Chapter 118
“That” had a square, knob-like section and turned into a cylinder partway down. Spiral grooves were carved into the cylindrical section.
"Mmph, if you put this together, maybe..."
"No, finish eating first. If you swallow in a hurry, you'll choke, okay?"
I took the small object Drew held out and waited for Drew to finish eating. Once Drew had chewed, swallowed, and settled down, I addressed Drew again.
"So, what is this?"
"It's a screw-screw-screw."
"A screw-screw-screw?"
"You make a hole like this... then screw a screw-screw-screw into it, and it stays fixed in place."
"Yeah... Yeah?"
I sort of understood what Drew was trying to say, but it didn't really click.
"In other words, screw-screw-screw... No, that's too long, so let's just call it a screw. Using screws, you can make all sorts of things smaller or increase their strength."
"With something this tiny?"
"Yes. I think it would probably hold things together more securely than before, whether they were made of wood or metal. And once that happens, all sorts of things can be made smaller."
Drew kept repeating that all sorts of things could be miniaturized. Apparently, by using it to secure a long-handled spear, Drew had realized that making the spiral smaller would let it be used for many other things.
"For now, I plan to miniaturize a metal crossbow."
Once they put it that way, even I could understand how amazing it was. Making the crossbow out of metal would improve not only its strength, but probably its range and power as well. And if it could be made smaller, we might even be able to mount multiple crossbows on a horse and travel with them.
Actually, at that point it wouldn't be a crossbow anymore, but a different weapon altogether.
"I think this screw-screw-screw... I mean, screw, could be useful for all sorts of things."
Drew said this while lapping up milk.
This must be another one of those things I can't possibly wrap my head around.
I could vividly picture Raiz-sama pressing a hand to their forehead and sighing once we returned from our break.
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"Thank you for your hospitality."
"No, I wasn't much of a host."
As Thor-sama and I exchanged our farewells, the twins cut in.
"We won't lose next time."
"Come to Kitzal Fortress next time," they said in unison, pointing at Thor-sama.
"If the opportunity arises. Until then, hone your skills," Thor-sama replied with an unruffled expression. In the end, it seemed the twins hadn't managed a single win. Thor-sama was something else.
For the sake of the twins' honor, I should add that they had never lost to anyone besides Thor-sama, which was no small feat either.
After leaving Riese Fortress, at a fork in the road a little farther on, the twins suddenly turned their horses around.
"We're heading back now."
"See you again!"
With only those words, they put spurs to their horses and disappeared from sight in no time.
"Man... they're incredible." Frein's words seemed to speak for everyone who remained there.
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After parting from the twins, we made our leisurely way toward the royal capital without hurrying.
Along the way, we stopped in villages to sample their local specialty hot pots and took small detours to visit famous sights while we had the chance.
Looking back, we were far more relaxed than we had been on the way there. The twins had been so eager to press on that the journey had felt rather hectic.
The two of them really did go their own way, no matter what.
And so, we made it back.
When I went to leave the horses at the stable, Raiz-sama's horse was already tied up there. I needed to report Drew's screw right away. I was also curious about the report Thor-sama had mentioned.
As I was about to head straight to Raiz-sama's office after leaving the horses at the stable, I thought I heard something and wondered what it was.
"Huh? Did you just say something?"
I thought someone had called me, so I asked Drew, who was beside me, but Drew merely cocked their head in puzzlement.
"Roa-dono, that gentleman is the source of the voice." From the direction Wickhart indicated, a stout man in foreign dress approached, waving.
"Huh? That's Das-san."
There was no mistaking him: he was Das, the Featheris diplomat. Was he back already? Considering that he was supposed to spend New Year's in the Empire and pay his respects to the emperor, it seemed far too soon.
Das-san came right up to me, panting heavily, and looked at me with an expression of relief.
"Roa-dono, thank goodness! I have something urgent to discuss! Would you please hear me out?!"
The matter Das-san brought was something far beyond anything I could have imagined.