Chapter 28: Farewell
Well, I’ve already decided that I need to take care of the contact liaison, however I have no good ideas about the method. Killing is something that can be done at any time, however right now, the builders were in the middle of constructing the rubber shed and the barn. If this is done poorly, it will naturally become a big mess. Last time around, the contact liaison was an adventurer and it wouldn’t be weird for someone in that profession to just drop dead during an adventure.
While obviously this new spy was not up to any good, his profession was that of a builder and it won’t be easy to come up with a reason if he were to suddenly disappear. In any case, the possibility that a builder disappears in the middle of work is slim, and because it would slow the others down, they would definitely search for him if he were to go missing.
Even if I were able to make his corpse into a puddle of water, if he disappeared without reason even the villagers of Bakkudo village may take action and thoroughly search the premises. After thinking about it this much, I noticed something. The reason why anyone would think that he disappeared without notice, is if I were to eliminate him in a location that no one could see. But what if I were to openly cause an “accident” in broad daylight, could this possibly work?
Somehow, I feel like my way of thinking has become similar to a professional hitman…. But, I’ve already decided that this must be done. Last time around I also thought about this but, I cannot afford for Myun to be compromised, even now I still need her here. Up until now, she has taken care of me and she has been really helpful to me.
I don’t even know this guy, moreover he’s a spy from Debasu Kingdom, he can’t even be compared to Myun, therefore, I’ve long made up my mind. When I think about how I’m going to live my life in the future, this is nothing to even think about. Alright, let’s make it look like and accident and dispose of this spy. Failures are not permitted. If I fail the first time, I don’t think there will be another chance to make it look like an accident any longer. If there is a large external wound, then this will also be too obvious and it won’t work. It’s probably better to make him fall to his death from the roof and or beam while he is working on the building? No, the height of the roof is only approximately 4-5 meters. At this height, even if someone were to fall, it is really unlikely for them to die unless they are really unlucky.
In this case, what should I do? Should I combine water and ground magic in order to create a delayed poison? If I imagine a puffer fish, I should be able to create a poison similar to tetrodotoxin right? However, even if I was able to make such a thing, how do I get him to take it? If I wanted to mix it in their food, then all of the builders eating the soup would be poisoned, that would cause troubles. Falling from death + Alpha can’t I do something with this……..?
If all I do is think about these type of things, my mind goes a little wild. If I just left things to chance, then there is bound to be mistakes and that would be a problem…… While supervising the others as they created rubber, I was thinking about such things.
Right now, Diane and Myun were working on creating the rubber belt and the rubber boots. On the side, Farne was pouring raw materials in order to create the ebonite type rubber. Judging from the size of it, it was going to be the latch made for the belt. The raw materials for the ebonite are poured carefully into this square which had a ring-formed mould.
Taylor and Enbelt were stirring the contents that Mill had already mixed beforehand, this was the ground charcoal and sulphur chemical compounds that would increase the hardness of rubber. Arnold and Mill was cutting a little bit from the sole of the boots and then pasting on the rubber to make it more durable. The work is going well. The only one who’s not really doing anything is me. Considering that this is a rare occasion, shall we do a little experiment?
I moved to the warehouse which was a workshop in the main building and started creating soil using earth magic. I was using earth magic in order to fill the bucket full of soil and after that I used void magic to sieve through the soil. If you were to ask me what I was doing, then I was experimenting to see if I could filter out only the metal content within the soil. Within a mixture of soil and earth, it wouldn’t’ be strange to find a some metal content in it right? Well at least that was what I thought initially, it seems that after trying it out, perhaps I was the crazy one to think that this would work; it seems that the metal content is close to zero.
To put it into perspective, I made a wall of earth of around 10 meters in width by 1 meter in height, and from this, I had only about 2 grams of metal content. Just to produce this little amount of metal, required an extremely high amount of magical expenditure. The first step was to create the 10 meter wall of earth and this would require a proficiency level of level 5 Magic and it would require you to cast it approximately 6 times. Merely doing this would require an MP expenditure of at least 30. If you wanted to make this much earth and you were only capable of using level 3 Earth Magic, then you would likely need to conjure the earth hundreds of times. Therefore, my purpose is no longer to just filter out the metal content any longer, but it has changed to practicing to able to more efficiently draw out the metal even by a little.
