Chapter 5 - 05 The Summons
In July of the year 636 of the Cascade Kingdom calendar, Steve was out hunting wild birds with Abel and Bella. Since no birds had come to their usual hunting grounds, they were moving in search of prey when a white flower suddenly caught Steve's eye. Upon closer inspection, what he thought was white was mixed with a bit of yellow, and it bore several black seeds.
"Soba?"
He picked up a small seed and looked at it; it appeared just like the buckwheat seeds he had seen in his previous life.
"What's wrong, Steve?"
"Was there a bug or something?"
Abel and Bella looked at Steve's hand. There lay small black seeds.
"Do you two know what this is?"
When Steve asked, Abel said he had no memory of seeing it. However, it was different for Bella.
"I knew that white flowers bloomed in the mountains around this time."
"Then, have you ever eaten it?"
"No. Wouldn't you get a stomachache if you ate something like this?"
"Hmm, I think it might be edible, though."
If this was Soba, there was a high possibility that the food situation would improve. Steve's parents in his previous life were Soba lovers, and since he was taken along on "Ashikaga Pilgrimages" and forced to listen to Soba trivia every time, he wasn't entirely without knowledge.
Furthermore, an Ashikaga Pilgrimage referred to going to eat Soba or learn Soba-making at a shop called "Issaan" in Ashikaga City, Tochigi Prefecture. There was a founder of "Issaan" named Katakura Yasuo, who put effort into guiding successors and popularizing hand-kneaded Soba techniques, even opening the "Japan Soba University." As it is said that many Soba shops can be traced back to this man, he was a great figure who created the modern form of Soba, but he had already passed away, and it is no longer possible to eat Soba kneaded by him. However, the shop remains. It was founded in Showa 29, or 1954 by the Western calendar.
For that reason, the history of the Soba we eat today is still quite shallow. Even for Sobakiri—Soba made into noodles—the oldest confirmation in literature is Tenshou 2, or 1574. Before that, it is known that it was consumed as Soba porridge, Soba-gaki, or Soba-yaki.
The advantages of buckwheat are its short harvest cycle and its ability to grow even under adverse conditions such as poor soil, cold regions, or dry land. While it is misunderstood as growing because the soil is poor, it grows in fertile land as well. It isn't appreciated much in modern Japan, but until the Showa era, it was a valuable emergency food.
However, since even salt is in short supply as a seasoning, he couldn't expect much in the way of flavor. For now, he just hoped they could get some nutrition from it.
"For now, let's take some back and show it to Father."
With that, he put the buckwheat seeds in his pocket and returned to hunting. Unfortunately, all three of them came home empty-handed that day. Therefore, Steve pinned his hopes on the Soba even more. It was the only result he had to show for the day.
Returning to the mansion, he went to the office and showed the buckwheat seeds to Brian.
"Father, I found these seeds at the foot of the mountain. Are they edible?"
"Let's see."
Brian took them and observed them in his hand.
"I've never eaten them. Cody, do you know?"
Brian showed them to Cody, who was with him, but Cody also shook his head.
"Our territory doesn't have any long-time residents, so we lack the wisdom of the elders."
Cody said this with a shrug. A new noble house had been established, and the fief's citizens had migrated with them. Naturally, the elderly were unable to endure the migration, so those who volunteered were all young people.
Consequently, the territory lacked the experience of olden times.
"It looks like the harvest time will be in about a month, so let's harvest and try eating them then. We might get results faster than with the potatoes or beans I requested from Emmanuel."
"For someone seeing it for the first time, you sure know a lot about that."
Brian looked at his son. However, it was too late for such doubts. Even until now, as soon as he became able to use magic, he had devised weapons using springs and used magic to create and demonstrate machine tools the likes of which had never been seen. Even with the development of Reversi, it would be one thing if he just thought of it, but he even managed to construct a production line.
Brian convinced himself that it was simply because his son was brilliant and tried not to think about it any further.
Steve, for his part, was thinking about whether he could use the [Industrial Machinery] magic to make a hand-cranked Pasta Machine and use it for Soba as well. Though first, he supposed he should use it for wheat.
