Chapter 34

After finishing the tour of the experimental breeding facility, Ricardo returned to the completed work shed for tea time. Inside the shed, he had brought in two large braziers for Antonio and Master Romano. He placed charcoal in one of the brazins and lit a fire, then set a kettle of water on a trivet over the fire.

The water used in this experimental breeding facility was drawn from a well dug in a place far from the sea, following Master Romano's advice. Although there was concern that the water might contain salt due to the proximity to the sea, it turned out to be of good quality, as they had struck an underground stream flowing from the inland.

While sipping herbal tea and chatting, the conversation turned to magic cannons.

"How does a magic cannon activate magic?" Ricardo asked.

Emilia answered Ricardo's question.

"Do you know about the Divine Tree, Ricardo?"

"Yes, I learned about it from Mr. Bernardo."

"If so, you must know about the Yellow Gem Tree Fruit Crystal and the Red Gem Tree Fruit Crystal. We magic engineers carve a type of magical language called factor letters into the Yellow Gem Tree Fruit Crystal to create a magic circuit, and we connect several of these circuits to replace incantations."

Upon further inquiry, it turned out that the connected circuits are called a magic circuit board, and by passing the magic power stored in the Red Gem Tree Fruit Crystal through a catalyst cartridge, the magic power is attribute-activated, and the activated magic power flows through the magic circuit board to activate the magic.

"Magic lamps, which are magical tools, do not require a catalyst, but why does only the magic cannon need a catalyst?"

"Magic lamps use a Red Dragonstone instead of a catalyst. While the Red Dragonstone also has the effect of attribute-activating magic power, its effect is weak and can only activate a small amount of magic power."

It seems that the magic cannon, which requires a large amount of activated magic power compared to magic lamps, cannot activate magic with the effect of the Red Dragonstone alone.

"My master, Lucio, devised a catalyst cartridge to replace the Red Dragonstone and completed the magic cannon," Emilia said proudly, showing her respect for her master.

Ricardo remembered the wave generator tube from the demon tree Tamiel he had obtained in the magic realm. Do weapons using wave generator tubes exist?

"Emilia, do you know of any weapons made from the materials of the demon tree Tamiel?"

"Demontree Tamiel?"

Councilor Isarco interjected.

"Are you talking about the magic vine that grows from the head of the demon tree Tamiel?"

The wave generator tube is officially called a 'magic vine.' Ricardo decided to call the magic-coated 'magic vine' a 'wave generator tube' from now on.

"Yes. When I went to the Yorgul territory, I obtained the magic vine of the demon tree Tamiel and thought about processing it into a weapon, but if it already exists, I wanted to see how it is made as a reference."

Emilia shook her head.

"There are no weapons made from the magic vine. Can it really be a weapon?"

Councilor Isarco also tilted his head.

"I've heard that the attack magic from the magic vine of the demon tree Tamiel is powerful, but it cannot be replicated by humans."

Ricardo nodded, recalling the appearance when he flowed magic power into a simple magic vine.

"Is that so... It can't be replicated?"

Bernardo's eyes lit up.

"Could it be that you have succeeded in replicating it?"

It seemed that his merchant instincts had kicked in.

At that time, Ricardo had not realized the importance of weapons using wave generator tubes. The demon tree Tamiel is not as numerous as the Kumiri or Tril, so the number of individuals hunted is small, and it was impossible to mass-produce weapons using wave generator tubes.

Even if the weapon was powerful, its impact on the world would be small without a sufficient number. Moreover, the weapon Ricardo was trying to make was not particularly powerful.

Ricardo turned to Bernardo, who was looking at him with an expectant gaze.

"No, I couldn't replicate it. But I found a way to make it into a weapon."

"Hmm, that's interesting. If it's not a secret, I'd like to hear about it."

Emilia seemed intrigued.

Ricardo hesitated. The weapon using the wave generator tube did not have the power to be a trump card. He thought it would be fine to teach Emilia and the others. He could also set conditions for the exchange.

"It's a secret, but I can teach the three of you."

Bernardo's face became serious as he observed Ricardo.

"Is there a condition for the exchange?"

"Yes, I want you to promise not to disclose it without permission and to teach me about the techniques of a magic engineer."

"Don't you already have a master in the field of magic engineering?"

Emilia confirmed.

"Master Matou is in the Yorgul territory, so it's hard to find time to learn. Besides, your skills in magic circuits are superior, and I want to learn from you."

Emilia's eyes widened. In the world of craftsmen, learning from another person while having a master is considered a betrayal of the master.

"Will your master allow that?"

"Master is fine with it as long as his disciple grows. When a disciple grows and becomes a full-fledged engineer, it is a source of pride for the master."

