Chapter 42 - Delivery of the Airships and the Part-Time Commander
~Lambda New Galaxy, Tauro Star System, Third Planet (Derry and others' planet) satellite orbit~
Sangou was working in the space high above the Kingdom of Rondanure, in the outer space directly overhead.
Utilizing sub-units and cooperating with Shin and Kichou, he was constructing three airships.
So, why build them in such a location?
There were several reasons for this.
First, Sangou, who would be the overall commander in charge of building the airships, had focused on the characteristics of Captain Shin's Shadow Storage and Storage Space magic as well as his Teleportation magic.
"No matter where we build, once finished we can easily transport the airship. Therefore, it's only natural to choose the location where construction is easiest and the highest work efficiency can be achieved."
Sangou's thinking was as described above.
That said, they had to maintain a state where they could rush over quickly if some incident occurred with Derry and the others.
For travel in that case, aside from their own movement, there was also the option of relying on the Captain's Teleportation magic.
Thus, looking only at that point, as long as the latter option existed, it would be the same no matter where Sangou was.
However, if they couldn't obtain information about 'an anomaly' in real-time and instantly, they couldn't immediately go to Derry and the others.
Inevitably, this placed constraints on location.
Therefore, Sangou left sub-units with Derry and Miu.
Additionally, Sangou settled into the outer space high above Derry and the others' castle, which was optically directly observable.
Incidentally, constructing the airships in outer space was far quicker and easier than building them on the ground.
To add, material procurement could also double as debris cleanup from what was likely remnants of past civilizations, thus improving the planet's environment.
The assembly of the airship frames in outer space was very fast when Sangou, Shin, and Kichou each fully demonstrated their abilities.
These were the reasons why Sangou proposed building the airships at the location mentioned at the start, and Shin agreed without objection.
Thus, the giant airship construction plan moved to the execution stage.
As work progressed, from Sangou's perspective especially, Captain Shin's Storage Space was very convenient to use.
This was because it was as simple as having the components Sangou produced in the ship's hangar stored temporarily, then having them brought out to the assembly point for fine adjustments.
The fact that assembly was possible from the moment Sangou started manufacturing parts, and that the blueprints via Sensory Waves and assembly procedures were perfectly shared, was also subtle but had a large impact.
That was only natural, since the hassle of checking each detail was completely eliminated.
From this situation, three four-hundred-meter-class airships were completed in the astonishing speed of 'merely two days.'
Of course, after completion, they were thrown into Shin's Storage Space and delivered to Derry.
However, this flow meant the problem of the airships' operational commanders was not resolved.
Actually, on that point, Shin had already completed negotiations with a suitable candidate beforehand.
So, let's change the scene and trace the sequence of events in order, starting from the part in the past where they were discussing the provision of the airships with Derry and the others.
"That's about the airships. The three we're providing will be built now, but since we're constructing them in space, if I, Sangou, and Kichou handle the work, it won't take much time. The materials will be debris and rock masses in space, so that's no problem. And I think 'just having the airships stationed above the Northern Lord's castle will serve as a deterrent.'"
Shin had already conveyed the rough specifications of the airships to Derry, and now he delved into slightly more specific details.
However, upon hearing this, Derry's expression became a mix of happiness and confusion.
"Thank you for everything. But, Shin-san, we have nothing to offer you in return, so what should we do?"
To Derry's question, Shin also thought 'something for nothing is no good.'
However, if he tried to demand something as compensation, there were circumstances that made him hesitate.
That was because Shin and his group knew all too well the painfully dire internal affairs of the Kingdom of Rondanure.
So, in this kind of situation, it might be typical of the incompetent hero to blurt out unnecessary things.
"Let's take monetary compensation, including everything for Derry's younger brother and sister too. But how about 'long-term payment, with a five-year grace period before payments start'? For the interest on those five years, well... 'your big sister going on a date with me' would be—"
Of course, that last part was meant as a joke on Shin's part, but there was someone on the scene who heard it and beamed with delight.
Noticing this instantly, Shin paused his words and immediately began to utter something else.
"Ah, forget about the date thing, it was a joke, so don't take it seriously, okay? I don't need any interest or anything."
Well, naturally, it was too late.
"Ahaha, Shin-san. Once you've said it, it's too late now. My sister has fallen for you. Let's make sure you get some proper time for a date. Apart from that, regarding the reward, we'll gratefully accept your kind offer."