"Steve, regarding things we're eating for the first time, there's a risk of poison. First, the adults will eat a small amount, and if there are no abnormalities in our bodies for several days, we'll gradually increase the amount from there. I can't let a child like you eat it yet."
Since it was a first-time ingredient, Brian exercised caution. As is the case with mushrooms or fish, even with poisonous things, a small amount often won't kill you. As long as you don't ingest a lethal dose, eating a little at a time to check for abnormalities is a relatively well-known method.
Even with Steve's knowledge, he knew that Soba allergies existed. He didn't know if the Soba of this different world was the same as the Soba in Japan, but if it was, there was a possibility of dying from a Soba allergy, so he had no intention of trying to eat a lot at once.
"I understand."
Steve decided to listen obediently.
And so they waited for the Soba harvest, but in the meantime, a problem arose.
That day, a messenger from the King arrived at the Archibalt manor. He arrived suddenly, without any prior notice.
The magic used by that mage was Teleportation. It was magic that allowed instantaneous movement to a place within sight or a place one had visited once. It was a staple of fantasy, but it wasn't something one could learn just by trying; it was a product of chance.
However, there was no way the Royal Family would leave such useful magic alone. They convinced the mage, who was the eldest son of a Baron's house, with a promotion in rank and cash to enter the service of the Royal Palace. It became a huge rumor in social circles at the time that the noble parent had readily agreed, thinking it a fine deal if their son could become a Viscount without even performing a great feat.
Such a mage had suddenly arrived. Of course, when it was decided that this land would become the Archibalt Territory, the Royal Family had sent the mage ahead so that they could move here at any time. This was for information gathering and to ensure they could dispatch an army in the worst-case scenario.
With Teleportation magic, others can be teleported along with the mage. However, as the number of people increases, the consumption of magical power increases accordingly. The consumption increases in proportion to distance and mass. Teleporting a battalion-sized unit is difficult, but about five people can be teleported anywhere within the country.
Now, as for why such a mage had come, it was due to Emmanuel selling the steel. Iron, being a strategic resource, was originally monitored by the state. And if exceptionally high-quality goods suddenly appeared on the market through the hands of a peddler who wasn't even close to the nobles owning mines, it was only natural for the state to investigate the source.
Emmanuel was detained and interrogated, and it was discovered that the source was House Archibalt. From there, they proceeded with an internal investigation of House Archibalt, but no traces of smuggling or illicit manufacturing were found. Since iron is a strategic resource to begin with, smuggling from a neighboring country wouldn't happen unless there were extreme circumstances on the other side. Currently, the neighboring Kingdom of Forest, which borders the Archibalt Territory, showed no signs of political upheaval, and there was no merit for the neighboring Margrave, who was keeping a watchful eye on this side, to go out of his way to smuggle iron here.
Then, if they had discovered that iron ore was produced in their own territory and started illicit manufacturing without reporting it to the state, there should have been a significant change in the amount of firewood imported into the Archibalt Territory. In fact, it had slightly decreased. The reason was that the production of firewood had increased because they had obtained axes.
What emerged then was the involvement of the son, whose magical talent was discovered this year. In the report submitted to the state, his magic attribute was Industrial. However, the magic he could use at that time was [Measurement]. It was stated that he could only finely measure the weight of the holy chalice used in the ritual.
Upon receiving that report, it was judged that he could only perform measurements for units used in industry, and that a mage wasn't necessary if one had scales and rulers.
Chester Ness Cunningham, the Chancellor of the Kingdom of Cascade and a Marquis, now realized he might have made a terrible oversight. If, by some chance, Steve, the heir of House Archibalt, could produce high-quality steel through magic, and if that were detected by someone like Margrave Sowell, the leader of the Western Faction, they would surely move to secure him before the Royal Family could reach him. If the ambitious Margrave Sowell got his hands on such a card, the thought of what would happen next made his head and stomach ache.
Since the steel had already appeared on the market, there was a possibility that someone else would notice, so it was decided they had to call Brian and his son quickly to confirm the truth.
The problem here was the rule that when a noble passes through another house's territory, they must provide prior notice. If they were to call the Archibalts, who lived in the furthest reaches of the frontier, to the Royal Capital, notice would inevitably reach various noble houses. And there was no excuse that could serve as a reason to call House Archibalt to the Royal Capital at this time.
