“Yep, I knew it! Jin’s handiwork is definitely the best!”
The speaker was Marcia, and the location was the Marcia Workshop at the southern tip of the Kingdom of Elias. They had just launched their third shallow-draft boat.
It was a six-meter vessel ordered by Marchioness Firenziano. Since the performance of the first one had been exceptionally good, she had followed through on her earlier promise and placed an additional order for five more.
For a boat of this size, a waterwheel drive provided plenty of propulsion. However, it wasn't a golem doing the heavy lifting.
“...A golem drive unit, huh...”
It was essentially a mechanism that looked as if a golem’s arms had been removed and repurposed.
“I mean, we did see those ‘torso-only’ golems at the Golem Boat Race last year,” Marcia noted. She hadn't imagined that someone would take that idea to its extreme and create a unit consisting of nothing but arms.
“Heh, Jin-dono is a Magi Craft Meister, after all. He doesn’t see things the way ordinary people do.”
Marcia’s father, Rodrigo, smiled as he watched the golem drive unit in action.
Jin—known both as the Lord of Kunlun and a Magi Craft Meister—had agreed to supply these golem drive units to the Marcia Workshop through a direct contract. These units solved the primary weakness of waterwheel propulsion: power transmission.
With these, the motor could be connected directly to the wheel without the need for belts or chains. While the design didn't allow for high-speed rotation, it provided incredible torque. It could maintain a powerful, steady spin even at low speeds, which was perfect for a waterwheel.
“It really is a great match for these shallow-draft boats, isn't it, Father?”
“Yeah, it is. Orders have been flooding in thanks to this.”
The reputation of the Marcia Workshop and its waterwheel drives had firmly taken root, making their small vessels the most popular choice in the region. By nature, a waterwheel only needs to be submerged halfway to work, making it ideal for the shallow-draft boats they specialized in.
“But this method wouldn't work for large ships.”
Having spent time helping build a large vessel in the Shouro Empire, Rodrigo understood the flaws of waterwheel propulsion as well. During the few days he had worked with Jin, he had learned the concept that splashing water was essentially wasted energy.
Since he didn't know about screw propellers, he spent his nights and days agonizing over whether a ‘submerged waterwheel’ was possible. So far, however, he hadn't made any progress.
“But Father, our workshop can only handle boats up to this size anyway,” Marcia said with a wry smile. It was simply impossible for a private workshop to manage a large ship exceeding twenty meters.
“Yeah, you’re right.”
Even so, a technician’s mind never stops working. Rodrigo would likely continue to ponder the idea of a submerged waterwheel for a long time to come. Whether those thoughts would ever bear fruit remained to be seen.
＊ ＊ ＊
“Your Majesty, the new ship is complete.”
“Very well.”
That day, in Esaia, the capital of the Celuroa Kingdom, Latant, the Director of the First Technology Bureau, gave his report to King Richard. Latant’s cheeks were sunken and his eyes were hollow from working nearly every day without rest.
The kingdom’s technical team had been pushed to their absolute limits. It was hardly surprising, given they had been forced to build the ship in less than a month.
“She is sixty meters long. We based her design on the seized Bridget... or rather, the Cadre, as she is now called.”
Having a sample to work from didn't necessarily mean it was easy to replicate. It was rare for a copy to ever surpass the original. There are countless examples where people focus so much on imitating the form without understanding the underlying design philosophy that they end up creating a vastly inferior imitation.
The Bridget’s concept had been envisioned by Eckart Techles, and its design and construction were handled by Altaf and Gena. Without them, it was impossible to create an identical vessel; the result was something that looked the part but was fundamentally different. Consequently, minor malfunctions had been constant, and Latant’s haggard appearance reflected the stress of dealing with them.
Regardless, the Celuroa Kingdom took pride in the fact that no other nation yet possessed a sixty-meter warship.
“She is at Azul Lake, I presume?”
“Yes, as you commanded.”
A giant warship built on the massive Azul Lake. She could easily reach the sea by traveling from the great Azul River through to the Naudaria River.
“We shall hold the Founding Anniversary Ceremony in Dali. We must begin the preparations for that as well.”
King Richard of Celuroa smirked, savoring the private pleasure of imagining the shocked expressions on the faces of other world leaders.
＊ ＊ ＊
Meanwhile, in the town of Okososo in the southern Kingdom of Egerea.
The town was a quiet, almost desolate frontier outpost, but with the arrival of the new year, it had suddenly burst into life. Construction had begun on a shipyard dock, and people were pouring in. The remote country town had transformed into a bustling hub overnight.
Roads were paved, and like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, hotels, shops, and houses were appearing everywhere. As February arrived and the dock neared completion, the number of soldiers in the town also increased. This was a natural precaution, given the town’s proximity to the border with the Celuroa Kingdom.
“Hmm, that’s an interesting shape for a ship.”
“Yeah, I’ve never seen anything like it. They say it’s a model the Shouro Empire uses for transport on rivers and lakes.”
The technicians were looking at a model of a shallow-draft boat for the first time. They were fairly skilled, however, and construction soon began on boats ranging from five to ten meters in length.
＊ ＊ ＊
“Ship Number Two, launch!”
“I name thee, Granat.”
Granat meant garnet. The Shouro Empire had decided to name its forty-meter-class wooden warships after minerals, following the lead of the first ship, the Bernstein (Amber). In keeping with the name of the red gemstone, the bridge of the Granat was painted a striking crimson.
“...That was quite the ordeal.”
“Tell me about it. I never imagined things would be this difficult just because Jin-dono and Reinhard-dono weren't here.”
“I agree. But this struggle will be a great source of growth for all of us as technicians.”
Kubalt, a shipwright in Shimos Town, laughed along with the colleagues who had shared the burden. The Granat now floated quietly on the surface of Lake Wasu. After a series of meticulous technical checks, she would set out on her maiden voyage.
“It seems they’ve done a fine job.”
“Indeed.”
Chancellor Jung Fowles von Kepshler, who had arrived for the launch ceremony, exchanged a smile with the Magic Technology Minister, Degauss Fruit von Manischras.
“I wonder if we are entering an age of ships and water transport.”
“Yes. Balloons are fast, but they have too many restrictions. They can't carry heavy loads. In that regard, ships are different. Most importantly, they are far more cost-effective.”
Everyone believed that ships would be essential for future trade with foreign tribes, Mitsuho, the Kingdom of Egerea, and the Klein Kingdom. However, the idea of protecting merchant ships was a new one, and orders had recently been issued to quickly organize a navy.
While this was partly due to suggestions from the educational automata Fuhrer provided by Jin, it was also supported by the forward-thinking nature of the Shouro Empire’s leadership.
“Eventually, it might even be worth digging a canal.”
“I agree.”
The capital, Loizart, was already a city of water. Adding more infrastructure wouldn't be an issue at all.
“We could even use the Golias for the construction work.”
The Golias were six-meter-tall giant golems. Their strength would be a massive asset in civil engineering.
“Indeed.”
“By the way, I heard an invitation arrived from the Celuroa Kingdom for their Founding Anniversary Ceremony.”
At Minister Degauss’s question, the Chancellor nodded silently.
“Given the way that country operates, they’re likely preparing all sorts of things to exert military pressure on us...”
“Degauss, our nation is not one that yields to such threats. Nor must we ever allow it.”
“Very true....In that case, I believe it would be best for us to arrive using both the Granat and the Bernstein.”
“Mm, I agree. We cannot afford to buckle under their intimidation.”
The future of shipping was bright, but the year 3458 was a time of drifting tensions between nations. The Celuroa Kingdom’s Founding Anniversary Ceremony was now less than a month away.