Arc 24: The King is Busy in Many Ways
Chapter 236: Ma.s.s production, and the Pressure of Work
「Touya-dono, is this…?」
Everyone was staring at [That] with eyes wide open as I handed over a device for each one in the council seats.
Its size is only a little bit bigger than mine, and it’s colored white to differentiate it from the original with just a single glance.
「Say, this resembles the artifact Touya-dono possess, but by no means…」(Cloud)
「Yes. It’s officially called a [Smartphone], but in short, you can call it a [Mobile Phone] or a [Mobile Device]. The ones I’ve distributed to everyone is a simple model which is different from mine」(Touya)
I began the explanation while answering the King of Rynie’s question.
「First, if you press the upper side b.u.t.ton, this one right here, and it will start-up. Please try pressing it」(Touya)
「OOh!? S-something came out!?」
「There are many small pictures…」
Apparently, it seemed to have a proper power supply. By the way, the letters had been translated into this world’s common language so they should’ve been able to read them without any problem.
「Displayed on top are the time and the battery power…Ah~, the remaining magic power. Please be aware that this tool won’t be operable if the magic power goes down from 100% to 0%. Don’t worry. Even if it stops being operable, it will restore back once you pour magic power into it」(Touya)
Next, I chose the [Emperor of Regulus] from the [Contact Address], and tried to make a call.
「Uah！？」(Zephirus)
The ringtone suddenly started ringing, and his majesty the emperor ended up unintentionally dropping the smartphone he had in his hand.
Everyone’s gaze turned over there, and even some of them abruptly stood up from their chairs.
「Don’t worry. This is me making a [phone call] to His Majesty the Emperor. Your majesty, can you read the letters shown on the screen?」(Touya)
「Y-yes. It turned into [Brunhild Sovereign King]」(Zephirus)
「With this, you’ll know who’s contacting you. Then, please try touching the green mark under the name, and put the smartphone to your ear the same way as I am doing」(Touya)
His Majesty the Emperor timidly touched the screen as I’d told him and put the smartphone to his ear.
『Mos.h.i.+-mos.h.i.+? Can you hear me?』(Touya)
『Oooo, I hear the Sovereign King’s voice close to my ears! I see! So this is how you can use it as a communications device!』(Zephirus)
They were quick to understand the function since everyone knew that the frame gears had communication devices installed in them in the first place.
「Touching the icon that says [Contact Address] on the screen will show a list of names. Touching on a name will initiate a call to the other party. Then, how about everyone tries calling the person they are sitting across as a trial?」(Touya)
Somehow, it started to feel like a PC school for elderly people.
After that, I taught the rulers of each country its different functions.
Though I’ve said that, there weren’t that many applications installed in it. On the outside, it’s the smartphone from my world, but the inside was the professor’s original (Or perhaps I should say a rip off) functionality.
I supposed the Phone call, Camera, Map, Compa.s.s, Calculator, Memo, Clock, Mail, Light, Calendar and Game apps were sufficient enough since there were that many of them.
Well, the Map and such were incomparable to my [Search], so they’d become considerably downgraded versions though. Nevertheless, their current location or city name and etc could be searched for.
I left the rulers who were in high spirits like kids who had obtained a new toy just by themselves after calling each other and sending emails for a while, but I had to calm them down because they’d gotten things out of control.
「I’ve talked about everything, and I’m giving those smartphones to you. If you lose it or even if it’s stolen, please let me know immediately because we can return them from here」(Touya)
「This is too convenient, isn’t it…? It seems the exchange between the nations will become fairly easy with this」(Audrey)
The Rodomea Statewide Governor stated her impressions as if she admired it while touching the smartphone.
