Time passed by quickly. It had been more than four months since the assassination.
Port Vebator had been taken and Bolonik was on his way back with the royal guard.
Monolith's first and second folk were left to guard the city. They were only responsible for keeping an eye out for dangers from the sea. Thundercrash's light cavalry folk were in charge of security on land.
The envoy from the royal capital had been in Lanu for half a month and the investigation of the assassination was more or less complete.
Now, all they had to do was wait for Bolonik, Eiblont, and the royal guards to return to Lanu. After that, they would make the final decision on the assassination, and then lead the royal guards back to the kingdom's mainland.
Claude could get off his bed, but he couldn't walk yet. His broken thighs wouldn't recover that quickly.
Gum, on the other hand, had fully recovered. She was as strong as a bull and only needed a month or so to rest.
At Claude's request, Gum got a wheelchair out of nowhere and pushed Claude around the manor every day to bask in the sun and wander around the manor.
Today, however, Claude sat in the wheelchair with a thin woolen blanket covering his legs as he welcomed the guests under the grape trellises. "You already know how I invented this revolver. If it wasn't for the help of Grandmaster Liboyd and his daughter, I wouldn't have been able to get my hands on the real thing in two months.
"To be honest, the only reason I brought the revolver with me was because I wanted to use it on the battlefield to see how effective it would be.
So, I had Madam Sonia make two, one for me and one for the guard behind me.
"I'm a general of the kingdom, after all, so I can't charge into enemy lines. So, I planned to have this guard join the battle in the streets and test the effectiveness of the revolver.
"However, I didn't think that I would be assassinated by those magi before the parade. Even though my magic barrier necklace helped me block three of their magic attacks and the revolver helped me counterattack, I was lucky that the revolver didn't misfire or self-destruct.
However, this was a very lucky exception. The revolver did not have any misfires or the bullets self-destructing ….
"I didn't hide the revolver's design from all of you. After all this time, I'm sure you all know that the biggest problem with the revolver lies in the ignition of the bullets.
"Using flint to fire has a high misfire rate. Using nitroglycerin isn't very stable and can easily cause the bullets to misfire.
So, I could only ask Madam Sonia to passivate the nitroglycerin and add beeswax. But that would increase the chance of misfiring. "
He knew very well that the reason why the nobles of the emissaries came to visit him was because of the revolver.
No matter what, the revolver was a completely different concept from the current matchlock musket. It didn't pursue range and power. Instead, it used continuous firing and didn't require a match to be ignited. It used brass as the cartridge case and the hammer to ignite the fire. It was a new firearm that was different from the matchlock musket.
Even though Claude was already a lieutenant general, he knew that he couldn't fight back against the old nobles of the kingdom.
These old noble families had already monopolized the kingdom's military production. Even the Stellin royal family had to cooperate with the kingdom's new merchant nobles in the three southern prefectures if they wanted a slice of the pie. They had to set up a gun-making workshop.
However, it was said that the military industrial complex had many problems and couldn't be mass-produced.
Claude invented the revolver. Anyone with a discerning eye would be able to tell that it was a very mature and elegant gun.
There was no such thing as patent protection in this era. Claude believed that the revolver that was handed to HQ as evidence had been copied countless times by the envoys. Not to mention the blueprints, there might even be countless replicas of the real thing.
However, the crux of the revolver wasn't the gun itself, but the bullets.
The key to making bullets was gunpowder. When Claude handed over the revolver as evidence, he made up his mind to keep Madam Sonia's invention a secret. That was the secret that could replace mercury fulminate as firecaps.
Secondly, he had to keep Angelina's identity as a magus a secret. All alchemical experiments could be pushed to Liboyd and Madam Sonia. Not only were they master gunsmiths, they were also registered rune magi in the kingdom.
The revolver could be easily replicated, but the bullets had to be filled one by one in an alchemical formation by a magus.
Claude had Angelina make some nitroglycerin and mix it with beeswax. He gave it to Madam Sonia to experiment with the bullets in the laboratory beside her workshop. The beeswax mixed nitroglycerin would be used as the gunpowder for the bullets.
