Chapter 157: Weapons of a New Era and the Unconventional Missionary

After successive days of designing, improving, and trials, Rebecca excitedly delivered the first heat-ray gun that had actual combat function as well as the combat field pack to Gawain.

“This is the result!” The Viscountess beamed, looking especially pleased with her own achievement. “Take a look?”

Gawain looked at the things Rebecca brought. The first to catch his eyes was that silver vambrace. Compared to the rough and primitive ‘prototype’ then, the heat-ray gun that had a finalized design looked even more similar to how Gawain had imagined it. Its appearance accorded even better with human aesthetic senses; shaped like an inflated and thick vambrace, the upper section of it was swelled like an ellipsoid; that was where the magic capacitor and Scorching Ray base plate would be held, while the lower section had buckles used to adjust the degree of tightness and fix the structure in place.

In addition, its magic capacitor and rune base plate had been designed to be removable, to ensure that the energy crystals or core magic unit could be changed anytime.

Compared to the prototype, its front-end now had a mechanism used for aiming; the metal wire and trigger used to activate the rune trigger had also been changed to a grip holder that was sturdier and more reliable. The safety gear was linked to the grip holder; in the situation that the safety gear was locked, the grip holder would also retract to the lower part of the vambrace. This way, it would not affect the soldier’s normal combat movements.

And according to Rebecca, after adjustments to the internal runes as well as the polishing of the quartz column, its effective range had finally been raised to 340-370 meters (though room for improvement still existed); the precision and might had also increased to some extent. As this world’s first ‘long-range firearm’, its range of fire and might had exceeded that of Earth’s early rifles. However, Gawain knew very well that this was because it was born in a world where magical power existed. The additional support from magical power made the force of many weapons in this world ridiculously great. If the heat-ray gun could not take advantage of this aspect, then there would be no need for its creation.

After all, the early rifles on Earth only had to deal with Earthmen wearing ordinary metal armors, while the heat-ray guns here had to counter Beyonders wearing enchanted equipment and even energy shields, as well as dealing with ordinary soldiers…

Then, his gaze landed on the ‘combat field pack’ that Rebecca brought.

From its outer appearance, it really resembled a hard ‘schoolbag’ with a strange form, or rather a traveling bag. Its outer material was cowhide, while the inside was probably a metal frame and metal board; as such, it appeared to be hard and stiff. The belt of the combat field pack very clearly could be fixed on the outside of a soldier’s armor, while the rectangular backpack was divided into two parts, top and bottom. Gawain was a little confused about it.

“The top is a normal backpack,” Rebecca explained. “It can be used as a soldier’s traveling bag — carrying rations, water bottles, flints, ointments, and the like. The bag below is used to hold crystals. Look, when you wear it, the lower half happens to be right at the back of one’s waist. You can reach it just by stretching your hand back, and spare crystals can be taken out from this opening at the side. The crystals are clipped by two metal plates and arranged in order inside. After taking a piece out, push the depleted crystal in from the other end. This way, the crystals would be pushed out one by one. I managed to shove twelve magic web units into the entire field pack. Theoretically, it should be able to charge twelve pieces of crystals at the same time. If there are more, though they can be forcefully stuffed in… the charging efficiency would be too low, and I doubt a soldier can use up so much energy in a battle.”

Gawain looked at this combat field pack that Rebecca designed and was suddenly inspired. “Have you thought of other functions for this field pack?”

“Other functions?” Rebecca scratched her hair and didn’t understand him for a moment. “You’re saying to add another sturdy belt for it so as to swing it out to hit people? Then its weight would have to be re—”

“Don’t be so straightforward in your thinking. What if someone suspects that it’s inherited?” Gawain held his forehead with a hand. “Did you not realize, when a big pile of crystals has been stuffed into this field pack, it could be considered a huge magic capacitor by itself?”

Rebecca faltered instantly upon hearing that, only letting out an ‘oh’ moments later. “Oh yes! We can look at it that way too!”

Soon, she became excited. “Doesn’t that mean that using this field pack to directly supply energy, it could drive magic of even larger scales?!”

“We can’t waste such a big bulk.” Gawain looked at the combat field pack. “Other than storing crystals and providing magical power for the soldiers on the battlefield, some magic circle’s base plate can also be integrated into it. Think about it, how would it be if we assembled a magic shield for it? Or installed a Wind Shield used to filter poisonous gas? Or, we carved magic circles that strengthened the defense power and physical performance on the armors of soldiers, then leave an external magical-power interface on the field pack. When the field pack is connected to the armor, it’s equivalent to every soldier being followed by an ecclesiastic who releases strengthening spells nonstop for them all day long… and the energy consumption of these fundamental spells is extremely low. To a field pack that has twelve magic web units, it wouldn’t affect its charging speed in the slightest. Or, it would slightly affect… but it would be rather worth it for the overall gains.”

Rebecca was increasingly surprised as she listened on. In the end, she could not help but open her mouth wide. “Lord Ancestor, why are every one of your ideas so cool?!”

