Genius Wizard Conceals His Origins

T/N: Edited 10/28/24.

#July 24th. Slightly cloudy.

The numbers attached to the front of the tunnels were said to be assigned in the order in which mining work began in each tunnel.

Therefore, there was a reputation that the earlier numbered tunnels generally had higher mining progress, were deeper, and, as a result, had higher work difficulty.

Conversely, it also meant that the later numbered tunnels had lower work intensity.

Because the amount of coal buried was still significant, even if the pickaxe was swung rather leisurely, the production volume was less affected. Since the tunnels were not that deep, the risk of oxygen depletion and collapse was also lower.

However, there was an exception.

Tunnel 7.

Despite being dug relatively late, Tunnel 7 boasted the highest work difficulty in the mine.

Looking at the recruitment flyer, the reason was vaguely apparent. Still, now that we had changed into work clothes and stood in front of the tunnel, we could finally clearly understand the reason for its high notoriety.

“This batch of newcomers is just full of weaklings, also.”

The supervisor.

With a pencil in his mouth, his cold eyes cruelly swept over the workers lined up in four rows.

The supervisor himself knew better than anyone that a supervisor who overworked the laborers to an excessive degree contributed to the high notoriety of Tunnel 7.

He had no intention of changing that attitude.

The reason is that since his appointment, the coal production volume of Tunnel 7 has risen to an astonishing level.

Even considering that the laborer wages had been doubled, it was clearly profitable.

“Work starts around 8 AM. Two meals, lunch and dinner, and break times will be provided.”

The supervisor recited the perfunctory guidance while scrutinizing the newcomers’ faces.

A total of four people.

It was quite regrettable that two of them looked like they would run away in less than a day.

It was a waste to even assign menial tasks to such fellows. Even if taught, they would run away anyway.

He shifted his focus to the other two newcomers.

“……”

Gray hair. He has a good physique, but it doesn’t look like he can exert much strength.

This guy might last about three days.

Still, the black-haired one next to him was in better condition. He’ll probably last about a week.

If taught well, there was potential for him to continue working.

“That’s all for the announcements. Newcomers, come to me. I’ll tell you what to do.”

The supervisor finished the work allocation in his head in an instant.

“You two weaklings. Follow those big brothers over there.”

It’s better to work the guys who will run away anyway to the bone and gain some profit.

“Black hair. You follow that middle-aged man.”

The guy who shows promise should receive guidance from an experienced mentor.

“Gray hair.”

…And the guy who is neither this nor that is in charge of miscellaneous tasks.

“See that canary cage over there? Carry that and follow the guy with black hair.”

The chirping yellow bird in the small cage. 

It was to measure whether the amount of carbon monoxide was at a dangerous level, but constantly moving and taking care of it was no mean task. *1

Therefore, it was the supervisor’s way to always assign the canary to the most inexperienced person.

There was also the additional benefit of giving the other people a sense of superiority, like ‘I am not inexperienced,’ or ‘I am better than that person,’ so it couldn’t be anything but the best method.

… That’s because a sense of superiority helps to increase work efficiency.

“Alright. Let’s get going.”

After confirming that all the laborers, including the four newcomers, had entered the tunnel, the supervisor took the whistle instead of the pencil in his mouth and blew it with a whirl.

It was a signal announcing the start of the actual work.

Clang— Clang— Clang—

The sound of pickaxes, which couldn’t be said to be pleasant even as empty words, echoed.

The supervisor did not enter the tunnel.

Usually, he would have followed them to the tunnel entrance and kept an eye out for anyone slacking off. Today, though, there was paperwork piled up that needed to be handled outside.

For several hours, he wielded his pen in the hut near the tunnel.

He took a pocket watch from the pocket of his pants and checked the time.

2 PM. It was break time.

The supervisor, who had stepped outside, blew the whistle vigorously again.

“Break time!”

Then, he began to closely observe the entrance of the tunnel.

It was no exaggeration to say that this moment was the most critical after recruiting new members.

Who comes out first?

That had to be confirmed.

If they were ordinary young men born and raised in the Federation, most of them had never even dug with a shovel, let alone a pickaxe.

With the radical advancement of magic studies and students’ aspirations to become magic scholars, the tendency to look down on physical labor has become even more pronounced.

Even if they handled a pickaxe, how well could they handle it?

They must have exhausted all their stamina just an hour after starting work.

After six hours had passed, it was clear that they would be completely exhausted and unable to even walk.

That’s why who comes out of the tunnel first among the newcomers is important. It means they are the most promising ones.

“It turned out to be boring this time.”

Watching the skilled laborer men pouring out covered in sweat and soot, the supervisor clicked his tongue.

