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“Margrave Baumeister-dono, how admirable of you to have called for me! The folks from the magic tool guild have been full of themselves because they started to test toy-like magic sleighs with the royal army, but compared to the prototype of my new magic sleigh…”
“(No, I didn’t called for you in the first place!)”
“(Wend, isn’t it kind of dangerous to rely on this middle-aged dude?)”
“(His Highness Wald gave the order, so we cannot afford to ignore him. Also, there’s no way we can travel a long distance across frozen fields on foot. Magic airships aren’t an option either. There are some risks, but since it’s not like he didn’t produce any results until now, we can hope that his new magic sleigh could be a successful product too. Anyway, we must catch up with the exploration teams led by Peter and His Highness who departed before us, so a magic sleigh will be crucial)”
The exploration teams, made up of elites from both countries, had gone ahead. Following them, the exploration teams personally led by Peter and His Highness had departed in competition. Those four groups had invaded the monster domain, heading for the wall known as the northern end of the world──in the end I don’t think they’ll find anything like that over there though──but they apparently woke the sleeping dogs. As the monsters became increasingly active, they struggled to continue northwards, according to the reports we got through the MHCD.
It was the same in my previous life, but having such a convenient tool like the MHCD in return increases the workload… That said, I cannot simply opt not to carry one with me either.
The Empire, which wants to claim ownership of the northern continent, and the Kingdom, which wishes to confirm whether any weapons of the Ancient Magic Civilization are hidden under the ice, albeit not having any ambitions for this continent; the intentions of those two countries overlapped, resulting in us being forced to participate in the exploration, even though we had just been enjoying angling here every day.
Moreover, His Highness Wald summoned a certain helper──well, it’s just Beckenbauer-san──so that our small group of elites could quickly move. He soon appeared at our encampment, bringing a new magic sleigh similar to a scow without masts and sails. According to him, it should perform much better than the magic sleighs the magic tool guild provided to the Kingdom’s exploration teams beforehand.
The helper──though it’s just Beckenbauer-san──considers the magic tool guild as his rival, so one should take his talk with a grain of salt…or no, considering Beckenbauer-san’s character, it’s very likely that his new magic sleigh is really highly efficient since he’s the type of man who wants to rub his superiority under the nose of his opponents rather than trying to sabotage them.
Either way, we must test the new magic sleigh’s performance first. Given that I’m not the type of person who would want to use something without any rehearsals, I absolutely have to try it out. With that said, Erw, Beckenbauer-san, and I ran some test runs.
“I think it’s perfectly specified for usage on the northern continent.”
“I heard the whole continent is covered by ice, so I strengthened the sleigh by making its bottom flat. The idea is for them to run across the ice surface by sliding. A new magic engine has greatly increased its output.”
“That’s fine and all, but are we going to be okay on fuel?”
Magic engines seem to move on mana. They’re also used on magic airships, but only those excavated from the ruins of the Ancient Magic Civilization or produced by the demons are currently on the market. The demon airships are recycled from oversized garbage by Lyra-san and her team. So far, we haven’t concluded a trade agreement with the demon country, but as long as there’s demand, traders will reliably make sure to meet it. That’s how society works.
But I hear the magic engine of this new sleigh is a prototype created by Beckenbauer-san.
“The mana consumption is somewhat high, but it’s not bad enough for you to have to worry. With Margrave Baumeister and his wives’ mana capacity, it will be easy to supply the necessary mana. Above all, the sleigh is pretty fast.”
Beckenbauer-san’s words carry some truth. We need speed most of all right now. That’s why it’s not wrong to go with the new magic sleigh. His Highness Wald hasn’t been mistaken in making that decision, but…
“We have to test what sort of sleigh it is by test driving it in advance.”
“Well, it sure would be dangerous to find out during the real deal.”
“I think it’s going to be alright, but there are always completely unexpected issues which could crop up.”
Hence, Erw, Beckenbauer-san, and I got into a new magic sleigh.
