The Count's Gun-Shooting Scoundrel

“Here we are.”

Andrew guided Arthur to the village blacksmith.

Arthur dismounted his horse and looked around.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

The sound of a hammer striking iron and intense heat could be felt, even from the early dawn.

“I'll go in alone. Wait here.”

“Just so you know, his personality is a bit... difficult. You'll have to be understanding, Young Master.”

“Got it.”

Arthur nodded and went inside.

The blacksmith shop was shrouded in steam, making it hard to see ahead.

He walked toward the sound of hammering iron.

The heat grew more intense the deeper he went, and he could hear rough breathing.

Pant, pant, pant.

Hssssss—.

The sound of red-hot iron being cooled in water was heard. Then, a gruff voice followed.

“Who's there?”

“I'm here to see Van.”

“Wait a moment.”

A moment later.

As the steam slowly dissipated, a huge man appeared before him.

His sweat-drenched body was rugged with muscle.

Even standing still, his sinewy muscles, with veins popping out, seemed to writhe as if alive.

His build was such that it wouldn't lose out even when compared to Hellot.

Van frowned upon seeing Arthur.

“What brings you here?”

“It seems you know me.”

“Who wouldn't know the celebrity of Grada.”

Van replied bluntly and opened the door of a large, rectangular object on the wall.

A cool breeze flowed out.

Seeing this, Arthur's eyes widened.

“This is?”

“Do you know what it is?”

“How…”

Arthur approached with a surprised expression and stared at it. It was an object that looked almost identical to a refrigerator.

“Who made this?”

“It's a relic from my grandfather. There are only two in the entire empire. One in the Imperial Palace, and this one here. But you look like you've seen it before.”

A question formed on Van's face.

“Because it's something I've always seen.”

Arthur grinned and looked at Van.

Van looked at Arthur as if he were crazy, then took out a bottle of water and chugged it down.

Then, wiping his mouth with his sleeve, he asked, “Coming to see me at the crack of dawn, it must be something important, right?”

“I need you to make something for me.”

“Go back. I'm not free enough to make toys for a scoundrel.”

Just as Van waved his hand and was about to move back to his workbench, Arthur spoke.

“Wesley told me. He said if I ever needed someone's help, I should go find Van.”

“The Young Master did?”

Van's eyes flashed.

Arthur smirked at the completely different attitude compared to how Van had been treating him.

“Why so surprised?”

“Hmm.”

Van looked at Arthur, thought for a moment, and then said, “I don't know what the Young Master was thinking when he said that, but I still refuse.”

“I'm curious as to why you refuse.”

“Are you really asking because you don't know?”

In an instant, Van's gaze and tone changed.

His eyes were full of hostility, and his speech became informal and sharp.

“What if I'm not the same person I used to be?”

“Don't make me laugh. People don't change that easily.”

“Maybe it's because you just mindlessly hammer away at iron, but your judgment of character seems to be completely off.”

“What did you say?”

Van scowled and glared at him.

He did so for a moment.

‘Huh?’

He hadn't noticed when he only glanced at his face, but now he could clearly feel a difference.

His once emaciated body was now covered in muscle, and above all, his gaze was different.

It wasn't the hazy eyes of someone always drunk, but intense, like the eyes of a beast stalking its prey.

On top of that, an extraordinary aura.

“What happened?”

“You know the situation the domain is in, right?”

“Aren't you uninterested in such things?”

“When it starts to interfere with my enjoyment of life, I can't just stand by, can I?”

“……!”

“You should know what kind of guy I am. I never forgive anyone who messes with me or tries to take what's mine.”

“So, you're going to subjugate monsters or something?”

“I have to. The domain needs to be peaceful so I can act like a scoundrel to my heart's content.”

“You're not wrong, but it's infuriating.”

“I heard there's nothing you can't make. I want you to make a weapon for me to use.”

“I believe I said no?”

As Van scowled, Arthur continued with a hardened face.

“This morning, monsters appeared, and a village was ravaged and burned to the ground.”

“……!”

“If we leave things as they are, the damage to the domain's people will only continue to grow. You wouldn't want that, would you?”

“Hmm.”

Van seemed to think for a moment, then said with a reluctant expression, “Just this once.”

Van handed Arthur a notebook and pen from his workbench.

“Draw what you want.”

“You say that as if you can make anything I draw.”

“Because I always have.”

“It would be a huge embarrassment if you're so confident and then can't make it.”

“Wanna bet?”

Van gave a meaningful smile.

“Name your stakes.”

“If I make it, you take one punch.”

He held up a fist the size of a pot lid to Arthur's face.

Arthur replied with a strange smile.

“In return, if you can't make it, you become my attendant.”

“Do as you please. It's not going to happen anyway.”

Van gestured to the notebook with his chin, a triumphant look on his face.

Arthur went to a nearby chair and sat down.

He seemed lost in thought for a moment, then began to draw something on the paper with a serious expression.

Van leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.

Contrary to his expectation that Arthur would quickly draw and hand it over, Arthur drew for over an hour.

Tired of waiting, Van asked in an annoyed voice, “What on earth are you drawing?”

“I'm almost done.”

About 10 minutes later.

