In a Different World with a Smartphone Chapter 249

New arc. Chapter #250 will be skipped since it’s character re-introduction. It will be posted at later date.

TL: Airsblue
TLC: greujnik
ED: Blackswordsman

Arc 26: What can be done for tomorrow
Chapter 249: Sacred Treasure, and Heavy weapon equipment

「The world barrier ~nou……」(Kami-sama)

「Is there a method to repair it?」(Touya)

Kami-sama pondered while munching on a rice cracker, an Ishen specialty, that I'd brought with me. The usual 4 and ½ tatami mat room and the sea of clouds was spreading around us. Right now I was in the world of gods.

It might have been fine if I asked him over the phone though, but I'd thought that I should visit him while bringing a pastry box and directly ask him like this.

「It's not as if there's none. Or should I say, it's a piece of cake if the one who does it is a senior god ~jana. However, the gods are more or less prohibited from interfering with the lower worlds ~no. Though if an evil god or something similar destroys the barrier, then there's no reason to not repair it」(Kami-sama)

Drinking tea with a slurping sound, Kami-sama then breathed out a sigh.

「But the barrier was repaired that one time 5000 years ago」(Touya)

「I can only think that someone from the ground has repaired it. I can't say that there are no other people or races who have that ability」(Kami-sama)

Who is that someone you've just mentioned? What you've said isn't exactly specific.

「What if I try to repair it with my "Divinity"…?」(Touya)

「It is better if you don't ~no. Can you fix a spiderweb barehanded? It's not good to use a huge amount of power to do something precise」(Kami-sama)

I've thought that it's OK if I interfere from the ground since I've yet to be approved as a god. Well, yeah. I guess things will become hopeless if I break the barrier instead of repairing it.

「On the contrary, I realized that I had allowed this matter to go by, but is there such a thing as an evil deity?」(Touya)

「There is ~ Oh well. I'll say, those beings are different from us wherein they've been born on the ground. They then gather negative feelings such as deep grudges, attachments and so on and so forth. Those who have ego fuse with our divine treasures and such. It's close to what your previous world calls as folk beliefs」(kami-sama)

「Will Kami-sama then do something if that happens?」(Touya)

「I will but not directly because it's not good for me to do so~ja. It's only up to the point wherein I'll be granting a divine sword to a chosen hero, considering that the rank of those evil deities are below a subordinate god ~after all」(Kami-sama)

Are they below a subordinate god? Oh well. In a certain sense, they're just an imitation of a god.

「Though what will happen if the hero wielding the sacred sword gets killed?」(Touya)

「I won't do anything. It's the end of the world if that ever happens ~ja. Do you think gods will provide help a lot of times? In the worst case scenario, the world will be left alone. It will gradually meet its end because it's no longer being managed by a god. Well, I exert various means in order not to allow that to happen」(Kami-sama)

Having said that, Kami-sama laughed as if he's mocking himself. I wonder though just how many worlds have been abandoned thus far because they couldn't be saved?

I was thinking of those thoughts when Kami-sama leaked an "ah" voice as if he had remembered something.

「Oh yeah! Right. I forgot to say this, but that object that you're holding Touya-kun. That smartphone, right? That article, it's more or less a sacred treasure, you know？」(kami-sama)

「Eh！？ This thing！？」(Touya)

I took out my smartphone from my pocket and showed it to him. Is this a sacred treasure!?

「When you had died back then, I also brought this object to this world along with you, so I ended up doing some tinkering ~nou. This object is without a doubt a sacred treasure containing the power of the gods. Otherwise, it wouldn't be able to receive information from other worlds and contact the world of gods 」(Kami-sama)

It sure sounds right when you're the one saying it. I see. So this has been a sacred treasure all along, huh?

「I wonder, can I also make a sacred treasure myself?」(Touya)

「It's not as if that feat is impossible since all you have to do is pour divine power into something. However, I don't recommend it very much ~ok? After all, an evil deity might be born when doing that just as I've said a while ago」(Kami-sama)

「I see」(Touya)

A sacred treasure being suddenly given to a hero to defeat an evil deity. That object by itself is a sacred treasure. Then, what if an evil deity whose evil by nature have gotten hold of it? That question popped up from my mind.

