Episode 257
Wolfgang furrowed his brow and spoke.
“Isn’t that the magic gun I gave you?”
Zeke had brought back the very magic gun Wolfgang had given him. Without responding to Wolfgang’s comment, Zeke took the gun, walked fifty paces away from the armor, and took aim. He pulled the trigger.
Bang!
Surprisingly, the magic gun fired without a sound. Instead, the noise of the bullet piercing through the armor was much louder.
“What? How is this possible?”
Wolfgang couldn’t help but be astonished. The improved magic gun was quieter and more accurate than the original.
Then something even more surprising happened.
Click!
Zeke pulled the trigger again without reloading. He had modified the gun using Bastian’s magic gun technology to allow for rapid fire.
Bang! Click! Bang! Click!
Zeke demonstrated the rapid-fire capability, shooting several times before finally lowering the gun. Wolfgang quickly gestured for his attendants to bring the armor over. Two attendants struggled to carry the heavy armor to him.
Wolfgang examined the bullet marks on the armor.
“Wow.”
Amazingly, three marks were precisely over the heart area, evidence of the gun’s increased power and accuracy. Zeke had perfected in two weeks what the Valdeck family had failed to improve over several years.
Standing up, Wolfgang looked at Zeke and said, “Truly remarkable! I never imagined you would improve the magic gun so perfectly.”
Zeke replied with a calm expression, “Would you like to try it yourself, my lord?”
Wolfgang eagerly accepted the gun from Zeke. After setting up a new piece of armor as a target, he carefully aimed and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
The bullet hit exactly where Wolfgang intended. He fired again without reloading.
Bang!
Once more, the bullet flew precisely in the desired direction. Unlike before, the gun didn’t heat up, and it was much lighter, making it easy for regular soldiers to carry.
Wolfgang looked at Zeke and said, “Incredible… truly. Sir Zeke, what kind of magic did you use?”
Zeke responded, “Have I met the conditions you set for passing the test, my lord?”
Wolfgang laughed heartily. “Hahaha! Yes, with something like this, how could I say otherwise?”
He approached Zeke and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Tell me, how did you do it?”
Zeke looked at Wolfgang and said, “Before that, I’d like you to sign a confirmation.”
Wolfgang’s face hardened. Few had ever dared to make demands of him, the head of the Valdeck family. But his curiosity about how Zeke had created the magic gun was overwhelming.
In any negotiation, the more desperate party is at a disadvantage. Suppressing his irritation, Wolfgang signaled for his attendant to bring a pen and paper. He quickly wrote a confirmation that Zeke Draker had passed the test and earned his recognition.
“Here it is.”
Zeke carefully checked the confirmation, then pretended to put it in his pocket before storing it in his inventory. Wolfgang, with a stern expression, said to Zeke, “Now, tell me how you made this.”
Zeke silently pulled out a piece of paper from his coat and handed it to Wolfgang.
“What’s this?”
“It’s a technology transfer contract.”
“What?”
Wolfgang quickly scanned the contract. It outlined the terms for trading the improved magic gun’s technology. He glared at Zeke, incredulous.
“Are you playing games with me?”
Zeke met Wolfgang’s gaze without flinching. “The test you set was to improve the magic gun. I did as you asked and earned your recognition. The test is over. Transferring the improved magic gun’s technology is a separate matter.”
Wolfgang’s jaw dropped. He had never considered what to do if Zeke actually succeeded in the test he thought was impossible. Zeke had hit the nail on the head.
Wolfgang clenched his teeth and glared at Zeke. “Zeke Draker! Do you dare to mock me, Wolfgang Valdeck, in my own domain?”
As the head of the family raised his voice threateningly, the surrounding knights and soldiers gripped their weapons and blocked any escape routes. The atmosphere turned tense, but Zeke remained unfazed.
“The contract I presented is based on the technology transfer agreement between the Valdeck and Draker families. I understand that similar conditions were set when Valdeck transferred technology to Draker. How can this be seen as mocking you, my lord?”
Even alone in Valdeck’s territory, Zeke stood his ground. Wolfgang realized that Zeke wouldn’t be easily intimidated.
‘Like father, like son. His tongue is as sharp as Arthur’s.’
Grinding his teeth, Wolfgang reviewed the technology transfer contract again. It indeed matched the terms Valdeck had set for Draker.
Suppressing his anger, he said to Zeke, “If we sign the contract, you’ll transfer the technology?”
“I’ll hand over the improved magic gun and the blueprints.”
Wolfgang was already captivated by the new magic gun’s rapid-fire capability. After some thought, he nodded.
“Fine. Let’s sign the contract.”
Though annoyed, the potential to mass-produce the magic gun outweighed his current feelings. He even envisioned a future where the Valdeck family surpassed Draker.
‘That naive fool doesn’t understand the weapon’s true value. Once I have the technology, I can deal with him quietly, and the Valdeck family will dominate the continent.’
He signed the contract Zeke presented. After confirming the contract, Zeke handed over the magic gun’s blueprints to Wolfgang.