Phew—

Arthur let out a sigh and stood up.

He approached Van and handed him the notebook.

“It took a while to draw it clearly.”

“What the hell do you want me to make?”

Van grumbled as he opened the notebook.

The first page had something similar to a sword drawn on it.

It was a ‘Kukri’, used by Gurkha mercenaries.

However, Van, who had never seen a Kukri before, found it unfamiliar.

The blade was too short to be a 'Bastard sword', and it was too large to be a 'dagger'.

“It has a peculiar shape. What do you call this?”

“Kukri.”

“A Kukri…”

Van turned the page with a meaningful expression.

“……?”

It was an object he had never seen before.

One side was long and thin, looking like a 'lance', but the other side was wide and thick.

However, there was no blade to be found anywhere.

“What is this?”

“Keep turning the pages.”

“Hmm.”

Van shot Arthur a glare and turned another page.

“……!”

His eyes widened, and he continued to flip through the pages.

It was full of things he had never seen in his life.

It wasn't a simple sword, but a blueprint for a complex machine.

“I thought you asked me to make a sword?”

“It's a weapon for me to use. If you look at the last page, there's something that looks like a bead. You can kill enemies with that. The important thing is whether you can make this.”

“Umm…”

Van wore a very serious expression.

The second thing Arthur had drawn was his other self, the ‘CheyTac M200’.

He had drawn it to perform only the basic function of a gun, leaving out all the special features.

He also explained the explosive power of gunpowder and requested a substance or device to replace it.

He wondered if Van could really make this.

Arthur waited silently until Van spoke.

After several minutes had passed.

Van opened his mouth heavily.

“I understand the operating principle. But steel won't be able to withstand the internal pressure.”

“Tell me what you need.”

“Orichalcum would be perfect, but that's impossible to get. I'll need at least Mithril.”

“Is that all you need?”

“I can get the rest.”

“Alright. I'll come back tomorrow.”

As Arthur turned to leave, he added one more thing.

“Don't feel pressured. I'm not expecting you to be able to make it anyway.”

“What did you say?”

Van scowled.

“Still, your willingness to try is admirable, so I'll get you the Mithril.”

“I'll definitely make it and shove my fist in that mouth of yours.”

“You know what happens if you can't, right?”

Arthur grinned and walked out.

Van, fuming, sat down in a chair and began to plan the work, meticulously scanning the notebook.

“This part goes like this, and this part…”

*        *        *

Returning to the castle, Arthur went to find Millerf.

When he told Andrew he needed Mithril, Andrew said Millerf had taken it all a few months ago.

As he entered the room, Millerf, who was reading a book, greeted him with a smile.

“Did you meet Van?”

“He says he needs Mithril. Can you get it for me?”

“I have some left over from my own use. I will give it to Van.”

“Thanks.”

A smile appeared on Arthur's lips.

“I wonder what you asked him to make.”

“Ask him.”

“I suppose I will.”

“And tell Van this. I'm giving him a week. If he thinks he can't make it, tell him to pack his bags and move into the castle.”

“What do you mean by that…”

“There's something like that.”

Arthur left with a meaningful smile.

As he entered the Sparring Arena, Skevin and Hellot were sparring.

When Arthur appeared, the two stopped sparring and bowed politely.

“Did you have a good trip to the village?”

Arthur nodded and asked, “How is everyone doing?”

Hellot answered with a broad smile.

“They can't hide their joy at becoming unbelievably stronger. A full 20 of them have advanced from beginner to intermediate Sword Expert.”

“That's a natural result. They've overcome their limits every time. What about the injured?”

“They are receiving treatment and resting.”

“Tell them to rest well for today. And impress upon them that their current achievements are the result of their own blood and sweat.”

“Understood!”

Hellot answered energetically.

When Arthur shifted his gaze to Skevin, he asked cautiously, “Young Master, um... could you tell me how far the training has progressed?”

“Why the sudden curiosity?”

“I've become curious about how much stronger I can get.”

Skevin looked at him with serious eyes.

Arthur smirked at his reaction.

“So, you've gotten greedy.”

“I think the wall that has been blocking me for so long is starting to crack.”

“C-Captain…”

Hellot's eyes widened.

Skevin's current level was the highest stage of Sword Expert.

The wall he was talking about must mean the barrier to becoming a ‘Sword Master’.

Sword Master!

A level that only those chosen by the gods could reach.

He had always known Skevin's talent was outstanding, but… his presence now felt as immense as a great mountain.

Arthur noticed that Skevin had entered a very important stage.

“How much stronger do you become if you awaken?”

“I will become strong beyond imagination. I expect to become at least ten times stronger than I am now.”

“I can't quite grasp how much that is.”

“It's enough to handle the Orc horde we just fought all by myself.”

“If it's that much, it wouldn't be bad to keep you by my side.”

“Huh? What are you saying…”

Hellot, rather than being surprised by the power of a Sword Master, was flustered by Arthur acknowledging Skevin.

Skevin, on the other hand, smiled brightly.

“I won't be a burden.”

“Good. Just wait a little longer. If that thing gets made…”

For an instant, a chilling light gleamed in Arthur's eyes.

“Because I will make you awaken.”