Gandalf

Windolf quickly led me into the throne room where I met Durin. Not that it was a real meeting or anything, the crowd of ministers in the room made everything so damn formal.

I was in and out in twenty minutes. Windolf once again apologized that Durin couldn't meet me in private but apparently, the undead invasion had made a lot of work pile up.

So instead, Windolf tasked a palace attendant with guiding me through the city. He was a young dwarf with tanned skin, wearing a scholar's robes and a pair of glasses.

The first stop we made was 's workshop. The giant warehouse-like structure was directly connected to the palace, aka the tower, and was filled with technical-looking stuff.

The mechanical spider that had been damaged was lying somewhere in the back with a group of dwarves fussing over it. I could see most of the weapons that had been on the wall that day standing around in the hall.

While I was taking in the sight of mechanical genius before me, an explosion rocked the whole workshop.

"DAMN IT! Why is inventing a mobile suit so difficult! Give me back my blueprints!"

'I take it that this charming voice belongs to the famed ?'

"You are correct. Though he is usually not quite as vocal. His newest project seems to be a bit too ambitious and has resulted in a multitude of explosions over the past days. Since then he has been in a foul mood that makes most of us steer clear of the workshop."

'What's he trying to build?'

"As usual it's some crazy idea of his. He calls it a mobile suit but it's basically just a giant moving armor."

'I'll go take a look.'

When I said that the guide released a loud sigh of relief. Seems he had feared that I would drag him inside along with me.

Heading deeper into the workshop, I rounded a few heaps of metal and found this so-called mobile suit. Describing it as a giant armor was really quite fitting. Standing at 50 meters tall, the armor had an opening in the chest area that looked like a seat for the user.

"And what are you doing here? I'm trying to work here so get OUT!"

'Quite the temper you've got there. I assume you are the one who goes by the name ?'

"Yes, that's me. Now that I answered your question, get out. I'm busy!"

'Maybe you should take a break and cool your brain. Technology is based on scientific facts and not emotions.'

That was the catchphrase of the mecha department from my previous life's school. How mages could waste their powers on inventing moving pieces of metal had always eluded me but the catchphrase got stuck with me.

Now that I had seen those spiders in action I finally understood their determination.

The catchphrase seemed to have quite an effect on . He deflated like a punctured balloon only to burst forth with even more energy than before to chase the other dwarves off, telling them to take a break.

'So, I take it you are not from this world.'

It was funny to watch him immediately become apprehensive at my statement. No one would be comfortable with someone else knowing such a secret.

"Wait a minute! You knew about technology... Are you from earth too?"

'Earth? Is that how you call your previous world? I hate to disappoint you but chances for us being from the same world are rather low. I'm from the main realm of the grey empire.'

"Then there really is life beyond our world!"

'You are in another world right now, how can you doubt that? Isn't the existence of other worlds common knowledge?'

"It isn't common knowledge where I come from, neither is the existence of magic. All we have is technology and science. But how far ahead is your world if you have both magic and technology?"

'Not so far. While technology exists it's mostly just used in space or for powerful institutions.'

"Space! You mean like spaceships and laser guns?"

'Oddly specific with the guns but yes I've heard of those being used. But before you ask me anything else about this, do know that my knowledge is highly limited.'

"So you can't help me build my mobile suit?"

'I haven't the slightest clue how that hunk of metal is supposed to work.'

"Then why are you here again?"

'I figured I'd visit a fellow reincarnator.'

"Well, I'm glad you at least got me to take a break. I can become a little out of control when I'm too focused on my work."

I spent the remainder of 's break talking to him about various reincarnation things and left after he resumed his work.

Outside, I rejoined my guide and we set course for Sindri's smithy.