NOVEL NEXT Chapter 5 - Avid
Chapter 5 - Avid
Avid
Around the time when I was about to reach my mid-thirties.
The mobile knight that I had sent out for repairs had finally returned.
It was a humanoid weapon wearing knight-like armour, and on its arms it had its most defining characteristic of a large shield mounted on each of its shoulders.
I thought there was no point in developing a weapon in the shape of a person, but from the perspective of this universe’s people, humanoid weapons were easier to control.
Fantasy universes are awesome.
Avid was currently stationed in the mansion’s garden, and it looked quite menacing.
“Now aren’t you amazing?”
Standing next to me was a satisfied-looking technician from the Algrand Empire’s Seventh Weapon Factory.
I could tell that she was a soldier because a class badge that was pinned on her uniform.
The technical lieutenant wore glasses and had black hair that reached her shoulders.
She gave off the feeling of an intelligent woman who had pride in her work.
I still haven’t heard her name.
“I’m glad that you like it. Although, I didn’t think we’d be able to repair an aircraft like this.”
“You know this aircraft?”
“Its because its an aircraft manufactured by us. The same model can be found in the reference books of our library.”
A large aircraft that hasn’t been used in recent times.
Though it seems there’s no problem with upkeep since the large models are maintained the same way the small ones are.
The technical lieutenant looked a little worried.
“Are you sure you’re okay with this? With the auto-assistance removed, it’ll become far more difficult to maneuver.”
Is it like the difference between using a manual and an automatic car?
Master who was with me laughed while crossing his arms.
“Sir Liam can easily overcome an obstacle of this difficulty, so don’t worry. Now then, may I have the pleasure of your name? I’d like to have a brief discussion about this aircraft, so why don’t we talk inside the guest roo-”
“There should be no problem because I’ve prepared a manual, and if it’s the Count who’ll be piloting it, then it’s better to explain it to him directly.”
Master seems to have a thing for the technical lieutenant.
But she declined his invitation with a smile.
I looked at Master who drooped his shoulders.
As his Evil Lord, should I allow this person to be Master’s partner?
Well, umm... the other party is an imperial soldier.
She’s the kind of person you’d normally hesitate getting involved with.
“Now then, would you like to enter into the cockpit, my lord?”1
“Oh, uhh... yeah.”
While being guided by the technical lieutenant I headed over to the cockpit.
◇ ◇ ◇
You can’t say that the cockpit is narrow.
“It’s actually quite wide. No, isn’t this too much space?”
“The cockpit has been expanded using space manipulation magic. We’ve also prepared the highest quality seats to make sure you’re comfortable. Aside from the fact that there’s no auto-assistance, this is definitely a top-caliber model.”
When I sat down, I could feel how soft the seat was.
It was like I had a supportive feeling wrapped around my body, it was that kind of sensation.
The control stick automatically adjusted to the position of my hand.
“I’m liking it so far, its my favourite colour black and it looks really cool.”
“A lot of our male customers like black, so there are many black aircrafts.”
Many nobles have knights.
The reason is because knights are a certain kind of status-symbol.
There’s also the fact that humanoid weapons are simply popular among the nobles.
As long as it looks good, the nobles will buy it to further their house’s prestige.
There are even nobles who dress like knights.
“The thing is, there aren’t that many people who’re willing to spend this much on airframe maintenance.”
“Is that so? I thought everybody went this far.”
Master told me so.
And based on that, I agreed to splurge on money.
“Usually amounts like that are used for improving the contents of multiple mass-produced models. You gave us an abundant budget, so the engineers got to go all out. Now, try starting the engine.”
When I started the engine with a switch, something started to scan my body.
Its capable of recognizing the pilot, so no one unauthorised can just use it.
“My lord, the imprinting is complete. You are now the sole operator and pilot capable of moving this child. Its a custom-made aircraft built just for you.”
“Hearing that its a personal machine makes me happy.”
When I grasped and moved the control stick, the scenery displayed in front of me completely changed.
The cockpit started to shake lightly.
“H-huh?”
Before I noticed it, Avid was already falling.
The technical lieutenant had a face on that said, ‘as expected.’
“This child has had all assist functions as well as the auto-balancer removed. It has a very difficult control scheme, but if you can master it, then you’ll be able to move it as if it were a part of your own body.”
Learning how to use something like this was probably going to be tough anyways.
I finally understand what Master was trying to tell me.
“If I can become proficient in using this, then I could be one of the best pilots there is!”
“No, if you can already handle this as a child, then you’re already a top pilot.”
The technical lieutenant placed her hand over mine that was holding the control stick.
I could feel and smell the gentle warmth of a lady.
-I guess even if it’s just a little, my distrust of girls was getting better.
Though there was still a sense of unease.
