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

Enrichment of Equipment

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In the Dariander region of this era, where countless great and small territories stood side by side, the families of lords usually resided in a castle or a manor. However, when one spoke of castles or manors, only a few were luxurious as depicted in the works of Mika’s previous life. In particular, the castles or manors of minor lords were mostly wooden structures, or in some cases, only the ground floor was built of stone while the upper floor remained wooden.

Mika, the head of the Valentine Household, also lived in a manor. For the time being, he used the manor left behind by the previous ruling family as his residence. This two-storied wooden manor was, from the perspective of his former life, nothing more than a rather large house.

Such a small manor did not have many rooms. On the first floor were the great hall, the kitchen, the storeroom, the latrine, and a bath chamber that contained nothing more than a large tub placed upon the earthen floor. On the second floor were the lord’s office, the bedchamber of the lord and his consort, a guest room, and several small rooms for other residents. Among these, the great hall on the first floor served as the main living space. It functioned as dining room, sitting room, and reception room all at once.

In early October, the traveling merchant Ernest visited the Valentine territory. As usual, Mika received him in the manor and held a meeting with him in the great hall. This time, Ernest had brought the various pieces of equipment that Mika had ordered from a workshop in Eltpoli during the summer.

“First, please confirm the goods.” (Ernest)

As he spoke, Ernest laid several pieces of equipment upon the table. Behind him stood two of his assistants, who set down the remaining large items such as armor.

Having become the exclusive purveyor to the Valentine Household, Ernest was now in a position to monopolize the great business of converting the Valentine harvests into coin. For that reason, he had begun employing help. He now had as his subordinate a young woman, the daughter of a mid-level merchant from Eltpoli, and also a trustworthy laborer recommended by an acquaintance, whom he employed for heavy work.

“Thank you very much. I have been looking forward to this.” (Mika)

Mika replied without concealing his delight, and together with Dimitri, who stood beside him, began inspecting the equipment.

First came the underarmor. As its name suggested, it was worn beneath armor. In Mika’s previous life, such garments had been called gambesons. It resembled a thickly padded shirt, with layers of cloth or cotton stuffed between the outer and inner fabric. It was both thick and firm and therefore possessed some defensive strength of its own. For that reason, poor soldiers sometimes used such garments as their main armor.

Next was the leather cuirass that Mika wore over the underarmor. This armor had been hardened by boiling in oil, giving it a reliability unusual for leather while remaining light and reasonably strong. Should Mika, as commander, find himself forced into close combat against his will, it would serve as his last line of defense.

Then, came Dimitri’s chainmail. It consisted of a short-sleeved shirt-like body and a hood that covered the head and neck. Originally taken as spoils from an enemy, it had been too small for the large and muscular Dimitri. Therefore, Mika had commissioned the workshop to reassemble the links to fit his frame. They had also polished the entire surface, making it a fine piece despite its secondhand nature.

In Mika’s former world, plate armor had not become widespread until the late Middle Ages. From the early to mid-periods, metal armor usually referred to chainmail. Warriors commonly wore sleeveless surcoats over the mail and often painted their family crests upon them.

In this world, which closely resembled that era, chainmail was also widely used. Well-made chainmail possessed considerable strength, able to withstand blows from swords, spears, and battle axes, and could even stop arrows depending on their distance, speed, and angle. Though it was weak against blunt force, that flaw could be mitigated by combining it with underarmor. For Dimitri, being granted his own personal chainmail was an exceptional privilege for a retainer of a poor, small territory. Yet it was appropriate, for he bore the role of Mika’s shield when danger arose.

Next came Mika’s iron helmet. It was shaped like a rounded cone with a brim resembling an umbrella, protecting not only the head but also much of the neck. The brim improved survival against arrows that might come from blind spots. Then, there was Dimitri’s bracer for his right arm, covering the area from elbow to wrist. It allowed him to block attacks with his arm and, in dire need, to strike enemies directly with the bracer itself. Lastly came the shields. Dimitri’s personal shield was round, made of sturdy wood with an iron rim. Two large rectangular shields were also included, their bodies likewise of wood with iron edges. When placed side by side, they could form a wall to block approaching foes.

In the event of close combat, Mika imagined a formation where the heavily armed Dimitri guarded his back, while Jeremy and the other strong men held the two large shields to serve as his immediate guard. From behind their protection, Mika would unleash the repeating crossbow floating beside him. All of the equipment was well made and properly fitted to the physiques of both Mika and Dimitri.

