Chapter 372 - Missing Piece, Fitting Piece
Thursday
After-school club.
After dinner with Lupi and the others, and Sweee's group, I started working on the raft. I had cut the wood yesterday, so I just needed to make more rope.
Even so, explaining yesterday's events to Natto and Iincho during lunch was tough. Of course, they were worried about Mion, but I told them I was properly consulting with Kumano-sensei, and also about Mion's parents… and they finally seemed to understand.
『Shou-kun. Tsubaki-san just contacted me. She's asking if Saturday at 2 PM in their virtual conference room works for the image character meeting.』
"Ah, I'm okay with that, but Mion, are your lessons alright?"
『Yes. I'll take a day off.』
If that's the case, then it's fine, I suppose. It's not really something I can dictate, and if Mion is okay with it, then it's fine.
"Then, to Kumano-sensei as well…"
『I'll let her know.』
Kumano-sensei was also in the club room, but today she was saying ominous things like it's almost time to prepare for final exams. The second week of July was the final exam period, and after that, summer vacation. Come to think of it, she mentioned a training camp starting around early August, so I'll have to make sure to hear about that properly. It would be no laughing matter if my sister Mashiro came home to an empty house…
"Alright, I guess this is good enough. It kinda looks like a raft, but… what do you think?"
『Um… I think it would be better to test it out first.』
"You're right."
It would be a joke if it sank the moment I got on. First, I'll try to get on by myself.
"…Darn it. I should've made it closer to the sea."
『Ah…』
"Wuff?"
Lupi's gaze, as if asking "What's wrong?" was painful. But, well, a raft this size, I can manage it somehow.
"Heave ho!"
Perhaps it was good that I had raised my STR, as I was able to lift the raft, which was a little larger than two tatami mats, with both hands. Since there's no sandy beach at the port, I moved to the rocky shelf where the Selkies usually come ashore.
"Kyu~?"
Surrounded by True and the Selkies, who looked at me curiously, I gently placed the raft on the water. Good, it floated normally. So far so good, or rather, that's expected.
"Lupi, wait here for a moment."
"Wuff!"
Being careful with my balance, no, this is…
[Fixation]
I used Fixation magic to hold the swaying raft still, then climbed aboard. After sitting seiza in the balanced center, I released the fixation…
"Whoops!"
Perhaps because I released it suddenly, it wobbled for a while.
"Alright, seems okay."
『That's good…』
"No, there's still more to do. Lupi, come here."
"Wuff!"
『Ah!』
When I caught Lupi as she leaped in, the raft swayed precariously, and…
"Whoa, whoa, whoa… huh?"
""Kyu~♪""
Without me noticing, the Selkies in the water had taken hold of the raft's sides and were supporting it.
"Ah, thanks."
『Shou-kun. Wouldn't it be better to have them support and carry it, rather than pull it?』
"I just thought the same thing…"
More like a portable shrine (`Omikoshi`) than a raft? "So, it's fine if you just carry it like this?"
"Kyu~♪"
Then, should I add carrying poles to make it easier to hold? I'll take it back to land and modify it…
………
……
…
"I'm back, then."
『Welcome back.』
I finished modifying the raft and returned, but Bell-buchou was probably still in IRO. And Kumano-sensei was wearing her VR HMD, but she might be preparing for final exams…
"You're back~."
"Yes, um…"
"I heard from Mion-san about the meeting on Saturday~. However~, I am here as an advisor and homeroom teacher~."
Unfortunately, she wouldn't be attending the meeting with us. Well, it would be a business discussion between UZUME (Mion's entertainment agency) and IRO management, so it couldn't be helped. Kumano-sensei was, after all, just a teacher at Mitsumori University Affiliated High School.
『Is there anything we should be careful about?』
"This is just a preliminary meeting~, so you don't need to be too nervous~. They'll probably be expecting some good news~, but let's prioritize communicating our requests~."
""Yes.""
As we were talking, Bell-buchou seemed to have returned from IRO.
"Shou-kun, what's the largest Magic Stone you've ever seen?"
"Eh? The largest Magic Stone, you mean…"
The Red Armor Bear's Magic Stone was about softball-sized, I think? "I already processed that into a Magic Crystal Stone and set it in the Magic Brewer at the port, though."
"Even softball-sized won't be enough, it seems…" Bell-buchou said.
『Shou-kun. Nina's…』
"Ah, that one. Um, I think I talked about the island's ancient ruins, but its Emergency Magic Crystal Stone is about volleyball-sized. By the way, what isn't enough?"
"Oh, I'm sorry. The southern church of the Necropolis is currently controlled by Game Dolls, but have you heard about the passage underground?"
Ah, that one. The thing Seth and I talked about a little after the last live stream.
"Seth told me about it. There's a place that looks like a control room, right?"
"Yes, but it's missing the Emergency Magic Crystal Stone you mentioned, Shou-kun. You heard about that too, right?"
"I heard about it. Are you looking for a substitute Magic Crystal Stone?"
"That's right. If we found one, they say we could revive the city's functions."
Hmm, I thought I was the only one who knew about that, based on Azure-san's analysis. Oh, no, Ice Princess Anshia probably knows too…
『Um, what are the city's functions?』
"Like streetlights, perhaps. When we were searching for the Nameless Goddess Statue, we found several installed magic tools, but none of them were usable."
"Ah, so if the city functions are revived, those might become usable?"
"Yes, Shou-kun, you actually use the equipment in the ancient ruins, don't you?"
"Hmm, both the Ancient Magic Furnace and Hearth were usable even before restarting the facility, so I can't really say. Now they don't even consume MP anymore, though."
Is it because Nina's role in our ancient ruins is Mana Recycle, and mana was plentiful through the volcano?
Bell-buchou was surprised, perhaps because it was the first time I mentioned not needing MP consumption, and I felt sorry for her.
"I wonder if there's some other factor why they remain unusable…"
『But Nina-san on the island has had her doors broken before.』
"Ah, that's right. Well, maybe the island is a bit special because of the Uninhabited Island Start, so it might not be a good reference?"
"You're right. In any case, we won't get anywhere without finding an Emergency Magic Crystal Stone, will we?"
I wonder if an even larger one than Nina's Emergency Magic Crystal Stone even exists?