Examining the blueprints, Wolfgang’s expression turned to disbelief.
“What? It’s not magic but a mechanism that strikes the bullet directly?”
The magic gun had never functioned properly because controlling the power of explosive magic was difficult. But Zeke had completely reimagined the design, using a mechanism to strike the bullet’s back, causing it to explode and fire.
He had broken free from the notion that magic alone had to propel the bullets. The magic gun could now hold six bullets in a revolving chamber, allowing for rapid fire.
After securing the contract, Zeke said to Wolfgang, “Now that the technology transfer is complete, I’ll be on my way. I need to report the results to my lord in Atlas.”
Wolfgang, now wearing a friendly smile, replied, “Haha, yes. I shouldn’t keep a busy man like you. I’ll provide you with the finest carriage we have, and my knights will escort you.”
Though the escort was more for surveillance, Zeke acted as if he was unaware and politely thanked Wolfgang.
“I appreciate your generosity, my lord.”
Bowing, Zeke followed the attendant to the carriage. Wolfgang immediately headed to the research workshop with the blueprints and magic gun.
He laid them out before the chief artisan and commanded, “Make this immediately. Now!”
The chief artisan, startled by the sudden order, quickly examined the blueprints. He marveled at the newly modified magic gun.
“My lord, where did you get this?”
“That’s not important right now. If we complete this, the Valdeck family will soar even higher!”
The artisan nodded and inspected the magic gun, opening the chamber. With Zeke having fired three shots and Wolfgang two, only one bullet remained. The artisan carefully examined the bullet.
Wolfgang, watching the artisan, urged him again, “What are you doing? Make the gun according to the blueprints. We need to confirm it works.”
The artisan set the bullet down and said, “If we follow these blueprints, the gun will work. They’re incredibly detailed.”
“Is that so?”
Wolfgang inwardly laughed at Zeke Draker’s naivety.
‘He’s too young to understand the true value of this technology.’
As Wolfgang admired the magic gun, the artisan spoke up.
“But my lord, where is the blueprint for the bullet?”
Wolfgang looked at him, puzzled. “Blueprint for the bullet? Why would we need that? We already have bullets.”
The artisan shook his head. “This bullet is different from what we’ve made.”
Startled, Wolfgang grabbed the bullet and examined it. It was indeed different in shape and weight from the ones he had provided.
He looked at the artisan and said, “How important can a bullet be? It’s probably similar to ours.”
The artisan, flustered, replied, “Well… I believe the key to this technology lies in the bullet, not the gun.”
“What? What on earth are you talking about?”
“The mechanism in the gun is simple enough—load the magazine, pull the trigger, and the firing pin strikes. Our workshop can handle that much. It doesn’t significantly enhance its offensive capabilities. But… I can’t for the life of me figure out how this bullet was made.”
Wolfgang hastily scanned the technology transfer contract he had signed.
“That damned scoundrel…”
The contract clearly stated the transfer of technology for a ‘magic gun,’ so there was no issue legally.
Wolfgang’s trembling expression suddenly shifted. A sly grin spread across his face.
“He must have handed over the gun without realizing there’s one bullet left.”
He turned to the craftsman.
“Analyze this bullet immediately. With a sample, we should be able to replicate it, right?”
The craftsman, sweating profusely, replied, “Y-yes, but it will take some time.”
“No matter. Once we uncover the secret of this bullet, victory is mine. That cunning snake… As soon as I unravel this mystery, I’ll send assassins to silence him for good.”
Zeke was comfortably traveling to Atlas in a private carriage provided by Wolfgang, accompanied by Fainan and Gelion.
“By now, he’s probably grinding his teeth, trying to crack the secret of the bullet.”
Leaving one bullet in the magazine had been part of Zeke’s plan all along.
Once Wolfgang realized he’d been duped, he’d likely try to chase them down. But with a bullet left, he’d first attempt to analyze it. And by the time he figured it out, Zeke would already be safely in the Four Seasons Castle.
Fainan shook his head at Zeke. “To deceive the lord of Valdek right in the heart of his own territory… Your courage knows no bounds, Master.”
“He started the trickery; I just returned the favor.”
Then Gelion asked Zeke, “But, my lord, how did you really make that bullet?”
Zeke pulled a bullet from his pocket. “This one?”
He flicked it with his fingers, letting it drop into Gelion’s palm.
With a sly smile, he said, “Let’s just say it’s my own unique technique.”
The bullet contained nothing but ‘compressed air.’
Inspired by Fainan’s comment about the compressed air in the dark elf’s spearhead, Zeke had come up with the idea.
When struck by the firing pin, the compressed air would explode, propelling the bullet forward.
Even if they discovered the bullet’s secret, current technology couldn’t stabilize the compressed air inside.
Only Zeke, who could manipulate the four elements with his elemental sword, could achieve such a feat.
“With this, there’s no risk of the technology leaking to Siemens.”
Zeke stretched his legs, enjoying the plush cushions of the luxurious carriage.
The carriage sped smoothly towards Atlas, escorted by Valdek’s knights.