35
Chapter 35
"What do you think? At first glance, the Duchy of Flos might seem like a better option than me, but it has clear limitations. To achieve something beyond the unification of the Taspilia Peninsula, one needs the status of an Imperial Heir. The Duchy of Flos lacks that."
"But Your Highness has it."
"Of course. I am the third daughter of His Majesty the Emperor. The Duchy of Galatia, which I lead, is one of the recognized successor states. While I may not have as much wealth as the Duchy of Flos, it would be more advantageous to side with me if the goal is to take over the entire continent."
That... was true. Whether one held the succession rights to the Arcadian Empire or not would become a massive issue in the future. If someone with the rights took the continent, it would be called 'succession,' but if someone without them did, it would be a 'Dynastic Revolution.' The level of difficulty was entirely different.
"Is that why you interfered with my conversation with the Lady of Flos?"
"Hmm? I can't exactly say that wasn't a factor. Though the real reason is something else."
"The real reason?"
"My villa is decorated strictly according to my tastes. I'm sure you'll like it."
What? Was the interior design that great? A villa is just a villa. Since I wasn't particularly interested in such things, I didn't think much of it. However, as I stepped out of the carriage and entered the Princess's villa, I was stunned.
"This is..."
In the place where a garden should have been, hundreds of wooden dolls stood, dressed in a vast array of armor sold on the market.
"What on earth is this?"
"It is my villa and my laboratory. Follow me."
And so, I followed her.
In the storage room we reached, there was something even more surprising. There were hand cannons that looked like earlier versions of the current muskets, and even matchlocks that seemed to predate them!
"Wow..."
"Intriguing, isn't it?"
"The entire evolution of gunpowder weapons is right here."
The Princess let out a low laugh. It seemed she liked my reaction.
Meanwhile, I was excitedly exploring the Princess's storage. There was a history of firearms, and a progression of armor ranging from ancient to modern styles laid out in order; swords were organized by use and category, and there were plenty of spears, halberds, and bows.
What was particularly impressive was the abundance of weapons and armor from the East Continent, far from this place. I couldn't help but be amazed by the ornate armor unique to the East Continent.
"How did you get your hands on these?"
"I personally asked an envoy from the East Continent to bring them."
"They actually listened to you."
"Well, in exchange, I gave them the weaknesses of the Crown Prince and the Second Prince."
I'm keeping my rivals in check and getting some great loot. Total win.
"Look at this bow. It's completely different from the ones found on the Arcadian continent. Isn't it fascinating?"
The bow she held out was curved, resembling a composite bow. I tried to lift it and draw the string, but with my strength stats, it was impossible.
"Your strength is one thing, but your form is all wrong. Watch."
As she spoke, the Princess took the bow from me and pulled back the string. As she straightened her back and drew, the string finally gave way.
"Wow..."
"It may look small, but the tension is extraordinary. It's comparable even to the longbows of the North. It's a weapon used by a peculiar long-eared demi-human race in the East Continent. I tried to introduce it here, but I eventually gave up."
"Was it because the raw materials were hard to find?"
"I could have gotten the materials if I'd really wanted to. The biggest issue was the water buffalo horns, but that could have been solved by importing and breeding the animals. It would have been expensive, but possible. The real problem was that there was simply no use for it."
"No use for it?"
"This thing was designed for compactness. It's made by curving wood and then attaching polished water buffalo horns. Because of that, it generates immense tension for its size. Given that, what purpose do you think this bow serves?"
"Hmm..."
I'm not sure. Such a weapon never appeared in the original 'Age of Gunpowder and Magic,' so I don't have a good feel for it. Should I try answering based on my historical knowledge?
"It would be easy to shoot from horseback, right?"
After all, nomads typically preferred these small, curved bows.
When I answered, the Princess looked genuinely surprised.
"Just who are you..."
"Oh, I was just guessing. Please don't be so surprised."