「Touya-dono. I was curious since a little while ago, but what is this icon called [Game]? Oh, is it perhaps…?」(Trystwin)
「Ah, I’ve placed it there as some sort of trial. Several types of games have been installed in it. Connecting to other devices will allow you to play Shogi with two people, and connecting will four people — a game like Mahjong」(Touya)
「「「「Hooo」」」」
The eyes of the four old men from Belfast, Regulus, Reefrees, and Misumido who were game lovers sparkled
「Just in case though, I’ve placed a limit of two hours a day for this one」(Touya)
「「「「Ehhh」」」」
Do not “Ehhh” me. It’s an important feature. Otherwise, you’ll just continue playing it forever. I’m absolutely sure of it. If playing has an effect on national politics or something similar, I’ll find myself apologizing to the prime minister and the citizens of that country. まあ、気兼ねなく電話やメールをでき
Oh well. Now that they’re able to do phone calls and send mail without troubling anyone, I believe it’ll be a good thing if they can become more friendly though.
「Also, the images taken with the camera can also be printed in our household like this, so please tell me when it’s necessary」(Touya)
The King of Belfast immediately stood up straight when I showed them a photograph of Karen-nee-san (Or rather, a printed one) looking at the camera with all her heart.
「…I can’t leave it out anymore. I should hurry up and take pictures of Yamato!」(Trystwin)
Was this person that much of a doting parent?
Oh well. It’s just about time to finish things up so I’d decided to end the meeting today. Thereupon, Her Eminence the Pope of Ramisshu came to me.
「Excuse me, are there no more pictures of Moroha-sama? If there is, I want one for two people if possible!」(Pope of Ramisshu)
I wonder, was this person also trivial like that? I guess it’s an action that isn’t wrong either as a believer.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
After the meeting, I immediately received a phone call. Though I’d said that, it wasn’t from one of the rulers. The word [Professor] appeared on the screen. There’s hardly any chance for devices not to connect since it looked like she had employed the techniques being used in a magic foundation and carving magic without relying on electromagnetic waves for correspondence. It seemed to be a common technology used in the age of the ancient magic civilization where the professor had lived.
「Yes, h.e.l.lo?」(Touya)
『Yah, is this Touya-kun? What in the world is this [h.e.l.lo] that you’ve just said?』(Regina)
「In a country where I used to live, a dialogue starts with the words [Say, Say]. I suppose it’s a kind of greeting similar [Speak after this], I think?」(Touya)
I had a feeling they’d said something like this on the television. The memory wasn’t distinct because I didn’t pay attention to it that time.
『It’s very interesting indeed. Well then, how was the reaction of the rulers?』(Regina)
「Excellent. Everyone has gratefully accepted the smartphones」(Touya)
『This is splendid. However, those are devices that have been considerably downgraded』(Regina)
「The things you’ve made had too many unnecessary functions. Is there any fool in any world who would attach a self-destruct system to a smartphone?」(Touya)
There’s one in this world! In addition to that, she had made other unnecessary functions like a function to generate supersonic waves to destroy gla.s.s or a see-through photograph function that could photograph through any object and so on and so forth.
Nonetheless, this professor was somewhat an oddball. There was a saying that stated [There’s a fine line between a genius and an idiot], but how many times already did that saying flash in my mind?
『Oh well, that’s fine. By the way. It’s about the new frame gear that Rosetta and Monica are making. How about entrusting her frame to them, and for me to proceed with Linzie-kun and Rin-kun frame gears?』(Regina)
「Ah. I think that both of them will be magic-based fighter units, but magic doesn’t work on the Frazes. I was thinking of a battle style that mainly uses the magic systems for defending and the Fragarachs for attacking」(Touya)
『That weapon is good. Don’t tell me you’re thinking of making something like that from the [Satellite Orb] system. Is that also a knowledge that came [Earth]』(Regina)
「I guess so」(Touya)
It’s a knowledge from an anime in Earth though. I’d just kept quiet about it since her knowing the truth might become even more troublesome if I talked about it. She might say something about making a horse battles.h.i.+p.
Immediately after hanging the call with the professor, I received a phone call from Sakura. Hey! What is it about this time?
