[Rosso]
Building a ship. It didn’t seem like something that could be done easily. In my domain, we have small boats used for fishing in nearby seas. But they are hardly capable of even venturing a few kilometers out into the ocean. Of course, I’ve designed and built large ships before. However, none of them were successful.
That’s why, when Van spoke, I was half-skeptical.
But then, the next day, I was completely taken aback when I saw the large ship floating on the sea.
“...I can’t believe it, really...”
All I could say was this. Afterward, I was left speechless, simply gazing up at the massive ship that had just been completed.
[Tran]
“Please show me the ship!”
It was a childlike, innocent expression of curiosity and interest. Or so I thought. But upon hearing the sudden report from the sailors, I couldn’t believe my ears. Then, I turned to look toward the land and questioned my own eyes.
“What... What is that...!? What ship is that!?”
Just a month or two ago, it was confirmed that the Scuderia Kingdom didn’t have the technology to build large ships. The Yellenetta Kingdom likely couldn’t either. But there, right in front of the town of Tribute, on the sea, was that ship.
“I... I don’t know! But it looks just like this Fleetwood...”
The sailor didn’t say any more, but everyone must have thought the same thing upon seeing the mysterious large ship appear.
“...We can’t return right away now. Prepare a boat. We’ll head to Marquis Rosso to check it out.”
I said, setting out in a small boat, passing closely by the mysterious ship on my way to Tribute. Unlike Fleetwood, it wasn’t covered in metal plates. However, it was made of materials I had never seen before.
And, before I knew it, a magnificent pier had stretched out from the town of Tribute. It was clearly designed to accommodate large ships, extending nearly a hundred meters out into the sea. Surprisingly, it even seemed to have equipment for mooring the ship.
The Scuderia Kingdom doesn’t have the technology to build large ships. That meant we should have no operational knowledge either. I was certain of that. But...
My confused mind couldn’t make sense of it. When I finally arrived at Tribute, I was fortunate enough to find the very people I had been seeking.
“Oh, Tran!”
As soon as Van noticed me, he turned and called out. I quickly completed the mooring, walking briskly on the pier as I approached.
“Viscount Van! Marquis Rosso! What... What is this ship...!?”
I tried to remain calm and ask, but Van took a step back and gave a wry smile. Instead, Rosso slowly turned to face me and spoke.
“...Well. This is a ship that Viscount Van had built as a prototype after inspecting your ship, Fleetwood…”
“B-Built... But he only saw the ship just a few days ago...”
Upon hearing Rosso’s words, I looked back at Van. He was forcing a strained smile.
“Viscount Van. Could you explain this to me?”
I immediately turned toward Van and asked. Van responded with a dry chuckle and nodded.
“Y-Yes. Well, I rode on Tran’s ship, Fleetwood, and wanted to try building a ship myself...”
“Building, just like that? It’s not something you can just decide to do and make, is it?”
I felt uneasy about Van’s answer and argued. Building a ship. A small boat might be one thing, but a large ship takes months to construct. And it involves over a hundred workers. Especially the design and exterior work requires specialized knowledge and skill.
That’s why I said what I did, but Van answered calmly.
“Actually, I’ve been involved in building structures and fortresses... Oh, and I’ve also made a small boat in my domain...”
“No, small boats and large ships are completely different. Large ships require years of research. The shape of the hull, the draft, the weight and center of gravity relative to the area, and the stabilizing measures for rough seas... Not a single one of these is easy.”
When I told him this, Van nodded vigorously.
“Exactly! To get a ship afloat, it really takes years of research. But, fortunately, I had the chance to ride on a large ship that had been researched and built over many years.”
“...That’s...”
At Van’s words, I was surprised and instinctively looked toward Fleetwood. Van smiled up at me.
“Yes! Thanks to Tran! At first, I couldn’t have built it just by the simple ship shape that was shown to me. But by actually riding on it, I was able to confirm the parts that were unclear to me with my own eyes...”
Van said with an embarrassed smile, but it was hard to laugh at his words. After hearing Van’s explanation, my doubts only deepened.
“...Then, what about this pier? This pier is split into two sections to accommodate large ships that require multiple mooring points. It’s actually been moored with ropes from both sides. Also, there are fendering systems on the pier to prevent damage to the hull... This kind of knowledge can only exist in a country that operates large ships...”
As I said that, I kept an eye on the changing expressions of Rosso and Panamera.
The Scuderia Kingdom, perhaps, was hiding its shipbuilding technology to steal our own. A strong suspicion grew in my heart.
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