Otoko Aruji - Chapter 32: Considering Various
Otoko Aruji - Chapter 32: Considering Various Things
In addition to wheat, barley and rye, various vegetables and potatoes, cotton and tobacco are grown in Bakkudo. Among those the most important I'm going to talk about this time is cotton. I'm going to pickle this in nitric acid and sulfuric acid that I separated with magic for a while. After that using water magic or anything to boil and wash it thoroughly and then put it into basket or something attached to a string and leave it in the river for a bit. At the same time removing any impurities that got mixed in completely. After that is before it dries shredding it up as finely as possible ideally into a powder.
Even if you can't get it to the point of a powder it's still usable but more difficult to use. What am I making? nitrocellulose. It might be easier to recognize if I said it was the original raw material for making the gunpowder put in a bullets cartridge. In reality you're supposed to make it into a powder before adding toluene (this is made from petroleum and some types of trees) then process it with acid and make dinitrotoluene then add a bit of plasticizing agent as well as the anti-combustion agent dibutyl phthalate in order to make smokeless gunpowder. It's fine even if you don't have dibutyl phthalate. Normally you're supposed to use a stabilizing agent for safety purposes as well but it's fine without it for now. In order to make gunpowder all you need is nitrocellulose and the rest is just meant to be used as additives. Therefore as long as you don't pay heed to safety or deterioration you don't need anything other than nitrocellulose.
By the way, I tried taking glycerin out of plant oils for making nitroglycerin but it was way too inefficient so it seemed stupid. Also, I tried to make it from the sugar content that is made when brewing alcohol but they misunderstood it as if I was trying to steal alcohol so I've given up on the production of nitroglycerin for the time being and therefore can't make cordite gunpowder. Probably, unless it was a person who learned it in National Defense University they wouldn't come up with this type of idea so it's fine either way.
Nitric and sulfuric acid are made from saltpeter(all over the place in the northern mountains) and alum (used in tanning animal hides) so I can make as much as I need. At first I just made a little bit. After drying out what used to be cotton and setting it on fire, even if not as much as magnesium as long as it gives off a bright light and quickly burns away leaving almost no ash it can be called a success.
After failing several times I finally was able to do it for the most part. I'm using an amount of cotton the size of my fist right now so the amount actually made is only a little bit so even if it fails it's not enough to explode. Also, I don't have any stabilizing agent so it's weak to slight changes in temperature and humidity but I was able to make nitrocellulose.
Hm, matching it together with stainless in worst case I can at least make a matchlock gun. Just being able to confirm this for now is plenty. After this I'll take my time with, rather it's better not to do it in Bakkudo. Someday even if small when I completely have my own territory.
If I can't get my own territory then...either way it's going on hold.
No, even if it's just a few for my own use then I'll make some?
Anyways, for now this is fine.
Black powder?
Something that simple, it'll b
e imitated right away, I don't want to make any gunpowder that isn't made using magic.
At the very least something that requires large amounts of mana is something that won't be easily imitated during my lifetime.
It's a greedy way of putting it but improvements to bows and blades spreading around isn't much of a problem but firearms are no good. I absolutely need to make sure they aren't used outside of my group. An absolute secret until the time comes they are needed. I was born with various advantages but when it comes time to die it'll be just as simple as that. From here on out I'm going to train my body and level up and that combined with magic I'd like to think there's not a very high chance I'll die instantly from bows or blades but when it comes to guns there's always the danger of instant death. If you're unlucky you could get sniped and dealt a fatal blow by someone low level from a distance away or even a stray bullet.
Guns have the advantage of being quick and easy to train in compared to blades and bows but when the enemy has them as well it becomes a disadvantage as well. I need to be careful when I use them myself. For the time being I can't use them unless no one else is around. Therefore I don't even want to make prototypes for now.
For now that's all for talking about gunpowder and guns.
Well then, let's return to talking about the village as usual.
Before Farne enters the knight group there's one thing I need to do. That's the production of his farewell gift. Of course there's Farne's rubber protection but Farne just turned 14 years old so it'll need adjustments here and then to match his body. Especially in the next few years he should get much bigger. Even if I make the protector he won't be able to use anymore right away. I should give up on a bit of the fitness and make it so it can be used for a while instead.
But, the protector is just a bonus so not something I need to do. When I was a baby I was protected by Farne with a sword. Therefore, I wanted to give him a sword. I tried making a sword using stainless steel and the endurance and edge were incomparable to the ones made up until with mostly just casting but the maintenance is troublesome. It's a pain to sharpen the blade and I think in terms of simple cutting ability my pseudo type 64 bayonet is better. It's a great advantage that it doesn't rust easily but as long as you can properly maintain the sword it's not a huge advantage.
Here's where I should try making improvements to the pseudo type 64 bayonet and make it larger. I tried discussing it with Hegard and Arnold and they both agreed as well. According to Hegard the knight group will provide a sword but he understands the abilities of a forged sword and happily agreed. Most likely we wouldn't be able to make something as excellent as a real Japanese sword but in the case of Orth, as long as it's better than a forged or stainless sword there's no problem. It's not like I want to try and reproduce a Japan sword or anything either way.
Hegard was immediately going to go to Doritto and get some high quality iron ores but I said I wanted to try using the iron I separated myself so he permitted it. Production was started on a sword using up all 3 kg that I had accumulated up until now. I continued using identify and checking the endurance on the iron material as the two us of forged it. We completed the sword four days before Farne was set to leave.
【Long Sword】
【Special Forged Steel】
【State:Good】
【Manufacture Date:26/3/7436】
【Value:879000】
【Endurance:4160】
【Ability:120-190】
【Effect:None】
The blade is very excellent and the endurance is high as well.
