4
“If we’re developing the type that uses radio waves, we’ll need an antenna of a suitable size.”
“Size?”
“The parabolic antenna. You know: the dish-shaped thing. Its size is important. Our technological level is low, so we’ll just have to cover for it with brute force, or size.”
“What about the time and the budget?”
“With Akiba’s current finances, the budget… It may take about three years’ worth. Adventurer inventions are suited to making one-off products, but we still don’t have enough power to mass-produce or build something enormous. The construction period depends on the manpower we invest, but there is technical development work to do… If we’re including lab time, I can’t give you a quick answer.”
“…I see.”
“I couldn’t call it realistic, not with Akiba’s current system.”
That was how his conversation with Roderick had ended.
It was springtime in Akiba, and Shiroe was on his way back to his guild.
He hadn’t meant to let his emotions show, but Akatsuki’s senses had been unusually sharp lately. She tugged on his sleeve and said, “My liege, don’t be discouraged.”
Although he replied with an “I’m fine,” he couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d reached an impasse.
“You have an old-man forehead again, my liege.”
“Do I really? I don’t think I do…”
Akatsuki’s gaze was stabbing his forehead. Shiroe put a hand up to it, trying to relax it by massaging it. It felt no different from normal. In this world, unless you applied some kind of external power, hair didn’t grow. That meant that, when his fingertips touched his bangs, they were the same length they always were.
When they got back to the Log Horizon guild house, it was quiet and empty. On the blackboard, there was a note in Nyanta’s handwriting that said “I’m going shopping for dinner” and a cat mark. Naotsugu had gone along with Shouryuu and the others on their training, and Tetora had headed over to the Crescent Moon League. Lately, Minori’s group had been deciding what to do on their own, without relying on Shiroe and the others.
Even when it was deserted, the guild was a relaxing place. Breathing in its atmosphere, Shiroe and Akatsuki climbed the stairs. They crossed the landing that looked out over the living room, then opened the door of Shiroe’s usual office. When he shot a casual look down past his side to the rear, Akatsuki seemed to prompt him, using only her eyes: What are you doing? Hurry up and go in. She was apparently planning to follow him in, have tea, guard him, and hide.
Chuckling a little, Shiroe beckoned her in.
Secure a way to contact the moon.
They had a goal now, but that didn’t mean their mundane worries had evaporated. The town of Akiba was bursting with energy, and there were new inventions and developments every day. However, that also meant that new trouble and problems were invented on a daily basis.
To Shiroe, it seemed as though more than half of Akiba’s problems were based on a shortage of personnel. Even if there were resources that could be used to resolve issues, there were few people who could operate or direct them. That was the current, unvarnished state of the Round Table Council.
There were many causes. The disappearance of Krusty, who had acted as the Council’s representative, was one of them. His charisma, leadership, and command abilities had been splendid beyond complaint, and Shiroe thought his disappearance was a heavy blow.
Stirring up enthusiasm in the people around you, or giving them a feeling of confidence in any situation—these abilities were completely different from actual business skills. In terms of Shiroe’s acquaintances, she—Kanami, who’d retired from Elder Tales and moved to Europe—had been like that. The Debauchery Tea Party had been her, without a doubt. She’d brought gamers together under the banner of her unlimited optimism and a reckless smile.
She’d simply been an enthusiasm engine, but Shiroe thought making that enthusiasm contagious to the people around you was a special ability only chosen people had. Krusty was one of the people with that rare charisma.
That said, in Krusty’s case, he was also able to govern, field paperwork, command, and be athletic and artistic, to the point where complimenting him on purpose was just a pain. At the Lords’ Council, Krusty had been slippery and evasive, and when asked later, it turned out he had more than a decade of experience with social dancing. When he’d heard that, Shiroe felt as if he’d been completely had.
Even if beings like Krusty and Kanami were outliers, there was a strong tendency among Akiba’s Adventurers to concede to one another and avoid responsibility. This was probably less about Adventurers than it was about the Japanese character. Everyone thought the role of “leader” was a demanding, nearly thankless one in which everybody took potshots at you whenever there was trouble.
Shiroe thought the Round Table Council organization had come into being and managed to exist for the past year because, initially, he’d established it by going straight to the leaders of the major guilds. If he’d addressed everyone equally and suggested they decide the matter with a vote, he probably wouldn’t even have been able to organize an operating body to run that vote.
In addition, there were technical problems as well. There was no e-mail in Theldesia, no spreadsheet or document creation software, no recording equipment, and the postal service was underdeveloped. In this other world, just holding a meeting like the ones on Earth was difficult. They didn’t even have copy machines. Simply making outlines of what that day’s meeting would cover for each person turned into a full day’s work if you did it by hand.
In that sense, Shiroe was immensely popular.
The Scribe subclass granted abilities related to overall copy creation, including craft skills used to make paper and ink, support skills that helped the user draw charts and title lettering, and the ability to copy the document or map in front of you. Naturally, he couldn’t copy magic items, and he needed a certain amount of material, but for conference documents, he could use low-ranking materials without any trouble.
People leaned on those abilities, and the Round Table Council guild masters and guilds brought him documents they wanted copied. They treated him like a human copy machine.
Abruptly coming back to himself, he noticed that the shadow of the pen in his hand was more than ten centimeters long.
Apparently, he’d been absorbed in work for several hours.
When he stretched, his back made cracking, popping noises. His seminar had involved a lot of desk work, so he was completely used to it, but when he looked up, thinking about cleaning his glasses, he saw Akatsuki and Li Gan having tea at the reception set.
“Hello there.”
The Lore Master waved at him with a droll smile. He looked exactly the same as he had when they’d parted in Susukino.
“Li Gan. When did you get here?”
“Just a moment ago, Master Shiroe.”
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