New chapter of May Our Village be Happy is out (2/2 chapters)

Equipment

 

 

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“What an extraordinarily wonderful lady she was.” (Mika)

As Mika parted ways with Ayla and made his way back toward the wagon, he spoke cheerfully with a bright smile. Mika was not only a lord but also a young man in his prime. Thus, it had been an entirely pleasant experience for him to converse with a woman of his own age who was both distinctive and charming in personality.

“Lady Ayla Hewitt. I had only heard rumors regarding her manner of dress and had never had the opportunity to meet her in person before. As expected of a daughter of a distinguished house, she was truly a delightful lady.” (Ernest)

Ernest, who walked beside him, might have simply spoken in agreement with Mika’s impression, yet his tone was sincere.

“The Hewitt Household lies, if I recall correctly, in the southern part of the Yutilainen territory, does it not?” (Mika)

“Yes. It is situated approximately two days’ travel south from Eltpoli.” (Ernest)

“Then, from our lands, it would be about four days’ distance. That is by no means close. Let us hope that there will be another opportunity to meet her again someday.” (Mika)

Those final words Mika had spoken to her, I hope we shall meet again, had not been a mere formality. He had truly meant them. Mika sincerely believed that it would be delightful indeed to converse with her once more. And somehow, he had a faint yet certain feeling that their paths would cross again before long. It was nothing more than intuition, perhaps even a quiet wish concealed within his heart, yet he believed it nonetheless.

 

—

 

“Amazing.” (Ayla)

After the young man named Mika Valentine had taken his leave, Ayla whispered softly while holding her plush toy, Amber, close against her chest. Until now, people’s reactions upon seeing her appearance had always fallen into one of three categories. They were they either froze in astonishment, frowned with perplexity, or suppressed a laugh. Mika, however, had been different. He had merely raised an eyebrow in mild surprise and immediately afterward had returned her greeting as naturally as if nothing were unusual.

Once people learned of Ayla’s noble status, they would often attempt to smooth over their initial reaction by awkwardly praising her attire, or conversely, would avoid mentioning her clothing altogether, striving instead to maintain a shallow, polite conversation. Ayla understood this and would respond accordingly. But Mika had been different. The words he used to praise her attire, and the tone of his voice, had been utterly natural and unforced.

She could not possibly believe that his words had been mere falsehoods to navigate the situation. Splendid, graceful, elegant, radiant, beautiful, captivating. He had spoken such words with a gentle voice and pure gaze unlike any she had ever received before. And above all, what had astonished her most had been his reaction to her plush toy, Amber.

When others saw a young woman nearly of age carrying a plush toy, they would refer to it as “that” or “it”. He, however, had called it “this child”. Not only that, he had asked for its name as though it were self-evident that such a beloved companion would have one. He had spoken of Amber as if understanding that it was a being precious to Ayla’s heart, something no one else had ever done. He had praised both her attire and Amber, and in the end, he had even told her that she was “admirable”. To him, the act of staying true to her own form of happiness, something most others regarded as strange, had been “admirable”.

“Amazing. To think that someone like him exists. Truly amazing. It feels like a dream.” (Ayla)

Never before had she met such a person. Never before had she spoken with someone who understood her so completely simply through conversation. That realization sent her heart soaring, and yet, a fleeting thought passed her mind. Perhaps she would never meet someone like him again. Perhaps this encounter was a moment of destiny that she must not allow to slip away.

 

—

 

The following day, Mika attended to various matters.

Through Ernest’s introduction, he paid a visit to the largest trading company in Eltpoli, one that served as an official merchant house for the Yutilainen Household. There, he exchanged formal greetings with the company president. At the same time, through Ernest’s mediation, he sold the enemy’s arms and armor obtained in the recent war with the Howells Household, along with the pelts acquired through hunting.

After establishing relations with one of the region’s most prominent merchants, Mika next visited the workshop that had previously produced parts for plows and threshers on his behalf through Ernest’s arrangements. There, after delivering his greetings, he placed a new order for the crafting of equipment to be used by himself and by his escort, Dimitri.

Such equipment, particularly armor, was typically tailored to the wearer’s physique, so it was best ordered in person. For that reason, Mika had considered this order one of the principal purposes of his visit to Eltpoli.

First, he ordered under-armor for himself and Dimitri, garments worn beneath armor that resembled thick shirts and also offered a modest degree of protection. For his own use, Mika commissioned an iron helmet for head protection and a leather cuirass that balanced lightness with sufficient defense.

For Dimitri’s equipment, Mika ordered an iron bracer for his right arm and requested that the chainmail he had kept from the spoils of war be adjusted to fit Dimitri’s build. Dimitri possessed both strength and stamina, and as one who would, in times of danger, shield Mika with his own body, he was to be more heavily armored than his lord.

Furthermore, Mika commissioned a shield for Dimitri’s use. Unlike the improvised wooden shields used in the previous war, this new one would be a sturdy wooden shield of moderate thickness, its edges reinforced with an iron frame. Additionally, Mika ordered two large rectangular shields for his retainers who would serve as his protectors.

Finally, Mika also commissioned a weapon to be crafted exclusively for his own use. From the last battle, Mika had come to understand an important truth. Though a heavy log served as a powerful weapon capable of sweeping through enemy ranks with devastating might, it was by no means a perfect weapon.

To fight with a log, one had to close the distance to within a few meters of the enemy. It was possible to hurl the log using magic, but doing so with an object weighing over one hundred kilograms consumed a considerable amount of mana, making repeated attacks unsustainable in prolonged combat. Moreover, if he relied solely on thrown logs, he would need to prepare multiple spares beforehand, which required time and was not always feasible.