Emilia and the others nodded in admiration.

"Wow, that's a wonderful way of thinking. However, the techniques I have are inherited from my master. I can't teach them without permission... But I can teach the basics that all magic engineers know."

"That's fine."

After making the agreement with the three, Ricardo took out a storage aquamarine from his pocket. Bernardo noticed.

"Is that a storage aquamarine? Is it one of the aids provided by Lord Matou?"

"Yes, it's a masterpiece that Master infused with magic power to the limit."

"How much capacity does it have?"

Ricardo explained the capacity, and Emilia's eyes widened in surprise.

"Really... Even a first-rate magic engineer's storage aquamarine can only hold as much as a cart."

Ricardo took out the magic-coated wave generator tube from the storage aquamarine.

"Ah, the magic vine."

"That's the magic vine? I've never seen it before."

It seemed that only Councilor Isarco had seen it before.

"The demon tree Tamiel can emit a shockwave from the tip of this magic vine powerful enough to kill a magic beast in one shot. However, when cut and magic power is flowed through it by a human, it can only produce a shockwave weak enough to kill a small bird."

Ricardo explained, and Bernardo confirmed with Councilor Isarco.

"That's correct, as far as I know."

Ricardo directed the tip of the wave generator tube at the ground inside the shed and flowed magic power into it. As the magic power converted into a shockwave, a dull sound echoed, and the ground exploded, creating a hole.

"Wow!"

Councilor Isarco exclaimed in surprise. Bernardo's eyes widened.

"Let me see it."

Emilia took the wave generator tube and examined it carefully.

"Oh, the inside of the hole is magic-coated."

Ricardo shrugged.

"Did you notice? That magic coating is the secret to turning the magic vine into a weapon."

The secret of the wave generator tube was something that could be easily understood by examining the actual item, which was one of the reasons Ricardo decided to give up keeping it a secret.

"It's simple once you understand it. But isn't this a groundbreaking idea? You can create a magical weapon without a catalyst."

Bernardo's voice was slightly excited.

"Ricardo, what kind of weapon were you planning to make?"

In response to Emilia's question, Ricardo drew a picture on the ground to explain.

"As it is, it might break, so I plan to reinforce it with iron and make the grip part like this, and the trigger like this..."

The drawing on the ground resembled a pistol but had a thick barrel, making it look like a signal pistol.

"I see. It's similar to a magic cannon but a one-handed weapon."

"Let me see it too."

Councilor Isarco took the wave generator tube from Emilia and pinched the exposed red core.

"Is this where you flow the magic power?"

"Yes, if you're going to test it, point the tip at the ground first."

Councilor Isarco directed the tip at the ground and flowed magic power into it. A low sound echoed, and a hole appeared in the ground, just like before.

"The power doesn't seem very high. What kind of magic beasts do you plan to use it against?"

"Against goblin tribes, masked rats, and horned wolves that attack in groups."

The image of goblin tribes attacking his hometown, Unius Village, was etched in Ricardo's mind. The memory of fighting the goblin tribes with all his might resurfaced, and he clenched his fist tightly.

Emilia proposed a joint production.

"Really? That's a relief. I was struggling with how to make it."

Ricardo discussed with Emilia and decided to start learning the techniques of a magic engineer from the next day while making the new weapon.

He would do the paperwork for the Magic Guild in the morning and do the rest at home in the evening.

After finishing the tour of the experimental breeding facility, Bernardo and the others returned by carriage.

Ricardo went to help Antonio, who was cutting grass.

"Brother, I'll help you."

"Is that okay? What about your work at the Magic Guild?"

"I finished today's work last night, so it's fine."

As he said this, he started cutting the weeds. Antonio, seeing this, said,

"You're a magic engineer. You don't have to do this."

"Just because I'm a magic engineer doesn't make me superior. How about you start learning magic too, brother?"

"Me, learn magic... It would be great if I could use magic, but isn't it too late to start now?"

"It's never too late to start learning. Besides, you're only seventeen, so you're still young."

"Is that so, it's not too late?"

After that, Antonio started learning from his younger brother and could read and write within half a year. He also gradually started learning arithmetic and magic.

The next day, Ricardo performed the task of writing reports in the morning.

Since Monta was feeling lonely, Ricardo decided to bring him to work. When he asked Clareta, the education officer, for permission, she surprisingly granted it easily.

As long as he finished his work, it didn't matter how he did it. However, he was warned not to disturb others.

In the afternoon, he went to the workshop Emilia operated.

The workshop was small, but Emilia, working with two apprentices, had the air of a first-rate craftsman.

Monta, who poked his head out of the shoulder bag, wrinkled his nose at the smell of the workshop. The smell of chemicals used in the work was drifting.