“Each piece is of splendid workmanship. Thank you for bringing them. Please convey my gratitude to the craftsmen at the workshop as well.” (Mika)

“I am honored to hear it. I shall certainly convey your words to them.” (Ernest)

After confirming the goods together with Dimitri, Mika spoke, and Ernest responded with a respectful bow.

“As for the remaining ballista, it appears its completion will be after the coming winter. It is a large weapon, and since the craftsmen are not accustomed to making such devices, it seems that time is unavoidable.” (Ernest)

“That is perfectly acceptable. To have received all the defensive equipment within this year is more than sufficient.” (Mika)

Once the ballista was completed, Mika’s combat style, designed to make full use of psychokinesis magic, would be perfected. The next time an external enemy appeared, he would be able to wield his magic far more effectively than during the previous battle when he had fought with little more than brute force.

Among the knowledge Mika retained from his previous life was one that could bring about the most dramatic transformation in society, black powder. Yet he had no intention of producing it for the time being, for several reasons.

First, the essential material sulfur was unavailable. Of the three ingredients of black powder, charcoal, sulfur, and saltpeter, sulfur was the rarest. In his previous world, before the spread of gunpowder, sulfur had been of little importance, used only occasionally as fertilizer. In this world, where the superior fertilizer made from magic stone was widespread, sulfur’s importance was even less. Hence, Mika had neither seen nor heard of anything resembling it.

Since the Dariander region was surrounded by mountain ranges to the east, south, and part of the west, perhaps sulfur could be found there. However, Mika presently lacked the time to search and the wealth or connections to import it in quantity even if it were discovered.

The procurement of saltpeter in large amounts was equally difficult. In his previous life’s knowledge, saltpeter could be generated from the soil beneath houses, but even if he used that method, the scale of the Valentine territory was far too small to secure enough for practical use. Searching for natural deposits would likewise require time, funds, and manpower that he did not possess.

Even if the materials were somehow gathered and black powder created, its uses would be limited. The metalworking technology of this age was far from capable of producing reliable firearms or cannons. To make even one gun or cannon would cost an exorbitant amount, and they would be unstable and dangerous, likely to burst under pressure. Their effective range would scarcely exceed that of bows, crossbows, or the ballista and catapult. In terms of power, the existing projectile weapons were already sufficient, and it would be far wiser to produce more of them.

While it might be possible to make bombs or noise weapons to frighten enemies, using such things in battle even once would draw attention from other lords. The Valentine territory had neither the power to conceal the manufacturing method of black powder nor the means to defend it. Once word spread, the great lords would use their wealth and influence to mass-produce similar weapons, leaving the small Valentine domain at a severe disadvantage. By filling jars with oil or distilled liquor and hurling them by magic or catapult, Mika could already achieve effects similar to incendiary bombs. There was no need to risk so much for a weapon of greater danger.

In conclusion, producing black powder was impractical. Perhaps someday, when circumstances allowed, he might search for the materials and attempt small-scale experiments. Yet he would not aim for practical use until much later in life. If the development of his territory went exceptionally well, he might attempt it in his old age, or more likely, record the formulas and precautions on paper to entrust to his children or grandchildren. Mika thought thus. For now, the ballista to arrive next year and the repeating crossbow at his side would be the weapons of his lifetime.

“Lastly, please confirm these as well. I have brought two additional magazines for your crossbow, my lord, along with twenty bolts.” (Ernest)

“Oh, that is a great help. The more bolts and magazines I have, the more secure I feel.” (Mika)

As Ernest placed the magazines and bolts upon the table, Mika inspected them carefully. He had Dimitri bring his personal crossbow so that he might confirm the magazines fitted properly and the bolts passed smoothly through the mechanism.

While doing so, he thought. The production of additional bolts and magazines, as well as the repair of crossbows, armor, and the village’s farming tools, would have to continue being commissioned from the workshops of Eltpoli or the neighboring Fontanie territory, since there were no craftsmen within his own domain. In that state, the Valentine territory could not be considered truly self-sufficient.

This situation must be changed as soon as possible. Once the expansion of the territory began to take shape, he must invite blacksmiths and carpenters to settle. Mika made that resolve firmly in his heart.

 

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