Hannibal Not Barca
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Otherworld Metal Factory
🕑 Added 2025-02-03 18:00:07 +0000 UTCChapter 78
The festival had ended, and the hot summer was reaching its peak. During the day, the streets were deserted. The factory, with its running machinery, was especially hot, and Channing and Tehez were already drenched in sweat.
"It's so hot..."
Channing, who had removed the last part stamped out from the press machine, turned off the machine and lay down on the floor, saying so.
"Um... the temperature is over 40 degrees Celsius."
Illia said, looking at the thermometer hanging in the corner of the factory, and Tehez sighed after hearing her.
"It's really terribly hot... Are you alright, Master?"
Tehez, standing in front of a giant fan, asked.
The Factory Manager, who was welding with a welding machine in one corner, raised his protective mask and straightened his back.
"What's with this much heat."
"I'm going to die from the heat."
Channing grumbled at the Factory Manager's words, and the Factory Manager walked over to Channing, who was lying down, and nudged him in the side with his foot.
"Get up, you punk!"
"Oh dear. Factory Manager-nim, let's rest for a bit!"
"Damn it! Alright, fine. Let's take a short break."
"Thank goodness! Ah! Air conditioning! Air conditioning!"
Channing, who was lying on the floor, quickly jumped up, threw off his work jacket and running shoes, and ran into the office. Tehez also took off her work jacket, changed into a T-shirt, and entered the office.
The Factory Manager turned off the power to the welding machine and went out the back door for a moment to light a cigarette.
The hot sunlight was baking the ground. Even though it was broad daylight, it was as quiet as night. It was a new feeling.
Illia came to the Factory Manager and handed him a paper cup. Iced coffee with ice floating in it.
"Please have this."
"Thank you."
The Factory Manager took off his gloves, put them in his pocket, and took the paper cup, gulping it down. The cool iced coffee flowed down his esophagus, emitting a chill. The Factory Manager chewed on the ice and looked out at the yard.
"I wonder if Master is doing well?"
"He'll be fine."
"Where do you think he is?"
"Well... he said he was going to Shellen's inn, so if he's there, he'll be there."
Illia and the Factory Manager said so as they looked into the distance.
***
The hot spring inn"Krasivy"located in"Palapilos,"which means"burning land."The inn, which boasts a clean hot spring, was crowded with travelers.
In the hot spring, where humans and Orcs worked together, Oran soaked herself in the hot water and looked up at the sky.
"Wow. This is nice."
"Aren't you hot?"
Oran smiled and nodded at Shellen's question, who was sitting in the shade created by the wall and cleaning a wooden basin.
"I can endure this much. I wish there was a cold bath though."
"The lake water here is also a bit lukewarm."
Oran smiled and got out of the water, walked to the shade, and lay down on the wooden floor.
"Ahhh! The shade is a bit cooler."
"You're being too open."
"Who would be happy to see an old lady's body like mine?"
When Oran smiled, Shellen also laughed and put the wooden ladle down next to her.
"I was surprised you came so suddenly."
Oran sat up and raised her wooden cup.
After drinking the lukewarm water inside, Oran squeezed the water out of her hair and said,
"I'm thinking of traveling. This area is fascinating."
"Have you made any plans?"
"Well..."
"Then, why don't you travel with the merchants who are staying at the inn now? It's dangerous to travel alone. I heard that the merchants are going north from here to the Earl of Arako's territory."
Oran nodded.
"That wouldn't be bad."
"Then, I'll introduce you to them at the dining room later this evening. Mr. Polo, the merchant, is someone I've known for several years, so he's trustworthy."
Oran smiled and expressed her gratitude.
"Then, I'll ask you a favor. I'll go back into the water."
Oran went back into the water, and Shellen started cleaning.
Summer was deepening.
***
As the midday sun passed and the heat subsided a little, people started to come out one by one and begin their activities.
Merchants sprinkled water from buckets on the street in front of their shops to cool down the heat, and people wearing wide-brimmed hats walked in the shadows of buildings to avoid the heat.
Illia was watering the backyard with a long hose.
The crushed stones that the Factory Manager had brought from the quarry and laid down were sprinkled with water, making it feel a little cooler, but the summer heat was still intense.
"Ugh! I can't take it anymore!"
Channing, who had run out to the backyard, threw off his work clothes and shirt and snatched the hose from Illia, who was watering, and poured it over his head.
The cold water flowed down his blonde hair, long ears, and down his body.
Illia quickly stepped aside as the water splashed from Channing's sudden action.
"Oh my! What are you doing, Oppa!"
"Ugh... The Factory Manager-nim said we could take a break. Oh, I feel alive now."
"Eek! It's splashing on me!"
Channing continued to pour water over his head without caring. The water flowed down Channing's well-muscled body.
As the cold water washed away the sweat, Channing smiled and shook his head. The water splashed again, and Illia stepped back further.
"He's doing all sorts of things."
Tehez clicked her tongue, looking at Channing. Tehez had also taken off her work clothes and was wearing a T-shirt.
"It's so cool. Do you want to try it too?"
"Don't be silly, Channing. I'll take a shower later."
Channing looked at Tehez for a moment and then moved the hose, spraying water.
"Whoa!"
Surprised by the sudden spray of water, Tehez jumped back. Channing burst into laughter.