If it was to be unofficial and in secret, they had no choice but to use the Teleportation mage, whom only the King could command. However, if he did that, his failure in overlooking Steve's potential as a mage would become clear. He agonized over it for a bit, but fearing an even greater failure, he decided to report honestly to the King.
King William Gis Cascade, upon receiving the report from the Chancellor, let out a long sigh.
"House Archibalt has been through a lot of hardship. We must turn a blind eye to minor matters. Come to think of it, despite his distinguished service in the Great War, the fault also lies with me for only being able to grant him such land. If I could prepare some sort of reason, a change of territory would be possible now, but at the time, the country was in chaos and I ended up deciding that any territory would do since I couldn't make adjustments."
The King voiced his regrets. The Chancellor also nodded.
There was the great chaos of the previous King of the Kingdom of Cascade being slain, and since the top priority was dealing with the defection of domestic nobles, it was not possible to grant good land to those under his personal influence. Brian was one of those people.
"I shall permit the use of the mage. I wish to see Archibalt's face after all this time as well. I will conduct the hearing myself."
"As you wish."
Thus, as the Chancellor intended, permission to use the mage was granted, and he was dispatched to House Archibalt. Brian, having received the letter from the Chancellor and confirmed its contents, spoke of it to Steve.
"It seems His Majesty the King is calling for us. He says we are to be transported to the Royal Capital by Teleportation just like this. Go and get ready immediately. Also, he says my son is to come as well."
"Me too?"
"So His Majesty says. Though I've also received word not to think of it in a negative light."
Steve thought about why he was being called. He predicted that either the [Steel Creation] magic or the matter of Reversi had reached the King's ears. And he thought [Steel Creation] was likely the more probable cause.
If possible, he had wanted to keep the [Steel Creation] magic a secret for a while longer, but since he was called by His Majesty the King, he had no choice but to go. Brian immediately had his wife, Abigail, prepare an outfit. It was his one good suit for appearing in official settings. Steve didn't have such an outfit yet. Fortunately, they had some cash, so they decided to look for an outfit after arriving in the Royal Capital.
They would move to the Royal Capital by Teleportation immediately, but an audience with the King wouldn't happen right away. They would stay in the Royal Capital and wait for the King's schedule to open up. Therefore, there would be enough time to look for an outfit. However, since a custom-made one wouldn't be ready in time, they would have to buy a ready-made one.
And then, they teleported to the Royal Capital with the mage. Of course, at this time, Steve used his [SOP Magic] to record how to use Teleportation magic and became able to use it himself.
The place they teleported to was a corner of the Royal Palace. This was a measure instructed to the mage in advance to isolate Brian and the others from the outside world. By doing this, other nobles would not be able to make contact.
"This looks like the Royal Palace, though."
Brian, who had entered the Royal Palace before being granted his territory, asked about the familiar scenery, and the mage confirmed it.
"Indeed. It must be a nostalgic place for you, Lord Archibalt."
"This is trouble. I've lost the time to buy my son's outfit."
With the unexpected direct arrival at the Royal Palace, the possibility arose that Steve would have an audience with the King in his everyday clothes.
"I would like to go outside to buy my son's clothes."
He tried asking the mage just in case, but—
"That cannot be granted. This audience is an unofficial one, and we do not wish for too many people to see Lord Archibalt in this place."
As expected, he was refused.
"Father, I don't mind staying like this."
Steve, who in his previous life would deal with even the most important clients in oil-stained work clothes, didn't mind ignoring the dress code for an audience with the King. However, Brian, who knew nothing of his previous life, felt he had to educate his son about dress codes as well.
Then, word came that they would have an audience with the King immediately.
An audience that would normally take at least two weeks was happening all of a sudden, which surprised Brian. No matter how much the other side had called for them, he had no memory of things moving this fast.
He became terrified of what might lie behind such special treatment.
In the audience chamber, the King and the Chancellor were waiting.
"Archibalt, it has been a long time."
"It is a matter of great joy to see Your Majesty in such good health."
