NOVEL NEXT Chapter 202 - Divine Cat Mii-chan prefers to eat her favorite things first.
202 Divine Cat Mii-chan prefers to eat her favorite things first.
The guild master Zest had prepared tea for us as we waited.
“Good timing. I was just thinking of taking a break. Come, have a seat.”
The sofa in the guild master’s office was meant for two people. I let the Mukata siblings sit across from the guild master, while I politely asked for permission before sitting beside the guild master, where the tea was placed.
“Hmm. You’re different from what I had imagined. I was expecting a much larger man, a hero type. I’ve seen portraits of the hero who founded this country, and he had quite an impressive build.”
That must have been a portrait drawn by people in later generations. I believe the hero who founded this country was Japanese. While it’s not impossible, I think my build is closer to the average, and considering the time period, past Japanese people were likely smaller. It’s possible the hero himself exaggerated the portrait.
As I sipped the tea the guild master had prepared, I recounted the series of events, though it was nearly identical to what I had told the queen.
“The remaining hero might be in Rotaringia.”
“If he’s still alive, then probably.”
“Should the Hunter Guild investigate as well?”
“Have you convinced the headquarters?”
“Not yet. But waiting until after that would be too late. I’ve already sent those under my authority to Rotaringia. I’ll have them prepare for reinforcements there.”
Impressive, as expected of the royal capital’s guild master. He has both foresight and the ability to take action. It’s no wonder he holds this position.
“So, Nero, you didn’t just come here to report and introduce yourself, did you?”
“Haha… I do have a favor to ask of you, Guild Master.”
“I can’t promise much.”
“Could you issue Hunter certificates for these two?”
“That’s an easy task… but is that what you want?”
“I’ve already received permission from the queen. I won’t let the two of them be used for political games.”
“So, they won’t be under the kingdom’s protection?”
“For the time being, my Divine Cat Trading Company and the Thieves Guild will protect them. However, I intend to train them to become independent and able to protect their own lives. Of course, it depends on their own efforts.”
“Hmm, so the Hunter certificates are for that purpose. Very well. I’ll have them ready by tomorrow morning.”
“Thank you very much.”
After that, the conversation lightened, and we began to chat. The guild master found it particularly amusing when I shared a story about selling supplies to the rebel army and the Rotaringia soldiers, which had resulted in a huge profit, and he burst into laughter.
Not wanting to take up too much of the guild master’s time, I had two cups of his special blended tea before leaving his office and heading back downstairs. The hunters were starting to return, and the receptionists were back to wearing their business smiles.
“Let’s head home, everyone. Kai and Terra, keep up the good work.”
““Mii~””
“Mii~”
When we got home, I took care of Sumire and the others, while the Mukata siblings were busy helping Old Man Ben with the horses. That’s a good thing.
Entering the living room, I found Jin and the others drinking alcohol… well, it’s fine. Perro and the others seemed to be having fun too. Lu-kun and Ral-kun, wagging their tails enthusiastically, joined the circle. When the Mukata siblings tried to join as well, I grabbed them by their collars and moved them to a different table.
“Ugh, I wanna join in too!”
“Get moving!”
“Sis, the sooner we finish, the sooner we can join.”
“I’m the type who eats what I like first!”
“Mii~”
Mii-chan, this isn’t the time to agree…
While they enjoyed their party, Mii-chan was napping on her coin-shaped cushion. I sat down with the Mukata siblings and began redrawing the schematics they had created. Upon careful inspection, I realized the designs were quite detailed. It turns out the younger brother is quite knowledgeable about weapons, and it seems he drafted the original blueprint. Could he be an otaku?
The compound bow looks feasible with the technology of this world. The pulley system works, and they’ve managed to implement different materials for various parts, just like a true composite bow. If we use stronger materials, we might even be able to create a more powerful bow. A weapon that even those with less strength can pull, and those with more strength can pull even stronger versions. Maintenance will be challenging, but it’ll be a formidable weapon.
The crossbow seems to have been enlarged. It seems the material strength was insufficient, forcing it to grow larger. In this world, where we can’t produce lightweight metals or plastics, there may not be much we can do. However, I believe there’s room for improvement. Like with the compound bow, we can use pulleys to enhance it. I remember learning in history class that ancient large crossbows used a winding mechanism. Since this world has water mills for grinding grain, gears should exist as well. I’ll jot that down in the margins. I’ll also note its potential compatibility with cavalry. I’ll need to explain all this in detail later.
As for the ballista, I’m not entirely sure. It’s probably just a giant crossbow, right? I’ll leave that to the palace craftsmen.
Regarding gunpowder, I’ll add what I know. The main issue is saltpeter. I’m not sure how to explain it, and I don’t know how it’s made.
Tomorrow, I’ll hand over these schematics and have them start research, production, and mass manufacturing immediately. Rotaringia is a concern, but the Goblin King is the more imminent threat to this country. Once these weapons are mass-produced, we’ll be able to swiftly defeat the Goblin King—or at least, I believe we’ll have a significant advantage.
Minimizing casualties is my hope. After the Goblin King’s defeat, the war with Rotaringia will likely follow. Fighting among humans… it’s so pointless.
“Zzz…”