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Vol 01 Chapter 26: Preparation

「With our food supplies secured, it’s time to seriously consider the situation of the new residents.」

I called over the usual members plus Iarl and said this.

Conflicts are inevitable, regardless. However, it’s better to be prepared with a plan.

「First, we’ll build several houses in a location a bit away from ours. The new residents will live there. Is that okay?」

「Yes. There should be no problem with that. As for the materials for construction…」

「We’ll provide them and help you with the construction. In return, your group must help us build defensive structures.」

「Thank you very much.」

Iarl bowed deeply to me.

We’re separating the living areas between the refugees and ourselves to prevent conflicts. Humans have a tendency to only notice the flaws in others when living too closely. Conversely, with some distance, the positive qualities become more apparent. Then there’s the issue with Lulu and her parents. It’s dangerous for these two parties to encounter each other.

Ideally, I’d like them to reconcile, but that’s something I can’t force. Pushing them together would only hurt Lulu. Yet, living apart won’t necessarily promote friendship either. That’s a tricky issue.

「We should aim to collaborate as much as possible during the construction and farming efforts. It should strengthen our ties a little.」

「I agree! If we’re working, we won’t have time for unnecessary chatter, so the likelihood of fighting is lower.」

Ron approved my idea.

In school, when a new class is made, there’s always some tension. But that tension usually softens rapidly around May or June. At my school, there was a cultural festival at the end of May. Probably, the preparations for it helped in strengthening the class bonds. I aim for a similar effect here.

「Hey, Nii-san. What about training? Do you think they can keep up with the same regimen as us?」

「…Probably not. Can you teach them carefully without treating them as a hindrance?」

It’s essential they fight alongside us. It’s not that they are at fault, but the cause does lie with them. We can’t allow them to receive protection without contributing in return. But since their lives are at stake too, they probably won’t complain.

「What about food? Do we give them the same amount as us, or less?」

「…There will be differing opinions, but let’s give them the same amount.」

We have enough food, thanks to what we borrowed from King Rosais. Equal distribution should prevent dissatisfaction among the new villagers.

Naturally, some of our original residents might grumble about the newcomers receiving equal shares without having worked for it, yet that’s a sentiment we must manage.

「Lastly, we’ll regularly hold banquets to foster deeper camaraderie. Is everyone okay with that plan?」

I looked around at everyone. All, except Lulu, nodded in agreement.

… What am I going to do about Lulu’s situation?

◇

Now, onto the black powder.

I’ve gathered all the necessary ingredients for black powder. Next, I need to try making it.

The process isn’t complicated. Simply grind each ingredient and mix them together thoroughly.

「Let’s start with prototype NO.1. It would be great if this works…」

I mixed all the ingredients in equal amounts. When finished, I placed a small amount of the mixture on a rock.

「Hey, Almus. What exactly is an explosion?」

「Hmm, it’s essentially things igniting instantly… I suppose? I’m not entirely sure myself. If I got the ingredients correctly, when I hit this mixture with a hammer, we should see a small explosion.」

I forcefully struck the mixture with a hammer. Nothing happened. Second try. Still nothing…

Did I get the ingredients wrong?

No, no, it’s charcoal, saltpeter, and sulfur. Yes, that’s right. So, the problem must be the ratio.

Let’s try another way.

I piled up the black powder and inserted a long fuse into it. After stepping back to a safe distance, I lit the fuse.

The mixture burned with intensity

… That’s no good.

「Wow! It’s burning fiercely. But can this defeat anyone?」

「No, this is a failed attempt…」

Clearly, this won’t be straightforward. It seems I need to decrease the charcoal content. The charcoal shouldn’t be the ingredient that produces the explosion.

So it comes down to sulfur or saltpeter. For now, I’ll keep the amount of saltpeter the same and increase the sulfur.

I don’t want to reduce the amount of saltpeter during the trial stage, since it’s limited.

◇

I’ve now reached prototype NO.66 of the black powder. It’s starting to resemble a bomb somewhat. It seems the amount of saltpeter is key. But too much of it, and it doesn’t explode either. Finding the right balance is key.

Now, it’s good that the black powder is nearing completion, but there’s one problem.

