Chapter 255: Black and Blue, and the Fishery

A countless number of bullets explode on the wreckages of the iron machine soldiers left in the wasteland. The one firing hundreds of those per second from a Gatling gun equipped on its right arm is [Grimgerde], Rins black frame. Nicola-sans Night Baron has a similar Gatling gun, but it should be okay since their shapes are quite different.

The chest armor of Grimgerde unfolds, and a pair of Gatling guns installed inside blow fire.

Following it, both shoulders open in a manner similar to a gull-wing door, and six missile pods start firing their payloads. At the exact same time, the legs also open their missile pods in a similar fashion and fire away.

The fingertips of the left hand are shooting bullets too, along with the Vulcan cannon installed into the head. It totally looks like a rain of bullets.

Uhiya how dreadful(Touya)

The broken iron cavalry which I had taken out from [Storage] and used as targets are, far from being turned into a beehive, changed into scattered iron scraps in a blink of an eye.

Grimgerde then stops, having finished shooting. White smoke rise-up from all over its body indicates just how high its temperature has risen.

How many bullets have been fired just now?

I suppose a meager 50 000, rounding it up(Rosetta)

That many, huh? Im speechless toward the reply of Rosetta whos standing next to me. How should I say it? Doesnt that mean that its invincible in some sense? Wont Elzies Gerhilde or Yaes Schwertleite be helpless if they take those attacks head-on Even if the armor made from crystal materials could withstand that barrage, the damage taken should still be great.

Though Im guessing Suus Ortlinde Overhold should be able to defend against that one way or another.

However, it does have its own weaknesses, you know? First, the frame itself wont be able to withstand consecutive shooting even if it can shoot bullets as long as the magazines being transferred from Babylon arent exhausted. Its necessary to enter a cooling mode for several minutes after firing a volley with full power, which will create an opening(Rosetta)

Additionally, the frame itself is designed in such a way wherein it consumes a considerable amount of magic power, so pilots fatigue will likely be considerable as well. It will probably be somewhat operable if its someone on the level of Rin or Touya-kun, or Linzie(Regina)

I agree with what Rosetta and the professor said. That outcome might be natural. Its like continuously invoking [Explosion] while the person in question is shooting.

So hot!(Rin)

Having opened the hatch on the stomach of the frame, Rin and Pola jump out of the frame. With the power of her jump, Pola falls down from the cockpit and crashes into the ground. Oi, are you okay?

Hey! That place is just like a steam bath, mind you!(Rin)

Aah, Ive forgotten to install a cooling mechanism around the cockpit(Rosetta)

Rosetta folds her arms while groaning. That would be lethal. Isnt it an absolute necessity to apply temperature isolation magic on the cockpit?

Moreover, I dont think itll be possible to hear a transmission with all those terrible explosive sounds, you know(Rin)

I see. A soundproofing barrier is also necessary in all likelihood. Its better to be able to have it turned on and off if the need arises(Touya)

After all, the cockpit is located right below the pair of Gatling guns installed in the chest. No wonder it would be noisy.

In terms of destructive power covering a wide area, the current frame gear takes the cake, but friendlies will likely going to end up being swallowed in its barrage. Therefore, it cant be used during group battles. If Im to say which type of battle its most suited for, it would be the one versus many extermination type of battles.

Kiiiiiiiiiiiin

Oh?(Touya)

As I look up to the sound of a moving aircraft, I see a blue fighter flying toward us.

The said aircraft starts to transform in midair after it has dropped down its speed during its descent, changing into a slender human-type form upon landing.

Its Linzies convertible type frame gear, [Helmwige].

Having opened the chest hatch, Linzie then comes down. Helmwige is a frame gear with acute lines. Its transformation mechanism to a fighter aircraft is referenced after the machine piloted by a protagonist from a mecha anime, so its equipped with a long shield on its left hand.

That shield will transform into the bottom part of the aircraft, so getting it destroyed will prevent the frame gear from transforming, which in turn is its weakness. For that reason, Helmwiges shield is made from a larger amount of crystal materials and poured with a larger amount of magic power than usual, making it considerably solid.

How was it? Have you gotten used to flying yet?(Touya)

I guess so. Well, somewhat. Though I wasnt been able to raise the speed that much(Linzie)

Linzie answers with a stiff-looking smile. If she gets used to piloting Helmwige, I should surely be able to [Fly] through the skies with her, shouldnt I?

