Chapter 1121

Davis faced a dilemma: he couldn't publicly announce the six-barrel matchlock's existence until it had undergone sufficient testing. Despite Rafael's assurances, a single test was insufficient to confirm its reliability. Rigorous testing was crucial to minimize the risk of barrel explosion before military deployment.

He stood almost transfixed, meticulously examining the matchlock, turning it over in his hands. "No matchstick needed…the convenience is incredible! This allows us to create an elite marksmanship unit, even an ambush unit. With such a weapon, what have we to fear?" He embraced the matchlock, laughing and weeping simultaneously. "Frankly, my current wife would be considered a concubine compared to this! Do I fear her? No, my heart holds a special place for my true first wife—this six-barrel matchlock!"

Rafael chuckled. "Your one true wife? What about the ten-barrel matchlock? The cannon?"

Davis stammered, his lips trembling. "W-what? What cannon? From Nerathia?"

Rafael slowly produced a notebook, mirroring Isaac's earlier action, and handed it to Davis. "Everything's inside. Examine it yourself."

Davis nearly wrenched the notebook from Rafael's grasp, greedily flipping through the pages. He reached the end, finding no blueprints, but a formula for its creation—sufficient for his purposes. "By the heavens…a gift from the gods!" He clutched the book to his chest, overwhelmed with emotion, then embraced Rafael, tears streaming down his face. "Peace is no longer a mere dream! Without war, how can our kingdom fail to thrive?"

Rafael understood his excitement. The six-barrel matchlock's 500-foot range had nearly sent him into shock. With a functioning cannon carriage, nothing could stand in their way. He recalled Everett's account of Adrian's gunpowder experiments, which once blew up his courtyard. In crafting the matchlock, Adrian likely also experimented with a cannon carriage.

The notebook contained some cannon blueprints, though unfinished, suggesting Adrian's design was still evolving. The six-barrel matchlock alone, however, represented a momentous advancement.

"This must remain secret," Davis declared, wiping his tears, his gaze hardening. "Until thorough testing and mass production begin, nobody can know, especially not those treacherous individuals."

Rafael remembered Isaac firing a shot during Yuvan's capture of Violet. Had they seen the six-barrel matchlock? If not, they might have mistaken it for a common matchlock. He needed to ask Isaac about the shot's range. A short range might have gone unnoticed by Wayne, but a longer shot… that could reveal too much.

Rafael and Davis entered the palace to meet the king. Salvador, overwhelmed with speechless excitement, initially focused on Rafael with a mixture of complexity and exhilaration. Perhaps some wariness toward his younger brother lingered. Yet, Rafael's lack of rebellious ambition was evident in his surrender of the matchlock to the Ministry of Defense and its presentation to the king.

Salvador had grown to appreciate working with Rafael. The investigation into Yuvan's private army progressed smoothly, exceeding Jan's capabilities. When Salvador praised him, Rafael modestly described himself as merely "suited for handling tasks," subtly establishing his position.

Salvador felt a slight pang of regret. The cannon's research could take years—three to five, maybe seven or eight—but that hardly mattered; success was inevitable. The six-barrel matchlock alone eliminated the threat of Sandoria or Westhaven's border incursions.

"Reward him—reward him richly!" Salvador exclaimed, exhilarated. "Restore Sage Adrian's title as an honorary monarch!"

"Your Majesty, I advise against restoring Adrian's title… not yet," Davis interjected. "Otherwise, he could be implicated in possessing such a valuable item."