An active hunter from Hokkaido was thrown into another world - Chapter 50

An active hunter from Hokkaido was thrown into another world

Chapter 50   Elves having fun

On that day, we camped again on the sandbar and proceeded to dissect the fish. My clothes also needed to be dried.

We illuminated the scene with a campfire and began extracting the cartilage. It felt squishy like rubber…

“That cartilage will stretch out like ‘boing’ when you dry it,” Saran explained while preparing dinner.

Unlike ordinary fish that swim with undulating movements, the Vitalfish apparently swims by stretching and contracting. What an inefficient way to swim!

I wonder if cartilage means these are ancient fish like sharks and rays. The fish in this other world are quite peculiar.

We’re lucky they didn’t come ashore. If they had, all the animals in this world would have been walking around, stretching and contracting. That would have been dangerous.

Here it is, the arrival at Tokor, the Elf village along the river.

Doul-san should be waiting for us, having forged the sword from the crowbar’s metal.

Let’s head straight to Doul-san’s blacksmith forge.

“Hey, you made it! It’s ready!”

With excitement, he shows me the freshly forged sword, still in need of some finishing touches.

Wow, it looks amazing! A true Elven sword, a straight double-handed blade like a Japanese katana.

I wish it had a slight curve like a katana, but I suppose the shape that Saran is accustomed to is the best.

“All that’s left is to sharpen it. I’ll do it properly. I’ll also take care of the hilt and sheath. Leave it to me.”

By “hilt,” he means the handle and “sheath” refers to the scabbard for the sword.

“So, you brought a human sword.”

“Yes, this is it.”

“There’s no edge on it… What’s this?”

“It’s a training sword. Since we spar repeatedly during training, these are sturdier than real swords and won’t break easily.”

“I see, perfect for test cuts. If I think about it, the best swords would be too expensive for you folks. Anyway, if I can break this one, it’ll prove my sword is superior to a human’s.”

Saying that, he suspends the practice sword horizontally from the ceiling using two ropes.

“This one hasn’t been sharpened or bladed yet. No matter how durable it is, if we collide the sharpened edges, they might chip. Alright, Saran, give it a go.”

Saying so, he hands the newly forged but unsharpened sword with a white hilt to Saran.

“I’ve already tested that my strength isn’t enough to break or bend it. Give it all you’ve got.”

Huff… Huff… Taking a breath, Saran faces the practice sword suspended by a rope…

Shwish!

Ka-kiiiiing!

With a sharp sound of impact, the practice sword is split into two and flies apart!

Success!

“We did it!”

Doul-san raises both hands in triumph and applause follows!

I join in with applause too, showing my utmost respect for the accomplished craftsman.

I look at Saran’s new sword. Though the area where the blade hit is slightly dented, it remains steadfast. Doul-san’s skill in working the metal atop the bar’s anvil is apparent.

This alloy tool steel sword, crafted with the finest of modern techniques, is truly remarkable. It seems like it will become an incredible weapon.

I didn’t ask Saran to forge a sword because I wanted her to fight more than she already does. On the contrary, as her husband, my duty is to ensure she has as few battles as possible. Having no use for such a sword is the best scenario.

A sword is meant for self-defense. With this sword at hand, one can feel safe knowing they are prepared for any emergency. You can’t feel secure with a cheap, flimsy weapon that might break at any moment.

That’s why, from the very beginning, I had Saran swing the sword with all her might to realize its strength. It’s a matter of peace of mind.

It’s like how America is a gun society, where citizens are armed. People buy self-defense handguns because it gives them reassurance. They feel safe when they have it.

It’s not just about the slim chance of encountering a home intruder or a shooting incident, where they could actually use the gun for protection. It’s like an amulet for Americans, similar to how Japanese hang charms in their cars.

That’s what I think, at least.

So, I believe that’s why gun control is challenging in America.

Doul-san, with teary eyes, shakes hands with me and Saran.

“I’ve created a sword that won’t lose to humans. My dream has come true. Thank you. Thank you so much.”

He said he would take care of everything else. He asked us to come back in about a month.

