Chapter 26: Preparation

TL: Pengu

ED: Darknari

Now then, since weve got wheat, lets go ahead and start seriously discussing what were going to do about the refugees. (Almis)

I called the usual members + Yal together to talk.

Anyway, there will almost definitely be a dispute.

But thats still better than not setting up any countermeasures at all.

For now Ill have you build your houses in a slightly separated area from us. Youll all be living there together. Got that? (Almis)

Yes. Regarding that, Ive got no complaints. Concerning materials (Yal)

Ill prepare and help you with them. In exchange, help me with the construction of the defense facilities. (Almis)

Thank you very much. (Yal)

Yal lowered his head to me deeply.

The reason I separated our residential areas from the refugees is to prevent quarrels.

After all, humans are a species that can only see the faults of those they live near to. On the other hand, when they live a distance away from someone, they can only see their good side.

In addition to that, concerning Lulu and her parents.

It would be dangerous if they ran into each other.

Although, really, I want to help them reconcile this just isnt something I can do anything about.

If I was to forcefully have them get together, Lulu would just end up hurt.

However, if they just keep staying away from each other, their relationship wont get any better.

That is something I need to think about.

Well build and perform farm work together as much as possible. Through this our feeling of solidarity will be strengthened. (Almis)

I agree with that! Since there wont be too much chatter while they are doing farm work, there wont be as many arguments either. (Ron)

Ron agrees with what I said.

When youre put in a new class in school, youre sure to get really nervous.

But when it comes around May to June, those tense relationships suddenly get a lot more relaxed.

At my school we held a culture festival at around that time.

That probably influenced those relations somewhat.

Im aiming to recreate that phenomenon

Hey, nii-san. What will we do about training? Will they be doing the same routine as us?

Well, that would be impossible for them. Could I ask you to teach them with care, without treating them as a nuisance? (Almis)

Theyre going to have to fight together with us.

While they arent bad people, that doesnt change the fact that they are the root of this problem.

If theyre just going to sit back and have us protect them, that would be a problem for us.

Well, they probably wouldnt complain considering their lives are at stake.

What will you do about the food? Will it be the same as our portion? Or will you reduce it?

I think that there are pros and cons, but I will make it the same quantity. (Almis)

Since food was borrowed from King Rosaith, there is plenty enough of it.

If so, there wont be dissatisfaction among the refugees if I distributed it equally, right?

Well, it is free food so it is weird to voice an opinion about the same quantity as ours

They have no choice but to accept and endure it

Later, I will hold a banquet regularly to deepen our friendship. There are no complaints about such a policy? (Almis)

I look around to hear all the members.

Other than Lulu, all the members nodded in assent.

Really, what should I do about Lulu?

Now, next is the black powder.

Presently, the materials for black powder have been obtained.

Next, I have to try making it.

It is not particularly difficult to make it. I need to pulverize each material, and simply mix them together.

It is prototype NO.1 for now. It would be good if I succeed with this (Almis)

I just simply mixed an equal amount of each material for now.

I put a small quantity on a rock.

Hey, Almis. What kind of phenomenon is an explosion?

Mmm, the phenomenon is when things burn up at onceI guess? Since I also dont understand the details, for now I think you will understand if I hit it with the hammer. (Almis)

I strike the gunpowder with the hammer with all my strength. (Note: a way to ignite gunpowder in the past was to hit a hammer to flint to make friction to create a spark to ignite the powder.)

Nothing happens.

Second time.

Nothing happens

Eh? Did I make a mistake in the materials?

No no, it is charcoal, saltpeter, and sulfur. Yes, there is no doubt. (Note: saltpeter is potassium nitrate)

In other words, is the ratio wrong?

For now, with the black powder placed on a hill, I insert a long string. (Note: I imagine Wile E. Coyote in the Road runner show-haha)

I ignite the string after taking some distance.

The black powder begins to burn vigorously ? ? ? ? ?

Its no use. (Note: black powder ratio is 75% saltpeter, 15% charcoal, 10% sulfur.)

Oh! It burned wonderfully. But, can we defeat them with this?

No, this is a failure

Well, it wont go so easily.

