Dragonfly
Laeva’s personal aircraft design was progressing well from planning to even harvesting materials because of Laeva’s extraordinary effort and enthusiasm.
Since it was a small aircraft, it could take off and land vertically like the Ouranos, and because it doesn’t need wings for lift to float, the aircraft’s design was highly flexible.
It has four wings, with the two longer ones being on top with the two shorter ones beneath.
As for thrusters, It had one on the rear end of the fuselage, one on each of the four wings, and four more on the center of the fuselage for the ascents and descents.
The nine thrusters in total, as well as the wing flaps, made complex maneuvering possible.
The cockpit was installed with a Gravity Control magic device. That said, it doesn’t completely nullify G force, it simply reduces the Gs to a level that even ordinary folk could withstand.
If it’s at a level that an ordinary person could withstand, we wouldn’t be affected by it at all.
Its landing gear was more similar to the Garuda than the Ouranos. The so called tire-equipped landing gear.
Since it’s VTOL, it didn’t necessarily need tires, but I just wanted to try a touch-and-go maneuver during aviation training.
As for weapons, it had two Mana Gatling Guns on the main wins, and one Mana Canon on the nose of the aircraft. It didn’t pack too much firepower, but it could easily deal with wyverns.
The transmutation would be performed in the Sanctuary Knights’ hangar.
It was originally made to house three Garudas, meaning there as already lots of space, so ith the Garuda out at the Demon Continent, the hangar felt completely empty.
What we’re making is even smaller than the Ouranos, so the magic circle didn’t need to be that big either.
Even so, the mithril already had to be alloyed.
In front of the complete magic circle and materials to be used, Laeva’s eyes sparkled with anticipation and spoke.
「Well then, Takumi-sama, I’m leaving the rest to you!!」
「……gotcha.」
We scrutinized every inch of the magic circle several times, and made sure the materials were of the correct quantity and type to make sure everything was in order.
Laeva and I seared the blueprints and complete design into our brains too form clear images in our heads.
「Okay, let’s do this.」
「…………」
When I looked at Laeva for confirmation, she nodded quietly.
「Transmute!」
The magic circle lit up, enveloping the piles of materials in a magical light before turning into tiny particles of light and disappearing. Immediately after, a 12m long and 10m wide machine with an organic form appeared inside the hangar.
「Oooooooh! It’s so coooool!!」
「!!」
I grimaced as Laeva’s yelled excitedly right next to my ear.
Laeva paid me no mind and skipped over to the aircraft, patting various parts of it and even rubbing her cheek against it.
「The silver reminds me of unprocessed mithril alloy, blue lines like the sky! It’s perfect!」
「Yeah, coloring it was the right choice.」
「Spot on!」
The aircraft, with its silver base and vivid blue lines, was reminiscent of a certain insect.
「This is Laeva’s Dragonfly!」
Just as Laeva had named it, the aircraft was modelled after the insect namesake.
It had four wings, though with a difference in the front and the back.
Long like a dragonfly’s body, it stretched to the back with a gentle curve, with a distinct curved horizontal and vertical stabilizers on the tail.
The part corresponding to the dragonfly’s head and abdomen was a two seater cockpit and had a Mana Canon in its mouth.
「Takumi-sama! Takumi-sama! Test flight! We must conduct a test flight!」
「Okay, okay. Calm down, Laeva.」
「I am unable to calm down! I want to ride it already!」
Laeva dragged me by the hand towards the cockpit.
Using the retractable ladder, I climbed into the cockpit through the canopy that opened vertically.
Of course, Laeva was in the main pilot seat, and I sat on the rear seat.
Both seats were technically capable of piloting the aircraft, but the rear seat was primarily for support during combat.
Bam!
Once the canopy shut, Laeva started the Dragonfly up.
The Dragonfly taxied smoothly from the hangar to the runway.
「Dragonfly, let’s go!」
Magic power flowed into the Floatation magic devices, stabilizing and suspending the aircraft rather than lifting it.
The five main thrusters quickly brought the aircraft into takeoff speeds.
Laeva simultaneously used the ascending thrusters and wing flaps, immediately rolling the Dragonfly into a barrel roll as it ascended.
After that, she went on to do maneuvers so acrobatic that, without the Gravity Control MD and our superhuman physical abilities, people would be unable to withstand the Gs.
It was a pretty extreme test flight.
Back at the hangar, while we was checking the aircraft for any issues, I don’t think I was in the wrong for giving a bit of a scolding.
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