As a token of gratitude, we presented him with various types of alcohol we bought in town.

In a corner of the forge, Doul-san drinks the alcohol we offered, savoring it sip by sip.

“…Delicious. To think that humans can make such tasty drinks… I can’t compete with this.”

Yes, let’s quietly leave him to enjoy it.

The next day, we arrived at Kopori Village.

Everyone rushes over with excitement, gathering for the souvenirs.

For the children, we have sweets.

For the adults, we have items from the shopping list, like salt, seasonings, tableware, and various iron goods, including knives.

As for the presents for the children this time, it’s a bundle of paper, pens, and ink.

They have been learning to write on wooden boards, so we wanted to introduce them to the habit of reading and writing on paper. Also, please have the adults teach them how to read and write as well.

We distribute the gold coins along with receipts indicating how much each sold hat fetched to Milno and Kano, the couple who entrusted us with their crops and nuts, and to others who supported us.

“Oh, this is money…”

“If you ever want something else, you can leave it with us. Or when the merchant, Muraku-san, comes, you can use the money to make purchases. It’s convenient. It can also be used when going shopping in town, so be sure not to lose it, okay?”

“Got it!”

Whether the circulation of currency in an Elf village is good or bad, we still don’t know. We’re all a community, one big family. But in such a village, there might be some kind of wealth disparity in the future due to the use of currency. That would be a drawback of having a monetary system.

However, from a commercial perspective, not having currency can be quite troublesome.

To get them accustomed to money, it might be a good idea to allow some circulation.

“Ranoa-san!”

I call out to Ranoa, who has come out to greet us.

“Do you know about sheep?”

“Oh, you mean those fluffy goats?”

“Do they exist around here?”

“No, they don’t. They are domesticated animals. Aren’t they in town?”

“Well, you see, I asked the merchant to bring me a pair of lambs.”

“That’s impressive.”

“Once a year, you can shear their wool and collect sheep’s wool. I’ll give it to you, so would you like to keep them?”

Hmmm, Ranoa tilts her head in thought.

“That’s kind of you, but I hope they won’t fight with the goats.”

“Hmm, I’m not sure about that… But both are docile domestic animals. If they fight, we can separate them with fences.”

“Alright, I’m looking forward to it. I’ll be able to make sheep’s wool blankets at home!”

“It would be great if we can also make other woolen fabrics in the village.”

“Well, we won’t know until we try. If all else fails, we can eat them.”

“…If that happens, please let me know.”

“Sheep’s wool, huh?”

The village chief, who seemed absorbed in his paper and pen, joins the conversation.

“Please return some to the children. I’ll give you your share as well.”

“Is it a fluffy bed?!”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Can everyone in the village sleep on it?”

“That will be a long way off.”

“Hmm… Too bad. No, I’m looking forward to it!”

“Hey there! Shin, I’ve been waiting for you! The thing we talked about is ready!”

The bow artisan, Aldra-san, arrives.

“Thank you, Aldra-san. This is a souvenir for you.”

“Is it alcohol?”

“Alcohol!”

Hold on, village chief, please calm down.

“Why didn’t you buy any for me?”

“You didn’t ask, and there’s no borrowing or lending between us.”

“You should have gotten some for me!”

“I’m not your daughter!”

Saran is not too pleased. Ahaha, that’s how it is.

“Here you go.”

“Wow―――! You’re quite considerate, Shin!”

The village chief quickly hides the bottle in his pocket and dashes away. It seems like his dignity as the village chief is gradually fading away.

The crossbow modified by Aldra-san doesn’t look much different from the original. But it now has a sight-like indentation. It’s something anyone would think of.

I pull the string as hard as I can, engage the reverse hook sear, and aim, placing the given arrow.

Thwack!

Yes, a perfect bullseye at 10 meters. Impressive, Aldra-san. You made various adjustments and modifications, didn’t you?

“I tried making it. I think it’s somewhat usable. But it’s not good enough.”

“You’re right.”

“It lacks rapid-fire capability, can’t shoot continuously. The power can’t be increased recklessly. It’s bulky, and with training, a regular bow would have much more attack power.”

