The Sacrifice of Light 4

Back in the office, I sat behind the large wooden desk, skimming through documents when the door opened. King Harald entered, carrying a fresh stack of papers, which he placed in front of me with a thud.

"Are the tests giving you the results you hoped for? Have you found anyone promising?" he asked, his tone laced with curiosity and expectation.

I looked up at him and gave a slight nod. "Yes, I've found some promising people," I replied, reaching for a single sheet of paper from the pile. I handed it to him. "These are the individuals I want brought before me as soon as possible."

Harald glanced at the list, then back at me. With a small bow, he turned on his heel and left the room, already issuing orders to the guards outside to fulfill my request.

As the door shut behind him, I let out a deep sigh, leaning back in my chair. I had hoped for more talent, more people who stood out among the masses, but I would have to make do with what I had. More people were still arriving in the capital from the surrounding villages. Over time, as the population consolidated, more talent would surface. Until then, I had to work with what was available.

Feeling the exhaustion settle in, I decided to take a quick nap and ordered my maid to bring something to eat—enough for six people. As I rested my head on the desk, the weight of responsibility lingered in my mind, but before I could drift too far into sleep, a knock at the door stirred me awake.

Harald entered, leading five individuals into the room. He gave a slight nod before stepping aside to let them in. "As you requested," he said before excusing himself, leaving me alone with the five chosen ones.

Before any of them could speak, the door opened again, and my maid returned, carrying a large tray filled with food. She placed it on the table and stepped back respectfully. I straightened myself and looked over the group before me.

"Before we begin," I said, "you need to understand something. You have been selected for important roles—positions that will determine the survival of this kingdom. If you do not take care of yourselves, if you do not eat and rest properly, you will not be able to fulfill the responsibilities I will give you. So, eat."

The five exchanged uncertain glances but did as I instructed, reaching for the food. As they ate, I began assigning their roles.

I turned to the first man, a sturdy farmer with cat-like features. "You will be in charge of the new fields. These documents," I handed him a scroll, "explain how we will plant crops in a more efficient manner. There are also methods listed here to use magic to accelerate growth. Study it well."

Next, I addressed the woman beside him, who had wolf-like features and carried the poise of a merchant's daughter. "You will oversee the transport and distribution of the harvested goods. This document contains the routes and storage plans that will ensure everything moves efficiently."

The third person, an older woman with black cat ears and a long tail, tipped in white from age, wore a traditional witch's hat. "You will be in charge of education," I stated firmly. "From now on, every child between the ages of five and sixteen will go to school. No more child labor. We need educated people for the future, and you will ensure that happens."

Then, I turned to the fourth individual, a muscular man with lion-like features. "I know you have no military experience, but that doesn't matter. You will train them—not with the sword or bow, but in endurance and strength. They will train in the sun until they collapse from exhaustion, and in the winter, they will train barefoot in the snow. They must become immune to hardship, stronger than any human force."

Finally, my gaze settled on the fifth and final individual—a stout but well-built dwarf who had clearly seen better days. "Your task will be different from the others," I said, my voice lowering slightly. "Your work will be top-secret, something we will discuss privately."

The dwarf raised an eyebrow but nodded in understanding.

I leaned back, watching their reactions. Some looked nervous, others determined. "This is just the beginning. But if you do your jobs well, we will reshape this kingdom into something the humans will no longer look down on."

I gestured toward the documents I had handed out. "The papers contain names of people you can use to begin your tasks. They have the skills necessary to help you get started. Use them wisely."

The five nodded in understanding, and after a bit of discussion about their responsibilities, they finished their meals and excused themselves. One by one, they left the room, leaving only me and the dwarf.

I waited for the door to close before making sure no one was nearby. Then, I reached into my desk and pulled out a separate sheet of paper, sliding it across the table to Migul.

He picked it up and studied it for a moment. His bushy eyebrows furrowed as he examined the detailed sketch. Then, realization struck. His eyes widened, and he let out a low whistle. "I've never seen anything like this before," he muttered in awe.

"That," I said, a smirk tugging at my lips, "is called a machine gun. And we're going to mass-produce them. But that's just the beginning. I plan to create far more than just weapons."

Migul's expression shifted as he absorbed my words. He stroked his beard thoughtfully. "So that's why the military won't need traditional sword or bow training," he mused. "This is a completely different kind of warfare. But... I don't fully understand how something like this will change the battlefield."

I leaned forward, my voice firm. "Build a prototype, and I'll show you exactly how it changes everything."

Migul's grip on the paper tightened. He hesitated for only a moment before nodding. "How long do I have?"

I gave him a confident look. "How long do you need?"

He exhaled sharply, considering the design once more. "If I have everything I need—resources, tools, and workers—I can have a working prototype in two days."

I raised an eyebrow, impressed by his confidence. "Then you'll get everything you need. Just tell me what's required."

