kscans

Chapter 73 - Chapter 9: Part 2 - The Delivery Carriage

"Indeed, we can't be bothered with some carriage race. The preparations cost a fortune. I wonder how much of my baron's stipend went up in smoke..." Fulsy said.

So he receives a corresponding stipend instead of a fief. With his sage's pension added on, it must have been a considerable sum.

"In a way, this is the finest carriage in the kingdom," I said.

A large platform was suspended in the center of the carriage. On it sat Fulsy’s prized magic antenna. The antenna was surrounded by three nested rings. On Earth, the closest thing would be a gimbal-mounted compass. In more modern terms, it was the structure of a gyroscope. Despite its cutting-edge name, the mechanism had actually been around for a surprisingly long time, and even contributed to Ino Tadataka's map-making efforts.

Furthermore, between the platform and the carriage's ceiling, one large and two small springs were installed. It was a crude structure, but by Earth's standards, this part was newer. It was the same mechanism soba shops use on their delivery motorcycles. Instead of leaf springs, these were ordinary coiled springs that expanded and contracted. They were crafted by processing magical metal into thin wires using a helical formula. This was where most of the cost Fulsy lamented had gone.

It was the only method available for making thin, uniform metal wires. Even so, it was impossible to achieve the soft compression of the air springs used in my previous world. Soba noodles would probably spill if placed on it. Worse still, the springs were so thin that a few days of riding would cause them to deform, degrading their performance.

Suspended from the roof, the mechanism absorbed the carriage's vibrations like a delivery shock mount. The gimbal kept its angle constant at all times. It was a mobile measuring station. Of course, it had its limits on rough roads, and its accuracy would drop once we started moving.

Incidentally, this carriage was that first prototype we modified at Bertold. And though it was number one, its suspension was more meticulously adjusted than that of the Knight Order's carriages. With the first one, we were especially careful about the vibrations transmitted to the bearings. It was an over-engineered performance characteristic of a prototype.

"Let's do a test run of the antenna before we depart."

Fulsy's ring glowed. The horizontally-leveled antenna gave off a faint light, and a small point of light appeared on a crystal ball placed a short distance away.

"Hmm. Yes, yes, that direction is the Mage's Dormitory... Hmm?"

"What is it, Sage-sama?" Noel asked anxiously.

"There is a faint shadow nearby," Fulsy said, his words chilling enough to make your heart sink if you heard them in a doctor's office.

"Is it the Knight Order's equipment?"

The use of magic was forbidden in this race, but the knights' equipment was related to alchemy. It wouldn't be surprising if it registered a reaction.

"No, the direction isn't the Knight Order. It's this way."

Fulsy rotated the gimbal. It stopped at a precise angle. I looked out the carriage window, following Fulsy's pointing finger.

"...That carriage, huh."

In that exact direction was the Guild Master's carriage, its undercarriage shrouded. Besides the First Knight Order, they were our primary party to be wary of. I suppose I should be glad the number of threats hadn't increased.

"It seems to be carrying something that absorbs magical energy."

"Not emitting it?" I tilted my head.

"If it were, it would show up as a reaction, wouldn't it?"

Perhaps it was a component similar to the black walls in Fulsy's laboratory.

"To create such a distinct shadow at this distance, it might be more effective than what we're using."

Fulsy pushed me aside to get a better look at the carriage. It was a natural reaction for someone with such an extraordinary interest in measurement.

"That just makes it more suspicious. Where would they get something like that..."

If even Fulsy didn't know about it, could it be from outside the kingdom? It might be related to the fact that the Second Prince's faction is pro-Empire.

"Should we tell the Knight Order and have them investigate?" Remi asked.

"We'll just pass the information to the prince. The decision is up to them."

The rules to enforce the rules were already in place. Besides those we could see, many of the Wildcat Knights and retainers from the Grand Ducal House of Bertold were participating. I couldn't imagine our opponents being that well-prepared. In fact, several carriages withdrew from the race after hearing the rules.

If they were to allow imperial eyes to observe the Knight Order's drills, it would be a clear act of inviting foreign aggression. However, the judgment was that since this was a drill in the western territories, it would attract the Empire's attention one way or another. They might let them run loose, treating them as a valuable source of intelligence.

I gave a signal, and a knight bearing the wildcat crest approached. I asked him to deliver a message to the prince.

