Isekai Nonbiri Nouka-Chapter 934: All-Weather Stronghold Defense Cannon

● Character Refresher

Yoru – A Mercury from Village Four(Sun Castle). Currently stationed as the gatekeeper of the teleportation gate in the hot spring area.

Loves weapons. Gorgeous if she keeps quiet. Gives off secretary vibes.

Kuroyon – Pup of Kuro and Yuki. One of the first four born. Skilled at chess and shogi.

-0-

I headed to the hot spring area to inspect the armory, officially called Yoru’s private storage.

Since it’s a hot spring area, the security detail was composed of about thirty kuros, led by Kuroyon.

I was already thinking that I’d enjoy a nice soak before heading back.

-0-

Yoru greeted me at the hot spring and guided me to her private warehouse.

……

There were a lot of chain-reaction flame bombs and chain-reaction freeze bombs.

Make sure you’re managing all this properly, okay?

Also, there’s a neat row of dismantled catapults and large ballistae. All very clean and organized…

Have the numbers increased?

You made them yourself?

Impressive.

Ah, this must be it.

I see, very well made.

I can spot some new innovations too.

The mountain elves are going to want to compete with this.

Hmm?

What’s with the heavily secured locker in the back?

「Do I… have to show you?」

Just to be sure.

Looking embarrassed, Yoru opened the locker for me.

Inside, the locker was shelved, and on those shelves sat large, bowling ball-sized stones, carefully arranged.

Each stone had a little cushion under it, showing how much care had gone into their storage.

These are…

Oh no, it’s fine. You don’t need to explain which ones fly best from the catapult.

Yeah, they’re nice shapes.

Some were found, others shaped by hand, huh?

I see, I see.

You really love these, don’t you?

Don’t worry, I’m not taking them away.

You can keep storing them just like this.

Let’s treasure them together.

-0-

I soaked in the hot springs and relaxed.

After getting out, I spent some time with the ghost knights, the lion family, and Asura.

It’s good to see everything running smoothly.

Yoru mentioned this before, but do monster or demon beast attacks happen often?

Ah, so they do happen from time to time.

But it sounds like groups of kuros and spiderlings show up regularly to drive them off?

I see.

Kuroyon proudly offered his head, so I gave him a good pat.

Also, whenever a dragon shows up at the hot springs, they just run away on their own?

I see.

Is that something I have to praise you for?

I’m not sure.

-0-

Anyway.

Inspecting Yoru’s private storage was only a secondary objective.

My real goal was to check the armaments from Sun Castle that we won at auction and had delivered here to the hot spring area.

Most of the equipment doesn’t work.

Missing parts, broken components, turns out everything needs serious maintenance and adjustment.

I had assumed the planned test firing in the fall would have to be postponed.

But Yoru is a hard worker.

She managed to get one of them operational.

A large spherical body, big enough for a person to ride inside.

From the engine units on each side, long gun barrels extend outward, and massive drum magazines feed ammunition into the mechanisms.

It looked like an anti-aircraft cannon you might find mounted on a battleship.

The cannon has four thick, short legs, so it can move on its own at a slow pace.

This weapon is called the All-Weather Stronghold Defense Cannon, Daedalus.

Apparently, there’s ammunition for it. Since I wanted to see it in action, we arranged a test firing in an area surrounded on three sides by tall embankments.

That’s what I came here to witness.

Daedalus aimed at the center of one embankment.

A wooden target had been set up there.

The distance… maybe around two hundred meters.

「Are you sure? Can I really shoot?」

It’s fine.

「So this counts as the test shot, and now I won’t be allowed to fire it again?」

No, I won’t say that.

I’m not that petty.

「Then I’m firing!」

Go ahead.

「…Yoru Foguma. Initiating test firing of the All-Weather Stronghold Defense Cannon, Daedalus!」

With those words, Yoru opened the hatch and climbed into Daedalus.

Immediately, the barrels moved and locked onto the target.

「Village Chief. I’ve set you as the highest-ranking commander. Final confirmation. Do I have permission to fire?」

I heard Yoru’s voice from Daedalus, and I gave my permission.

-0-

I had assumed it would fire one shot from each barrel alternately, but I was wrong.

It was rapid fire.

I couldn’t tell how many rounds were fired.

For two or three minutes, maybe even five, the left and right cannons fired in an alternating rhythm, don, don, don, over and over.

The sheer vibration and thunderous noise distorted my sense of time.

The younger kuros, who were guarding me, rushed to surround me in a panic.

That was commendable, but I wasn’t sure how to feel about the way they looked at me, as if asking what to do if that thing were ever turned on us.

Come on, don’t make that face.

There’s no helping it.

At least, that’s what I thought, but Kuroyon and the other older kuros remained calm.

Is that much firepower still manageable for them?

Is the actual power not as intense as the sound suggests?

But the embankment behind the target had been heavily gouged out by Daedalus’s barrage.

Even so, they don’t see it as a threat?

They say they can even swat the shells out of the air.

That’s reassuring.

Also, I’m glad we had it fire in a direction completely unrelated to the village or the hot spring area, just in case a round made it through.

Apparently, some of the shells flew into the forest, causing a commotion among the demon beasts and monsters living there.

My apologies.

A few of them came to attack the hot spring area, but the ghost knights, the lion family, and Asura handled the defense.

That’s a relief.

Kuroyon, please send in some support as well.

Leave a few behind for my protection?

I agree.

I’m counting on you.

Now, Yoru.

What’s wrong?

There’s been no movement since the firing ended.

