A white vehicle running at high speed towards the northwest on the street.
　A so-called "light wagon," as it is called on Earth, an existence that is incongruous in the fantasy world, drove past, avoiding the caravans of merchants, while being very conspicuous.
　The two who ride it are the uneven duo of Xellos and Ad.

...... It's surprisingly comfortable to ride in this light wagon.
"No air conditioner, no speedometer, no direction indicator, no tail lights. It's a half-baked thing with only the essentials.
No, no, it's more than enough for this world. Why didn't you sell it in the Kingdom of Issaras?
I felt it could be improved into a weapon. The war-mongers in the Kingdom of Issaras are always asking for things that could be used as weapons. For example, a magical bomb that can annihilate the enemy in one fell swoop. ......
I'm not sure what to do. Well, I'm sure you can do it, Ad, but your car technology is not good enough for such people. In the event that you've got a lot of money, you'll be able to use it for a lot of things.

　The existence of a car is quite useful in the military.
　They can be used to transport troops and supplies, or to quickly deploy troops to an area of operation. Even in the world of swords and sorcery, being able to transport troops ahead of your opponent is a huge advantage.
　The ability to move troops ahead of the enemy is a huge advantage in the world of swords and sorcery.
　Since the power for the mass-produced magical moatl carriage was manufactured in the magical kingdom of Solistair, all the kingdom of Issaras could do was to mass-produce the metal frame and other parts in its factories.
The exterior of the carriage is made of wood, just like the carriage, so unless the design technology of the power unit is stolen, there is no way to improve it.
　In consideration of the fact that the finished product could be disassembled and the technology stolen, the magic formula was designed to be destroyed by the built-in magic seal stone if it was disassembled according to the procedure using special tools.
　This is because I needed to do something to silence the bloodthirsty people based on the information I heard from Ad, but this could also lead to the military expansion of the Solistair Magic Kingdom.
　But for the average person like Xellos, it doesn't matter. He resigned himself to the fact that the big people should decide what to do, and in fact, he threw it all to the Duke of Delsacis.

In the event that the cavalry attacked the infantry, for example, the reconnaissance unit would bring back information before the enemy did, and deploy the pikemen to foil the attack.
"Well, according to your story, you can move your troops at once to distract the enemy's eyes. You can also use a strategy where the troops you are trying to crush have already moved from the spot.

　In this other world, cavalry is the flower of the profession, and lance charging using mobility is easy to be successful on the battlefield. This is the reason why everyone who wants to become a knight aspires to join the cavalry.
　In particular, those from noble families who valued honor were often in such prominent units.
　The slow and heavily armored knights were basically a striking force, but their deployment was slow, and their basic equipment was blunt weapons such as lances and maces, which would wear out rapidly in a melee.
　If you want to talk about tactics roughly, lightly armed and shielded troops, including mercenaries, will hold up the enemy, and cavalry will attack the enemy from both sides.
　The basic tactic is to use heavily armed knights to break up a crowded battle.
　Well, there are other factors, such as the number of troops and the placement of troops, that make strategic military tactics significantly more complicated. .......
　In the case of a major battle, it is important to establish a detailed means of communication, to be alert to the movements of the battlefield, to communicate orders to each unit as soon as possible according to the situation, and to constantly change the battlefield to lead to a situation that is favorable to your army.
　This is a world where the number of troops, their equipment, the quality of generals, and strategy are all important. The existence of the Xellos could destroy this theory and create a mechanized force that can efficiently kick the enemy to the curb.

But hey, Metis has firearms, you know?　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're doing. The plains would be a disadvantage, and a small mobile force would not last long. Oh, we can just use a transport vehicle to assault them!
"Wait, Mr. Xelloss?　Did you just say you have a firearm?　No way. ......
Looks like one of the heroes made it. I don't know where he got the gunpowder.
He made it, didn't he?
You know, don't you, Ad?　Glass takes time to make. And if you're going to use it in war, you need a certain amount, and the manufacturing method is different on Earth.

　Nitrites can be made.
　In alchemy, when making potions, herbs that have been boiled to exhaustion are mixed with the blood of monsters and fermented. There are other methods, but this is the easiest way to make it.
　However, this method limits the amount of potions that can be made, and there is not enough for the army. Moreover, only alchemists can make potions, so it will not be used in Metis.
　After all, the alchemist is a mage. They believe in the Four Gods and deny even potions, so they can't use even the simplest method.

