It was just past noon.
A large group had gathered on the south side of the village, near the edge of the forest. The assembly included Hakuren and Guronde, along with the village children. There were also about twenty of Kuro's children and fifty of Zabuton's offspring.
Apparently, they were conducting an outdoor lesson.
I understood the concept, but I couldn't help but wonder why they had dragged out a catapult for it. It was supposedly loaded with scientific concepts—the principle of levers, the physics of pulleys, and so on. I see.
But even so, was it really necessary to actually fire rocks? Apparently, it was for "ballistics calculations" and the ever-important task of keeping the children's interest piqued.
Well, I felt that ballistics might be a bit advanced for kids that age, but as long as they were careful about safety, I suppose it was fine.
Next, I spotted Yor. I wondered what she was doing here. I thought she was supposed to be managing the teleportation gate at the hot spring area.
"Weaponry management is my responsibility," she stated, looking at me with such clear, honest eyes that I couldn't argue.
Besides, managing the teleportation gate wasn't exactly a demanding role; she could probably spare the time. Her predecessor, Asa, had managed to juggle several tasks while overseeing the gate, after all.
So, Yor was here to... ah, she was the one who had assembled the catapult. And she was in charge of firing it? All right, fine. I wasn't going to take her new toy away, but I made sure to emphasize that safety came first.
Finally, there were the Mountain Elves. They were cradling various projectiles in their arms. I assumed those were the rounds meant for the catapult. I reminded them that the children’s education was the priority and strictly forbade any rounds that might scatter poison or gas.
They assured me everything was fine, as Lu and Tia had given them thorough instructions on the matter. That was a relief. I’d have to remember to thank those two later.
Suddenly, a massive, incredibly powerful explosion rocked the target area where a shell had landed. The force of it exceeded the power of the Inferno Wolves' horns. I immediately demanded an explanation from the Mountain Elves.
"Yes, Village Head! The projectile just now was a Chain Explosion Shell devised by Lady Lu. By strategically placing stones imbued with explosion magic, the effects increase synergistically."
I really wished they wouldn't report that with looks that practically begged for a pat on the back. And the kids weren't helping; their constant cheering for an encore made it significantly harder for me to maintain a stern face.
Hakuren and Guronde were supposedly providing magical protection, but the sheer scale of the blasts was bad for my heart. I asked if they had any more of those shells. They had three left. Rather than keeping them under strict guard, I decided it was safer to just let them use the remaining stock up.
I gave them permission to fire the rest, but strictly forbade any further production.
"Understood," one of the elves said. "Well, regarding that... we also have the Chain Explosion Shell Type II and some Chain Freezing Shells..."
"Use them all up," I groaned.
Wait, I stopped them for a second. How much more powerful was the Type II? About twenty percent, they said. Hakuren and Guronde confirmed their magical shields could handle it, and the freezing shells seemed safe enough as well.
"In that case, use every single one of them. But I am banning the production of these and any similar products. I'll tell Lu myself, but you all make sure to relay that to her as well."
Honestly, I couldn't imagine what they intended to use bombs of that caliber for.
The sound of the earlier explosion had drawn a crowd of residents. The Dwarves arrived soon after, lugging sake barrels. This was clearly the start of an impromptu banquet. Even the Fairy Queen had appeared. I knew what she was after—sweets.
The camping carriage arrived, pulled by the Centaur race, so I decided to use its kitchen. Since the children came first, I told the Queen to go gnaw on some sugar cane until the actual treats were ready.
As the catapult continued to roar, sending shells into the distance to the sound of thunderous explosions and wild cheers, I set to work making curry.
Wait, hadn't I intended to make sweets? Well, I did. Today’s menu featured doughnuts. They were a hit with both the children and the adults, and I felt like I had fried an endless mountain of them. The Fairy Queen alone had polished off about twenty.
Then... ah, right. The High Ogre maids had taken over the doughnut station, so I had moved over to help with the curry preparations. Somewhere along the line, the "help" turned into me being solely responsible for the curry pot. I suspected the maids were being considerate and had given me the "easier" job.
