第１３３８堀：休日の過ごし方 (Part2)
It might sound like a lot, but since Micos is the only one capable of handling video-related work, it’s far too few. More importantly, we are still a long way off from producing televisions, which serve as the primary receiving medium. Zargis is conducting research into that as well, but honestly, there’s been talk that we might be better off just using tablets. Still, being unable to produce our own hardware is a fatal flaw. We are currently deep in trial and error, hoping that magical technology can bridge the gap for the sake of future development.
And next up...
"Yayui, the military has all sorts of vehicles. You should try riding them."
Ever since that snowboarding incident, Yayui has shown an extraordinary aptitude for—well, vehicles? I’ve been having her test out different types, currently limited to cars and motorcycles, just to confirm the extent of her ability. Her talent is reminiscent of a "Super Multi-Driver" from some manga or another. That said, no such skill exists in our system, which leaves me scratching my head. I checked with Luna, but...
"Hmm. Maybe it doesn't show up because those kinds of vehicles don't exist in this world originally?"
"No, wait. We have skills for handling firearms and licenses for those, don't we?"
"No, no, that’s based on perception, isn't it? Yayui doesn't have the concept of such a license, nor does she have the confidence..."
"Ah, I see. That makes sense."
Yayui didn't even know the word "driving," and that lack of knowledge hasn't translated into confidence. That’s likely why it doesn't appear on her status. To us, her skill is staggering, but she herself has no idea what she’s doing. In a way, this might be the best method for keeping her abilities a secret, but I’m still debating what to do, as it could also be holding her back from gaining the confidence she needs. Honestly, if she could just master every vehicle out there, I’d be over the moon, but... well, that’s a conversation for another time.
"So, Prof, how did you end up here?"
Finally, there’s Prof. She’s an official at the General Government Building, holding the absurd dual position of Department Head for both Information and Resident Services. She’s clearly talented, but she has this strange quirk where she becomes deathly nervous whenever she’s around me. She claims it’s because I saved her when she first immigrated, but I’ve saved countless people in similar situations. I understand that for her, it was a special moment, but this level of tension makes it impossible to get any work done. More importantly, today is a day off. It’s hard to imagine this is much of a break for her. I can’t help but wonder why she even came here.
"E-eep! T-that is, Queen Seraria, Kirika-sama, and Kirue-sama ordered me to... p-provide an escort..."
"I see."
There’s really nothing else to say to that. For now...
"Kirika."
"Yes."
Kirika appears the moment I call her. I’ve kept this technique a secret until now, but it’s an application of teleportation magic. Essentially, Kirika commands from the intelligence department’s monitor room, and when I call, she leaps over here. Incidentally, today is her day off too, but she was adamant about not budging on this. She insisted she’d take her leave on a different day. Well, that’s fine, but...
"Aren't you pushing Prof too hard?"
I ask, glancing at Prof, who is currently frozen stiff in the form of an innocent-looking young girl.
"It is true that she is pushing herself, but if she cannot do this, she cannot serve as Yuki-sama’s guard. One must transcend their limits."
"Hmm. I understand the sentiment behind that philosophy, but in this day and age, forcing yourself to the breaking point is..."
Just as I’m about to offer a word of caution, she blurts out:
"I-it's okay! I-I am the one who wished for this! B-besides, for me, this is a reward!"
She says it with her face bright red. If we were younger, this would be the scene of a romantic confession, but I have plenty of wives and children. I’m not going to get flustered by something like this at my age. Still, to think that serving as my personal guard is a "reward"—is she a masochist or something?
"She is the one who desires it. Please, accompany her in honing her skills. It is your day off, so please..."
That’s an uncharacteristically bold judgment for Kirika. She’s asking me to use my day off to train Prof. It just goes to show how much expectation she has placed on her.
"Alright. Well, it is a day off, so let’s all head out together."
And so, we decided to step outside. Thus began our holiday, led by my subordinates. Though, whether this actually counts as a "day off" is debatable, isn't it?