Even though the bullets could still be fired with a hammer, there was a chance that the bullets would misfire. Also, the instability of the nitroglycerin would cause the bullets to misfire.
Claude pointed at the brass bullets on the tea table. "I'm sure everyone understands the problem with the revolver bullets. What bothers me is that there's no way to mass produce and fill them.
Madam Sonia can use her experience to use beeswax to blunt the nitroglycerin in an alchemical formation to prevent it from misfiring. That's the only reason my revolver isn't a mere decoration.
But I could not get Madame Sonia to make bullets for me in alchemical formations all day long, and anyone who made bullets all day long would soon get tired of it.
So, when Madam Sonia asked me for one thale per bullet, I had no choice but to agree.
That's why the revolver I invented can only be used as a gift or as a defensive weapon for the rich. It can't be used on a large scale, which is my biggest regret.
So, if you want to get the rights to manufacture the revolver, I'm more than happy to do so.
However, I hope that you can use your rich experience to improve the revolver and increase the success rate of the bullets firing.
Even though I'm the inventor of the revolver, I'm still a newbie in the military field. The only thing I'm better at than others is luck. My wild imagination was recognized by Grandmaster Liboyd and he helped me invent the revolver. "
The guests applauded. A white-haired envoy smiled and said, "General, you're too humble. Your wild imagination has added a glorious page to the history of firearms on Freia.
The invention of the revolver opened up a completely different path from the matchlock musket. Personally, I believe it's a weapon that suits the needs of nobles.
As the representative of the kingdom's five largest military industries, we're grateful for your generosity and recognition of our capabilities. You've allowed us to produce and sell your invention.
We promise you that we won't let you down. We'll gather our funds and technicians to research and experiment on the firing mechanism of the bullets. We'll do our best to improve the bullets' instability and misfiring. We'll spread the fame of your invention across the continent. "
Claude was delighted by the envoy's praise. He excitedly discussed the future development of the revolver with the guests. For example, he wanted to install a cylinder at the back of the rifle and use copper bullets.
Liboyd had experimented with it before and felt that while it was feasible, it had a short range of less than two hundred meters.
However, Claude believed that the revolver could be used as a hunting rifle and would be effective against wild beasts that pounced on them.
The conversation between the host and the guests was very harmonious and friendly. It wasn't until dusk that the guests stood up and left.
Claude could only apologize that he couldn't entertain the guests in the manor due to his injuries.
Fortunately, the guests didn't mind the banquet. Since the matter was settled and the goal was achieved, there was no need to dawdle any longer.
As he watched the carriages leave the manor, Claude smiled and waved his hand to send the guests off. He breathed a sigh of relief.
He finally managed to fool the vultures. Even though he had to give up the rights to produce the revolver, he managed to keep the secret of the gunpowder.
"Second Bro, why did you give them the rights to manufacture revolvers?" Bloweyk appeared behind Claude out of nowhere.
Claude didn't turn around and sighed. "If I didn't give it to them, wouldn't they know how to copy it?
Bloweyk, you've grown up. You have to understand that in this world, they are far more powerful than we are.
If I wasn't a lieutenant general, they wouldn't have been so nice to me and sent me five drafts worth ten thousand crowns for the rights to produce the revolver.
If a normal person were to invent the revolver, I'm sure they wouldn't be so lucky. Be it him or his family, they wouldn't have any freedom to speak of in the future.
As a lieutenant general of the kingdom and the jarl of Thundercrash, this position protects me, you, Mother, Anna, Kefnie, and the children.
They won't be that greedy. They'll just have to spend some money to buy some face.
Even if I don't give them the rights to produce the revolver, what can I do to the five major military industries of the kingdom? Go to court with them?
If we really offend them, they can even take everything away from us.
Just like this assassination attempt, it made me understand that our future lies in the hands of those big shots in the distant royal capital. Their likes and dislikes are the key to our status and power. "
Bloweyk grunted through his nose.