"It's starting. We're heading out, too," Remi said, raising her whip.

"Whoa, careful..."

The carriage lurched into motion, and I stumbled. My shoulder bumped into something soft.

"Hey, watch it."

"S-sorry."

Noel caught me. I absolutely did not feel the thickness of an airbag that deployed because I couldn't quite kill my momentum. Not at all.

"What will we do if the antenna breaks?"

"That's what you're worried about?"

"What else would I... Hey."

Noel shoved my shoulder and glared at me. Remi glanced back, her eyes cold.

"Ah, hahaha..."

I scrambled back to my post. This was a journey to measure the magical energy from the ground all the way to Bertold. Our purpose was to confirm the source of the noise in the west that had been troubling Fulsy.

Looking out the window, I saw an arrow fired into the sky. The carriages lined up on the grassy plain began moving toward the main road all at once. The road wasn't wide enough for everyone, so this starting formation was necessary to avoid an unfair advantage.

Trying to get onto the road first was an obvious strategy.

"Well now, the plan was to not go all out at the start, but..."

The Knight Order's carriages overtook the merchants' from both sides, as if enveloping them. The merchants' carriages were falling behind. Even on a plain, the ground was much rougher than the road. They were shaking, really shaking.

With Craig in the lead, the carriages bearing the wildcat flags split into two groups. The three with white cloths wrapped around them naturally took the lead. The First Knight Order was positioned about level with Craig's carriage. From this, they looked evenly matched. Since we'd yielded the Bertold side, the First Knight Order might enter the main road first at this rate. I started to worry a little.

"They're using their whips completely differently," Remi said.

I see. So unlike Craig, they were pushing their horses too hard.

Craig's carriage and the First Knight Order's carriage entered the main road at almost the same time.

Cheers erupted from atop the castle walls. The spectators probably thought the used carriages were putting up a good fight. In reality, it was the new ones that were being pushed to their limit.

"Alright, how about the general group..."

I looked at the merchants' carriages that had been overtaken by the knights. As expected, a carriage with the Kenwell mark was in the lead. And...

"Looks normal."

The carriage in question was just ahead of the middle of the pack. The newer carriages, likely backed by the Carriage Guild, were probably ahead of it.

"The race is going pretty much as expected. How are the measurements coming along?"

Even if there was less shaking, it was still far rougher than a car from my old world. For starters, the road wasn't paved with asphalt. The sage pointed the antenna toward the Royal Capital.

"Even at this speed, the drop in sensitivity is within expected parameters. It should be sufficient once we're on the main road."

Fulsy adjusted the antenna's center of gravity with a weight, then aimed it at the ground.

"Hmm, just as I thought, no reaction from the ground."

"Is it really possible to get a reaction from a magic vein on flat land?"

"That's what we're here to find out. If we're wrong, we'll think of something else."

The noise plaguing the western observatory. Our hypothesis was that its source was a thin magic vein that had formed on the plains. Just as Noel tilted her head in confusion, magic veins were known to follow mountain ranges, so it was an unconventional idea. But, if we assume magic veins flow like magma on Earth, it wouldn't be strange for a volcano to form on a plain. In Japan, Showa-shinzan was a famous example. Volcanic islands like Hawaii were formed that way, too.

Considering the recent fluctuations in the magic veins, we couldn't dismiss even the slightest possibility. This carriage was built for the sole purpose of measuring the ground's magic vein reactions from the Royal Capital all the way to Bertold. Of course, various other applications could be considered for the future.

Depending on the situation, we might have to ask Fulsy and the others to go near the Red Forest.

Given my obligations with the trade fair, I had to return to the Royal Capital. Preparations for the fair were already underway. The members of Central Garden, led by Maria-senpai, were likely working hard. Interference was a possibility there too, but since it involved merchants, Kenwell, as the Guild Master, should be able to keep things in check. His situation of being the only Guild Master without an honorary title had been rectified, after all.

As for interference from higher up...

"Now I can only hope Alfina and the Grand Duchess handle things well..." I said, looking back at the receding Royal Capital.

"Noel's position is also on the line, you know," Fulsy added.

"...Sage-sama. I was trying to forget about that."

Noel pulled down her hood for the first time in a while and buried her face in her knees, which she had pulled up to her chest.