A mid-level (middle-aged) office worker's laid-back industrial revolution in another world - Chapter 43

Translator: Darling | Editor: Coming soon…

“All that’s left is the weapon that Sir Takeo found.”

Alice looked at Takeo.

“Come to think of it, a box arrived from the magic good store in the afternoon.”

Fredrick left the room and returned immediately.

He placed the box on the table.

Takeo removed the rifle and bullets from inside and placed it on the table.

He then moved the box to the corner of the room.

“This is the weapon that Sir Takeo found isn’t it.

I think it was called a ‘Rifle’?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

“Hmm…….so how do you use this?”

“Just for my information.

Does the Empire of Azpearl have any ‘Guns’?”

“Haven’t heard of it before.”

“I haven’t either.”

If both Grandpa Elvis and Fredrick hadn’t heard of it then there are barely any chances that anyone else would know about it around here, Takeo thought.

“……..Is that so?”

Takeo made a difficult expression.

“Takeo, can you please explain what it is to us before worrying about it?”

‘Yes. That’s right. This is a rifle. It can shoot bullets, it’s a weapon that shoots at the target.

According to the shop assistant from the magic goods store, this was designed in the empire of Catalanda so that people who didn’t have any magical potential could still shoot at long-distance targets.”

“But it can only fire one at a time and there is a time interval between each firing so it’s not very useful.”

“……………..”

“Hn? What happened?”

“No……….the weapons………the history of that weapon is pretty scary……..”

“Wait……….wait a minute. Does this weapon have that kind of power?”

Grandpa Elvis responded to Takeo musings with that question. The other 3 also looked surprised.

Everyone seemed to be thinking,’ this kind of a weapon?’

“No, this one by itself doesn’t hold that kind of power.

You can only shoot these pieces of metal with it.”

Takeo said as he held a bullet in his palm.

“………..I’m not an expert neither am I a big fan or anything so I might be mistaken but………..it’s a story from my world.

About 750 years before I was born, people discovered that by placing a sphere of iron into a canon and then by creating an explosion at the end of the cannon, the power of that explosion would result in the sphere of iron being launched very far.

You need to place gun powder or explosive powder inside the canon through its mouth and then place the iron ball inside. 

After various changes, it finally evolved to the size of a rifle like this but that was 300 years after the first type was created.

Those ones also needed you to add the explosive powder in first and then the iron ball.

After another 250 years. 

Rifles like these were developed where it could hold both the bullets and the gun powder.”

“Hmm. It took 550 years to reach that for. That’s long isn’t it.”

“For more than 2200 years before the guns were developed, only swords and bows were used………..so this was pretty fast in comparison, isn’t it?

So for about 550 years after the gun was created, you still had to add in the gun powder first and then the iron ball through its mouth………

Young master Smith. Do you understand the drawbacks of this method?”

“Eh?………..That’s right. It will take time to place the gun powder and iron ball and plus the gun powder needs to be added in with accuracy?”

“That’s right. Lady Alice, can you think of anything else?”

Alice took the bullet that was on the table in her hand.

“Ah. Is it difficult……….to use………during rain?”

“That’s right. Moreover, since you add everything through the mouth, if you tilt it downwards then it will fall out.”

“Hah. Then how does one actually use this as a weapon?”

Smith laughed.

“Yes. There do seem to be big drawbacks but in battle, you can outperform those.”

“I don’t understand………..how do you do that?”

“It’s by the amount.”

“Hnn? It seems to be obvious but………….”

“Yes. It’s certainly quite obvious.

For example, you can first decide the place where you want to place the gun.

It should be a flat land, you can also make a tent over it so that it is protected from the rain.

Then soldiers or cavalry can be used to lure the enemy.

Pretend to lose as you withdraw or pretend to run away.

After the enemy is lured in, form groups of 4 – one group for each gun and shoot continuously.”

“You can shoot continuously?”

“In actuality, it just means firing faster.

Each of the 4 persons in the group have different roles. One is in charge of shooting, the second one is in charge of placing the explosive powder in, the third one places the iron ball and the fourth one hands it over to the shooter.

They work cooperatively.”

“I see. But how does that after the battle result?”

“What if you have 200 groups like that?”

“………..They’ll lose……….”

“Yes. The troops that came chasing after you would be wiped out.

Moreover, they would usually be elite soldiers.”

“………..That’s right……….”

“The army that loses its elite troops will run away and the country will be in a dangerous situation.

That will be the driving force of your victory.”

“Hmm.”

“This gun, however, overcomes those drawbacks.”

“Can you shoot even when its raining and tilt…….it diagonally downwards?”

Alice asked seriously.

“Yes. Moreover, it’s portable so a number of soldiers can strategize and maneuver around with it.

It means that the range of tactics can expand.”

“I see. So it really was………….a turning point in history, I’m fully convinced.”

Grandpa Elvis said with a serious expression.