By the fifth day of the agreed-upon period, Roland had finally gathered all the materials needed to make gunpowder.
During the electrolysis of saltwater, he made a critical error by using copper strips from Anna's bullet-cutting as electrodes, which dissolved the electrodes and wasted an entire basin of saltwater. To prevent chlorine dissolution during electrolysis, the solution typically used saturated saltwater—salt being a premium commodity at the time. When disposing of the contaminated brine containing copper ion deposits, Roland felt like he'd wasted precious gold coins. The issue was only resolved after replacing the electrodes with carbon rods.
After boiling the remaining caustic soda with water to remove the oil and obtain defatted cotton gauze, he took the leftover caustic soda with him to the chemistry lab.
The esterification of gunpowder was the most crucial step in the production process. While he didn't fully grasp the mechanism, he knew the gauze had to be soaked in a mixed acid solution and then removed once nitration was complete. He had no clue about the exact solution ratios or reaction durations. Roland assigned Kemo to conduct experiments in groups, using hourglasses to control the time. After soaking, the small pieces of gauze were repeatedly rinsed with water and then immersed in a sodium hydroxide solution to neutralize the excess acid. The damp finished product was then transported back to Castle for drying by Wendy.
Using concentrated fuming nitric acid during esterification, most test samples ignited rapidly. The best results were achieved with a single sample of nitric acid soaked in two parts sulfuric acid. After determining the approximate formula, the laboratory initiated mass production. The soaked and washed gunpowder was immediately transported by the First Army's soldiers, leaving even the Chief Alchemist uncertain about the practical use of their creation.
The dried gauze was cut into nail-sized squares by the maids, then packed and shipped to Beipo Mountain, where the final loading was completed in the firing room's backyard. Without automated assembly, this entire process relied entirely on manual labor. The soldiers sat in spaced rows, gently inserting the adhesive-coated gunpowder gauze into the base of the cartridge with wooden sticks to seal the ignition hole. They then poured the granular black powder into the cartridge using a funnel, compacting it layer by layer to ensure each cartridge contained an evenly consistent charge.
The final step is to press the warhead in place. Anna's precision-machined warheads fit the casings with near-perfect precision, requiring only a few gentle hammer taps after manual insertion.
Though the efficiency was slightly lower, it could still produce around a hundred bullets daily. By the sixth day, Carter had finally deployed the fully upgraded weapon. Chief Knight, with his exceptional physical attributes, saw his accuracy dramatically improve after days of intensive practice. His shooting performance was worlds apart from Roland's during military training.
After switching to燧发定装子弹, Carter finally no longer needed to grip the musket with an awkward wrist-swinging stance. As long as the sealing cotton remained intact, the cartridge chamber stayed clean. Moreover, its sensitivity to sparks was several times higher than black powder, ensuring a reliable firing rate.
On the final day, Roland had Carter Lannis practice rapid draw and double-barreled shooting. Even with black powder, the 12mm pistol's recoil was formidable, making it hard to ensure a second shot's accuracy when using one hand. Yet in Roland's plan, this was a desperate counterattack after being accidentally pinned down by the ashes.
Carter will enter the arena with dual firearms. In a close-quarters battle, ten bullets would suffice to determine victory. Should he be engaged in combat early, he can swiftly draw his secondary weapon for counterattack. Roland deliberately chose steel projectiles with minimal deformation to enhance penetration while reducing hollow-punch damage, given the defensive nature of the opponent's weapons. Moreover, constrained by smelting techniques of the era, Ash's Great Sword was most likely forged from raw iron—its exaggerated design offered no quality improvement. The massive iron weapon, lacking proper forging, developed uneven internal stress distribution, rendering it unfit as a shield. Roland considered the Great Sword merely a blank slate weapon, with minimal chance of ricochet unless luck was exceptionally favorable.
Ashes must first get close to Knight to defeat Carter, as this is the inherent disadvantage of cold weapons against hot weapons. Unless one can visually track the bullet's trajectory or dodge bullets instantly, this distance remains an insurmountable barrier.
...
It was not until the evening had fallen that the ashes waited for Maxie to fly back to the room.
"Why are you coming back later and later these days?" she asked, closing the window.
"Lightning, take me to catch some birds," Maxie said, transforming back into human form. She pulled a roasted bird leg from her waist bag, and the aroma instantly filled the room. "I kept this for you." "I've already eaten," Ash shook her head. "Is Lightning the Witch of the Guild of Mutual Aid?" "Hmm," she nodded vigorously. "Her ability is the same as mine—flying—but it's much easier to use." After a pause, she continued, "Ash, do you really have to fight this? I think... they won't follow you, and they're doing just fine here." Ash stood there, speechless, without answering.
"Since I'm already wanting to stay here," Maxi plopped onto the bed, muttering to herself, "the bed's soft and the food's plentiful. I saw Lord set up the dining table in the backyard during lunch, sharing meals with the witches who'd just finished their practice. They were chatting and laughing, and he occasionally chimed in—unlike the fussy demeanor of the other Nobles. In the afternoon, Lightning took me to play Quanta, a card game where two players draw ten cards each and compare them, with the higher score winning. It was hilarious. They even gave me two decks. Ash, would you like to try it? I'll teach you." "No..." Ash shook her head and took a deep breath. She'd noticed Maxi's changes lately, but only now did she realize her thoughts might have been misguided.
Most witches survive in a state of constant dread, with a stable and comfortable home being their sole pursuit. Take Maxie, for instance. Before being accepted by Tilly, she had been hiding in a thatched hut in the capital's slums, curling up in the narrow crevices of roof beams like a true bird, surviving each night. Even when Tilly decided to cross the sea eastward, Maxie kept moving around, contacting witches hidden among the people, never stopping for half a year. Such a peaceful and tranquil life was probably her first time experiencing.
Wasn't she the same? Only after meeting Tilly did she finally live the life she'd never dared to dream of. Accustomed to the palace's tranquil existence, she overlooked the town's significance to these witches—the irresistible allure of a home, which to witches was unparalleled. Their desire to stay and protect this land mirrored her own longing to safeguard Tilly...
If Roland Wimbledon could truly withstand the frenzied God's Punishment army as he claimed, this would undoubtedly be a better choice than the fjords—building a Witch kingdom in an entirely unfamiliar land sounds alluring, but the trials awaiting no one can foresee.
But if he can't resist, should the witches leave?
Ashes' mood suddenly calmed down.
From another perspective, if Tilly couldn't find a place in the fjord, I would likely choose to stand by her side, protecting her until the very end. As the one who gave me my home, she had no reason to leave first.
"Under the Church's constant threat here, we can't withstand God's divine punishment. Border Town's destruction is inevitable." This trial was truly pointless... Yet she resolved to complete it, whether as a warning or a testament.
"What if they block it?" Macey mumbled.
"I hope so too, so I'll help them verify it," Ash said solemnly.
She closed her eyes and prepared herself to give it her all.