「Neeeigh!!」

Each new prototype trial terrifies the horses.

Yes, I knew horses would be startled. In fact, it’s better if they are. It means the enemy’s horses will also be startled. But I need our horses to get used to it.

Despite regular attempts to acclimate them, the efforts haven’t been very successful. Horses are sensitive animals. When I first made stirrups and tried to attach them, the horse went berserk. Thus, we can’t train them too frequently.

So…

「It’s okay, it’s okay, there’s nothing to be scared of. Calm down.」

Gently, Lulu caressed the horse’s head

「I’m here, so it’s okay. Look…」

Soyon tenderly brushed the horse’s flank.

「If you are a male, then this kind of thing should be… Eh? Are you a mare?」

Tetra peeked under the horse’s belly.

A highly capable magician can possess an animal by merging their soul with it. That is possible because they can communicate with other souls. Fundamentally, this understanding is achieved through an exchange of emotions.

Horses, being intelligent creatures, can quickly be soothed with the right approach.

So, if we can’t train them often, we need to focus on the quality of training.

My goal is for the horses to become accustomed to the sound of gunpowder before an actual battle. It would be easier if we started with foals…

But that would take years, and we don’t have that much time…

◇

Overhead, two hawks circled in the sky. They stopped abruptly, dove down, and soared up again.

It appears as though the two were engaged in a game of tag. Well, actually, they were.

One of the hawks, the one controlled by Lulu, touched the other hawk, controlled by Tetra.

「It’s Lulu-chan’s win! Switch places!」

Soyon called out to the two hawks. The hawks landed on Tetra’s and Lulu’s shoulders.

Tetra and Lulu, who had been leaning against a tree with their eyes closed, opened their eyes.

「Ugh, I can’t get accustomed to the taste…」

「Cough, cough…」

Both expelled a green substance from their mouths. This substance, known as ‘Soul Drift Grass,’ is a poisonous herb that facilitates the soul’s temporary separation from the body.

Normally, the soul does not leave the body unless one dies. However, there are methods to separate the soul from a living body.

At first, one must fast for two to three days, bringing the body to a state akin to near death. Then, the special poisonous herb soul drift grass is chewed. By doing so, it’s possible for anyone to detach their soul from their body. Seasoned magicians, having repeatedly extracted their souls, can achieve this without the need for fasting.

However, whether they can return to their body is another matter. Under normal circumstances, consuming soul drift grass causes the soul to leave the body and ascend to heaven within ten seconds, rendering return impossible. This results in death.

As useful as it is, the herb is poisonous, and it’s advised not to use it more than three or four times in a single day. Since this is a training exercise, I don’t allow them to do it more than twice.

Additionally, excessive use can result in developing an immunity.

Typically, magicians don’t use this technique without another magician beside them to guard their empty body unless in extreme situations. There are two reasons for this.

The first is to help the magician return their soul to their body if they are unable to do so independently. The other is to prevent another soul from entering and taking over the empty body or casting a curse on it.

Although, if you set up a barrier, you can prevent other souls from entering, and if you’re only out for a short time, it’s unlikely you’ll be unable to return.

「Good work. Here, have some honey to cleanse your palate.」

I handed them small bottles filled with honey. With expressions of relief, they savored the honey.

「Sorry for pushing you so hard. You’re the only magicians we have who can possess animals…」

「It’s okay. No problem.」

「I’m happy to be of help.」

They both responded with a smile.

While having this conversation, I made eye contact with the hawk. It turned away from me.

It appears the hawks kept by Tetra, Lulu, and Soyon aren’t particularly fond of me. This might stem from when I suggested releasing them back into the wild.

These three birds have matured into splendid adults. According to Julia, they are larger and stronger than the typical hawks used by magicians.

That means they have an advantage. In aerial battles, the type of animal you control makes a big difference.

Think of fighter jets in modern warfare, and you’ll get the idea.

「I’m counting on you.」

When I said this, the hawks puffed out their chests.

Could it be that they comprehend human speech?

◇

「Welcome! Almus-san. I have prepared the items you ordered.」

Ainz-san greeted me with a smile.

