第１９３８堀：大事な視察 (Part2)
"If we hadn't test-fired that first gun-sword, using it at close range would have been catastrophic."
"True enough. Well, it’s a good thing we adjusted the firepower and managed to get it to fire magical projectiles afterward. Plus, it helped that the Demon Lord was a total pervert."
"Actually, there was no Demon Lord. There was only a pervert."
"Ah, right."
Ria’s intensity seemed to swell, and Yuki fell silent immediately.
Come to think of it, weren't there documents regarding the Demon Lord Dekira that even we lacked the clearance to view?
"Listen, Yayui. Don't step any further into that. Don't think about it. Don't look into it. Understood?"
"Ah, yes."
As Ria pressed the point, I found myself nodding just as Yuki had. The pressure radiating from her was immense.
"Anyway, that's the situation. While 'keeping watch' might be a bit of a stretch, for people like Narjia and Firia, this is a dream come true—a chance to develop new weapons, the kind of armaments they’ve only seen in anime. I’d like to think they haven't actually developed and mounted beam weaponry, but..."
"..."
We all fell into an involuntary silence at those words.
Beam weapons—weaponry that converts light into raw firepower, striking with the literal speed of light.
...I want to believe they haven't managed to create something like that, but.
"Even if they have, the reason we’re inspecting them is to make sure they don't use them. Got it?"
"Yes!"
We certainly couldn't allow such preposterous weapons to be used freely in the New Continent. If things went south, it wouldn't just be the wilderness—the northern regions or the Ohe Forest could end up scorched earth.
With that thought sharpening our resolve, we headed toward Glass Port Town.
For official business like this, we use the Gate, so travel doesn't take much time. We arrived at the Gate entrance in Glass Port Town in about ten minutes.
The sun was still high, and the area was bustling with activity.
Well, since the Gate is connected directly to the main street, "bustling" is an understatement.
"It hasn't been that long since we announced Glass Port Town, but it's certainly lively."
"Yuki-san, isn't it the opposite? Isn't it crowded precisely because it was just announced?"
"Ah, that’s a possibility, too. Yayui, what do you think?"
Oh, I didn't expect the question to come to me. Still, since I’ve heard the reports from Sisua and Sona, I decided to relay them as they were.
"As you know from the reports by Sisua and Sona, Yuki-sama, it has actually calmed down compared to the initial announcement. I mean, compared to when it was first opened to the public."
"I know that. Back when it was restricted to nobles, it was different."
"Yes. So, when it was opened to the general public, people from Weed and abroad alike flocked here for tourism. But recently, the tourism from within Weed has settled down, and things have stabilized."
"To think this is 'stabilized'—that's incredible."
Hovis voiced her admiration at my explanation.
I can understand the sentiment. Even though this is the main street where various shops are concentrated, it’s the middle of a weekday. Most people living in Weed should be at work unless they have specialized jobs. Yet, there are still so many people here.
It’s easily on par with the commercial district of Weed. Even accounting for the adventurers, there are enough people that you have to be careful just walking down the street.
"Still, it's only just been established. Surely it will settle down eventually?"
"As Prof says, you're right. I just hope that once it settles, we can maintain a steady stream of tourists. If only it could end there, but right now, the focus is over there."
Yuki-sama shifted his gaze from the main street toward the naval port, where a large building stood. It was clearly a military facility, and you could tell just by looking that it was a recent construction.
It was...
"Now, let's head to the shipyard."
And so, we stepped into a world of the unknown.
The bustle of Glass Port Town showed no signs of fading.
How it develops from here will be a testament to Sisua and Sona’s skills.
Oh, and I just hope the shipyard doesn't end up in a massive explosion.