The Meaning Of Ing And Rad (6)

With Hare-san’s help, a magic device capable of detaining mana was produced, and it was placed on the two knights who were then detained separately.

Although their wounds were serious, because there was no obligation to treat them, they were left to worsen in a form of neglect; this was also an action taken with the possibility of them becoming enemies later in mind.

It was a matter of making the strong weak.

If argued by law, there would be nothing to say, but from our position, there was the excuse that our circumstances were not good enough to have to follow every single law.

This was a process of a mere viscountcy crossing the Empire. It meant a power level that would only look pitiful no matter what excuse was presented.

However, this was not the only problem.

“Phew, what should we do from now on?”

It was the question asked after gathering all the vassals, but no answer came back. It meant it was a situation no one could easily think about.

“We should probably assume we have now become an eyesore even to the Empire. I need opinions on this, so please lend me your wisdom.”

At my words, Matilda raised her hand.

“Speak.”

“I believe the conversation will proceed only after we know what you, Lord Viscount, wish to do.”

It was a correct statement, but it was a situation where everyone was gathered because I could not find a sense of direction on what to do. However, because Matilda’s words were also correct, I spoke after contemplating for a moment.

“We were expanding military expenditures with a strategy of holding out. Equipment is also sufficient, and the construction of the fortress and walls has also been completed. So, it is also true that if it was for the purpose of defense alone, I had the confidence to have a big clash even with the Empire.”

The vassals nodded upon hearing my words. However, when thinking about it, I wondered if a power of this magnitude could truly be called a viscountcy.

This was a situation where two Masters, who had faced the Sword Saint—reputedly the strongest on the continent—were captured. Although I was startled later to find out one was Marquis Giltian, in any case, the two were captured and detained.

That meant one could consider that if the two, Wijel and Demina, stepped forward, they might even be able to capture the Sword Saint.

Currently, I heard the number of Masters the Terakan Empire possessed was seven in total. I had grasped the situation that two among them were captured, and the remaining five were appointed as the heads of the defensive armies guarding the remote borders.

The only relatively free person was Viscount Muriel, but I thought he too would not be able to step forward recklessly now that his father had ended up like this.

‘Has the strongest power become unable to move…?’

It was not a matter of being able to leave the border empty. Furthermore, there was a lack of justification to call in the Masters who were scattered in all directions.

This was because they would consider leaving the border empty to be a bigger matter than neglecting me. Therefore, I finished my contemplation and spoke.

“What would happen if we declared independence?”

Everyone was surprised at my words. A self-governing domain; ‘independence’ sounded nice, but it was essentially a declaration to be liberated from the Empire.

To put it bluntly, the beastkin were just a force the Empire had absorbed. What if we declared independence as the Ingrad Domain by integrating them?

The Empire would mobilize the army to somehow prevent this place from being liberated, but as mentioned earlier, I was certain we could at least hold out if the purpose was solely for defense.

“I believe it is an appropriate response for the current situation.”

Matilda spoke her opinion.

“Could you explain why?”

I asked the question to see if it matched my thoughts, and Matilda began to give a long explanation, though it was unclear whether she noticed my intention or not.

“First, there is the point that most of the residents here are beastkin. Although humans are currently flowing in from the outside, that number is on the small side. If we total up the beastkin from the Northern Continent, the Forest of the Demon Dragon, the original Ingrad Domain, and the whale beastkin plus others who might be on the sea, it is estimated that the number will exceed at least 300,000.”

Matilda stopped speaking for a moment. She looked around and spoke.

“Currently, there are more beastkin than humans even in this place. I think the relationship between beastkin and humans in the Ingrad Domain has now become smooth to the point where I do not think of this as strange. It was a very short time, and the Lord devoted himself with all his heart, but I believe the time has come to face a change.”

There were words I wanted to nitpick a bit, but I listened to the conversation as it continued. And Matilda’s long story led to one thing.

“I believe we should elicit a reaction rather than just observing the Empire’s reaction. Furthermore, after merging this Ingrad Domain, the Empire, which has not even managed it properly, has treated this place so poorly that it cannot even be called a dependency. Therefore, even if we declare independence, only ‘stubbornness’ remains as the Terakan Empire’s justification to block us.”

The Terakan Empire was a place where there was only taking and no giving. To put it bluntly, this Ingrad Domain was treated almost like a slave among the dependencies.

Because of me, who was appointed to such a domain, everyone was rallied and integrated to reach this point. It meant that only now had it reached a level where it could be called a domain where people live.

“With the large number of beastkin alone, our domain can already be said to possess sufficient power. Even the Seorin Tribe, known as the weakest beastkin, is known to be able to produce enough strength that an ordinary human cannot handle them. Therefore, I believe even the Empire will not be able to do anything to our domain in such an unsettled period.”

The long story ended, and everyone fell into thought. And for me too, it was a story through which I could think quite deeply.

Then, feeling everyone’s gaze gathering on me, I looked up and saw that truly everyone was just looking at me.

“What do you intend to do?”

It was Wijel’s question, but I judged that the conclusion was as good as already reached.

“Let’s do it. This thing called independence….”

It was certain that it would not be that simple. Storms would rush in, and it was certain that many things would happen because of that.

However, I had no desire to think about this in a complicated way. In any case, the time had come when I must do it.