I think that the charcoal needs to be decreased further. It has no explosive factor.

Then is it saltpeter and sulfur?

For now, saltpeter quantity is the same, and increase only the sulfur.

Because the quantity of saltpeter is small, I dont want to reduce it at this experimental stage.

Currently, it is black powder NO.66.

As such, it has come to look bomb-ish.

The quantity of saltpeter seems to hold the key.

But, it doesnt explode if there is too much of it. Adjustment is important.

Now, it is good that the black powder is completed, but there is one problem.

Whinny!!!

The horse is frightened.

No, I expected the horse to be surprised. Rather, its better that it is surprised. The enemies horses will be surprised.

However, I want our horse to be accustomed to it.

I try to make it accustomed to it many timesbut it didnt go well.

Horses are delicate creatures.

It went on a great rampage when I was going to attach the stirrups for the first time.

I cant perform the training frequently.

Therefore

Its alright, its alright, there is nothing to be afraid of. Settle down. (Lulu)

Lulu strokes the horses head.

Its alright, Im here. See (Soyon)

The horse behaved while Soyon is brushing its body.

If a male is thiseh? Female? (Tetra)

Tetra looks into the horses stomach.

An excellent sorcerer can put their soul into a beast.

It is possible for a soul and soul to come into contact.

In short, it means that its possible to understand each others feelings.

As a horse is a smart animal.

If you speak to it properly it will settle down quickly.

In other words, if you cant train quantity, you should train quality.

Until the real thing, I want the horse to be accustomed to gun powder.

If I begin with the foals, this here wont be hard

If that is the case then I dont know how many years it would take

Two hawks circle over my head.

They suddenly stop, nose dive and soar.

The two of them seem like they are playing tag. No, they are actually playing tag. (Note: onigokko - Japanese for tag)

One of them, the hawk with Lulus soul in it, touches the hawk with Tetras soul in it.

Okay! Its Lulu-chans victory!! Change!! (Soyon)

Soyon called towards the two hawks.

The two hawks land on Tetras and Lulus shoulder.

Tetra and Lulu whose backs are against a tree open their eyes.

Blech, tastes bad (Tetra)

Cough, cough. (Lulu)

The two people spit out a green object from their mouths.

Its a poisonous plant called soul detachment grass. Its effect is separating the soul from the body.

Souls dont usually leave the body unless you die.

However, the method to separate the soul from the body while living exists.

First, you have to skip meals for 2-3 days to weaken the body to a near death state.

After that, you chew on that special poisonous plant soul detachment grass.

It is possible for anyone to separate their soul from their body if they use this method.

And a sorcerer who has acquired the experience of repeatedly extracting their soul can also extract it without even skipping meals.

Though, it is a different story whether you can return.

For a normal human, the soul is separated from the body when they eat soul detachment grass. And then the soul has about 10 seconds before rising to heaven and cant come back.

Thus, death.

It is in fact a poison, as 3 to 4 times is considered to be the limit per day.

As this is training, doing more than twice is not allowed.

If you overdo it, antibodies will be made.

Fundamentally, unless a sorcerers condition is just about driven to the limit, there is always a person to protect the empty body.

There are two reasons.

It is to assist when the sorcerer cant return their soul to their original body by themselves.

And, it is to prevent a different soul from hijacking the empty body and protect it from being cursed.

Although, if you form a barrier to defend against another soul from penetrating, if its just left for a short amount of time, the soul will not go away and return too quickly.

Good work. First, have some honey to cleanse your palate. (Almis)

I hand a small bottle of honey to the two.

The two tasted the honey with a blissful face.

Sorry to overwork you. Because the only sorcerers that are able to soul ride are you girls (Almis)

Its alright. There is no problem. (Tetra)

Im glad to be of use. (Lulu)

The two people laughingly answer.

Incidentally, my eyes meet a hawk.

It has turned to look away.

Somehow I seem to be disliked by the hawks that are raised by Tetra, Lulu, and Soyon.

I guess it was wrong to have said to throw them away back in the old days.

These three turned out to be splendid adults now.

According to Julia, it seems that these hawks are larger and stronger than the typical hawks used for