Is it safe to approach Daedalus?

I was wondering what to do when the hatch slowly opened and Yoru emerged.

「Sorry. I lost consciousness.」

Lost consciousness?

Are you alright?

Was the internal shock worse than expected?

「No. I was just so moved.」

……. freёwebnoѵel.com

「More importantly, what do you think? The energy rounds can’t be fired due to a malfunction, but it can still fire live ammunition like this. Isn’t it beautiful?」

Ah, about that…

The target is still perfectly intact.

I looked at the wooden target that was supposed to be hit.

Yeah, it’s still there.

Yoru looked too and confirmed it.

「Ah… originally, Daedalus was designed to engage distant targets, so at close range, it’s a bit…」

So 200 meters is too close to aim accurately.

「According to the deployment plan, it was meant to fire live rounds in a wide spread with multiple units firing simultaneously.」

I see. So accuracy wasn’t a major concern.

Well, considering it was originally a weapon installed in Village Four, or rather, Sun Castle, long range would’ve been essential.

Are there any rounds left?

Around Daedalus, there were tons of shell casings that had been ejected.

A shell casing is the part of a bullet or shell that holds the gunpowder and other explosive materials. The ones scattered here were about the size of two-liter bottles.

「Unfortunately… they’re all used up.」

So now it’s just a hunk of metal?

I remember seeing empty casings like these at the auction, but there weren’t any with actual warheads attached, right?

「No, it’s fine. We can just make more.」

More?

Wait, don’t tell me the shells fired just now were handmade?

「Ever since I found Daedalus listed at the auction, I’ve been making the shells little by little before bed.」

That’s some serious dedication.

「The design is simple. The warheads are just carved stones, and the casings can be produced at Village Four’ canning factory. After that, it’s just a matter of fitting in a small mechanism and the explosive powder.」

R-right…

「I sourced the missing materials through the Goroun Company.」

Ah, well, I don’t mind that, but….

Make sure the ammunition and its materials are strictly managed.

Accidental explosions are terrifying.

「Of course. I’ll tighten the controls even more.」

Good. I’m counting on you.

By the way…

「Yes?」

I pointed at the still-open hatch of Daedalus.

Mind if I climb in?

「There are no rounds left, you know?」

No, I’m not saying I want to fire it. I just want to get a feel for what it’s like inside.

I figured it might be similar to a vehicle.

Also, the seat inside is handmade, covered in leather.

There wasn’t a proper chair when it was won at auction, so Yoru probably made it herself.

I’m curious how it feels to sit in.

「…………」

Is it not allowed?

「N-no, it’s not that, but right now, um… it’s a little…」

Hm?

「Due to the heat discharge from the cannon, the interior is extremely hot…

Originally, there were magic tools for heat management and ventilation, but those seem to have been removed.」

So in other words?

「It smells very strongly of my sweat…」

My apologies.

I’ll wait for another time.

The next test firing day is fine.

TN: Incoming “Jokes on you I’m into that shit” comments.

「Understood. I hope you’ll try shooting it then, too. I’ll have rounds ready for you.」

Keep it a reasonable amount, though.

「Reasonable?」

Uh, how many rounds were fired in this test?

「Just over two hundred.」

Then maybe… twenty?

「Let’s go big. Two thousand.」

……

「It’s fine. I can make them.」

You’re not just testing Daedalus, right? You’ll be testing other weapons too?

「I will. But it’s alright. I’ll make enough.」

……

「Once I make them, I feel like I have to fire them, you know?」

That’s not a mindset suited to defensive weapons.

Bell must’ve had a tough time.

「I won’t deny we argued a lot.」

I see.

Well, let’s discuss the number of rounds later.

You’ll need to check the other weapons and decide which ones are worth repairing and testing too.

「Understood. There are a few I recommend. I’ll fix them before the test day, so please look forward to it.」

Fine, but next time, tell me the firepower beforehand.

It’s a problem if every weapon ends up tearing through our safety banks.

「What are you talking about, Village Chief? They’re all like that.」

……

Maybe I was a little too quick to agree to these tests.

-0-

Isekai: 「Sci-fi falls under the isekai category」

Nonbiri: 「You can’t just forget the worldbuilding, you know」

Nouka: 「When they say plowing the fields, I don’t think they meant with artillery fire」

-0-

In the past, at Sun Castle

Yoru: 「I want to fire it, I really want to fire it, let’s fire it!」

Bell: 「Unfortunately, there are no enemies」

Yoru: 「Then let’s make some enemies」

Bell: 「Yoru, you seem tired. I’m ordering you to take a break」

Yoru: 「What!」

-0-

When Yoru woke up

Yoru: 「Huh? Daedalus is gone? Where’s my Daedalus?」

Bell: 「It seems it was sold off. Also, that wasn’t yours」

Yoru: 「…………………………」

Bell: 「Yoru? Are you alright? Ah, no, this won’t do. Back into the maintenance tank you go!」

-0-

Those who acquired Daedalus

Noble A: 「Can’t get any ammo. Let’s just strip it for useful magic tools and sell it off」

Merchant: 「What is this thing? The only thing of value might be the chair」

Noble B: 「It’s an object that carries a sense of history…」

-0-

The power of Daedalus isn’t enough to affect Ancient Dragons. It doesn’t work on Ancient Devils either. Not even effective against the spiderlings.

Yoru: 「I-If we could just get our hands on official warheads…」

Bell: 「Even so, the spells cast by decent mages pack more punch, don’t they」

Loo: 「I think kuro horns are way more powerful…」