Chapter 60
Translator: “Ashita” Editor: “Ashita”
I want to pilot a giant humanoid robot with these hands.
Tauro wanted to make his childhood dream come true.
To that end, he devised ways to make full use of his abilities and continually refined his own fighting style.
His efforts proved fruitful and his results at the Pilot School were improved
However, his fighting style was different from that of humans, far too different, so much so that the way he aimed for a victory decided by the referee garnered much opposition.
Tauro did not care, but the opposition became a force able to interfere with the convention of 「the top four from the regular mock battle are able to participate in the training of the Knights Order」.
As a result, the fact that the path which led up to the Knights Order was closed due to that power is a story that even he cannot laugh at.
(But I can now become a Knight Pilot)
Having fulfilled my wish, there is something building up in my heart.
In front of me, there is a roughly 18m tall Knight standing still.
(I can ride this from now on)
Its appearance clad in a beige armor which gave off a refined air resembling that of the Desert Type which made it look cool.
I am at the east gate of the Royal Capital.
The Merchant Guild Knight is kept and maintained here.
The magician who was in charge of maintenance was looking at my happy demeanor with a smile.
「What is the name of this?」
My voice quivered slightly due to the excitement welling up in my body.
The mechanic who heard my question replied with a meaningful expression.
His face seemingly showed that he was thinking, 「What kind of reaction would you show when you hear its name?」
「Name’s Old Lady」
「…Old Lady?」
I see. It is an unknightly name.
People who hear of this for the first time will be shocked. Like me.
「Does its name have some kind of origin?」 I asked while shocked.
「Yes, it is old. It is the oldest active Knight in the kingdom, having been active for at least 300 years.」 The mechanic politely answered.
(300 years!)
I was speechless after hearing that.
That is right, this is an alternate world. I cannot measure things with the scales I have used in the past.
Seeing my surprise, the mechanic continued his explanation.
「Also, she’s delicate and lacks power」
What a shame, it seems like she has no benefits apart from being old.
However, there is no need for disappointment.
I already heard beforehand from the Guild Leader and understood that the Merchant Guild’s Knight is not first grade.
By the way, by 「oldest」, I am sure that my brethren who understand the heart of collector would agree that this is a benefit.
「How are her mobility and magic attack capabilities like?」
「Her movement speed as a golem is slow due to her lack of power. For magic attack capabilities, it will be dependent on her equipment」
Her magic attack capability will be dependent on her equipment and my mana huh.
Activating wind magic in the vernier for movement, how about movement magic?
「Yeah, that’s normal. Commonplace」
I felt slightly relieved after hearing that.
In order to assure me after the mechanic looked at my actions up till now, he added.
「You know, only the covered pod of her pilot seat is above the water level. She is the calculating Old Lady, not allowing her pilot’s mana to escape」
While listening to this, I looked up at what is to be my machine from here on out, the Old Lady.
The adaptation training quickly started.
I moved in my Knight, exiting from the eastern gate of the Royal Capital and heading for the mountains north of the Royal Capital.
(…This is fun)
I felt moved in my pilot seat.
As expected, the real thing is different.
Lots of adrenaline was let loose in my head.
(This is completely different from the pilot seat simulation, this gives off a sense of realism.)
I got intoxicated by that feeling.
The fun time passed in a flash as I arrived at the mountains north of the Royal Capital.
Next up was magic attack practice.
In other words, shooting practice with weapons.
The one who directed these practices was the mechanic who tagged along.
He followed along in a wagon pulled by a horse type golem.
「Ready your weapon!」
The mechanic ordered.
Old Lady followed my controls and readied her weapon.
The weapon was a staff.
There was a reason for this.
The wand used by the Pilot School has an appearance similar to that of a Bullpup type gun.
What about the staff you ask? …It looks exactly like a rifle.
(That’s so cool! So cool!)
While readying the rifle, I agonized in my seat.
A rifle, being bigger than a wand, had a built-in magic circle.
Therefore, the mana usage increases by leaps and bounds but this is no issue for me.
(I am the only pilot in the Merchant Guild. I can freely use my mana
without a need to be wary of my surroundings.)
I do not have any seniors, peers or juniors.
I do have supervisors, only two, specifically the Guild Leader and Vice Guild Leader. What’s more, they are on the administrative side.
