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Chapter 26: Preparation
“Now then, since we’ve got wheat, let’s go ahead and start seriously discussing what we’re going to do about the refugees.” (Almis)
I called the usual members + Yal together to talk.
Anyway, there will almost definitely be a dispute.
But that’s still better than not setting up any countermeasures at all.
“For now I’ll have you build your houses in a slightly separated area from us. You’ll all be living there together. Got that?” (Almis)
“Yes. Regarding that, I’ve got no complaints. Concerning materials…” (Yal)
“I’ll prepare and help you with them. In exchange, help me with the construction of the defense facilities.” (Almis)
“Thank you very much.” (Yal)
Yal lowered his head to me deeply.
The reason I separated our residential areas from the refugees’ is to prevent quarrels.
After all, humans are a species that can only see the faults of those they live near to. On the other hand, when they live a distance away from someone, they can only see their good side.
In addition to that, concerning Lulu and her parents.
It would be dangerous if they ran into each other.
Although, really, I want to help them reconcile… this just isn’t something I can do anything about.
If I was to forcefully have them get together, Lulu would just end up hurt.
However, if they just keep staying away from each other, their relationship won’t get any better.
That is something I need to think about.
“We’ll build and perform farm work together as much as possible. Through this our feeling of solidarity will be strengthened.” (Almis)
“I agree with that! Since there won’t be too much chatter while they are doing farm work, there won’t be as many arguments either.” (Ron)
Ron agrees with what I said.
When you’re put in a new class in school, you’re sure to get really nervous.
But when it comes around May to June, those tense relationships suddenly get a lot more relaxed.
At my school we held a culture festival at around that time.
That probably influenced those relations somewhat.
I’m aiming to recreate that phenomenon
“Hey, nii-san. What will we do about training? Will they be doing the same routine as us?”
“…Well, that would be impossible for them. Could I ask you to teach them with care, without treating them as a nuisance?” (Almis)
They’re going to have to fight together with us.
While they aren’t bad people, that doesn’t change the fact that they are the root of this problem.
If they’re just going to sit back and have us protect them, that would be a problem for us.
Well, they probably wouldn’t complain considering their lives are at stake.
“What will you do about the food? Will it be the same as our portion? Or will you reduce it?”
“……I think that there are pros and cons, but I will make it the same quantity.” (Almis)
Since food was borrowed from King Rosaith, there is plenty enough of it.
If so, there won’t be dissatisfaction among the refugees if I distributed it equally, right?
Well, it is free food so it is weird to voice an opinion about the same quantity as our’s…….
They have no choice but to accept and endure it…….
“Later, I will hold a banquet regularly to deepen our friendship. There are no complaints about such a policy?” (Almis)
I look around to hear all the members.
Other than Lulu, all the members nodded in assent.
…….Really, what should I do about Lulu?
Now, next is the black powder.
Presently, the materials for black powder have been obtained.
Next, I have to try making it.
It is not particularly difficult to make it. I need to pulverize each material, and simply mix them together.
“It is prototype NO.1 for now. It would be good if I succeed with this……” (Almis)
I just simply mixed an equal amount of each material for now.
I put a small quantity on a rock.
“Hey, Almis. What kind of phenomenon is an explosion?”
“Mmm, the phenomenon is when things burn up at once…….I guess? Since I also don’t understand the details, for now I think you will understand if I hit it with the hammer.” (Almis)
I strike the gunpowder with the hammer with all my strength. (pengu: a way to ignite gunpowder in the past was to hit a hammer to flint to make friction to create a spark to ignite the powder.)
Nothing happens.
Second time.
Nothing happens……
Eh? Did I make a mistake in the materials?
No no, it is charcoal, saltpeter, and sulfur. Yes, there is no doubt. (pengu: saltpeter is potassium nitrate)
In other words, is the ratio wrong?
For now, with the black powder placed on a hill, I insert a long string. (pengu: I imagine Wile E. Coyote in the Road runner show-haha)
I ignite the string after taking some distance.
The black powder begins to burn vigorously ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅
It’s no use. (Pengu: black powder ratio is 75% saltpeter, 15% charcoal, 10% sulfur. You can find how to make black powder here http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Black-Powder)
“Oh! It burned wonderfully. But, can we defeat them with this?”
“No, this is a failure……”
Well, it won’t go so easily.
I think that the charcoal needs to be decreased further. It has no explosive factor.
Then is it saltpeter and sulfur?
For now, saltpeter quantity is the same, and increase only the sulfur.
Because the quantity of saltpeter is small, I don’t want to reduce it at this experimental stage.
Currently, it is black powder NO.66.
As such, it has come to look bomb-ish.
