「It is hot~...」(Rin)
The moment that I think I've settled the incident with Sandora, summer has officially started.
Summer in Brunhild doesn't have a scorching heat like that of Sandora Kingdom, but it is hot in its own way.
「Oh wind, flow forth, gentle air, Wind Breeze」(Touya)
I raise a gentle breeze using magic just as when Rin comes along to the terrace of the castle where I am cooling myself with Kohaku. Pola at her feet is naturally accompanying her master. The breeze shakes her silver twin tails the moment they enter the terrace.
「So you're slacking, aren't you? You will set a bad example for others if you don't hold yourself more dignified, you know?」(Rin)
「It's annoying to keep up appearances at this point in time. Hot things are hot」(Touya)
Isn't she the one who's supposed to feel hot the most with her wearing usual gothic lolita attire? The moment I have that thought in mind, her surroundings suddenly feel pleasantly chilly. It appears that she is being wrapped in cold air with the use of magic. It's her, so I guess she might not be feeling that cold.
「Well, we need to bear with this heat for a bit longer. It looks like there are even some townspeople who've collapsed from it」(Rin)
「Is that so? I suppose we have to stay properly hydrated or something」(Touya)
「If anything, it looks like there are a lot of people who are going to the dungeon islands to cool off since it's more refreshing over there. Still, it's unreasonable for ordinary people who are not adventurers to go there since magic beasts roam around in that place」(Rin)
Well, the other side has wind breezing from the ocean, so it may be more refreshing there than here. Though the differences in temperature are so severe that the nights are rather very cold.
「And so, I've come here to consult something to you about the things that are on my mind. How about we establish a swimming area on one of those islands?」(Rin)
「Eh?」(Touya)
「A lot of people have said that they want to cool off in the sea, right? I think It's a big opportunity to earn a lot of income by selling beverages, food, bathing suits, and gather fees for the use of the transfer gates. Don't you agree?」(Rin)
「Hou-hou. That's a really good idea」(Kousaka)
A voice calls out to us from overhead while we're sitting at the table on the terrace. Kousaka-san is already here before we knew it.
「Due to people immigrating from Sandora, the number of citizens has considerably increased, so I'll be really grateful to gather as much money as possible. Now then, Rin-sama. What are your suggestions?」(Kousaka)
While still sitting at the table, Rin spreads and shows the map she's holding.
「Yep. Look here first. This is the map of those islands. This island doesn't have a dungeon, so I plan on having us completely alter the entirety of its coastline into a wide shallow sandy beach using earth magic and place a powerful barrier to prevent magic beasts from going in. We will also create a dedicated transfer gate for that place」(Rin)
「I see, I see. So you're saying that we make the transfer gate there different from the other transfer gates which lead to the dungeon islands and whose fees are being managed by the guild, right?」(Kousaka)
「That's correct. Of course, it will be impossible to cross over there from the other islands. We will make this sole island completely self-sufficient. Then, if we build simple restaurants and lend out items that can be enjoyed in the sea… 」(Rin)
「Fumu-fumu. It seems we'll be able to expect quite an income from this plan of yours」(Kousaka)
Uo-oi. You two! Don't go on ahead and leave me behind while deciding everything by yourselves. It's me who's going to make this sandy beach out of this coastline and apply the powerful barrier, you know? It will definitely be me, right?
「… Kohaku. It looks like I am a hard worker」(Touya)
『It seems like it has nothing to do with the Lord's desires. Please think of this as them relying on you』(Kohaku)
It may just be as what she says. Still, I was in a carefree holiday mood today. Oh, how short my break was… I would really want to have a summer vacation.
~~~~~~~
「So, it's going to be something like this, right?」(Touya)
I mutter to myself as I step firmly with my bare feet on the coast which is now sandy.
The white sand making a gritting sound under me feels good. As I enter the sea, the sand on my feet is drained away by the waves, and the ticklish sensation is amusing.
Nevertheless, I still would like to avoid people getting washed by the waves far away from shore and be swallowed up by sea-dwelling magic beasts, so I placed buoys as marks.
There are no dangerous magic beasts in the immediate area due to the flawlessness of the barrier as well. People will now be able to swim at ease even if they bring their kids with them. Nonetheless, accidents at sea are things that can't be fully prevented — we better station a medical team permanently on the coast for that purpose.
I also established a similar beach on a small island different from the current one just in case. That one is our private beach.
Even we would like to enjoy the beach by ourselves.
「I guess I'm done for now. All that's left to do is to build a transfer gate and connect this island to our home」(Touya)
『Why not leave it alone for a bit longer~. I would like to enjoy the sea since it has been so long since I've been here』(Kuroyou)
『Yep. I agree with Kuroyou. We are aquatic guardian beasts, to begin with』(Sango)
Kuroyou and Sango start to swim in the sea. It definitely looks like it feels good.
