Episode 17 It’s been a week since I returned to the territory.
A time when Logan was concentrating on his training and occasionally checking on the Ronian and Viktor mercenaries.
The meat of the first Karok and the ironwood and parts from the Tritan territory arrived at McLane territory, transported from Kyle.
Then Logan summoned Hamar and presented him with a drawing.
“What is this?”
Hamar frowned as he looked at the drawing spread out in front of him.
“I drew it in as much detail as possible based on my knowledge.”
Although Logan was not a professional engineer, he was able to create drawings at the level of an amateur technician since it was a weapon he had used for decades.
Of course, by Hamar’s standards, it was just an extremely crude drawing.
“Do we have to install a cartridge to store the bolt in the back of the crossbow and make it load automatically? And the bow must be able to fire three shots in a row in three stages?”
Hamar looked at the drawing and Logan’s face in turn, making a bewildered expression.
“Even if we could make a structure like this, the strings wouldn’t be able to withstand it if it was a continuous loop. Are you planning on making a horse weapon after using it once?”
“Uh…”
“Besides, if you attach a wooden box like this right behind it, it will be uncomfortable for people shooting crossbows. Who on earth would come up with such nonsense…”
“It’s me.”
“Hehehe. Hehehe. Looking at it again, the idea is ingenious.”
‘That nonsense will become a disaster for our kingdom later, man.’
Fortunately, the problem Hamar raised now was one that Logan could solve.
“By reducing the size of the bolt, we reduce the size of the cartridge itself. And it will only be used once. Instead, we can make the cartridge prefabricated so that it has to be reloaded every time it is fired.”
“…yes?”
“For convenience, let’s call it a magazine.”
Hamar’s eyes shook violently at the solution brought about by a simple change of idea rather than outstanding technology.
“That’s nonsense! Recently, I heard that a device that resembles a goat’s foot was introduced that can reload four or five rounds per minute, but this is far superior…”
According to his common sense, even an experienced archer can fire two rounds per minute with the current crossbow. It was a difficult single-shot ejection weapon.
The crossbow that Logan was talking about was a weapon that far surpassed his common sense.
If they had told me it was a magical artifact, I might have believed it.
“You say you can make something like that by attaching a single cartridge?”
“I’m sure. Just make it.”
Hamar could no longer respond to Logan’s rant.
In his view, Logan’s explanation was not just an idea, but had the feel of someone who has used it a lot.
“Hmm. The only thing added to such a groundbreaking weapon is a cartridge, and the only parts are a mainspring, glue, and a bowstring… I’m motivated to take on this challenge. Great. Let’s make it.”
“How long do you think this will be possible?”
“Are you going to tell us to make something we’ve never heard of and then set a deadline?”
“Yes, it is a weapon that even humans made.”
“…Yes? That’s ridiculous! Where? Who?!”
“You don’t have to know. If you don’t think you can do it, give up.”
“Okay, great. Good, good. One month. We will make something much better within that time.”
Hamar shouted excitedly at the words that touched the dwarf’s pride.
Only after hearing that answer was Logan able to smile.
The crossbow had so much destructive power that it could penetrate armor, but because of its slow reload time, it was a weapon for hunters that was neglected in wartime.
In modern warfare, where multiple troops clash with each other, having soldiers fire many arrows in a short period of time is much more efficient.
However, when the empire started war 10 years later, they created a weapon called a repeating crossbow and operated a large number of crossbow units.
The rapid crossbow unit demonstrated destructive power that could take on the knights depending on their location even without the help of wizards.
A weapon that can enable a single soldier to stop a knight depending on the battle conditions.
It was one of two reasons why the Empire had an overwhelming advantage in the early wars of imperial aggression.
Of course, by the end of the Imperial War, most countries began making and using the same items.
Because of this, after the war, although the initial version was a bit expensive, it became a common weapon as an essential weapon for low-level mercenaries.
But at this point….
‘Mercenary forces alone can deal a fatal blow to Viscount Tethron in a territory war.’
Considering my memories of my past life, it wasn’t such an unreasonable idea.
‘No, it’s difficult to make too hopeful predictions.’
Hamar may not be able to properly make a repeating crossbow, and even if it is completed, the mercenaries may not be able to use it properly and it may take time.
But even so, those two things had already been left to Hamar and Kai, so there was nothing more he could do.
‘So I prepare another coping plan.’
Under the worst-case assumption that the mercenaries would not be able to do their job, a countermeasure was needed.
Logan went to see his father again for that.
“You want to participate in knight corps training?”
“That’s right.”
Logan’s expression was firm and even his eyes did not waver.
However, Padrick, who was looking at his son with expressionless eyes, gave an odd answer.
“There are widespread rumors that the abandoned southern villa has become the archduke’s playground.”
“yes?”
“They renovated the lodgings, filled the warehouses with all kinds of strange things, and even stationed mercenaries there. I understand that they live there these days. Why don’t they train there?”
“…Those mercenaries are just low-level mercenaries, and the true power of the country and family is the Knights. I want to feel what a true knight is by training with the Knights.”
Although I was embarrassed to say it out of my mouth, it was a comment I had carefully prepared by choosing only the words that my father would like.
“…I acknowledge your powerlessness, but the knights may feel uncomfortable by interfering with the knights. So special treatment is not possible. I will tell you to act like a new knight, but is that okay?”
So it was natural that there would be a positive response.
“of course.”
Logan nodded willingly.
* * *
“I have received a call from the head of the family. But are you sure you don’t mind if I don’t give you special treatment?”