When I need to filter out the soil and use void magic in order to draw out the metal, I actually use about 1000 MP. My calculations are that it would take about 10 MP per cubic meter per second. The only person who would be able to produce Metal in this way is probably me. Even when I tried my best for the whole day, I could only gain 10 grams’ worth of the metal. More troublesome was the fact that I had to dispose of the huge amount of earth that I generated. Even if I wanted to erase it using magic, then it would also take a similar amount of MP as filtering out the metal. When I thought about the fact that in a whole day I was only able to produce 10 grams, this is pretty much akin to about two pieces of 100 yen coins at best.
If only I had magic that was able to directly produce metal, that would be so convenient, if this was possible, I would not only be able to more easily produce armor, civilisation might also become more advanced, By the way, I tried to filter out the metal even more and see if I could filter out gold, silver or other types of precious metal such as platinum, but that experiment did not succeed. Well it’s not like I wasn’t able to do it, but I was only able to extract miniscule amounts that could be compared to sand particles, and if it’s to this extent, I’d rather a.s.sume that this wasn’t possible to accomplish. Nevertheless, I was able to succeed in obtaining a nickel and chrome to some extent. I want to be able to produce stainless steel, but considering the amount I obtained, this is just not a realistic goal.
These past few days, I have been totally immersed and fascinated at the process of filtering out metal. This is partly because I had received the second hand goods from that blacksmith that retired that Hegard managed to get a hold of. However, it’s not like I can suddenly do blacksmithing, so honestly what I’m doing probably doesn’t exceed what you would consider “child’s play”. Woops, I’m totally losing sight of the original conversation.
Even if I may look like I am just playing around, I’m still thinking about methods and ways to dispose of the spy. However, no matter how much I think about it, I can’t seem to find any good ideas. I guess there’s no other way….
Several days later, I managed to confirm from a long distance away that the spy was attempting to go up a ladder in order to build the framework of the rubber shed and the roofing, which was located in the riverside. I casually made my way to the riverside and approached him. The timing is also very important when trying to make certain you successfully go for the kill. I was approaching the shed with the appearance of a little child who was very curious to see how it was being built. While in actual fact, all the plans and basic layout for the design of the shed was created by me, I told Hegard all the details and he was the one who pa.s.sed on all this information to the builders, therefore, the builders should have no clue about me and only perceive me as a simple child.
I was looking at the construction of the shed at a distance of about 10 meters away and I was sitting on sc.r.a.ps of wood near the building as I looked up. Including the boss of the builders, there was 8 of the artisans who was working busily as they used a wooden peg to nail the framework of the building thereby a.s.sembling it. There is about 5 people that was working on the top. The spy in question was continuing to work as he moved over a beam. All that’s left is for the timing to be perfect. Even if he was standing in that dangerous position for quite a while, he just didn’t come to the right position.
Hmmm. This is worrisome. But well, not even 10 minutes have pa.s.sed, let’s just wait and see what happens.
10 minutes later…. Not yet.
Another 10 minutes pa.s.s by… Oh, he’s finally changing positions again. Will this be good enough?
Yeah, I think this will do. If I started to cast wind magic, it would just like he just lost his footing right, right? While it wasn’t appropriate for me to cast a violent gale, it should be enough to make him lose his balance.
Now’s my chance!
I tried to use my wind magic in order to blow his body off the roof.
Naturally I was waiting for the timing so that n.o.body would notice that magical light was coming out of my hands.
However, for some reason, the framework of the shed itself greatly jolted and shook.
Didn’t they build this shed properly?!
Not just the spy I was supposed to target, with the shaking of the building everyone who was at the top started to lose their footing.
This is bad.
Within a second of each of them shouting out, everyone started to drop into the ground. My initial plan was to use wind magic again on the spy as he fell down, to make sure he landed on his head, however if everyone was falling at the same time, I couldn’t really do this and so I couldn’t do much but watch as they fell down.
However, perhaps I can make use of the situation and do something about it. I quickly approached the spy who fell down. If he was dead from this than it would be lucky for me, I used Appraisal on the spy and found out that 【Condition: Both legs fractured】he was injured but it was non-threatening to his life. There were also several others who ended up getting wounded because of the fall, but I don’t really have a chance to finish him off right now.