「I’ll give you a bit of a discount. You’ve bought quite a lot from us.」

「Thank you very much.」

My opinion of him improved slightly.

「Let’s check the items, shall we?」

Ainz-san began to bring out the items I had ordered. First, he presented a large bow, specifically, a longbow.

「This is the latest bow from Kirisia. Its arrowheads, forged from iron, are exceptionally durable. There’s hardly any equipment on the Adernian Peninsula that this can’t penetrate. But… can you handle it?」

「Yes. I have some excellent archers among my companions.」

I’m confident that Gram and the others will quickly master its use.

「If that’s the case, there’s no problem. We’ve packed the same bows into the wagon along with arrows.」

Ainz-san said as he handed me the longbow.

「Next, we have the shield, constructed from wood reinforced with iron, followed by the leather armor.」

「Yes, that’s correct.」

Truthfully, my preference was for iron armor, but it was regrettably beyond our budget.

「And then there are the iron fragments… What are you going to use them for?」

「It’s a secret.」

I plan to mix these with the black powder to increase its lethality. A bomb, by itself, doesn’t have much killing power.

「And here are the spirit stones. What will you use such small stones for? Well, spirit stones so small aren’t usually sought after due to their limited use, so I’m happy to be able to sell them.」

「Thank you for getting them.」

Luckily, the spirit stones suitable for magecraft weren’t suitable for use as magic catalysts and were very cheap. These magic stones will be used to draw magic circles for ignition as an alternative to fuses. It’s inconvenient to light the fuse every time you throw it, and if the fire goes out midway, the bomb fails to detonate.

「Very strong alcohol. This is also part of your order, right?」

「Yes, that’s right.」

This isn’t intended for consumption during celebrations but for sterilization and disinfection purposes.

「Finally, we have a very dangerous substance.」

Ainz-san said, putting on gloves and handing me a pair of leather gloves.

He took out a small jar.

「This is aconite poison. A mere touch could lead to severe consequences, so exercise extreme caution. When applying it to arrows, wear gloves and dip the arrowhead into the jar. Don’t soak it in cloth – the poison can enter through a wound and be fatal.」

「Yes, I understand well.」

Having poison ensures that we can kill the enemy reliably.

It might seem somewhat underhanded, but in our situation, we can’t afford to be choosy.

Human waste could be sufficiently toxic, but we are few in number. We aim for a swift resolution, so we need a poison with immediate effects.

It seems the enemy primarily uses wooden equipment. Therefore, our arrows can easily penetrate them. And if an arrow hits…

That’s the plan.

Given the longbow’s range far exceeds that of the bows commonly used in the Adernian Peninsula, we can engage the enemy unimpeded for some time.

「And this is a present for you.」

Mr. Ainz handed me a sword.

What is this? It has a wood grain pattern on it…

「This sword is made of Dragon Damascus steel. It’s a metal only the Desert People, who live east of Kirisia, can forge. The process involves blending a special metal known as dragon metal, derived from a dragon’s heart, with iron, and tempering the mixture over three days and nights using the intense heat from a dragon’s flame sack.」

I don’t quite understand, but… That means it’s incredibly valuable, right?

「Yes, but I don’t want you to die yet. You haven’t yet taught me how to make paper, after all. And I’d like to remain in your good graces in the future.」

「I see… Thank you. I can’t easily teach the method of making paper, though.」

I smiled and turned to leave Ainz-san’s shop.

「Good luck in battle.」

「Yes, I’ll be sure to return.」

AN: In this world, Damascus steel exists in two forms: the standard variety, forged without dragon metal, and Dragon Damascus steel, distinguished by the inclusion of dragon metal. The quality of Dragon Damascus steel ranges widely, depending on the type of dragon used. A sword made from an average dragon’s dragon metal becomes a renowned sword, while one made from the dragon metal of a mythical-level dragon becomes a divine sword.

The Dragon Damascus steel sword Ainz-san gave Almus is a renowned sword.

The Desert People, true to their name, inhabit the desert and forge superior iron using flame sacks sourced from Salamanders, a notably formidable dragon species.

Informed by tales from King Rosais, Ainz-san likely perceived Almus as a future influential figure and viewed the gift of the sword as a strategic investment.