That which you ought to do

 
 
 ☆
 
 
 The monsters’ increase was more than I expected.
 
 It seems like they kept joining up with others while moving during the night, and in merely half a day, they increased by no less than double.
 
 However, their speed itself remained as leisurely as it had been.
 
 If their pace doesn’t change, they’ll probably arrive at Cocomel the day after tomorrow in the afternoon.
 
 While on the one hand, I was relieved that the time we had to prepare became longer, I sighed at the new problem that became clear to me.
 
 (——— I’ll have to think about what to do if it becomes a night battle.)
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 Through my companions’ devoted work, the battle preparations had begun progressing with amazing force.
 
 After a light lunch, Anna and I made our way to each site in order to confirm the progress of each thing with our own eyes.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 The very first place we visited was the workshop situated on the grounds.
 
 “——— Yo, Missy. Just as I said, I properly finished off the diagrams.”
 
 Duncan, who had dozed off in the workshop chief’s room with his head flat to the desk, noticed me and raised his head.
 
 “Sorry to bother you… Or rather, why aren’t you using the nap room?”
 
 “It ain’t look good if I’m peacefully sleeping while the disciples work.”
 
 “You’re so stubborn.”
 
 “When the sun sets and the work’s over, I’ll also sleep.”
 
 Hearing that, I shrugged my shoulders.
 
 “Anyways, don’t pick up your tools anymore for the day. That’s an order.”
 
 “Yeah, yeah.”
 
 I sighed, saying 『Rest properly, ok?』 and left the room.
 
 
 
 Duncan had stayed up all night drafting, and completed the diagrams for the magic rifle rapid fire modifications no later than noon, as he had declared.
 
 The diagrams immediately circulated amongst the workshop’s craftsmen, who began the manufacture of new magic circuit boards, additional magic stone slots, as well as bipods to use them as light machine guns.
 
 The mass-produced magic rifle, which was improved to apply rotation to the bullets, had its effective range extended to 400 metres, but one had to be prepared for an appropriate amount of recoil when using rapid-fire.
 
 Although the first shot would hit the target, the range of the second shot and onwards would likely be less than half.
 
 Nevertheless, if we’re going to be fighting against several times more enemies, the more weapons that can rapid-fire, the better.
 
 With so many enemies that the earth is packed to the brim, and we’re not even engaging them with a proper canon.^[1]
 
 We’d have to at least scatter the bullets around.
 
 
 
 The other thing I also had entrusted Duncan with… was to start the mass production of the prototype 『12mm heavy machine gun』’s bullets, of which, the Cocomel Workshop currently had two guns ready.
 
 Volunteers from all the womens’ associations came forward to work on production.
 
 This heavy machine gun was something Duncan and I developed before as a trump card against dragon-riders.
 
 It has an effective range of 1200 metres.
 It has a fire rate of about 500 rounds per minute.
 Using a cloth belt as a belt-feeding system, it makes use of 4 medium-sized magic stones as its power source.
 
 With a tripod as its base, it was developed with the aim of also using it as a dual^[2] anti-aircraft machine gun when used with a dedicated stand.
 
 Unfortunately my preferred 『powered rotating gun mount』 is still in the planning phase, but the gun itself and the single-mounting manual rotating rifle stand are nearly completed.
 
 Although there are only two heavy machine guns, it should become a 『cornerstone of defence』, not only to intercept Devil Crows, but also against enemies on the ground.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 Leaving the workshop, the next place we headed to was the town’s northern gate.
 
 When we climbed up the side steps leading to the top of the city walls, the commander of the territory soldiers who was giving out instructions to subordinates, Lionel, turned around to me.
 
 “Hey, Miss. Doing inspections?”
 
 “Yes. I wondered how things felt on-site.”
 
 “Well, take a look. Everyone is doing their best.”
 
 At Lionel’s urging, I looked down outside from the edge of the city walls, and the scene of a great number of people working on construction along the 700 metre city wall came into view.
 
 
 
 As for the defensive encampments encircling the city’s surroundings, the layout was finished in the morning as planned, and the construction work began from the afternoon onwards.
 
 Not only the soldiers, but even the city’s carpenters and those of the local defence units came together to proceed with the work.
 
 Lionel explained his predictions.
 
 “We’re only just getting started, but this pace isn’t bad. At this rate, by the time the enemy comes, it should’ve taken shape to some extent.”
 
 “It’s thanks to everyone’s cooperation and hard work.”
 