「I understand how you feel. Look, you are free to come to the private beach every day if you want yo, so let's go back home for today」(Touya)
『How regrettable』(Kuroyou)
Kuroyou and Sango then rise up from the sea while making waves.
So, what important thing do I still have to do after connecting both ends of the transfer gates? I guess that's all there is to it. After finishing all that I have to do, I leave the businesses to the experts themselves. For the sales of bathing suits, I've entrusted that part to Zanack-san from [Fashion King Zanack]. For the management of the food stalls, I've left that to Mika-san from [Silver Moon] and the people from the shopping district. As for general goods like leisure seats, parasols, beach sandals, beach balls, swim rings and so on, I have that part handled by Alba-san and his Strand Company.
All that's left is… the lifeguards, I think?
Several members of the knight order are good at swimming, so I've decided to station them as lifeguards only during the summer. That is, they will be the ones saving lives.
Naturally, I have no problem with the other members of the knight order coming to the beach when they are off-duty.
The preparations are well in order for the time being. As such, this will become the opening of the beach season in Brunhild.
=======
The outcome is a huge success. Just as what Rin and Kousaka-san have planned, the number of ocean visitors each day is overflowing. There are so many of them — Even villagers from the neighboring Belfast and Reglus are coming to the sea as well. Have they caught on from the gossips?
Well, there certainly is no sea in those parts, and the public resort might have been a handy leisure spot for them.
When people gather around in one location, disputes will certainly become more frequent than usual. Therefore, the knight order is being dispatched every day and being ordered to deal with those. Yep, we have probably ended up increasing their workload. I should probably give them an extra allowance with my pocket money in the future.
「Now then, I will most definitely take it easy today」(Touya)
「Touya-san has been busy lately, haven't you?」(Yumina)
I, who's resting my body on a beach chair under a parasol, has been addressed by Yumina. She's wearing a white swimsuit dress with frills.
The place we are in right now is the private beach of Brunhild where only my relatives are playing at the sea.
Elzie, Yae, and Hilda are playing cut the watermelon together with Moroha-nee-san. Linzie and Rin are chattering under the sunshade while Luu is making lunch together with Clair-san. Suu and Sakura are lively playing beach ball in the sea with Karen-nee-san.
Karina-nee-san is holding a harpoon and is hunting fish while skin diving. Suika was drinking alcohol and is now drunk same as usual, and the sound of a hawaiian ukulele I'm hearing from somewhere is most likely from Sousuke-nii-san. By the way, Kousuke-oji-san isn't here.
「For such a young person to be idly relaxing in a harem situation such as this is… What a pathetic master」(Shesca)
「Leave me alone」(Touya)
While holding a tropical drink, Shesca is, once again, saying something scandalous. You're saying that this is a "harem", but there's supposed to be another man here. I don't see Sousuke-nii-san physically, but he should tentatively be around here. Somewhere.
I've invited everyone from the Babylon Numbers, but the professor, Rosetta, and Monica are busy with things like development and maintenance in general. Noel is busy sleeping, same as usual, and Liora can't leave Noel alone. Faam didn't even try to go out of the [Library]. Unfortunately for Flora, was asked to go to the medical office in the castle in case something happened. As for Palshie and Tica… well, a clutz and a lolicon is a dangerous combination.
「I wonder why Master has this withered feeling is him? Shouldn't he be glaring at women in swimsuits more than? …. Aah, is that perhaps unnecessary because Master can see through to what's beneath them with his power of sight?」(Shesca)
「As if I can do something like that!」(Touya)
Yumina makes sure to cover her body with her hands while becoming beet red. No, I told that I couldn't do something like that, didn't I?!… I could probably do it if I use divine sight, bit I have no intention of using that though. … for now.
I drive Shesca away and and somehow resolve Yumina's misunderstanding. After all, it will be troubling if everyone else misunderstands that I have an ability like that.
Good grief.
「Still, it would've been fine to call father just like last time」(Yumina)
「Ah—… the other rulers would likely want to come — not just the king of Belfast — if we called him, you see…」(Touya)
I won't be able to relax with all that chaos happening around me. It's fine to call them some other time, but I want them to forgive me for today.
「It's somehow weird though. Gathering together the rulers of all countries was impossible just a little while ago」(Yumina)
「It's better if they can get along each other. Well, I suppose there are always those who cannot get along with other people no matter what 」(Touya)
Like the king of Sandora this time, I suppose.
The downfall of Sandora this time is different from that time with Yuuron because I myself have something to do with the event. Though it was the other side who pulled the trigger of conflict.
In the end, It's a bit annoying that I've done exactly what the rulers of the other countries told me to do, but it can't be helped. I suppose that it's a relief that my notoriousness won't go up like that time in Yuuron. It may be thanks to the former slaves who have scattered throughout the world.