By combining with Elzies Gerhilde, Helmwige will be able to transform into an aerial support mecha, taking its transformative capabilities further, though we havent installed that function yet.

(ED: Basically, this means that Helmwige + Gerhilde = support mecha. Though I find this logic weird since Gerhilde is a melee fighter type mecha. If theres a support mecha, it should be Helmwige. But whatever. I dont really know what the author had been thinking when he wrote this part.)

Linzie-donos and Rin-donos frames are almost finished, but what shall be done regarding the frames of the remaining Sakura-dono, Luu-dono and Yumina-dono?(Rosetta)

Rosetta enquires to me.

Has professor not decided yet which frame will she make next?(Touya)

The current candidate is Sakura, I suppose. Im considering a frame which utilizes support magic using [Sound] as the medium. Magic is ineffective against frazes, but its possible to cast magic on friendly frame gears, buffing them with raise of speed or expansion of personal barriers. I believe that itll be able to cast magic to them on a wide range if carried by sound(Professor)

A support model for group battles, so to speak(Rosetta)

So are they going to make a framework which can expand onto multiple targets like my [Multiple]? Is that it? Sound No, it will be music in Sakuras case. They say shell be to cast magic to everyone with it.

I often heard about the effects granted by songs since the olden days, like raising the morale of the troops with war songs. Though in this case, it would probably be called Song Magic.

Yep, not a bad idea.

Then please start building Sakuras frame(Touya)

Roger(Rosetta)

I transfer both Grimgerde and Helmwige along with Rosetta and Professor to Babylon and go through [Gate] back to the castle together with Rin and Linzie. Though I return immediately to the wasteland afterward.

I forgot about Pola.

=+=+=+=+= =+=+=+=+=+= =+=+=+=+=+= =+=+=+=+= =+=+=+=+=+=

When I passed by in front of the training field after returning, I could see heaps of bodies of our rookie knights rolling about. Once again, the training today seems to be intense, I see.

Although the bootcamp started by Moroha-nee-san for the sake of the newcomers has already finished, theyre still training every morning and evening, naturally.

Some of them are being exempted, but the majority is still being worked hard like that by Moroha-nee-san in the mornings and the evenings. Still, as I wouldve expected, none of them runs away since theyve already passed through that examination.

[Mega Heal] [Refresh](Touya)

On my way, I restore the physical strength and heal the wounds of our knights rolling on the training grounds.

Having been cured of their wounds and fatigue, everyone notices my presence and genuflects.

Good job, thats it for morning training. Each of you, orderly take a shower, eat your breakfast and move to your posts(Moroha)

Yes!(Knights)

The knights move to the showers located in the lodging houses separated by gender as told by Moroha-nee-san.

Speaking of our newcomer knights, their assignments have already been decided, and theyre already at the stage where theyve memorized their duties. The ones standing on the castle guard will deal with visitors or, in extremely rare cases, foes entering the castle; those on castletown patrol duty will be solving troubles and making the rounds; the ones performing espionage will study things like how to gather information and how to talk with contacts.

The others whose abilities lie in fields like construction management, paperwork and agricultural reclamation have been assigned there.

Its been decided that newcomers will also practice piloting frame gears using the frame units in addition to their regular duties.

Currently, the number of our knights is more than 200 people, and weve already had most of them memorize the basics of piloting. Though weve exempted those who find it hard to ride inside the cockpit like the sisters Murret and Charret from the Lamia tribe or Zamza from the Ogre tribe.

We dont know when frazes will appear, and its ultimately better to be prepared in advance.

LL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL JJJ JJJ JJJ JJJ JJJ JJJ JJJ

Exploitation of the fishery, you say? (Touya)

Yes(Kousaka)

As we sit in the office, Prime Minister Kousaka-san broaches a topic like this.

Saying fishery he naturally means the method for acquiring fish. Why did this topic come up? Though that reminds me, there are few opportunities to eat fish in our country.

Do you mean to procure more fish from the river flowing through our country?(Touya)

Brunhild has no sea borders. The fish we would be catching would mostly be river fish.

Im not talking about the river. I mean that we should have the fishermen catch fish in the sea and raise profits with that catch(Kousaka)

Eh? The sea isnt accessible in our(Touya)

Isnt there one on the other side of the transfer gates?(Kousaka)

Ah(Touya)

Thats right. The seven islands with the labyrinths on the other side of the transfer gates. That territory is within our dominion as well.

