Ch.171Firearms (2)

BOOM!!

“It’s working well.”

The process of replacing the ignition with magic was quickly completed. After all, bringing fire to the muzzle to ignite the gunpowder wasn’t a particularly difficult process.

It simply involved moving the firing chamber to a position within reach—near the handle—and creating a small flame at the fingertip to light the fuse.

Of course, its large size still made it somewhat impractical for one person to use alone, but I decided to resolve this by significantly reducing its power.

A personal firearm powerful enough to destroy city gates? There’s no way such a powerful weapon could be properly utilized in this era. Nor is there any need for it.

“Your Majesty, what is this…?”

“These are the guidelines that hand cannons must follow. I’d like you to conduct your research within these parameters from now on.”

I hand the research director an unusually stiff, pristine white paper. Judging by his reaction to the quality of the paper, he immediately tenses up, clearly sensing something important.

The paper contains various specifications: barrel length around 30cm, weight not exceeding 2.5kg, caliber no greater than 20mm, and instructions to attach wooden handles and stocks to the small barrel to extend the total length to 120cm.

“T-This is…”

“Are you not pleased?”

“Your Majesty, this would greatly reduce the firepower…!”

“Yes, I suppose it would.”

The research director seems displeased with my design guidelines.

Until just moments ago, he was researching cannons powerful enough to destroy city gates and wooden structures, but now he’s suddenly being asked to create a cannon with a mere 20mm caliber. Setting aside the difficulty, it’s understandable he wouldn’t be happy.

But the current hand cannon is absurd—weighing nearly 10kg, it’s hardly deserving of the name “hand” cannon.

The research director seems to have maintained a large caliber to achieve greater firepower, but such large-caliber personal firearms would certainly become obsolete until the advent of mortars and Panzerfausts. There’s no reason to cling to large-caliber personal weapons.

“Let me ask you one thing: is there any problem with killing people?”

“…!”

“What I mean is, would a 20mm caliber hand cannon have any trouble penetrating an enemy’s armor and flesh at once?”

“N-No, it wouldn’t.”

Siege warfare? That’s the domain of trebuchets, not hand cannons.

No matter how large a hand cannon’s caliber becomes, it’s extremely difficult to kill multiple enemies with a single shot. You might be able to pierce through a thin area like the neck and hit an enemy running behind, but that’s already in the realm of luck rather than tactics. Piercing through someone’s stomach to hit an enemy behind them? Is that even feasible?

This means we should design with the default assumption of taking down one enemy per shot, which implies that the hand cannon’s power need only be sufficient to penetrate armor first and then flesh.

Even with weaker explosive power, a 20mm caliber should be enough to pierce through any armor and flesh.

“The matter seems settled then.”

“Yes… Your Majesty.”

The research director’s reaction is poor. He seems almost frightened.

Hmm… there’s no reason to be scared. Perhaps his pride has been severely wounded?

Being forced by authority to incorporate magical design—a taboo for technicians—into his work, and even having the weapon’s power neutered… from the research director’s perspective, this must be truly horrifying.

“If your results are good, I’ll reward you generously, so please work hard.”

“Thank you…”

Hmm, he still doesn’t seem pleased even after I offered more money.

Does he want even more money? What more does he want?

No, wounded pride can’t be fixed with material things. Besides, researchers who pioneer unexplored territories of knowledge tend to have extremely strong pride, regardless of the era.

“When everything is successfully completed, I’ll grant you permission to establish your own workshop.”

“…!”

If that’s the case, I should offer a different kind of reward.

Currently, Lotharing—no, my direct territories—prohibit the establishment of additional workshops. Despite active production in manufacturing facilities, we maintain traditional workshops for the sake of art and rarity. Newly established workshops would unlikely surpass the artistry of those that have specialized in their fields for generations, and they would eliminate the rarity of master craftsmen’s products.

Under this policy, apprentices, even after becoming masters, cannot establish their own workshops, resulting in a massive amplification of the authority and power of masters who already own workshops.

In any case, permission to establish a workshop is considered quite a privilege. From certain perspectives, it might be considered equivalent to granting a title.

‘He seems to like that.’

The research director’s eyes widen, and then his expression shifts to one of speechlessness.

