Central Alliance (1)
“Mhm, as I thought, the limit is around 200 hours, huh? The overhaul must be extended to at least 500 hours before it can be put into practical use. I’ll have to gradually improve the metallurgical technology to increase precision and strength. Next time, let’s experiment with making the engine with a different metal.”
We had about two hours before arriving at the Capital, so I opened the cover of the engine on the deck to do maintenance.
“As expected, the heat resistance is lacking. In that case, we have no choice but to create a new alloy.”
“Why are you on board, Master?”
“Because you’re bound to cause trouble, so I snuck in.”
Another smuggler… I’ve heard rumors that they can’t punish him because of the trouble he might cause if he gets into a bad mood. I’ve heard they let him off the hook to a certain extent (there’s a limit) because he’s competent.
But me, a troublemaker? Absolutely not. It’s probably Alicia. I’m just getting dragged into it, you know? It’s not my fault… I absolutely refuse to admit it!!
“You left the Spider over there, weren’t you supposed to play around with it over there?”
“Well, that’s fine, but playing with Missy like this is more fitting for me. Plus, this is kind of cutting-edge.”
“But what if something really happens, and you left the Spider behind?! Well, I don’t think anything will happen this time… and even if something does, Father will be there.”
“Yeah. Even if something actually happens, the old man will take care of it somehow. I’m here to help you and relax.”
Leaving the Spider behind was to spark Master’s modification habit… well, it’s evolved into something different from the original, so if it’s modified any further, it won’t have enough magic power. Magic furnaces are expensive, and they take time to manufacture, and besides, they’re planned for other installations, so we can’t allocate resources there. Currently, it’s still in the basic research phase.
And so, we continued with modifications and maintenance until we were caught by the revived Alicia.
“So why are you riding this thing?!”
“Because it’s cool!!”
Isn’t it fair enough? It’s not classified anyway, so I’ll take it and take a fancy stroll in the sky with Anon and the others.
It’s okay. I’m not planning to make it do any crazy maneuvers like with Alicia. That was just to check its performance and enjoy Alicia’s reaction.
Anyway, I want to make an impact. It seems there are people on the Ostland side who are connected to the Empire, so it would be good to show them that we can make things they’ve never seen before, to break their will to oppose Arland. Hopefully, it’ll also serve as a deterrent to those who might be up to no good. I only brought it here to hang out with friends, though.
“My Lord, I also want to pilot it. No, my minions must want to as well. Please, consider mass production for our sake…”
“How are you going to operate it with those paw pads of yours?”
“I trust in my Lord’s engineering skills. We want to fly freely in the sky!!”
This dog… does he realize how much of a hassle it is to make these? The only country in this world that can produce them is Arland, which has a large population of Dwarves, and even among the Dwarves, only a few can make these, you know? Mr. Grantz and I could do it, though.
Well, for some reason, my Master standing next to me, is really enthusiastic about taking on challenges… I would be the one designing it though…
“Not bad. Technology builds upon itself. Even seemingly wasteful endeavors can contribute elsewhere. Let’s start designing right away.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t have the blueprint for an airplane capable of being operated by magic beasts in my head. It’s designed for human pilots!! Plus, customizing the cockpit to my specifications was quite a hassle already.”
I’ve never even heard of a dog piloting an airplane, maybe in some work of fiction of my past world.
“Hmm, for my disciple to say such weak things, you have some nerve.”
“A-a-a-a-a-alright, I will make it!! I’ll make it, okay?”
Under the intimidating pressure from my approaching Master, who cracked his knuckles, I was coerced into promising to make a plane specifically for Mr. Coote.
“Leave things I can do for me to do. I can build the engine by myself. Missy, you can handle the design and the magic tools for it.”
“I absolutely won’t help, okay?! Sob… fine, I’ll just end up making something amazing…”
It seems I chose the wrong person to be my mentor…
I’ll create a monster so incredible that even my Master will be amazed and beg me to help him while crying.
First off, I need to change the control system… because dogs can’t steer, you know… what should I do…? And why is my pet becoming a pilot…? Ugh, this is so troublesome~ I really need to learn magic to overcome the manpower shortage at the library.
According to my research… or rather, the reports from Arland’s intelligence agency, there’s a possibility that the forbidden library might contain the magic books I desire. It’s the most restricted area, and its existence isn’t even officially acknowledged.
Moreover, since it’s a grimoire written by a Great Mage of the past, there’s no guarantee they’ll just show it to me for free.
Anyway, there’s a shortage of manpower, particularly people with skills comparable to mine or technicians suitable for the opposite of my skill set. If I do everything myself, everyone will get mad.
So, while I was searching through historical texts for promising magic, I came across a Great Mage who supposedly used just the right magic. They single-handedly destroyed a nation and possessed magic that could be considered demonic by outsiders. That grimoire should contain their magic.