Buy-One-Get-One Event
Buy-One-Get-One Event
In this world, there were broadly two ways to build a hydrogen bomb.
Either you did the entire process alone, or you completed it by borrowing the power of many people, like conducting big science.
At first, I had done it alone. I thought solo development was better than teaching physics to others one by one. Above all, I felt it was manageable because magic was such a convenient tool.
Of course, the biggest reason had been something else. My conscience.
Considering the impact nuclear weapons had brought upon humanity, I did not want to teach the people here what "nuclear" meant.
But even that had become an old story.
"I see. So, in this manner, you can increase the bomb's firepower using air magic."
"Yes, that's right. More or less."
I had completely forgotten that this world's era was equivalent to the early-to-mid 20th century by Earth's standards. Even without me, the mages of this world would probably start making something like a nuke within a few years.
In that case, there was no other way. As someone with experience, I had no choice but to roll up my sleeves and take the lead.
"Then, conversely, I suspect it might also be possible to reduce the bomb's power using air magic."
"Yes, it's essentially a parameter, actually."
I was in the middle of fielding all of Count Saliere's questions. Starting from the dangers of nuclear weapons, to development methods and safety manuals, I was diligently explaining the know-how I had acquired on Earth, fitting it into the framework of the Magic Arts.
Teaching something to a man old enough to be my father gave me an indescribable feeling. A sense of dissonance, I suppose.
-Knock, knock
"Father, I've brought tea and desserts.... Good heavens. What is all this?"
Rote, who had opened the door and entered, stared with her mouth agape. Only then did the Count and I come to our senses and look around.
The office of a man who was nominally a noble was a wreck. The desk and chairs were covered in scratch paper filled with scrawled equations, and maps were plastered all over the walls, making it unsightly. The circles drawn on each map, especially, were numerous enough to induce trypophobia.
"I can't live like this."
Rote let out a small sigh as she set the tray down on the table. Then she began picking up the papers scattered on the floor, one by one.
"Anyway, what have you two been doing?"
"What do you think? I was receiving a lecture from your friend on how to use pitchblende."
"Father, from you...?"
"Indeed. You've made a good friend, Rote. She explains things so well. I feel like I'm attending the academy all over again."
Rote's face was soon colored with astonishment. It was an expression of utter disbelief.
However, her face soon regained its calm.
"I just take it in stride now."
Rote placed the remaining documents neatly onto the desk. At the same time, she held out a letter to me.
"What's this?"
"It's from Frey."
"Frey?"
"She was looking for you at the door. Said she had somewhere you needed to go."
It seemed the time had come.
I met Count Saliere's eyes. It was a silent message asking if I could cut things short here. The Count nodded, a rather regretful look on his face.
"Then I shall be off for a short walk with my friend."
"Yes, go ahead."
I gave a greeting in accordance with Imperial etiquette and came outside. From the moment I left the office until I got outside, it was hard to keep a straight face because the corners of my mouth kept curling up.
Now, it was time for my reward.
**
When I headed to where the drawbridge was, a bubbly little kid came waving her hand.
Frey appeared, as always, with a large hat pulled low. It was to hide the fact that she was a beastman. Since discrimination and prejudice against beastmen still remained, she had to conceal her identity like this to study at Tillet.
"Hey! Long time no see!"
Just as she said, it was a signature line I had not heard in a while. Answering back teasingly with "Long time no see, squirt" had been a part of our daily life at the academy.
But today, I had no intention of watching Frey fume. I shared a brief hug with Frey and then took an envelope from my pocket.
After tearing open the envelope and reading the internal documents, Frey expressed genuine admiration.
"You succeeded! That's a huge load off my shoulders!"
The kid hugged me once more. Due to our height difference, Frey's back was in full view. She was staggering under a backpack bigger than her own torso, like someone about to climb Everest.
"But what's with this bag?"
"Ah! This? The underground warehouse was still intact! It's stuff I brought from there!"
"Anything edible?"
"Yeah! I mean, no?"
"Pick one or the other...."
"It's mostly Mana Cigarettes! You know, that thing we're making, the famous brand!"
Frey took a cigarette pack out of the bag and handed it to me. It was a brand name I had never seen before.
"Goldenstein?"
"I went all the way downriver to sell these last time too! The humans there are a bit too much, though. They kept whining for a discount on good stuff like this!"
"Can I open it?"
"Of course! Accept it gratefully, as permitted by none other than the genius alchemist Frey!"
I took out a single stick of Mana Cigarette and put it in my mouth. Oh, the expensive stuff really was expensive. It must have been stored in a fairly damp state during the rainy season, but the quality was still good. The mouthfeel passed muster, for starters.
When I lit it, a scent of Rosemary came through. It was almost the same as the smell I had noticed from the bath salts when bathing with Rote.
That wasn't the only surprise.
"What the."
The speed at which mana surged up was exceptional. An ordinary Mana Cigarette had to be burned for at least thirty seconds to a minute to obtain any mana, but with this one, I could feel the mana particles accumulating in my body almost as soon as I lit it.