Well, judging by that reaction, it should be fine. He won’t neglect his research due to wounded pride.

……….

HISSSS—

“…It’s a failure.”

“I can see that.”

Lorenzo, advisor to the Holy Empire’s Emperor, shakes his head as he watches black smoke billowing up.

Frustration from failure? He’s experienced that so many times that such feelings disappeared long ago.

The replication of gunpowder has failed.

[This is gunpowder, isn’t it? Hmm, they must have strictly prohibited its leakage, so did you make it yourself?]

[How should we deal with the opponent?]

[Well, the Eastern Empire has always been on the receiving end of gunpowder, so I’m afraid I can’t tell you how to counter it.]

I understand why the Eastern Empire is playing dumb.

From their perspective, it would be delightful to see the Holy Empire waste its national strength fighting back and forth with Lotharing.

Moreover, if they taught us how to counter gunpowder, those methods might eventually be turned against the Eastern Empire itself.

[If the Holy Empire falls to that evil bastard king, won’t the Eastern Empire be the next target?]

[Ha, let him come. Walking such a great distance? He’d collapse from exhaustion before he arrived. And “Holy Empire”? Please stop this pretense and correct your country’s name to the Kingdom of Germania. Isn’t your imperial crown a fake forged by a mere archbishop?]

[…As you are a guest, I will spare your life. So… get out now!!]

‘Those Eastern Empire bastards…’

Of course, there’s no need to accept the Eastern Empire’s position.

They’re just heretical imperial pretenders who have strayed from God’s will—insolent, damnable creatures.

…Tch, it would be perfect if some barbarians from the east invaded and tormented those unpleasant people.

“Charcoal powder and waste matter are definitely ingredients… damn it, let’s just keep adding various materials based on these two.”

“Yes, sir.”

‘…What is it? How did they make it?’

Through various intelligence reports, including the mass construction of waste treatment facilities on the outskirts of Lotharing cities, we’ve somewhat determined that charcoal and excrement are key ingredients in gunpowder… but that’s it. We can’t make any further progress.

No matter what we try with those materials, they only produce unpleasant, foul odors or smoke, but no explosion.

I can’t figure out how they made it, no matter how much I think about it.

Creating such a formidable weapon from charcoal and excrement? If such alchemy were possible, they’d be making gold instead of weapons… I just can’t understand the mindset of these warmongers.

“Hey, let’s put this out first.”

“*cough* *cough* Oh, yes. The smoke is terrible.”

“…”

Thinking about the unpleasant meeting with the Eastern Empire and the daunting task of replicating gunpowder, Lorenzo’s mind wears thin. He slumps down on a nearby rock, hanging his head low.

Tch… this feels hopeless. I don’t think we’ll succeed in replicating it.

At the very least, we need to know how to counter it—

HISSSS—

‘…Huh?’

Just then, the hissing sound of water fills his ears, and the irritating noise suddenly snaps his dazed mind back to attention.

It feels like splashing cold water on his face.

“But if we pour water on it like this, won’t we be unable to reuse it?”

“It’s fine, we can dry it out.”

Jerking his head up and turning toward the sound, Lorenzo sees researchers pouring water on the failed experiment to stop its combustion.

…Fire!

Yes, I may not know how to make this gunpowder, but to use it, one needs fire.

There are countless testimonies that Lotharing used fire when operating those “steel tubes that spew stones”—so many that you could trip over them. This assumption must be correct.

Above all, the fact that charcoal is an ingredient in gunpowder itself explicitly indicates the need for fire.

‘…It’s possible.’

This means Lotharing’s army is not invincible.

Of course, it’s hard to imagine that Lotharing’s army, with its insane military investments, would be weakened by rain, but they certainly couldn’t use those [steel tubes] that can destroy city walls and fortifications with a single shot.

Then the way for the Holy Empire’s army to counter Lotharing’s forces is—

‘Drag out the battle in the field, preventing Lotharing from reaching our fortresses, and then ambush their army on a rainy day.’

Or we could lure Lotharing’s forces into terrain with high moisture, like rivers or swamps.

In any case, to counter Lotharing’s army, the imperial forces must research and train relentlessly to fight effectively in water-rich environments.