Chapter 92: Bodily Reactions and Resolve
Several days later.
“…What is this?”
“My beloved vehicle.”
“No, I mean… it looks unmistakably like a vehicle built for battle.”
“We are going to battle.”
Raphiel, wearing sunglasses, rested one elbow on the open driver’s-side window as she spoke.
She looked perfectly at home, like a truck driver. The problem was her vehicle—the tractor and trailer.
It looked entirely like an armored vehicle. Machine guns and gun mounts had been installed at all four corners of the trailer.
On top of that, an enormous cannon was mounted on its roof, and its tires had been converted into crawler tracks. It did not look remotely like a vehicle intended to transport food.
“Where did those machine guns and that cannon come from?”
“I secretly borrowed your phone while it was charging and secretly ordered them. Online shopping is very convenient.”
“You really did it this time, Raphiel!”
Using someone else’s phone to shop without permission would be grounds for ending a friendship in the modern world.
Raphiel argued back, however.
“The points came from the orichalcum and mithril I recovered after purifying the Behemoth dung! I should be free to use them!”
“Th-That may be true, but…”
“Besides, our enemy uses some unknown method to brainwash Leviathans and unleash them upon the capitals of other countries. This is the bare minimum armament required to transport our food safely. I most certainly did not begin weaponizing it because tinkering with it became enjoyable.”
“Really?”
“…Really.”
Raphiel quickly averted her eyes, and I did not miss it.
“Look me in the eye when you say that!”
“I got carried away and modified it into a war machine.”
“You admitted it!?”
…Well, what was bought was bought.
We had already been dragged into battle without warning on our trip to Luresia. If we did not know what might happen, there was no harm in being prepared.
“Fine. I’ll overlook the fact that you used my phone without permission.”
“As expected of Eight. You are a reasonable man.”
Eve came to see what was happening and offered one comment.
“Pfft. What use are puny little pea shooters like those?”
“Then let us test them.”
Taking Eve’s bait, Raphiel sat at a gun mount and pulled the trigger without hesitation.
Ratatatatat!
A deafening roar erupted as a storm of lead tore toward Eve.
However…
“Ahaha! Too slow, too slow!”
Eve dodged the bullets by rapidly hopping from side to side.
She moved so fast that my eyes could barely follow her.
“You are ruining the yard, so stop.”
“Yes.”
I warned them with a slightly firmer tone, and both Raphiel and Eve immediately settled down.
“…Leaving the guns aside, is this tractor really going to move with such a heavy cannon on it?”
“That is no problem. I lavishly used the orichalcum, mithril, and adamantite I secretly pocketed to modify the engine as well. It produces about ten thousand horsepower.”
“…Is that safe?”
“It is perfectly safe. More importantly, look inside the container.”
At Raphiel’s urging, I opened the doors to the container loaded on the trailer.
“Huh? Isn’t it bigger inside?”
“Yes. Dike inscribed a spatial-expansion magic seal on the container, so its interior is approximately five times the size of an ordinary container.”
Apparently, a magic seal was a magic circle directly inscribed on an object. By continuously supplying it with magical power, its effect could be maintained indefinitely.
The Behemoth dung contained extremely rare ores that continued gathering magical power from the atmosphere, so Dike had used those.
“We can transport an enormous amount of food in here!”
“It also has refrigeration.”
“It really is cold!”
Being able to transport vast quantities of ingredients at once while keeping them fresh would be an extraordinary advantage.
It might be perfect for traveling to a battlefield.
“All that’s left is to order a huge amount of food and load it.”
“The adventurers have already departed. Once our work is finished, we should leave quickly as well.”
“Right.”
I bought all the food I could through the online store and loaded it into the trailer.
Our departure preparations were complete.
“Then let us set out for the battlefield.”
“…We’ve already prepared everything, so it may be a little late to ask, but are the two of us truly going alone?”
“Is there a problem?”
“There are nothing but problems. At least bring Grana as a guard.”
It was easy to forget lately, but Raphiel was a Saintess.
No matter how strong she was against monsters, our opponents this time were citizens of another country—in other words, humans.
Going without any guards honestly seemed reckless.
“Because of the modifications, only two people can ride in this tractor. If we squeeze together, one or two people with small builds may fit.”
“So Grana is too large…”
“Eight, I have recently studied every Japanese martial art through videos. My ability to fight people has improved as well.”
If watching videos were enough to become stronger, humanity in the modern world would be a warrior race that would astonish even Sai—
No. That was not the point.
The Village Chief could not leave Papel Village. I wanted Hinoka and Amate to look after the house and restaurant. If I had to ask someone else to guard us…
“Eve and Ryu, I suppose?”
“…I can understand Ryu, but you intend to invite Eve?”
“Hm? Did someone call me?”
“No. Go away.”
Eve had barely popped her head into view when Raphiel clicked her tongue.
Eve saw it and immediately began teasing Raphiel with a grin.
Sometimes they got along and sometimes they did not. Those two were exhausting.
Ryu arrived as well and silently sat in the tractor’s center seat.
“…Are you coming too, Ryu?”
“Mm… I want… to eat delicious food…”
“Hinoka can prepare food for you.”
“The food I want… is his cooking…”
She pointed at me.
“…Very well. But Eve, you are not coming.”
“What? Why?”
“There is no space large enough for you to sit.”
“Then I’ll sit on Onii-san’s lap.”
“What? Wait—”
Eve pulled my hand, forced me into the passenger seat beside Ryu, and sat on my lap.
The sensation of her small, soft bottom pressed directly against me caused improper thoughts to cross my mind.
“Hm? Oh? What’s this? Did having me pressed against you make something hard, Onii-san?”
“It’s a bodily reaction.”
“Ahaha! You don’t have to be embarrassed. We’ve known each other quite a while, yet being this close still excites you?”
“It’s a bodily reaction.”
Eve grinned as she teased me, and I put every ounce of strength into maintaining a calm expression.
Raphiel watched us, then spoke.
“Very well. Ryu will take the center seat, Eight the passenger seat, and Eve will sit on Eight’s lap.”
“Huh? You’re allowing it?”
“I do not mind. However, we are in somewhat of a hurry, so the ride may be rough. Prepare yourself for an aching back.”
“What?”
Raphiel climbed into the driver’s seat and started the engine.
The tractor immediately roared.
“We are departing.”
With a tremendous vibration, Raphiel’s beloved vehicle surged forward.