'So you've discovered some other method?　I can't think of any other way because I only know how to make them using alchemy.

　The laws of science are different from those of Earth, and a great deal of research is required just to make a single piece of glass. The knowledge of people summoned from other worlds is not very reliable.

"Well, even if you make gunpowder, it's not very powerful. It's much more effective to shoot out magic.
"It's cheaper to shoot out bullets with magic. That's what I did.
You made a gun too?
No, the Gunblade. It's as big as an anti-material rifle, though. I don't think it's suitable for close combat, it's difficult to handle and the balance of the barrel is terrible. It's also very heavy.
I can't use .......

　The [Gun Blade] that I made before was made as a hobby, but I wasted a lot of rare metals to make it sturdy. But as a weapon, the total weight was a fatal flaw.
　Only an insane person like Xelloss could handle it, and since it was not very useful and there were not many occasions to use it, it was still sadly gathering dust in the storeroom.
　In short, it had no more value than a noisy interior decoration.

So, I made another one from scratch. Which one do you prefer, the .44 Auto Mag or the Desert Eagle?
You're making another one!　Are you trying to turn this country into a gun society?
I'm just getting back to basics. Guns are the romance of men. Battleships and tanks, and reciprocating fighters and giant robots too.　Which do you prefer, Ad?


"What about the Colt .357 Magnum?

　Even Ad couldn't resist the romance of the gun.

"Well, of all the things you could say that about, ....... I was going to use the Python.
You have a ......?
There's ....... It's no use, I'll just use ZB26. No, that might be better. ......
That's a Czech light machine gun!　You're a merchant of death, aren't you?

　More like a terrorist.
　I don't know if it's a good thing, but I'm just making this as a hobby, not for sale. If we were to sell this kind of thing, we can expect a lot of confusion in the military.
　If it is mass-produced, many lives will be lost in the war. It could be an age of fire, with bullets flying and blasts blowing.

"I worked hard all night to make this, and all you do is complain.
What you've been working on all night is too noisy!　You should be knitting gloves!
I'm sorry, but I'm not much of a knitter. I could make a star engine, but ......
Are you going to make a Zero fighter? ......

　It's fine if it's just a hobby, but this old man can get out of control at times.
　It's a good thing that you're not the only one who has a problem with this.
　This old man is just 'better than the other annihilators', and in the end he is just like the others. If you take your eyes off him, he might start a technological revolution without realizing it.
　The disciples of the annihilators are currently building a kemomi harem in some plains.

Don't take your eyes off this old man. He could make a hell of a weapon on a whim. ......

　If modern weapons are added to a world of medieval culture, the level of civilization will rise dramatically. However, the probability of war is absolutely high.
　This is a world where the desire for honor and power is particularly pronounced. The addition of technology to create weapons that can efficiently defeat the enemy will ignite the ambitions of the royalty and aristocracy who are currently keeping a low profile.
　If it were to be used in a coup d'etat, we would be blinded.

"Mr. Ad, the military is expensive, you know. "Ad, the military costs a lot of money. Defense costs are not insignificant, and renewing all the equipment would be a burden on the people. Even if you consider the development costs, I don't think the people's taxes will be enough to pay for it. Unless it's a dictatorship, I don't think it will be what you think it will be. Above all, do you think the Duke of Delsacis will allow it?
I don't know, man.　He's a nobleman too, and I don't think he's without ambition.
He's a nobleman, and I don't think he has any ambition. "With his personality, he'll use what he can, but he'll be very careful. I'm sure that after the law is amended, he'll make sure that weapons are kept out of the hands of the private sector.
"How do you know so much about ......?
It's because you're a person who's happy to have something new, but at the same time you're able to think about the dangers. Rather than having weapons made in different places for the sake of industrial development, they'll set up factories under the direct control of the government and strictly control them. Of course, this includes monitoring the engineers. ......
I don't want to make an enemy. I don't want to be an enemy. Why isn't someone like that king?

