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Lily-senpai had been helping with the production of fire barrels since this morning.

“Yes. Almost all of them exploded.” (Yuri)

“That’s a relief.” (Lily)

Lily-senpai said, patting her chest in relief.

‘Since it was my idea, it wouldn’t have been her fault if it failed, but still…’

“Well, there is a problem. Without a net, they would shatter.” (Lily)

‘Since the weapon relies on the net, if there’s no net, Molotov cocktails would be more effective. If it were a barrel, it would almost certainly shatter completely when dropped, so even if the gunpowder ignites afterward, it would catch fire, but it wouldn’t burn in the optimal way.’

“I thought about it, and I think it’s better to make them out of metal.” (Yuri)

“Yes, that makes sense.” (Lily)

In the future.

“But if we make a metal container that won’t break even when dropped from that height, it’s quite tricky…” (Lily)

‘To create an incendiary bomb that doesn’t rely on a net, we need a container that won’t shatter when dropped. That would make it thicker and heavier, making it harder for an eagle to carry, and we would need more gunpowder to break the container.

“We can make the container out of thin metal sheets and attach a cone-shaped sturdy iron piece to one end. That way, it would naturally point downwards in the air.” (Lily)

‘Ah, that’s a good idea. I wonder why I didn’t think of that.’

“If we make sure it falls on the sturdy part, we can make the container itself quite thin without it breaking. Plus, it would have more penetration power, so against a ship, it might even penetrate the deck.” (Lily)

“That’s a good idea.” (Yuri)

‘Seeing it from the air, the self-exploding type had an impressive power, so it seems better to improve in that direction even if it costs more. Another advantage of the self-exploding type is that it can instantly apply a strong heat energy to the flammable liquid. In other words, the heat source is not a burning cloth but gunpowder that provides a massive amount of heat, so it doesn’t necessarily have to be a flammable liquid that easily catches fire with a spark. Using crude oil as it is might be difficult, but there would be no need to resort to the luxury of using only the best-distilled parts.’

“Well, mass production isn’t something that can be done today or tomorrow though…” (Lily)

“It’s all right. Even if it’s not ready in time for this battle, we can develop it after we win.” (Yuri)

“Really? Well, I’m not doubting we’ll win. After all, Yuri-kun is here.” (Lily)

“So, how many barrels did we manage to make?” (Yuri)

‘We only brought the fire barrels we had finished, so we only dropped 42 of them. It’s a small number.’

“We’ve managed to make 30 more for now. We can gather about 70 more from towns outside the royal capital. But beyond that, we’ll have to make new ones.” (Lily)

“Well, it’s a rather moderate number.” (Yuri)

‘Of course, we can’t load large barrels used in distilleries for aging alcohol onto eagles.

Barrels that can be loaded onto eagles, around 10 to 20 liters, are not produced in large quantities. There were only 42 in stock at the cooperage in the capital. The wealthy tend to buy large barrels around 500 liters, and those living in rural areas, where it takes more than a day to get to a liquor store, tend to buy barrels around 100 liters. City dwellers, who can visit liquor stores regularly, even home drinkers, buy their alcohol in ceramic jars.

Barrels of about 10 to 20 liters are in that awkward size range where there’s little demand. With the rapid spread of bottles, demand is even lower now.’

“Well, we can have the idle eagles bring them to the capital. Just prepare the explosive material. Transfer the oil from the Molotov cocktails so they’re ready to use immediately.” (Yuri)

“Got it. Should we also experiment with mixing liquids other than the light oil?” (Lily)

“Yes, if possible. But it’s fine to just use the light oil for now.” (Yuri)

“We’ll do it. Actually, I’ve already done a bit of it. Here.” (Lily)

Lily-senpai said, taking out something she had been holding behind her back. It was a black cylindrical object with a string attached.

“Oh, this is good.” (Yuri)

“Light oil might be fine, but I thought it would be bad if crude oil got soaked. This should last a few hours, right?” (Lily)

‘It is clear from the look of it that this is a piece of explosive material for the barrel, coated in asphalt. Asphalt is a thick liquid that remains at the end of the crude oil distillation process and solidifies at room temperature. She probably dipped it into molten asphalt while holding the string. The surface hardens to a certain extent, making it easier to handle than if it were just packed tightly and wrapped in paper.’

“Didn’t it explode?” (Yuri)

“It’s a material that melts at just over 100 degrees. Gunpowder doesn’t explode until it reaches around 300 degrees, so it’s safe.” (Lily)

“One slip in temperature control could lead to a major accident. It’s very concerning.” (Yuri)

‘You can’t tell from the appearance whether the molten asphalt is at 100 degrees or 300 degrees. If the asphalt were to overheat and reach 300 degrees, plunging into it would cause the molten asphalt to splatter violently. Naturally, the worker wouldn’t escape unharmed, and it could lead to fatal accidents. Even if it doesn’t kill, it would cause severe burns.’

“Y-yeah… I’m careful when handling gunpowder…” (Lily)

“It’s a bit hypocritical for me to say this, given that I’m the one having you do this, but please be careful. When soaking the gunpowder, turn off the heat source first, and test with small amounts before proceeding. Actually, don’t do it yourself.” (Yuri)

“Yes, I will. It would be a disaster if something happened now…” (Lily)

‘Well, it would be a problem if she got injured at any time…’

“Well then, I have to get back to work.”  (Lily)

Lily-senpai abruptly ended the conversation and said,

“See you later.” (Lily)

Then she returned to the mansion.

‘That was sudden. I wonder what’s going on.’

“Milord!” (Soim)

“Whoa!” (Yuri)

Suddenly, someone called out to me.