“of course.”
“Hmm.”
Heinkel’s face, leader of the McLane Knights, didn’t even lighten up at the honor that he had never expected to receive from that idiot.
‘How can I not care if I tell them not to give me special treatment?’
No matter what anyone said, he was the master’s son.
Moreover, public opinion among drivers is not good due to recent misdeeds.
‘I would have felt at ease if I had been told to treat him nicely.’
The middle-aged knight, whose gray hair was beginning to show through his brown hair, held his head as he felt the gray hair growing in real time.
But as if reading his thoughts, the lump of luggage in front of him said something that caught his heart.
“One week. If I fail the knighthood training even once during the week, I will pretend it never happened and skip it on my own.”
“…great.”
Heinkel made a promise in his heart at that moment.
‘Starting tomorrow, the intensity of the Knights’ training will be tripled for a week.’
Suddenly, my fists gained strength.
‘If you perform simply to show off your good side, you will regret it, Grand Duke.’
It seemed like he could already hear the screams of the common knights, but Heinkel was already burning with enthusiasm.
However, Logan was not participating in the training simply to improve his reputation as Heinkel thought.
‘Anyway, the main force of the family is the Knights. Even if no one else knows, you have to win their hearts.’
Worst case. So, if the weapons he prepared did not meet the deadline or reach the desired level, Logan planned to join the Knights and actively go to the front lines.
Right now, he was confident that even if his military power was not as good as his father’s, it was better than most knights.
‘So from now on, let’s build a bond by rolling together.’
It was also important for Logan’s personal training.
‘Now I focus on increasing my strength.’
The Force Core learned through divine sword vision could be grown through simple meditation rather than physical training.
But the essence is force. Physical training was the most important study.
Therefore, formal training in the Order of Knights will also be of great help to him.
Logan hoped that would be another variable.
However, his decision became a huge storm that hit the knights.
* * *
“Starting today, Archduke Logan will participate in our knights’ training.”
“yes?”
“What?”
“Did I hear that correctly? The Archduke is training?”
Murmur.
Heinkel’s words in the early morning had a tremendous impact on the assembled McLane knights.
Of course, just as Padrick had worried, it wasn’t in a good direction.
“That bastard?!”
“Doesn’t the knight seem funny just because he beat the Dominion?”
“There is a rumor that the Archduke is crazy. Is this true?”
“What do you think? Training will be easier.”
“Don’t talk nonsense. Don’t you know, Commander? It’s going to get worse, right?”
As if answering those words, Heinkel added with a cruel smile.
“That’s why we’ve added a new drill starting today.”
“Hey!”
“Captain. That’s not it!”
“Oh, I knew it would happen. Damn.”
There was severe backlash here and there, but Heinkel neatly ignored it.
“I believe that you guys will show your pride as knights. Surely no one will humiliate me in front of the Archduke?”
The knights, who realized the hidden meaning of those words, all smiled.
“Whoa. Okay, let’s all die together. How long can the Archduke endure?”
“I bet on three days.”
“I have two days.”
“Then what about me?”
“Was half a day too much?”
“No, you can just go right back.”
Laughter spread along with giggling and sarcastic remarks.
But the ridicule did not last even half a day.
* * * The start of the ridiculous training was horseback riding.
Horseback riding (lifting a horse), not horseback riding (乘馬: horseback riding).
Of course, it was a crazy training that was unfamiliar to even the knights, and not long after it started, screams erupted from all over.
“Ugh!”
Even though the horse had been drugged to sleep, its weight was at least five times that of the knight.
Running through the mountains with such a horse on your shoulder was a penance that would make even a Force user scream.
There was something else that made the knights who embarked on an unprecedented asceticism even more amazed.
‘What’s so fast?!’
‘This is strange. ‘Are you that bastard?’
‘They just say he’s crazy?’
It is said that the person called Archduke who made them do this kind of asceticism is running right in front of them.
I gritted my teeth and chased after him, but the distance only widened further.
Even the janitors, intermediate force users who served as instructors, were looking at Logan with their mouths open.
The most absurd of them all was Heinkel, the leader who came up with this almost ascetic training.
‘Does this make sense? ‘What…’
It was a training designed to quickly make the archduke, who was uncomfortable to deal with, fall behind, and although Logan, who was running ahead, was sweating, he actually smiled, and the faces of the knights following him were distorted.
I had an ominous feeling that if things continued like this, the only ones left behind would be the rank knights.
While I was watching with nervousness, I eventually saw one of the knights groaning and staggering.
‘That pathetic bastard!’
Heinkel looked resentfully at the knight who was about to collapse, forgetting how unreasonable he had created the training course.
But I couldn’t just quit what had already happened.
Heinkel raised his strength and let out a roar that echoed throughout the mountain.
“Everyone stop!”
At that voice, the knights all sighed in relief and sat down in their seats.
“Take a break for ten minutes.”
“Ugh!”
Heinkel insinuatingly asked Logan, listening to the knights’ screams of lament with one ear.
“How are you, Confucius? Are you having a hard time?”
Of course, the answer would be that it was difficult, and Heinkel planned to use that as an excuse to lower the intensity before the knights showed their rough side.
“Oh, it’s worth it.”
“As expected, robbery… yes?”
“It’s great training. As expected, the knights’ training is very stimulating.”
“…Yes?”
The person who created this ridiculous training couldn’t hide his astonishment, and the knights listening next to him also looked at Logan with the expression of a crazy person.
But he was sincere.
