Episode 123
“This is different from the repeating crossbow. I believe you both know which is more important: a weapon with a simple structure that will be known for a long time, or a weapon that cannot be imitated without a manufacturing method.”
Logan wanted Liberatio’s development to be kept completely secret.
And Clayton and Hamar also responded well.
“Only I and Lord Hamar know the entire production method. The disciples and dwarves who participated only know the details of their respective roles.”
“As long as you don’t know the material mixing ratio and mana tuning method, even if someone sees it, they won’t be able to imitate it, master.”
“Good. We must continue to maintain security like this. And…”
The importance cannot be felt simply by saying it.
Logan brought up a proposal that made both people’s eyes light up.
“Thank you for your hard work. We will increase the support fund by 30%. Ha, just! If the production method is revealed to even our students, we will immediately stop providing the support fund.”
For Clayton, with money.
“Thank you for your hard work. I will deduct 3 years from your contract period. However, if other dwarves or artisans learn the production method, there will be no rest until the end of the period.”
For Hamar, freedom.
Each person was given what they wanted most and a limit was placed on that.
Fortunately, the two focused more on rewards rather than penalties.
“Of course, Logan.”
“Of course! I swear to keep your secret, master!”
The two men held Logan’s hand firmly with bright faces.
The result soon came back as another reward.
* * *
“…an improved version of the rapid-firing crossbow?”
“Yes, master.”
“You think it’s that easy?”
“It’s not easy! Mass production is unreasonable and less effective, but the wizard and I agree that small quantity production for commanders only would be okay.”
“…Let’s take a look first.”
That’s how I visited the Magic Tower.
What was in Logan’s hand was an object that looked no different from a conventional repeating crossbow.
The only difference is that the demonstration and arrowheads are colored bluish.
And the most important part of a repeating crossbow, the magazine, was not separated but was integrated with the crossbow.
“Because of the mana resonance, it was impossible to make it a separate type. If that were the case, it would have been worth aiming for mass production even if the price was a bit high…” “Does the
magazine like this mean that it is a consumable item, Clayton?”
“Yes. I’m sorry, but if you fire all ten arrows, two at a time, five times in total, it will have no choice but to be destroyed.”
“What is the production cost?”
“That’s… a little over 3,000 gold.”
“Each one?”
“…yes.”
Logan’s frown frowned.
In the case of Liberatio, its utility lies in the fact that it can produce power equivalent to a 2-circle battle scroll at a much cheaper price, almost 1/40 of the price.
However, if the price of one-time consumables exceeded 3,000 gold, it was questionable whether it would be of such use.
“It’s 50% more expensive than a simple 2-circle scroll, but seeing as it’s all-in-one and has no gaps, it seems like the two of you have to work together to make it…” “
That’s right. Regardless of the unit cost, me and Lord Hamar have to invest time together. “Doing so is a bigger problem.”
“It takes up the time of the best wizard and craftsman in the territory at the same time… There are big problems with unit cost and efficiency, so why do you look confident?”
“Let’s try it out first.”
Even as he listed only his shortcomings, a smile appeared on Clayton’s grim face.
Hamar was also smiling and I felt excited.
and.
Kkwagwagwagwang!
The repeating crossbow-artifact version met those expectations perfectly.
Quarrel, which hit the target point, immediately exploded with an explosion of shock waves and flames, blowing up an entire 5m radius.
The explosions caused by two arrows fired at the same time in succession seemed to have created a synergy effect, and the more intense flames and noise were a bonus.
As many as ten arrows contain the destructive power of Liberatio in each arrow.
That alone was surprising enough, but the range was astounding…
“More than twice as much? It doesn’t seem to lose much of its power from 500m to 600m…?”
Clayton smiled brightly as he looked at Logan’s surprised eyes.
“Yes. When I applied Mana Resonance to demonstrations, the range increased dramatically. At least, it was enough to produce a small number of consumables for the leaders, knights, or general commanders of soldiers…” ”
Make as much as you can! This is completely…!”
“But it will take me and Lord Hamar an entire day to make one.”
“…ah.”
