Novel Full Chapter 711
Chapter 711- 21-22
Chapter 21-22: Goals for the Year
On the morning of January 2, Jin awoke at 8 a.m., Horai Island time.
There was a two-hour-and-twenty-minute time difference from Kaina Village, so he had more than enough time to visit Hanna.
Rubbing her sleepy eyes, Elsa rose as well, and together they joined Reiko for breakfast.
The menu consisted of white rice, miso soup with fried tofu and okara, pickled plums, grilled dried horse mackerel (or rather, a fish much like it), and roasted tea.
“I must apologize, but since we haven’t found any glutinous rice, I couldn’t prepare ozoni.”
For New Year’s, the traditional dish was ozoni, yet the indispensable mochi could only be made from glutinous rice, not the regular non-glutinous kind Jin and the others usually ate.
Glutinous rice starch had the unique property of producing strong viscosity when cooked—an essential trait for making mochi.
Incidentally, the word mochi (餅) derives from 糯, which refers to crops with starch that contain little to no amylose.
“Well, this is one of my favorites anyway,” Jin said as he drank the miso soup with obvious relish.
“Jin-nii, I like this too.”
Elsa seemed quite fond of the okara miso soup as well.
“That’s good. Okara is rich in dietary fiber, and it’s good for beauty too… or so I’ve heard.”
At those words, Elsa’s eating pace seemed to quicken slightly.
Reiko, who had prepared the meal, watched their enjoyment with quiet satisfaction.
『My Lord, I’ve just thought of something.』
After breakfast, with a little time to spare, Jin went to check on the analysis of the transfer device they had received from “Unit 700672.” There, Lao-kun presented him with an interesting proposal.
“All right, let’s hear it.”
『Yes. If we send out a marker with the transporter, and then use the transfer device to transport the entire transporter to that marker… wouldn’t this qualify as a “warp engine”?』
“I see…”
Lao-kun, Jin’s magi-brain creation, occasionally conceived ideas even Jin had not considered. This was, in itself, proof of Jin’s exceptional talent as its creator.
“You’re right. That would be a way of realizing a kind of pseudo–warp engine.”
『Indeed. However, the drawback is that the transporter cannot be miniaturized too much, because of its directional measurement system.』
At the heart of the transporter was its orientation system, essentially the same as the magi-radar. Using triangulation, the farther apart two measuring devices were, the more accurate the readings became over long distances.
“Wait… If we equip that marker with the functions of a magic eye, we could actually see the destination, couldn’t we?”
That would confirm the accuracy of the transfer point and reveal any dangers present—an enormous improvement in safety.
“Would be interesting to try installing it experimentally on something.”
『Shall we perhaps build a large aircraft—say, a Condor 4—for such a trial?』
“Yes, that sounds good. Go ahead and proceed experimentally.”
『Understood.』
If a warp engine could be achieved, travel would become vastly easier. Even if only pseudo, Jin felt this approach held considerable promise.
At the planned time, Jin, Reiko, Elsa, and Edgar traveled to Kaina Village.
On the 2nd, Kaina Village had already set aside the New Year’s festivities, and daily life had returned to normal.
(Is modern Japan simply too indulgent with its holidays…?)
Watching the villagers at their work, Jin mused to himself.
For Kaina, which had no concept of fixed holidays, the routine life was itself valued most.
“Onii-chan!”
Hanna came running over.
Children, of course, were an exception.
With life in the village having grown easier, they were much freed from house chores and now had more time to study and play.
Study sessions would resume on the 4th, so the so-called three New Year’s days served as their winter break, and the children were cheerfully at play.
“You’ve been making snowmen?”
“Mm! Look, look!”
Hanna had built Japanese-style snowmen—two snowballs stacked, decorated with stones for faces.
“Oh, that’s well done.”
“See, this one’s Grandma, this one’s Onii-chan, that’s Reiko-oneechan, this one’s Elsa-oneechan. And this is me!”
Five snowmen of varying sizes stood in a circle. Jin patted Hanna’s head.
“Good work. Aren’t you cold, though?”
“Nope, I’m fine. I’ve got the mittens you gave me!”
Made from the fur of an ice-hare, the mittens kept out both cold and damp.
On her feet she wore boots of snow tiger leather.
The children of Kaina, naturally hardy, were bursting with energy as they played in the snow.
The happy hours passed swiftly.
After noon, Jin and his group had to take their leave.
“Have a good trip, Onii-chan.”
Hanna smiled as she saw him off.
Jin silently vowed to himself: he would keep striving this year as well, to protect that smile.
“Forty-meter-class ships, you say!?”
In the Kingdom of Cellroa, King Richard Valois de Cellroa grew enraged upon hearing the report.
Word had reached him of the encounter on December 12, off Coop in Cellroa waters, between the Shouro Empire’s Bernstein and the merchant Eckart Tekres’s Brigitte.
“To think that a ship of such immense scale, one our royal navy itself does not possess, has already been made practical!”
Cellroa’s capital Esaiya lay flanked by two great rivers—the Azul and the Torres—and to the north stretched the great Lake Azul.
For a realm such as theirs, to fall behind in shipbuilding was a wound to the king’s pride.
“Immediately, draw up a national plan to construct a ship of colossal size! This year, Cellroa will stand above all nations!”
In Cellroa, the king’s command was absolute. First Minister of Internal Affairs Lambroe promptly convened a council to launch the project.
“The budget—what of the budget!?”
“Where will the manpower come from?”
“Construction site… should we use Lake Azul?”
“But then how will we move it to the sea?”
“The Azul and then the Naudalia Rivers will suffice!”
After heated debate, it was resolved: a dock would be built on Lake Azul, with the kingdom’s best magi-craftsmen and shipwrights conscripted.
Extraordinary taxes were levied, stoking discontent among the people.
Yet none dared remonstrate, fearing the king’s wrath.
Amid this…
“Father, this plan is too hasty!”
The Crown Prince—first prince Cesar—voiced his protest.
“Cesar. Do you object?”
King Richard’s gaze bore down from the throne.
“I do not oppose the plan itself. But are we not rushing it far too quickly? Haste breeds oversight, and oversights lead to accidents.”
But the king only scoffed.
“Ha! Do you doubt the strength of our magic and technology?”
“This is not about doubt. I simply believe it best to minimize risk where possible.”
“There is some truth in that. But consider this: national prestige outweighs vague fears. To lag behind the Shouro Empire is one thing—but can we abide being outdone by mere merchants?”
The prince lowered his eyes briefly, then raised them again with firm resolve.
“No. But rather than say we have been outdone, why not proclaim instead: ‘Even private citizens of our nation wield such skill’? Would that not better serve?”
“Ho… an amusing thought. Very well. Coop is my brother’s fief, is it not? Then we shall instruct Alain to requisition that Eckart fellow’s ship.”
Requisition—meaning to seize it by authority of the crown.
“Father! That will only stoke the people’s resentment!”
“Foolish boy. This land belongs to the crown, and so do the people upon it. What fault is there in taking what is already mine?”
“Father…”
“Cesar, as the next king you must learn this well: rule the people such that they neither thrive too greatly nor fall into ruin. That balance is the key to prosperity.”
“…Excuse me.”
The crown prince, head bowed, withdrew from the throne room.