Chapter 19: The God of War

Chapter 19: The God of War

TL: Etude

Paul entered the reception room to find a middle-aged man sitting there, looking uneasy.

The person standing before you is the owner of the Alda territory in the Northwest Bay, Count Paul Grayman, the leading servant announced loudly to the man, then turned and quietly introduced to the Count, My lord, this is Malo, a casting craftsman, summoned at your request.

Your Your Lordship, Malo stammered, perhaps due to nervousness. He clumsily bowed and asked, May I know why you have summoned me? I have always been law-abiding

Relax, Ive called you here for a good reason. Otherwise, we would be meeting in a prison cell. Are you skilled in bell casting?

Yes. Seeing that the lord didnt seem to intend any harm, Malo relaxed and became more articulate. The bell in the church of Lake Town was cast by me a few years ago, um if it hasnt been replaced.

Good. I must confess, Ive rung that bell myself. To a layman like me, it seemed like a fine piece of craftsmanship, very smooth surface and all.

Heh, you flatter me, my lord.

The Count then slowly unfolded a piece of parchment, I need you to cast something like this for me. Can you do it? Whats drawn here is a cross-section, but the actual thing will be cylindrical. I call it a cannon.

Malo leaned in to take a closer look.

This was a cross-section of an early cannon that Paul had drawn based on information he had seen in an online forum in his previous life, with dimensions annotated. The cannon featured a tapered bore, about 1 meter long, with an inner diameter of approximately 84 millimeters. It had a breech, trunnions, a touch hole, and could fire 4-pound solid iron shots or grapeshot. Considering his limited knowledge as a pseudo-military enthusiast, Paul had opted for a very conservative design.

Malo had never seen anything like it. May I ask, my lord, what is this cannon intended for?

Lets not talk about that yet. I need you to work for me long-term. Ill pay you 800 copper coins per month, with a raise for good performance. Are you willing to work for me permanently?

Absolutely! Malo nodded eagerly, like a pecking hen. As a specialized foundry craftsman in the economically underdeveloped northwest, he rarely had steady work and sometimes was even conscripted for unpaid labor by the lords. Now, presented with a stable and well-paying job, only a fool would decline.

Excellent. Heres a labor contract, what you call a promise. You just need to press your thumbprint on it. Let me read it to you first.

Malo hesitated, wondering if he should mention the concept of a scrap rate to Paul.

Fine, a month it is. Ill assign you some apprentices to learn from you. Teach them well. The more apprentices you train, the higher your wage and the extra rewards. Dont even think about the saying a starving apprentice makes a dead master.

Yes, Ill do my best. But my lord, why not use iron? If we use iron, Im confident I can bring the cost down to about a quarter of that for bronze.

Ah, well, Im just too kind-hearted, thinking of your welfare as craftsmen. Iron is more brittle, and a miscalculation with the gunpowder could lead to disastrous bursting.

Bursting? Malo repeated, alarmed at the sound of this dangerous term.

It means the explosion inside is too strong and bursts the cannon open.

Malo realized he had accepted a potentially life-threatening job. My lord, I I have elders to care for and young children to feed. Could I just handle the casting?

Dont worry. When the time comes, build a mound of earth, make the fuse longer, and light it from behind the mound for safety. Ive captured some pirate prisoners recently; Ill assign a few to you. Use them as you need.

Okay, Malo replied, relieved. I apologize for my earlier apprehension.

The cannon works similarly to another weapon called a musket, which weve already produced. Ill have someone take you to our weapon manufacturing site. Speak with the craftsmen who made the muskets, think through the details of your work, and start casting the cannon immediately.

Yes, my lord. Despite agreeing, Malo was still adjusting to his new role as a weapons manufacturer.

At that moment, steward Philip entered. Count, Father Anderson and his mentor, Brother Leonard, the head of the North Shore Monastery, have come to visit.

Oh? Anderson is the one who treated me, right? Ive heard of the other one. Let them in. Meanwhile, arrange for Master Malo to join our training camp and contribute to the new weapons development. Provide him with whatever he needs.

If youre enjoying the story, please leave a rating and review!

For announcements or to report mistakes, please join my Discord: https://discord.gg/2sZy2YcYSB