The quantity of saltpeter seems to hold the key.
But, it doesn’t explode if there is too much of it. Adjustment is important.
Now, it is good that the black powder is completed, but there is one problem.
“Whinny!!!”
The horse is frightened.
No, I expected the horse to be surprised. Rather, it’s better that it is surprised. The enemies’ horses will be surprised.
However, I want our horse to be accustomed to it.
I try to make it accustomed to it many times……..but it didn’t go well.
Horses are delicate creatures.
It went on a great rampage when I was going to attach the stirrups for the first time.
I can’t perform the training frequently.
Therefore……
“It’s alright, it’s alright, there is nothing to be afraid of. Settle down.” (Lulu)
Lulu strokes the horse’s head.
“It’s alright, I’m here. See…..” (Soyon)
The horse behaved while Soyon is brushing its body.
“If a male is this……eh? Female?” (Tetra)
Tetra looks into the horse’s stomach.
An excellent sorcerer can put their soul into a beast.
It is possible for a soul and soul to come into contact.
In short, it means that it’s possible to understand each other’s feelings.
As a horse is a smart animal.
If you speak to it properly it will settle down quickly.
In other words, if you can’t train quantity, you should train quality.
Until the real thing, I want the horse to be accustomed to gun powder.
If I begin with the foals, this here won’t be hard……
If that is the case then I don’t know how many years it would take……
Two hawks circle over my head.
They suddenly stop, nose dive and soar.
The two of them seem like they are playing tag. No, they are actually playing tag. (pengu: onigokko – Japanese for tag)
One of them, the hawk with Lulu’s soul in it, touches the hawk with Tetra’s soul in it.
“Okay! It’s Lulu-chan’s victory!! Change!!” (Soyon)
Soyon called towards the two hawks.
The two hawks land on Tetra’s and Lulu’s shoulder.
Tetra and Lulu whose backs are against a tree open their eyes.
“Blech, tastes bad…….” (Tetra)
“Cough, cough.” (Lulu)
The two people spit out a green object from their mouths.
It’s a poisonous plant called soul detachment grass. Its effect is separating the soul from the body.
Souls don’t usually leave the body unless you die.
However, the method to separate the soul from the body while living exists.
First, you have to skip meals for 2-3 days to weaken the body to a near death state.
After that, you chew on that special poisonous plant ― soul detachment grass.
It is possible for anyone to separate their soul from their body if they use this method.
And a sorcerer who has acquired the experience of repeatedly extracting their soul can also extract it without even skipping meals.
Though, it is a different story whether you can return.
For a normal human, the soul is separated from the body when they eat soul detachment grass. And then the soul has about 10 seconds before rising to heaven and can’t come back.
Thus, death.
It is in fact a poison, as 3 to 4 times is considered to be the limit per day.
As this is training, doing more than twice is not allowed.
If you overdo it, antibodies will be made.
Fundamentally, unless a sorcerer’s condition is just about driven to the limit, there is always a person to protect the empty body.
There are two reasons.
It is to assist when the sorcerer can’t return their soul to their original body by themselves.
And, it is to prevent a different soul from hijacking the empty body and protect it from being cursed.
Although, if you form a barrier to defend against another soul from penetrating, if it’s just left for a short amount of time, the soul will not go away and return too quickly. (Darknari: added soul in the last part so it’s more obvious what it is talking about)
“Good work. First, have some honey to cleanse your palate.” (Almis)
I hand a small bottle of honey to the two.
The two tasted the honey with a blissful face.
“Sorry to overwork you. Because the only sorcerers that are able to soul ride are you girls…….” (Almis)
“It’s alright. There is no problem.” (Tetra)
“I’m glad to be of use.” (Lulu)
The two people laughingly answer.
Incidentally, my eyes meet a hawk.
It has turned to look away.
Somehow I seem to be disliked by the hawks that are raised by Tetra, Lulu, and Soyon.
I guess it was wrong to have said to throw them away back in the old days.
These three turned out to be splendid adults now.
According to Julia, it seems that these hawks are larger and stronger than the typical hawks used for soul riding.
In other words, that alone is an advantage.
In an aerial dogfight, it is a big factor on what kind of animal that you are riding.
It is understandable if I remember the fighter planes in modern warfare.
“I have a request for you guys.” (Almis)
When I said so, the hawks stuck out their chest.
They can understand words?
“Hey there, hey there, Almis-san. The items you ordered were prepared.” (Einzo)
Einzo smiled with a grin.
“I’ll make it slightly cheaper. So please buy a lot of it.” (Einzo)
“Thank you very much for that.” (Almis)
His good image rose a little.