(I have conquered the world)
I am led to think this way.
Essentially, I am now the Captain of the Merchant Guild’s Knight Order.
A strict set of rules must be followed before an individual will be allowed to join the Knights Order. To me who is fretting over such things, this place is heaven.
(I am so glad that I was hired by the Merchant Guild)
I truly thought this way.
Therefore, I earnestly resolved myself with 「I must do my best in order to maintain this position」
「Aim!」
Obey the voice, I took aim.
「Fire!」
I activated the mana which I poured into the weapon.
A white light the shape of an arrow flies straight out from the tip of the staff.
The arrow of light hit the rock surface of the sedimentary rock like those seen in pictures and bore through the rock cliff.
The magic I chose this time too was the Magic Missile (Arrow of Light).
But the mana I poured in and the potency were totally different.
「Beam Rifle…」
I trembled with excitement.
I was speechless at the recoil at the time of activation.
I might have a nosebleed at any moment.
After that, I shot a bunch as commanded, fully enjoying that light, that recoil, and that sound.
(Is it really alright for me to enjoy work this much?)
It was such a wonderful time that such feelings of guilt welled up inside of me.
「Cheers!」
That night, the Mechanic and I had dinner together.
I was the one who invited him.
The reason was to commemorate my maiden ride.
The one paying is me. In other words, I was treating him.
In the Merchant Guild, if there is only one Knight Pilot, there will only be one Mechanic.
I really want to get along with him.
「Sorry about this, having you treat me」
The Mechanic is a brother in his late twenties.
He has a slender body and a gentle demeanor resembling that of a 「Herbivorous1」 person.
He studied at the Royal Mage Academy, recently fulfilling his aspiration to become a Mechanic.
「No no, I will be in your care from here on out so doing this is a given」
I poured him a drink.
According to Herbivorous Mechanic, the previous Pilot was overbearing and it seems that there were no opportunities to dine with him.
(It helps that my predecessor was valued so lowly.)
I snickered.
It was a filthy and short laugh.
But I came to a sudden realization.
I wonder why the Pilot position of the Merchant Guild left empty?
「What happened to the previous Pilot?」
He might have died in battle. That has the highest probability when taking this job into consideration.
Upon hearing my question, the Mechanic was perplexed.
「He was fired」
(Fired? Did he die in battle like I expected?)
I unconsciously swallow my spit.
「He was told many times to avoid close combat but he refused to listen at every turn so he was fired」
(Huh?)
「There was actually an order by the Guild Leader to prioritize long-range combat and avoid close-range combat at all costs」
Herbivorous Mechanic sighed.
「He only said things about pride and Knights being the stars of close combat and refused to follow the order」
「And without any results to show, he only returned with his broken machine」
He showed a bitter expression as if he was recalling that moment.
「To add on, he said that it was not the fault of his skills but that the machine was flawed」
Herbivorous Mechanic shrugged.
「In high time, the Guild Leaders were furious and fired him」
I now understand full well.
The reason why the Guild Leader and the Vice Guild Leader valued my fighting style that highly.
They probably had a hard time dealing with my predecessor.
「Tauro-san should do well not to become like that」
「I understand. It should be fine」 I replied with a smile.
I will not fight like that. That was the thing I was certain of when I said that.
Royal Capital, third Floor of the Stone Dwelling, Garden.
Widely known as Forest Garden.
The owner of this room is currently indoors.
However, the Forest Garden which should have no one had exchanges of voices which were unlike voices.
「Got rid of them?」
「Got rid of them」
「All?」
「All」
「None escaped?」
「None escaped」
「There are a lot recently」
「Yeah, a lot」
「You have got to work hard」
「I will work hard」
On a branch of a certain tree located at the center of the Forest Garden, a roughly 20cm long caterpillar reaching up is observing its surroundings by turning its head.
「Let us protect this area」
「I will protect this area」
Though no one noticed, there was a pillbug that had half of its body peeking out from below the rock.
「Here they come again」
「I’ll get rid of them」
There were such exchanges of conversations through these voices which were unlike voices.
And so, in the approaching scenery of the evening, there were sounds of sticks breaking within the Forest Garden.
Note: Men in Japan are called Herbivores if they are not interested in looking for a girlfriend/getting married.
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter