落とし穴外伝：技術者のお手紙 (Part1)
Pitfall Side Story: The Engineer’s Letter
The Engineer’s Letter
Side: Comet
*Flap.*
The sound echoes through my laboratory.
Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t pay any mind to such a trivial noise. Papers fall constantly while I’m researching, and if an experiment happens to explode, the sound is several times louder than that.
But...
"Well, I suppose I can't ignore this," I mutter, plucking the delivered letter from the mail slot.
As for the sender...
*Robot Development Research Society.*
Yes, this is something those of us seeking knowledge in magic and technology simply cannot overlook.
Of course, it isn’t just an ordinary letter. It’s imbued with a specific magical wavelength, ensuring it doesn't go unnoticed. But more important than that is the content. As the sender implies, this is from fellow enthusiasts aiming to build robots, and the arrival of this letter means there has been some sort of breakthrough.
"Things have been stagnant on the robot front lately, haven't they?"
It couldn't be helped. Weed is incredibly busy, after all. Those of us in the technical division have been tasked with gathering information in the new territories. Ah, not in the sense of intelligence gathering like Kirika and her team, but rather in terms of data. Even so, it’s not a simple task, nor one I can ignore.
Regardless, this is a new letter. I scan the contents, brimming with excitement.
"Hmm, hmm... I see. That’s a viable path."
I find myself convinced by the proposal.
"What is it, Comet?"
Hearing my voice, Hifii, who had been visiting the lab to clean, peeks over. I have nothing to hide, so I show her the letter.
"Ah, it’s about those robots you and the others are so obsessed with."
Hifii has been playing games lately and has gained a certain level of understanding regarding robots, so her reaction is muted. Still, this is...
"They’ve really grown, haven't they?"
"Why are you speaking so sentimentally? You and Taizo-san are always discussing these things, so it’s only natural that my understanding has deepened as well."
It’s true; Taizo-san and I talk about that sort of thing endlessly at home. We both want to build a robot, after all.
"So, let’s see... to solve the issues with joint strength and movement speed that have been plaguing the robot’s development, you’re aiming to resolve them by incorporating magical mechanisms rather than relying solely on technology?"
"Exactly. It’s been a problem for a while now; the moving parts inevitably become complex and fragile. And with mechanical actuation, the movement is always sluggish."
It doesn't move with that snappy, anime-like agility, you see. That’s why we’ve been agonizing over it, and now, a solution has emerged.
However, Hifii tilts her head.
"Why were you trying to replicate it using only scientific technology until now? Wouldn't a magical approach be your forte?"
"Well, it’s not that we *can't*, but the scientific approach is generally superior."
"Oh? Is that so?"
There are many people like Hifii who labor under the misconception that magic can do anything.
"That’s right. Take treatment—or rather, medical technology—for example. Healing magic certainly restores the body as long as its performance can keep up, but it’s difficult to exert an effect on things that aren't understood. Especially diseases."
"Yes, that is true."
"You know as well as I do that knowledge is required to compensate for that, right? By knowing what you don't know, you can reinforce the process. In other words, understanding is the absolute prerequisite. If a technical approach fails..."
"I see. So magic cannot simply resolve it on its own?"
"Pretty much. You could force it to move, but the wear and tear would be so severe that it wouldn't be worth it. In magical terms, the mana consumption would be astronomical."
"It’s a difficult field, isn't it?"
"If it were easy, we would have already built a robot."
Yes, it isn't easy. That is exactly why a robot is the crystallization of technology.
"So, how does using magical golem technology solve the joint problem?"
"Oh? You’re interested in that? That’s rare; I thought you were only concerned with medical technology."
"Well, joints are similar to the moving parts of a human body, aren't they? Or were you planning on a beast-type robot?"
"No, a humanoid one. Animal types would be interesting, of course, but there’s less data on them compared to humans."
I want to build one in the future, but for now, we’re starting with a humanoid form. Since, after all, we can already build them with golems.
"In that case, I’m interested because it affects the medical field, too. *Extra Heal* isn't something that can be used easily, and I’m hoping to create prosthetic limbs that are as good as the originals by combining magic, or even just convenient, simplified ones. Rurua and the others are interested as well."
"Ah, I see. That makes perfect sense."