“Direct steering and image control is important for piloting this child. Always keep the magic operations in mind. Now, let’s try moving the control stick slowly.”
Bit by bit, Avid gradually started to stand.
Who knew that just standing up could be this nerve wracking?
If I even made the tiniest mistake, then the aircraft was sure to fall.
As the technical lieutenant explained Avid’s functions, I did my best to focus while listening.
“This child is sturdy, but it’s also extremely powerful. Just moving the aircraft is easy, but you have to remember that this isn’t a game, make sure to handle it with caution.”
The technical lieutenant had pressed close to me,
“And then here-“
I inadvertently felt my body tense up, I didn’t have anywhere I could run to.
She was quite well-endowed in both her chest and her bottom, she had good style and her tight waist exuded how fit she was.
I couldn’t help but become conscious of her chest as she kept explaining things.
At that time Avid, who had detected my thoughts and magic, began to move his hands. No, it had probably moved in regards to orders I had subconsciously given.
The technical lieutenant noticed the movement and immediately took some distance from me, hiding her chest with her arms.
“Y-you have the wrong idea!”
“...why don’t we take a break here. Oh? Communications seem to be offline, was there an error in the calibration?”
◇ ◇ ◇
Brian took in the revived image of Avid, the knight of Liam’s well respected great-grandfather, [Alistair], and felt immense joy.
Even though its form had been altered, there were still traces of the original model left.
However, he was quite worried about how Avid, which was Alistair’s legacy, was making very suspicious hand movements.
“...Lord Liam, just what exactly are you doing?”
He knew.
He was aware.
The beautiful technical lieutenant was alone with Liam in the cockpit.
Since Liam is able to lay his hands on Amagi, maybe he’ll do it to her as well? Brian was quite worried about that.
However, this was the same Liam who generally avoided actual women.
Brian was concerned that he might only be attracted to androids.
If he had finally awakened to the charms of real girls, then Brian could finally stop worrying about the problem of an heir.
That said, no sound was coming out of the knight which was making movements as if it were fondling something.
Brian started to shed tears at the thought that Alistair’s legacy was making such obscene movements.
Avid was capable of reproducing the pilot’s hand movements very finely.
It was as if there was an actual chest there.
At least turn off the power first! Brian thought so, but could only look on at the situation without interfering.
In addition to that, communications seem to have been turned off.
For quite a while, Yasushi had quite the annoyed expression on his face.
“That brat, being able to cope a feel of that lieutenant’s chest. Are they soft?! Hey, are they soft?!”
While the hands continued their profane movements, Yasushi kept trying to connect the communication line as his temper reached its limits.
“Sir Liam, get out of there immediately. Don’t get into any enviable situations in there, get out right away, understand? Sir Liam? Are you listening to me, Sir Liam?!”
He kept his cool in front of Liam, but when out of sight his bad attitude started to shine through.
Brian didn’t trust him either.
(How did a man like this get Lord Liam to grow that much?)
They couldn’t get rid of him because he produced results, and even if they reported these things to Liam, he’d ignore them due to the complete respect he had for Yasushi, his master.
He hadn’t caused any big problems yet, so Brian kept his opinions to himself as long as Liam kept giving results.
Though Yasushi did tell Amagi to revive Alistair’s legacy, so Brian was happy about that.
Under normal circumstances, Amagi, who prioritised efficiency, would have never sent Avid out for repairs.
Yasushi was screaming now.
“I said get down from there! You shitty brat!”
At that comment, Amagi started to glare at Yasushi.
He immediately noticed and apologised.
“Ah, sorry about that. I was just a bit worked up.”
While dripping with cold sweat, he was displaying quite the pathetic appearance in front of the android Amagi.
-was this man really a master of swords and martial arts?
Brian couldn’t help but wonder so.
◇ ◇ ◇
(Brat, I definitely won’t forgive you...)
Yasushi was furious at the fact that his apprentice laid hands on such an intellectual beauty.
However, he was also afraid Liam would lash out at him in anger if he did anything, so he’ll vent his frustration through strict training sessions.
A small fry who kept petty grudges- that’s the kind of man Yasushi was.
“Sir Liam, you’re shaking.”
“I-I’ll be careful.”
Liam was standing on a shaky log while blindfolded, and if that wasn’t enough, he was being forced to swing a modified sword designed to be several times heavier than normal ones.
He was also forced to walk on tightropes and do various other performances.
All just because he laid hands on the lady Yasushi favoured.
“Don’t swing your sword if you have an unstable foundation. Start again from the beginning.”
Liam seemed to be very tired and was sweating heavily.
Yasushi was determined to push him to his very limits- it was that kind of training.
“We’ll be having movement training when this is over, there’s no time to rest.”
“Understood, Master!”
