While the concept and physical existence of weaving ropes exist in this world of Ethersia, the technological capability to do so with metal is still lacking.

Even on Earth, the practical application of metal wires like today’s began around the nineteenth century, so it’s understandable.

Instead, there is hope for alternatives, as there are unknown dream materials called monster materials.

With this rough direction in mind, Isamu began discussing with Eto and others while sketching rough design plans.

“I see. We attach something like metal discs to the wheels and clamp them to stop, right? Indeed, this seems like it could slow down.”

“Since it doesn’t directly stop the wheels, it also seems to reduce the burden on them.”

Eto and Willem commented after receiving an explanation from Isamu.

“Yes. With rim brakes, you might need to remake the wheels themselves, since they’re not designed with brakes in mind… So, I thought we should start by making disc brakes.”

Isamu nodded as he said this.

“Understood. While we’ll develop the mechanism as we go, what about the materials?”

“First, for the discs to attach to the wheels, let’s go with black iron. Since they’re not too large, and they need to be somewhat hard to avoid wearing down too quickly…”

“I see. What about the clamping part? It needs to be somewhat hard, but not too much, right?”

“Yes, exactly. Although it’s a consumable, if it’s not somewhat hard, it’ll wear down quickly. In the world I came from, it had the appearance and texture of stone-like metal, but unfortunately, I don’t know what material it’s made of or how it’s made…”

“Well, nobody knows everything, right? That’s only natural.” 

Willem reassured Isamu with a wry smile.

If you were driving a car, it wouldn’t be strange to know about terms like disc brakes and their rough mechanisms, but knowing the material of brake pads is a minority, probably limited to car enthusiasts and industry insiders.

“It seems like I’ll need to go to the Adventurer’s Guild to see if there are any suitable materials available. If not, I’ll have to think of ways to make them.” 

“We don’t know what’s best, so it’s probably a good idea for Isamu to go and take a look. We’ll focus on making the discs and figuring out the mechanism in the meantime.”

“Please do. I’ll also ask if there’s anything that could replace the wire. If we find something suitable, its versatility will far surpass that of brake pads.”

“A thin but sturdy metal cord, perhaps? Let’s proceed with the assumption that it’s not available for now.”

“Agreed. It won’t be too late to consider once we find it. Thank you in advance.”

With those words, Isamu, accompanied by Orihime, who seemed bored, headed towards the adventurer’s guild.

It was still early in the afternoon, and there were no adventurers accepting requests or coming to report completions, so the Adventurer’s Guild was quiet.

“Hey, if it isn’t Isamu! It’s been a while! What brings you here alone?” 

A burly, bald man, who had spotted Isamu entering the guild, called out.

“Ah, Roppen-san. Long time no see. Well, you know, I’m just looking for some good monster materials to make some new tools.” 

Isamu replied, returning the greeting.

Roppen, the man who had approached Isamu, may have looked intimidating enough to make people look away if they passed him on the street, but he was actually a sub-guild master.

Isamu and Roppen had known each other since Isamu borrowed some monster materials to improve carriage wheels.

“Nya~ffu!”

While Isamu and Roppen were shaking hands, Orihime, perched on Isamu’s shoulder, tapped Roppen’s head lightly.

“Oops, sorry about that. Can’t leave out Orihime-sensei, can I?”

Roppen lifted Orihime and placed her on top of his head, chuckling.

Perhaps due to his long career as an adventurer, which involved frequent encounters with monsters and animals, Roppen seemed to understand what Orihime was saying, even though it was often cryptic.

Moreover, Orihime, who occasionally ventured into the forests near Klauffendam to hunt monsters for exercise, had become popular among not only knights but also adventurers. Whenever familiar adventurers spotted her, they would bring back the monsters she defeated, deliver them to the guild, and exchange them for Orihime’s favorite bird-like monster meat as compensation. Roppen often handled these exchanges, and they had become quite friendly over time.

“So, what kind of material are you looking for this time?”

While Orihime sat on his head, Roppen asked Isamu.

“This time, I’m thinking more along the lines of metal or stone.”

“Hmm, metal or stone, huh? So, I suppose you’re saying actual metal or stone won’t do?”

“Yes, something with a bit of roughness and decent hardness.”

“Roughness, huh… How hard are you looking for?”

“Softer than black iron but not too soft, I reckon.”

“I see… If it’s softer than black iron, then higher-ranked monsters are out. Alright, wait a moment, I’ll see if there’s anything in stock.”

With that, Roppen walked off to the back with Orihime still on his head, humming a tune.

After about ten minutes, Roppen returned, carrying something that looked like a large horn and another large lump.

“From what’s in stock, these two seem to match your request. This one here is the horn of a monster called a Rush Rhinoceros.”

Pointing to the horn-like object, he continued. 

“It’s about fifty centimeters in diameter at the base, and it’s a splendid green color.”

Saying this, he pointed towards what looked like a horn. It was a magnificent horn with a dark green colour and a diameter of about 50cm at the base.

