Chapter 79
“Hmm… It can’t be a liquid.”
Alken thought as he looked at the boiling cauldron.
It had been months since he started making a gun.
The key was creating bullets that could explode.
From the way the trigger activated the explosion, it seemed that the detonation was caused by physical impact on a localized area.
In the end, if he could create a substance that would cause an explosion within the bullet, he could consider his work successful.
The problem was that he had no idea what that substance could be.
“It’s not a liquid, and containing a gas without magic is unrealistic… then it must be a solid.”
As he continued his research, Alken began to think that this might be an impossible task.
But whenever such thoughts arose, Alken recalled Riot’s interview.
-“In my view, this game feels more real than reality. The world of Hidden Attack is not magic. It’s brutal reality.”
He had clearly stated that no magic was used.
This meant it was something that could be made without magic.
“But how would Riot know if guns could actually exist in reality when he’s just creating illusions?”
From another perspective, Riot was just an illusion mage.
How could he possibly know whether or not guns could be made in the real world?
Alken shook his head to clear his thoughts and resumed his alchemical work.
Above all, he had a gut feeling that it would work.
That strong intuition was there.
As an alchemist, he wanted to prove his pride.
“If it’s neither gas nor liquid, then it’s a solid. And… powder form would be the most useful. That way, it would have a larger surface area and seem likely to cause a bigger explosion.”
This idea stemmed from the observation that fires spread more easily in a dry atmosphere with scattered dust particles.
The finer the particles, the better they transmitted flames.
This was an intuition Alken had developed through his extensive experience in alchemy.
In modern terms, it might be considered science, but Alken was inching closer to the answer purely through experience.
One day.
“This combination doesn’t work either… Hmm…”
As he experimented with various combinations, Alken had just powdered a new substance.
Nearby, a cauldron filled with all sorts of materials bubbled away.
“Will it work this time…?”
With a sigh, Alken scooped out a small amount of powder.
Over time, he had found a few substances that caught fire or caused minor explosions.
But those reactions were universal to most materials.
None of them had the explosive force needed to implement a gun.
Even when compacted into small bullets, their performance was unimpressive.
This was his 79th attempt.
He jotted down the mixture in his notebook and prepared to head outside.
It was safer to conduct experiments outdoors to avoid damage in case of an explosion.
But then—
“Ha-choo!”
A sudden sneeze overcame Alken.
“Ah, ah… ah-CHOO!”
With his sneeze, the powder scattered everywhere.
And in that instant—
BOOM!
A tremendous explosion rocked Alken’s house.
“Ahhhhhhhhhh—!”
Fortunately, Alken had been wearing a protective robe, a costly investment he had made long ago, enchanted with defensive magic.
It was an essential item for alchemists.
One of his ears was ringing, but that was a minor concern.
“It worked… It worked!!!”
He had succeeded in creating “gunpowder.”
“It… it worked, but…”
The explosion had destroyed everything, including his house.
“Well, that’s a problem.”
Still, success was success.
After a moment, Alken collected the burned remains of his belongings, including game artifacts, from the ruins of his house.
As long as he had his formula and the game, nothing else really mattered.
He hadn’t owned much to begin with.
Alken decided to head to a fellow alchemist’s house, where he often played games.
He planned to stay there for a few days to refine the substance and craft a gun.
“But what would I do with it once it’s made?”
He paused to ponder before leaving.
He had no intention of killing anyone, and selling weapons recklessly would violate international law.
“I’ll figure that out later.”
It was a problem for the future.
For now, the certainty that alchemists would become a promising profession was enough to lift his spirits.
Feeling upbeat, Alken cheerfully made his way to his friend’s house.
But his joy and worries didn’t last long.
“Is the alchemist who caused the explosion near the Poho Forest here?”
Not long after, soldiers from the Kingdom of Franken came to the house where Alken was staying.
“Wh-what?”
“There you are. Come with us.”
“What? Wait, what?”
And just like that, Alken was taken into custody by the kingdom’s soldiers.
The case was straightforward.
Hearing the explosion, a resident had reported it to the guards, but the site had been deserted.
Because Alken had been openly declaring his plans to make a gun throughout town, the guards quickly identified him as the alchemist trying to create firearms.
After a little more investigation, they found his residence.
“Are you the alchemist who claims to be making a gun?”
Surprisingly, it was the king himself who had ordered Alken to be brought to the palace.
The king was also a Hidden Attack player.
He enjoyed venting his frustrations against the Empire through the intense gameplay.
Moreover, the King of Franken had a different thought.
If he could possess this “gun”…
And if he could build an army equipped with such weapons…
Then the knights who wielded swords would be easily subdued.
Life had improved under international law, but the long-standing grievances among the kingdoms remained.
If most kings were given a chance to overthrow the Empire, they would seize it without hesitation.
“Y-yes, that’s correct.”
Alken trembled as he bowed his head and answered.
For a commoner like him, meeting royalty was unimaginable.
All he could do was quiver in fear, utterly unaware of what was to come.
“Raise your head.”
“T-that is…”
“Raise your head.”
Alken raised his head while remaining prostrated.
“Is it true that you created a gun?”
“I-I haven’t created a gun yet, but I have managed to develop the materials for the bullets.”
“So the reported explosion was caused by that?”
The minister standing beside him nodded.
The royal family had been secretly pouring efforts into the development of firearms.
That was why news about someone like Alken reached the ears of the king.
“Impressive. To think that a mere alchemist could achieve what the scholars of the royal court could not. Alchemist, you shall work in the royal palace.”