It began with very general greetings.
"Since today is an unofficial audience, shall we proceed without formalities?"
When the King said this, Brian's tension eased, and he let out a long breath.
"It has been a long time. I have been unable to leave my territory easily, and I apologize for not being able to come and pay my respects."
"I am sorry for pushing you into such a poor land."
It was an exceptional case for a King to apologize to a Knight-rank noble. The King was treating Brian as a comrade who had once fought alongside him.
"No, it has finally begun to stabilize recently. Since it is a territory I received from Your Majesty, I wish to develop it somehow."
"That is why I called you today."
"Hah."
"High-quality steel from your place is being sold on the market; surely you are aware of this?"
Steve thought, Just as I expected. Brian, resolving that he couldn't possibly hide it from the King, nodded at the question.
"Yes. I am aware of that."
"I see. Then where did you obtain that steel? There are no mines in that territory. If so, from where?"
"It was created by my son's magic."
At Brian's answer, the Chancellor felt relieved that his judgment had been correct. It was good that he had taken quick action; if Margrave Sowell or someone similar had beaten them to it, his current position might have been in jeopardy.
"Son of Archibalt, what is your name?"
Asked by the King, Steve stated his name.
"I am Steve, Your Majesty."
"I see, Steve. Now then, Steve, I received a report that your magic was [Measurement], but it seems you could use other magic besides that."
"Yes. A few days after the ritual, I discovered that I could use other magic as well."
In reality, it was a few days later that he tried using the magic. However, that was something only Steve knew. Both the King and the Chancellor accepted it as being the way of things.
The King then ordered Steve to show him what kind of magic he could use.
"Now then, would you show me what other magic you can use?"
"As you wish. However, shall I do it here?"
Steve hesitated to use magic in front of the King. If there was a reaction of magical power, the guards would naturally rush in. It was not desirable to be misunderstood.
The Chancellor quickly sensed that concern.
"You need not worry. It is not magic that would attack His Majesty, is it?"
"No."
So Steve thought. What magic could he offer to the King? Even if he showed him common steel with [Steel Creation], the King could obtain that with enough time and effort. That meant it had to be something else.
After thinking for a while, he reached a conclusion.
"Then..."
Steve created a spring with [Steel Creation]. It was a leaf spring. The King was full of curiosity about the spring steel that appeared before his eyes.
"This is?"
"It is a spring, Your Majesty."
"A spring. And made of steel."
The technology to make springs with high toughness did not exist in the Kingdom of Cascade. He offered a leaf spring—specifically, a multi-leaf spring.
"What kind of benefit does this have?"
The Chancellor took the leaf spring from Steve and asked that question while checking if it was dangerous.
"This is effective for reducing the shaking of a carriage."
"The shaking of a carriage, you say?"
"Yes."
Leaf spring suspensions have existed for a long time. They have been confirmed to be used in Britain since 1750, but the Kingdom of Cascade had not yet reached that level of civilization, and even upon seeing a leaf spring, its method of use did not click for the Chancellor and the King.
The Chancellor, having judged it was not dangerous, handed the leaf spring to the King. The King took it in his hand, looked at it closely, and questioned the true intention behind offering it.
"Now then, what is your intention in disclosing such technology so generously? If you had kept this to yourself, House Archibalt would surely have been secure."
"I humbly submit, Your Majesty. With my territory's technical capabilities and human resources, we lack the power to conduct research on attaching this to carriages. Considering where this can be best utilized, I humbly thought it best to offer it to Your Majesty."
The King was convinced by Steve's reply. With House Archibalt's financial power, even procuring a carriage was difficult. If so, they couldn't do things like research. In that case, rather than letting it lie dormant, it was better to offer it to the state and have them conduct the research.
It seemed like a reasonable justification on the surface.
"But then there is no profit for House Archibalt, is there?"
The King questioned further. Steve, realizing he couldn't hide it, spoke of the profit-generating side.
"At present, only our house can produce this spring—which we call a leaf spring. If one wishes to make a carriage with a comfortable ride, they will have no choice but to order that spring from our house, and since the selling price will be whatever we set, it is not as if there is no profit."
The King gave a broad grin upon hearing Steve's reply.
