NEW DESIGN

"Is this a new crossbow design, my lady?" remarked Hilda in awe as she inspected the drawing Evelyn presented to the captain in Bryce's study.

While the baron was away, Evelyn was given permission to use his study as her office until Evelyn's own study is prepared.

Inside the room, Evelyn summoned Hilda to discuss with the captain about something of importance and it involved the drawing she was showing to the crossbow-woman.

"The main design is basically the same as your crossbow, but I changed the materials for the crossbow parts in order to improve its capability." said Evelyn.

"Instead of using Silver Tree wood for the frame, you suggest we use a special alloy made from Rubber Steel Tree wood, Blood Rose sap, and Clear Sky ore. You also suggested that we replace Star Iron with Crimson Unicorn's hair for the string." commented Hilda as she examined the notes on the drawing. "What's with this particular mix, my lady?"

"The wood of a Rubber Steel Tree has a great tensile strength than most wood there is. The sap from a Blood Rose makes it even more stronger. While the Crimson Unicorn's hair has a great flexibility." explained Evelyn. "When the tensile strength of the frame is stronger and it's accompanied by a proper string flexibility, then we'll be able to increase the range and power of the crossbow."

"How much of an increase in range the crossbow will gain with this new design, my lady?"

"About four times. Five if you're good with your aim."

"IT CAN SHOOT FIVE TIMES FARTHER?!" shocked Hilda.

She then suddenly frowned. Despite hearing how much more range the new design will provide, Hilda still had some concern.

"Even if the crossbow can shoot an arrow that long, it's useless if we can't aim it properly to the target." said the captain.

Evelyn smiled at this comment.

"Have you seen my changes on the aiming scope?"

Hilda squinted her eyes and looked at the scoping lens design of the crossbow.

"I don't understand, my lady. What do you mean by 'Implement Eagle Eye Rune' over here?"

"It's exactly as it says, Hilda." said Evelyn. "We're going to write runes of the Eagle Eye spell on the aiming scope so the archer could see their target from a great distance. We'll also arrange the markings on the lens so it could give us accurate aim on the target."

"THAT'S IMPRESSIVE, MY LADY!" reacted Hilda. "I never thought of using magic runes to improve the crossbow."

Evelyn raised her finger to show Hilda that she had more left to say.

"We're not just going to implement the runes only on the aiming scope. We'll also be implementing them on the arrows." said Evelyn. "Mind you, I also changed the materials for the arrows so it'd be compatible with the new design."

She grabbed a crossbow she had kept in the study and picked up an arrow.

The young lady then drew a red rune on the arrow and placed it on the crossbow.

Evelyn opened the window and fired the crossbow to a nearby pile of rock.

As soon as the enchanted arrow hit the rocks, the arrow exploded and reduced the rocks into bits.

Hilda was, once again, astounded by this display.

"Using magical runes, we can make all sorts of arrows." said Evelyn. "One that explodes. One that burns. One that freezes. Many kinds."

"Simply impressive, my lady! This design of yours!" complimented Hilda. "For years I've been researching ways to improve my crossbow. But you've really taken it to another league, my lady."

Evelyn could only smile upon these words.

"(Truth be told, this is actually YOUR design, Hilda. I'm sure you'd come up with all this on your own if things had gone the way it was in my previous life.)" thought Evelyn. "(I'm simply bringing it back years sooner.)" 

Hilda took another look at the materials listed on the design.

"My lady, this idea you've come up with is definitely brilliant. But I believe it'll be hard to procure all these materials in such great amount if you intended to mass-produce the crossbow for your soldiers." said Hilda. "Not to mention, it'd take special craftsmen to properly create the parts as your design suggested."

Evelyn nodded to Hilda's concerns.

 "Which brings us to our next discussion, Hilda." 

The commander of the Leonardo army returned to her desk and pulled out a map of Euphrates.

"I'll be away for a while. About two weeks or so." said Evelyn. "While I'm gone, I want you to stay here and train the soldiers in my place."

"Where could you possibly be going, my lady?" asked Hilda.

"To Portos, the port city in the southern shore of Euphrates." answered the lady. "I plan to procure the materials and recruit the people necessary for the Leonardo knightage."

"Portos? That's quite a shady city, my lady. Will you be going alone?"

"Don't worry, I'll be taking Giselle with me."

"Just you and your maid? Surely you need more escort!"

Evelyn chuckled at Hilda's worry.

"Captain, are you truly worrying about my safety? Do you really think I would be harmed by mere harbor thugs loitering around Portos?"

Hilda couldn't answer her commander immediately. She remembered of the rumor that Evelyn just defeated hundreds of gargoyles on her own not too long ago.

"Of course not, my lady. I hope you have a nice trip."

"Thank you." replied Evelyn. "And while I'm away, I want you to pick 20 people amongst the knights and squires whom you think are the best archers amongst the bunch. Give them training specialized for long range combatant. Aim to turn them as good as you, if not better."

"As you wish, my lady!"