Quantum Leap Vol 8 Harris Treaty July 29, 1858

C005 Fausto Japan Airways

Hiko-sama took a sheet of paper and read and was satisfied with the explanation. He pointed out, what's the use of having so much money where its best to give back to society. I nodded my head in agreement as what I used to say before.

Some 25 minutes later, the Head Messenger from the Messenger Guild came over with an assistant. We explained to them that we need to send these letters pronto and asked her to calculate the total amount for the trouble.

After some time, she said the amount was 1,044 gold coins and the furthest Prefecture which was after Nagasaki would receive the letter by 14 days max. I informed her to hang on while I took the bundles of 20 coins and passed 52 bundles and 4 gold coins.

She counted a bundle and made the rest lined up and trusted me with the amount after about 5 minutes of measuring them up I signed a receipt and said that the couriers would be giving me an acknowledgement slip once the receiver had received the letter so that we would know whether their business is still up and operational.

Their way of doing things was rather systematic and we both liked the idea since she had implemented it for the Blacksmith alliances before...

Suddenly a dark cloud emerged just above my head and a streak of lightning and ear-splitting thunder roared afterwards ...! It wasn't a lightbulb anymore, folks...! I had a tremendous idea. I recalled back the list of the calculated cost for each Prefecture. The Head Messenger wrote down of the cost to the main Prefecture and then left.

Right after she had left, I summoned for Haruto and Hoshi-sama to the garden as the duo had not been actively involved much in our conversation in improving the economy.

"Hmm... I saw the dark clouds forming over your head and I thought you gonna die when you get struck by its little lightning... Hahahaha. You had another creaking idea again, right? And from the smell of the hair that was singed by the lightning, this is gonna be good news...!"

"It's gonna be a piece of God-damned good news if they agree on my proposal," I said as I rubbed my hands excitedly.

=*=

When Hoshi or was known as Hoshi-sama arrived with Haruto to gather and meet me in the garden to meet me and Hiko-sama, they were rather surprised at being summoned from the monastery where they were having a peaceful day by themselves.

"What's the matter, Chosen One? It seems that there's such urgency in some emergency matter when you summoned us immediately. May we be of your assistance?"

"Hoshi-sama, there's no emergency when you were being called here. I need to address something to you before I suddenly forget about this matter. Come, have a sit first, Haruto you do the same as well."

I reassured Hoshi-sama the there is nothing wrong anywhere that needs to be addressed except for the flash of an ingenious idea this had struck me a few moments ago.

"Join us for dinner, shall we? We dine at the same time discuss the stroke of an idea that I had and we discuss the pros and cons of it. But first, could you and Haruto bring out your coin pouches please..."

They both brought out their coin pouches and both had a few silvers and coppers while not even one contains a gold coin. I slapped my foreheads and frown at their pathetic conditions and was wondering how to uplift their spirits as well as their savings in their coin pouches.

I told them to hang on and I grabbed a handful of coins from the charity basket and poured the coins that I had managed to grab from my little hand. I counted a few pieces of gold coins, several silvers and coppers and I divided each of them equally.

"Here's a little something for the both of you to tide over the next few days in case you both would be engaged in future expeditions," I spoke as I handed them their coin pouches back, and both of them looked at me in surprise. Maybe they thought that they are done for this time and I was buying them through the coins I offered.

"OK, listen very carefully to what I would be asking both of you..." I began as I took my sketchpad and prepared to note down their answers to my queries.

"Haruto, how long can your floating gourd stay in the air?"

"I think for some good hours, provided its clear skies and no thunderstorm or any flying Youkai is chasing after us. Yellow is our standard colour and it is bright and easily seen from the ground below."

"What's the highest have you ever climbed before?"

"It depends on the weather, Harune -San. I could climb from a few feet from the air and till it reaches the clouds above ."

"Alright, my next question is, how heavy a load could you carry at the most? The last time you managed to carry us covering a walking distance of 3 hours easily with 8 of is on you."

"8 people on your back would roughly equivalent to 300 kilograms or more, right?"

"Well, Harune -San, I could almost carry 2 horses over 2 hours of non-stop flight before I take a break of 15 minutes before continuing."

I remembered a Kiso horse would weigh about 400 kilograms and Haruto was able to lift 800 kilograms over a flight distance of 2 hours. Considering Haruto would fly nonstop to Nagoya from here, it would take slightly over 5 hours of flight with an additional stop if 15 minutes in between.

Hiko-sama who was listening suddenly jumped to his seat. He just realised what I had in mind and he was rather excited to try it out.

"Hoshi-sama, what this kid is implying is that you and Haruto may be required to deliver some goods that the merchants had bought from here and you may have the honour of delivering them safely back to their Prefecture. How does that sound to you?"

