A Tank as an Idea
Thanks to the arrangements made by Brother Roland, Aria was given a room inside the castle, and it has been decided that Knight Commander Bamberg and Captain Lyshiria will take turns guarding the room.
Both the Knight Commander and Captain are warriors that the Kingdom prides itself on.
It would be difficult for anyone with mediocre skills to defeat these two.
Additionally, Orlan was accompanying Aria.
With this setup, we should be fine even if assassins sneak into the castle.
As I was quietly reading a book in my room, Brother Adel barged in through the door.
He plopped down on a chair and ran a hand through my hair.
"I've used the Royal Castle Knights to thoroughly investigate the Royal Capital over the past two weeks. We shut down three locations holding illegal gambling and dismantled a drug distribution route, but we couldn't catch the Spider's trail. It's really frustrating."
As expected of Brother Adel, he achieved impressive results in such a short period.
However, if Brother Adel continues to act like this, he might clash with the Black Ravens before encountering the Spider.
I need to somehow divert Brother Adel's interest.
Brother Adel crossed his legs and narrowed his eyes.
"I heard from Brother Roland that you've taken in a magician from the Elfast Magic Kingdom. It's only a matter of time before the Magic Kingdom finds out. Sooner or later, they'll demand we hand over the magician. If we refuse, our relations with the Magic Kingdom will worsen. There's even a risk of military conflict."
"Yes, Brother Roland is aware of that too. That's why we need to prepare for any direction things might turn."
"I'm not good at thinking about complicated stuff. I have no idea how to handle this, so I'll follow your lead, Ian."
"Why me? You should cooperate with Brother Roland and Sister Emilia."
"I refuse to follow their orders because it pisses me off. Besides, I've always watched you, Ian. Among our siblings, you've always entertained me with your unconventional ideas. So, just tell me what you need. I'll help as much as I can."
Brother Roland and Sister Emilia are close in age to Brother Adel, so he probably feels rebellious against them.
Having someone as proactive as Brother Adel on my side is a big help.
"Then, I want you to select a few soldiers from the Royal Castle Knights and train them to operate the magic vehicle. Then, take them to the forest around the Royal Capital to hunt magic beasts and bring back their blood. Since fresh blood is essential, I need you to use the magic vehicle to transport it to the castle as quickly as possible."
"Understood. I'll pick some soldiers and head to the forest for training while hunting magic beasts for their fresh blood. Easy enough. I'll go right now."
Brother Adel stood up briskly and left the room in a flash.
Since it was almost noon, I instructed a maid to bring Emmy.
In the afternoon, Emmy appeared in my room.
I asked her as she sat on the sofa.
"How are the dwarves in the workshop?"
"The magic vehicle factory is getting on track, and our guidance to the workers is almost complete."
From the start of the factory's operation, the dwarves in the workshop have been instructing the workers.
Since the people gathered for the recruitment were new to making machine parts and assembling magic vehicles, the dwarves had to teach them everything.
At this pace, it should be fine to pull the dwarves out of the factory.
"I need to ask the dwarves in the workshop for a favor. I want them to make about sixty metal magic vehicles like the prototype they made before."
"Didn't you say those were too heavy and expensive before?"
"I can't go into details right now, but the situation has changed a bit. I want to prepare these in case of emergency. Also, I want them to remove the speed limiters."
"Removing the speed limiters would make them prone to tipping over on rough terrain. The tires wouldn't last either. Why do you need such dangerous magic vehicles? I can't help unless you explain."
Although it's still a topic just among us siblings, we need Emmy’s and the dwarves' cooperation for what's ahead.
The dwarves are stubborn, so Emmy won't help without understanding the situation.
I quietly explained the circumstances with the Elfast Magic Kingdom.
After hearing the story, Emmy frowned and looked troubled.
"I understand the situation. So, there's a chance we might clash with the Elfast Magic Kingdom. That concerns us dwarves living in the Primitivian Sea of Trees as well. Since you told me everything, I'll cooperate. But we need to solve the tire problem; otherwise, removing the limiters would be too dangerous."
"I have an idea for that. I'll draw it out."
I quickly sat at my desk, spread out some parchment, and began sketching my idea.
Of course, the idea comes from my memories of Earth from my previous life.
I showed the completed sketch to Emmy.
"We should use caterpillar tracks instead of tires."
Yes... With caterpillar tracks, made of metal, they can handle rough terrain without any problem.
What do you think about this chapter?