And so, with Derry's sister staring at him with a half-lidded gaze, Shin endured it and finished the conversation before fleeing.
The unfortunate hero escaped!
But mentally, he was cornered!
This isn't a game, so running away here won't end it, and no such message will actually appear.
It can't be said that Shin's attempt to lighten the mood was wrong.
But, being the unfortunate hero, his interpersonal skills in such areas are low.
Shin learned, albeit belatedly, that unfamiliar jokes are dangerous.
Of course, there is no guarantee that this lesson will be applied next time.
Shin called out to Miu, who was keeping watch outside the room, had a brief chat, then returned to Sangou via teleportation.
Then Sangou, having completed all the various permission applications, was finally able to land back in the sea near the capital after a long absence and return safely.
In this flow, the natural reason Sangou returned to the capital of the Gialpha Galaxy Empire was to have the Asada Marquis estate accept the six rescued people.
"Oh my. Well, well."
Rouj and the other three of Shin's wives were delighted at the presence of the baby he brought, and also welcomed Derry's younger brother.
Needless to say, Shin took advantage of this and completely dumped all responsibility for handling them onto them.
Within the Asada Marquis estate, aside from nominal authority, the real power is completely held by Rouj as the highest-ranking person.
Therefore, Shin's handling was not wrong.
Also, at the same time, the hero headed to the military youth school for another purpose.
He went there to procure a commander for the planet of Derry.
"Hey, Mechamille. It's about time for the long vacation. Do you have any plans for that break?"
Shin, who still casually continued to show up at the youth school he no longer needed to attend, just out of mood, wore an expression of enjoying such a school life as he spoke to the goddess who was also a student.
Well, since he didn't attend seriously every day, those around him were almost certain he would be held back or expelled, but such things were trivial to Shin.
However, Mechamille still handled this delinquent student properly because he had a firm grip on her weakness.
"Since I'm allowed to stay in the dorm, I guess studying, self-training, and part-time jobs. I don't have much money, you know."
Given her origins, Mechamille had absolutely no parents in this world, nor any relatives or connections who could provide financial support. To be blunt, her financial situation was tight.
Using divine power could improve things, but doing so would distance her from returning to her proper role as a 'goddess.'
So she couldn't easily resort to such means.
Knowing this, it might be natural that Shin's face turned a bit mischievous.
"I see. Do you have some time to talk privately?"
"After today's classes are all over, that's fine. I'll get permission to use the lounge we used before. Is it okay to talk there?"
"Yeah. Do that."
With this arrangement, Shin took time to talk with Mechamille.
As a premise, Shin had already decided to appoint Mechamille as the commander for the airship operations.
But, as such, he also wanted to confirm 'how far Mechamille's benefits would extend?'
Even though Shin intended to use Mechamille conveniently, he did not wish to build a relationship where he unilaterally exploited her.
So, what he wanted to confirm was about the range of the island universe he had heard from the goddess herself before.
Did it refer only to the galaxy where the Gialpha Galaxy Empire was located?
Or did it refer to all the galaxies in this universe?
Depending on that, it would certainly affect Mechamille's benefits.
Hence, Shin asked this point frankly.
"Ah, that. The evaluation criteria for me are only based on my activities within the Gialpha Galaxy. However, even in galaxies not subject to evaluation, gathering faith increases my power as a goddess. So it's a big plus. But, why do you ask?"
From the reply, what became clear was that when operating outside the evaluation scope, the pros and cons depended on the amount gained relative to the duration of the activity.
However, what Shin was proposing was limited to the youth school's long vacation period.
Therefore, during that period, Mechamille would be in a situation where other students were not in the dorm or on campus.
In other words, she couldn't really earn anything besides money.
"Hmm. In that case, there's no problem at all."
With that decided, Shin broached the main subject.
"Actually, there's a planet where a civil war might break out. I want a reliable commander. I'll pay a reward, and lend a ring of protection that can block stray bullets and arrows, and a ring of transformation. So, how about trying it out just for the break? Oh, if the civil war doesn't happen during the period, your job will be training soldiers and self-training, and I'll still pay for that case. I'm prepared to offer a considerably higher amount than messing around with short-term part-time jobs around here. What do you say?"