As per Kami-sama's story, he usually destroyed the sacred treasure at the same time when the evil deity was defeated. It looked like he'd secretly collect the sacred treasure and replace it with a fake one. Then, when he forgot to do so, an evil deity would appear in a few hundred years. The so-called 'revival' of a malevolent force. Still, everyone might only start noticing that malicious being after it had started causing trouble or something similar. That's definitely not good……

Thinking about it once more, it's not as if the gods were perfect even if they were being called as one. Oh well. There were a whole lot of stories about gods taking the form of humans, having affairs or making outrageous failures even in my former world. After all, there were plenty of troublesome gods as well.

「Hey, Touya-kun. This is something that should be considered at in the future ~ja but… Don't you feel like managing the world you're in?」(Kami-sama)

「Come again？」(Touya)

「Sooner or later…… Well, it has been decided that becoming a senior god requires them to manage a single world. Then, a familiar world will be better if that's the case, won't it?」(Kami-sama)

No-no-no. A senior god you say. Doesn't that make my rank higher than Nee-san and the others? Nope. Having a higher rank isn't strange since I'm a dependant of Kami-sama who’s the god of the worlds, isn't it?

「……So in the end, will I have to join the ranks of the gods?」(Touya)

「I have no excuse for that even if it's something that you don't wish for ~nou. However, the other gods will be pleased. After all, it has been several tens of thousands of years since the last god ~ja. The senpais want to brag, you kmow」(Kami-sama)

I am thankful they're pleased but… Honestly speaking, my feelings about this matter is slightly complicated.

「If I join the ranks of the gods, is it acceptable for me to have a child? I'll still be getting married next year if I must say……」(Touya)

「There are a lot of children between gods and other species ~yo. It's not a problem. Well, they might possess an ability that's uncommon for other people, but it's not to the degree of being a new god ~ja ~nou」

Guess that's also obvious, huh? Heracles, Perseus, Achilles, Cuhullin and so on and so forth. It's painful how a lot of them have appeared in myths and other similar stories.

However, according to Professor's story, my wives would give birth to one son and eight daughters… If all of those kids were to be born with the power of demigods, then raising them was going to be tremendously hard.

「Uhm……I 'm just wondering. Isn't there a god who raises children?」(Touya)

「There is, but……. I think it's still better for a person to raise his or her own children」(Kami-sama)

「I guess you're right……」(Touya)

This is just an argument. I don't plan on abandoning the upbringing of my would be children, but why do I have to be this bothered by a child who hasn't been born yet?

Oh well. I guess children won't be immediately born into this world right after getting married. ……. That won't happen, right?

「Well, make sure you don't use divine power too much as of the moment and just do everything the best you can with your own abilities ~ja ~na. As a result though ~ja, you can consider that you arriving to this world as fate. Whatever happens, do your best ~ja」

「Yeah」(Touya)

I understand that I won't be able to do what I can't do. "What's bound to happen will happen", huh?

I then left the world of the gods, having received encouragement from Kami-sama himself.

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

「So, replenishing the knight order, right?」(Touya)

「Yes. I've thought of trying to recruit new members once more around this time. We're lacking in manpower right now. Unlike before when the nation had been established, we were able to afford some leeway to a certain extent」(Kousaka-san)

Kousaka-san the prime minister explained the situation to me, to which I then pondered about a little. It's a certainty that the total number of knights of our country wouldn't even reach a hundred. Moreover, approximately forty knights were non-combatants, the ones who didn't pilot the frame gears.

Some members belonged to Tsubaki-san's group as her subordinates, working as intelligence officers. Others were the subordinates of Naito-ossan, working in offices or being dispatched outside and so on and so forth. Of course, a few of those whom I'd mentioned have some degree of fighting strength, but they were basically exempted from combat training.

Our country wasn't that big, so having around a thousand members like the other countries wasn't a necessity. Still, it'd certainly be better to increase the members a little more.

「I wonder though. How many people do we need?」(Touya)

「Let's me see……. Assuming we are going to double our current numbers, we aim for 100 recruits, but I was hoping for the number of members to be more or less 150 to include those who will be the town patrols, the castle guards and the office employees」(Kousaka-san)

「Of those mentioned, around how many knights will become frame gear pilots?」(Touya)

「How about increasing the pilots to a hundred knights including the previous 60 knights from before? What do you think?」(Kousaka-san)

So only 40 of those 150, eh? The remaining 110 will then be posted as castle guards, town patrols, and office staffs. Those were naturally important duties of the knight order as well. Well, those who express their disagreement toward doing those won't be allowed to enter our knight order, probably.

「In that case, it's better to recruit them based on their abilities……」(Touya)

I think those who don't excel in combat are still useful human resources if they have an aptitude for office work.

That said, I couldn't just lower the standards we used in the previous recruitment just to accommodate this kind of people. Their combat ability should still be on par with those knights who joined last year.

