The Regressed Mercenary’s Machinations

Chapter 375

Fenris’ production facilities were already nearing completion even before Ghislain departed to face Delmud. Particularly, the potion brewing facilities and the magic research labs had been established for quite some time, leaving no need for additional large-scale constructions.

From that point on, the focus was on expanding the existing facilities, which meant that the workload for the dwarves had significantly decreased. Overseeing the construction and management, Galbaric allowed himself a satisfied smile.

“Ah, it feels so rewarding to see this.”

The Fenris territory had developed beyond comparison to its earlier state. Every city was meticulously planned, filled with neatly constructed buildings. The credit for such grandeur undeniably belonged to the dwarves.

Gazing wistfully at the transformed landscape, Galbaric muttered.

“Finally, some time to rest.”

The other dwarves, misty-eyed, nodded in agreement.

“We’ve worked so hard all this time.”

“Yeah, let’s take it easy for a while.”

“Looks like the lord doesn’t have much else for us to build.”

The number of blacksmiths had increased significantly, not to mention the workers. With production running at full capacity, there was no longer any concern about providing the troops with weapons and armor. The same applied to tools and other essentials.

Potion manufacturing was left to the mages, and the dwarves’ primary role was now to oversee operations, maintaining the current level of production.

Back in the workshop, Galbaric and the other dwarves huddled for a conversation.

“We need to keep things steady from here on. Let’s not overextend ourselves. No more massive projects.”

“Exactly. As time goes on, we’ll have even less to worry about. Just make sure to act busy, so the lord doesn’t catch on.”

“We’ll keep up appearances, acting like we’re still swamped with work.”

The dwarves dreamed of a quieter future, complete with just the right amount of feigned busyness to balance the workload. Gone were the days of monumental projects; they simply repeated tasks to keep the territory running smoothly.

Clenching his fist with determination, Galbaric declared, “If we keep this up, we’ll have more free time in a few months. Let’s make sure the lord doesn’t figure it out too quickly!”

“Exactly! He works us too hard as it is. In the end, we’re the ones managing things on the ground!”

“Ha! The lord only looks at production reports anyway. As long as those match up, we’re good!”

Their laughter rang out, reminiscent of a similar conversation they’d had in the past. But suddenly, their chuckling ceased. The dwarves froze, their expressions stiffening.

Noticing their silence, Galbaric asked, “What’s wrong? Why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?”

The dwarves didn’t respond, but Galbaric, experienced and wary, took a deep breath. Someone had crept up beside him and whispered.

“Let’s start something new, my friend.”

“Just kill me.”

“Fiote will keep you alive.”

The dwarves slumped, their shoulders drooping in defeat as they exchanged glances of resignation.

“So, what is it this time?”

“Siege engines.”

“What?”

Galbaric blinked, confused, and asked again, “We already have enough siege engines, don’t we? We looted several from various territories.”

Indeed, Fenris had seized the siege engines from Count Cabaldi’s domain, as well as from the Desmond territories. Their stockpile was the largest in the north, rivaling that of only the greatest lords. These machines were stationed strategically across the fortresses, ready for defensive use.

Ghislain shook his head. “They’re too heavy, too hard to transport, and a pain to assemble. Let’s just use them defensively.”

“Siege engines are meant for offense! Of course, you have to disassemble, transport, and reassemble them.”

“That’s why we need to approach this with a new concept.”

“You’re not planning to make something bigger and stronger, are you? That would make transport and assembly even harder.”

“No, I want to eliminate the flaws of traditional trebuchets as much as possible. I want something mobile.”

Trebuchets were inherently heavy. Lightening them would sacrifice range and destructive power. To throw massive stones effectively, trebuchets had to be both large and sturdy.

Thus, traditional trebuchets were cumbersome, requiring multiple carts for transportation, disassembly, and reassembly. While makeshift trebuchets could be built on-site with local timber, they were fragile and lacked the firepower to breach formidable defenses.

The dwarves, understanding this, scratched their heads.

“Are you asking for a mid-sized trebuchet mounted on a cart?”

Mobile trebuchets did exist, but their limited power and range rendered them impractical, even for field battles. The concept was long abandoned.

Ghislain shook his head. “No. I want a trebuchet that maintains the range and destructive power of a traditional one but weighs less than half as much and is simple to disassemble and reassemble. Something highly mobile.”

“Haha! A trebuchet like that? Sure, why not a miracle trebuchet while we’re at it?”

The dwarves laughed uproariously, thinking Ghislain was joking. But when they glanced at his face, they froze. He was serious.

“…You’re not joking?”

“Nope. Dead serious.”

“That’s absurd! No such trebuchet exists in the world! I’ve never heard of or seen anything like it.”

“Exactly. That’s why we’re going to make it.”

Galbaric was about to protest again when another dwarf hesitantly interjected.

“We have plenty of rune stones, don’t we? If permanent magic circles are impossible, couldn’t we use rune stones to apply lightweight enchantments?”

Creating permanent magic circles required an archmage of at least the eighth circle, and even semi-permanent circles demanded a seventh-circle mage. In Fenris, the only feasible option was utilizing rune stones.

“But we’d need to embed rune stones into every frame, and that would cost a fortune!”

“It’d still be possible.”

While the dwarves brainstormed, Ghislain shook his head. “No. Are we going to spend the cost of building a castle on a single trebuchet? That’s not innovation—that’s throwing money away. It wouldn’t even be scalable.”

“Then it’s impossible. The lighter it is, the less structural integrity it’ll have.”

The main material for trebuchets was wood, whose strength was directly tied to its weight.