“That’s true.”

“Hmm? Shin, did you know about this?”

“Yes. It never gained popularity in my homeland.”

“It was interesting, but sorry, it’s completely unnecessary for the Elves. It’s a shame.”

“No, thank you for it.”

I believe that Japan must have been aware of the concept of the crossbow. It was a weapon in the West that could compete with bows, and even William Tell, famous for shooting apples, used a crossbow, not a bow. China also had a weapon called the “nu,” which is basically a crossbow. There’s no way it didn’t reach Japan.

However, it was never really embraced in Japan.

I think the main reason was that it was lacking in various aspects. It didn’t have enough power, couldn’t shoot rapidly, the arrows were short, and when trying to increase the power, the crossbows became disproportionately large and prone to malfunctions. If you observe Saran using a bow, you’d quickly realize that bows are overwhelmingly advantageous in actual combat compared to crossbows.

Japanese archery, or “Kyudo,” is a highly refined art and has received praise even overseas. It possesses significant power and high accuracy. Undoubtedly, it’s among the world’s best.

With such a well-developed art like Kyudo, there was simply no need for crossbows.

Another example of something that didn’t gain popularity in Japan is the flintlock gun.

It’s a gun with a firing mechanism involving flint and steel. It was easier to handle than matchlock guns and replaced them in the West, but in Japan, matchlock guns continued to be used.

The flintlock had the disadvantage of having a longer lock time. There was a slight delay from pulling the trigger to the actual ignition. This resulted in poor accuracy.

I believe this delay was one of the reasons why the Japanese didn’t embrace it. Japan stuck with matchlock guns, where you could immediately fire upon pulling the trigger, even if they were a bit more challenging to handle. Even now, Japanese matchlock guns perform impressively in shooting competitions against old-fashioned muzzle-loading guns from overseas. They hit more accurately than shotgun slugs. It’s surprising.

Perhaps it’s a difference in national character.

Even with some inconveniences, the Japanese tend to compensate with their skills and pursue performance. Personally, I appreciate that aspect of the Japanese mentality.

A few days later, the Pachinko Gun was complete. I made it all by myself.

It has a rifle-like shape, and Vitalfish cartilage is tied to two spots at the front. Just like a crossbow, I stretch the cartilage with the reverse hook sear and then hook it. When I pull the trigger, it collapses and shoots out.

It doesn’t shoot arrows, though, just small stones.

Bang!

Oh dear, it’s off by 5 cm from the target at 5 meters.

“Hahahaha!”

…Saran, you don’t need to laugh that much.

—– Modern knowledge that is not very useful

Chapter END —–

— Author’s Notes —

• • • • Shin’s Equipment up to this point

・Sword

A sword made by remaking a crowbar into a special Elven sword exclusively for Saran.

Crafted from chrome-molybdenum-vanadium alloy tool steel, it might be considered the world’s strongest sword, capable of withstanding even Saran’s incredible strength without breaking or bending. Despite being robust, it possesses a strength unmatched by the average swords in this world, which are essentially just carbon steel.

・Crossbow

A modified version of an Elven children’s bow turned into a crossbow.

Used to deceive others as a cover for pigeon extermination, in reality, it serves as a disguise for an air gun.

It’s too large to fit inside a magic bag.

The term “Bowgun” is a Japanese term and not widely used overseas. When searching for “Bowgun” on English Wiki, it redirects to the “Crossbow” page without mentioning the term “Bowgun” at all. This surprising fact was discovered during research for this piece.

In some Japanese-made games, the term “Bowgun” is used as is, causing a rather embarrassing display of game screenshots when searching for “Bowgun” on foreign websites.

Furthermore, the firearm and sword control laws have been revised, and possession of Bowguns is scheduled to be prohibited from 2021 onwards.

・Pachinko Gun

A device that uses Vitalfish cartilage as rubber to shoot small stones. More compact than the crossbow.

Like the crossbow, it’s used as a cover for pigeon extermination, concealing its true purpose as an air gun.

Neither of these cover stories is fooling anyone, and I’m starting to think it’s time to give up on this charade.