I said in answer to the question I had been thinking about since my return,
“I will hand over all firearms to the Imperial Palace.”
His mouth twitched in confusion at my answer, then he adjusted his monocle and said, “But what about His Majesty the Emperor...”
“Well, there is no doubt that His Majesty will not like firearms.
But that is because he has not encountered firearms yet.”
The power of the firearms I experienced before my return was enormous.
I easily defeated many skilled warriors without using any sword.
Therefore, I planned to put those firearms under my control and supply them to the Imperial Palace.
The Emperor's concern was that we could not completely control firearms.
However, if I had previously seized firearms in the Imperial Palace, this worry would be diminished.
Furthermore, creating firearms at the level I require would require significant time and effort from multiple people.
If that were the case, mass production to deliver large quantities to other places would be difficult.
Well, in this case, the leaks would likely be minimal, and at least the chances of a successful rebellion would be reduced.
Of course, once mass production becomes possible, this strategy may not work.
However, this was not an immediate concern.
At least until I die, mass production will not be possible.
My main goal was to survive the rebellion and ensure the survival of my child.
Planning events beyond this was the ruler's responsibility.
I turned to Barakeel and continued my speech.
“You don't have to worry about impressing the Emperor, that's my job.
Just craft the firearms perfectly to present to the Emperor.”
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
Barakil stared at the princess blankly.
'Honestly, when the princess arrived, I was thinking of sending her away...'
But a million gold is a huge amount.
Enough money to travel anywhere and do any research he wanted for the rest of his life.
In addition, the opportunity to educate the Emperor on the benefits of firearms, and deliver many of them to the Imperial Palace.
It was an opportunity to revive alchemy after it had been forgotten.
'Honestly, it was a tempting offer for anyone.
But...'
He quickly glanced at the princess.
She was beautiful even in his eyes, with her finely sculpted forehead against her white face that contrasted with her black hair.
However, behind her delicate appearance, she seemed to be hiding a dangerous determination, similar to the poisonous sting that had been directed at his neck moments ago.
'Yes, I can't trust her easily'
She was none other than the daughter of the Emperor, who flatly rejected firearms.
At least until he understood the princess's motives, selling firearms recklessly was out of the question.
He addressed the princess, saying, "Honestly, I don't understand.
Why do you want to return firearms to the palace when the Emperor strictly controls them?"
The princess replied indifferently:
“Previously common firearms, such as fuse guns, were fired after being lit.
They were powerful, but had great recoil, were prone to misfires, and became ineffective when wet.”
Speaking freely of firearms, which seemed unfamiliar to her, the princess quickly raised her lips.
“The rifles and pistols I made are easier to use and more convenient to carry than fuse guns.
In addition, they do not lose their effectiveness when wet, and even a woman of weak physical strength can use them easily once she learns how.”
Barakil was very impressed.
Her careful analysis of the merits of newly developed firearms was the response he had hoped for from the Emperor.
'I...did I want recognition for my achievements?'
For a moment, his expression turned serious.
'If she thinks I'll be convinced with just words, she's wrong.'
Currently, the Empire does not welcome new firearms.
What if they found out he secretly sold a gun to the princess?
There may be a backlash against chemists, which could lead to persecution.
There is no evidence anyway.
He clearly responded to the princess’s request to sell firearms with a categorical “no.”
Therefore, there is no evidence, and there will be no consequences.
Barakil regained his composure and expressed the concerns raised by the Emperor.
“His Majesty expressed his concerns about the new weapons, considering them a waste of the budget and a potential danger.”
If the Emperor was mentioned, the Princess might change her mind.
Therefore, the only acceptable answer for the princess was:
“That's right.
His Majesty is right.
Currently, the army has a stockpile of conventional weapons, and with conscription implemented, there is a risk of new weapons being exported to the citizens of the empire.”
In response, Barakel laughed with a sarcastic smile and said:
“So, how do you plan to convince His Majesty to bring firearms worth a million gold to the palace?”
Reveal your true intentions and what your plan is.
As Barakiel stared at the princess, her red lips parted.
“I plan to supply the Center Knights with new weapons, not for the army, but for the Center Knights.”
At the princess's reply, Barakil at first made an expression as if he had been hit on the head.
Then he asked: “Knights of the Center?”
“Yes, the Knights of the Center are individuals of high status, and maintaining order within the palace and the imperial capital is their duty, so there is no need to worry about weapons leaking outside.”
“But don’t they mainly use swords?
They use crossbows for ranged attacks.”
“So, they have to carry both.”
Barakil was silent at the princess's immediate response.
She shrugged her shoulders and continued talking.
“Then, wouldn’t they welcome a weapon that is easy to carry and capable of both long and short-range attacks?
Moreover, its power is enough to penetrate armor, so there is no need to say more.”
“….”
Barakeel was stunned and racked his brains, searching for a response.
But, without giving him a chance to speak, the princess continued her speech resolutely.
“If we equip the center’s knights first and verify their effectiveness and comfort, can’t we then replace the army’s weapons?”
“However… isn’t there a risk of diversion?
Moreover, civilians may also need firearms.”
As one moved further away from the capital, monsters and demons would appear frequently.
So, civilians were using bullets made of silver to confront the monsters using old and uncomfortable firearms.
Now, what will the princess say?
This time, he hoped she would be left silent, but she answered again, this time as a stream of clear water.
“Long-range weapons should be limited to the military, and civilians should be carefully vetted before they are distributed.”
“But what if, by chance, you become harm to the empire...”
He had to stop the princess somehow.
With this idea, Barakil almost intervened.
“The weapons you create are wonderful inventions.
If we continue to ban them without careful consideration, the Empire will eventually fall behind in development.
That is why I have come to you.”
Barakil, surprised by the unexpected praise from the princess, pursed his lips before looking at her.
“Are you really planning to equip the Central Knights with my weapons?
It will take time to learn them from scratch, right?”
“Yes, it may take time to master its use, but the training period is still shorter than swordsmanship.
Isn’t that an advantage?”
There is a difference between sincere praise and superficial flattery.
After hearing the princess's sincere compliment, Barakiel felt the resentment that had built up inside him dissipate.
Although I called it reckless, it doesn't seem completely illogical...
But he stiffened at her next words.
“First, the prototype I presented to my father had very high recoil, and had a very slow rate of fire.
In addition, it lacked stability, which led to unintentional misfires.”
The princess then expressed her concerns.
“I hope you can improve these aspects.”
After the emperor's rejection, Barakil secretly devoted himself to developing firearms, focusing on reducing recoil and increasing rate of fire.
However, the results were still inconsistent, and he was gradually feeling exhausted.
'Now you want me to add stability?'
When he was astonished by the large number of requests, a sarcastic voice crept in.
“A moment ago, you were very confident, and now you seem insecure.”
Barakiel got angry, and unwittingly stared at the princess.
At that moment, her violet eyes met his.
“I guarantee you that.
You will undoubtedly make an excellent gun – a weapon that even a delicate woman can use to protect herself in case of danger.”
Gradually, the intensity of her violet eyes softened.
“I believe in your skills”
Barakil shuddered, surprised, and looked blank.
“Do you believe in me, Princess, Emperor’s daughter?”
When he said no, Cornelia slammed a check on the table.
“Two hundred thousand gold as a down payment.
Consider it a contribution to development costs.”