30 Years After Reincarnating, It Turns Out This World Was A Rofan?! novel Chapter 63

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As the academic evaluation entered its final phase, there was one unexpected industry that saw a boom—none other than the quarry business. The climax of the final test of the term, The Battle with the Stone Troll, required an enormous amount of high-quality marble and sturdy rocks, which the academy purchased in bulk from the quarries.

However, while the noble owners and merchants managing these quarries enjoyed this prosperous period, the laborers saw no such benefits. In fact, this time of year marked an increase in overwork and exhaustion for them.

Boom! Boom!

The quarry was a basic, under-equipped facility with only pickaxes, massive hammers, and large iron spikes scattered around. Workers were ceaselessly chipping away at a massive stone mountain, cutting it down bit by bit.

"Hit it in order! Don't slack off on your form!"

"Hey, you idiot! Stop screwing around! You moron!"

"Don't let your guard down! One mistake, and you'll be the next one crushed!"

The foreman's shouts filled the air. In a job where one wrong move could mean death, tempers were understandably short. The workers weren't bad people—they were just focused on their survival and getting paid.

Suddenly—

Crack!

"That idiot!"

One of the new workers had made a mistake. He had struck the stone the wrong way, causing a fissure that began to spread dangerously across the rock face.

Rumble!

"Ah... oh no!"

"Stop standing there like an idiot! Run, you fools!!"

The foreman's gruff voice echoed. Safety protocols were in place for such accidents, and the only thing to do was to run for safety as fast as possible.

But as the workers scattered—

"W-Wait...!"

One of the inexperienced laborers froze in fear, his legs giving out beneath him.

"Gus...!"

A colleague tried to help, but it was too late. The rocks were already falling.

Boom! Boom!

Massive boulders came crashing down, and the workers could only watch in horror as it seemed certain that their comrade would be crushed.

But then—

Grab!

A man pulled the frozen worker out of harm’s way just in time, narrowly avoiding the falling rocks.

"...Huh?"

"Snap out of it. How long are you going to sit there?"

"...I, thank you."

"Don't mention it. This job clearly isn't for you. Find something else."

"Y-Yeah, thanks..."

The worker nodded weakly, clearly shaken by the close call.

"Rohan! Thanks a lot—if it weren't for you, we’d be picking up a corpse right now!" frёeωebɳovel.com

"Not a corpse. There wouldn’t even be a body to collect."

"God, could you stop with the morbid jokes?"

"Grateful? Then maybe throw in some extra pay."

Rohan, the gruff worker who had saved the man, went right back to work without missing a beat. Despite the near-death incident, the labor resumed as if nothing had happened, an eerie reflection of the harsh reality these laborers faced.

Accidents like this were common in their line of work. With no union and no concern for workers' rights, nobody cared if an accident happened. If anything, some people were probably pleased that the fallen rocks meant the job would be finished faster.

"Don't worry, I’ll talk to the boss and make sure you get a bonus. The guy who messed up won’t be getting paid, so I’ll pass his wages onto you."

"Now that sounds like proper gratitude."

Thud! Crack!

"Wow, you're pretty skilled. Have you worked elsewhere before?"

The foreman watched Rohan's impressive work and couldn't help but be amazed by his expertise. Clearly, this wasn’t the work of a mere novice.

"I’ve just picked up some experience here and there."

"Haha, well, you’re definitely an experienced pro!"

In the quarry, the real work was in shaping the rocks so they could be loaded onto wagons. The tools provided were minimal, and only a pickaxe was given to each worker. Handling heavy stones required both strength and skill, and seasoned workers like Rohan were a rare commodity.

'He’s not your average guy—just look at that precision.'

Crack! Crack!

Each time Rohan swung his pickaxe, the stone split perfectly. This wasn’t just a matter of brute force; it required technique and finesse. The foreman, impressed, couldn’t help but think of recruiting him full-time.