"Lord, is now, by chance a good time?"(Kougyoku)
"Hm? Kougyoku? Is something wrong?"(Touya)
A telepathic communication suddenly comes from Kougyoku who's in the castle right now. I wonder if something has happened?
"Yes. It's about the aforementioned island. It looks like one of the the barrier capital cities — the one located in the southern part — is being attacked by behemoths right now "(Kougyoku)
"By behemoths? But aren't those island capitals supposed to have defensive measures like catapults and ballistas equipped? It's not like they cannot repel them, right?"
"That's how it's supposed to be. However, I'm told that the city is somewhat completely surrounded by several behemoths"(Kougyoku)
Oh-ah. So the barrier is unable to withstand an assault that massive just as expected, huh? Those barriers must have a limit too no matter what.
A barrier belonging to the category of physical defense systems that prevents invasions is similar to a regular shield that uses magic power to maintain itself.
However, it's still different from a regular shield — for example, inflicting damage on a single spot of an armor or shield repeatedly will cause those to break even if just a small amount of power is being used. However, that method would take an extremely long time similar to a drop of water piercing through a stone.
However, nothing will happen if a lone person tries to inflict damage with a power level of 9, as an example, even if that person repeatedly does so assuming that the magic shield can withstand a power level of 10. Also, barriers such as this don't degrade. Not even partially.
The problem will appear if someone attacks with a power level that exceeds level 10 if the barrier is still set to withstand that level. As such, the barrier will definitely vanish right away.
Assuming that the barrier in the capital can resist a power level 10 attack while magic beasts can inflict a power level 9 damage, then the shield should still be able to hold on. However, when it comes to several magic beasts attacking all of the same time… A simultaneous attack with a power level of 18 will be inflicted on a shield that can only withstand damage with a power level of 10. In the worst case scenario, that attack will cause the barrier to completely breakdown.
Well, it's just my guess in the end, but that barrier may be able to withstand damage with a power level of 100 while an attack from a behemoth may be somewhere around rank 3 or so.
Besides, I wonder if behemoths have the intelligence to do something like a simultaneous attack. It's quite likely that this scenario might have happened merely by chance too.
"However… How did it happen that a capital is being attacked by multiple behemoths?" (Touya)
"I'm told that a group of people failed to hunt a behemoth, was chased by it and followed into the city. In addition to their bad timing, they've also met other groups bringing the total into 3, I think?" (Kougyoku)
It's as if during their hunt, the behemoths bumped into each other at the southern capital and kept attacking the hunters for some reason instead of opposing each other normally. They might have gotten real angry because of that. The three attacking behemoths were namely:
An ape-type behemoth, Snake Kong.
A hog-type behemoth, Grand Boar.
An ox-type behemoth, Power Bison.
It appears that the city decided to mark one of them. Even if the subjugation is an unreasonable errand, they can still somehow manage to repel those magic beasts.
However, they must be resolved to have sacrifices when they decide to go outside and fight those demon beasts.
On the other hand, there are also people who consider that the behemoths will eventually withdraw if those behemoths keep on besieging the barrier as they are doing right now until they get tired. Still, the people inside will be annihilated if the barrier breaks.
"So it's either a "Kill before being killed" or "Harden the defenses and leave everything to fate" scenario, huh?"(Touya)
Now then, what should I do? If I plan on intervening in the affairs of that island, there is no other time better than right now. It's not like I will be demanding gratitude from them, but it may become an advantage during negotiations.
Those countries in the continent outside of the island would hope for a trade relationship, so conveying this message to the people inside the island is plenty enough. There's also a possibility that the number of behemoths being born there would decrease if we remove that barrier.
I suppose there's something to gain if I intervene, even if it's just to convey my thoughts to the other side.
There are three behemoths so it should be okay to take Elzie, Yae, and Hilda with me as the three vanguards. It looked like Luu's frame requires some more adjustments.
Luu's frame is a transformable-type suited for guerilla warfare. As such, a lot of equipment has to be made. This, in turn, required a lot fine-tuning for each combination, which then increased the amount of time before her frame can be rolled out.
「Now then, should we now prepare if that's the case? What a short vacation it was」(Touya)
「You know, we can come here anytime again」(Yumina)
I receive comforting words from Yumina and turn to the trio who are eating the split watermelon.
Aah, that's right. I have to ask to the knight order to be prepared as well. If we march with only three Frame Gears, we may be taken lightly.
I don't like displaying our power much, but I've confirmed how effective that was during the incident with Sandora.
In the end, it's just groundwork for the sake of having a discussion. Well, we will have them disempowered if they attack us with no questions asked.
I hope that our opponents this time aren't fools.