"I see. You push the risk of development failure onto the state, and if it succeeds, you enjoy the fruits without risk. This is not something a child would think of."
Saying so, he looked toward Brian, who noticed and felt small.
"Your Majesty, I am terribly sorry. He is a brilliant son, but I have not educated him not to bargain with Your Majesty."
Hearing that, the King laughed heartily.
"It is fine, it is fine. Today is unofficial. Besides, such education is not something one normally gives to a ten-year-old child. However, if we are to bear the risk, I would like some other talk that is beneficial to us."
The King glanced at Steve. There, Steve used magic again.
"Yes, in fact, I have one more thing to offer."
Saying so, he used [Industrial Machinery] magic to create a Pasta Machine that shone brilliantly in stainless steel.
The King and the Chancellor were captivated by its shine.
"Is this silver?"
Asked by the King, Steve shook his head.
"It is called stainless steel, which is steel with nickel and other elements added. If you place it next to silver, you can see its darkness. You may think of it as iron that does not rust."
"Iron that does not rust? If that is true, is it not a great discovery? Is this also magic?"
"It is magic, but it is something that can be made even without magic."
"Is that true?"
The King leaned forward, but to make stainless steel, nickel and chromium are required. And currently, those have not been discovered, and the separation methods have not been clarified. While it would be possible in the future, at the present moment, it could only be done with magic.
"That is, if research into steelmaking technology progresses in the future. It is not impossible. Now, I would like to explain this machine..."
"Ah, that's right. Let's save the talk of rustless iron for another time. So, what kind of thing is this machine?"
There, Steve explained how to use the Pasta Machine. Noodles were not a common food in the Kingdom of Cascade, but it wasn't as if they didn't exist at all. Even the King knew about noodles made from wheat flour and had eaten them a few times.
Therefore, it didn't pique his interest as much as the rustless iron.
"And so, I was thinking it would be good if there were standards for these noodles. By dividing them into types based on thickness, it leads to convenience for consumers, and by extension, it can contribute to the creation of industrial standards in this country."
"Industrial standards?"
The King asked about the unfamiliar term. In Japanese Agricultural Standards, the so-called JAS, names are determined by the thickness of dried noodles. There are also Japanese Agricultural Standards for macaroni-type pasta.
As an aside, pasta refers to all foods made by kneading wheat flour and water, and if this is applied, Udon is also pasta.
Spaghetti refers to those formed into a rod shape with a thickness of 1.2mm or more, or a tube shape with a thickness of less than 2.5mm; if it is any other thickness, it is a mistake to call it spaghetti.
"Yes. Standards are necessary for industry, but currently, the only things defined by the state are length, time, and weight, I believe. If we create standards besides these, the country will develop."
Hearing about the development of the country, both the King and the Chancellor were eager to hear more.
Steve continued his explanation.
"For example, if all carriage parts were produced to the same standard, even if a carriage wheel broke when one went far away, it could be procured immediately on-site. However, currently, one has no choice but to look at the size of the broken wheel and make one of the same size. Furthermore, what if this were an army? Unless veteran craftsmen are also taken to the battlefield, repairs to weapons and armor cannot be made. When retreating in a lost battle, those craftsmen might be captured by the enemy or killed. However, if those were made to standards, repair parts could be made in a safe place in the rear. Considering the time it takes to train craftsmen, I believe the impact cannot be ignored."
Persuaded by Steve on the importance of standards, the King and the Chancellor thought about its impact.
Then the Chancellor spoke.
"Can we not leave it to the private sector instead of the state?"
"For example, for the standard of the width of carriage wheels, it would be easier to maintain the highways if the state decided it. Especially if multiple private organizations exist, confusion will arise over which one to adopt."
Recalling problems common with new products like home appliances, Steve explained it that way.
"Chancellor, call the technical officials later and have them begin considering industrial standards."
"As you wish."
"And also, call a cook and have them use this to prepare a meal. I've heard how to use it, but I wish to actually eat it."
"That as well, as you wish."
At this point, Steve was ordered to withdraw. Since Brian said he had things to discuss with the King, Steve alone was moved to another room in the Royal Palace.