第１６７９堀：同僚は頑張っていると思います (Part1)
Chapter 1679: I Think My Colleague Is Doing Her Best
Side: Orelia
Before me lies Yayui, slumped over her desk, completely motionless.
She is usually a diligent worker, so seeing her like this is quite rare. As for the reason why…
"Listen up! When you're operating a ship, you have to listen to the heart of the engine! Once you understand that, you can take the ship anywhere, regardless of how the waves are acting!"
"““Hiiiii!””"
I am currently watching a recording of Yayui in that "driving mode" of hers, accompanied by the sounds of men doing nothing but screaming.
"You guys should get it, too! The sea and the waves are nature itself. You have to read nature and move the ship as if it were an extension of your own body! That’s what it means to be a fisherman, isn't it?!"
"““Higiieee!””"
Ah, well, she isn't technically wrong.
Everything comes from experience, and in a profession that deals with nature, I’ve often heard about that "intuition"—that ability to read the natural world. I’ve even heard that the forest spirits have people who can perceive such things.
Furthermore, there are masters of combat who achieve a state of "man and horse as one" or "man and dragon as one" through their riding. In that sense, her philosophy on handling a ship isn't incorrect.
"Listening to the engine's heart" is just her way of saying one must perceive the mechanical health of the vessel…
Though, it is something I could never do myself.
"Oh, here it comes. Against sea monsters, you generally intercept them as a person while the ship is stopped, but when we’re in motion, this ship… pierces through. Let’s go, partner!"
"““Hyowaaaa!””"
The ship accelerates further, and she literally rams into and tears through a ten-meter-class sea monster that appeared ahead.
Hmm, even I am starting to get a headache watching this.
No, if we really put our minds to it, we could probably do it too, but I know enough to realize that expecting those fishermen to pull off such god-like maneuvers is asking for the impossible.
"Hey, go collect the monster we just took down. You can at least do that much. Move it, chop-chop!"
"““Yes, Chief!””"
Oh, so they can actually move properly when it comes to the harvest.
After that, the video shows the process of fishing from the ship, loading the catch into the freezer, returning to the port, and unloading the fish. It ends with the three young fishermen, now humbled, sitting in a rented room and obediently following Yayui’s instructions to study the operation manuals—all after a commotion broke out because the monster they killed turned out to be a local boss of the nearby waters.
"And so, I think we can say the first day of instruction at the fishing port was a great success."
Yuki-sama concludes.
Indeed, they started off resistant, but by the end, they looked like new recruits being drilled somewhere. Even if we have to step in when Yayui is unavailable, it shouldn't be a problem.
As a first-day result, it’s about as good as it gets.
Usually, people who look down on us like this won't listen unless they are persuaded by force.
Besides, since this involves technical skills like ship handling, even if we were superior in combat, they wouldn't follow someone who lacked knowledge of the sea.
Technicians possess a specific kind of pride and dignity. We know this well because we interact with people like Narjia-sama.
So, without a doubt, what Yayui accomplished in a single day can be called a success.
…Though, the person herself is likely slumped over because she’s embarrassed that her personality shifts into "hardcore pilot mode" when she’s behind the wheel.
Honestly, if I were to have my own transformed state recorded and shown to everyone, I think I would become a shut-in, too.
"Yayui-san is like that right now, but will the instruction from tomorrow onwards be alright?"
Fiora-sama asks Yuki-sama directly, voicing my own concern.
"It should be fine. Yayui doesn't slack off on her work. If it looks like things are getting dicey, Orelia or Hovis, you two can take over teaching the morning study sessions."
"Study sessions, huh~?"
"Yeah. It wasn't in the footage, but those three? They lack so much prior knowledge that they aren't even at the stage where they can read the manuals yet."
"…And, only one of them can actually read."
"““Eh?””"
The shocking information draws gasps of surprise not just from me, but from Ria-sama, Jessica-sama, Cleena-sama, and Samantha-sama, who were busy with their administrative duties.
For the record, Ria-sama was reviewing reports on Canary-san’s recent bento shop and flower sales; Cleena-sama and Samantha-sama were handling diplomatic reports from their home countries; and Jessica-sama was juggling military and diplomatic affairs. Everyone is quite busy.
"It’s nothing to be surprised about. It’s only been about two years since the port town of Aurelia became a Weed territory, and education isn't exactly a high priority there yet."
"Ah, now that you mention it, that’s true. It feels like it’s been so long, but was it really only that long?"
"In that timeframe, it’s a shame to take time away from work for young people in their prime. Let’s see… who was in charge of governing Aurelia?"
"…I believe it was Curse?"
"Cleena-san, the port town of Aurelia is being managed by the three of them: Curse-san, Mauve-san, and Raiya-san. As for the original lord, they served as an adjutant under Princess Parphil when she took the lead, and then moved into the politics of the old Gusdo royal capital. I suppose you could call it a promotion."
As Samantha-sama says, the port town of Aurelia is managed by Curse-san.
If there had been a lord like in Betan or Heiden, the burden would have been lighter, but the upper management of the port town of Aurelia was completely wiped out. They are filling that void.
Usually, this isn't the kind of work adventurers can do, but apparently, Curse-san was the son of a lord in a town in Gartz, so he had received an education.
One might wonder why such a person would become an adventurer, but when asked, they simply answer that it’s fun.
"Well, improving the literacy rate in Aurelia port town is a task for the future. Orelia, Hovis, that means you two will be teaching those three. I want you to take Yayui along for introductions tomorrow, but fundamentally, I’d like the two of you to handle the studies."
"Understood~. We can't teach ship handling like Yayui-chan can~, so that works for us~."
"As Hovis says. The gap in ship-handling skill between us and Yayui is too great. We will focus on the studies."
"Thanks. Well, as for how to teach, consult among the three of you tomorrow to see what level they’re at. As for the afternoon, that’s for ship handling. Given the current situation, it’s Yayui’s job, but in case of trouble, I want you two to ride on the ship with her tomorrow."
"Yes~!"