“E-excuse me?”
“We will spare no support. Create the gun. You shall be greatly rewarded.”
And so, Alken unexpectedly became a royal scholar.
A generous salary, warm meals, and a comfortable bed.
There was no reason to refuse.
After several weeks of research within the palace, Alken gradually grew accustomed to life in the royal court.
He even began to make friends among the palace staff.
Before that, as a commoner from a rural village, he hadn’t been able to utter a word in such a setting.
Now, having acquainted himself with a few people, he managed to hold conversations with the palace workers.
A few weeks later, curiosity led him to ask one of his fellow scholars:
“By the way, why does His Majesty wish to create a gun? Is he a huge fan of ‘Hidden Attack’?”
“Huh… As expected of someone from a common background, you really know nothing. Well, you’ll find out sooner or later. It’s obviously for ‘war.'”
“W-war, you say?”
“Yes. Tell me, can you take down a sniper in ‘Hidden Attack’ with a dagger? Of course not. If we had guns, we could easily defeat even the Empire’s knights.”
“Then that means…”
“It’s about paying them back for all we’ve suffered. That’s what His Majesty intends to do. ‘Hidden Attack’ has brought about a new wave.”
“And the Magic Tower will just sit idly by?”
“Magicians have no interest in political matters.”
Could Riot, when creating the game, have predicted such consequences?
Considering his interviews, it seemed unlikely.
From that night, and on many nights thereafter, Alken found himself unable to sleep, lost in thought.
Of course, war would break out.
It could potentially alter the order of the continent.
If that happened, countless people would perish.
Although Alken had never experienced war, even he could comprehend that.
“Because of the gun I created…”
Countless people would die.
All because he created a gun.
The thought of that future made it unbearable for Alken.
“This is…”
After spending sleepless nights pondering, Alken made a decision.
He couldn’t bear it anymore.
“Where are you off to so early in the morning?”
Alken set out early in the morning, leaving the capital.
“I urgently need some materials.”
“Looks like you’ve pulled another all-nighter for your research.”
The guard let Alken through without suspicion.
After all, as a commoner, it was common for him to personally fetch materials for his experiments.
But this time, Alken left the capital, traversed mountains, and traveled far beyond.
In complete secrecy.
He didn’t use a carriage either, as it might increase the risk of getting caught.
He simply wanted to live as an ordinary citizen.
To practice alchemy moderately and enjoy the rest of his time playing games.
The thought of people dying because of him was intolerable.
He journeyed for several days and nights until he reached Trinity.
***
“So, that’s why you came to see me?”
“Yes, that’s correct, Riot. Since magicians remain strictly neutral in such matters, I thought you, as the creator of ‘Hidden Attack,’ might have an idea.”
After hearing Alken’s story, I leaned back in my chair.
I had anticipated someone would eventually create a gun.
The royal family had been fervently researching it as well.
However, this world’s reliance on magic had stunted the development of basic science.
Creating a gun without magic would take an incredibly long time—or so I had thought.
Even now, the royal court had no clear direction for firearm development. (I wouldn’t be of much help either since I didn’t know the scientific principles.)
Alken’s accidental creation of gunpowder must have been sheer coincidence.
He likely discovered it without even knowing the elemental composition of the materials.
“Hmm…”
Indeed, allowing a single kingdom to monopolize firearms would be disastrous.
If firearms were secretly developed further, it could lead to large-scale wars.
The only possible countermeasure might be the royal court’s magic. However, their skills were inferior to those in Trinity.
“War will inevitably break out. That much is certain.”
The rapid progress in firearm research, driven by the existence of someone like Alken, was beyond my expectations.
Naturally, I didn’t desire war either.
Perhaps this was the unpredictability of human affairs.
Still, I had given this potential scenario some thought.
“Then, does the Kingdom of Franken already possess firearms?”
“No, not yet. They’ve managed to create bullet materials and partially construct gun mechanisms. However, methods like ensuring a powerful shot from a simple trigger, as in ‘Hidden Attack,’ remain elusive.”
“I see. Bullets consist of metal balls, gunpowder, and a detonator, correct? Ah, I named the explosive material ‘gunpowder,’ and the detonator is the part within the bullet that ignites the explosion. I’m not entirely sure about the details, but striking the bullet’s detonator creates a spark, which ignites the gunpowder, causing a powerful explosion.”
At that point, Alken’s expression lit up with realization.
“That principle… If applied, guns could indeed be made easily.”
“Exactly. Which means the kingdom might…”
“Yes, they could wage war.”
“But that’s exactly what I want to avoid. If people die because of me…”
“But it’s inevitable now. Someone else would create it eventually.”
“Then…”
After a moment of contemplation, I spoke.
Alken, clearly worn out from his mental anguish, appeared gaunt, his limbs revealing bone and sinew.
Would Einstein have suffered similar anguish if he had known in advance that his inventions would lead to countless deaths?
Perhaps he, too, might have chosen not to create them, like Alken.
Yet another truth remains: Einstein’s discoveries also propelled humanity forward in many ways.
Ultimately, it all comes down to how it’s used.
“Create it here. The gun. And document everything about gunpowder.”
“What?”
“And then, distribute it to all nations. Ensure that every country can possess firearms.”
“What?! Did you even listen to what I said…”
Alken jumped up, startled by my suggestion.
But there was no other solution.
“Don’t worry. The outcome you fear will not come to pass.”
Shortly after, a revolution began in the world.
—
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