Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

Ryuga looked at the first project he and Anyaberg had set up together, which was essentially a giant catapult.

However, instead of heavy stones, they were projectiles with special properties combined with magic arrays.

Smaller in size and lighter in weight, in addition to the kinetic energy of the projectile, the vehicle's original magic array can also provide some energy, allowing the projectile to be launched further.

The ammunition consists of magical bombs, whose structure is similar to Anjaberg's Blazing Magic Gun, but simpler. About the size of a watermelon, they are filled with magical crystals, and their power is comparable to a Grand Magus's full-force attack.

In just one month, Liu Xia couldn't possibly produce the 'magic cannon' he envisioned, and he didn't have enough iron ore on hand. Although there were iron mines in the territory of Linhu Town, there wasn't enough manpower to develop them, and there wasn't enough time.

Therefore, these two 'chariots' were mostly made of wood, with steel used only in key areas, and a carefully designed magic array ensured the power of the projectiles. They were also lightweight enough to be transported quickly by only four horses.

As for the most important magical crystals for producing magical equipment, thanks to Vitris, a batch of high-concentration magical ore was obtained in advance.

But Kira still had some doubts: "I still don't understand, can these two things really stand against Sochi? If they want to, they can easily send out thousands of regular armed soldiers."

Can these two tanks significantly alter the balance of power?

"Of course not." Ryūka's answer was unexpected; she had assumed the two things Ryūka had created possessed immense power. (The rest of the text appears to be gibberish and unrelated to the previous sentences.)

"This thing isn't meant for use on the front lines..."

Chapter 13 Strategic Balance

It's impossible to change the balance of power with a powerful neighbor in just one or two months.

Although Liu Xia had read many online novels about time travel and technology, he felt he couldn't do that.

First, he's not some tech tycoon; second, time and manpower simply don't allow it.

Although Anjaberg and this group of engineering students from the Imperial Academy are considered top talents in this world, magical technology has not been developed here for very long.

But Ryukyu has no skilled blacksmiths, miners, smelters, or even coal and iron ore.

In the territory of Linhu Town, there are only endless trees to be cut down and magic stones from the Snow Spirit Cave.

So Ryūka changed her approach.

Although the two 'war chariots' in front of them looked rudimentary, they were essentially just catapults capable of launching explosive munitions. Combined with the less than one hundred soldiers in Linhu Town, they were simply no match for Sochi City.

However, Linhu Town is located in the heart of a complex hilly territory, while Sochi City is situated at the border between the Sochi and Linhu territories.

The nearest place, Sochi, is only a few kilometers away from the hills and forests that belong to the Linhu Territory.

The two catapults designed and built by Ryūsha and Anjaberg only needed to advance a short distance to reach their attack range.

Not to mention that Sochi Territory is located downstream of the rivers and streams of Linhu Territory, making transportation very convenient.

While the projectile magical bombs might not be able to completely destroy the sturdy walls of Sochi, the consequences of launching them into the city would be unimaginable.

It's no less devastating than two great mages randomly unleashing destructive spells in a densely populated city.

You should know that even if you include the territories surrounding Sochi, the number of Grand Masters wouldn't exceed two hands.

Even a great mage like Melanie, while formidable in small-scale battles, lacks sufficient magical reserves to sustain a continuous fight against a vast sea of ​​people. Therefore, the basic military strength of this world largely consists of ordinary knights and mages.

Hetia became a full-fledged knight at 16, and Melanie became a great mage at 21; they were already considered prodigies.

For Ryukyu, the current focus is not on military conquest, but on the opportunity for peaceful development.

Two small, easily transportable, simple to operate, and extremely destructive magical bomb catapults cannot change the course of the battle, but they can create a certain deterrent and buy time for Liuxia and Linhu Territory.

Simply put, these two 'war chariots' are essentially mobile missile launch platforms, in a more youthful form. With just a few people and horses, they can be hidden in the mountains and ravines of Linhu Territory, ready to launch a surprise attack on Sochi City in the event of any unforeseen circumstances. Mei, think about it... are you in the air, Lin, or not...?

Warfare must be considered in terms of cost.

For Lord Duke, Lake Forest was nothing more than an undeveloped and barren mountainous region; although it was large, it was still a place of little value.

But Sochi is a bustling city in the eastern part of the empire, a place where the Duke family has been running it for generations.

The conflicts between them are twofold: first, the struggle between the two heirs to the throne in the distant capital; and second, his foolish second son.

To put it bluntly, even without this upheaval in the capital, Count Duke might not have fared much better. After all, the current power struggle involves the Third Prince and the Thirteenth Princess, and the Emperor of Otus has a large number of offspring; no one knows which prince will ultimately emerge victorious.

As for his son's matter of saving face, I believe the old counter can figure it out by doing the math on city construction.

Ryusha slowly explained to Kira, and Kira finally understood the reasoning behind it.

It seems my safety is assured.

"Okay, so you were all serious when you showed me that letter, were you trying to scare me?" Kira finally relaxed and started joking with Ryusha.