“The season has changed. It will be harsh. However, aren’t we… quite good at enduring?”

At my words, the beastkin showed wide smiles, and the humans wore light smiles. I did not know how the harmony between the two races would be achieved or what kind of things would happen in the future, but at least one thing could be made certain.

‘Like Goddess Artemisia said… I’m going to live a life with no regrets… faithfully.’

It was a vow.

The domain began to move busily.

First, the work to be done was an accurate population census and mobilizing them, and starting the task of making them move to the place where Ing City was located inside the fortress; as the beastkin decided to step forward for this entirely, I could pile the workload onto them.

Next, after giving the command to Lucia and Bella—vassals of our domain not yet well known to the world—to obtain breadfruit from the Agricultural Guild in the Imperial Capital, I had to give additional commands to Linda and Matilda to procure supplies and stockpiled goods needed when war occurs.

Time was needed until the harvest, and if war broke out, items that could be obtained cheaply would inevitably become expensive or difficult to obtain due to war merchants, so I planned to prepare in advance.

Furthermore, since our domain has a sea route open, it has the advantage of being able to interact with other continents or various nations on the Central Continent, so I planned to prepare so we could trade through this, and while performing the task of strengthening the ships and increasing their size, I planned to focus on possessing a powerful naval force when viewed in the long term.

“I would like to place troops in the fortress in a dispersed manner, but how many would be good to place in the fortress if it is a power utilizing firearms?”

It was a domain army that had never yet fought a battle. Although they performed shooting training against monsters under the guise of practical practice, it was something where the results could not easily be predicted.

It was because it felt like just killing monsters from a distance with firearms when they could be killed normally anyway.

I wanted to experiment on a large army, but because the power was strong, it was a situation where I could not even try a simulation.

‘It’s not that I can make blank rounds… oh?’

Thinking about it, I thought there was no reason I couldn’t make them. In any case, objects are sent flying by the power of magic. Therefore, what I contemplated was that I wondered if I should try manufacturing paintballs, literally.

I did not have the talent to make synthetic resins, but this was a world where there was a cheat key called magic. Thinking that things would work out somehow, I immediately moved and sought out Hare-san, and looking down at the sight of Hare-san dozing off while basking in the sunlight, I tickled the defenseless Hare-san’s nose and whispered softly.

“Wake up, lazybones.”

At that, Hare-san slowly opened her eyes while making a ‘hmmm-nya’ sound.

“What is it…?”

“Are you that sleepy?”

“It’s because the sunlight is warm… Wah-ah-ah-mmm!!!”

After taking a seat in front of her as she stretched, I spoke about what I wanted done, and she made a ‘hmm’ sound and then asked me.

“Even if it is not necessarily magic, wouldn’t anything like that work? For instance, in the form of fixing the magic formula so that only water is sent flying.”

“….Is that possible?”

“Of course. If you apply ‘Create Water’ magic to the cartridge and engrave a ‘Room’ magic circle in the chamber, water will be contained there. Then you fire it with ‘Air Boom’ magic. It is adding two magic circles, but these are simple magic, so it won’t be difficult to add them.”

It was truly a cheat. After saying let’s try it once, I asked Hare-san.

“You can erase the magic circles again, right?”

“How about just manufacturing practice-use firearms this time?”

“The cost that goes into each unit is high. I want to lower the unit price a bit, but they say if I do so, a problem arises with the power.”

“That is true. Still, the cost of drawing and erasing them every time might end up being more.”

I first said I understood and sought out Richard. And when I spoke about what I wanted, Richard contemplated and then offered a new answer.

“If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be better to mix a Water Drop magic circle and an Ice magic circle to make ice crystals the size of a bullet?”

“You surely know how dangerous hard ice is, don’t you?”

It was Hare-san who immediately pushed back against Richard’s words, but Richard brought some paper and began to write something down.

Looking at it together, Hare-san clapped her hands a moment later and spoke.

“You’re saying let’s add a control function to Ice to make it so that thin ice is generated?”

“Correct. Wouldn’t you be able to achieve what you, My Lord, desire with this method? Furthermore, the manufacturing unit price can be lowered significantly.”

Upon hearing those words, at my request to try making one first, the two worked together and began to work on a cartridge; without telling a single lie, I was dumbfounded while watching a single cartridge be completed in just 5 minutes.

“This is the size of the existing ammunition. And this is the thin-ice bullet made by adjusting Water Drop magic and Ice magic. How is it?”

The size was almost the same. However, the question was whether this could withstand the pressure of the Air Boom, and it was Richard who combined it with a firearm and fired at a target as a trial.

Along with a ‘pong’ sound, the bullet that flew went accurately to the target and shattered while leaving an appropriate amount of moisture. Fortunately, the target was not pierced or anything like that, and the power also seemed decent.

“Since we will have to experiment on a living being in reality, shall we try firing it at a Black Cow?”

“….Isn’t that animal cruelty?”

“Is there such a saying?”

It was Richard and Hare-san who were puzzled.

Afterward, as a result of experimenting on a Black Cow truly as Richard said, it was found that it ended at the level of a slight bruise, and judging that this would be sufficiently helpful for training, I looked at the two and spoke.

“You’re going to make a lot of them, right?”

The two turned pale, but my situation was more urgent.