Tehez, who was soaking wet, shook off the water and glared at Channing.
"Really, you're acting like a child..."
"Unni. You're all wet."
While Tehez was holding her waist and getting angry, Illia quickly took off the towel around her neck and handed it over.
"Thank you."
Tehez wiped the water off her body with the towel. Since her hair was also wet, Tehez shook her head to get the water out.
"It's cool though."
"Should I spray you some more?"
At Channing's words, Tehez slowly walked over and snatched the hose from his hand. And she pressed the front of the hose with her finger and brought it to Channing's face.
"Ooph! Ooph! Ooph!"
"Do it yourself if it feels cool!"
Channing, suddenly attacked, couldn't open his eyes and waved his hands. Tehez laughed and continued to spray water.
"Whoa! Water got in my nose! Hey! Wait a minute!"
Channing, who approached while blocking the water with his hand, quickly snatched the hose back and started spraying Tehez with water.
Tehez blocked the water with her hand and stepped back, and looked at Channing while soaking wet again.
"Shall we do this properly?!"
"Ah! Oppa, it's splashing on me too!"
Channing started spraying water wildly, and Illia, who was standing next to him, was also drenched.
Tehez, avoiding the water attack, ran to the sink, picked up the plastic ladle floating in the rubber basin, and splashed water at Channing. The backyard soon turned into a water fight zone.
Illia, who was completely soaked, also picked up a ladle and splashed water at Channing.
Channing, who got water right in his face, shouted.
"Whoa! You two are too much!"
"Who started it!"
He sprayed water with the hose, but it couldn't win against the ladle water.
Channing desperately sprayed water at Tehez and Illia, but it was not enough to stop them. In the end, Channing, who was under concentrated attack, rushed at Tehez.
"Eek!"
"Kyaa! What are you doing!"
Channing clung to Tehez and inserted the hose into the neck of her T-shirt, spraying water. Tehez screamed and hit Channing's head with the ladle.
Channing, hit on the head with the plastic ladle, screamed and staggered.
"Ouch!"
Hit by the ladle, Channing stepped back, and the hose was lifted.
The water that spouted from the hose sprayed a middle-aged man who was entering the backyard.
"Oh dear!"
At the sound of another person's voice, the three stopped moving for a moment and looked there.
The middle-aged man, who was suddenly sprayed with water, took off his hat and swung it. Water dripped from the soaking wet hat.
"Well, well. It's good to see young people having fun, but I wish you'd have some consideration for an old man."
"So... Sorry!"
Illia quickly apologized and took the towel that was hanging on the clothesline and handed it to the middle-aged man. The middle-aged man smiled and wiped the water off his face with the towel.
"I'm sorry."
"Ugh... I'm sorry."
Tehez also bowed her head and apologized, and nudged Channing to apologize as well.
At their apologies, the middle-aged man smiled and dusted off his clothes and waved his hand.
"Haha. It'll dry quickly in this nice weather. But, have you already closed the workshop? Am I too late?"
"We're still working."
A voice came from the factory. The Factory Manager was standing there smoking, having come out at some point.
The man saw the Factory Manager and smiled.
"Ah. You must be the master craftsman of this workshop."
"I'm the Factory Manager. But please wait a moment. Channing! Tehez! Illia!"
The Factory Manager looked at the three. The three quickly straightened up and looked at the Factory Manager.
The Factory Manager took a deep drag of his cigarette, exhaled the smoke, and shouted.
"You idiots! No matter how hot it is, what are you doing during work hours! Go wipe yourselves off and change your clothes!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Yes! Illia! Let's go!"
"Okay. Unni."
At the Factory Manager's yell, the three hurriedly entered the factory and went up the stairs.
The man burst into laughter at the sight.
"Hahaha! Young people are full of energy everywhere."
"Too much energy to handle. Please come inside, it's hot out here."
At the Factory Manager's words, the man entered the factory.
******
On the second floor, Tehez and Illia grumbled as they took off their clothes.
"Oh dear. Even my underwear is all wet."
"Take it off. I'll wash it later when I run the washing machine. It'll dry quickly in this hot weather."
While Tehez grumbled as she took off her T-shirt, Illia also took off her clothes and said,
"It was a little fun though."
Tehez smiled and stroked Illia's head.
"Yes. It was fun, wasn't it?"
"Yes. But let's do it after work next time."
"Okay."
Tehez and Illia came out of the room and ran into Channing coming out of the next room.
"Ah! Oppa! Give me your wet clothes too. I'll wash them."
"Ah. Here."
Channing put his wet shirt and pants on top of the clothes Illia was holding.
"Ah. We were having so much fun."
When Channing said, wiping his wet hair with a towel, Illia and Tehez also smiled and nodded.
"Ah, that's right! I heard the apprentices are going swimming in the river outside the city in a few days. Let's go together."
"What am I supposed to do in a place swarming with men?"
"No! Yerit, Ena, Margaret said they're going, and Amrita too."
At Channing's words, Tehez shrugged.
"Why am I just hearing about this now when the conversation has already progressed so far?"
"It came up while we were drinking last night. So, Tehez, you should come out for drinks sometimes too."
Tehez adjusted her glasses and nodded.
"Okay. Then let me know when the date is set."
"Okay. I'll let you know. Then I'll go down first."
Channing ran down the stairs, and Tehez and Illia followed him down.
