Victor's tone was heavier than usual.
"Recently, the banditry in the west has become increasingly rampant. After the sacrifice of the Second Prince, a band of rogue bandits even dared to openly loot our affiliated villages."
He paused for a moment before continuing.
"Their numbers amount to over a thousand. They fight as a mobile force, and even some down-and-out wandering knights have joined their ranks. The bandit team is expanding day by day."
Sophia put down the bottle, her cold face still betraying no emotion.
But inside, she had already begun calculating the costs at lightning speed.
Suppress the bandits?
The Kingdom of Mason only has three hundred soldiers right now!
If I send three hundred men out, even in the lucky scenario where we win and only lose a few dozen, the pension payments alone would make the already unwealthy treasury hit rock bottom. I wouldn't even be able to afford to feed the few people in the palace.
Not to mention, the chances of victory are slim, and the disparity in numbers is vast.
But if we don't suppress them, these bandits will sooner or later strip the farmland—which already can't pay taxes—bare.
The current Kingdom of Mason is like a broken pocket leaking air, and unfortunately, there aren't even many grains of rice left inside that pocket.
"I understand. Let me think," Sophia said coolly.
Victor bowed his head and withdrew.
Her Majesty is so calm. Is she considering which cruel method to use to clean up this scum?
It makes sense. Since Your Majesty already has long-term plans like 'Agricultural Reform', how could she allow a group of ants to jump around on her chessboard?
Meanwhile, in the laboratory of the West Tower.
Irene was stuffing bread sent by a maid into her mouth while pricking up her ears to listen to the maid's muttering.
"Miss Irene, you must not run around blindly. I heard Butler Victor say that the bandits in the west have already started killing people. That bunch of scoundrels doesn't even spare children."
The maid patted her chest in lingering fear while organizing the experiment table.
"If Your Majesty finds out they ruined her important business, I'm afraid that for those bandits, even death will become a luxury."
Irene's chewing motion suddenly stopped.
A chance to perform has arrived!
In her mind, Sophia had only given her 'food and warmth' and 'protection' so far.
As a shut-in who only knew how to do research, if she couldn't demonstrate her value in military affairs as well, then once those three hundred soldiers were dead, her time as the "Chief Inventor" would probably be up.
Although this tyrant seemed terrifying, she hadn't done anything excessive to Irene yet. She had even provided a good research environment, clean clothes, and food.
If the Kingdom of Mason fell, Irene didn't know what would await her in this era.
But she was clear that there wouldn't be a better situation than now.
Moreover, as someone who had received a modern education, she had a natural aversion to bandits who plundered the common people.
But with such a disparity in military strength, how can we win?
Right!
Gunpowder!
I must get that stuff out.
Irene immediately set the bread aside and rushed to the blueprint she had drawn into a mess, her eyes flickering with a fanatical light.
She began to bustle about in the laboratory, and with Sophia's special permission, she found a few helpers.
First, she needed saltpeter.
Although this world lacked a large-scale chemical industry, potassium nitrate could be extracted from the damp corners of the palace walls and the crystals near the latrines.
She ordered the guards to collect a large amount of white crystals and began recrystallization purification.
Even with limited equipment and limited materials, the genius inventor Irene was not one to have an undeserved reputation.
Next was sulfur.
Fortunately, there was a dormant small volcanic crater within the territory of the Kingdom of Mason, which was rich in sulfur.
However, in the eyes of the locals, this stuff was just an alchemy byproduct used to drive away poisonous insects; few people could stand the smell.
Finally, charcoal.
Irene personally selected willow wood with uniform texture and subjected it to high-temperature smoldering in sealed clay pots.
"15 : 2 : 3."
Irene stared at the markings on the scale. This was the black powder ratio she had memorized by heart in her previous life.
When those black powders were mixed together and ignited by sparks from a safe distance—
Fwoosh!
A bright flame burst forth, accompanied by thick smoke.
Watching this scene, Irene wasn't afraid in the slightest. Instead, she put her hands on her hips and laughed like a villain.
The maid responsible for tidying the laboratory slowed her breathing upon seeing this.
She didn't know if it was an illusion, but the way Miss Irene laughed reminded her of Her Majesty's demeanor.
Both were equally awe-inspiring and terrifying.
"In this era of cold weapons, this is a miracle."
Immediately afterward, Irene drew a blueprint for an extremely crude firearm.