Although I don’t really want to do this, there is no helping it. First I would create about a gla.s.s cups worth of soil using earth magic and then using void magic I could use it to stuff his mouth and the circ.u.mference of it in order to make sure his voice wouldn’t leak out, at this point in time, I can only think of using my MP in order to make one of the beams fall on top of his head… If I invested around 2000 MP would I be able to pull this off? I should get close to him pretending that I would start using recovery magic, and then instead use wind magic in order to make one of the beams fall down and crush him.
I dashed at him while formulating this plan, but it was at this time that the boss of the builders suddenly called out the name of the spy and starting sprinting towards him. Gehh, are they close friends? If it’s like this, I really can’t kill him carelessly… I can’t help it at this stage, and I think that I need to legitimately cast healing magic on him now….
The person who received the most serious injury from the fall was the spy and so for now I decided to cast recovery magic on him. At the same time, I told the others to go and get Shiemi-obaasan as I continued to heal the next guy. After this I pretended to have used all of my energy and sat down. Well only these two guys had serious injuries that was enough to fracture their bones, so even if I didn’t heal the others it should be fine. For the time being I only casted a little bit healing magic on these two. If I was to seriously go at it and cast healing magic, they would probably be healthy in no time at all, but I didn’t want my magical prowess to be suspected and so I purposefully did a shoddy job. Apart from my crew which were producing the rubber, there was really no one else who knew that I had so much MP, so with this much I don’t think anyone would start to doubt me.
The spy was apparently the son of the boss’s friend, and he was only a temporary worker. The person himself was feeling immensely grateful towards me. Even though I had tried to kill him, for me to receive his grat.i.tude sent a shiver up my spine, but since it couldn’t be helped I didn’t say anything to negate it and just received his thanks. Moreover, it seems that the other 5 of were wounded received treatment from: Shiemi-obaasan, Sharl, Farne and Mill, therefore they were healed pretty well, and after resting, they would be able to start working again tomorrow.
Well, I’m stumped… Because I started talking directly to him, my killing intent has been dampened. In truth, talking to him like this should probably be avoided. However, I mean after treating him with my healing magic, he was actually bowing his head to a kid like me, and I couldn’t really bring myself to gush out my killing intent. Seriously, what should I do?
This shed almost collapsed when I blew it with my wind, and because it was in the middle of construction, n.o.body really doubted that the cause of it was someone cutting corners while working on the shed. Additionally, the boss of the builders was really grateful when our group casted healing magic and so it became a trivial pa.s.sing matter, I also didn’t say anything. Well at this stage, they probably won’t cut anymore corners when constructing the shed, I guess this is good.
Although I feel somewhat shameful for intentionally causing a ruckus and then profiting from it. The fact that it already happened cannot be changed so there’s not much use over thinking it. The other workers have started calling me “young master, young master” and they are behaving in a really friendly fashion. Arghh Man, What am I going to do now!?
However, things begun to change.
The next day, a riding messenger came from the Webdos faction.
It was a call of partic.i.p.ation for the next expedition.
This battle will be our chance to provide actual combat proof that my rubber protectors are of first rate quality, lately all I’ve been thinking about is how to kill someone, so let’s just put the matter off for now and think about murdering later. When I think of the expedition, I cannot help but to think about Hegard and the retainers that will follow him.
Apparently, the military forces of Bakuddo village will depart from the village within one month.
Hegard confirmed that we would be able to produce all the goods required by Viscount Kindo and the order of the knights within the allotted time and then he ordered us to begin production of the rubber protectors. I was always prepared for such a situation to occur, that’s why I have always been consistently improving the protectors and so I feel like we will be able to meet the deadline with no problems.