Well, even if there was some anxiety about their combat ability, they could still acquire the minimum strength required if I threw them onto Moroha-neesan who's the instructor and the sword god herself.

「Then, please gather the ones who'll be in charge of those 150 people for the time being. Include those people whom you'd like to recommend」(Touya)

「I understand」(Kousaka-san)

Unfortunately, I myself didn't know anyone that could be recommended.

I guess I can forcefully recruit Sonia-san and Rengetsu-san and Ropp's group, but they probably can make more money by working as adventurers after all.

Should I try and post recruiting ads in the adventurers guild again? The applicants now will probably be a lot more than the applicants before though.

I asked for the magic eyes combo of Yumina and Her Eminence the Pope in the interview last time, but should I ask Professor to create a 《Keeler Polygraph》 lie detector for the upcoming interview this time?

I then transferred to Babylon having that thought. Inside the hangar were only Monica and a mini-Robo doing maintenance on Gerhilde.

「Huh? Where's Professor?」(Touya)

「She's having a meeting with Rosetta in the second lab of the "Laboratory". They are talking about things such as what they'll be doing with the next frame gear and the like」(Monica)

「A meeting?」(Touya)

I didn't really get what Monica meant by that, so I decided to just go to the second lab of the "Laboratory" as per Monica's instructions. A lot of blueprints and a miniature frame gear were on top of the desk. The inner framework of what appeared to be different parts of a frame gear was on a picture grid by the wall.

In front of all of those were two girls who were groaning continuously with an "unn" sound.

「What's the matter? You look very troubled again」(Touya)

「Ah, master. This is just, you know. The development of frame gears…. We've decided on the concept wherein Linze-dono's frame gear is a transformable type that can combine with Elzie-dono's frame gear. But……」(Rosetta)

Having said so, Rosetta held the miniature frame gear on top of the desk, folded its arms and legs, spread its wings and transformed it into its flight form. Hee. Its transformation process is nice and smooth.

It's a frame gear that looked like it could tolerate atmospheric re-entry similar to a space shuttle. If the frame gear was an air unit, then it's implied that the pilot had to fly it in the air when using it. Or rather, this miniature figure looked like it would sell a lot……

(TL: Suddenly, Alba-san appears behind Touya, rubbing his hand and saying, "how about you let me sell this too?". Touya then asks him, "how did you get in here?". Alba-san replies, "I've acquired teleportation magic because I smell money, but where is this……?" Touya then immediately casts amnesia magic on Alba-san. Thus the national secret of Brunhild has been protected…… for now. XD)

「The problem is with Rin's frame gear. Specifically, in the direction where we must proceed. Frankly speaking, I'm thinking of installing an annihilation bombardment heavy weapon in it's whole body, but you know, magic doesn't work against the frazes. If that's case, then there's no other choice but to use explosions caused by magic, launch warheads, and destroy them with live bullets. I thought, "why not create something like a Vulcan or a Gatling gun like those from the anime?". However……」(Regina)

By all means that didn't look cost-efficient because when it came to warheads that could cause damage to the body of the frazes, a material higher than mithril was ideal. Otherwise, arming it with crystal materials pre-loaded with magic might work, I guess? It's hard to make thousands- no, ten thousands of those things. No way I'll have the "Workshop" be fully operational for something like that. Crystal materials aside, the day I start making items with mithril will be similar to me sprinkling money everywhere.

I guess there's also a limit on how many bullets a unit can carry. Well, using it as a fixed battery that won't run out of bullets may work, but it turns then to a question of whether there is a need for that kind of frame gear.

「If you make that frame gear, how long it can it shoot a single volley with it's full power?」(Touya)

「Perhaps, about one minute」(Regina)

「Too shooort!」(Touya)

The reminded me. Even in anime, the fighting power of the character in question dropped down drastically when they run out of bullets.

I think the operating time might be longer than initially thought of since we aren't firing randomly for one minute. Nevertheless, aside from the operating time still being short despite the extension, won't the bullets also miss their mark? After expending all the ammunition, is there no other choice but to switch to melee attacks using swords and the like?

This makes it look like equipping a weapon similar to a Gatling gun to the frame gear loose its meaning even more……

「Instead of a Gatling gun, how about…… a one shot-one kill sniper weapon that can penetrate up to the core of the frazes……? Won't a sniper type unit be more efficient, I think?」(Touya)

「That idea is acceptable as it is, but……. the charm of this type of unit is that it's a moving fortress, though it has a floating ammunition depot, with a tremendous firepower that doesn't allow the enemy to come close」(Rosetta)

Rosetta fell down above the desk in a prostrating position. Is that so?

