Chapter 85 - Expedition Prep and a New Weapon
Several days passed after the various events, and finally, Charlotte brought good news.
"I... I've finally completed it. I'm terribly sorry, but I'll have to engrave it on the equipment tomorrow... Ah..."
With dark circles under her eyes, Charlotte stumbled into the office and promptly fainted.
"Hey, Charlotte, are you okay? She's asleep."
"She's been pulling all-nighters. She really pushes herself. Really."
"She looks so satisfied in her sleep."
"She must have worked very hard. But it seems her efforts paid off."
With the completion of the gas purification engraving, there was nothing to fear. Although we still needed to have the engraving done on our coats, today we would let Charlotte rest.
According to Siegrune, who had been assisting with the development, the completed engraving had a limited effect range and focused solely on purifying gases and smoke. Purifying dust and sweat was beyond Charlotte's current capabilities, but for the most necessary function, it was perfect. This would be a good starting point for her next goal.
Siegrune's purification field was actually an advanced third-level magic, and recreating it entirely with engraving magic required an equivalent or higher level of magic, which was a significant challenge.
However, the basic purification engraving was complete, and our expedition preparations were progressing smoothly. Then, we received some unexpected news.
A piece of equipment that would be useful for the expedition had arrived at the Kikyo Society. It was the armored personnel carrier we had commissioned from the Buladesh Company a while back, originally requested as a gift from the Balgar Clad family during a meeting. Although the development was challenging, a significant amount of time had passed, and I had almost forgotten about it.
I had made quite demanding requests, but I was curious to see the result. I immediately went to check it out with Valeria.
Upon arriving at the Buladesh Company, we quickly got to the point.
"Buladesh, it's been a while. The item we requested is ready, right?"
"Yes, it is. I admit, it's quite impressive. It took longer than expected, but please come and see."
We were led to the back of the store, not the front shop, but a spacious area that resembled a truck dock. There, standing majestically, was a monstrous vehicle that exceeded even our expectations.
"What do you think? This should do the trick, right?"
Siegrune proudly spread her arms to indicate the massive vehicle, which looked like a reinforced version of a large 10-ton truck.
"Isn't it a bit... too big? It's solid, and it seems like it could carry 3 or 4 smaller vehicles with ease."
Valeria and I were taken aback. How did it end up like this? Is bigger always better?
"Wasn't it supposed to be final?"
"I remember it being left to our discretion."
"Well, yes, but this is... a bit too much."
"True, but it meets the initial requirements you set, doesn't it?"
We looked up at the monstrous armored personnel carrier, which could only be described as a monstrosity. What are we supposed to do with this?
It was clear it wouldn't fit in the headquarters' garage. Even if we managed to bring it back, the only place to park it would be the large parking lot on Sixth Avenue. Getting it there in the first place would be a challenge. In this situation, perhaps we should build a large garage on the outskirts. I was drifting into a bit of escapism.
"Onee-sama, bigger is better, right?"
Valeria, who had recovered from her shock, seemed oddly excited.
"Is that so? But this must have cost a fortune, right? It's impressive that the Balgar Clad family approved it."
The development costs were one thing, but the materials alone for this single unit must have been exorbitantly expensive.
"Actually, it turned out to be an unexpected development. The concept of the armored personnel carrier really impressed the Balgar Clad family. They said there was no budget limit and asked us to do everything possible as a prototype. Based on this prototype, they plan to build more for the Clad family. Since it's a prototype, we packed in as many features as possible. We got good data and valuable experience, but even our veteran craftsmen said they would never want to build such a large-scale project again."
Rich people think in ways I can't understand. I can't judge, though. The craftsmen's efforts are commendable.
Still, while it might be fine for highways, navigating city streets would be a challenge. The defense and transport capabilities far exceeded our expectations, so overall, the benefits might outweigh the drawbacks. Maybe.
For the upcoming expedition to the Royal Capital, it might just be perfect.
"It's a bit too big, but the essential functions are excellent. Let's accept it. However, we can't transport it to our parking lot. Is there a place on the outskirts where we can park it temporarily?"
"We have that covered. We have a large garage we can use. You can use it freely until you find a permanent location. We'll handle the transportation."
"That's considerate of you. Thank you."
We would use their garage for now. We would soon be leaving for the Royal Capital, so we would find a suitable location later. In the meantime, I would ask the Secretariat Unit to secure a property on the outskirts that could serve as a garage.
But with a vehicle this large, we could easily fit a motorcycle or two. That's a nice bonus.
I planned to travel on the Bloomstar Galaxy, weather permitting, so I wouldn't use this vehicle. However, it would be useful to have the option to carry a motorcycle if needed.
