After dinner was finished, the representative of the Angel flight staff delivered a report on the solo operation tests.
The airship’s operation itself was flawless.
Escort duty had also been problem-free during flight.
The issue, however, was a lack of combat strength on the ground. When they attempted to recover a fallen Artie Horse—the Multi-purpose Humanoid Mobile Heavy Equipment—they found themselves shorthanded and were forced to call for reinforcements from Suarlou and Zabuton’s children.
To be clear, the fact that Zabuton’s children and Suarlou assisted wasn't the problem.
The staff's decision to request reinforcements was actually viewed as a point of merit, showing they had a firm grasp of their own combat limitations. It was an accurate judgment, and far better than being stubborn and allowing the situation to deteriorate.
The real concern was the lack of firepower against magic beasts and monsters on the ground.
In this particular case, they were merely recovering a fallen object, so they always had the option of abandoning the cargo and retreating into the sky. However, the staff was worried about what might happen in the event of an emergency landing.
I see.
Still, we couldn't have Zabuton’s children or Suarlou stationed on the ship indefinitely.
"A few Snipe Spiders would be plenty," the representative suggested.
Snipe Spiders were an advanced evolution of Zabuton’s children, and most of them were currently serving as guards for the Western Confectionery Shop Fairy Fairi. A few of them had actually accompanied this test flight as well.
"Even one would be enough for defense, but they wouldn't be able to take breaks alone."
That was true.
I understood. However, whether Zabuton’s children would be permanently stationed on the airship was ultimately up to Zabuton herself. I told the representative I would discuss it with her.
"Thank you. Also, once we finalize the flight routes, regular monster-culling sweeps along those paths would significantly improve safety."
That made sense.
However, we couldn't just dispatch culling teams whenever we pleased. The routes would likely pass over the territories of Count Pugyal and his associates.
I decided to consult the Count before fixing the routes. Whether or not we could send out these teams would be a major factor in determining where the airship actually flew.
...
"Is something the matter?" the representative asked.
"No," I replied. "It’s just that lately, whenever I’ve had thoughts like this, Beezel usually appears with a letter or a document from Count Pugyal."
I suppose it didn't happen every single time, but the coincidence was becoming a trend.
Just as I was thinking that, Yuri, who had been quietly enjoying her post-meal tea while waiting for her turn to speak, raised her hand.
"Excuse me. I happen to be carrying a letter of delegation regarding the deployment of forces within the territories related to Count Pugyal."
Apparently, Yuri had arrived at the Village of the Great Tree before noon specifically to deliver that document to me. Unfortunately, I had been out with Raimeiren to recover the heavy machinery, so she’d been waiting in the village until my return.
I apologized for making her wait and took the letter. It was exactly what I needed. As for a thank you or a reply to Count Pugyal...
"He said it isn't necessary," Yuri noted.
Same as usual, then.
I handed the document to the High Ogre maid standing behind me and steered the conversation back to the task at hand. With the letter of delegation, the biggest hurdle for the culling teams was gone. I told the representative of the Angel flight staff that we would conduct regular sweeps once the routes were official.
"We look forward to it."
That concluded the report on the flight tests. The representative bowed and headed over to Suarlou, who was waiting at a nearby table. Since the representative of the Angel guard staff was there as well, they were likely going to conduct an evaluation of their performance. Based on the report I’d heard, they shouldn't have much to worry about.
Next, Bell stepped forward to give the investigation report. She began by apologizing for their late return.
Considering the trouble involved in dropping the Artie Horse, I didn't think the delay could be helped.
"No," Bell sighed. "If only I had insisted on bringing back one machine instead of two... I can't forgive myself for letting Yor talk me into it."
I—I see. Try not to take it too hard.
Anyway, I asked if she had discovered why the machines hadn't degraded.
Bell had boarded the airship specifically to investigate why the Artie Horses were in such pristine condition. Since all four machines they brought back were functional, the lack of degradation was a proven fact.
"Yes. As we suspected, the Wing Demon Crystals appear to be the cause."
Bell had investigated the disposal sites, the active mines, and the depleted ones, checking the condition of the Artie Horses and their spare parts at each location.
"I’ll submit a detailed report later, but to put it simply: the higher the concentration of Wing Demon Crystals in the vicinity, the more degradation is suppressed."
I see.
"The reason the Kissinlee airship is still functional might be because there were Wing Demon Crystals nearby as well."
That was a distinct possibility.
"I'd like to ask the Kissinlee couple for more details about where they hid it," Bell added.
The couple was currently with Miyo. I told her she could go speak with them whenever she liked.
"Thank you very much."
I then asked where exactly they had found the four Artie Horses and the spare parts. When I had gone to the site, Siegfried had been sitting on top of a heap of ore containing Wing Demon Crystals.
