“Boom!!!”
A blinding flash of fire erupted from the tip of the strange shell, instantly illuminating the entire courtyard. A powerful force expanded outwards, blowing dust and sand from the makeshift sandbag wall. Everyone instinctively ducked their heads. After the brief roar, the courtyard fell silent, save for the low idle of Ludwig’s Armored Knight’s engine and a pungent smell lingering in the air.
Seconds later, people cautiously peered out from behind their cover. Through the smoke, they saw the massive white armor plate still standing perfectly intact.
It failed? This thought simultaneously crossed the minds of most people present.
“I knew it…” A voice, belonging to one of the artillery officers, shook his head in disappointment. “Just wishful thinking.” Even Andrei of the International Brigades, the chemistry professor, and the workers looked disappointed.
Only Morin showed no sign of disappointment. Instead, he wore a confident smile. He had heard the familiar system alert ring in his ear.
[‘Technology’ entry unlocked, please check immediately]
When Morin opened the Cheat Code interface according to the prompt, he saw that one of the question-marked tabs on the left had changed to ‘Technology.’ After clicking it, there was only one main category, [Military Technology], and currently, only one item under it: ‘Hollow Charge Anti-Tank Round (HEAT).’ Below it was a small line of text: Can be improved.
“Lieutenant Colonel, go take a closer look.” Morin’s voice finally broke the silence.
Ludwig, still in his cockpit, also assumed the test had failed. He was about to toss the useless piece of metal away, but hearing Morin’s instruction, he reluctantly jumped out of the cockpit. However, as the smoke cleared and he got a clear view of the armor plate, he froze.
Right in the center of the seemingly intact armor plate was a small, inconspicuous hole. The hole was only the size of an Imperial copper Pfennig (penny), its edges incredibly smooth. The surrounding metal showed signs of having been melted and then solidified by extreme heat, still faintly glowing red.
Th-this is… Ludwig’s mind went blank. He slowly knelt down, gently touching the edge of the hole with his gloved finger. A scorching heat clearly transmitted through the glove to his fingertip.
Morin: “Careful, Lieutenant Colonel, it’s hot!”
Ludwig barely heard Morin. His attention was fixed on the other side of the hole. A beam of light was piercing straight through the small opening.
“Holy hell, it actually went through…” Lieutenant Colonel Ludwig, usually a picture of elegance and often cited as the model nobleman, couldn’t help but curse.
The main armor plate of the Order of Garter Knights’ premier Armored Knight had been cleanly pierced from the front by this strange, hand-fabricated device?! How was this possible?!
Ludwig snapped his head around, staring at Morin with eyes that looked at him as if he were a monster. His lips trembled. He wanted to speak, but his throat felt clogged, unable to utter a single word.
Everyone present could now see the ‘wound’ on the armor plate. Shock, euphoria, disbelief… A storm of complex emotions flashed across every face.
Then, they erupted into deafening cheers!
“It worked! We did it!”
“My God! It really punched through!”
The workers and old artillerymen embraced each other, crying and laughing with excitement. The chemistry professor from West-Lucia adjusted his glasses, murmuring, “Unbelievable… learning truly is boundless, boundless…”
Amidst the noise and ecstasy, Ludwig finally found his voice. He charged over to Morin, grabbed his shoulders, and violently shook him.
“Swear to the Emperor’s name… Morin! What kind of magic is this?! Are you secretly a Grand Mage in disguise?!”
As a man of noble birth who had received the most orthodox chivalric education, Ludwig’s world was built on clear rules. On one side stood the steel and courage of mortals; on the other, the mysterious magic controlled by Mages, requiring talent and lineage. There was an unbridgeable chasm between the two.
But today, Morin and his hastily assembled team had used a pile of scrap metal and explosives to create a weapon that could threaten the most elite Magitek creation. This completely shattered his worldview.
Morin didn’t answer the question. His gaze went past Ludwig’s shoulder to the ordinary people cheering—the Saxon artillerymen, the International Brigades workers, the intellectual from West-Lucia. Their faces were filled with the same pure joy and hope. They came from different places, held different identities, and pursued different beliefs. But right now, they were united, their faces radiating a singular emotion: hope.
Morin suddenly smiled. It was a genuine, effortless smile. He looked into Ludwig’s wide eyes and slowly shook his head.
“No, Lieutenant Colonel.”
“This is not magic.” Morin’s voice was low, yet it clearly cut through the surrounding noise. He freed himself from Ludwig’s grip, turned, and pointed to the diverse group of people marveling at the armor plate.
“This is not magic,” Morin repeated.
“This is his knowledge,” he pointed to the glasses-wearing chemistry professor.
“This is his technique,” he pointed to the workers with calloused hands.
“This is their precision and experience,” he gestured to the relieved veteran artillerymen.
Finally, his gaze returned to Ludwig’s face, a bright, unprecedented smile on his own. “And it is your courage to take a risk, Lieutenant Colonel.”
“This is science, Lieutenant Colonel. It is a power that does not rely on mysterious bloodlines or divine grace—it is a power that any ordinary person, willing to learn and practice, can master.” He paused, allowing everyone present time to process the revolutionary meaning of his words. He looked at them—the ragtag workers, the grease-covered soldiers, the bookish intellectuals—and saw the light of ‘epiphany’ dawning on their faces.
“But in a sense, I suppose it is a kind of magic… the magic that belongs to every one of us!”
This statement, like a giant rock dropped into a calm lake, sent massive ripples through everyone’s hearts.
Ludwig slowly released Morin. His eyes had changed completely. From initial curiosity to admiration, then to astonishment… it finally settled into a complex emotion mixed with profound respect, and perhaps a hint of subtle fear. He fully understood the underlying meaning of Morin’s words.
This device was more than just a weapon. It would change the war; it would change everything in this world.
“Hahahaha! Well said!” A hearty, booming laugh broke the solemn moment. Andrei of the International Brigades strode over, clapping Morin hard on the back with his large hand, causing him to stumble. “That’s a brilliant phrase, ‘The Magic that Belongs to Everyone!’ That’s perfectly put, Comrade Morin! I love it!”
His laughter reignited the atmosphere. The tense silence was replaced by roaring cheers and shouts! The soldiers and workers lifted Morin high into the air, tossing him up. Despair was swept away. The flame of hope, hotter than ever, was rekindled in everyone’s eyes.
“Quick! Mass-produce them! How many more shells do we have? Strip them all down!”
“Molds! Make more molds! Everyone, get moving!”
The makeshift workshop instantly transformed into a frantically running ‘assembly line,’ with a simple but highly efficient process quickly organized. With successful results, their speed only increased.
However, the Royal Army and the Britannians did not leave them much time. Just as everyone was immersed in production, warning whistles suddenly sounded from various parts of the city.
This signaled that the enemy had made a new move.
(End of Chapter 49)