When the enemy possessed strong close-range fighters or when the battlefield required constant movement, making it impractical to keep spare logs nearby, such a fighting style became precarious. To address those weaknesses, Mika conceived a new strategy, which was to employ a crossbow modified for his personal use.

A crossbow capable of piercing even iron armor would render most foes helpless if the bolt struck true. Its long range would allow him to attack from a safe distance without exposing himself to danger, and both the crossbow and its bolts were far easier to carry than massive logs.

The crossbow’s sole notable weakness lay in its rate of fire. Its powerful tension made the string extremely hard to draw, often requiring a lever or pedal. Thus, a person could shoot only a few bolts per minute. However, by using psychokinesis magic, Mika could suspend the crossbow in the air and draw its string swiftly and effortlessly through mental command alone without relying on mechanical aids. Strings that were too hard for human strength were light as air to the magic hands Moreover, the mana cost for doing so was far less than that required to swing or throw a hundred-kilogram log. Therefore, if he equipped the crossbow with a simple magazine above the bolt rest, so that each time a bolt was fired, the next one automatically descended into place, he could easily manipulate it with magic and unleash a barrage combining power, range, and rapid fire.

He had considered using the same principle for a bow, but since the use of psychokinesis magic demanded intense concentration, managing both bow and arrows simultaneously would be mentally taxing. He had also thought of throwing bolts directly with magic, but doing so with power comparable to a crossbow’s output would consume far more mana. The crossbow, in contrast, required focus and mana only for aiming and for drawing the string and trigger, making it far less burdensome. With a magazine-equipped crossbow, he needed only to aim at the enemy and repeat the action of drawing and firing while the mechanism itself handled the rest, delivering continuous powerful shots.

As a commander who would lead while fighting, and considering the possibility of prolonged engagements, Mika believed that such a repeating crossbow would become a dependable and practical weapon. His envisioned combat style was to take shelter behind the large shields of his retainers, unleash devastating bolts from his magically sustained repeating crossbow before the enemy could approach, rely on Dimitri to guard his rear, and use massive weapons like logs as needed according to the flow of battle.

Furthermore, alongside the repeating crossbow, Mika commissioned the construction of a larger version of the weapon, a ballista. Ordinarily, a ballista was mounted on the ground or upon a carriage, yet since Mika could lift it through magic, only the firing assembly itself was necessary. Though reloading would not be as effortless as with a crossbow, it would still be far quicker than operating the usual mechanical winding devices that required several men.

If he could carry a ballista capable of firing over several hundred meters, reload it swiftly, and instantly adjust its aim and elevation through magic, he would be able to strike the enemy before they could close the distance or even target the opposing command post directly. Even if such precision over great distance proved impractical, merely firing a massive bolt toward the general direction of the enemy camp would suffice as a deterrent.

With these two weapons in his arsenal, Mika’s forces would gain the flexibility to confront a broader range of enemies and battle conditions. By alternating between logs and these new weapons according to circumstance, the defensive strength of the Valentine Household would be significantly enhanced.

The structure of the repeating crossbow that Mika himself had drafted was readily understood by the craftsmen. As for the ballista, while its construction would naturally take considerable time due to its size, the craftsmen agreed to undertake it.

Equipping both armor and weaponry of this scale would require a great deal of money. Yet Mika had funds from the reparations paid by the Howellz Household, as well as proceeds from selling spoils of war. The wheat currently being harvested in his domain would also fetch a fine price, and since only a down payment was required at present, the total cost remained well within acceptable limits.

“I am truly glad that every one of our requests has been accepted. Once all the ordered equipment is completed, our territory will become much safer.” (Mika)

“The master of the workshop seemed most pleased with such a large commission. Thanks to you, my own reputation as intermediary has improved considerably as well.” (Ernest)

Having both profited from this exchange, Mika and Ernest conversed with smiles as they walked through the lively streets of Eltpoli. Their business for the day was complete, and all that remained was to return to their inn and rest. Behind them followed Dimitri and Jeremy. Even after several days in Eltpoli, Jeremy’s curiosity remained undiminished, and he walked along while gazing around with wide, eager eyes.

Eltpoli’s permanent population was said to number close to 2000, yet in reality, the city constantly hosted several hundred visitors, including merchants, villagers from nearby settlements, and representatives of neighboring minor lordly houses such as Mika’s own. Consequently, the streets lined with inns, eateries, and various shops catering to such travelers bustled with energy as always. It was a sight that Mika himself found engaging to behold, and so Jeremy’s wonder was entirely understandable.

Upon Mika’s party returning to the inn, the proprietor, upon noticing them, hurried forward with evident excitement.

“Ah, welcome back, everyone. Your Excellency Valentine, a guest has arrived to see you.” (Innkeeper)

“…A guest? For me?” (Mika)

With a puzzled expression, Mika inquired further, and the innkeeper nodded with a friendly smile.

“Yes. The head of the Hewitt Household, presently residing at Eltpoli Castle, and his daughter came here some time ago. When I informed them that you would likely return soon, they said they wished to wait, so they are presently in one of our vacant rooms.” (Innkeeper)

The daughter of the Hewitt Household, in other words, Ayla Hewitt, the very same young lady with whom Mika had spoken at Eltpoli Castle the previous day. Realizing this, Mika widened his eyes in astonishment. He had wished to see her again. He had even felt that he might. But never had he expected that she would come to visit him of her own accord, accompanied, no less, by her father, a powerful lord.

 

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