The Swordmaster's Request
Swordmaster. "Good to meet you."
Visitors from the military weren't uncommon at the weapons research lab. Given that they specialized in weapons development, it was only natural for such visits to happen frequently. High-ranking officers, their aides, or knights—John Brown figured he'd grown accustomed to them after all this time.
"...Yes, sir."
But this time, Brown was showing uncharacteristic agitation. The visitor was...
"John Brown, right? I've heard a lot about you."
This man was quite different from the usual crowd.
"I'm William Fitzel. A knight."
He introduced himself with a kindly expression. But he stood apart from the knights Brown had met before—in his aura, his bearing, even his physique. Nothing ordinary about him.
And that casual tone of voice. Brown guessed he held a pretty high rank.
"May I ask what brings you here?"
"Haha, nothing major. I was just thinking it might be good for the cavalry to try out some firearms."
"Cavalry, you say..."
There were two kinds of cavalry. Those who couldn't use aura but charged into enemy lines on horseback, tearing through formations. Or knights who used aura and rode mounts to fulfill cavalry duties.
"Ah, firearms for regular cavalrymen."
"Oh."
The knight's request was for firearms suited to ordinary cavalry.
"It'd make dealing with pikemen a lot easier than before."
Cavalry charging into enemy lines always came with risks—getting skewered by pikes or unhorsed if their mount was taken out. A knight could keep fighting, but a regular cavalryman was done for once he hit the dirt.
Firearms, though, would let them neutralize pikemen from afar. It'd lighten the load on the cavalry considerably.
And just like that, a suitable firearm for mounted troops popped into Brown's mind.
Close-range harassment while riding, shooting from horseback... accuracy would be tough.
Something like a shotgun would be far easier for them to handle.
They'd need a free hand for the reins, so something that reloads with one hand.
Another weapon fit the bill perfectly: the lever-action shotgun.
A firearm you could fire and reload one-handed with a quick lever flick while galloping. Easier and faster to produce than semi-automatics or full autos.
"I'll sketch some concepts."
The lever-action was top of mind. But then another idea surfaced—one he'd seen in a game once. It resembled a lance, but with one key difference.
Gunlance...?
Of course, it was from a fantasy game. But this world was pretty similar to the fantasy settings he'd known from media.
Could I make one?
For a regular cavalryman, no. But for a knight on horseback...?
Maybe...?
Knights mainly used swords, but depending on the situation or preference, they wielded other weapons too. Greatswords too heavy for common folk. Massive bludgeons or axes.
The point was, some could handle insane weights thanks to their aura-enhanced bodies.
"Hmm. While I'm here..."
As Brown pondered, the knight spoke up.
"Mind if I take a look at the knight-exclusive firearms?"
"...That's."
The cavalry guns were just an excuse. His real reason for coming to the lab was to see the knight-specific firearms.
Brown hesitated. Was it okay to show them off so casually? They'd already seen combat once, and word was spreading among knights. But demonstrating them directly was another matter. His credentials seemed solid enough since he'd been let inside, but still.
As Brown mulled it over, the knight pulled out some papers.
"I've heard the rumors and got curious."
Brown checked the documents—no issues. But it wasn't his call to make.
"Give me a moment to report to the Research Director."
"Mm. Sure. I'll wait."
Brown headed to her office and took a deep breath.
"Whew..."
Ever since learning her true identity, he couldn't approach her as casually as before. Who'd have thought the woman who'd always spoken well of him and cut him some slack was the princess? No time to dawdle, though—he knocked.
"It's Brown. May I come in?"
—Come in.
Click.
"Research Director... ma'am?"
"Ah, Brown. What is it?"
Fortunately, she treated him the same as always.
"A knight from the military is here. Request for cavalry firearms and a demo of the knight-exclusive ones. The approval form..."
"Let me see. What's the knight's name?"
"A William Fitzel."
"Rings a bell. Hmm..."
The princess—masquerading as director—muttered his name while scanning the form.
"Ah, that old guy."
She seemed to know who he was.
"Must be pretty curious. Credentials check out, so let him try whatever he wants."
"Understood."
As he turned to leave, her murmur reached his ears.
"Even a Swordmaster getting interested in firearms..."
...?
That word was too big to ignore.
"Swordmaster... you mean him?"
"Ah, he didn't mention it? Eh... no big deal."
It was a huge deal.
"Don't sweat it. He's not the stubborn type—no trouble."
"...Yes, ma'am."
***
"Hmm..."
The knight—no, the Swordmaster—was testing the firearms. He channeled aura while firing, reloaded shells.
"Haha, this feels pretty handy."
"..."
He even praised the speedloader as he loaded rounds. But Brown couldn't respond easily.
The fact that he was a Swordmaster weighed heavily on him.
"Great for boosting low-tier knights' combat power."
After handling the gun, he gave his verdict.
A Swordmaster probably wouldn't get much from firearms.
A question bubbled up in Brown's mind. He'd heard tales of Swordmasters, but not the details of their prowess. After some thought, he asked.
"What do you think of Swordmasters using firearms?"
"Firearms for a Swordmaster... hmm..."
The Swordmaster pondered before answering.
"Based on this, I'd say it's a convenient tool at best."
"Ah..."
"Raises the floor, sure, but there's a ceiling. Whereas..."
He paused, then continued.
"A Swordmaster's better off playing to their strengths."
"What's the difference between regular knights and Swordmasters, then?"
Brown pressed.
"How they use aura."
He answered, attaching and detaching the bayonet.
"Just coating your weapon? Or..."
He lightly touched the bayonet to a straw dummy target. Straw exploded outward.
"Breaking past the limits."
Gazing at the flying straw, he went on.
"That answer your question?"
Brown stared, speechless at the display.
"Your reaction says it all. Haha, busted."
Wasn't like you were hiding it.
"Anyway, I'm curious how knight-exclusive firearms evolve. Haha, thanks for the demo."
"..."
He left Brown behind and strolled out of the lab.
***
"Uh..."
At the checkpoint by the lab entrance.
"That guy who just went in..."
"Hm? What?"
The junior guard spoke to his senior.
"His... status..."
"..."
Handle minor stuff yourself—that was the standing order. But hearing the junior out, the senior's mind raced.
Wasn't he just military like usual? What's the issue?
If it was a high noble, official, or officer, there were special protocols. Skip them, and...
Face paling, the senior asked.
"Spit it out. Who was he?"
"Sword...master, he said..."
"Ah."
Where'd it go wrong? Sending the junior alone? Not checking ahead? Too late now. Time had passed; damage control slipped away. Darkness closed in on the senior guard.
—!!!!!!
"?"
Meanwhile, passing the entrance, the Swordmaster's ears caught the shout.
"Heh heh..."
He smiled quietly and departed the lab.
***
"The situation isn't good."
"We agree."
Allied forces officers were in conference.
"Wilhelm Kingdom too..."
News from home nations was coming in. Bad news. The Demon God Cult had stirred, destabilizing internals everywhere.
"Ours is..."
"Much the same, from what we hear."
"Hmm..."
The front held, but they couldn't drag this war out. Home fronts crumbling—they needed to wrap it up and return.
"But calling a truce now..."
One officer's words drew nods.
"Can't end it like this. Push now for better negotiations later..."
Considering the costs sunk in, quitting here wasn't an option.
"Then... let's plan the final operation."
The alliance began preparing their last battle.