A sad sigh flowed out.
Even if you work 365 days a year, there are 365.
It was also a consumable item, so no matter how much money it cost, there was a big problem in terms of work time.
Because this wasn’t the only thing Hamar and Clayton had to make.
“…Please produce as much as possible within two months. We will only need to provide it to commanders for emergency purposes.”
An item that can be used by an ordinary soldier to reliably defeat an ordinary knight.
Even if it was only a small number, it was enough as a trump card.
“Okay, but… two months?”
“I’ll have something to write about by then.”
Clayton’s complexion hardened at Logan’s murderous smile.
* * * Spring is approaching and the days are getting hotter.
The second town under construction on the old McLane Plain between Tomodo and Sylvan has begun accepting residents.
However, the reaction was a little different from when McLane Town was first created.
“I was living well, so why bother…”
“That’s right. I will protect the village no matter what anyone says.”
Town relocation is a recommendation, not an order.
Therefore, most of the residents of Bypros, who lived a good life during the reign of Bipros, remained in the village.
Changing their place of life was too risky for them.
Even the promise of providing a new house or guaranteeing the right to farm the existing land could not sway them.
Sylvan’s territory residents also did not think about moving their home due to much better tax rates and food distribution policies after Soto Sylvan’s death.
Unlike the McLane estate of the past, where farming was difficult, one could make a decent living on the land as long as the taxes were not too heavy.
If there is a bad harvest, it will be difficult whether it is a town or a village.
Rumors about the fertile lands on the border of the territory that disappeared when Sylvan and Bipros merged below McLane were just hearsay.
In the end, among the existing residents, only a very small number of young people responded to the move to the new town by becoming independent and starting families.
However, as if replacing him, refugees from small and medium-sized estates who had flowed into McLane after the civil war were filling in the empty space of the new McLane Town.
“You’re giving me a house for free?!”
“Farming map…?!”
“What kind of luck is this? Thank God!”
“Thank you my lord! Thank you so much!”
The refugees settled in the town one by one, praising the ruler of this land whose name they still did not know, and only then was Logan able to rest for a while.
“Why are you so relieved? It was Confucius who said it would be filled anyway.”
Logan chuckled at Dwayne’s words.
“The town built between Sylvan and Tomodo is a kind of barrier.”
“yes?”
“The Macraine Plain has a hilly mountain range to the north, and the road to Maclaine Castle to the east and Tethron Castle to the west is blocking the road. As long as the two castles are well blocked, there will be no difficulty in defense.”
“Yes? Confucius. What is that all of a sudden…”
Bangbi. Dwayne’s expression hardened at Logan’s ominous choice of words.
“But the old McLane Plain is a divided land adjacent to three castles, including Bipros Castle and Tomodo, and the Sylvan Peretta territory.”
“So why suddenly…”
“Among them, the castles in Bypros, which are classified as the northern part, are actually close by, so they can provide power support in case of emergency. Just as we were struggling. However, it is between Tomodo Castle in the south and Sylvan Castle. “There is a distance difference of more than three days’ walking distance between them. If the enemy comes through that gap and starts attacking from the south, it will be a huge headache for the defenders.”
“That’s about when someone attacks our south…”
Dwayne, who was laughing, suddenly turned blue as he thought about something.
“Who are you thinking of attacking our territory right now? Even within the kingdom?”
“Yes. That’s why we built a town between Sylvan and Tomodo. It’s less than a day’s distance to the castle on either side. It will be an excellent barrier. It will be a shield that can protect the plains.”
“What nonsense…”
“Make vigilante training mandatory for the residents of New McLane Town. No one will object since we gave them houses and land. We will also ensure security.”
After giving instructions like this, Dwayne couldn’t laugh anymore.
“Yes, I would, but… what the hell…”
Dwayne had no idea what Logan was thinking.
‘Why do you think we are under attack? Are we neutral? No way…’
Logan didn’t bother to explain.
Dwayne’s ominous thoughts soon became reality.
At the beginning of midsummer, when the sun beats down hotly.
Logan made a declaration that no one expected at the gathering of all his retainers.
