I led everyone inside the ship. The deck had a captain’s seat and a bridge, but I decided to save that for last.
“First, let’s go to the bottom floor, the first level. If we consider the deck as the ground level, this would be the third level underground. There is a large wooden spine called the keel, running along the center of the ship’s bottom, and on top of it are rocks that serve as ballast. There is also seawater inside the ship’s walls to adjust the ship's center of gravity when it encounters waves.”
“Seawater inside the walls of the ship? Is that safe?”
Panamera asked with concern, and I nodded in response.
“Yes, that’s right. We’ve taken precautions to prevent leakage, but since it hasn’t been in operation yet, we can’t be sure. For now, I think the shifting center of gravity will help reduce the rolling of the ship when the waves come.”
I continued explaining, answering questions as I went along.
“The second floor consists of the cabins. There are sleeping quarters for the crew and guests, as well as a dining hall. Due to various reasons, the kitchen is located on the third floor.”
“Hm, but there’s no bath?”
“A bath is difficult. We’ve installed a filtration system to turn seawater into fresh water, but it’s not yet enough to use fresh water freely. I’ll need to think more about that.”
“We could collect rainwater and boil it.”
“Oh, that’s a good idea. I’ll consider that too.”
With such casual conversations mixed in, we made our way back to the deck.
“Now, as for the warehouse and materials, they’re managed on the third floor, so unloading from the ship should be easy. Now, let’s move to the bridge.”
Leading everyone, I moved to the two-story bridge I had set up on the deck. It was designed to provide a high vantage point, allowing for an excellent view while still having a comfortable and spacious layout.
Placing my hand on the steering wheel, which hadn’t been used yet, Rosso let out an amazed voice as he looked out from the bridge.
“...I’m truly amazed. To think that such a ship was completed in just half a day.”
As Rosso said this, looking around the interior, Panamera chuckled and shook her head.
“Viscount Van’s magic never fails to amaze me. And this material... it’s so sturdy and resistant to decay, it hardly seems like wood at all. This is probably the best material for a ship.”
After Panamera said that, she glanced briefly at Tran and the others. They were already looking at us with expressions closer to fear than suspicion. Meanwhile, Dee sighed in frustration.
“...This is unlike any ship I’ve seen before. But if ships like these begin to influence the outcome of battles, swords might no longer be necessary.”
At Dee’s words, I smiled wryly and negated his concern.
“No, no, in the end, we’ll still need to carry weapons and fight in close combat. Ballistae aren’t always going to decide the outcome, and in naval battles, there will still be times when we’ll board the enemy ship.”
I explained this to Dee, who straightened up with a proud smile.
“Ah, I see! In that case, let’s continue sharpening our sword skills! Wahahaha!”
Simple and straightforward. Well, with Dee, he’ll probably end up cutting through enemy ships too, so it’s fine to have him focus on training.
As we continued chatting and laughing, Tran walked over with his subordinates.
“...Viscount Van.”
“Yes?”
I responded and turned around when my name was called. Glancing over, I saw Dee, still smiling, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword. Kamshin was also standing just behind me, in perfect position as my bodyguard.
Turning fully toward Tran, I saw that he was looking down at me with a stern expression.
“...Looking at the construction, it’s clear that you must have thoroughly examined our ship. But to think you could complete something like this in one day... No, I didn’t see any sign of it last night... so, you built this ship in half a day?”
As Tran said this, disbelief was written all over his face. Well, that’s understandable. The more familiar one is with ships, the harder it is to believe something like this.
“Oh, just to let you know, this ship is a hastily made prototype. I only roughly mimicked the shape, so I would really appreciate any advice you could give, Tran.”
I honestly explained my intentions and observed the change in Tran’s expression. I could see not just doubt and caution, but also confusion and unease.
Tran, silently staring into my eyes, eventually sighed and shook his head.
“...There’s no malice in you. If I’ve been fooled by Viscount Van, then it’s just that I, Tran Bronco, lacked insight. I’ll just have to think of it that way.”
With a voice tinged with exhaustion, Tran muttered these words, then exhaled and laughed. He then looked over at Rosso.
“Marquis Rosso, is it correct to assume that this ship belongs to Viscount Van?”
“Hm, yes. Since it couldn’t have been made without Viscount Van, it’s safe to say it belongs to him.”
When Rosso answered, Tran nodded and turned away.
“Then, Viscount Van, please give us permission to operate this ship. We’ll confirm its behavior by actually moving it.”
“Will you cooperate with us!? Wow, thank you!”
“Ha ha ha... Since I’m not a professional ship designer, don’t expect too much from us.”
No comments:
Post a Comment