Claude laughed. "What, you're not happy? Do you think I, as the jarl of Thundercrash, have to be so polite to a member of the envoy corps?
Sigh, Bloweyk, when you're under someone else's roof, you have no choice but to lower your head.
You have to understand that Thundercrash isn't the kingdom's ace corps, nor is it a standing corps, nor is it the private army of House Ferd. It's only a second-line corps in the colonies.
With a single order from the ministry of the army, I, as the jarl, can be stripped of my post. Even though I have a lot of authority in Thundercrash, they won't rebel with me.
Now that Port Vebator is under our control, the colonial war between us and Shiks has finally come to an end. At this point, if a jarl like us wants to maintain our status and power, it's up to the big shots to decide.
I'm only befriending the envoy corps because of the families behind them.
The reason I agreed to the production license for the revolvers was so that the forces behind them wouldn't raise any objections to my position as the Army Commander after the colonial war ended. It was even possible that they would put in a few good words for me because of my generosity and willingness to cooperate with them.
You have to understand that apart from being a lieutenant-general, the only other thing your second brother can do is hold the title of jarl. There are many generals in the kingdom, but only a few dozen have become jarls.
That's what House Ferd relies on.
As for the title of honorary viscount, it's just a title of nobility. It can't be passed down through generations and won't increase the strength of the house.
The end of the colonial war means that it's uncertain whether the theatre can continue to exist. Be it Thundercrash, Monolith or the generals of the other theatres, their futures are all in the hands of the royal capital.
When the big shots make the decisions for us, it's only right for us to suffer a little and bow our heads.
If we want true freedom, we'll have to wait until we have the same level of power. "
The carriage was already out of sight.
"Push me back," Claude instructed.
Just as Gum was about to turn the wheelchair around, Bloweyk stopped her. "Let me do it."
Bloweyk pushed the wheelchair back with Gum at his side.
Claude thought for a moment and said to his brother, "Bork, you should go back with the envoy. Go back to Whitestag and take a look at our red brick house and our forest.
Last time, Anna kept saying she regretted not bringing her snowhound Pluto over. Now that Myjack has a ranch for her, she can bring Pluto over to keep her company. "
Ever since Claude's mother, sister and Kefnie moved to Nubissia, the red brick house in Whitestag was taken care of by Pegg, the gatekeeper.
As for the forest outside the town, it had been growing since it was barren. Borkal's father, Rubwill, was entrusted to take care of it.
Similarly, the snowhound, Pluto, was given to Pegg to take care of. His mother hadn't expected her family to stay for so long when she left for Nubissia, and she was worried that it would be inconvenient to bring a dog along on a ship, so she didn't bring Pluto along.
In the end, she stayed on Nubissia for more than two years without even thinking about going back. The only thing she was worried about was Bluto, who was still in Whitestag.
Bloweyk was going back to the kingdom and took half a year's leave.
He was now a second lieutenant of the kingdom and could be considered to have returned home in glory. The main reason he returned to Whitestag was to register House Ferd's properties and pay taxes. As the head of House Ferd, he had to handle such matters personally.
In order to start House Ferd's wood, Angelina borrowed six thousand crowns from the national bank in Whitestag to build it.
Now that the loan was almost up and Bloweyk didn't lack money, he was prepared to repay it.
"When you go back, leave the trivial matters of the family to Alek. Stay in Whitestag for a few days and pay a visit to the relatives and friends of the elder generation we have connections with.
Once everything is settled, Alek will accompany you to look for the orphans of your fallen comrades.
Trust me, a viscount's butler will be more valued by the locals than a second lieutenant of the kingdom. If anything happens, it'll be easier to turn things around … "Claude continued to nag.
Bloweyk said rather impatiently, "Brother, I'm all grown up. I'm not an ignorant child anymore.
I've heard you say these words two days ago, and now you're saying it again. That special envoy group will only return in at least half a month. Are you going to repeat this in front of me every two days … "