Ch.266The Road to the Turianic Plains (3)

-Announcement from the Command Staff: Effective immediately, close all air intakes and initiate internal circulation. Engine room, report filter consumption at 12-hour intervals.-

As we approached the Turianic Plains, the fine dust began to persistently torment us.

If it were just fine dust, it wouldn’t be worth mentioning, but with toxic fumes mixed with heavy metals and vaporized metal steam from the steel-making process flowing in, the condition of the exposed ship’s guns began to visibly deteriorate.

The gun section leaders screamed that the muzzles would be clogged with dust after just one day, and despite switching to internal circulation, the increasing acrid smell dealt a critical blow to the soldiers.

-Emergency! Emergency! Fire in the propulsion system! Emergency stop! Emergency stop! Repair team deploy immediately!-

And now, the metal vapors combined with the high heat from the propulsion system had reached the point of causing a fire.

It seemed the Sky Warden was not far from becoming the Sky Dead, but fortunately, the fire was quickly extinguished, and after completing simple repairs to the propulsion section, we began moving toward the Turianic Plains again.

“At least we Aura users can endure this, but at this rate, the soldiers’ respiratory systems won’t last. Those with pneumoconiosis are goners…”

“I didn’t expect the pollution to be this severe. Some soldiers are already walking around wearing gas masks.”

“Good grief… We’ll need to upgrade when we stop at the Turianic Plains. Coating the exterior and replacing the internal circulation system should make things somewhat better.”

With that thought, I dismissed a gas-masked soldier who was saluting me.

Good heavens, is this a CBRN situation? In all my life, I’ve never seen gas masks worn during working hours because of fine dust.

“Anyway. We’ll arrive within three days, so just hang in there until then. It should be a bit better on the ground.”

“Really?”

“I read in a book that the ground has smoke collectors, so people can at least breathe there. We’re flying through the sky right now. We’re taking the pollution head-on.”

“Hmm…”

When Simon explained it that way, I vaguely remembered hearing that when airplanes pass through clouds, the moisture and cold climate cause the fuselage to freeze, which is why planes usually avoid clouds.

The situation with our Sky Warden isn’t much different.

Since we’re bravely charging through clouds full of fine dust and smoke, perhaps this level of discomfort is something we must endure.

“Argh! The smell has permeated my wine, and I had to throw it all away! I don’t care what happens, just land quickly!”

Of course… there were also those who demanded landing for very worldly reasons.

I sighed as I looked at Lucia, who was making a fuss.

“The cerebral cortex is speaking.”

“Elves don’t exist just to have their heads cracked!”

“My hands don’t exist just to crack heads either. Go to your room and drink quietly. Casia?”

“Yes, sir.”

Crack!

“Guk.”

Casia’s clean and appropriate wrist strike broke Lucia’s cervical spine.

It would have been instant death for an ordinary person, but since she’s an Aura user, she’ll come back to life once her bones are properly realigned.

Even if she dies, it’s not my fault.

*

“Hmm… the soup tastes burnt…”

Whirrr…

Despite the air purifier operating overhead, the acrid aroma permeating the soup completely killed my appetite.

I still forced myself to eat since I couldn’t skip dinner, but it was no small feat to consume soup that smelled smoky despite not being burnt.

At least the beverages were still fine, so the meal wasn’t completely ruined…

-Notice: Until landing, exclude soup-based dishes. Reports indicate that smoke contact with moisture ruins the taste. Ensure drinking water and beverages are sealed to prevent smoke infiltration.-

“Oh dear. It seems the soldiers are experiencing the same issue.”

If this was the result despite having a dedicated cook for just our seven-person party… the diet of the regular soldiers and officers must be even more torturous.

“Only three days left, so nothing we can do. Even if it tastes bad, it’s still better than combat rations…”

With that thought, I embraced my wife and headed to bed.

It was time to sleep.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

“Sigh…”

But first, I need to change the air purifier filter…

*

Another day passed like that.

When the tremendous smoke and fine dust that could no longer be blocked by air filters came rushing in, Simon chanted spells and formed a transparent barrier surrounding the ship.

The Sky Warden was so large that he had to use all ten spells he could memorize, but we all cheered with both hands raised at being able to prevent further smoke infiltration.

“Magic is the best! The old man is awesome!”

“Oh, I’m exhausted… This old man will retire now. You young folks enjoy yourselves.”

“Thanks for your hard work, Simon. We should have done this sooner…”

“It’s fine. There’s no point in saving spells. They’ll replenish after a good night’s sleep anyway.”

After expressing my gratitude to Simon, as I was about to head to the bridge, a hypothesis flashed through my mind.

I had already summoned the red clouds in Lorelai… couldn’t I use my power to push away mere smoke?

Thinking about it, this strange sensation made me feel like I could certainly try it… but if I blow the smoke far away now, wouldn’t that smoke just end up in other villages or cities?

It would be best if I could completely eliminate it, but my power doesn’t extend that far yet. Since the steel mill has been around for a long time, there must already be implicit agreements with surrounding cities about such issues, so if I manipulate the climate, I’d only be creating problems…

With that thought, I looked at the giant bubble-like barrier surrounding the Sky Warden.

As long as that bubble doesn’t suffer a bird strike, we should be able to maintain the current situation perfectly.

“…Right?”

I sincerely hope so.

After all, I don’t want to drink that acrid soup again.

*

The most distinctive feature of the Turianic Plains is its steel mills.

They produce not just orichalcum, but all kinds of metals and alloys used in modern times—from steel to chromium, nickel, cadmium, tungsten, and more.

And to conquer this continent, I naturally need their support.

The most important thing in raising an army is weapons, and securing the supply of raw materials that make up those weapons is an absolutely critical matter.

Even the most powerful weapon is useless if it cannot be produced, isn’t it?

The question is whether they will willingly cooperate with me…

Even thinking simply, people like me must have been coming and going for 5,001,200 years.

During the First Dynasty, they would have had connections with the real imperial family, and countless apostles and rulers would have sought their cooperation.

Some through threats, others through wealth.

So what should I offer them?

“…Orichalcum, I suppose.”

The method of making orichalcum is quite simple.

Take steel near the sun -> Let the steel receive sunlight -> Bring it back… That’s it.

The problem is that the premise of “taking steel near the sun” itself is not easy, and without imperial intervention, making steel receive sunlight is too inefficient, so all orichalcum is ultimately produced in Centrum, where the imperial family resides.

“But I have zero-gravity production facilities…”

The orbital zero-gravity factories are powered by solar light and heat. If I adjust their orbit and altitude, I could produce orichalcum as easily as making tofu.

Supplying the raw material, steel, isn’t much of a problem either.

Just recover and reprocess the hulls of destroyed spaceships in space. Since they haven’t been operational for 1,200 years, the recovery satellites and robots must be full of well-refined raw materials by now.

“This might be… more doable than I thought?”

According to Simon, the largest expenditure of the Turianic Plains is purchasing orichalcum ore. If I can turn their 30% export ratio to 0%, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to call the head of state to the negotiating table.

Moreover, there are numerous shuttles in space that can go anywhere as soon as I give the order. If I assign decent cargo shuttles from among them, it would be a tremendous help to the Turianic Plains, which spends a fortune on intercontinental transport.

So please help me skim a little from these imperial relics, O Sun.

[I grant permission. Those things were never mine to begin with. They belong to humanity under the heavens. Now you are their representative and ruler, so how could I not grant your request?]

Representative and ruler… when I haven’t done anything yet…

[I have chosen you. What else matters beyond that?]

…Yes. You’re right. Then I, Victor, will honor your will and dedicate those plains’ steel mills to you.