落とし穴１５６堀：こちらもメンバー集め (Part1)
Pitfall 156: Gathering Our Own Members
Side: Comet
"Ho-ho!! So, the sky, is it!!"
"……That’s right."
For some reason, Zargis is sitting in front of me with a look that says this is all a huge hassle. I only asked him to explain the details, you know?
"To think you’re planning something so interesting!! Magnificent!!"
"So, you’re participating after all?"
"Naturally!! To build a device that flies through the sky using the wisdom of Earth—aeronautical engineering—with my own hands! Zargis, as a technician and researcher, you of all people must understand how incredible that is!!"
That’s right, this is a challenge! A challenge from Yuki and Taizo-san to show that we can fly using only our own intellect and technical skill, without relying on magic! We have to build something that can fly within a month!!
"“Yeah!! I’m getting fired up!!”"
Someone else echoed my voice at the exact same time. Well, that was to be expected. I looked to the side, and there…
"So, Narjia, you’re participating too?"
"Of course! It’s impossible for me not to join something this interesting!"
Narjia, the leader of the Fairy tribe, is officially in.
"Let’s show them that we aren’t just idiots who only know magic!"
"Exactly! It’s true that our knowledge and technology don’t reach the level of Taizo-san’s Earth, but…"
"It’s not like we haven’t been learning! Under the same conditions…"
"“I will win!!”"
The words we spoke were, as expected, identical.
"…So, Narjia is my opponent. But I won’t lose, you know?"
"That’s my line."
"“Hmph.”"
Narjia and I smiled at each other and bumped our fists together. Once our resolve was set, all that was left was to build.
"…*Sigh*, what are you two doing? Oh, and by the way, you still have your regular work to do, alright?"
"“Hah!?”"
"Why are you surprised? Don’t think you can eat without working. If you slack off, I’ll report you to Yuki and have him slap you with a flight penalty."
"“……”"
Tch, this demon who can’t read the room. If he’d just said, "You can spend all your time on the design," I might have thought a little better of him.
"Well, I have been told that you can reduce your working hours and dedicate the remaining time to building the airplane."
"“Yes!”"
As expected of Yuki. He understands perfectly! And since there was no way we’d get any real work done today after this announcement, we were dismissed immediately. I headed to the airplane production room that had been assigned to me.
"Still, this is a dilemma… Building an airplane. That part is easy. It’s an established technology. I could just replicate what already exists."
That’s right, the technology to glide and fly through the sky for short periods without using magic has already been established. Of course, there are airplanes that use fuel that are faster, harder, and stronger than the flight magic we use. Both of those exist as finished, tangible products. If the goal of this Birdman Contest were simply to fly a long distance, I could just prepare one of those.
"But that wouldn’t be interesting. We’d just be seen as technicians who can only follow in others' footsteps. That is…"
That would be a disgrace as a technician and a researcher. A technician and researcher is someone who constantly finds new things and takes on challenges. However, when it comes to the act of flying, the great minds of Earth and current researchers have already pushed it to the limit—and they aren’t stopping there; they are researching what comes next. It is impossible to surpass that. Absolutely impossible. Even if I had decades to research, there’s no way I could exceed Earth’s airplane designs in just one month.
In that case, what I should aim for is…
"That’s it! First, let’s try building freely! Worry about making it fly later!"
Yes, to fly with a design no one has ever seen before. Looking back at Earth’s history, there are countless bizarre airplanes. They are the planes that existed before things were optimized. I’ll aim for something like that. Optimized things are certainly functional and wonderful, but they lose their artistic flair. It’s a bit of a "well, whatever" situation, but this is about flying a plane as an individual. While the goal is to fly the longest distance, that’s not all there is to it. It also tests one’s creativity. I’ll attack from that angle!
And so, I began building an interesting machine based on my own design, but…
"Well, the machine is finished, but I don’t have a pilot."
That’s right, the machine is done. I borrowed the materials from the laboratory, so I had no trouble there, and the processing was something I’m used to. Magic isn’t forbidden for the processing involved in building the machine, after all. I quickly finished the prototype, but there was no one to ride it.
"Normally, I should be the one to ride it, but…"
I’ve never really been suited to using the things I create. I’ve always built things on the premise that someone else would use them. Besides, when it comes to making improvements, it’s necessary to step back and look at the work from a distance. So, that leaves the pilot candidates…
"So, how about it? Will you be my pilot?"
"I refuse."
Huh? I feel like I was just turned down. Well, it must be my imagination.
"Hifie. The airplane’s pilo—"
"I refuse."
"That was fast!? And besides, aren’t we best friends!?"
For some reason, when I asked Hifie to be my pilot, she refused. I don’t get it. Does she feel nothing for the great feat of flying through the sky under one’s own power?
"Why are you looking at me like I’m some unbelievable person?"
"Well, that’s exactly what you are. Unbelievable. So, what’s the reason?"
"I’m flying for Taizo-san’s sake."
"That makes sense."
"Right?"
It made perfect sense. Taizo-san was participating, too. It wouldn’t be strange if he had already asked her. They are a married couple, after all.
"Besides, when it comes to the specific point of building an airplane that doesn’t use magic, I trust my husband far more."
"Damn it!? That’s too true, I can’t even argue! Dammit! I’ll definitely find a pilot who flies better than Hifie!"
Damn it! Choosing a man over female friendship! Hifie, you traitor!
"…So, that’s why you came to me?"
"That’s right! So, Kishua, won’t you try flying through the sky?"
"No, why would you think I’d cooperate after how things have gone so far?"
"Eh? You won’t cooperate!?"
I was stunned by her words.
"Have you forgotten the debt you owe me for picking you up!? Even though you slashed me from behind!"