　If Delsacis is the king, the magical kingdom of Solstice will be quite prosperous.
　Unfortunately, however, he's content with his position as a duke. I don't know what he's doing behind the scenes, but Xellos suspects that he prefers to support the country behind the scenes.
　Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to create an insane information network in his lifetime, and he wouldn't be dealing with so many merchants. He knows the importance of information better than anyone else.
　In other words, his position is behind the scenes, doing the dirty work, but a country depends on such behind-the-scenes management more than anything else. "Okay, let's go to war! You can't just decide on the spur of the moment.
　With this in mind, Xellos gazed blankly at the scenery from the car window.

"Oh, Ad, ......, we're turning right at the moment.
"Seriously?　Seriously? I accidentally missed the obelisk.
"Obelisk ......, well, it looks like one, but it's just a signpost, okay?
We'll have to make a U-turn somewhere. ....... By the way, what's the fort we're heading for?
"Fort Bomba. You've taken the wrong turn seven times now. Are you directionally challenged?
The last time I went to Odaiba, I went through Sendai. ....... The horse sashimi was delicious. ......
Is that Aomori? ...... Really?　That's a saga.

　I'm not sure if you've ever heard of it, but I'm sure you've heard of it.
　He even thought about driving himself home. .......


I'm not sure what to say.


"I'm tired of ....... My butt hurts already. ......

　Christine looked tired after the long carriage ride as she continued to sit.
　As you can see, when you travel out of the country, the journey feels terribly long and mentally exhausting.


　When we arrived at the town of Lisaguer and got off the carriage, we found ourselves in a bustling town full of merchants.
　Wooden buildings with triangular roofs lined the streets, and hot water flowed in the ditches beside them, creating a warm steam.
　The town was more crowded than she had expected, even in winter.

I'm going to find a place to stay for the night.
Please. I'm going to stay here and stretch my legs a bit. ...... I'm tired from the long trip.
I'm tired from the long journey. I don't want you to go anywhere alone.
I'm not going to do that, I promise. I've been overprotective since the village of Arhan.　Izzard.
I've had enough of that. Then I'll leave the carriage for a while.

　Izzard, ever the worrier, left the carriage and went off to find a place to stay.
　As soon as he had left the carriage, Master Sergas, who had been dozing in the carriage, came down. The door of the carriage is small, and the tall old mage seems to be a little cramped. 　

I've slept well. I've slept well. ...... Hmm, it's become quite a charming town~. It used to be a deserted village when I came here. ......
"Is that so?　I don't know what the village was like before, but I'd rather stay in a hotel and recover from this fatigue in a hot spring. I'm a little tired. ....... By the way, this [free accommodation coupon] doesn't have the name of the inn written on it, but can it be used anywhere?
"Probably so. Now, which inn should I choose?
Izzat just went to look for an inn. ......

　Master Sergas was already old, but he was stronger on his feet than Christine.
　His muscles were stretched to the point where it was hard to believe he was old, and he showed no signs of fatigue.
　Her training as a knight made her feel a little envious. The old master was jabbing around like shadow boxing, as if he was in need of a cure.
　His wind-swept fists were making a really good sound.

"Sir ......, are you really a mage?　It doesn't seem like the kind of punch you'd expect from an old man. ......
A mage needs strength too. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're going to be doing.
I'm sure you'll do well as a fencer. Wouldn't you be able to defeat a demon with only fighting?
I once beat a Grey Bear to death. I've beaten up a Grey Bear before and overpowered a bandit with just my well-trained body.
It was more than I expected. ......

　The old mage was much more of a fighter than she had imagined.
　Christine had only received a lecture on magic and had never heard of the wandering life of Sirgus.
　The old man's pride was that 'if you want to seek knowledge, you must first train a sound body and soul. In fact, it seems to me that his main focus is on physical training.
　In the meantime, Izaat, who had just left to look for a place to stay, returned.

He said, "Young lady, the inn around the corner is vacant. I've asked him not to let any guests in the room since we might be staying there. ...... What do you want me to do?
"Thank you very much, we'll take that room. We can finally get some rest. Oh, can you stop the carriage?
No problem. We might have to wait in the lobby for a while because two groups of guests were just leaving.
It's good enough for me that I found a place to stay. Thanks for your help, Izzard. You must be tired.
No, not as tired as I am now. Then let's go to the inn right away.

