第１９４１堀：びっくり報告と新たなる見方 (Part1)
Chapter 1941: A Startling Report and a New Perspective
Side: Seraria
"Haa..."
I couldn't help but let out a sigh at the report brought back by Yuki, Stasia, and Tori.
"Your Majesty? That was a longer sigh than usual. Is something the matter?"
Quar, who had immediately read my mood, asked, so I handed her the report without delay.
"Is it a strange report? Let's see... wait, what?"
Quar muttered as she took it, but as she began to read, she froze.
Right. There was no doubt that would be her reaction.
"They’ve already started construction on the fifth ship. And they’re finishing the second and third ones today. They’re starting the trials immediately," I explained to the motionless Quar.
"Haaah!? We only gave them permission for development three days ago, didn't we!?"
"To be precise, we gave them permission for priority development. According to Yuki’s report, the armor used for the warships, the engines, and almost everything else share the same structure. It seems they simply repurposed the materials intended for the warships."
"Ah... I see. That makes sense. But is it really that easy to repurpose them?"
"Considering maintenance, it seems they designed them from the start with common parts in mind. Of course, the engines and the systems for land traversal have been customized accordingly, but the foundational parts remain the same. Look, here are the specifications."
I piled more documents onto Quar.
"I’m not reading these."
"I know. I don't expect you to spend time reading them in detail, but just remember that they did submit the proper documentation."
"...Haa, understood. In the end, this is just Narjia and the others doing whatever they please, isn't it?"
"We should be grateful to my husband, Stasia, and Tori for going there to supervise, if only to keep them within budget and prevent any unexpected developments. If they had been even a few days late, the Glass military port might have been overflowing with land battleships equipped with perverted weaponry."
"That doesn't sound like a joke. I just hope the military port doesn't get blown away. Wait—so they stopped it?"
"Exactly."
I was truly glad my husband and the others had shown up.
Given their tendency to prioritize raw power above all else, they would have likely ended up creating some sort of strategic weapon. After all, they had the real things right in front of them.
...Even the battleship cannons, while inferior to the originals, could likely be imitated, and there was no telling what kind of modifications Narjia and her team might come up with.
When Luna first gave us warships, including an aircraft carrier, I hadn't felt this level of crisis.
Back then, those were Earth-made items, and there was no way for us to tinker with them. We weren't even producing them.
But this time, it was different.
With the New Continent—an environment filled with unknown factors, political systems, and unidentified enemies—we were forced to build our own warships. Weapons included.
I trusted that Narjia and her team were capable of it.
I trusted them, but that also meant the birth of weapons beyond imagination.
"...They won't build anything that could destroy the world, will they?"
"That’s why we’re sending inspectors. Though, it’s mostly just Yayui and Ryushi going."
"Will that be enough to stop them?"
"For now, they shouldn't have the leeway to build such things. After finishing the land battleships, they have to move on to the actual warships, and any weapon development requires them to submit a plan to us for approval first."
"Is there a possibility they might build something as a weapon to be mounted on those land battleships or warships?"
"It’s not zero, but we’ve already communicated the intended use for the weapons, and if they were to try to destroy the world, the scale would be completely different. Besides, I imagine they’d rather spend their time building robots."
"...It’s strange that I find that convincing."
"Well, Narjia and her team aren't exactly trying to destroy the world. They just want to test the upper limits of power and performance."
"Ah, that is true. Still, the fact that such a desire could lead to a world-ending weapon is terrifying."
"That is the nature of it."
Driven purely by curiosity to destroy the world—it’s the pinnacle of what it means to be a researcher.
Well, that’s precisely why Yuki keeps them in Weed for management.
If left to their own devices, they might pursue such extreme research that it could genuinely become a global crisis.
"...I have my reservations, but if the land battleships can be completed early, it will certainly be a huge help."
"That’s true. There’s no doubt about that. After all, it’s an overwhelmingly safer mode of transport than a horse-drawn carriage."
"It’s not just a mode of transport; it’s a mobile fortress."
"Well, that is the concept. That’s what warships are, after all."
Since they were designed to traverse the vast ocean, they were built to allow people to live on them for long periods.
They were, quite literally, moving bases. The land battleships would serve the same role.
"Well, it is quite a hassle to stop at towns for supplies every single time."
"Indeed. We have to consider the supply situation of each town, and while a small unit might be fine, supplying a battalion-sized force puts a strain on any town."
Not to mention the food and water necessary for people to survive.
"When Your Majesty led the Knights, you were always agonizing over how to handle supplies. The rookies were always complaining about the food, too."
"That’s the path every noble rookie has to walk. Or rather, they were just sending me people who were only there for show."
"That brings back memories."
"It does. Back then, it was just a decorative Knight Order."
Yes, I was originally the second princess of Roschur, and I led a female Knight Order.
However, my shitty father and the ministers were against its establishment, so from the start, I was put in charge of a decorative unit.
The people sent to me were young ladies in name only. Some couldn't even hold a sword; it felt like they were mocking me.
"But, putting that aside, back to the land battleships. If we can avoid putting undue pressure on town supplies, that’s for the best. Even if we’re operating as Weed over there, if we need to resupply, we’ll inevitably face those kinds of problems, plus the need to negotiate with the local power brokers."
"True. Being free from that is a blessing. Still, we can't let it be known that we’re using Gates, so we’ll likely still need to do some shopping, won't we?"
"We will. We shouldn't let local powers hold us hostage through supplies, but we do need connections. We’re going to be expanding our activities in the North, after all. Speaking of which, what are Viria and the others doing now?"
"They’re currently traveling to reach the Ioa Kingdom before the land battleships are completed. They’re keeping their investigation of the demi-humans they encounter along the way to a minimum."
"Ah, well, that’s the sensible approach."
Indeed.
It’s a strange situation where the demi-human exclusion happening in the center isn't occurring in the North.
That’s exactly why Yuki and the others are scratching their heads and finding themselves forced to investigate the history of the New Continent...
"Has any information come out regarding Giadana?"