"One thing to note is that it consumes a lot of mana. The vehicle's body is coated with a magic mineral to enhance its defenses, so it requires a significant amount of mana in addition to its power source. But you have plenty of pre-charged mana stones, don't you?"
"Sure, we have a large stock of pre-charged mana stones for magic training. We have more than enough."
"That's enviable. If you have more than you need, could you spare some?"
"Maybe. We have our uses for them, but I'll think about it."
After a bit of casual conversation, we left the matter to Buladesh and departed. The Kikyo Society members would surely be surprised, and I planned to gather everyone who had free time to see it.
Incidentally, I placed a new order for a smaller, more manageable version for city use. The delivery would take some time, but I decided to use my pocket money for it.
After all, upon closer consideration, it's convenient, sturdy, and cool! Who wouldn't want a sleek armored vehicle?
Some time after receiving the armored personnel carrier, our expedition preparations continued.
In a corner of the Kikyo Society headquarters' garage, supplies for the expedition were piled up in mountains. Considering the number of people, the amount of supplies was quite substantial, but it wasn't as much as it seemed.
There were several towns and villages along the way to the Royal Capital, and a large inn town midway. We planned to purchase food from local stores and eat at restaurants when available. The chances of encountering food sources like magical beasts and animals were also high, so we only needed to carry emergency rations.
Water wasn't an issue with magic, and the armored personnel carrier was equipped with a water tank for emergencies.
As for sleeping arrangements, we planned to stay at inns along the way, so we only needed to carry minimal camping gear as a backup.
Personal items like changes of clothes were also minimal. With purification magic, changing clothes wasn't strictly necessary, but it was a matter of preference. I would bring a reasonable number.
We also packed a substantial amount of various recovery and magic potions, which we could keep as emergency supplies if not used during the journey.
Pre-charged mana stones were essential for power, but we expected to use only a fraction, as the magic coating on the armored personnel carrier would not require constant mana input unless in combat. We would also recharge mana stones during the journey, so it might not be used as much as expected.
While everyone was busy with expedition preparations and regular operations, I was trying to change my sub-weapon and working on creating a new one.
My previous mithril spear, while of higher quality, was only used for spear throwing because I was into it at the time. I wasn't particularly skilled or fond of spear combat. While it was a high-quality spear, it was too powerful and cumbersome for spear throwing and difficult to carry.
So, a new weapon concept emerged.
Something easy to handle and that would get me pumped up.
I was skilled in throwing, as evidenced by my proficiency in the throwing skill. Conversely, I was also excellent at striking. This naturally led to a specific shape.
A bat, of course.
Other than gloves, what weapon could be more suitable for me and get me hyped up? None, really!
But this wouldn't be just any bat. In this world, a weapon that would suit me, one that could do more than just hit balls, was what I needed.
I quickly visualized the final design and used mineral magic to bring it to life.
The bat, with a lustrous glow like labradorite, materialized in my hands, feeling satisfyingly heavy.
I immediately started practicing with light swings to adjust the shape and balance. In the spacious underground training area, I could freely swing the bat without any issues.
Whish! Whish! Whish!
"H-Hey! W-What's that? It's making a loud noise!"
"Stay back! You might get hurt if it hits you!"
Indeed, the weight of the nova ore ensured a satisfying heft. While it was dangerous under extreme pressure, it wouldn't explode under normal conditions. Coating it with orichalcum would make it an invincible weapon against magic and physical attacks.
With a thin layer of orichalcum wrapped around the nova ore bat, it was complete.
The elegant silver glow covered the long bat, exuding a graceful beauty that was almost sensual.
A physically and magically resilient, one-of-a-kind ultra-heavy bat. Perfect for me.
The balance and grip were tricky, so I would have preferred a professional blacksmith to handle the materials. However, the hardness of nova ore made it difficult to work with, even for skilled blacksmiths. My familiarity with the bat allowed me to create a satisfactory version.
I swung the newly completed bat once more.
Vroom!
"Yep, it's perfect. I'm very satisfied with it."
"Yukari, what is that..."
"Oh, it's you, Ophelia. Curious?"
"No, I think I'll pass."
"Okay? You can ask anytime."
Ophelia is strange. I was so proud of my masterpiece, I wanted to show it off.
I would gather everyone later to share the details. Yes, I would.
"Oh, right."
I couldn't forget this last step. I engraved the Kikyo Society emblem meticulously, completing the ultra-heavy silver bat.
While it was a sub-weapon, my main weapon remained the glove made from magical metal threads and metal pieces, crafted by Torietta. Using it allowed me to maximize my combat potential.