“Oh, it’s you, Soim.” (Yuri)

He wasn’t eavesdropping, but he seemed to have been waiting in the shadows. Maybe he hesitated to come out because there were young, lively people around.

“Yes, I have returned.” (Soim)

He gave an overly theatrical bow.

‘What’s with the ‘I have returned’?’

“Are you okay? Did you manage to recover your strength?” (Yuri)

Soim had been planning a fierce battle to the death with the Witches but ended up disappointed and returned to the Hao Household to recuperate. I thought he might retire, but it seemed that he came back.

“I was greatly disappointed by the Witches’ army, but I wish to take up the spear again. I would be honored if I could join the ranks, even at the lowest position.” (Soim)

“Are you sure? You could retire. You’ve achieved commendable feats that no one could shame.” (Yuri)

‘He had become quite famous among warriors, even gaining some strange nicknames. That should be enough. Wars aren’t changed by a single soldier, and if he’s content, I’d rather he rests.’

“No, I was admonished by my great-grandson, so I have decided to rouse myself once more.” (Soim)

“What did he say?” (Yuri)

“He said that if I survived, it must mean that the heavens still have a role for me.” (Soim)

‘That probably means he still has the role of being a great-grandfather, watching over his descendants. I met the current head of the Hao Household recently, and he was definitely worried about that. He was concerned that his grandfather might be getting senile.’

“And so, I realized that the true opponent worthy of my final battle is the Crusaders, and I decided to rouse myself once more.” (Soim)

‘It seems he interpreted it differently.’

“In other words, the Witches were just the opening act.” (Soim)

“Hmm…” (Yuri)

‘As his lord, he gives me a headache.’

“But, forgive me for eavesdropping on your conversation earlier. Is this battle going to be an easy win?” (Soim)

‘He sounded worried. Would it be a problem if it were easy?’

“Of course not. The enemy numbers around 100,000, possibly even 120,000.” (Yuri)

‘If we could completely destroy their logistics, we could win without a fight, but unfortunately, we’re running low on Molotov cocktails. We’re trying hard to burn their supplies, but they’ve taken precautions, spreading out their logistics in smaller, separated units. This is a different kind of challenge compared to dealing with nets.

Unlike before, when we could cause chain explosions by mixing gunpowder among their piled-up supplies, this time they’ve likely stored gunpowder under tents. We succeeded in destroying ships, but their food supplies are being transported by carts from the Isus City-states. It’s a long, narrow, and sparse supply line, and although it’s hard to completely cut off, it does provide some sustenance.

Thousands of horses are making constant round trips, and burning a few dozen horses with Molotov cocktails won’t make much of a difference. At Hot Bridge, a new temporary wooden bridge has already been built. We managed to destroy it once by sending low-draft boats loaded with burning materials, but it seems they’ve already repaired it. While such a narrow supply line can’t sustain 120,000 soldiers, it will still provide some assistance.’

“So… what you said earlier was to reassure the lady, then.” (Soim)

“As a commander, it’s only natural. What’s the point of making them needlessly afraid?” (Yuri)

‘I don’t give false reassurance to Dimitri and the military leadership, but it’s better to keep everyone else at ease. Especially for someone like Lily-senpai, who is known to be close to me. If she appears relaxed, others will feel reassured as well.’

“I see. I am truly impressed.” (Soim)

Soim bowed again, expressing his slightly awkward respect.

“And so, do you wish to fight?” (Yuri)

“Of course, I do.” (Soim)

“If that’s the case, then I have the perfect opportunity for you. There’s a plan to gather outstanding cavalry from the Kilghina region. Since most of the cavalry from Boff and Noza are almost useless, there are surplus Galloping Birds.” (Yuri)

‘Cavalrymen need the courage to charge into positions where gunshots are raining down, regardless of the risk of being shot. Useless cowards who can only be brave during training won’t do.’

“We’ll assign about 50 of the most exceptional riders to this unit. How about leading that cavalry unit?” (Yuri)

“It would be an honor. I will definitely meet your expectations.” (Soim)

Soim’s eyes sparkled as he performed an exaggerated salute towards me. He seemed very pleased.

“The job of that unit will be to eliminate the reconnaissance light cavalry ahead of the army. We’ll include one decent knight from the Boff Household who knows the local geography well.” (Yuri)

“I see. So, you’re aiming to slow them down?” (Soim)

‘When the main army marches, reconnaissance light cavalry are sent out in advance to eliminate any ambush threats. If the reconnaissance light cavalry doesn’t return or encounters the enemy, it forces the main army to respond and can frequently delay their progress. Soim, being involved in military matters, probably understands the ripple effects of such actions without needing to be told.’

“There are plenty of places along the major roads from Mital to here where you can cut off the retreat using your knowledge of the terrain. Utilize that knowledge to ambush and wipe out the enemy scouts. However, if the enemy has a large reconnaissance force, there’s no need to engage.” (Yuri)

“Yes. Understood. I’ve done similar missions before.” (Soim)

‘Has he done it before? Well, that’s experience for you… his long military career isn’t just for show.’

“If the enemy becomes brazen and speeds up their advance, execute an ambush with about 1,000 infantries. We have a unit prepared for that purpose, so keep in close communication.” (Yuri)

“As I’ve expected.” (Soim)

“It might be about a month of military service. Are you okay with that? If you prefer a one-time decisive battle, we can arrange that.” (Yuri)

“I, Soim, am well-versed in managing both tension and relaxation. A month is no issue at all. However, I would appreciate having a few more capable non-commissioned officers.” (Soim)

“Understood. I’ll consult with others.” (Yuri)

‘However, it seems unnecessary since they seem to be famous individuals in Kilghina.’

“Alright then, come to my office and I’ll write up your appointment.” (Yuri)

“Understood.” (Soim)

I began walking towards the main residence.