"I didn't, you're just overthinking it." Liu Xia denied it.

Kira couldn't help but laugh. After her heart was at ease, she felt reassured once again by the sense of security that Ryuga brought her.

The young man in front of her kept surprising her.

"But what does this have to do with the trade you mentioned? You're not thinking of selling this kind of war machine, are you?"

After relaxing, Kira examined the two 'war chariots' in front of her, pondering the commercial value of such things.

Her expression was somewhat serious.

Selling arms is always one of the fastest ways to make money, but what are the consequences? Will anyone die because of the goods they sell?

"More or less." Ryuga saw Kira's gloomy expression and knew what she was worried about.

"It will just be a further stripped-down version, and we will phase out this kind of thing very soon."

"After all, not every lord can afford to hire a senior official."

Ryūsha shrugged. This kind of launcher is essentially a glass cannon. Without relying on strategic depth and intelligence secrecy, it wouldn't have much impact on a truly all-out war.

"Of course, it's not like you have to sell them right now. Our current production capacity is only enough to manufacture two units, and we need to keep some for our own use."

"I just wanted to ask you to spread the word a little when you're trading, to find out if anyone is interested in this kind of thing, so you can learn about it in advance."

"Also, my thinking isn't clear enough, and my energy is limited. If you can find out the different needs of people in different places, you can summarize them and, based on valuable intelligence, have Anjaberg and the others do some targeted product development..."

“Product development, that’s a new term.” Kira laughed as she listened to Ryūka’s explanation.

“What you’ve done is ‘market research,’ you know we’re really short on cash. Territory development is expensive, and Hetia’s savings are about to run out. To be honest, I’m practically itching to carry Bran Duke to Sochi myself and exchange him for that huge sum of gold coins…”

Liu Xia shrugged.

"I understand. Using Anjaberg's scarce magical technology, we develop magical devices with potential demand, right? It's a bit like a craftsman who makes high-end custom jewelry."

Kira pinched her chin, crossed her arms over her chest, and pondered, her soft breasts, neither too big nor too small, just the right size.

Linhu Town's main products are still basic raw materials, with very little profit. Most of their income is used to buy processed products or even grain from other places. They really need the kind of income that Liuxia mentioned.

“Alright, I’ll keep an eye on things when I’m trading.” Kira put her hands on her slender waist and looked knowing. “But what about Anyaberg? Is she willing to take on more work? I was wondering why everyone else had been going to the open-air hot springs over the past month, but she was the one who was most looking forward to it and didn’t go until the hot spring resort was completed. Turns out you kept her here to do this.”

"There's no problem. She's very interested in developing new things. It seems that the task Her Highness the Princess gave her... she's encountered some difficulties, mainly because the production conditions in Linhu Town don't allow it, and she's currently stuck and worried about it."

Ryusha recalled the special magical bomb that Hetia had once used. Although it looked sophisticated, it was actually handcrafted by highly skilled artisans, and the manpower and resources required were probably not easy to come by even in the capital. Otherwise, Anja Berg wouldn't have been sent to Linhu Town with a mission to research and manufacture it on the spot.

What exactly does this mysterious princess want to obtain from the heretical seal of Dongtian Lake?

Chapter 14 Meeting Preparations

Just as Ryusha was deep in thought, a soldier came to report that Hetia, who had recovered from her drunkenness, had finally returned.

"Let's go back and tell her about Baron and Sochi. By the way, didn't Kania go looking for you earlier?"

"Yes." Kira nodded. "She said hello to me and then went to work."

Ryusuke breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, both Kania and Kira were reliable and hardworking people; otherwise, he really wouldn't know what to do.

In the lord's manor, in the meeting hall, a few people had a brief discussion and quickly made a few decisions.

First was Baron, a distant relative whom Hethia vaguely remembered. He was said to be quite capable, but due to his personality, he wasn't doing very well, and even his wife and daughter didn't treat him well.

Although his arrival was unexpected, he was ultimately given a meaningless position as a patrol squad leader.

The second matter concerns Earl Duke, and for now, we can only deal with it as it comes. Ryūsha has designated the meeting place based on the map, with himself, Hetia, and Kira primarily in charge, while Kania and Anyaberg will be nearby with a squad of soldiers to provide support.

If necessary, Ryuka also plans to visit Melanie. She seems to be a cousin of the Duke family, and although she is not familiar with them, she can still obtain some valuable information and support.

The last item concerns the opening of the hot spring resort. If the negotiations with the Sochi territory are successful, the next step is to figure out how to get the business going, which will require finding some excellent chefs and waiters.

Waiters can be recruited from Linhu Territory, but for excellent chefs and supervisors, Kira suggests returning to Sochi City to see if any of the people who used to work at 'Silver Star Nocturne' are members of parliament.

"I have a suggestion regarding the naming of the hot spring resort. How about we name it after Sister Qila's original name, 'Silver Star Nocturne'?" Kania said with a smile.

Kira paused for a moment, then pondered for a second: "I have no objection. This will increase brand awareness and help open up business opportunities in the early stages."

