Regressor of the Fallen Family novel Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Chaper 17

It had been a week since Logan returned to the domain. He had been focusing on his training, occasionally inspecting the mercenaries along with Lonian and Viktor. The first shipment of Karok meat from Kail and ironwood and parts from Tristans domain had arrived in the Macline territory. With that, Logan called for Hamar and handed him a blueprint.

What is this?

Hamar frowned at the blueprint spread before him.

Ive tried to draw it as detailed as I could within the limits of my knowledge.

Logan was not a professional technician, but he could produce plans of an amateur technicians level because he had used such weapons for decades. Of course, by Hamars standards, the blueprint was nothing but rough sketches.

A cartridge that stores bolts at the rear of the crossbow and loads them automatically? And the string must be triple-layered to shoot three bolts consecutively?

Hamar looked back and forth between the blueprint and Logans face, his expression incredulous.

Even if I could make such a structure, the string wouldnt withstand rapid-firing. Are you planning to make a weapon thats used once and discarded?

Uh

And if you attach such a wooden box right behind it, it would be cumbersome for the person shooting the crossbow. Who the hell came up with this nonsense?

It was me.

Cough. Hm, hm. On second thought, the idea is quite ingenious.

And that nonsense will later become a disaster for our kingdom, you fool.

Fortunately, the problems Hamar posed were within Logans ability to solve.

Reduce the size of the bolts to decrease the overall size of the cartridge. Yes, its meant to be used once. Instead, make the cartridge modular so it can be reloaded after each shot.

Excuse me?

Lets just call it a magazine for convenience.

It wasnt an advanced technological solution, but rather a shift in perspective that offered the answer, which shook Hamars gaze intensely.

Impossible! Ive heard that recently a tool resembling a goats foot has been invented that can load four to five bolts per minute, but this is far superior

By current common knowledge, a crossbow was a single-shot weapon difficult even for a skilled archer to fire twice in a minute.

The crossbow Logan described surpassed his knowledge, a weapon that exceeded the times.

He would have believed it if he were told it was an artifact enchanted with magic.

Are you saying that you can make such a thing with just one cartridge?

It will definitely work. Just try to make it.

Logans assertive promise left Hamar without further objections.

To Hamar, Logans explanation was not just an idea, but it reeked of experience.

Hmm. To add only one cartridge to such a revolutionary weapon, and the parts consist only of a mainspring and glue for the bowstring I feel inspired to take on the challenge. Alright, Ill make it.

When do you think it will be possible?

You ask me to make something unheard of and set a deadline?

Its still a weapon made by humans.

Excuse me? Thats nonsense! Who, where?!

Theres no need for you to know. If you think its impossible, give up.

Hmm. Really now. Alright, fine. One month. Within that time, I will make you something far superior.

Hamar declared assertively, his dwarven pride tickled by Logans words.

Only then could Logan smile at the response.

The crossbow was powerful enough to penetrate armor, but it had been overlooked in times of war due to its slow reloading time a hunters weapon. In the modern warfare of the day, where the efficiency of archers releasing many arrows in a short timeframe against massed troops was far superior.

However, 10 years later when the Empire started a war, they created a repeating crossbow and used it to deploy massive crossbow units.

This repeating crossbow unit demonstrated destructive power that could counter knight orders without requiring mages, depending on positioning.

A single soldier with such a weapon could halt a knight given the right conditions of battle. It was one of the two reasons the Empire had overwhelming superiority in the early Imperial invasion wars.

Of course, by the late stages of the Empires wars, most countries had started to manufacture and utilize similar items.

As a result, after the war ended, the initial version, although somewhat expensive, became a common weapon for lower mercenaries.

But at this time

With just my mercenaries, I could deal a critical blow to the Teslon baronet family in the domain war.

With his past lifes knowledge, such a thought was not far-fetched.

No, its still problematic to be overly optimistic.

It was possible that Hamar might not succeed in creating the repeating crossbow, or even if he did, the mercenaries might not be able to use it properly, or it might take time.

Still, since he had already entrusted the task to Hamar and Kai, there was nothing more he could do.

So, I need to prepare another contingency plan.

In anticipation of the worst-case scenario, where the mercenaries fail to fulfill their roles, he needed another plan of action.

For that, Logan sought out his father once more.

Do you wish to participate in the knight orders training?

Yes, I do.

Logans expression was firm, his gaze unwavering.

However, his father, Padric, who looked at his son with an expressionless gaze, gave an unexpected response.

I heard rumors that the abandoned south manor has become the crown princes playground.

Excuse me?

Youve renovated the lodging, filled the storage with all kinds of strange things, and even placed mercenaries there. I understand you are living there now. Why not train there instead?

Its just that those mercenaries are merely low-level, and the real power of our family and kingdom lies in the knight order, doesnt it? I would like to experience what it truly means to be a genuine knight by training with the order.

He was embarrassed to say it himself, but he had carefully chosen words that would please his father.

I recognize your strength, but joining the knight order might inconvenience the knights. Hence, you wont receive any special treatment. Are you prepared to be treated like a new recruit?

It was only natural that he received a positive response.

Of course.

Logan nodded readily.

* * *

Your lordship has been informed. However, are you sure youll be fine without special treatment?

Absolutely.

Hmm.

Hainkel, the captain of the Macline knight order, didnt look pleased despite the prompt response and the unexpected formal address from such a truant.

Still, how can I not be mindful, even if told not to give special treatment?

After all, he was the masters son, and recent events had not fostered goodwill among the knights.

If only hed said to treat him kindly, my heart would have been more at ease.

The middle-aged knight with sprinkles of gray amid his brown hair felt as if those grays were multiplying in real-time as he clenched his head.

But as if reading his mind, the lump of trouble before him said something that appealed to him.

One week. If I fall behind even once in the knight orders training over the week, I will consider it as if it never happened and leave on my own accord.

Agreed.