Published: January 12, 2026
Even though we casually call them catapults, there are various types.
Some are powered by manpower, others by bows or springs, and some by counterweights. They come in many shapes and forms.
So far, the ones we used were uniquely designed, using manpower and strings made from demonic beast hides to launch projectiles.
However, thanks to the new model of the catapult, fresh ideas could be incorporated. We tried spring-based and slingshot-style designs, but they didn’t work well. In most cases, the ballista was easier to use.
But with the counterweight catapult, simply making it larger increases both its power and range.
The structure is simple, yet it has been refined over a long period, and the most efficient and user-friendly designs have been explored.
Since it would be inefficient to start from scratch, I was building them myself while simultaneously asking the Bell Rango Trading Company to purchase models and blueprints.
As a result, I obtained three catapult models and five blueprints. With this amount, we should be able to build the best catapult.
By the way, despite searching at the same time, we couldn’t find any gunpowder or related materials. Unfortunately, it seems it hasn’t spread here yet.
“Well, there’s no use getting depressed over it.”
I muttered and began improving the catapult.
From this experience, I had a good idea of how high we needed to reach to attack flying wyverns.
In reality, they could fly higher, but if they were carrying magicians, I doubted they would go any higher.
It’s cold, and the air is thin up there. Considering that, their speed might also be limited.
Therefore, a catapult should be sufficient to attack them.
The model catapult could be angled up to about 40 degrees. When aiming to throw things far, you probably can’t set too high an angle.
On the other hand, if you make it like a seesaw, the angle increases but it won’t throw very far. Also, it might lack the power to reach high-altitude targets.
We need both height and sufficient power.
To achieve this balance, I made countless models.
What I ended up with was prototype number 54.
It’s the simplest counterweight catapult with added springs to ensure initial velocity. The angle is about 70 degrees. Despite that, it has enough height and power, making it an anti-air specialized catapult.
The ammunition is a box filled with shuriken. I improved it so the shuriken spread better than before, but it’s almost the same as what we used previously.
The model worked well, so I built a larger version, which turned out surprisingly good.
The launched shuriken spread beautifully in the air and flew high into the sky.
“Oh! It’s disappeared from sight!”
As cheers erupted in delight, Dee looked up at the sky with a somewhat exasperated expression and grunted.
“Hmm… this is an astonishing piece of equipment. It flies very high and stays airborne for a long time, but then it showers over a wide area. The more enemies there are, the more effective it becomes.”
I smiled in response to Dee’s comment and nodded.
“That’s right. It takes time to reload after one shot, so it can’t be used continuously for a while, but its power, range, and durability are all acceptable. Until we find gunpowder, we’ll have to make do with this.”
“...Make do, huh? You’re still not satisfied, are you...?”
Espada said with a wry smile at my words. Most others were speechless. Among them, Til and Kamushin, who showed no signs of distress, looked up at the catapult and spoke.
“It really is huge, isn’t it?”
“Lord Van, how many of these catapults will you build?”
“I’m thinking twenty fixed units, five mobile ones for now. But transporting them to Scudetto might be difficult…”
“Ah, yes. There are some pretty tough roads. With something this big, it might topple on slopes…”
Til, Kamushin, Arte, and I chatted about this, and then an idea struck me.
“That’s it. I’ll build them on-site. I can manage if I only need to transport the materials.”
When I said this, everyone responded with impressed exclamations like “I see!”