Chapter 137: Construction of a New Ship Begins
Sherry seemed satisfied, and finally, without any interruptions, Silhouette discovered the true union of man and woman.
However…
「Forgive me.」
「No, it can’t be helped. Everyone says it’s painful at first.」
The tightly sealed entrance remained impossible to fully open.
Looking back, all my other wives had it easy. If I got carried away and had made a misstep, I might have hurt Silhouette.
「Take it slowly. Silhouette’s turn has been accumulating, so we’ll set aside time tomorrow night too.」
「Yes, please.」
Truly, the first time is a challenging experience.
Silhouette’s physique appears younger than their age. My intuition was likely correct—forcing it could traumatize Silhouette.
I decided to spend some time in Silesie. After all, there were tasks I needed to attend to here.
※※※
At the devil’s mountain, the staff gathered for the new shipbuilding project. The scars of war—or rather, the tunnels we relentlessly dug—still riddled the landscape. The once-abundant black cedars had significantly diminished.
As we would need to cut more black cedars for the ship, this precious resource would soon be depleted.
Who knows how long until the next growth of black cedars? Wood doesn’t sprout overnight. On the bright side, expanding the space for Viola’s herb garden compensates for the negatives.
By the way, the staff involved in the work include myself, Sherry, shipwrights, carpenters, and Gramps Yorogi, the elder of the Ox City Lumber Guild. As wood extraction progresses, laborers for transportation are expected to arrive soon.
「Must we now teach the amateur hero not only felling but also woodcraft?」
「Once again, I’m in your debt, Gramps Yorogi.」
Gramps Yorogi sighed, turned his head around, and stretched. He cracked his shoulders, then scratched his short, snowy-white hair, smiling.
Despite being over eighty, he had spent his life working in the mountains, and it showed in his rugged demeanor.
Anyway, I began felling, starting with straightforward, plain boards. It was fortunate that some remnants from the previous felling remained.
Black cedars, even when felled long ago, remained unchanged. Rather than sturdy, they seemed to transform into an entirely different material, despite being of plant origin.
As I cut the boards according to the blueprint, Gramps Yorogi stood there, arms crossed, wearing a discontented expression. He grumbled.
「Hey, Hero-sama, who drew this blueprint?」
「Sherry over there.」
Gramps Yorogi glanced at Sherry’s youthful face.
「Hmph, can’t be helped with such a tiny girl.」
「But the blueprint seems fine, and both the shipwrights and carpenters have checked it. It’s been approved.」
「On paper, it might look good. But it lacks playfulness.」
「Playfulness?」
「Yes, it’s too rigid. Sturdy yet brittle. If we proceed like this, it’ll sink quickly.」
「Sink? Are you saying there’s no margin in the design, or is it because the material is too hard… lacking flexibility?」
As usual, Gramps Yorogi’s words were cryptic, but despite that, he was Silesie’s seasoned lumberjack. Even without understanding the logic, he could create anything from wood. If Gramps Yorogi sensed something was wrong, there must be an issue somewhere.
I stopped working and attempted to interpret and explain to the technicians and Sherry that perhaps the lack of flexibility and excessive strain in the design were problematic.
As a result, a heated debate ensued. Indeed, Gramps Yorogi’s observations seemed to hit the mark.
Unlike regular wood, black cedars couldn’t be bent, so we had to fit and join them. The stiffness at the connection points remained a concern for the ship’s structure, and both the carpenters and engineers were wary.
If Gramps Yorogi said something was wrong, it probably was.
Despite having no experience creating anything, I knew that things rarely went perfectly according to blueprints. Even with simple items, connecting them didn’t always follow the design.
Well, I’m no expert; my role is simply to cut wood.
Gramps Yorogi still wasn’t convinced.
「Trying to build a ship with monstrous cedars is sheer madness.」
「Haha, ‘monstrous cedars’—I like that term.」
Indeed, this forest was teeming with monstrosity. Birds larger than hawks soared overhead, emitting high-pitched cries as they flapped their wings.
「It’s no laughing matter. If the ship sinks, many lives will be lost.」
「True. How can we ensure it doesn’t sink?」
「Well, the ship should be made of soft wood, and if you want to make it harder, you could cover it with monstrous cedar.」
「Ah, I see. I can somewhat grasp what you’re saying.」
It is one of his ideas.
The black cedar was originally too difficult to process. Moreover, I was the one who’s cutting the wood and even processing them, an amateur. It would be impossible to make it as designed.
「Besides, you shouldn’t make something perfectly indestructible in the first place. That would go against the principle of nature.」
Gramps Yorogi’s intuitive sense likely told him that the blueprint was too flawless.
When a design is meticulously perfect, even the slightest imperfection can lead to complete failure.
「Create both strong and weak points in an object. That way, when the weak parts break first, you can repair them and prolong its lifespan.」
「I see. So intentionally creating parts that can break?」
While Gramps Yorogi’s reasoning lacked theoretical backing, it resonated with me as an amateur. Crafting a ship solely from black cedars was an arduous task. Even if we managed to build an invincible warship, any minor damage would render it irreparable, and it would sink in no time.
I decided to discuss Gramps Yorogi’s insights and adjust the design. If we were covering it anyway, the final black cedar warship would likely have a dual structure—wood for decks and inner panels, and black cedar for the framework and outer plating.
Although the initial design was based on a galleon, input from various people gradually refined it into a more practical form.
Perhaps true strength lay not in an impenetrable fortress but in a balance of resilience and flexibility.
And so, with everyone’s involvement, the construction of the new warship progressed step by step.
※※※
Exhausted from the day’s work, I returned to the royal castle, only to face another night voyage.
King General had no concept of rest.
「Even when I say it myself…」
「Did you say something, Takeru?」
I chuckled.
Sherry, engrossed in redesigning the plans based on Gramps Yorogi’s feedback, wouldn’t be bothering me tonight.
Silhouette and I could enjoy a leisurely bath together.
And as I noticed, Silhouette straddled me, determined to ease the tightly closed crotch.
「Phew, it’s still quite a challenge.」
Well, perhaps the warm water can help soften things, too.
You don’t need to rush so much. Even during bath time, it’s okay to take a break.
「Silhouette, don’t tense up. Just relax your body more. After all, the human body is naturally designed for this.」
「Is that so?」
I recalled Gramps Yorogi’s daytime conversation. Trying too hard or fearing pain only makes things worse. If we don’t push too much, things tend to work out better.
「Listen, Silhouette. Just being together like this is enough. Whether it works or not, it’s fine.」
「Yes, husband…」
Silhouette’s words, so wife-like, made me chuckle. She laughed too, with a soft ‘Ufufu’.
At that moment, we seamlessly connected.
「See, this is how it is.」
「Yes, it seems I was overthinking it…」
「Does it hurt?」
「A little sting, but I think I’m okay.」
Relaxation must have helped. In the warm water, I finally became one with Silhouette. The proof of our union dissolved gently in the bath.
Finally accepted by my beloved wife in the truest sense, I savored this blissful moment. But I shouldn’t demand too much here. I’ll accept what I receive and give what I can.
「People have their own pace. Let’s take it slowly, together.」
「Yes, this lady won’t be impatient anymore.」
Being with Silhouette always brings me the greatest happiness.
Even without words, we both understand that we’re each other’s irreplaceable existence in this world.
Embracing a loved one just as they are—there’s a comforting feeling deeper than any intense friction.