Published: January 13, 2026
Strengthening the fortress city. This was, in other words, a measure against the new threat: cannons.
What is a cannon? To put it simply, it’s a weapon with a sturdy steel barrel inside which gunpowder is ignited to launch heavy projectiles over long distances. It might sound straightforward, but depending on the gunpowder used, it can easily penetrate stone castle walls. If fired at the center of a lined-up knight order, the result would be unimaginably terrifying.
Even a group clad in full-body armor like heavy infantry, holding large shields, wouldn’t stand a chance against an iron mass hurtling at high speed.
The same goes for magicians. Since it can destroy both ice walls and stone walls, there is no effective defense. To protect the base from such a fearsome weapon, it’s essential to prevent the enemy from using their cannons.
“...Cannons are heavy, so they’re mounted on wheels and pulled by horses, right?”
“Yes. Also, nearby there were horse-drawn carts carrying stone and iron balls.”
Bola and the others from the super strongest mechanical bow unit, who had been examining the damaged cannon and iron balls, pointed and explained. The cannon was larger than expected, with its length over two meters. The iron balls were even bigger than bowling balls.
It looked like not only transportation but even adjusting the firing angle would be quite difficult.
“If I were to make one...”
Muttering to himself, Van began shaping the image in his mind. He would make the wheels larger to handle rough terrain, lengthen the barrel to improve accuracy, and add spiral grooves inside to impart spin to the cannonballs. Depending on the shape of the cannonballs, if the explosion from the gunpowder’s power could be fully transmitted, the cannon should achieve twice the range and power of those used by the Yelinetta Kingdom.
“...Ah, but with this design, the recoil might warp the wheels or frame, right? Okay, I’ll add fixed supports during firing. That should stabilize it for continuous shots.”
As he spoke, Van refined the cannon he’d just made. Before he knew it, its shape had become completely different from the original. The barrel was longer and slimmer, and, if he could say so himself, stylish. Even here, Van-kun’s excellent sense was bursting forth. Pun intended, given it’s a cannon.
Lost in such silly thoughts while gazing at the freshly made cannon, he suddenly realized everyone around was looking at him.
“Oh, sorry! This was supposed to be a renovation to protect the base from cannons! I wasn’t supposed to be making one.”
He apologized with a laugh, prompting everyone to respond with wry smiles. Their expressions were perfectly in sync, as if rehearsed. Van felt a slight pang of loneliness, though he wasn’t sure why.
“...Ahem. Now then, here’s my personal opinion about the base renovation plan.”
Trying to change the mood, Van started speaking politely, receiving scattered applause in return. Thanks, everyone.
“Cannons, by their nature, fly straight to the aimed spot. Well, if the barrel isn’t made carefully, you can’t predict where the shot goes, but if it is, it should fly straight. So, I thought we’d start by changing the terrain so the enemy can’t aim their cannons properly.”
“Ch-changing the terrain?”
Bola’s eyes widened in surprise at Van’s explanation. The others had similar expressions with slight variations.
“Yeah. Cannons can’t be fired if the ground is sloped or there’s a mountain right in front. That’s true of slopes too. If you try to use a cannon in a weird position, the recoil could cause it to explode on the user. They could roll down slopes and drag people along with them, you know? So, we’ll prepare conditions that make proper cannon use impossible.”
With that explanation, and seeing the still somewhat confused looks on Bola and the others, Van asked them to gather more people.
As scouts, Dee, Bola, and the others advanced along the road to survey the surroundings.