「If the enemy is different, then the weapon can a "Fire Arrow", a "Thunder Arrow" or anything similar, even though a magic attack from a Gatling gun is fine as well」(Regina)

Professor smiled bitterly. Certainly, there's no need to worry about running out of bullets if that's case, but Rin running out of magic power would probably be the problem of that set-up

「……Oh. Come to think of it, where does master keep the bullets for his gun?」(Rosetta)

「Me? I more or less store them here, inside my waist pouch. There are live bullets, paralysis bullets and explosive bullets with each of them having their own use」(Touya)

I showed the pouch which had divided sections for those. There were about 20 bullets of each type stored inside.

「……does that mean you change them in the heat of battle?」(Regina)

「No way. It has been set to load automatically. I've used "Program" to load the bullets using "Aport" after the cartridge ejects the spent bullets」(Touya)

「「That's it！！」」(Regina, Rosetta)

As I was about to finish my sentence, the two stood up and pointed their finger at me with great force

「It's not necessary to load all the bullets to the frame directly! Instead, a huge ammo depot can be installed inside Babylon, and the bullets can just be transferred to the weapons using, for example, "Gate" or "Teleport"!」(Rosetta)

「Hmmm. That set-up comes with a little time lag, but it's not like the unit will do a full barrage consecutively for several minutes. The advantages are plenty enough to cover the deficiencies. Though the problem is the production line of the bullets ……」(Regina)

I didn't know why, but the tension of those two was rising up. I felt like I was being left behind.

「By the way Touya-kun, how many crystal materials do you have right now?」(Regina)

「I have about a mountain of them. Technically, I only consume those in large quantities about when I'm about to create a new frame gear」(Touya)

I took all of them completely during the incident with Yuuron and Rodomea. The amount I currently had was enough to cause a collapse in the prices of goods if I circulated those crystal materials into the market.

「You mean "The materials are enough". On the other hand, the "Workshop" will also be occupied making bullets. …Shall-I make it then?」(Regina)

「Make it? What are you going to make?」(Touya)

「Another "Workshop", I mean. There was a plan to make a second "Workshop" from the start. It won't be that big and making one won't be difficult to do if the size is the same as a small cabin. Should I call that one the "Small Workshop" ?」(Regina)

Are you going to build a workshop specialized in making ammunition!? Will you go that far!? Nope, it's not useless if I think that it can be used to create the equipment of other frame gears, right?

「However, building it isn't easy, right? Even though it's small, it's still a "Workshop", isn't it?」

「Hn? We are going to use the "Workshop" to create the other one」(Rosetta)

Come again? Make a "Workshop" with the "Workshop"？

I froze because of what Rosetta had lightly said.

「The "Workshop" is an almighty factory. It's not impossible for it to make something especially if it's just the size of a small cabin」(Rosetta)

Rosetta proudly puffed her chest.

「Construction will probably take approximately two weeks, I think? Well, it's necessary to do built-in magic and processing, but it's only the last step that won't go well unless it's moved using Touya-kun's "Gate". Unlike a frame gear, it won't be able to move on its own」(Regina)

「No, that's not really a problem, but……」(Touya)

Among other things, using the "Workshop" to make a "Workshop"…. it's foul play. It wouldn't be able to make a frame gear or anything similar because of its size the same as a small cabin, but it's plenty enough for other small things.

「Alright! We somehow have a goal in sight! Let's start immediately!」(Regina)

「Rojer!!」(Rosetta)

The two chibi kids jumped out from the lab, running. How should I say this……? I wonder if this is the usual atmosphere for this place.

I gazed at Linzie's 《Miniature》 transforming frame gear in its aerial form together with Rin's 《Miniature》 heavily armed frame gear complete with a Gatling gun on its right hand and a fully armed body with Vulcan cannons.

They are well done. An aerial assault frame gear and a full body bombardment frame gear, huh?

For some reason, I picked up and took a look at both frame gears. Yup. In a certain sense, they were quite good.

Should I really try selling these on the market? I'll try consulting this matter with Alba-san the merchant. Maybe it'll sell as a capsule toy if it's smaller. The one wherein a person buys something by turning a machine that makes a "gachagacha" sound. These should be purchasable enough for a child's allowance. Though it's not something that I can really say.

I then left the lab with the miniature frame gears in hand while having those thoughts.

Chapter end