He scratched his beard and thought for a moment before nodding. "I want my trusted assistant. A young elven woman—best metalworker I've ever trained. With her, I can make this happen."

I smiled. "Consider it done. I'll have her brought to you immediately. Now, go. The forge is yours."

Migul grinned, folding the paper carefully before tucking it into his coat. "You won't regret this, Highness."

I watched as he left, already eager to see the future unfold.

Not even two days later, Migul came bursting into my office, his face beaming with pride. He held a wrapped bundle in his arms, cradling it as if it were a precious treasure. His excitement was infectious as he placed it on my desk with a heavy thud.

"It's done!" he declared, unable to contain his grin. "Exactly as your design described."

I raised an eyebrow, unwrapping the cloth to reveal the sleek, intimidating form of the machine gun. Running my fingers over the cold metal, I nodded approvingly before glancing back at him. "Impressive work. Do you understand how it functions?"

Migul scratched his beard. "I have a rough idea. It seems to be some kind of projectile weapon, but I'm not sure what it shoots or how exactly it operates."

I smirked and pulled out another set of papers from my desk. "You're right—it fires projectiles, and these documents will show you how to manufacture them, along with the machines needed to produce them efficiently. Also, I've discovered that everything needed to create gunpowder already exists within the kingdom. The materials are here, but no one has ever realized their true potential—they've been discarded as useless substances. That changes now."

Migul eagerly grabbed the papers and started scanning through them. After a few moments, his brow furrowed. "There's a material here I don't recognize. We don't have anything like this. If I had to guess, it might be related to that strange black powder some alchemists discard as useless, but I don't see how it could be used to make a weapon."

I leaned back in my chair. "I expected that. And you're right—it is exactly that black powder. If you follow the instructions in the plans I gave you, you'll see just how powerful it can be. This will change everything."

Reaching into a drawer, I retrieved a small pouch and handed it to him. "For now, I've already prepared a small quantity of it for you to work with. Take this and meet me at the training field this afternoon. I want you to prepare at least thirty rounds by then."

Migul's eyes gleamed with curiosity and excitement. "Thirty rounds by this afternoon?" He let out a hearty chuckle. "Now that's a challenge I can get behind."

I watched as he clutched the pouch tightly before turning on his heel, already making plans in his head. As he left, I allowed myself a small, satisfied smile. The future was taking shape faster than I had hoped.

I smirked and lifted the weapon. "This weapon can do it—and not just from a hundred meters. Soon, I will create weapons that can do the same from over two thousand meters away with ease."

Murmurs spread through the crowd, some skeptical, others intrigued. Without waiting for further doubt to take root, I turned toward the target. "Now, let's see how well Migul has done his job."

I aimed at the heavily armored dummy and pulled the trigger. A single shot rang out, the bullet cutting through the air before piercing straight through the armor. A sharp metallic clang echoed across the training grounds as the projectile continued past its target, embedding itself in the stone wall behind it.

Gasps erupted from the crowd, stunned expressions replacing their earlier doubt. I ignored their shock, adjusting the weapon as I spoke again. "That was a single shot. Now, let's see what happens when we use its true power."

Switching the gun to full auto, I steadied my aim. "Testing full auto," I announced before pulling the trigger. A controlled burst of rapid fire thundered through the field, the bullets ripping through the armored dummy with terrifying ease. I didn't stop there. Emptying the first magazine, I swiftly reloaded and continued. After two more full magazines, nothing remained of the heavy armor except for scattered, torn scraps of metal littering the ground.

The field fell completely silent, all eyes locked on the destroyed remains of the target.

As I stood there, still gripping the weapon, I noticed something peculiar—my ears weren't ringing. Despite the deafening sound of the gunfire, my fox-like ears had taken it without issue. It was strange, considering I could hear even the faintest scurrying of mice in the castle when I focused. I smirked to myself, realizing that this superior resistance to noise could be a major advantage. If my soldiers could be trained to withstand the sound and maintain their focus in battle, it could give us a decisive edge over the human forces.

I turned to Migul, a smirk tugging at my lips. "You did great work. Do you see now how this will change everything?"

Migul blinked in astonishment before his stunned expression morphed into one of unrestrained excitement. "I—I'll start mass production immediately!"

I held up a hand, stopping him before he ran off. "Not yet. First, you need to teach others how to produce them. We'll need far more than just you for this. Once we have enough skilled hands, I have another project for you."

Migul's eyes lit up at the prospect of a new challenge. Practically vibrating with enthusiasm, he gave me a firm nod. "Understood! I'll gather and train a team right away! As soon as they're ready, I'll come to your office for the next assignment!"

With that, he turned and rushed off, already shouting orders to the nearby blacksmiths. I exhaled, watching the stunned expressions of the gathered soldiers shift into something else—determination.

We had just taken the first step toward changing everything.