"Are you really okay?" Ryuga glanced at Kira, who seemed to have mixed feelings. Silver Star Nocturne was originally the name of the shop left by her mother.

"It's alright. I still have deep feelings for this name. In fact, I'd like to thank Kania for bringing it up." Kira smiled, her mood easing considerably at the boy's concerned gaze.

Silver Star Nocturne was originally the most famous inn, tavern, and performance venue in Sochi. Besides its high-class service, beautiful dancers, and delicious food, the most crucial factor in its success was Kira's mother, a skilled dancer.

But Kira knew that it wasn't easy for her mother to navigate the social circles of the nobility, and that she and her mother were often surrounded by gossip.

It was because of this that young Kira gave up her beloved singing and dancing talents, and was deeply traumatized by the rumors spread about some noble ladies and young women. Instead, she focused her energy on learning business and social skills, and secretly practiced dark magic, hoping to change people's perception of her family's shop in the future.

Unexpectedly, her mother passed away, and she was still too proud to let go of her pride to properly manage her career. Her outstanding exotic appearance also brought her a lot of trouble.

Disheartened, Kira closed the shop, which led to the rest of the story...

But no matter what, that brightly lit shop was where Kira grew up and was the result of her mother's hard work; it was impossible for her not to have deep feelings for it.

In Linhu Town today, Kira's recognition is not solely based on her alluring appearance, but on her abilities in all aspects, not to mention the support of Ryusha and others.

Let's revive 'Silver Star Nocturne'...

Four days later, at a border area between Sochi Territory and Linhu Territory, on a spacious plain backed by dense forests, Liu Xia and his companions were waiting.

To avoid any potential traps, this location was chosen by Liu Xia and his group on the spot, and Sochi City readily accepted it.

A canopy was erected on the lawn to block out the sun, and several chairs were placed on either side of a long table inside.

Branduk, his hands bound and gagged, and several of his servants were on a long carriage not far away, their heads covered with sacks. Baron and several soldiers were guarding them.

Baron is nominally Hetia's agent, which is why Ryūsha sent him. Any documents signed require Baron's presence to have legal effect and be recognized by the Empire.

Hetia, dressed in a majestic knight's outfit, stood outside, sword hilt in hand, gazing towards the city of Sochi. Kira, on the other hand, had changed into an elegant dress and sat quietly at the long table, waiting.

In the dense forest behind the plain, Kania was waiting with twenty soldiers. These twenty soldiers were all elites from the capital, and they represented most of the available forces, aside from those responsible for maintaining order and guarding the territory.

Further away, Anjaberg and several engineering students were guarding a magical catapult.

Further away, Anjaberg and several engineering students were guarding a magical catapult.

"Good boy/girl, 'Spring Breeze'~ Your master will feed you delicious carrots in a bit, so don't be scared by the explosion~"

Dressed in overalls and wearing goggles, Anjaberg was patting her horse's neck, very excited about the upcoming test firing.

As for Ryūka, he was standing right next to the meeting place. Vitry had taken off her primitive fur coat and put on a spare set of Hetia's knight's armor. She was hiding behind Ryūka, clutching the hem of his clothes, while opposite her was the beautiful Melanie.

"Why are you here too? Aren't you afraid the Duke family will see you with us?"

Liu Xia looked at the elegant Melanie and asked.

"Because someone kidnapped my sister," Melanie joked with a smile.

As a Snow Spirit, Vitris's strength, even without transforming into a Snow Spirit Beast, is between that of a Knight and a Great Knight. Ryuka naturally wanted to take her along, and Vitris did not refuse her friend's request.

It wasn't because of the delicious barbecue, noodles with soybean paste, and baked flatbread that Ryukatsu made.

Liu Xia thought Melanie would take advantage of Vitry's absence to go to her house and practice at the Snow Spirit Statue, but she didn't expect her to come along too.

"Me! My sister! Melanie! You brat!"

Vitry peeked her fluffy white head out from behind Ryusha, baring her little fangs as she called out to Melanie.

They're arguing now. They used to avoid each other and not say a word. It seems their relationship has improved.

Ryūka thought to herself.

"You little rascal, you really have a bad memory. I told you back then that I was going back to Sochi to meet with the messenger from the capital in a week. Now that day is almost here, I naturally can't stay in the snow mountain any longer."

Melanie glared at Ryusha with a sharp look in her eyes, a hint of displeasure in her expression.

It felt like accusing Ryusha of being heartless and indifferent to other people's affairs.

"Really? Haha~ I've been too busy lately." Ryuka put on an adorable, feigning-silence expression and laughed it off.

Acting cute seems to work quite well for Melanie.

This time, however, Melanie viciously grabbed Ryusha's collar, and the icy, biting wind and snow instantly stung Ryusha's skin, while heavy blocks of ice froze Ryusha's ankles.

Vitrilis also adopted a deflated posture, but was stopped by Ryuka.

"You promised me you'd let me see Hetia get her punished, but you've dragged it out for so long, I'm about to go back to Sochi..."