 When I smiled at him, Lionel said 『Well, there’s that too…』, then brought the shovel laying beside him.
 
 “『This thing』 that Miss made was quite useful.”
 
 Saying so, he pointed at the ring-shaped part bolted to the end of the shovel’s handle.
 
 “Oh, the 『Power Support Attachment』!”
 
 “Right, that ring-shaped whatchamacallit^[3].”
 
 “A whatchamacallit…”
 
 I smiled wryly.
 
 
 
 What they were using to dig the ground was a magic shovel with the 『Power Support Attachment』 that I developed attached to it.
 
 It’s something that, by just bolting it to an ordinary shovel or hoe, literally supports that shovel or hoe’s movements.
 
 Originally developed for agricultural and flood-management use, this attachment has rapidly spread throughout the territory in the past half-year due in part to its low cost and simple structure.
 
 Whether digging a moat or piling up an embankment, all the work is done by using a shovel.
 
 What I created hoping it would make farm- and construction-work even a little bit easier was now being used to protect everyone’s lives.
 
 As a magic-toolsmith, I’ve never been happier.
 
 
 
 “Miss. With this ring-shaped thing, the speed of work and burden on the workers is wildly different. I’d like a few more if possible, so could you do something about that?”
 
 “——— Got it. I’ll tell Sofia to send what they had in all the southern villages immediately.”
 
 “Counting on you!”
 
 Lionel grinned and gave me a thumbs up.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 Afterwards, Anna and I were guided by Loretta to a quasi-evacuation shelter setup in one of the town’s restaurants.
 
 The tables and chairs in the restaurant were temporarily gathered together at one end, and the cleared space was demarcated using string and sheets to form a simple evacuation shelter.
 
 This was something I thought of, Sofia adopted, and the town council worked to implement.
 
 Although it was rather small, it received a favourable response from those who had evacuated as it provided a certain amount of privacy, similar to evacuation shelters that were once done in gyms and the like in Japan.^[4]
 
 “We’ve secured about 20 such quasi-evacuation shelters within the city, and have given priority to admitting families with small children. Next is shelters established in public facilities, then homestays in private homes, then somehow camping tents…”
 
 Loretta only began mumbling the last part.
 
 Most likely, there’ll be many people that will have to endure the night dew in the tents mentioned at the end.
 
 You see, Cocomel, with a population of 5000, will have 3000 people evacuated to it from the ten northern villages.
 
 No matter what we do, there won’t be enough lodging.
 
 “It’s been getting warmer recently, but the nights and early mornings can still get cold. It’ll likely be harsh on both physical and mental strength. Is the dispersal to the southern part going well?”
 
 “Yes! The first wave of carriages plan to depart tomorrow morning.”
 
 “Take the burden of the evacuating people into account as well.”
 
 “Of course.”
 
 Nodding to Loretta, I returned to the mansion’s meeting room.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 Loretta and Sofia have been going ahead with the preparations for receiving evacuees and for the battle-oriented support system.
 
 Coordination between the local defence units, womens’ associations and the town council.
 Establishment and allocation of evacuation shelters.
 Arrangement of food distribution.
 Liaison and coordination of evacuation points in each of the southern villages.
 Establishment of first-aid stations.
 
 These two were demonstrating their kingdom top-level administrative abilities fully, simultaneously processing the innumerable tasks that kept popping up one after the other.
 
 Seated at the end of the meeting table, Sofia went about issuing instructions one after the other.
 
 That image was truly 『The Ainsworth’s Control Tower』.
 
 Without her, my thoughts and instructions would have just become daydreams.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 Some time passed since I returned to the meeting room.
 Cocomel’s final group of evacuees arrived.
 
 That’s right.
 The people we encountered early this morning from Nakuha village.
 
 Though they were completely exhausted, there was not a single drop-out.
 They all safely arrived in the city.
 
 We heard this report from Lionel.
 
 Then, Sofia thought for a bit before getting up and coming over to me.
 
 
 
 “Leticia-sama. Could you fulfil that request at 18 o’ clock, two hours from now?”
 
 “——— Got it. I’ll get prepared.”
 
 Hearing Sofia’s words, I nodded.
 
 “I’ll be in the study for a bit, so could you call me if something happens?”
 
 “Understood.”
 
 With my secretary’s words behind me, I left the meeting room, and went with Anna to my own room.
 
 
 Everyone is frantically moving on with the preparations in each place.
 
 
 ——— I too must do the things I ought to do.