"If you say so, I'll take your word for it. You're correct. This is used for shooting from horseback or treetops, or for carrying through the woods without getting in the way. In short..."
"In specific conditions, a small curved bow is useful, but for large-scale battles on open plains, a larger bow is better?"
"Exactly. They're easier to make and offer more destructive power relative to the effort. Simply put, the efficiency isn't there. Most of the Duchy of Galatia consists of plains, and we aren't nomads, so why bother making these bows?"
That makes sense. The difference between Eastern and Western bows might stem from the difference in terrain.
"That was my first disappointment. My plan to import and introduce bows from the East Continent ended in failure."
"If that was the first, is there a second disappointment?"
"Yes. The second was the introduction of the Elephant Cavalry."
"Ah..."
That sounds like a failure waiting to happen.
"Hmm? You speak as if you're actually familiar with elephants."
"Huge animals with long trunks they use like hands, and high intelligence."
"Strange. How does a fallen noble from the provinces know about such a rare creature from the East?"
"Let's just say I studied hard."
"If you say so. Then, do you also know why the Elephant Cavalry failed?"
Elephant Cavalry. They were common in ancient times. But by the Middle Ages, even Islamic states rarely used them. The reason was...
"Elephants are surprisingly timid. Once they lose their composure, they'll trample everyone in sight, friend or foe alike."
"You are... an enigma. You already know things that took me years to discover."
"Is that so?"
"Had I met you sooner, I might have avoided those failures entirely."
She probably would have. After all, I have a fair knowledge of real-world history, including not just the successful strategies and tactics, but the failures as well.
"I've researched countless strategies and suffered many failures. This storage room is the evidence of those mistakes."
"I see..."
It was far too beautiful to be called a record of failure. The place felt more like a museum of global artifacts. If this was what failure looked like, I thought I wouldn't mind failing once or twice myself.
"The reason I called you to this storage today..."
"Yes?"
"...is to share the contents of this room with you."
I was momentarily taken aback by the unexpected offer.
"Share it with me?"
"As you can see, this room is stocked with weapons and armor from all over the world. Follow me."
She grabbed a state-of-the-art musket from the storage and stepped outside, where she began aiming at a wooden doll dressed in the latest armor.
"That armor looks incredibly expensive."
"Thirteen ducats, three thalers, and twenty groschen."
Damn, that's expensive... it costs more than a common laborer's annual wage.
Then, the Princess lit the slow-match.
-Sizzle
Before long, the slow-match burned down.
-Click!
The Princess pulled the trigger.
-Bang!!!
With a thunderous roar, the musket pierced right through the expensive 13-ducat armor and embedded itself in the wooden doll behind it.
"Did you see?"
"Yes."
"The high-end armor knights wear is pierced so easily by a musket. This means the age of knights is over. And at Arcadia Academy, only you and I know this truth."
"Yes."
"You possess knowledge of the weaponry of this new era that surpasses even my own."
To be honest... that was true. After all, I was a man from the future.
"Yes."
"That is why I believed this storage would be of use to you. You can conduct experiments with almost every weapon in existence here whenever you wish."
"..."
The Princess reached into her clothes and handed me a key.
"The key to the villa. I will notify the guards so that you may come and go as you please."
"Pardon?"
"From this moment on, this villa is joint property between the two of us."
"..."
For me, this was a true blessing. No matter how much theoretical knowledge I possessed, actually firing the weapons was an entirely different matter. If I spent a few days holed up here, I could master the range of various arms and the defensive capabilities of different armors. But...
"Why are you doing all this for me?"
I couldn't fathom why Princess Leonia was being so generous. I knew her personality well: she loved novelty and was cool-headed, never dwelling on the past. While she would eventually become cynical after facing numerous betrayals, the Leonia of this period was quite affectionate toward those around her. Yet, none of that explained why she was treating me this well.
"That's..."
That's?
And the words that followed were completely unexpected.