“Then, I will confirm it.” (Almis)
Einzo takes the ordered items out as I said so.
It is a big bow. The bow type is the so-called long bow.
“It is the latest bow in Karisha. The arrowhead is iron. There is little equipment that it can’t penetrate in the Adernia Peninsula. But…….can you handle it?” (Einzo)
“Yes. Because there is an excellent archer among my companions.” (Almis)
If it’s Gram, he will manage it.
“Then, there is no problem. I filled the carriage with the same ones. I also packed the arrows.” (Einzo)
Einzo-san said so and handed me the long bow.
“Next is the shield. This is made out of wood with iron affixed to it. And, the protective gear is made out of leather.” (Einzo)
“Yes, no doubt.” (Almis)
I actually wanted iron protective gear, but I was still unable to buy it.
I heard that it costs quite a lot for a quality one.
“Next is iron fragments……What are you using it for?” (Einzo)
“It is a secret.” (Almis)
This will be mixed with the black powder.
It is in order to increase its ability to kill and wound. A bomb by itself doesn’t have so much of a killing ability.
“Then, these curse stones. What are you using it for? There are a lot of small ones. Well, originally the small articles aren’t marketable so it is good.” (Einzo)
“Yes, thank you very much.” (Almis)
Fortunately, curse stones that correspond to magic stones which aren’t suitable for curses, were very cheap.
These magic stones are used to write the ignition magic formula as a substitute for a fuse.
It is inconvenient to ignite the fuse every time you throw it, and if the fire goes out on the way, it becomes an un-exploded shell.
“A very strong liquor. Is this also an order?” (Einzo)
“Yes. That’s right.” (Almis)
It’s not to be used to drink in a party particularly. It is for sterilizing.
“Then, the last article is to be handled with care.” (Einzo)
Einzo said so while putting on gloves. And he handed leather gloves to me.
A small jar is taken out.
“It is aconite poison. Pay attention to not let it touch you because it will be a catastrophe. When applying it on a arrow, you have to wear gloves and please use the method of dipping the arrowhead into the pot. You will die if the poison soaks through cloth and touches an open wound.” (Einzo) (Darknari: aconite aka monkshood, wolf’s bane)
“Yes. I understand it well.” (Almis)
If there is poison, I can surely murder the enemy.
It’s unknown whether it’s a little cowardly, but I can’t say such a thing.
Even feces and urine is enough to become a poison, but we have too small of a population for that.
I am aiming for a decisive short term battle. Therefore fast acting poison is necessary.
The enemy’s main equipment is made of wood.
Then, I can sufficiently penetrate them with an arrow. And if an arrow hits…….
It means that.
Because the longbow has a range of several fold compared to the Adernia Peninsula’s bow, so a one-sided attack is possible for a while.
“And this is on the house.” (Einzo)
Einzo handed one sword to me.
What is this? There is a grain pattern…..
“The sword is made of Dragon Damascus steel. This metal can only be struck by the race that lives in the east side of the Karisha country called the People of the Desert. A special metal from the core of a dragon called dragon gold is mixed with iron and is forged in a dragon’s flame sac for 3 days and 3 nights to temper it.” (Einzo)
Though I don’t understand it well……
In short, isn’t it terribly expensive?
“Yes, but I don’t want you to die yet. You have not yet taught me the method to manufacture paper. And, I would still like to be your patron in the future.” (Einzo) (Darknari: he reads minds O.O)
“Really?……Thank you very much. Though I can’t show you the method of paper manufacture so easily.” (Almis)
I laugh and turn my back to exit Einzo-san’s store.
“…….Fortunes of war.” (Einzo)
“Yes, I will return without fail.” (Almis)
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Author’s note:
It is Damascus steel.
There are two kinds in this world: the Damascus steel that does not use dragon gold which is equivalent to the Damascus steel on Earth, and the Dragon Damascus steel that is made by mixing Damascus steel and dragon gold.
By the way, the Dragon Damascus steel ranges from best to worst (Well, even the worst is much harder than ordinary steel).
Dragon gold’s quality is proportional to the level status of the dragon.
The Dragon Damascus steel sword was made from dragon gold that was taken from a high level dragon, it is an excellent sword.
The Dragon Damascus steel sword turned out to be a divine sword made out of dragon gold from a myth level dragon.
The Dragon Damascus steel sword which Einzo handed to Almis is an excellent sword.
Though the People of the Desert literally live in the desert, they are excellent at striking iron in the flame sac that is removed from the high level dragon called Salamander that lives in that same desert.
Einzo heard the story to some extent from King Rosaith, and thought that this fellow might become a big shot as he handed over the sword.
It is an investment.