"How is it? Killer, right? That's why it costs a fortune, see?"
"I can imagine."
The aroma was good, and the taste was good. I felt like after smoking a few of these, my body wouldn't be satisfied with any other brand.
Frey and I stood there smoking together for five minutes, then, as if on cue, immediately started walking toward Pitchblende Mountain.
It was an actual promise, indeed.
"Wow, it's really been ages since I met the Great Spirit! You said you met the Great Spirit too, right?"
"I did, sort of."
Frey had asked me to climb Pitchblende Mountain together once the village restoration was finished. The reason was that we had to convey thanks to the 'Great Spirit' for protecting them from the flood.
Wait. But didn't the path to Jormungand only open at dawn?
While I was lost in that thought, Frey pulled a scroll out of her backpack.
"Here, put your hand on this too!"
"What's this?"
"Called a Radiation Wave Prevention Scroll or something? The Great Spirit said we always have to use this and come in when we visit!"
Ah, right. I did not need it, but Frey could be directly exposed to the radiation.
"Could you sell me one of these later?"
"Why all of a sudden?"
"To use more of them later."
I needed to send a few to Count Saliere.
After nearly two hours of climbing, we reached the summit where Jormungand was. Since both Frey and I were from races adept at martial arts, climbing the rocky mountain itself wasn't difficult.
Soon, standing at the summit, Frey shouted at the top of her lungs toward the strange rock formations.
"Great Spirit, I'm here!"
Then, an anomaly occurred. The entrance to Falling Dragon Peak, which according to Vermel wouldn't budge at other times, revealed itself of its own accord.
What the. How did that happen.
"What's with that face? Stop dawdling and let's go in, quick!"
I followed behind Frey into the cave. Even though it was a place I had visited once before, it was still unfamiliar.
[You have come.]
It was the same as last time. A voice carrying a desolate air came from behind.
"Shh. Don't panic, just look forward again."
It was a phenomenon I had experienced before. Jormungand's first voice was always heard from behind, and the presence appeared from the front. Whether she was actually teleporting, or if it was an experience caused by the cave's echo effect, there was no way to know.
Before my eyes was the Jormungand I knew.
A Radiation Dragon wearing priestess robes, with both steel horns torn off ingloriously.
"Great Spirit!"
"Yes, Frey. It has been almost a year. Are the friends under your care doing well?"
"Yes, thanks to you, Great Spirit. And thanks to my friend here who came with me, we were able to withstand the typhoon without anyone getting hurt."
Grin. The corners of Jormungand's mouth subtly rose.
"It seems you weathered the typhoon well."
It was unclear to whom those words were directed.
Frey eagerly recounted everything that had happened. The work of building the embankment together, the work of persuading the Yoho to evacuate quickly to the east, and so on. At the kid's embarrassingly flattering praise, I felt relieved inside.
It was a good thing I hadn't teased her by calling her a squirt earlier.
"Yes. You did well up to that point. But most of your food stores were lost. I wish to know how you plan to overcome this."
Jormungand half-opened her eyes and cast a glance this way. Her golden eyes should have clearly lost their focus, but they were shining more clearly than ever. As if filled with anticipation.
However, it was not I who answered that.
"She already solved that, my friend has!"
Frey handed the contract I had given her earlier directly to Jormungand. Jormungand, having received the document, stroked the paper with her hand and let out a hum.
Though it was an official document, it was not stamped in braille. Then, that meant....
"Impressive. To choose a loan instead of plunder."
The corners of the Radiation Dragon's mouth rose even higher.
"And it is not even an unfair contract. Is this person called Count Saliere trustworthy?"
This time, I answered.
"Yes. I guarantee it."
"Interesting."
Jormungand rose from her spot and approached me. Frey only tilted her head, not understanding the relationship between the Radiation Dragon and me.
The next moment, I heard Flame Speech.
[Did you leave the Demon King's service to show me something like this?]
I did not answer, even internally.
[Well, fine. Our main enemy is the spirits, after all. Originally, I had been thinking it might be fine to exterminate the human tribe, who have been butchering the beastmen for generations, along with them. But showing me this inevitably kills the mood.]
She narrowed her eyes. An overwhelming intimidation emanated from her vertical pupils.
[Yes. There are times when silence is the better course.]
Jormungand toyed with her broken-off horn and approached even closer.
"Great Spirit, what are you doing?"
"This one here was your friend, you said."
"Yes!"
The kid answered confidently. At the cuteness in her voice, Jormungand's lips drew a full curve. It was a mother's smile.
"Good. As per the contract, I shall bestow upon you the reward I promised."
[I set aside about 40kg of uranium at the entrance beforehand. Take it with you when you leave with Frey. As for the rest, come back after winter arrives; I will give it to you then.]
"Thank you."
[Ah, yes. I was thinking, with a bit of dragon's heart, I might generously throw in one more thing.]
What was this, suddenly? I didn't recall hearing anything about extra rewards for the possessor.
While I was thinking that, Jormungand stuck her tongue out at me.