Gawain showed a smile despite maintaining a solemn expression as he always did. “An old man’s wisdom, an old man’s wis—”

Before Gawain was done showing off, Rebecca had swept the combat field pack into her arms. “Then I’ll go redo the field pack’s blueprints right now!”

“Hold on, get back here!” Gawain quickly leaped to his feet and stopped this doofus who was extremely action-oriented. “Have you come up with a new rune base plate?!”

Rebecca turned back dazedly, carefully analyzed the question, and then replied with an enlightened look, “I haven’t!”

“Altogether, you only analyzed a Scorching Ray. What is it that you are so busy trying to shove into the field pack.” Gawain waved his hand, finding it both funny and annoying. “All that I said earlier, list them under the plan for the next generation of field packs. Send this current one into production. It’s most important to first allow the soldiers to form combat ability.”

“Oh…” Rebecca nodded and agreed obediently.

Gawain waved his hand. “Go find Heidi on your way back and have her make a trip here.”

Soon after, Heidi arrived at Gawain’s tent.

“Ancestor, you asked for me?”

“I want to ask you about the missionary’s situation. What has he been doing the past two days? Who has he been interacting with? Has he left the territory, or were there any movements of sending messages to the outside…?” Gawain looked up from his documents. “…What happened to you?! For the sake of practicing your aiming, you finally hit yourself with a big fireball?!”

He stared agape at Heidi who stood before him, only to see the latter looking so miserable that there wasn’t a trace of her usual calm and dignified manner at all. Not only was her hair very messy, a carbon-black mark still remained on her face; even her clothes showed uneven scorched marks —— she literally looked like she had been struck by a big fireball.

…Rebecca, that iron-headed girl, couldn’t have used some extremely creative way to get her own Aunt here, could she?

Heidi had used magic to tidy up her hair and face to the best of her ability, but she, who’d hurried here, clearly hadn’t cleaned everything up. When she heard Gawain’s words at this point, the corner of her lips could not help but twitch. “When Rebecca burst into the laboratory, I was doing an experiment…”

Gawain: “…”

Although it was different from what he’d imagined, it hadn’t seemed to be too different.

After awkwardly keeping silent for a few seconds, Gawain cautiously asked, “Beaten up already?”

“Yes, I’ll give her another when I get back later.”

“…Go easier on her. She’s already a big girl.”

“I’ll try my best.”

Gawain coughed dryly, “Cough cough. Then let’s get down to business first.”

“Okay.” Heidi inhaled deeply, calmed her emotions, and started reporting the missionary’s doings. “That Cleric called Wright hasn’t left the territory these few days. Neither was there any suspicious activity from him. He wakes up slightly earlier than the others every day, mainly to pray and to do physical training. Then he’ll have breakfast like the rest and go to the building site. ——We did not assign him any work, but he actively approached the foreman. Now he’s transporting bricks in the newly planned ‘Market Avenue’. He’s almost a regular worker there.”

Gawain found it interesting. “…He so actively asked for work?”

“Yes, I got the soldiers to converse with him through chit-chatting. The missionary said that he was doing so because of the ‘guidance of the way of the Holy Light’. Because the way of the Holy Light educates people that they ought to use labor in exchange for food. He had yet to get permission to build a church, conduct sacraments, and pray for the territory, so he needed to exchange physical labor for food.”

“He really said that?” Gawain found it incredible.

Heidi nodded. “He really said that, and he had also done so.”

“…These are indeed contents that the Church of Holy Light usually propagates, but I’m afraid there are really barely any priests who firmly believe in this, much less personally set an example. All of them only use these narratives to dupe civilians into doing voluntary labor for the church or to solicit contributions.” Gawain shook his head. “Then has he been preaching?”

“I don’t know if that’s considered preaching.” Heidi’s expression turned a little odd when she came to this. “He… does indeed repeatedly talk about the Holy Light. Occasionally when he treats people with his theurgies, he would also say something like ‘May the Holy Light bless you’. But he doesn’t seem like he is seriously preaching with the way he acts. Only when he meets believers who really believe in the God of Holy Light would he seriously provide an account of the religious doctrine. But when he meets those who don’t, he’d simply carry off with a laugh.”

Gawain frowned. “Have the people sent to Tanzan Town sent any news back?”

“They’re already back. Our people questioned the Cleric in Tanzan Town’s Church of Holy Light and confirmed that there was indeed a missionary called Wright Awiken coming from the Plains of the Holy Spirits traveling in the southern borders, and the characteristics match. But according to my guesses…”

Heidi paused here and shook her head. “Instead of saying that this fellow called Wright was sent out to preach, he was more likely to have been kicked out by the central church. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be looking like this.”

“To be honest, that was what I guessed too.” Gawain shook his head wryly. “Even in the old-fashioned and strict Church of Holy Light, there’s bound to be such offbeat characters.”

“Ancestor, how do you intend on handling this missionary?” Heidi asked curiously. “Leaving him alone the whole time isn’t a way out either?”

“Wait another two to three days. If there still aren’t any problems, I’ll meet him.” Gawain smiled. “Our territory… could have a church too.”