Sword, Magic and Academic Society

After our breakthrough, the White-tailed Orcas tried to go for another round of ramming attacks in desperation but none of them could touch the ship again with Dan's skill.

The only tough part was moving those darn heavy Deareise, along with the rest of the crewmates, to shift the center of gravity when turning the ship. We arrived at the Solcoast's port sometime in the afternoon where Mimosa, Gondo, and the rest of the Serene Wind staff were waiting with expectant eyes at the pier.

"Welcome back. You're much earlier than expected. So I guess you must have gotten a big haul, eh?"

Mimosa turned to Dan and me and asked while smiling.

"Ah, we somehow managed to catch 3. We were supposed to have one more but that was snatched away by the White-tailed Orcas."

Everyone's face scrunched up when I answered. Gondo stepped up on behalf of his bewildered people to ask.

"White-tailed Orcas?! What in the world happened!? And oh god! What happened to your hands, Dan!?"

The skin on Dan's palm was coming off along with a streak of blood trickling down after his constant maneuvering of the ship.

We had indeed managed to shake the White-tailed Orcas off but we didn't slow down 'til we were just a bit away from the port in case they hadn't given up. So he didn't get the time to apply first aid on his hands.

"Hahaha. I guess it's been a while since I took command of a ship, so I couldn't handle her precisely. There was really not a moment of respite when coming back to use the winch, and I had to pull on the line directly.

......I'm sorry, gramps, but I think I'll rest for now. The trip has exhausted me. The others should tell you the details. Ren, come with me. Just standing on a ship takes its toll when you're not used to it. I bet you must be tired as well."

...He was right, I also felt tired, though different from the feeling I experienced from training.

I guess recoil was bound to happen, huh? Facing the brunt of the wind for half a day on a ship while constantly worrying about balance, the rocking of the ship, and the death struggle where a wrong step would have sent us to the underworld...... Now that I think about it, it was really one hell of a trip.

My body was now heavy as lead, and I wanted nothing more than to throw myself onto a fluffy bed.

"You're right. I didn't... expect this. Mimosa, I'll come to the Silver Gingko tonight. Tell the boss I'm 'looking forward to it'."

I said and left for the inn with Dan.

I thought Dan would sleep at the main building of the Serene Wind where he was raised, but he said 'he wanted to try the lodging at the inn' and had been staying in the same inn as me.

Maybe it was his spirit of self-reliance, or perhaps he had some hesitations due to the Count Family. Though it was just my guess, I didn't plan on snooping around.

"Wait, Dan. Take the medicine and sandwich. I prepared them just in case, you both probably haven't eaten anything yet, right?"

Mimosa stopped us suddenly and handed us a basket.

"Ah, now that you mention it, my stomach is rumbling. Thanks, Sis. Bye then, see you later."

Dan and I returned to our inn while chewing on sandwiches.

"......Haha, he truly has grown up to show a cool side of himself... Even though he's just 12..."

Mimosa bit her lips, feeling a mixture of complex emotions brewing inside her chest as she looked at the retreating figure of the two. She didn't even know if she was feeling joy or melancholy.

◆◆◆

We woke up at 6 in the evening from our nap and left for Gingko soon after.

We did have sandwiches before sleeping but that was hardly enough to satiate our hunger.

"Man, that was rough, no...?"

Dan muttered as if reflecting on the event. The little bit of rest should have calmed his nerves down so now he could recall the experience more vividly.

I nodded in agreement.

"It was. Honestly, it was your sailing skill and luck that saved our wool there. I don't want to go through the same situation ever again."

Dan put up a bitter smile hearing that.

"Look, who's talking?... What the heck was that thing in the end? It would have been a bitter struggle without you."

...Ugh, how do I explain it?

I knew that if I explained it as a phenomenon when the concept of atmospheric pressure was only faintly perceived in this world, Dan would surely ask for a detailed record. There was no way I could tell him the source.

It might be late, but I wasn't going to reveal my reincarnation. I could kiss my peaceful life goodbye if someone got wind that I had unheard scientific principles of this world. Who knows, I might become the lab rat equivalent of this world to coerce me to reveal everything... That would be another disaster.

Cough Jokes aside, the possibility of being kidnapped by some radical organization and then being whipped for the life of me to get all my secrets couldn't be ignored at all.

I decided to pose it as a discovery rather than knowledge I read somewhere.

"It was something I noticed when I was analyzing the flow of air created by wind magic. The main point is the difference in the speed of the wind blowing inside and outside of the ship... or something along that line.

......The following explanation is strictly intuitive, alright?...

Basically, I felt that the air outside the ship, where the flow of wind is high, was thin. It was like converting the pressure of wind into propulsion force. When there was a difference in the density of air, I felt the ship was pulled toward an outward direction --- basically where the air was thin --- and this increased the speed of the ship.

Then, I tried a bit of my idea by slightly slowing down the wind blowing inside the ship--- which in turn increased the density of the air. This further weakened the air outside and resulted in an even faster speed.