Itll be good if we can bring the harvested fish from over there to here. Since theres no access to the sea around these parts, I suppose fresh fish should sell quite well. It might even be possible to eat sashimi.

I see. Its a good proposal. So, you want to develop one of those islands and build a harbor there, right?(Touya)

Its just as you say. Though we probably wont be able to develop it to the level of a port city since the islands themselves are small. Moreover, there are dangerous magic beasts in those islands, so Ive been wondering what can be done about them(Kousaka)

U~mu. I could hunt all of them until they run out, and the materials from those types of magic beasts could also be sold at quite a price. Though taking the adventurers bread and butter is kinda And on the other hand, will there be fishermen willing to catch fish in a dangerous place like that?

I wonder, is installing a barrier against magic beasts onto the harbor be sufficient?(Touya)

Thats reasonable, I guess. Furthermore, we might have to investigate whether there are any such magic beasts in the sea(Kousaka)

Certainly. Its out of the question to have the ship procuring fish be attacked by those magic beasts.

Well, I believe that it will be alright if I summon something like a sea dragon or a kraken and order them to hunt the magic beasts who look like they would attack humans living on the surrounding islands. That should do it.

How do we gather the fishermen?(Touya)

I will do something about it on my side. We still dont know how much of a haul well be able to acquire, so I cant say anything. But I dont think itll be a loss(Kousaka)

If thats the case, shall we do it then? For the time being, I give out a provisional permission to catch fish.

I will go to the islands tomorrow either way, so I guess I can summon either a kraken or a sea dragon.

The sea serpent thats protecting the kingdom of Igrett which I visited when I was searching for the ruins of Babylon. I guess I should summon someone like that dragon which should be properly called a guardian dragon, and have it act as a protector. I think Ill just summon one from Rulis dependents.

While Im at it, I think Ill command them to stop any suspicious ships from approaching the islands. I dont want to deal with any more slave trader ships coming to the islands similar to the one last time.

I then affirm the pile of reports on my desk after Kousaka-san exits the room. I have to look into the important matters and understand the concerns of those living in this castle town.

Regarding news about the situation of the world and other similar concerns, I mostly receive those from Rerisha-san via mail.

If it was my former world, it wouldve been aired in the internet news(Touya)

Nevertheless, various news sent by the rulers of each nation have arrived though. Like about the engagement of the second princess of Regulus Empire and the king of Ferzen Kingdom sent by the Emperor of Regulus; or that prince Yamato can now stand and walk, sent by the Belfast King. Though, that one had a photo attachment to it.

Thanks to such socialization between countries of the East-West Alliance, there will be few conflicts. Theyre managing to find a common ground with each other. There are still times when they still cant reach a compromise, so they then turn to me to talk about their disagreement.

Even now, the exchange between Belfast and Misumido is becoming more profound than before, and the relations between Regulus and Rodomea have improved as well. Ramishu Holy Kingdom stops its isolationist policy, and Rynie Kingdom is in the process of forming a friendly relation with their northern neighbor, Paluf Kingdom. These are good things to happen.

As I read various reports while considering those events, I notice that theres a considerable amount of news about the appearance of frazes in each country. Most of them are lower classes, so it looks like theyve been subjugated by red ranked adventurers or higher.

During the time when we defeated our first Fraze, our guild ranks must have been Hmm? Come to think of it

I bring out a photo I took when we defeated our first Fraze from a folder in my smartphone and project it in the air. The ruins were destroyed, and the article itself has been rendered to nothing, but its a pictograph which seems to have been taken more than 1000 years ago.

I couldnt decipher it at that time, but shouldnt I be able to do it now with [Reading] or something similar? Though it will be impossible unless I accurately know what kind of pictograph it is. I wonder if Faam knows something it. She might be able to specify it, seeing as shes the manager of the [Library].

However, theres a possibility that she might not know the language if the letters didnt exist 5000 years ago. I was also told that those letters werent used in Belfast from 1000 years ago, and it wasnt the people of Belfast who created those ruins either.

If thats the case, who created the ruins and for what reason did they create it Its also strange for a fraze to be sealed there together with it.

No good. I cant get it out of my mind now that Ive started thinking about it.

I then decide to go to the castle library to search for Faam.