Chapter 375: Time to Create One. (2)

Fenris's production facilities were already near completion before Ghislain left to face Delmud.

In particular, the potion brewing facilities and magic research institute had been established for a long time, leaving little need for new infrastructure.

From then on, the focus was merely expanding the number of existing production facilities, reducing the workload for the dwarves compared to before.

Returning to overseeing construction and management, Galbarik smiled with satisfaction.

"Ah, seeing it all now, it's truly rewarding."

Fenris's territory had developed to an incomparable degree. Every city was filled with meticulously planned structures.

The dwarves' contribution to this grand transformation could not be overstated.

Gazing fondly at the territory, Galbarik spoke.

"Now, we can finally get some rest."

The other dwarves, teary-eyed, chimed in.

"We've really been through a lot."

"Yeah, let's take it easy from now on."

"Even the lord doesn't seem to have any more demands."

The number of blacksmiths had greatly increased, not to mention the laborers.

With such enormous production output, there was no longer any concern about equipping the soldiers. Tools and daily necessities were also in abundant supply.

Potion production was a matter for the mages to worry about.

The dwarves now focused on maintaining production levels by guiding others, rather than shouldering the work themselves.

Gathering in their workshop as they used to, the dwarves began to chat.

"We just need to keep things at this level. Honestly, there's nothing more to make."

"Exactly. Over time, there'll be even less to do here. But we mustn't let that show."

"Let's keep pretending we're busy."

The dwarves continued their meeting, half-jokingly. A bit of strategic complaining was always necessary to manage their workload.

Still, they no longer had major concerns. Food, equipment, tools—everything the territory needed was being produced.

While the pace remained brisk, it was merely due to repetitive work, not the development of new items.

Clenching his fist, Galbarik declared.

"If we keep this up, we'll have plenty of free time in a few months! Let's delay the lord from noticing as long as possible!"

"Exactly! He works us too hard! We're the ones managing the fieldwork here! Hahaha!"

"The lord only checks the production reports, right? As long as those numbers look fine, we're in the clear!"

It felt as though they'd had a similar conversation before, but Galbarik and the dwarves laughed heartily nonetheless.

Suddenly, the laughter stopped.

Galbarik noticed the change and asked.

"What's wrong? Why the faces? You all look like you've seen a ghost."

The dwarves remained silent.

Humans are creatures of learning, and so was Galbarik. Taking a deep breath, he prepared himself.

As he did, someone quietly approached and whispered in his ear.

"Time to start a new project, my friend."

"… Just kill me now."

"Don't worry, Piote will keep you alive."

Galbarik and the dwarves slumped their shoulders, their expressions turning grim.

"Alright, what is it this time?"

"Siege weapons."

"What?"

Galbarik tilted his head in confusion.

"Don't we have enough siege weapons? We've looted plenty from other estates."

The siege weapons from both Count Cabaldi's and Count Desmond's territories had all been claimed by Ghislain.

With these, Fenris already had the largest stockpile of siege weapons in the north. No other lord, save a great noble, could afford such a quantity.

The existing weapons were already sufficiently distributed among the fortresses and castles. While more wouldn't hurt, their utility was diminishing.

But Ghislain shook his head.

"Those are too heavy, hard to move, and difficult to assemble. They're strictly for defense."

"But… siege weapons are inherently offensive tools. Disassembly, transport, and reassembly are par for the course."

"That's why we need to approach this differently."

"Are you thinking of making something enormous and powerful? That would make transport and assembly even harder."

"No. What I want is something that eliminates the weaknesses of current catapults. I want maximum mobility."

Catapults were heavy by nature. Reducing their weight typically compromised their range and destructive power.

To hurl large stones, the structure had to be big and robust.

As a result, they were difficult to move quickly, requiring transport on multiple wagons and repeated assembly.

While makeshift catapults could be built using local wood, their effectiveness would be severely limited.

They might work against small forts, but not against robust fortresses or major castles.

The dwarves, well aware of these facts, scratched their heads.

"You want a mid-sized catapult mounted on a cart?"

There were mobile catapults, but they lacked the destructive power for sieges.

Even for field battles, they were less effective than archers, leading to their abandonment long ago.

Ghislain shook his head.

"No. I want a catapult that maintains the power and range of traditional ones but weighs less than half and is easy to assemble and disassemble. Something mobile."

"Haha, so you want such a catapult? An impossible catapult!"

The dwarves burst out laughing. It had been a long time since their lord made such a joke.

But Ghislain said nothing. The dwarves glanced at him, noticing his serious expression. This wasn't a joke.

"… You're serious? About that catapult?"

"Yes, I'm serious."

"That's ridiculous! No such catapult exists! We've neither seen nor heard of anything like that!"

"Well, then it's time to create one."

Galbarik was about to erupt in frustration when another dwarf interjected.

"We've got plenty of Rune Stones, don't we? If permanent magic circles aren't feasible, we could use Rune Stones to apply weight-reduction magic."

Permanent magic circles required a grand mage of at least the 8th Circle. Even for semi-permanent results, a 7th Circle mage was necessary.

Thus, using Rune Stones was the only viable option for Fenris.

"Hmm, but we'd need to embed Rune Stones in every frame… That would cost a fortune!"

"Still, it could work."

Though the dwarves offered a potential solution, Ghislain shook his head.

"No. Are we building a catapult or a palace? That's not innovation—it's wasteful extravagance. And mass production would be impossible."

"Then it's impossible. The lighter it is, the less it can bear the force needed to operate."

Catapults were primarily made of wood. Reducing their weight while maintaining durability was the challenge.

And with wood, weight correlated directly with strength.

