For now, I had built the keel, the bottom of the ship, and the ribs. With that done, it was just a matter of installing the walls, floor, and stairs to match the shape. It was fun to watch the ship gradually take form.
“I think I’ll make several rooms of this size here… Oh, and the storage room should be larger. It’d be nice if there were windows to brighten the interior.”
As I happily worked on the ship, I realized the deck had already been completed. By the way, I had prepared five masts for the sails. The masts extending from the second-floor floorboards were quite thick.
“Next is the ship’s bridge. I could build it like a normal house, but I want to add some ingenuity…”
Saying that, I leaned against one of the masts and tilted my head. At that moment, Tran, who had been inspecting the ship’s shape on the deck, walked over.
“Viscount Van, have you run out of magical energy?” he asked.
His words made me recall the original plan. Ah, right. I was supposed to take small breaks while building the ship. I’d been so caught up in the fun of building, I had forgotten about that. Could I still manage by taking a break now?
“Well, yes. I might have rushed a bit. If you could give me some advice while I rest, it would be helpful,” I replied.
“Oh, I see. It’s still lunchtime, so it would be best to take a proper break. It would be bad if you collapsed,” Tran said.
Hearing that, I felt relieved and used the materials brought to me to quickly set up a temporary resting area. I stretched out a simple tarp for everyone to rest under and set up chairs. I arranged the chairs in a circle and took a seat, exhaling. The chairs were the kind with small tables attached—perfect for a camping trip.
“Van-sama, you must be tired,” Til said.
“Thank you, Til.”
Til, along with the young knights and Rosso’s attendants, brought drinks for everyone. As I took a fruit water and relaxed in the chair, Tran, sitting across from me, looked at me with a somewhat exasperated expression.
“…I thought your magical energy was running low, but was I mistaken?” he asked.
At his words, I snapped back to attention. When I glanced to the side, I saw Panamera looking exasperated, while Rosso, with a wry smile, sipped his tea. And behind me, Espada let out a small sigh.
The pressure was almost overwhelming, but I forced an ambiguous smile toward Tran.
“Well, I’m… really exhausted, you know? But, I just wanted everyone to be able to rest too…”
“That’s appreciated, but…”
It seemed he didn’t quite believe me.
“By the way, what do you think of the ship? I feel like I’ve fixed all the parts you pointed out so far…” I quickly changed the subject, hoping to deflect the conversation.
Tran crossed his arms and lightly shook his head.
“Well, let’s see. If the rudder, pulleys, and core rods are made as I suggested, then it should be a completely different ship from the one we saw yesterday…”
After saying this, Tran showed a somewhat intimidating smile.
“…If Viscount Van would speak honestly, perhaps there would be some advice in return, to match the trust you’ve placed in us.”
“W-What do you mean…?” I stammered, diverting my gaze from his.
However, it was pointless. Tran let out a short breath and turned his face toward Rosso.
“…Marquis Rosso?”
When Tran called his name, Rosso let out a soft laugh.
“…Well, I suppose it can’t be helped. Van, could you show us how to make a ballista? I was hoping to see it again.”
At those words, I smiled broadly, feeling relieved.
“Understood! I’ll make one right away!”
With permission to do whatever I wanted, I no longer had to worry about anything. I could make the ship exactly how I wanted! I’m going to make the most powerful warship!
Excited, I started making a ballista. It wasn’t a repeating one, but rather a single-shot type with a shield, designed to be easily maneuvered. Its range was about one kilometer, and it could move not just left and right but also up and down.
“This is from yesterday…”
I turned to Tran, who was surprised, and placed my palm on the ballista.
“This ballista is designed to easily aim even with the ship’s rocking. The shield allows it to block some attacks. If we attach about fifty of these to the sides, the ship will have formidable offensive power.”
“Fifty!? You’re going to put fifty of these…!?” Tran exclaimed, clearly shocked.
Good, good. That’s the reaction I wanted. This is getting fun.
“Next, the ship’s bridge! Alright, let’s build it! Kamshin, can you go get the materials?”
“Got it!”
As the ship grew larger and the rocking decreased, Kamshin seemed much more energetic. He responded with a loud voice and ran across the deck. The knights were waiting on the pier, so the transportation of materials was quickly carried out.
From what I had heard from Tran, the bridge could be built flat, like a one-story house, but I wanted to make it two-story so it could have a rooftop with a ballista. I lightened the weight, so it shouldn’t affect the ship’s balance or draft.
Once I got used to building ships, who knows? A truly powerful battleship or aircraft carrier might not be impossible after all. Though, I don’t have cannons or fighter jets, so there’s that.
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