"Well, I want to accept, but. From the points you just checked, this isn't a planet in this galaxy, right? Even if I get paid, I'm not really fond of being stuck on a long space voyage for transport."
"Ah, don't worry about that. I'll guarantee that part. I'll handle the shuttling properly. If anything, I'll even seriously consider making it so you can 'go back to the dorm every night to sleep' if you want."
The last part of his statement made Shin sound quite suspicious and dubious.
He was saying it fairly seriously himself, but whether it would properly convey to the other person?
That was a completely different matter.
Even so, Mechamille, with her weakness held over her, was eventually coaxed by Shin's words, and also thoroughly hooked by the specific high amount of part-time pay offered, so she agreed to wield command on Derry's planet.
Well, the goddess also had her own calculations.
"Good, good. If I leave the airship operations to the goddess, it'll definitely work out!"
It was only a trivial matter that Shin grinned after finishing the negotiation.
Since the proposal to provide the airships came from Sangou, Shin had already finished dealing with the anxieties felt by Derry and the others before that very airship was even built.
So, let's stop the past recap here and return to the scene of handing over the airships.
"Derry. I've finished the airships, so come along for the test flight before the handover."
"Oh, they're already finished? I don't mind coming along. But, can my sister come too?"
There was actually no need to bring his sister, but Derry deliberately sought permission to increase the contact between Shin and his sister.
Of course, having his sister accompany was not entirely meaningless.
Derry's sister primarily served as Derry's assistant, but depending on the situation, she might act as his substitute.
In short, experiencing and knowing the airship is not a bad choice either.
"Ah, it's fine. To explain first: the pilot is one person. If you want the extreme, you can operate with just one person to fly it. But in practice, you need at least two spare pilots. These also serve as lookouts during normal times. About four people for repair work when the outer shell is damaged. In addition, separate personnel for attack are required, so I'm assuming operation with about ten people including the captain. That's thirty for three ships. Even with people holding multiple roles, I want you to think at least eight per ship is necessary."
The required personnel numbers Shin explained were only for the case of a half-day operation, in truth.
For actual operations engaging in missions lasting days to months, it's desirable to have at least two shifts, and if possible, a number that allows three shifts.
In other words, thirty people per ship are truly needed, but in any case, preparing that many all at once was impossible.
Therefore, the information Shin presented was not 'wrong' if limited to the initial stage.
Additionally, it would be Mechamille's role to train the completely inexperienced warrior-type personnel into usable crew.
Well, Sangou would create operation manuals and such, and if limited to the initial members, he was not reluctant to inject knowledge via Sensory Waves either.
Such was the new military force for the Kingdom of Rondanure provided by Shin and Sangou.
That aside.
Derry, by agreeing to participate in the test flight of the airship under certain conditions, made movement necessary.
The destination turned out to be the home planet of Miu and the other beastmen, but the trivial matter was that Derry and the others were unaware they were heading to such a distant place.
Shin put Derry and his sister into his Shadow using Shadow Storage with their consent.
Next, he performed an ultra-long-range teleportation to the planet where Miu and the others once lived, now uninhabited.
Needless to say, Sangou, who was carrying Kichou, had also been placed in the Shadow beforehand, and the airships had been thrown into Storage Space in advance.
Shin's preparations to use teleportation magic were in place from the start.
So, why did he decide not to hold the airship test flight in the Kingdom of Rondanure, but instead on the faraway planet that was the beastmen's home planet in the Gialpha Galaxy?
Naturally, there is a proper reason for that.
First, there could be defects in the hull, and in the worst case, trouble could occur such as a crash.
Since it was the first flight, even if Sangou-made and such a possibility was low, it was not non-existent.
In other words, assuming a crash, it was desirable to conduct the test flight in a place where there would be no human casualties or damage to the land in the event of an accident.
Also, it was necessary to minimize witnesses.
A candidate planet that could be used freely without problems, even if uninhabited.
When thinking that, Miu and the others' home planet was the strongest candidate.
Incidentally, the second candidate was a newly constructed planet in the Betasia Star System, currently operating as a food production planet.
However, choosing that would require the hassle of getting permission from Rouj's father.
In that regard, a formerly inhabited planet in an unexplored area of the Gialpha Galaxy was very convenient without any hassle.
Thus, the test flight of the airship was carried out.