Hoshi-sama was pondering on the queries made by me and can visualise what I foresee in the future for both of them. In case if they agree, they would be the pioneering of being able to deliver by air travel, the first of its kind here in Japan by Fasuto Japan Airways. Hahahahahaha...!

"I'm not sure about Haruto, but I don't see why not. Flying just even a few feet off the ground would be much better than flying in the clouds. I'm totally into this idea...that's for sure...!"

Hoshi-sama was excited as well since this would bring about the revolutionary mode of transport and delivery for goods and travellers, instead of relying on the horses or carriages that had to follow the road routes.

Haruto looked at his master and was burying his neck lower than ever, to absorb the effects of the staff that would anytime be dropped on his head in purpose.

"Alright...! I am so glad that both of you agreed on this and hope this would not interfere with the upcoming expeditions that you may have in the future. When there's your main duty to attend, we won't be disturbing you and both of you may perform your extermination of Youkai."

"In days to come, you may serve the community to fly them over to their destination and we would be making a charge to them to appropriately pay you and Haruto for your services. Let's say a trip to Nagoya from here is 250 kilometres away. We charge 2 silver for every 10 kilometres and the distance travelled you would earn 50 silvers or 5 gold pieces per day."

"Example for Nagasaki which would be 1416 kilometres away, you would earn 141 silvers and 6 coppers for the single trip or 14 gold coins, 1 silver and 6 coppers."

"You need not make a trip daily as it would tires both of you out. But an alternate journey would be greatly advisable. Haruto, I am sure you're not the only Tanuki that's around that could travel by air right? I am sure there are others and I would like to gather as much as 11 more of you."

"Yes, Harune -san. There are more of us all over Japan and there is such available in a small settlement here in the heart of Fukushima itself. Would you want us to bring them here and you could speak to all of them instead?"

"That would be great Haruto... The more the merrier. We can soon embark on Fasuto Japan Airways. Its no joke... It is going to be our first ever airway services for the needs of the merchants that come and ply their trade with us."

"In that case, Harune -San, Hoshi-sama and I would like to take our leave soon and head there right now and be right back slightly before or during dinner time."

"Chosen One, thank you for allowing us to be part of Fasuto Japan KabushikiGaisha and Airways. Being of service to you and also the corporation is the highest honour we could receive. We hope we won't let you down. I'm off with Haruto and be right back with good tidings."

They both took their leave and Haruto soon took the form of a floating yellow gourd and slowly lifted off and heads straight to the settlement of Tanukis somewhere in the heart of Fukushima.

Hiko-sama looked at me and said, 'Fasuto Japan Airways' and laughed heartily as the storyline for volume two of this novel gets more twisted than ever. Hahahaha.

I laughed together with Hiko-sama as the thought of Fasuto Japan Airways was born impromptu with the help of Haruto and Hoshi-sama. If not for them, Fasuto Japan KabushikiGaisha would not be expanding as rapidly as it would be within a couple of months.

=*=

The sky was filled with floating yellow jackets (not a kind of hornets, mind you) but yellow floating gourds that filled the air heading towards Kitakata Town as it landed on the southern gate as Hoshi-sama led the group of Tanukis into town.

If Haruto had Hoshi-sama on his back, he could easily disperse the protective barrier around the town for the flight, but since he was leading the group of Tanukis which consists of different sizes (some fat, others are medium-sized) racoon dogs into town, the Tanukis felt a slight electrifying sensation as they entered the protective barrier.

In this manner, none of the Tanukis was able to change its form into a giant floating yellow gourd unless Hoshi-sama dispersed the protective barrier for a moment before taking flight.

When they reached the town and into our premises, we all gathered around at the meal area and the 'aunties' served dinner for us and was soon joined by the Wonder 8.

They were surprised to see even more Tanukis and a few of the smaller sized one knew Kaneko and were chatting happily. There were altogether 14 new Tanukis members and all of the names ended with '-chi' behind it.

The group of Tanukis were all in the same family as Haruto as they were related as cousins and relative members. Haruto being the 8th member of that group easily relates the whole proposal by me to them and they agreed to be part of Fasuto Japan Airways.

Since there were a number of them that looked similar to Haruto, I decided to pen their names and made a kind of tag on the current vest that they wear, and a small bandanna over their heads with the name Fasuto Japan Airways that could be easily identified by the incoming merchants.

Hiko-sama related the whole proposal with Wonder 8 and they were thinking that it was a feasible and splendid idea. Too bad Kaneko could only turn into a pink balloon and carry one passenger over a short distance, or else he would also wish to join Fasuto Japan Airways too.