　When they were about to get into the carriage to go to the inn, the old mage was firing his fists very fast behind them. There was a whirlwind, and the sound of the wind was unbelievable.
　Rather, a shockwave is also being generated.

"Does ...... Lord Sergas need to take a hot bath?
"That's what I was wondering, too. It's been a long journey and he doesn't look tired at all. ......
"Muaximum, puwaaaaahhh!
"Oh, .......

　--ZBAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

　The old mage who put his whole body into a pose with a yell .
　Christine and Izzard heard the sound of the robes this old man was wearing screaming .
　The cramped carriage seemed to have caused the old man a lot of stress, and his arrival in the town of Lisagueru must have put him in a liberated mood.
　As a result of his exuberance, a scrap of his robe, a pathetic remnant of his robe, flew through the air in a mournful breeze.

　After this, the three of them were made to wait in the lobby of the inn until the room used by the previous guest was cleaned up, but they felt very embarrassed to be with a stocky old man who was half naked.
　Only some food giants are enough for her.


.


　While Xellos, Celestina, and Zveit were doing their respective activities, another person was immersed in research in the city of Ether Lante.


　He smiles in the dimly lit room, smiles wickedly like a high-tension or dangerous drug addict, writes down the results on a piece of paper, and then immerses himself in the same task again.

"Hmmm ...... great. This is the magic of the old days!　This is the technology of a once thriving civilization!　This place is a researcher's paradise!　This place is a researcher's paradise, and I don't even have time to rest!
"...... No, give it a rest. I don't know how many times I've said the same thing before.　If you keep this up, we're going to die for real, Croisus. ......
"If you can die buried in a treasure trove of knowledge, isn't that what you want as a researcher?　Makarov doesn't have enough awareness as a researcher. Anyway, this is ......

　That was bad.
　Croisus is still able to keep his wits about him, but his brain is pumping out adrenaline and other pleasurable substances due to his long years of research, and he is quite happy.
　Normally, he was neat, intelligent, and had a cool good looks that made many women fall in love with him, but now he had dark circles under his eyes, his eyes were bloodshot, and he looked like a villainous mage from a story.
　I don't know what he's enjoying, but he's smiling wickedly in amusement.
　Around the flowery Croisus, the students of the academy and the mages dispatched by the government to become researchers are exposing their corpses. He had been up all night for the past four days.
　Aside from the students, the national mages working in research are actually the same kind as Croisus. Their destination was to continue walking in the endless wilderness.
　In short,......, they were so engrossed in their research that they ran out of steam and all retired due to exhaustion.
　It is strange that Croisus is still in good health.

...... This is hell. I'm never going to be a researcher of magic tools.
"What are you saying, Makarov?　What do you mean, Makarov? This place is full of wisdom ...... and great technology that has been lost?　You'll regret it if you don't touch it now and unravel its mysteries!　Yes, you will regret it!
Why such high tension .......? You've been acting strange ever since you came here.
The wisdom I've longed for and sought is right in front of me. If I don't study and understand as much as I can here, I'll never be able to master magic. I'll turn into a demon or anything else if I have to in order to gain knowledge!
"......". How high can you get? When are you ready to go home, Croisus?
"......... huh?

　Croisus stopped thinking.
　He ruminated on Makarov's words over and over again, but could not understand their meaning.

'Going home?　Where are you going?　There are more crystals of wisdom here than you can analyze, you know.　Where are you going to go back to if you leave these advanced and beautiful magical tools behind?　If we're going back, then we're going back somewhere. ...... What is Makarov talking about?　We're going back?　A place to return?　Was there ever such a place?

　Unfortunately, Croisus' mind was occupied with his research.
　Not even the fact that he was a student at the academy or the annual winter vacation back to his parents' house were on his mind.
　All he had left was his quest for wisdom, and that was all Croisus had left. It is unthinkable that he would leave behind the wisdom of the ancient times and return to his parents' home.
　He is such an idiot that he is willing to make his parents cry for his research.

"......... huh? No!　You're not forgetting that you're a student at the university, are you?　I'm a little late getting back to you, but you have to go home. This is not the academy, Zveit and the other underclassmen have already left Ether Lante!　We took some time to help the analysis team, but the head of the research department told us four days ago that we couldn't keep them here any longer!　Didn't you really hear that ......?
...... No, that's ...... ridiculous.