"They were at the bottom," Bell said.
"The bottom?"
"Yes. There was a horizontal tunnel at the base of the dumping site where the ore and crystals had been piled. They were stored inside."
A horizontal tunnel? Ah, I see. If they had been sitting directly under the pile, they would have been crushed by the weight of the debris. They were safe because they were inside the tunnel.
"Yes. We’ve tentatively named the four new units Number Two, Number Three, Number Four, and Number Five."
Unit Number One was Siegfried, then.
But there was an enormous amount of ore at that site, wasn't there? I didn't know the exact depth, but it had to be at least ten meters deep to bury Siegfried. The Trial Digging Team had estimated it might even be fifty meters deep. I was impressed they had managed to dig it all up.
"That was thanks to Yor's intensity," Bell explained.
"Through brute force?"
"No. We used the airship to haul the ore away."
I see.
"Also, since the site was full of Wing Demon Crystals, we were able to produce levitation gas and use small balloons to lift the heavier pieces."
Oh, that was quite clever.
"Zabuton’s children, the Angels, and the Trial Digging Team helped a great deal."
I understood. I made a note to express my gratitude to them as well.
"Please do."
I also asked how the survey workers from Village Four—the Devil and Dream Demon races—had fared.
"They worked hard, of course. But that was their job. I’ve already praised them on your behalf."
Still, I felt I should do something. They had performed duties far outside their usual routine. I wanted to thank them personally.
"I understand. Thank you."
Finally, I had to ask... how was Yor doing?
"She worked hard," Bell said with a weary smile. "Though I wasn't sure what to do when she announced she was going to dig up every single pebble in the dump."
I see.
"Her drive was like that of an explorer who knew for a fact that treasure was buried there."
Well, in the end, she had been right.
"It would be a blessing if she directed that heat toward her actual work," Bell added.
I told her not to be too hard on Yor. It wasn't as if we were giving her her original job to do. Yor’s primary specialty was armament management in Village Four. Now, she was acting as a gatekeeper under the title of the Hot Spring Area Teleportation Gate Manager. We were forcing her into a role that didn't quite suit her.
"Please don't worry about it," Bell assured me. "I might complain, but she actually enjoys the role in her own way."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. If she truly hated it, she would have hired a double and disappeared long ago."
A double... like Tou? Tou had wanted to be the captain of the Universal Ship so badly that he’d made Yor his substitute.
"Exactly. Normally, that wouldn't be acceptable, but..."
No, it would be worse if she burned out from being forced into work she despised. I understood. I told Bell to make sure she didn't overwork herself either.
"I’m allowed a fair amount of freedom, so I have no complaints."
That was good to hear.
Now, about that same Yor...
Bell and I both looked over at Yor, who was currently face-down on a table a short distance away. After recovering the two Artie Horses they’d originally left behind and returning to the village, Yor had completely collapsed.
When she finally woke up, she found the Artie Horses were already moving.
Apparently, Yor had tried riding them at the discovery site, but they wouldn't budge. When she had cornered the Mountain Elves for the reason, it turned out Yuri was the one with the answer.
"Machinery from that era won't activate if the pilot’s magic power is too high."
Therefore, the pilot either had to consciously suppress their magic or wear a specialized pilot suit designed for that purpose. Yuri had explained this before hopping back into the Artie Horse and riding it around.
Yor had said "I see" and immediately climbed into a different machine, but it didn't move. It didn't budge an inch.
The Angels and High Elves had no luck either. The Mountain Elves managed to make theirs move just enough to take a few steps.
"Pilot suit!" Yor had screamed.
She rummaged through the spare parts they’d recovered, but she couldn't find one. There was no way she would have; the team had prioritized machine parts over everything else. Apparently, she hadn't spared a single glance at the clothing items at the site.
Yor had been devastated.
However, by a stroke of luck—actual luck—one of Zabuton's children had brought back a set of clothing to use as a reference for design. When Lu examined it, she confirmed it was a pilot suit, as it was woven with magic-suppressing properties.
Yor had practically begged the spiderlings to let her borrow it. She put the suit on and climbed back into the Artie Horse.
But it still didn't move.
While Yor screamed "Why?!", everyone else watching had the same thought: Well, obviously.
The pilot suit Yor had tried on was a men’s version, and it was far too large for her. Even someone like me, who wasn't a magic expert, could guess that her magic power was leaking out through the baggy gaps in the fabric.
And so, Yor had slumped over the table.
Presumably, she was too embarrassed to ask to go back one more time, or perhaps Bell had been the one to stop her.
"Let her be like that for a while," Bell said. "She’s been running a bit wild lately anyway."
...I understood.
I supposed we would eventually have to head back to recover the proper pilot suits once the time was right.