第７８１堀：技術者ぶらり (Part2)
"In that case, I’d be happy to join in."
And just like that, I successfully managed to slack off from my actual duties. Well, calling it "slacking off" is a bit of a stretch; since I’m providing technical cooperation, it’s still technically work. But honestly, this suits me much better.
Oh, by the way, today’s meal was capped off with udon. It really goes well with miso, doesn't it?
"So, this is the gun in question?"
"That’s right! And here are the specs John-kun looked into."
While clutching my full stomach, I stared at the weapon. After looking over the materials Narjia-san handed me while examining the real thing right in front of me...
"...It really is just a magic staff shaped like a gun. This is bizarre."
"Right? It’s a structure that can only be described as strange or nonsensical. In the If Continent, these would be magic swords or holy swords; in the Rogari Continent, we’d call them enchanted tools. And yet, it has a mechanism designed to fire projectiles. Despite that, the durability of the individual parts is nonexistent."
When Comet said that, I checked the durability section...
"Whoa. Two of them broke?"
"Yes. General John brought back five, and we test-fired two of them. The barrels couldn't withstand the shock of firing the rounds. It really is just a superficial imitation of a gun's structure."
"As Zargis-dono says, it’s a product that merely mimics the structure of a gun. What do you think of this, Agil-dono?"
Taizo-san asked me that. Everyone was waiting for my answer. If I said something foolish, my reputation would take a hit. Still, I had no choice but to say what I saw.
"I’ll preface this by saying that my foundational knowledge is vastly inferior to everyone else's here. I can't guarantee a proper answer."
"We’re looking for that 'improper' answer, though."
"Exactly. You might notice something we can't see."
"I think putting that much pressure on them is a bit much, though."
"Well, as you can see by looking at everyone, don't worry about it. Just tell us what you feel, Agil-dono."
"Alright."
Honestly, I didn't even need to be told. These people aren't the type to obsess over who is smart or who is dull. They are the type of people who simply pursue what interests them with total devotion.
"Well, based on my look at the materials and the actual item, I suspect the person who made this wanted to get as close to a real gun as possible. Don't you think?"
When I said that, everyone nodded.
"Exactly. I think the person who made this 'gun-imitation' really wanted to build a proper firearm."
"Likely. Otherwise, they wouldn't have gone to such lengths to mimic it. If you were just making a magic staff, there’d be no need for such a troublesome mechanism."
"I agree with that. The individual who crafted this must have intended to make a gun."
"But since the durability couldn't keep up with the requirements, it was repurposed as a magic staff. That seems to be the case."
As I suspected, we were all in agreement. This wasn't created as a magic tool; it was meant to be a gun, but it failed to meet the necessary durability standards, leading to its current state.
"However, the current issue is how to summarize this to convey it to Yuki. How do you intend to put it together?"
Yuki would certainly want to know the history of this weapon's development, but that’s just curiosity—it’s not the information he needs right now. He asked us to analyze and investigate this for other reasons. If these are being deployed in the military...
"Right. What Yuki-san wants to know is the threat level of these 'gun-imitations' and the possibility that real guns are being mass-produced."
"And the weaknesses of these imitations. Though, they look fragile enough as it is."
"That’s only from Weed's perspective. Even if they only fire fireballs, the fact that they can fire thirty shots is a significant threat. If nearly 3,000 soldiers are carrying these as weapons, we have to be very cautious."
"Zargis-dono is correct. From a military standpoint, it’s a considerable threat. He likely wants to know how to deal with them when we face them."
Taizo-san is right. From a military perspective, if we don't know the weaknesses of this weapon, the damage could be catastrophic. The army led by Yuki wouldn't lose to something like this, but if we can reduce casualties, that’s all for the better. Besides, it would be foolish to assume this is all they have. The Seasifo Kingdom is likely constantly developing even newer weapons. That is why we need to thoroughly dismantle and study this here to understand the Seasifo Kingdom's design philosophy.
Well, that’s the official excuse. In reality, everyone here—myself included—just loves dismantling rare tools to understand the opponent's intent and technology.
"Hehehe..."
We all got our hands on a new toy and spent the entire night tinkering with it until morning, at which point...
"...What are you doing, Agil?"
Yuki arrived to ask about the gun's information...
"Hm? I was investigating this 'gun-imitation' for you. Here, these are the documents."
As I handed him the papers with a smile, Yuki accepted them with a wry grin. Honestly, I really feel like this is the only place where I truly belong.
And so, the circle of technicians continues to expand. Someday, we will build an invincible, transforming, combining mobile suit!