When they handed me a bowl of my own, I thanked them and took a break. Curry eaten outdoors really did taste different—better.
"It seems a banquet breaks out whenever I turn my head," Yoko remarked, approaching me.
The sun was still high for her to be back from Village Five, but I recalled her mentioning she had several matters to consult with me about.
"Sorry, I forgot about our meeting," I said.
"Think nothing of it. It gave me a fine excuse to return here. You there, Dwarf! Pour me a cup."
Yoko sat down beside me with sake, a doughnut, and a bowl of curry.
"Is that a Chain Explosion Shell they're firing? It seems more powerful than the reports suggested."
"It's a Type II. You knew about these?"
"I contributed some ideas regarding the arrangement of the explosion magic," she admitted.
"I see... Anyway, what were the consultations regarding Village Five?"
"Mhm. First, the construction of the Academy. The school buildings—the ones you requested would be open to anyone who wished to enroll—are complete. However, we are short on teachers. We are searching through Niz's and Gorand's connections, but it will take some time before we can officially open."
Niz was the messenger of the Snake God and the acting shop manager of Sake & Meat Niz, while Gorand was a prominent merchant. Both had been helping Yoko immensely. I made a mental note to send them gifts of appreciation later.
"If we're short on teachers, it can't be helped," I said.
"The residents are eager for it to open, so I want to resolve the issue as quickly as possible."
"True, but don't overwork yourself."
"I know. Also, regarding Noodle Shop Buritoa..."
"Is there a problem?"
"The ramen is so popular that we've been flooded with people wanting to become apprentices. The acting shop manager and Niz have reached out about expanding the shop."
"Apprentices? I thought I said we could make the recipes public."
"Apparently, almost no one could replicate them properly even with the recipes."
"Is it really that difficult?"
"It’s the sourcing. It seems ramen made with substitute ingredients just can't draw a crowd like the original."
That made sense. If the real deal was right there, no one would settle for a knock-off.
"So, they want to apprentice," Yoko continued. "If they're recognized, they might be put in charge of a branch shop. They'd likely receive their ingredients from the head office in that case."
"I see. I don't mind the expansion. What about the budget?"
"The funds we've collected are more than sufficient. The merchants are already scouting for potential branch locations."
"They should just put the new shops right next to Noodle Shop Buritoa," I suggested.
"Hmm? Surely they'd just be competing with themselves."
"Not if they change the flavors."
"Are there other flavors besides soy sauce and salt?"
"Tons of them. If we cluster the shops together, we can create a Ramen Street."
"A Ramen Street... I see. A dedicated district for those who crave the dish."
"Not everyone can travel across the city, so we should eventually scatter some elsewhere, but for now..."
"The lines at Noodle Shop Buritoa have become a logistical headache," Yoko noted. "If we expect the branches to have lines as well, clustering them might actually be the better tactic."
"Then let's prioritize the expansion to handle the current volume of customers."
"Understood. I'll relay that to the acting shop manager and Niz. Next is the development of the underground shopping street..."
We continued our discussion about Village Five. As we talked, Yoko somehow managed to finish three cups of sake. Every time her cup hit the bottom, a Dwarf would appear as if by magic to refill it.
"Whoops, Yoko." I pointed behind her.
Her daughter, Hitoe, was standing there in her fox form.
"I suppose I have no choice," Yoko sighed, her work mode evaporating. She pulled Hitoe onto her lap and handed the girl a leftover doughnut.
"Shall we call it a day for the business talk?" I asked.
Just as I said that, an even more violent explosion thundered through the air. I looked toward the catapult and saw Lu there. She was practically dancing with joy, clearly delighted with the results. The crowd was going wild with cheers.
The Mountain Elf standing next to Lu was holding a projectile that was undoubtedly the source of that massive blast. Was that a Type III?
Regardless, the thing was too terrifying to keep in storage. I told Lu to use them all up immediately.
"But these are for blasting in the mines!" she protested.
...Darn, she actually had a legitimate reason.
"Indeed. I wouldn't have offered my help if they were just for show," Yoko added.
I was convinced. I’d just have to find a way to store them under the heaviest security possible.