Was it a trivial matter that Sangou's sub-units swarmed aboard to handle the piloting, while Shin, Derry, and Derry's sister each watched as they pleased and vaguely learned the operation methods?
Incidentally, Kichou had returned from her young dragon form to her original Super Divine Dragon form, and flew alongside the airship as a response unit for any emergencies.
Of course, there was no call for that.
Maximum speed: 150 kilometers per hour.
Economical cruising speed with good energy efficiency: 100 kilometers per hour.
Maximum flight time on battery alone at full charge was about 48 hours at cruising speed; maintaining maximum speed halved the flight time.
Also, things became clear through actual operation.
One point was that it would have been better to have a rapid attitude control mechanism for the vertical direction.
As a result, thrusters for the vertical direction were added to the bow and stern as equipment that was better to have even if not having it was not a big problem.
This was effective for rapid attitude control during flight, so-called raising and lowering of the bow. Once such thrusters were actually installed, it was also found to have the effect of reducing the ground personnel needed for landing.
Even Sangou, despite knowing the existence of airships, did not originally possess detailed operational know-how, so the test flight proved meaningful.
"Wouldn't it have been better to build a prototype first, then mass-produce later?"
Since a part requiring modification to improve convenience arose, though not really a problem point, it was Shin's secret that he thought such a thing.
Well, from Sangou's perspective, this was anticipated. He simply prioritized reducing total required time, judging that 'the parts requiring modification, if any, would be limited.'
With this background, the test flight came to a successful end.
What remained was Derry and the others' anxiety about the commander during operations in the Kingdom of Rondanure. But as for that, it was conveyed that Shin had already arranged to hire the most suitable person to serve as an instructor, and it was only a matter of actually dispatching them. Consent was also obtained on that matter.
However, regarding the dispatch of Mechamille, the sequence was such that normally one would think the order was somewhat off compared to the natural flow of events.
But in the end, all discussions between Shin and Derry were settled smoothly, and no one pointed out or problematized that point.
In short, because the results were good, even slight peculiarities in the details of the process were not considered a problem.
Once the test flight was successfully completed, the next stage naturally involved handing over the finished products and starting crew training.
Of course, arrangements for personnel necessary for ground-based airship operations were also essential.
After returning to the castle of the Kingdom of Rondanure, Derry quickly proceeded with those arrangements.
During that time, Shin, Sangou, and Kichou built the necessary airfield, mooring facilities, and maintenance structures.
In the Kingdom of Rondanure, which lacked heavy machinery and the like, the preparation of the required related facilities was simply 'grateful.'
For Derry, who was later shown these, it was inevitable, but he felt conflicted as his debt to Shin only kept growing.
Well, the airfield was a mere name; it was just Shin using earth magic to level the ground and pave the surface with cobblestones, so using it for airplanes would be impossible.
However, since airplanes themselves did not exist, that point was not an issue.
If we were to mention minor details, perhaps we should note that Sangou provided lighting equipment with solar panels, as night operations were impossible as-is.
In the Kingdom of Rondanure, 'nighttime lights' meant a civilization level that used fire.
Consequently, using that for night operations of an airship using hydrogen would be extremely dangerous.
Realizing this, Sangou simply prepared safe lighting equipment promptly.
Well, taking this as an opportunity, research and development of electrical technology would thereafter proceed under Derry's orders, but that's another story unrelated to the main plot.
It's old news now, but perhaps the influence Sangou and Shin had on the Kingdom of Rondanure was enormous in every aspect.
With such various events and circumstances, the three airships were handed over, and training of the personnel selected by Derry began.
However, the training itself took place on the planet used for the test flight.
That Mechamille also participated in this training was likely a preparatory measure against the approaching footsteps of war in the Kingdom of Rondanure.
Well, regarding Mechamille, one could say 'a girl with a cold wallet was lured by temporary income,' but that's only a trivial matter.
Incidentally, during this training, Mechamille noticed Shin using Shadow Magic and Teleportation magic.
At that time, the goddess first became suspicious that magic was being used in a world with no usable mana floating around.
Moreover, when considering the distance teleported by magic, she also noticed that the current situation was abnormal in terms of the required mana.
Therefore, with various meanings, she was driven by the impulse to interrogate Shin, asking, 'Why can you teleport?'