「Yes, h.e.l.lo?」(Touya)
『Eh, umm, h.e.l.lo? King-sama, is it alright to call you right now?』(Sakura)
「It’s alright. Is there something wrong?」(Touya)
『You see, mother seems to want to talk about school』(Sakura)
「Fiana-san?」(Touya)
The school which was scheduled to be the workplace of Sakura’s mother, Fiana-san, had already been 80% completed. there would be only one cla.s.s now as an experiment though, but the plan was to add more buildings once the number of students increased.
「Where is Fiana-san now?」(Touya)
『She came to the school with me』(Sakura)
「Then, please wait for me. I’ll go there right now」(Touya)
I ended the call and went through the opened [Gate] to the school. Upon doing so, I saw Sakura and Fiana-san on the site of the school building, along with Naito-ossan and Nyantaro.
「Ah, Touya-san. I am sorry for expressly calling you here」(Fiana)
「No problem. What’s the matter?」(Touya)
Fiana-san bowed her head. Did any problem come up?
「To tell you the truth, I spoke to several houses with kids when the construction of the school for kids have begun. After that, the talks spread and the number of people increased more than I’d thought they would. The numbers increased to the point wherein I won’t be able to handle it all by myself…」(Fiana)
「Eh? How many people have turned out?」(Touya)
I’d tried asking Naito-ossan who’s nearby.
「Nearly 80 people in total」(Naito)
「Eh? Were there that many children in our country?」(Touya)
「The number of immigrants increased again recently. There are also the children of married adventures, agricultural land settlers, merchants, and carpenters」
Ah, that’s right. It’s not like everybody is a bachelor. So there were entire families that moved here.
The original plan was for about 20 children only. So now it was four times that number.
「Hmm, then, shall we employ one or two more teachers?」(Touya)
「That will be helpful. It will be easier with three people」(Fiana)
Fiana-san patted her chest feeling relieved. For now, I suppose I’ll also have to do the interviews since it’s a nationally provided inst.i.tution.
I must inform Kousaka-san about the recruitment. I also requested an extension of the cla.s.srooms from Naito-ossan since it would’ve been cramped with the cla.s.srooms as it were currently.
Leaving that aside for now.
「What are you doing here, Nyantaro?」(Touya)
「Like I’ve said, it’s d’Artangan ~nya! I’ve been entrusted by the princess to guard the princess’s mother ~nya!」(Nyantaro)
「Heee」(Touya)
Nyantaro puffed his chest with pride. I thought for a moment there that it might be a nice way to get rid of a nuisance, but I’d decided that there was no need to say something unnecessary to make him feel down and just kept quiet about it since the person himself showed motivation in doing his job.
「I’m saved because d’Artagnan helps me in various ways」(Fiana)
「Mother-sama… Only mother-sama calls me with my proper name ~nya. Even the princess is calling me Nyantaro recently…」(Nyantaro)
「That’s because it’s easier to say」(Sakura)
Sakura answered as if nothing had happened. It seemed Nyantaro was emotionally attached to Fiana-san. Will this guy become the school janitor with this? A Janitor Knight. No, a Janitor Cat Knight, I think?
The problem has been solved for now, so shall I have a meal in [Silver Moon] after a long time together with Sakura and Fiana-san?
Just when I was thinking that, my pocket started to vibrate again. Again~? Who is it this time?
The letters [Kousaka-san] were showing on the smartphone screen when I took it out.
『Your Majesty. Please return at once with [Gate]. The doc.u.ments that require your approval have already piled up』(Kousaka)
「Eeeeh……」(Touya)
Somehow… It seems I’ve made a blunder in ma.s.s producing the smartphones…
I felt like I was pressed for time somehow. Or perhaps I should say that I’d ended up realizing how busy I am.
It’s also a problem with how easy it has become to contact one another. I was thinking like that as I opened a [Gate] to the castle.