123. Large-scale Arcane Vessel
The kingdom had agreed to transfer one of its large vessels to the diplomatic mission, for use in constructing a large-scale arcane vessel. It was an old ship, long abandoned and slated for scrapping. On Earth, it would be called a clipper-style sailing ship—its hull closely resembling the Catiasaek, with three masts.
“Whoa, this is—this is almost identical to my dream Catiasaek!”
Shiro exclaimed with genuine awe upon first seeing the vessel.
Ever since he’d been a child and seen a model of a sailing ship, he’d inexplicably been drawn to ships like this.
“Senior! I know this one! It’s exactly like the wooden model you used to obsess over building!” Kotone said.
“Huh, you remember that, huh? Yeah, that was my dream ship,” Shiro replied.
“But it’s falling apart,” Shestia pointed out without mercy.
“Don’t worry about it. Leave the repairs to me!” Shiro said, already brimming with enthusiasm, and began his “repair” project—more accurately, a full-scale magical overhaul.
First, Shiro repaired the hull. Given how close to scrap it was, the deterioration was severe—beyond what ordinary restoration could fix. But with his magic, combined with materialization techniques and metal reinforcement, he repaired and strengthened every section, making the ship even more impressive than when it was brand new.
Structurally, the arcane vessel followed the same design as the Silphid I. Metal disks and frames were added, and the wings and rudder were replaced with arcane device plates. The central metal disk, serving as the primary object, was installed in the core. Since the hull was large, six drive wings were attached.
Interior fittings were outsourced to specialists, greatly improving livability. More private cabins were added, along with dining areas and lounges—almost hotel-like.
Top speed: 500 kilometers per hour
Name: Large-scale Arcane Vessel Silfied II
"Finished!" Shiro smiled, satisfied.
"Nice ship. And spacious too," Shestia said, sounding thoroughly pleased.
"Senpai, you really love scheming, don't you," Kotone said.
"Shiro, we need to sort out the issue with supplying magic stones and crystal power sources. Right now, we can manage with what we have, but once we're operating across the world, stable supply becomes a problem," Mitoka said.
Ah, yeah. That’s right… I’ll have to talk it over with Sophia next time.
Shiro felt a flicker of unease—busy days ahead, tied to his duties.
◇
"Right, let's go over the purpose and schedule of this trip," Sofia began.
"The purpose of this journey breaks down into five main points."
1. Invitation to join the Federation for each nation
2. Explanation and report regarding the stampede and virus incident within the kingdom
3. Clarifying Misconceptions About the Demon Beast King — Investigating and Requesting Reports on White Dragon Sightings
4. Request for acceptance of magical vessel routes and proposal for a communication network, as benefits of joining the Federation
5. Shiro's Investigation in Magiwesuto
“That’s the rough outline of the purpose—anything else?” Sophia asked.
They shook their heads, saying there was nothing in particular.
"Forgot the most important purpose," Shestia said.
"Uh? The most important objective?" Shiro asks back.
"Yeah. Sightseeing and eating," Shestia.
“...Yeah, well, important, sure. Tourism’s an important activity. Gotta take a good look around the world,” Shiro said.
"Nice! Portal tourism—classic route," Makoto said.
"……Well, I suppose," Masaki agrees with Makoto, unusually.
"Want to eat something delicious," Mizuki says,
"Is there anywhere around here that serves kaiseki?" Kotone murmured.
The high school group is starting to miss Japanese food.
"Ah, you mean the rice? Shiro mentioned earlier—there's a place in the Beastkin Kingdom. Or rather, wasn't there a restaurant in the capital that served rice dishes?" Sophia said.
"Even here in the Academy City?" Aria says,
"Wait! You mean it's real? Please take us with you!" Kotone and Mizuki shouted.
"Hey? Oh, then let's go next time," Aria said, and it was decided that everyone would go together later.
"…Well, I get the sightseeing part. …So, about the schedule, the order we’re visiting the countries is…" Sophia listed off country names.
— The Elf Nation
— Dragon's Mountain Range
— Dragonkin Kingdom
Magistia Kingdom West Magi
— The Dwarf Kingdom
— Commercial City Alliance
― Beastfolk Kingdom
"Basically, we're moving from one nearby country to the next, in order. As for the Dragon Mountains, after hearing the story about the relationship between dragons and dragonfolk from Adra, we decided it'd be best to get advice from the dragons themselves to ensure negotiations with the Dragonfolk Kingdom go smoothly."
"Then, we set out in five days," Sophia said, and everyone began preparing for the journey ahead.
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