　Croisus collapsed on the spot with a look of despair, as if it was the end of the world.
　The reason why Croisus is in Ether Lante in the first place is because the instructors of the academy abandoned their duties, saying that they have nothing to teach them. At the same time, there was a shortage of manpower to investigate the old cities due to the massive reorganization in the country, so they were sent here as a last resort.
　The irresponsible lecturers' shallow thinking was a paradise for Croisus.
　For Croesus, returning home for the winter vacations is like being expelled from paradise. His despair was understandable.

Why do you need to go back to ......? You can leave your family alone and they will live on their own. How foolish can the instructors of the academy be when there is no other opportunity at this time to know the wisdom of the ancients. ......
No, we'll die first. ....... I've been sitting at my desk analyzing magic formulas most of the time since I got here, and I've been taking breaks for about fifteen minutes. I've never felt so alive except when I'm eating.
I've had enough of that!
I've had enough!" "So what's the point of telling me that? ....... Somebody please convince this idiot to go to .......

　The main work of the students was to decipher the old documents abandoned in Ether Lante, and to copy the magic formula engraved on the core of the magic tools. They also disassemble broken magical tools to analyze their functions.
　However, the amount of work was a problem.
　Within three days, the students of the Saint Germain school realized that this place was hell. Except for Croisus: .......

No, Mr. Croisus: ....... I'm not sure what to say, but I think it's a good idea.


Aside from the Duke of Delsacis, I think his wife must be worried about him.
Yee Lin, Selina ...... I don't want to speak too much about the family, but your mothers are just a bunch of jerks who have a crush on your father, and the rest of them are snobs who indulge in fads like precious metals and dresses.　I don't think they care about me.
"Snob ......, you're so bitter towards your family .......

　I'm sure you'll be able to understand that I'm not the only one who has a problem with this.
　The aristocracy was the first to popularize beauty and fashion, and it had a high propaganda effect on the economy, so it was their duty to release a certain amount of money in order not to accumulate it unnecessarily.
　In addition, precious metals could be used as funds for defecting to other countries in the event of an important event.
　Large social events were usually held by the royal family or dukes, while private functions, such as tea ceremonies, were often held by individuals.
　This was to strengthen the ties between the nobles, and was important for the exchange of information. In a sense, it can be called official business.

At this rate, we won't be getting ready to go home. It's no use, we'll help you. The room will be a dump anyway, and I don't think we can make it if we don't start now.
"Yeah. ....... I honestly can't believe this is a duke's family.
"Croisus, you're aiming to be a researcher, so you're not thinking about taking over...
"Wait a minute!　I'm leaving, not a word .......
""No!

　I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not, but it's a good idea.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. It was a sea of rot that exceeded my expectations.
　There were even strange mushrooms growing, and it was not an environment where people could live.

""........."

　The others were indeed speechless, but Makarov opened his mouth heavily, as if he had made up his mind.

I was prepared for a dirty room, but ....... Hey, Croisus. I'm sure you're not the only one.　I'm sure you didn't just smuggle them in from the warehouse, did you?
"......... That's not what I meant. I borrowed it because I was interested in it, but before I knew it, ....... I was going to return it, you know?　I just didn't have time to do so. ......
I assume you got permission?
.........

　The silence said it all.
　The cold stares of the three men hurt.

"Oh, this is the one that was all the rage when it disappeared from the ...... warehouse!　I helped look for it, but I couldn't find it. ....... Croisus, you're terrible.
It's the same here: ....... I heard that you also searched the student's room but couldn't find it. I wonder where you hid it. ....... Mr. Croisus, what you did was a crime.
You ...... know what's good and what's bad. A lot of people have cried because they were accused of something they didn't do, what are you going to do about it?
What are you going to do?" "Is there such a thing?　I wasn't aware of that at all. ......
"You should be sorry for what you've done!

　Croisus tends to be indifferent to his surroundings when research is involved.
　The fact that he has no bad intentions makes it worse.
　Afterwards, he went to apologize to the head of the research department, but I should note that he was on the verge of being executed as a criminal if he had made a mistake.
　Croesus was saved by a beautiful friendship.
　However, I don't think he will change his behavior because of this. .......