"If we used ebony wood, it might work…"

Ebony wood, enriched with natural mana, was significantly lighter and stronger than ordinary wood.

However, using ebony wood was even less practical. It would cost more than Rune Stones and be nearly impossible to procure in large quantities.

But Ghislain clapped his hands.

"Don't we already have a similar material?"

"What?"

"Why worry when we have Galbanium?"

The dwarves blinked in surprise.

Galbanium could indeed serve as a wood substitute, though it was heavier than ebony wood.

"Galbanium is light and strong compared to steel, but if you scale it to a catapult's size, it'll still be heavy. It won't be much different from wood, and moving its components by cart won't make a significant difference."

"That's why we need a new approach. I'll give you the foundation—just reinforce it. Once you see it, it'll be simple."

Ghislain knew his catapults well, having disassembled and reassembled countless designs in his past life.

Having lived and breathed war, he had firsthand experience with nearly every type of catapult on the continent.

"Let me sketch it for you. It's easier than you think."

Ghislain began drafting a design for the dwarves. Soon, he finished a blueprint of a highly unconventional catapult.

In his past life, this catapult had been jokingly referred to as the "Bone catapult."

Instead of thick wooden frames, it was constructed entirely from thin Galbanium frames.

Thanks to the steel-like strength of Galbanium, it could withstand far more pressure than wood.

But the most terrifying aspect of this catapult was its incredible mobility.

"Look closely. Think of each of these frame rods as spear shafts. At the end of each Galbanium spear shaft, there's a groove where a spearhead can be attached."

The spearheads could be removed, and connector parts could be attached to link other frames.

By connecting these shafts, a frame-only catapult could be constructed.

"Oh…."

The dwarves examined Ghislain's blueprint with fascination.

At first, it seemed nonsensical, but his explanation made it all come together.

The framework was rough, but the concept was clear enough. With some adjustments, it was entirely feasible.

The platform for the stones could be made by connecting multiple shafts into a square structure.

Ghislain, brimming with confidence, said:

"How about it? Soldiers can assemble a small catapult if there are few of them, or a larger one if there are more. Just keep connecting the pieces. Stones and counterweights can be gathered on-site."

The dwarves, having fully grasped the explanation, shivered in awe.

This design eliminated the need to transport separate components.

Soldiers could fight with spears and then come together to assemble a catapult.

The connectors for the shafts could be carried individually, and the necessary ropes could be used as belts until needed.

This was truly a revolutionary weapon that could change the face of warfare.

"H-How did you come up with such an idea…?"

Everyone understood the importance of mobility in war, but siege weapons and mobility had always been mutually exclusive.

As a result, armies had to operate multiple specialized units with distinct roles.

'But if this is built….'

Fenris had already developed portable combat rations. With logistics improved, their operational range had significantly expanded.

If this modular catapult was completed, they would not only move quickly but also conduct sieges at unparalleled speed. No one would be able to predict such velocity.

'This completely breaks free of existing limitations!'

Galbarik, trembling as he looked over the blueprint, could already see it coming together. With the materials already at hand, building it wouldn't be a problem.

It was a genius idea. If completed, it would revolutionize strategy and tactics.

"Did you come up with this too, my lord?"

Ghislain turned slightly and muttered.

"The legendary blacksmith…."

"Ahhh! Why did the heavens create me, Galbarik, only to also create someone like him?"

Galbarik howled in despair, consumed by a mix of admiration and self-doubt.

Ignoring Galbarik's wailing, Ghislain said:

"Anyway, you understand the design, right? I'm not the best at drawing, but the concept is clear enough."

"It's absolutely feasible. With Galbanium, this is entirely doable. I'll refine the structure to maximize load-bearing and ease of assembly."

New knowledge and technology always excited the dwarves.

And if it was something only they could create, it was even better. They might grumble about work, but they couldn't resist their nature.

There was just one concern.

"To expedite production, we'll need to redirect all blacksmiths and Galbanium supplies. We'll have to make entirely new spear shafts for the soldiers. Doesn't it feel wasteful to discard what we've already made?"

"Don't worry. Regular spears are still in high demand. We'll need reserves, and any extras can be supplied to the citizens and the royalist faction."

"Fine. We'll prioritize this as the main production item for the territory."

"Good. As always, fast and flawless. Got it?"

"Understood…."

And so, the dwarves and blacksmiths of Fenris began producing the new modular catapults.

The prototypes were completed only after Ghislain's campaign against Marquis Rodrick's territory.

Upon inspecting the prototypes prepared by the dwarves, Ghislain nodded in satisfaction.

"Looks good. Now, let's select soldiers for assembly training."

A thousand soldiers were selected to receive the new spear shafts and connectors. Over the following days, they practiced assembling the Galbanium catapults.

Finally, the day of the demonstration arrived.

Among the territories they had seized, there was a small abandoned fortress. Ghislain and his close aides gathered nearby to witness the power of the new weapon.

Thud-thud-thud-thud!

At the appointed time, a thousand mounted soldiers arrived.

Fenris's soldiers were now trained to switch roles as needed. Riding horses was considered a basic skill.

Claude waved at them and shouted:

"Begin!"

The soldiers formed teams of 200 and began connecting the spear shafts.

In an instant, five medium-sized catapults were assembled. Everyone watching was stunned by the incredible speed.

"Wow! Amazing!"

"That speed is incredible!"

"This is a weapon that will revolutionize warfare!"

Amid the excitement, Galbarik proudly basked in the praise, once again affirming his status as the world's greatest blacksmith.

All that remained was to test the weapon's power. As the soldiers loaded stones onto the catapults and prepared to fire, Ghislain's brow furrowed.

One of the catapults… was creaking.

[T/L: Please support me and read 385 extra chapters: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]