“Ebony wood might work…”

Ebony wood, imbued with natural magical energy, was lighter and sturdier than ordinary timber. However, using it was even less feasible due to its exorbitant price and rarity.

Ghislain clapped his hands. “We have something just as good, don’t we?”

“Huh?”

“Galvanium. What’s the problem?”

The dwarves stared blankly. Galvanium, a lightweight yet strong material, could indeed replace wood—but it was still heavy.

“Galvanium is sturdy and light, sure, but that’s compared to steel. At the size needed for a trebuchet, it would still be heavy. It wouldn’t solve the transport problem.”

“That’s where innovation comes in. I’ll give you the foundation—just reinforce it. It’s easier than you think.”

Ghislain had intimate knowledge of such trebuchets, having dismantled and reassembled them countless times in his past life. His experience as a soldier constantly at war had given him firsthand familiarity with nearly every siege weapon on the continent.

“Let me draw it out. It’s simpler than it sounds.”

Ghislain quickly sketched a blueprint for the dwarves. The resulting design looked bizarre—a skeletal framework of thin galvanium beams.

In his previous life, these trebuchets had earned the nickname "Bone Trebuchets" due to their skeletal appearance. Yet their lightweight galvanium frames provided unparalleled mobility and structural resilience.

“This framework,” he explained, pointing at the beams, “is essentially a series of elongated lances. The ends have slots where you can attach the throwing mechanisms.”

When the blade of a spear is removed, it can be fitted with a connector to join it to another frame. Using this method, the spear shafts are connected to form the framework of a trebuchet.

“Oh…”

The dwarves inspected Ghislain’s design with growing intrigue. It initially seemed absurd, but after his explanation, it started to make sense.

While it wasn’t a perfectly detailed plan, the core concept was clear enough. With some refinement, it was entirely feasible. Even the platform to hold stones could be created by connecting multiple spear shafts into a square.

Ghislain, with a confident expression, explained further.
“What do you think? Soldiers can assemble small trebuchets on their own, and the more people you have, the bigger the trebuchet you can build. All they need to do is connect the parts. Stones and counterweights can be sourced locally.”

As the dwarves fully grasped the idea, they felt a shiver run down their spines. This design meant there was no need to transport individual components separately. Soldiers could simply carry spears into battle, assemble them when needed, and transform them into trebuchets.

Each soldier could carry a connector as part of their equipment, and the necessary ropes could double as their belts until required. This was truly a revolutionary weapon that could transform the nature of warfare.

“H-How did you even think of this…?”

Everyone knew the importance of mobility in warfare, but siege weapons and mobility were traditionally incompatible. Armies typically had to rely on specialized units for specific roles.

But if this could be built…

Fenris had already developed portable rations, dramatically expanding its operational range. If this modular trebuchet were completed, they could move swiftly and conduct sieges at unprecedented speeds. Such speed would be unimaginable to their enemies.

This would shatter all existing limitations!

Galbaric trembled as he examined the design. With the materials already available, production posed no issue. It was a groundbreaking idea that could revolutionize strategy and tactics.

“D-Did you come up with this yourself, my lord?”

Ghislain turned his head slightly, muttering, “A legendary blacksmith…”

“Argh! Why did the heavens see fit to create me, Galbaric, only to also create him?” Galbaric cried out in anguish, wrestling with a profound sense of defeat.

Ignoring his lament, Ghislain pressed on.
“Anyway, I can’t draw very well, but you understand the concept, right?”

“Of course. With galvanium available, this is entirely feasible. I’ll reinforce the structure to ensure it can handle the load and be assembled easily.”

New knowledge and technology always excited the dwarves. And if it was something only they could craft effectively, it was even better. They disliked overworking but couldn’t resist their calling.

However, a small issue arose.

“To make these quickly, we’ll need to redirect the blacksmiths and all the galvanium production toward this project. Soldiers’ spears will need to be entirely retooled. Wouldn’t it be a waste to discard what we’ve already made?”

“No problem. Standard spears are still needed. The extras will serve as reserves or be supplied to the citizens and the Crown Prince’s faction.”

“Understood. We’ll shift the territory’s primary production to this project.”

“Good. As always, do it fast and do it right. Got it?”

“Understood…” Galbaric sighed deeply.

And so, the dwarves and Fenris’ blacksmiths began crafting the new trebuchet framework. It wasn’t until after Ghislain’s campaign against the Marquisate of Rodrik that the prototypes were finally ready.

Inspecting the finished models prepared by the dwarves, Ghislain nodded in approval.
“They look solid. Now, let’s train some soldiers in assembly.”

A thousand soldiers were selected and equipped with the new spear shafts and connectors. Over several days, they practiced assembling the galvanium trebuchets.

Finally, the day of the demonstration arrived. Among the territories they had seized, there was a small abandoned fortress that would serve as the testing ground. Ghislain and his closest aides gathered near the site to witness the new weapon in action.

Thud, thud, thud, thud!

At the appointed time, a thousand mounted soldiers appeared. In Fenris, soldiers were trained to switch roles as needed, and riding was now considered a basic skill.

Claude waved at them enthusiastically and called out, “Begin!”

The soldiers, working in teams of 200, began connecting the spear shafts. In mere moments, five medium-sized trebuchets were assembled. Onlookers were astonished at the speed.

“Oh, wow! Incredible!”
“To think they could move so quickly!”
“This weapon will revolutionize the history of warfare!”

As the crowd buzzed with excitement, Galbaric basked in the admiration, proud of his work as the world’s greatest blacksmith.

All that remained was to test the trebuchets’ power. As soldiers loaded stones into the launchers and prepared to fire, Ghislain’s brow furrowed.

One of the trebuchets was… creaking.