"Quca" (It's smelly)

Monta held his nose and retreated back into the shoulder bag. Ricardo smiled wryly and greeted Emilia.

"What's that child fussing about?"

"He's saying it's smelly. He probably doesn't like the smell of the chemicals."

"I see, then he can play in the yard."

Monta escaped from the shoulder bag and ran to the courtyard.

Ricardo started learning the basics of magic engineering. He learned the use of tools, handling of materials, and the fundamentals of processing techniques from Emilia.

While learning these techniques, he and Emilia advanced the design of the new weapon. The design was completed in about ten days, and the actual production began.

Ricardo, lacking metalworking skills, mainly let Emilia do the work. The wave generator tube only needed the part with the hole at the tip, so it was shortened and covered with an iron tube.

The grip part was equipped with a magic circuit, and when the trigger was pulled, magic power was released from a magic power battery made from processed Red Gem Tree Fruit Crystals and flowed into the wave generator tube. The magic circuit only needed to adjust the amount of magic power flowing, so it was completed using just two Yellow Gem Tree Fruit Crystals.

"This should be complete, but will it work properly?"

"Try it out."

Encouraged by Emilia, Ricardo took the weapon and went to the courtyard of the workshop. A wall made of sandbags was set up in the courtyard, apparently as a target for the weapon.

Monta, who had been playing in the yard, noticed Ricardo and climbed up his body, sticking to his head.

"Monta, stay still."

"Moqu, Quca Quca" (Monta, staying still)

Ricardo aimed the pistol-type weapon with his right hand at the stacked sandbags and pulled the trigger. The shockwave emitted from the tip of the weapon hit the sandbags, causing them to burst and the sand inside to explode.

Emilia laughed happily.

"It worked. What do you plan to name this weapon?"

Ricardo frowned. He had regretted naming things casually in the past, but as the inventor, he had to name it.

"I'll call it the 'Magic Vine Gun.'"

"Hmm, the Magic Vine Gun, because it's made from the magic vine. It's straightforward, but it's not bad."

Although Emilia called it straightforward, it was the best name Ricardo could come up with.

Later, he went hunting with Tania and Patrick to test the power of the Magic Vine Gun.

It could kill masked rats and horned wolves with one shot.

The magic power battery in the Magic Vine Gun could fire twelve shockwaves, and it took about five minutes to recharge the magic power battery attached to the top of the grip with magic power from the Red Gem Tree Fruit Crystal.

Tania and Patrick looked enviously at Ricardo's Magic Vine Gun.

"That's an amazing weapon. I want one too."

Tania agreed.

"It's really an amazing weapon. But it must be very expensive. I remember hearing that a magic cannon costs about 100 gold coins."

Hearing that it was expensive, Ricardo calculated. It took about five days to make the pistol-type parts and two days to make the magic circuit, so including assembly and adjustments, the production time was about nine days.

The expensive materials were two Yellow Gem Tree Fruit Crystals, one Red Gem Tree Fruit Crystal, and the magic vine.

The prices of the Yellow Gem Tree Fruit Crystals and Red Gem Tree Fruit Crystals fluctuate, so the exact cost couldn't be determined, but it seemed to require several gold coins. Estimating the production cost, it came to about 20 gold coins.

Hearing this amount, Tania and Patrick sighed.

"There's no way I can afford it."

"But if it's sold, I think nobles and merchants will buy it eagerly. If that happens, Ricardo will become very rich."

Tania's words made Ricardo shrug.

"To make it, I need the magic vine from the demon tree Tamiel. I can't make enough to become very rich."

"That's a shame."

Upon hearing that Ricardo had completed the Magic Vine Gun, Bernardo apparently tested its power and then commissioned magic beast hunters to collect the magic vine from the demon tree Tamiel.

Although there was no patent system in this country, there was an unwritten rule among merchants and craftsmen that the same invention could not be produced and sold without the inventor's permission while the inventor was still alive.

Violating this rule did not break the law, so there was no legal punishment, but the violator would be ostracized by other merchants and craftsmen.

However, there were unscrupulous merchants who still produced and sold such items, and this would be the same even if a patent system existed, so there was no solution.

Additionally, Bernardo bought land near the outskirts where Ricardo had obtained his land. Judging like a merchant, he thought that if the demon tree Kumiri could improve the soil, even the cheapest land near the coast would become valuable.

However, it wasn't just Bernardo; someone else was also trying to acquire land in the outskirts. Although this movement was cleverly hidden, Bernardo was suspicious because he could only purchase about half of the land he intended to buy. After investigating, he discovered this fact.

2017/5/26 Typo correction

2017/11/6 Omission correction