Well, it was just a chance discovery and many things need to be verified, but this phenomenon can definitely be replicated."  (T/N - Long story short, it's the difference in air pressure that gives rise to suction. Recall any space scene where a hole in the spaceship results in items inside (where air is present) getting sucked toward the destroyed part (toward space where there's no air)? It's the same concept.)

Dan fell silent listening to my explanation. Physics was his strong point so I guess he must be simulating it in his mind. Oh wait, he was rubbing his finger over the bridge of his nose, so he was definitely thinking hard.

It was his habit whenever he got lost in thought. I didn't speak any further and let him do his homework.

In the end, Dan kept thinking about it until we reached Gingko.

"...We're here, Dan."

"Hm? We are?...... No, wait. Do you realize you just discovered something groundbreaking, Allen?

There was no explanation but it has always been said that a vertical ship travels faster when the wind is blowing from a straight horizontal direction (abeam) than a tailwind (vertical). Maybe, it's this difference in air density that kept that force at play... No, I need to verify it more."

Even though we were here for seafood cuisine, Dan looked more interested in getting a pen and paper now.

◆◆◆

"Good evening~."

We greeted while entering the Gingko. The shop was filled with the same members we had at the port, along with the crewmates who were aboard the ship.

"Yo, finally awake? We were just talking about how you might not wake up 'til tomorrow morning after pulling that impossible stunt."

Old man Con said. He was assisting Dan at the cockpit on our return trip.

He was a sailor on a merchant ship for 40 years, and he joined Serene Wind after he retired. Apparently, he was a member of the ship design group.

"Impossible stunt? Aw c'mon, that was hardly bone-breaking compared to our usual training. My word, that wasn't even lukewarm in contrast to the hellish regimen our club's fiendish coach has devised, followed by our no-less-of-a-devil class teacher's physical teacher. You would be exhausted to death trying that.

...It was the ordeal that sucked our mental spirit. I guess that's to be expected after our close brush with death. But you look full of spirit, gramps."

Dan then gave a fleeting glance at me after saying that and smiled.

The nerve he has to call me fiendish... I'm innocent, alright? I just taught them the efficient way to train, only... at least I didn't remember cornering Dan who had always been in group 1 in training.

Everyone gasped when they heard Dan.

"...Goodness... I have been in this line of work for 40 years and I have never felt the same level of astonishment as I had felt today, and you say this is...... everyday stuff in the Academy? The fame of 'the Royal Academy' is truly not without basis huh?

I only pulled the tiller following your orders after all, so I wasn't that tired. And with my age, death is just a matter of time. Honestly, there were many times I lost all hope. It was just you and Ren-kun who didn't give up 'til the end." (Con)

Gutx followed the conversation with an excited appearance.

"What're you saying? That was incredible! You immediately saw the situation, gave accurate orders, and took control while we old coots could only shiver in fear! We're all impressed, honestly. You've really become a big man, Dan!"

The rest of the crewmates who were mainly in charge of fishing were about to open their mouths in agreement as well but Mimosa jumped into the conversation and her thundering wrath fell on Gutx.

"You, don't get impressed at that time for darn sake! Why the heck do you think we sent you big fools together with them?! There's no way it must have been easy for these two kids as well.

I'm not saying you should have done something when you couldn't, but couldn't you have at least tried to be their support and increase their morale!? They might be talented but you adults shouldn't forget they're still 12 years old!"

...Wow, she's just like my mom.

Mom would also often scold my father whenever he mistook the line between parenting and being a bystander just because me and my sister were capable of taking care of ourselves better than the other kids.

"Cough, I had him beside me so I was sure we would somehow manage to make a breakthrough."

Dan jabbed at me with an elbow while saying that to soften the awkward air.

"My, I didn't know that Daniel Solcoast, the second ranker in the Royal Academy, is capable of joking around, despite his potato-like face.

Anyway, I just was sure Dan would somehow take care of the situation even if I failed."

My words brought a wave of surprise over the member of the Serene Wind. It seemed like he hadn't told them his rank in the Royal Academy.

Well, given he wasn't the boastful type, I guess that wasn't strange.

"Po-Potato face?! Then I guess someone hasn't seen their face in the mirror in his life, Mr. Mob Face!"

"Who're you calling mob face!? This is what you call a refined look, you button-eyed fool!"

Seeing the squabbling of us mobs, everyone burst into laughter.

"Ahaha! Aw, you know you can compete with more than just your face so you don't really have to care about your looks. Pfft.

But 2nd ranker in the Royal Capital? Now that's astonishing. By the way, you know having a friend you can leave your back to is ultimately what attracts a great woman?

Anyway, let's get to the food. Chief, is preparation ready?"

......Did I just hear a 'pfft' in between that?

Boss showed a fearless grin when Mimosa asked.

"You bet I have! Been long done. Get ready to taste the best craftsmanship of the 7th generation of the Gingko!"