It was evident that the muscular black-haired one would come out first.

…Once you know the outcome of the game in advance, the game becomes boring.

At that moment…

The supervisor spotted one unfamiliar face mixed in at the end among the procession of skilled laborers.

Because his arms and face, and even his hair, had turned black with coal dust, he almost failed to recognize him at first, but seeing his cockroach-like face, he had a hunch.

Seeing the canary cage he was holding in the hand opposite the one carrying the pickaxe, he was certain.

The gray-haired man had come out first.

#July 25th. Cloudy.

The next day. Only after entering the coal mine could the supervisor solve the question from the previous day.

Clang— Clang— Clang—

“……”

“Ugh, urgh!”

The gray hair and the black hair.

Eugene and Damon were standing side by side swinging pickaxes, so it was possible to compare them at a glance.

Eugene’s posture was neat, and the transfer of force from swinging to striking was smooth.

“Hah!”

Clang~

A clean pickaxe swing burst out.

Regular breathing and lively eyes. Furthermore, Eugene seemed to have found a knack for reducing the burden on his waist and wrists.

Damon also seemed to have received advice on posture from a skilled worker, as his pickaxe swinging itself looked decent.

However, he did not seem to understand the subtle principles hidden in that motion.

“Ughhh. Haaa… Kuh!”

He was striking purely with force alone, without shifting weight and recoil.

He would rather collapse if he kept striking like that for hours.

The supervisor thought, stroking his rough chin.

In fact, ordinary newcomers are no better than Damon, if not worse.

Considering that the two fellows from before had already run away, Damon belonged to the group with quite a high potential among the newcomers.

The strange one was Eugene.

Having a good knack for it, that’s easy to say, but for someone who is still a newcomer, maintaining their posture and striking with a pickaxe for more than ten hours a day was a kind of insanity.

It was a task that required not stamina and concentration but an unbelievable obstinacy.

The supervisor thought in earnest. Who the hell is that guy?

#July 29th. Slightly cloudy.

“Hah. Hagh. Hah.”

The world was spinning before his eyes.

Damon was now literally on the verge of death.

Three days had passed since the canary cage became Damon’s.

The hellish intensity of the work had drained all of Damon’s stamina, and the lack of rest and sleep, along with the terrible-tasting meals, had also slowly eaten away at his mental strength.

Now, what was pulling his body along was a kind of inertia.

…And a sense of rivalry toward Eugene, who looked fine except for being slightly haggard.

Clang—

He had no strength to open his mouth, but Damon twisted the corners of his mouth upward with defiance and spoke.

“You gray-haired bastard. It wasn’t that you chose Tunnel 7 without any confidence…“

“……“

“There’s still a chance to run away, so don’t hesitate and…“

“Phew. Shut up and be quiet; you’re out of your mind.”

Eugene retorted without even giving him a glance.

“I don’t know why you harbor hostility, but I’m here for a short time purely to earn money. I chose Tunnel 7 because they said they would pay double wages.“

“……“

“Stop your childish behavior. Seeing that you came all the way to the coal mine, you must have had some circumstances too, right?”

The conversation could not continue any further.

*whistle*

The sound of a whistle was heard.

“Break time! It’s dinner time!“

“That’s right. Let’s go eat.“

“…Calling that stuff a meal. You have a strong stomach.“

“Well.”

Eugene answered, put down the pickaxe, and started walking.

The light of the mana lamps illuminating the tunnel shone on his back. The scars all over his arms and back were starkly revealed.

The disgusting gray hair had already turned pitch black as if it were his own.

It would probably take a lot of effort to wash that off.

“Tsk.”

Damon also put aside his thoughts and took a step.

That’s when it happened.

At the same time, the canary cried out ominously, and a faint vibration rose from under his feet.

Without thinking, he looked ahead.

Perhaps because he was tired, Eugene showed no signs of noticing.

Above him, rock dust was crumbling and falling.

“Uh, uh-oh!”

Damon reflexively ran and grabbed Eugene by the scruff of his neck. Although a choking sound of “A-Ack!“ was heard, there was no time to mind that.

However, when rock dust started falling on his own head as well, Damon froze on the spot in that state.

Fortunately, Eugene also realized the situation.

This time, he grabbed Damon and shouted.

“Get down!!”

The next moment.

BOOM!
RUMBLE!
CRASH!

The ceiling of the tunnel cracked with a crunch and then collapsed.

The tunnel was blocked.

T/N

This accurately depicts reality as canaries in cages were indeed used back then to detect carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Since they were weaker than humans when it came to CO, 0ne could tell that CO levels were toxic if the canary died. It essentially gave them time to realize that they were in danger. This is also where the idiom “canary in a coal mine” comes from.