In fact, it couldn't really be counted as a gun in the modern sense at all, but rather a muzzle-loading smoothbore matchlock musket.
A rough barrel and a simple matchlock firing mechanism. Yet, for the blacksmiths of this era, this was a concept akin to a book from heaven.
When Sophia received Irene's secret report, she was sighing over the empty treasury ledger.
"Your Majesty, this is the 'Three Hundred Man Bandit Suppression Plan' submitted by Miss Irene."
Victor presented a stack of blueprints, his eyes shining.
No wonder Your Majesty isn't anxious at all. It turns out she had already discussed countermeasures with the inventor lady.
Sophia took the blueprints. Looking at the tubular object and the mixing formula drawn on them, her pale golden pupils contracted slightly.
Black powder!
And a simple musket?
This girl moves way too fast, doesn't she?
But Sophia did not show any surprise. She simply handed the blueprints to Victor, her tone calm.
"Let the blacksmiths in the Royal City make them."
"Remember, manufacture them in batches."
"The first group is only responsible for casting this type of steel pipe. The second group makes the wooden stocks. The third group makes the screws for this part. The fourth group..."
"Finally, inside the palace, you will personally supervise the assembly."
Hearing these words, Victor felt a chill in his heart.
As expected of Her Majesty.
This assembly-line method of split production not only guarantees efficiency but, more importantly, completely prevents technology leaks.
Even if some of the blacksmiths rebel, or are even captured by neighboring countries and tortured for a confession, they can only describe a meaningless iron pipe production process.
Is Your Majesty's mind already this deep at such a young age?
Half a month later.
The Royal Palace Drill Ground. The surrounding walls had been raised by several meters, and the outside was strictly guarded by Sophia's three hundred most trusted soldiers.
The first batch of simple muskets, named "Mason Type I," was delivered.
Sophia stood on the high platform, looking at the rows of soldiers below holding weapons that looked like fire pokers.
She didn't actually have high hopes for the range and accuracy of this thing. As long as it could scare off the bandits and keep her three hundred "security guards" from dying, she would thank the heavens.
"Your Majesty, please watch."
Irene stood to the side, rubbing her hands in excitement, her naturally large blue almond eyes written full of anticipation.
A soldier took aim at a heavy wooden target fifty paces away.
BOOM!
A loud noise, and white smoke instantly filled half the drill ground.
Powerful kinetic energy carried the lead ball as it shattered the air, leaving a scorched black hole on the wooden target that was strong enough to withstand heavy crossbows. Splintered wood chips flew everywhere.
Prime Minister Valery and several military officers standing to the side were so shaken by the loud bang that they collapsed directly onto the ground.
"Is... is that thunder sent down by God?"
Valery's teeth were chattering.
He looked toward Sophia.
That teenage Queen still stood with her hands behind her back, standing amidst the thick smoke of gunpowder, her long silver hair blown by the wind.
Facing this terrifying weapon capable of instantly tearing through knight armor, her face didn't even show a trace of surprise. There was only that consistent, despair-inducing indifference.
So that's it. This is Her Majesty's confidence.
Three hundred men?
With this evil alchemy technique named 'Firearm', these three hundred men aren't soldiers—they are simply three hundred Gods of War walking the mortal world!
Three thousand traditional knights, in front of this weapon, would probably just become lambs waiting to be slaughtered.
"Although the range is limited and reloading is slow, this firearm is unheard of and unseen. It can be called a miracle," Valery muttered to himself, his eyes filled with fanatical terror.
"Your Majesty intends to use these three hundred men as a spark to ignite the flames of war across the entire continent."
Sophia, in reality, had her ears ringing from the loud bang.
The sound was too loud! Scared me to death.
Fortunately, I have the 'Poker Face' buff, otherwise my loss of composure would have greatly damaged my majesty as the Queen.
The reloading speed is extremely slow. If the bandits rush fast, won't the soldiers have to use these sticks to club people?
I have to make Irene change it again. At least the sound needs to be quieter, otherwise it's easy to startle the horses. Also, we can't solely rely on firearms during combat.
"Your Majesty, this is just the initial experiment."
Irene leaned over, lowering her voice, her eyes carrying the excitement and fanaticism of scientific research.
"If you are willing to give me more manpower, given time, I can make these three hundred men truly become the nightmare of this continent."
Sophia glanced at the girl who was smiling like a villain and nodded slightly.
Why do I feel like something is a bit off?
________________________________________
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