“Somehow it seems like it’s going to be a fun ride.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“How fast can this go?”
Before I noticed, Fujiko, Lulu, and Philine had also climbed onto the sleigh.
“Watch out to not fall off.”
I wouldn’t stop them if this were a normal sleigh, but this is one of Beckenbauer-san’s trial products. He has a tendency to wrap up things in a somewhat funny way, even though it’s sometimes a bit dangerous. Yet he never reflects on what he did. And because he’s such a person, he’s also a superb researcher, but it’s best to keep children as far away from him as possible.
I’m a responsible adult, and as such I ordered the kids to get off the magic sleigh, telling them that it’s dangerous and not some toy.
“Milord, it won’t be much of a test if the number of people boarding it is too low.”
“Lulu will also stay back here at the camp, so…”
“We’re going to remain here, so we wish to be as helpful to you, Wendelin-sama, as possible.”
“Uhh…”
I get weak when I’m told stuff like that by little girls and sweet girls.
“But, you see…if the magic sleigh breaks while traveling at high speed…”
It’s very dangerous, so I feel like it’d be better for those three to not get on the sleigh…
“They’re requesting it themselves, so isn’t it okay to give them the go-ahead? Besides, even he wouldn’t bring a defective product that could fall apart during high-speed travel…”
“Buh, how rude! This sleigh has already been tested many times on water, but hasn’t been involved in a single accident!”
Beckenbauer-san was quite pissed when Erw and I looked at him with eyes full of doubt. He seemed quite confident in his creation.
“I will drive on it as well. Kids, feel free to ride the sleigh without any worries.”
“If something should happen, we can escape with Wendelin-sama’s Flight.”
“That’s why it’s safe, I’d think.”
“It’s safe as long as Wendelin-sama rides with us.”
“Argh!”
However, I was the one those three trusted, and it was clear Beckenbauer-san hadn’t earned that kind of trust with them. Realizing this fact, he suffered quite a shock. Then again, if you think back on his track record, words, and deeds so far, you won’t find any compelling reason to trust him…
Did he himself believe he had a great deal of credibility or something?
“Anyway, I’d like to depart as quickly as possible. Let’s test this soon.”
“True. We’re going to head out, kids.”
“””Okaaaay!”””
After getting permission from Erw and Beckenbauer-san, the kids got on the magic sleigh and waited for it to depart. The sleigh resembled a boat and was unexpectedly spacious, big enough to hold ten people.
I can see the new magic engine installed at its back, but it’s smaller than I assumed. Did he manage to downsize the engine through technological progress?
“You just need to directly touch it and send mana into it. Once its tank is full, you can stop pumping mana into it.”
“Rather convenient, I have to admit.”
This invention of Beckenbauer-san might actually be superior to the prototype and research of the Magic Tool Guild. I feel like it’d also be fine for him to simply become a member of the magic tool guild, but did something happen between him and the guild in the past?
Anyhow, he hates the magic tool guild and views them as rivals to an abnormal degree, so I feel like it’s best not to probe into this matter.
“So, the steering…you do it.”
“Me?”
Beckenbauer-san appointed Erw as helmsman. The new magic sleigh has a cockpit. It has a steering wheel like those on boats and throttles you can move up and down. It’s a surprisingly simple design.
“Why me?”
“We will drive at high speed across ice. Someone who does swordsmanship and possesses a good kinetic vision is obviously the best choice here.”
“I see. You have a point.”
It’s the same for magic airships, too, but it’s not like you can’t helm them without mana. People with good kinetic vision and reflexes are suited to helming a fast-moving vehicle.
“Margrave Baumeister-dono, please stay close to the magic engine.”
“To make sure that it’s easy to supply mana, right?”
“You got it right.”
“So, how do I move this?”
“You influence the direction of the sleigh with the steering wheel, and if you raise that throttle to the highest position, the boat will move at maximum output. If you lower it to the lowest setting, it’ll shut off. Simple, isn’t it?”
