Chapter 126 - Chapter 123: Peace ②
"—Therefore, I believe that by utilizing the golem's breakthrough power, we can also implement countermeasures against fire arrows and fire magic!"
One day. In a smithy located to the southwest of the capital city Noeina, Noein was receiving an enthusiastic explanation from the head smith, Damian, regarding new equipment he had developed for golems.
This place, which had started with Damian and a few assistants, had undergone expansion after expansion, and had now become a large workshop where many smiths, laborers, and slaves worked.
"I see. It's simple, but that's exactly why it's effective equipment."
While replying, Noein had his golem hold a prototype of the new equipment.
This equipment consisted of two large triangular iron plates joined together, with handles provided on the inside. Its structure was as if the base and one side of a triangular pyramid had been removed.
The usage was extremely simple: the golem would grip the inner handles and lift it, protecting its front-right and front-left with the two iron plates, and then charge with the pointed seam positioned directly in front... that was all. In other words, the golem itself became a giant iron arrowhead and plunged into the enemy.
"With this, while protecting the golem, it seems it could break through not just enemy troop formations, but even simple fences or stone walls. It's useful as a siege weapon... however, this might be a bit too light and thin?"
With the thinness of these iron plates, there were concerns regarding strength. Noein felt that they might tear upon impact, or depending on the distance and angle, fire arrows from longbows might penetrate them.
"That's the point. I didn't know how much weight would be added before it hindered the golem's movement, so this prototype was made based on intuition for now... I will thicken the iron plates based on Noein-sama's opinion."
"In that case... maybe about twice this thickness would be fine. I think the golem can still move with plenty of leeway up to that point."
"Understood. I'll thicken it within that range."
"Also, if you attach many things like spear tips to the surface of the iron plates, the attack power might increase. In a book I read long ago, there was a description of a monster that charged with scales covered in thorns; something like that."
"Oh, that sounds interesting!"
For a while, he discussed the improvement points of the prototype with Damian.
"Man, it really is great to have someone I can discuss weapon development with! While Noein-sama was away at war, I showed this equipment to Christy, but she wouldn't listen to me properly."
"Well, Christy probably doesn't understand anything about weapons... by the way, regarding that talk about the war."
Noein told Damian about something he had thought of during the previous war.
"When transitioning from an exchange of arrows to melee combat, there were many times when there was an inevitable delay in switching weapons. Well, it was partly because they were mostly conscripts with low proficiency... that's why I thought about whether attaching something like a dagger to the lower side of the tip would be a good idea. That way, it would be easier to respond even in sudden close-quarters combat."
The weakness of the Crossbow is its low rate of fire. If a shot is missed and the enemy approaches, a large opening is created when switching to a melee weapon.
It would be convenient if the Crossbow itself had a blade, allowing one to slash the enemy as is. That was Noein's thought.
"Tha..."
"Tha?"
"That's it!!!"
Damian suddenly screamed, and Noein flinched in surprise.
The other craftsmen and laborers around them only glanced at Damian and said nothing. Perhaps they were used to him getting excited and shouting.
"That is an incredibly great idea! My Crossbow will move closer to its completed form as a weapon! Man—as I thought, the opinions of someone who has experienced actual combat are so helpful!"
As he spoke, Damian brought out a Crossbow he had just finished making in the workshop, took a knife of an appropriate size that was placed there as a workshop product, and walked toward his own workbench. He was speaking toward Noein, but he was no longer looking at him.
"...Come show me once the prototype is finished. Just make sure it doesn't interfere with your other work."
"Leave it to me! I'll bring it within a few days! I'll do my original work properly too!"
Noein gave a wry smile to Damian, who answered energetically with only his voice without looking back, and left the workshop.
.....
"Shall we stop by the farmland for a bit?"
"Yes, Noein-sama."
Having finished the discussion with Damian and returned toward the mansion with Matilda, Noein headed toward the fields owned by the lord for no particular reason.
Since the season was nearly early summer, well-grown ears of wheat were swaying in the wind. Other potato fields and soybean fields that had already finished planting were also visible.
In the fields, the serfs owned by Noein were diligently working. The one leading them was Zadrek.
"Good work, Zadrek."
"Oh, Noein-sama. Thank you. Is this an inspection of the farmland?"
"Well, something like that."
When Noein answered, Zadrek proudly pointed to the wheat field.
"The wheat is growing well again this year. As expected, this is good land."
The Arqvist territory had originally been a fertile forest. For now, it was recording harvest amounts that could be called a bumper crop every year.
"It's also thanks to your hard work. Besides, you all played an active role in protecting this territory from the orcs."
Noein had received reports that multiple orcs had appeared and that Zadrek and the others had provided assistance in hunting them.
"That... I am unworthy... Even in the orc hunt, we simply fired the Crossbows as instructed. It was nothing so great as 'playing an active role'."
"I am grateful for that courage and devotion itself, as the lord."
"Noein-sama... I am humbled."
Zadrek bowed respectfully.
"How is the condition of all the serfs? Also, how is life with your wife?"
"Everyone is doing well. Since you increased their wages, they seem to have more motivation for their work... things are going well with my wife as well. She is also working hard."
As he spoke, Zadrek pointed to a tiger-beastman woman performing farm work a short distance away.
Among the beastmen accepted as immigrants, there were many who held slave status. Jinozze, who had been the village chief, had also held about ten slaves, and after Jinozze's death, they were inherited by his son Kenooze, but it would be difficult for him, who was starting over as a simple farmer, to support that many slaves.
Therefore, Noein had bought the slaves from him and had taken in several others from beastmen who wished to let go of their slaves. Among them was the tiger-beastman woman, and since she seemed to get along with Zadrek, Noein had permitted their marriage.
"That's good... I was able to fulfill the promise I made when I bought you."
"Yes. With this status and race, I have received a happiness that could not be greater."
"That's because you've shown that much hard work."
Zadrek was one of the first slaves Noein bought upon coming to this territory. He had told him that if he worked seriously for a few years, he would be permitted to have a wife. Although it was a result of the timing of the beastmen's migration and the taking in of slaves overlapping, it was a joy for Noein as well that it could be granted early.
"I'm counting on you from here on as well."
"Please leave it to me. I shall fulfill the management of the farmland thoroughly."
The reason farm work continued to run even while Noein mostly neglected his own farmland was thanks to Zadrek. After giving him words of encouragement, he returned to the mansion.