“The other one is the outer skin of the shoulder part of a sturdy monster called Armored Buffalo. As the name suggests, it is as hard as armor, but this shoulder part is the hardest of all.”

The object he pointed to this time didn’t look anything like cowhide; it resembled more of an asphalt lump.

“Neither of them is as hard as black iron. They’re a bit softer, maybe about as soft as iron. How big do you need them?”

“Well… Ultimately, I think they’ll need to be about 15 meters tall, 5 meters wide, and 2 meters thick, but I’ll need to experiment a bit to be sure.”

“I see… Then, for experimentation purposes, I’ll cut them into sizes close to that. How many do you need?”

“Eh? Is that okay?”

Yeah. You won’t know unless you experiment with it, right? In that case, take it. Besides, these aren’t exactly small fry, but they’re not rare monsters either.”

“Thank you very much! Um… Could I ask for four of each, please?”

“Got it. Wait a moment. Orihime-sensei, could you come down for a bit?”

Roppen said as he put Orihime back on Isamu’s shoulder and took out a faintly glowing, saw-like tool from under the counter.

“This should do, it’s pretty hard. Using this will be the quickest.”

As Isamu stared in surprise at the unexpected Mithril saw, Roppen grinned and started cutting. 

It’s a mithril saw, as expected. Combined with Roppen’s skill, it cuts out the piece in no time. The cut surface is also beautiful.

“Now, before I cut it into small pieces, please check the item first. How does it feel to the touch?”

Isamu examined the two ingredients that were handed to him in merely sliced ​​form.

The cross-sections cleanly cut out by the mithril handsaw appeared smooth at first glance, but upon touching them, both had some roughness.

The cut by the Rush Rhino was slightly smoother with a texture resembling concrete, while the Armor Buffalo’s cut was a bit coarser with a finer, asphalt-like feel.

Although their hardness was indiscernible, it seemed neither of them were brittle.

“Yeah. It seems like either of these would work well.” 

Isamu remarked after confirming, eliciting a smirk from Roppen.

“That’s good to hear. Well then, let’s get cutting.”

Isamu took the board-shaped material that he had returned and again used the saw to cut it into pieces. In no time, four pieces were created on each side, for a total of eight plates.

“See?”

“Thank you very much! How much will it be?”

“Hmm… For this size, it’ll be 200 Ruins each for the horn and 150 Ruins each for the lump.”

“Understood.”

“Oh, and you don’t need to pay for this batch.”

“Eh?”

Isamu asked in surprise at Roppen’s words.

“Sometimes Orihime-sensei brings back monsters for us, right? But honestly, that’s not a fair exchange. But if I give her too much meat, it’ll go bad. So, I talked to the adventurers. We agreed to set aside the difference as savings, to be used in case something happens to you or the lord. So, think of it as Orihime buying it for you.”

“Nyaaa…”

Orihime meowed in a satisfied tone as she rubbed against Isamu’s ear.

“Oh, and I forgot there was one more thing!”

“Eh? There’s more?”

“Yeah. I’m also looking for a thin yet sturdy rope.”

“I see… How thin are we talking? And how sturdy?”

“Well, ideally, about this thin would be appreciated, but it also needs to be sturdy. It should be able to hold several people without breaking.”

As Isamu said this, he showed a rope about five millimeters thick as a reference.

“This thickness for that strength… Dragon whiskers would be a sure bet, but they’re ridiculously expensive and hardly available, so it’s not practical.”

Roppen crossed his arms in response to Isamu’s order.

“Ah, speaking of which, I think I have something just right. Wait a moment.”

As if suddenly remembering something, Roppen smacked his fist into his palm and dashed off to the backyard.

After about three minutes, Roppen returned, holding in his hand a bundle of thick, dull-brown wire-like objects wound in loops.

“These are whiskers from a creature called a Magic Whale, a stupidly huge monster that lives in the sea. Each one is about 20 Melters (1 Melter = 1 meter) long.”

As he spoke, Roppen handed the bundle of Magic Whale whiskers to Isamu.

With the whiskers being 20 meters long, the size of the creature itself must be quite substantial. Isamu thought as he inspected the whiskers.

The whiskers, with a dull shine akin to copper, had a diameter slightly over 5 millimeters, resembling a thicker version of steel strings for an acoustic guitar.

Isamu pulled on them with force, but there was no sign of them stretching. They seemed to possess considerable strength.

“These seem to be perfect. They’re just what I had in mind.”

Isamu nodded in approval.

“Good to hear. Some time ago, by chance, a Magic Whale corpse washed up on the coast near the capital. That’s where a large number of these whiskers came from.”

Roppen chuckled as he explained how he acquired them.

“Well then, I’ll take these as well. Is it okay if I pay for these with Orihime’s savings too?”

“Yeah, no problem. They’re about 200 Ruins each for a piece this length, so it’s totally fine.”

“I see…”

Isamu realized from Roppen’s demeanor that the amount in Orihime’s savings was far from being a problem, likely tens of thousands of Ruins.

With the desired items in hand, Isamu thanked Roppen, left the guild, and returned to the workshop with his spoils.

Previous chapter | TOC | Next chapter