From the next morning, I plan to make a protector tailor made for all the members who is going on the expedition according to the size of their bodies. This time around there is a deadline, besides my hands are completely full with having to meet the orders of: Viscount Kindo and the order of the knights, and also with the production of the protective gear. Other than creating the improved model of the protector there is no need for me to expend large amounts of MP, however, being busy is still being busy. I almost wanted to just ask if I could just skip my sword lessons, but the answer is obvious and I myself understood that it was necessary for me to temper my body and train, so I tried to make do with the time I had,
Ahh, that’s right. After thinking about it, the spy hasn’t really been able to get any confidential information regarding the rubber or the process of making it, therefore, wouldn’t it be fine if we just allowed him to convey the matter of our family departing for the expedition? I was racking my brains out to figure out the solution, but it seems that the problem will soon resolve itself, I will just obediently accept this development with delight.
When I ordered Myun to just convey the message of Bakuddo village partic.i.p.ating in the next war expedition, the spy was trying to make the excuse that his injuries and body condition wasn’t well and strongly wished to return to Doritto. However, the boss of the builders did not permit such an action, and he wanted the rubber shed and the barn to be completed at a faster pace. Perhaps the other workers were in high spirits after receiving healing magic or something? but either way they were really motivated and managed to complete the work in just a mere 20 days. both the barn and the shed was made quite well.
The people who will be departing to the skirmish in the Debasu Kingdom is apparently going to be Hegard as the head chief, and Sharl is also coming along. Moreover, all the retainers from all 10 households were partic.i.p.ating in the war as well. Even if you think that the scale is small, whether they proceed for the purpose of defence or for offence, an armed force, is an armed force.
I was able to make it in time by equipping all the members who were dispatched with protectors and so I was really relieved, and along with the rest of the villagers, we saw them off. Two horses are used to pull the wagon, and because Hegard is using the only warhorse available, the horses cannot be used for agriculture development until they return. I had already completely all the orders from Viscount Kindo and delivered it to him, not only that, the wagon that was filled with the goods for the order of the knights were also filled with protectors for all sizes just in case they were willing to buy some goods. The person who was driving the wagon was Beckwiz and Sharl was sitting next to him.
At first, they were planning on putting things like clothing and food inside the wagon, however, this time around, there was already going to be military provisions given to us and so they only brought enough food to stock them for the travel, and if they needed to they could replenish for supplies on their trip as they delivered the goods to the order of the knights in Keel. All of the retainers who were equipped with my ebonite protectors were covered in solid black and they looked both dauntless and really cool. I asked this matter to Hegard a while back and it seems that in this world there is already such things as metallic armor, however, the full plate armor was a whole body armor and it was way too expensive and so only senior level aristocrats would be able to afford such things. As for normal foot soldiers, most of them were forced to wear either leather armor or perhaps chainmail at best.
Putting aside leather armor, while chain armor may have a good defensive power, it was really heavy to wear and so if you needed to march, it took a lot more energy to do so. When you compare it to a kilt which they wore underneath their armor in usual circ.u.mstances. my st.u.r.dy protector was by far the optimal choice. Naturally, I also made types that can be put on as easily as leather armor. Each person had various types of equipment tailored to them and while it may have been troublesome to make in some cases, this will most definitely increase their survival rate by many times over. This time around, the protectors were developed by taking into consideration that these protectors would be worn alongside some of the leather and other types of armors and so each piece was remodelled to fit.
Additionally, in the world of Orth, it wasn’t really dominated by males, therefore, there was actually a lot of women partic.i.p.ating in the armed forces as well. This is pretty similar to the WAC. Although if you were to think of the women in the member of the Self-Defense Force I used to belong in at the time, women were not necessarily a.s.signed for battle and was instead working as nurses and shelter people. Well if I am not mistaken though, there is surely some members of the j.a.panese Ground Self-Defence Force that were women who were actually a.s.signed to the front lines as a combat force, and in Israel there was also women conscripted to the war, therefore, there shouldn’t be any problems with having women in the force, well I suppose there is a huge difference in cultural between the two worlds though…. Anyways no matter the case, this isn’t really a problem. This isn’t earth, moreover it would be crazy for me to compare this world’s inhabitants to the common sense of j.a.panese people. In the future, if there are more orders for us to develop the protectors, I will have to make more types of armor specifically suited for the women. When I was making the protective gear for Sharl, Hegard happened to be there by chance and gave me this advice
I hear that they will take around several months to half a year before they are able to return home from the expedition.
I had a really hard time resisting my instinctive urge to give them a salute as they departed.