Volume 4.13 - Extra 3.5 (1/2)

Volume 4.13 Extra 3.5

「We got a lil change of plans. Bro, Makoto-san, d’ya got a motorcycle license？」

Before getting to work, Hiroshi called out to Tatsuya and Makoto who had been reclining in the japanese-style room. Both of them had gone wild yesterday and were apparently relaxing today because of that. Because of a surplus in time being cooped up in their rooms, the two of them were playing shogi since the afternoon began, along with some light drinks and small snacks.

「No, I don’t have the one for two-wheels.」

「I do have the license for large-size ones, but why do you need that？」

「It’s cuz I got asked to come up with transportation for Rainy. Figured I might as well build a motorcycle.」

「Interesting. And you say you want me to give it a spin.」

「That’s exactly what I mean, mate.」

Tatsuya and Makoto got the gist of what Hiroshi said. The combination of spy and motorcycle was basically a given.

「But this is you we’re talking about, so I take it you won’t just stop at building a motorcycle, right？」

「Well yeah, I plan to install a few gimmicks here ‘n there. At the very least I gotta make sure there’s a capsule storage ‘n a user identification device installed.」

「True, that is needed, but again, I just don’t see you stopping there and that’s what makes me uneasy.」

「Well, at this point the most I’ll do is attach reinforcement parts to make space travel or underwater travel safe for the rider.」

「Ah～、in a certain simulation game where a bunch of different robots band together to take on strong opponents, you could definitely expect that kind of unfairness.」

This was very reasonable for Hiroshi, at which Makoto ironically felt a bit of exasperation as she nodded. In this game, you had scenarios like a woman not wearing a space suit with the cockpit open despite being in space as she shoots down enemy robos with rifles, or again not wearing a space suit as she rides on a motorcycle around through space and then attacks the majors and spinning tops, and then at last a group of thugs coming into the scene with leather jackets on, violently attacking the enemy robots with spiked bats.

It was a pretty major game, so it wasn’t unusual at all for Hiroshi to try and replicate something like that.

「Honestly, I thought you were going to include a gimmick like powered suits or robot transformation……」

「Golly gosh, how’d ya know！？」

「……Guess I was an idiot for thinking you intended to go the safe route.」

Makoto glared at Hiroshi disapprovingly after his confession. In many ways, she had been too naive about this.

「Anyway, I’m countin’ on ya to check the bike ‘n all its functions, Bro.」

「I mean sure, that’s fine, but could you spare me the trouble with the underwater/space functions?」

「’Course. Ya just gotta test the transformation ‘n midair flight functions.」

Tatsuya gave Hiroshi the warning, who narrowed it down to a fairly more mild test run. Then again, these two tests were already a headache to think about.

「So Hiroshi, I just thought of something.」

「Wazzup？」

「If the motorcycle can fly through the air, could we also find a way to get a minivan to fly through the air？」

「Sure, but I’m thinkin’ of addin’ those flying functions to a different prototype. Besides, even if ya wanted to attach said function to the minivan as is it would take a heck of a lotta ingredients, so this should be fine for goin’ to Lorren as is. We’ll hafta make the prototype at some point anyway, so modifyin’ the minivan at this point would just be meaningless.」

「Fair enough.」

Hiroshi’s response to Makoto’s simple question prompted both her and Tatsuya to readily agree. It was pointless to apply the earth’s common sense to magic technology, but thinking about it normally, there was a huge leap in energy and difficulty in making a personal-use motorcycle versus a seven-man minivan.

If there were other plans to make flying vehicles, there was no need to modify what already worked just fine.

「Still, you probably still need to practice in order to master a motorcycle. Where even is Rainy right now？」

「Y’know, I didn’t hear that part. Guess I’ll ask the octogals.」

Nodding at Hiroshi, Tatsuya brought in the octovase from his room. As long as you didn’t mind the appearance, it was an extremely useful item.

「We’re gonna ask～」

After receiving some of the snacks and hearing the situation from Hiroshi and friends, the octogals went ahead and checked without hesitation. A few seconds later

「Rainy-chan is tuning up in Wulls～」

「Stiren is dangerous～」

「Reverse, reverse」