Sitting in the seat next to Erw, Beckenbauer-san guided him on how to operate the sleigh.
“It certainly is simple. Are you ready?”
“All ready here.”
“Me too.”
“I’m ready.”
“I’m stuck to a fixed position.”
“Okay. I’m going to raise the throttle.”
Erw, the new operator of the sleigh, probably raised the throttle, seeing how the vehicle started to slowly move.
“It’s surprising that it doesn’t shake.”
“The ground is relatively evenly frozen over. I’d say its use is limited to the northern continent, though. This new engine has also been developed for a ship on water.”
“I see.”
The sleigh definitely resembles a boat. Once it started moving, the magic sleigh kept driving across the ice without any abnormalities. But its speed…
“It isn’t all that fast, is it?”
“True.”
“It’s not that different from the dog sleigh I was allowed to ride the other day.”
The kids had boarded the sleigh in high spirits, but since it wasn’t traveling as fast as they had hoped for, they seemed disgruntled.
“With this, it won’t be much of a difference, even if we borrow magic sleighs from the magic tool guild at the Kingdom’s base camp, no?”
“What are you even saying, Margrave Baumeister-dono!? He’s still getting familiar with the steering of the sleigh. The throttle has been barely raised! We will soon run a speed test!”
“Eh? Full speed all of a sudden!?”
Beckenbauer-san has a childish side. He got angry when we criticized his sleigh for being slow. He leaned forward from the seat next to me, pushed the throttle to the maximum in one go, and in the next instant, the sleigh started to travel with a frightening velocity.
“Mnuooooooh!”
It was a speed incomparable to before. It might be faster than the Shinkansen. The scenery hasn’t changed much since we’re in a world dominated by ice, but I felt afraid as the sudden G-force pressed into my body. But because I couldn’t leave my seat next to the magic engine, I could lay my hand on the throttle.
“Don’t push the output to the maximum all of a sudden!”
“Margrave Baumeister-dono, you said the sleigh is slow. That’s why I sped it up.”
“Are you a kid or something!?”
Getting irritated over something like this…even the kids’ group wouldn’t do something like that…
“Sheesh! Fujiko, Lulu, Philine, are you okay?”
Now is not the time to have an unproductive quarrel with Beckenbauer-san. I must confirm the kids’ safety.
Just as I thought that…
“Fujiko-chan, it was fun, wasn’t it?”
“Yep. Driving so fast that you cut through the fun is awesome.”
“Wendelin-sama, it has been fun.”
Compared to the vehicles of modern society, the new sleigh lacks any sort of safety system, but the three girls fully enjoyed its acceleration. The girls felt like cheerful children when riding a roller coaster.
“(Haah! Which reminds me, I…!)”
I forgot about it, but I’m really bad with vehicles that are close to rollercoasters. But I could never afford to scream as an adult, not to mention shamefully demand to be let off, in front of small girls…
“Oh? You’re quite obedient, Margrave Baumeister-dono.”
“(That’s the last thing on my mind right now!) Are we…done with the test run?”
I barely managed to squeeze this out, but…
“We were able to prove that the new sleigh is capable of displaying enough performance. Erwin-dono, please return to the camp.”
“Roger. Umm…what should I do to lower the speed for a U-turn?”
“Lower the propulsion by pulling the throttle down. Since the speed will drop, you won’t have any option but to do a U-turn. There’s no need to fret either, though.”
“Fair point.”
The magic sleigh gradually lost speed, and after some time, it should be easily possible to carry out a U-turn…or so I thought, but…
“Beckenbauer-san, won’t it be fine to do a U-turn with this level of speed?”
“Yes. Start with an accel turn! On the way back, you can go at full spee───ed!”
“Stooo───oop!”
Although I somehow managed to endure the journey, the sharp accel turn and the high speed on the way back almost plunged my mind into the netherworld. It seems I still haven’t cured my hatred of thrill rides. There existed no reason to heal it, so it’s only natural, though.
＊ ＊ ＊
———– End of Part 1 ———–
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