His response was good, but Liam still laid hands on the girl Yasushi was interested in.
He could never forgive that.
(Even though I keep giving him such difficult requests... the fact that he’s accomplishing all these things I couldn’t do is breaking my pride. Just give up for once, kid!)
The technical lieutenant who stayed for about a month to explain maintenance procedures and piloting instructions for the aircraft had already left.
She said that she’d come again, so next time Yasushi wanted to get her name and contact information.
“Your legs are still shaking, you haven’t had enough training.”
“Ugh, I’ll make sure to train harder next time.”
“I’ll make sure you do. From now on we’re going to go at it even harder.”
Training had slowly become stricter just because of a personal grudge.
◇ ◇ ◇
The guide stepped through the door that crossed dimensions.
He was standing on the roof of the mansion.
The guide who watched things from afar had high expectations for the future.
“Now, how have things been going for you, Liam?”2
He seemed to be doing better than how the guide thought he’d be.
Which is why it would be that much more delicious to destroy it all.
It wouldn’t be long now.
“The territory is actually full of vitality, and wait, is that scammer still working here?”
Even if Liam found out the truth and executed the con-man, it didn’t really matter.
The guide would enjoy either situation.
As the guide searched for Liam in joy, he found him in the mansion’s garden.
There were multiple logs arranged around him, but none of them were within reach of his sword’s blade.
“Is he practicing right now? I’m looking forward to seeing how skilled he’s become.”
He wasn’t completely incompetent, the guide knew that the fraud would at least be able to teach him the basics of swordsmanship.
But something at that level wasn’t suitable for knights.
If Liam actually thought he was strong after mastering that, then there’d be more fuel the guide could use for his future enjoyment.
There were large differences in individual strength from residents of this universe.
The contrast between a person who had used education capsules from and early age verses someone who had only used one once or twice was enormous.
To put things at an extreme, people were born into talent here.
Well educated nobles and knights were naturally strong in this universe.
Knights themselves being even more special, since they were individuals who could defeat gun wielding soldiers with a blade.
Liam pushed the sword out of its sheath slightly with his left thumb, releasing a small ‘snap.’
The guide was bewildered.
“...what?”
Almost immediately after, all the logs placed around him were sliced in half and fell to the ground with a thump.
They were all cut cleanly and beautifully.
“...eh? EHH?!?!”
The guide was frozen.
In the three decades he had left him alone, Liam had become extremely strong.
The android and the butler who were watching Liam started applauding.
“That was wonderful, Master.”
“You have thoroughly impressed this Brian here.”
It was an unbelievable sight.
Both his use of magic, and his physical capabilities were off the charts, only a handful of people could become this strong.
Surprisingly, Liam still looked dissatisfied as he wiped his sweat off with the towel he received from Amagi.
“This is still nothing compared to my Master’s sword. I wanted him to teach me more, but Master suddenly gave me my swordsmanship license and left.”
The guide was panicking.
(What the hell did that guy do?! Just what did he teach him?!)
Summoning a bunch of windows with images on them, the guide brought up the image of Yasushi who was currently drowning himself in alcohol.
He was deep in conversation with a lady sitting beside him at the bar.
“...what the hell is that guy? I just can’t understand him.”
“Are you talking about your disciple again, Yasushi?”
Yasushi was complaining.
“I’m less than a second-class swordsman, maybe even a third or fourth class one. When I first got there I actually resolved myself to do my job properly and teach, but before I knew it, he had already surpassed me within a decade, and by the twentieth year he was already nearing the peak of swordsmanship.”
The lady started laughing, thinking that Yasushi was telling a joke.
“So in the last decade he became a master swordsman? Yasushi, that’s a funny joke.”
The lady didn’t believe him.
But Yasushi strongly denied it.
“It’s not a joke! That brat, near the end he was asking me if I’d like to stay in his territory and open a dojo. I was so scared that I had to run away. It’s not funny. It’s not funny at all being near someone that can kill you without even drawing their sword.”
The street magic trick he showed him was completely reproduced as a sword technique.
Liam was that unbelievable.
The guide turned off the picture and started to rub in forehead, troubled.
-he had a headache.
The cause was Liam.
Liam’s gratitude was reaching him.
He could hear Liam’s voice even now-
(I’m so lucky, I got to learn the sword from such a wonderful master without even knowing it, and my territory which was so barren has finally developed into something valuable. I thought that I was tricked at first, but the guide was telling the truth. He’s such an amazing person.)
—Thank you oh so much.
These feelings were very unpleasant for the guide.
Although he loved negative emotions, things like gratitude and favour made him feel nauseous.
And Liam’s vehement appreciation for the guide was no joke.
“Now how am I supposed to deal with this?”
Now that he was in this situation, the ill-feeling guide decided it was about time to finally send Liam into despair.