“I must participate in the civil war.”
Daejeon, which was noisy with various agendas during the regular meeting, suddenly became quiet.
“I guess my hearing isn’t working these days, so I’m hearing strange noises.”
“What does the Archduke say now…?”
“I think you said it was a civil war…”
The vassals, who were looking at each other, were confused as to what this meant.
A loud voice broke through the whispering voices of the retainers.
“I couldn’t believe it, but really?! Why on earth?!”
Daejeon suddenly became noisy with the screams of the tall, hairy administrator of the highest rank.
“…yes?!”
“We are living well now, why?!”
“Grand Duchess! What on earth…?!”
“Quiet! Quiet!”
bang! bang!
“Everyone be quiet and listen to what the Archduke has to say!”
My father, who had finished the story in advance, also had a stiff expression on his face, but he set a serious tone as promised.
And in the meantime, Logan took a step forward and once again made a firm claim.
“We too will participate in a civil war. No, we must!”
“No, so why…”
“Isn’t our territory doing well now? The town and business…?”
“Prosperity is promised just by staying like this…”
Murmur.
Logan smiled bitterly as he looked at the vassals making a fuss.
‘It’s not wrong. If we just want to protect this land like this.’
But he didn’t want to do that.
Exactly, it shouldn’t have been that way.
“Everyone is well aware that the number of refugees is gradually increasing these days as the civil war gradually intensifies. The small and medium-sized nobles who were split off while the elites of the two factions in the center were trying to save themselves, and after their disappearance, the bandits of robbers and the people’s rebellion that spread rampantly. “The center isn’t paying attention at all!”
So what should I do?
What does that have to do with us?
How could it be just the center? It’s not that the current situation is unusual, but originally, most of the nobles of this era had no particular interest in the situation of other territories.
Unless it’s to steal it.
Moreover, there was no way to pay attention to the situation ‘outside’ now that there was no idea how the situation would change after the civil war ended.
The retainers pour out opinions with their eyes that they cannot bear to say openly to Logan.
In front of him, Logan calmly expressed his opinion.
“Ending the civil war as soon as possible and putting an end to this situation will be the most correct path for the future of this country.”
what?
Grand Duke, why are you acting like that all of a sudden?
There is an intense exchange of glances between the retainers.
Logan looked around, smiled and continued.
“There’s no need to go into grandiose reasons.”
Everyone looks at Logan with a puzzled expression.
“If we remain neutral like this, no matter which side wins, our McLane will be ruined.”
Daejeon was once again in turmoil due to Logan’s bombshell.
“What is that…?”
“No matter what, you have gone too far.”
“We didn’t lose to the 1st Prince faction.”
“They’re already winning.”
“quiet!”
bang. bang.
Padric calmed down once again and asked.
“Logan why?”
When the war ends, those who contributed need compensation.
There is no way they would be satisfied with just what the Second Prince nobles have.
After tearing down the hostile forces, they will begin to rip off those who remained neutral.
These were actually things that 1st Prince Rohter and Juan Douglas had done in their past lives.
But there was no need to give such a specific reason.
‘Because there is something easier to understand.’
It is said that humans are rational animals, but in reality, there were not many cases where humans made decisions based on rational logic alone.
The majority of human decisions are made up of emotional factors.
Would.
I want to eat.
Want.
Emotions and desires drive humans, and they are simply packaged as ‘rationality’.
So the most perfect persuasion is ultimately one that moves emotions.
“The First Prince faction includes Kairos and Wolves. Those are the two families that are the biggest source of funds for the First Prince faction. Will they really leave us alone when the war ends like this?”
It’s McLane’s side that actually has feelings for them.
You will have to ask Kairos or Wolves what they think of McLane to get the correct answer.
Absolutely poor logic and basis.
However, with just one word from Logan, the expressions of the retainers changed completely.
“Then…”
“Let’s take the side of the 1st Prince faction even now…”
“Are we trying to prevent the later troubles? Indeed…”
At that time, the atmosphere of Daejeon was slowly changing.
“We will join the Second Prince faction.”
Logan once again turned the match over.
