Chapter 93

In a flat area slightly away from the city streets of Noein, the capital of the Arkvist territory, a test firing of a new weapon was about to take place. This location, where only the forest had been cleared and no buildings or farmland had been established, was the site chosen for the test.

A ballista was set up there, with a ceramic pot adorned with magical patterns attached to the tip of its arrow.

The one operating the ballista was Rick, a soldier of the Arkvist territory known for his exceptional skills with bows and crossbows. Behind him, slightly to the side, stood his superior, Pense. Further back, Lord Noein, Matilda, the head of the retainers Yuri, the blacksmith Damian, the magic item craftsman Daphne, and the other soldiers of the territory had gathered.

Noein and the others were there to witness the test firing and verify the results, while the other soldiers were merely spectators.

"Alright, the embankment behind the target is fine, there's nothing flammable around, and there's no one in front of the ballista... The safety check is complete. Lord Noein, is it alright to fire?"

"Whenever you're ready."

"Then aim at the target... Fire!"

With Noein's permission, Pense gave a sharp command, and Rick pulled the trigger of the ballista.

A loud "whoosh" tore through the air as the thick arrow shot straight from the ballista, aimed at the scarecrows set up to simulate enemies.

The arrow hit the target, a cluster of a dozen or so closely packed scarecrows, without missing. The sound of the pot shattering, "crack," was immediately followed by a thunderous explosion and a burst of flames.

"Wow, that's impressive!"

"Amazing! It looks like a high-level fire spell! Incredible, incredible!"

Seeing the ballista's explosive strike, Noein commented. Beside him, Damian was jumping around like a child.

Yuri, Daphne, Pense, Rick, and the other soldiers—all present—showed expressions of surprise.

The newly developed weapon was a special offensive magic item designed to be fired from a ballista. Noein had conceived the idea, Daphne had crafted it, and Damian had modified the arrow to fit the ballista.

The ceramic container was filled with oil and engraved with magical patterns to trigger a "Fire Spell: Ignition" when broken. Finally, a magic stone, the source of the spell's power, was attached to the lid.

When fired from a ballista, the container would break upon impact, igniting the oil and causing a burst of flames. It was a simple yet effective mechanism.

"When Lord Noein asked me to create a ceramic magic item that would ignite upon breaking, I wondered what it would be used for... But I had no idea it would be something so deadly."

Despite his words, Daphne seemed rather pleased.

"Really, it's amazing! I never thought my ballista could be transformed like this! Lord Noein, you came up with a brilliant idea!"

"When I was a child, I read about a weapon in a book that involved attaching a cloth fuse to a ceramic container filled with oil, igniting it, and throwing it at the enemy. I believe it was from a record of a country in the East..."

Noein explained the inspiration behind the projectile to the still excited Damian.

"That weapon was difficult to use because it had a short range and could ignite prematurely, causing it to burn the user. But I thought extending the range with a ballista and using a magic item to trigger the ignition would make it practical. And it worked perfectly."

Noein spoke with a grin, and Daphne and Damian nodded in agreement, looking equally pleased. Yuri, however, watched them with a wary expression.

"You guys... How can you talk about such a cruel and vicious weapon with such enthusiasm? Don't you feel any ethical qualms?"

"Well... Not really."

"As craftsmen, Damian and I separate our personal ethics from our curiosity and satisfaction as technicians."

"This is a pretty brutal weapon... Firing it into a densely packed group of enemies would be devastating. Depending on the wind, it could incinerate an entire hundred-man unit in one shot."

"It would be a disaster for the enemy... But that's why it's a reliable weapon for our self-defense."

Yuri, still shaken, responded, and Noein, with his usual nonchalant demeanor, replied.

"This goes beyond self-defense."

"I want to avoid losing any of my people, even the soldiers, if possible. To do that, we need a weapon that can overwhelm the enemy. That's why this is for self-defense."

Noein, as a lord, would not hesitate to sacrifice those outside his territory for the sake of his people. If they were enemies, their fate was of no concern to him.

"Considering the 'Honey of Angels' incident, Lord Noein, you're still the same. It's good to have you on our side, but I wouldn't want to be your enemy."

"I'm honored by your praise."

Yuri had not intended it as a compliment, but Noein took it as such, looking pleased.

"Since it has such power, this weapon—let's call it the 'Explosive Fire Arrow'—can be put into practical use soon. Good work, Damian and Daphne."

"I didn't do much this time!"

"I also didn't do much. The mechanism of the magic item itself is quite simple."

From the time Noein conceived the idea of the Explosive Fire Arrow to today's test firing, only about a month had passed. The quick results were due not only to the simplicity of the weapon's design but also to the exceptional skills of Damian and Daphne.

"I'd like to have a certain number of these ready. Can you mass-produce and stockpile them in advance?"

"Yes, of course. If we remove the power source, the magic stone, the containers can be stored safely without risk of accidental ignition."

"I see, that makes transportation easier too... War seems likely in the near future, so could you make 100 of these by the end of the year? I'll arrange for the production of the containers, but I need you to engrave the magical patterns."

Almost all magic item craftsmen have the talent for "Enchantment"—more accurately, those with the talent for Enchantment become magic item craftsmen to utilize their skills. Daphne was one such person.

The craftsmen use magical paint to draw the patterns and imbue them with their own magic power, creating a circuit that activates the spell. This is how magic items are made.

So while Noein could provide the ceramic containers, only Daphne could engrave the essential patterns.

"Understood. I can complete them within the year."

"Great. Thank you."

With the addition of the Explosive Fire Arrow to the powerful ballista, the defenses of the Arkvist territory would become even stronger. Noein was highly satisfied with this.