However, just before doing so, she recalled what Shin had said before: 'If you learn the secrets of my appraisal and magic, you might get involved in something not so pleasant. Do you still want me to explain that part?' It was perhaps fortunate for Mechamille that she remembered that.
To add, the goddess had already deeply stepped into 'a not so pleasant situation,' but since she herself still did not realize it, there was probably no particular problem.
In addition to Mechamille, the first batch of airship crew candidates in the Kingdom of Rondanure received knowledge injection via Sensory Waves from Sangou.
As a result, training progressed efficiently, and all personnel acquired skills that would normally require at least about three months, preferably six months to a year of training, in just three days.
This was an achievement only possible through Sangou's super-science, a part that cannot be substituted by Shin's magic.
The strongest combination of a hero and a bio-spacecraft might be an ideal relationship where each compensates for what the other lacks.
Now, once the training was over, would the airships be immediately deployed in actual combat?
To state the conclusion first: 'That was not the case.'
Although the situation in the northern lands remained unstable, it was not yet a situation warranting a preemptive strike.
By the way.
What kind of existence are military vessels in a non-war situation?
The reality is that, since their main job is fighting, in peacetime they basically have nothing to do except training.
Of course, they may be deployed for disaster relief outside of wartime.
That aside, warships have an aspect of so-called 'deterrence' in the form of 'intimidation to outsiders' simply by the fact of 'possessing' them.
However, the Kingdom of Rondanure did not have the leeway to let the three airships, which were nothing but 'ultra' expensive money pits if just maintained and satisfied with that point, sit idle only for training.
In terms of logistics and civilization, land transport relied on horse-drawn carriages and rickshaws, and sea transport (including rivers and lakes) relied on galleys and sailboats.
From Derry's perspective, would there be any reason not to use a vehicle that could carry 100 tons of cargo at a cruising speed of 100 km per hour for peacetime logistics?
Naturally, such a reason does not exist.
Conveniently, they could even make an excuse to the personnel involved that 'it also serves as flight training and operational training.'
In short, there was no reason not to use it as a means of cargo transport during peacetime.
Also, given the state of shipping in the Kingdom of Rondanure, there was no concept of 'fuel cost.'
While that is true, 'since the airships are electrically powered by solar power, the electricity itself, which corresponds to fuel, is free, and cruising range is not limited by it,' was also a major advantage.
Of course, there was the condition 'if it's daytime and sunny.'
Incidentally, Sangou, of course, had assumed that in a non-war situation, Derry would use the airships as cargo carriers.
Therefore, the airships' structure was designed from the start to be suitable for such operations as well.
Specifically, the part that could carry stones for both cargo and attack was unitized, allowing easy and quick exchange.
This is the same concept as container ships and container trailers on Earth, where only the containers are exchanged to drastically reduce loading/unloading time and increase operating rate.
In any case, considering also the aspects of 'standby for emergencies and crew leave,' a rotation system was established with two ships in operation and one on standby.
In addition, the increase of reserve personnel through training was actively pursued.
From Derry's standpoint, aside from the northern issue, everything was running smoothly.
Well, a proverb says 'good fortune brings many troubles,' so unexpected situations also occur.
"All you grown men lining up with your heads bowed! Don't look so gloomy! We still have two ships left, you know? Can't you come up with even one decent battle plan?"
An incident where Mechamille yelled at the people of the Kingdom of Rondanure as described above would occur in the not-too-distant future.
Thus, the hero Shin completed three airships and succeeded in handing them over, which would thereafter be treated as symbols of the Kingdom of Rondanure's military might.
Also, he succeeded in dispatching Mechamille to the Kingdom of Rondanure as a temporary instructor and commander.
However, it may be the hero's fate that not everything goes smoothly.
Because in the near future, an incident where Mechamille yells at the people of the Kingdom of Rondanure will occur.
From the content of that goddess's statement, it suggests that one airship was lost.
What will become of the northern situation, Derry's cause for concern?
And what happened to the one airship that seems to have been lost?
No one knows the future.
During the airship test flight, Derry's sister casually brought up the topic of a date schedule, and the hero, Shin, ended up frozen in a state of 'What do I do?'
Since he hasn't told Rouj, the others, or Miu about this point yet, even after perfectly completing the airship handover and ground facility preparation, Shin felt that there was still plenty of work remaining.