By the way the blade Hegard used is
【Long Sword】
【Iron】
【State:Good】
【Manufacture Date:3/9/7418】
【Value:112400】
【Endurance:610】
【Ability:82-152】
【Effect:None】
And the broad sword I'm hiding away is
【Broad Sword】
【Iron】
【State:Good】
【Manufacture Date:3/9/7428】
【Value:97500】
【Endurance:500】
【Ability:100-150】
【Effect:None】
To that degree. Ah, the type 64 bayonet is
【Short Sword】
【Forged Steel】
【State:Good】
【Manufacture Date:4/5/7435】
【Value:291000】
【Endurance:1520】
【Ability:95-115】
【Effect:None】
A short sword it says.
Farne was filled with emotion at being given a sword and protector.
I'm happy he was pleased.
When sharpening it I was telling him not to use water but olive oil or some type of oil and at the end of maintenance not to forget to spread a thin layer of oil on it and Farne said
"I'll definitely become a knight within two years."
And pledged to Hegard.
W, what about me?
After a short while the villagers all saw off Farne as he departed from Bakkudo with Hegard and the patrol troops.
Another month passed by.
The day after tomorrow is Myun's wedding supposedly.
I knew about since her relationship with Bosch has been doing good since then but...
I didn't know that their wedding had been decided until just a short while ago.
Even though I pushed her back that much not a single word to me about it.
This old man is sad.
Even in my previous life if there was a wedding I never only heard about it right before like this...
Come to think of it when my subordinate's wedding was decided they came to report it to me right off.
When I was sulking and thinking about that Myun over-familiarly tries to talk to me.
Hmp, she's just a spy after all.
I'm sure she doesn't think anything at all of me.
"Al-sama, how about it tonight?"
It's an invite to hunting at night.
I considered declining because I'm annoyed but it might be the last time we can be alone together so I'll at least complain.
"Understood."
This is the end. The time of departure is the usual 8 or 9 pm so there's no need to get together.
That night I went to the place we always meet up and Myun was already there.
Myun comes to my side and says
"Al-sama, have you been avoiding me recently?"
I don't need to hold back anymore.
"Obviously."
"Why?"
What is she saying?
"Place your hand on your chest and think about it."
She realy put her hand on her chest and started thining about it. Idiot.
"I don't know. Did I do something impolite?"
It seems she really doesn't know. Well, it's childish to keep acting angry. I am a child though... A child is a child, but wide hearted adult I am I guess I should forgive her?
"Hmph, you don't know? Even though you wouldn't have been able to be together with Bosch if I hadn't said anything."
"Eh?"
"I only just heard you were getting married five days ago, from father even."
"Is there something bad about that?"
What..?
"Huh? Of course it's bad? Normally shouldn't Myun come and tell me first? Furthermore I didn't know about it until the last moment like this? I was in shock suddenly hearing about it from father!"
"No, I just heard about the marriage myself five days ago though?"
"Eh..."
"Eh.?"
Something is strange. The conversation is odd.
"Eh...Didn't Myun or Bosch decide to get married?"
"Eh... Why would I? I'm just a single daughter of the Tobas family and if Bosch marries into the family then he'll inherit the patrol troop job from my adoptive father won't he. There's no way we could decide on the marriage on our own."
Eh? Is that case? Myun continues her words as I'm surprised and can't say anything.
"It's only obvious. It's about the heir to a patrol troop, it's something that father and the lord decide isn't it?"
Well then. I guess Myun's wedding was decided without her knowing then?
"It's common sense. If there was a sibling in the Tobas family that was older than me or a younger sibling that father decided it would be different but there's no way we could decide on the marriage all on our own right?"
Oh my? Having it said to me, that does make sense I think.
"Then, the ones who decided on the wedding were Dangle and father?"
"Of course that's the case. In Donnel's family Rasseg is the one who holds the family head right now so I'm sure they passed it by him as well though."
"Then then, in reality Myun or Bosch might not actually want to get married?"
"If that was the case then I wouldn't have talked to Bosch in the first place and Bosch would have turned me down as well."
"No, I don't mean that, after dating for a while...Thinking, Ah, this partner is no good after all."
Really, her understanding is no good.
"What is dating?"
"Eh?"
"What is dating about?"
From there...
"When you have a person you like before you get married or when you're not at an age you can get married yet right? During those times you say, I like you, let's date right? And, if the partner agrees then from there you starting dating right? In the first place, what did you say to Bosch?"
"That's only obvious. I like him so I want to marry him is what I said."
Wow...Skipping all of the process and going straight to there...Hm? Wait a minute?
"Could it be, before getting married... umm... you don't kiss or play around? I was talking about that sort of stuff when talking about dating before marriage.."
"Ah, that sort of stuff. For people who don't get involved in the succession of their house that sort of stuff comes up. Therefore it's not something related to me."
O...Oh... I see. I'll remember that.
"So that was the case. Then I guess it can't be helped that I didn't hear from Myun about getting married...Sorry, Myun. It was all my own misunderstanding."
I timidly look up at Myun as I apologize to her.
"Really...It's okay. I'm not angry."
Myun laughs while saying that and embraces me.
If possible I want for Myun to be happy.
I wonder if there's anything I can do?
It's way beyond the point of a weapon and she has more than enough rubber products.
I'll think about it a bit.
Author Note(Simplified by Translator): For the time being Al's technological development is going to disappear. Obviously this will include all sorts of items and development. Molecules and acid, it's a bit of a separation from the non-fantasy words.
There's no more of Farne for a while as well so here's his current status as well.
【Fansutan.Gurīdo/18/2/7423 】
【Male/21/1/7422・Human・Gurido Family Eldest Son】
【Status：Normal】
【Age：14 Years】
【Level：5】
【HP：65(65) MP：334(334) 】
【Strength：11】
【Speed：11】
【Dexterity：8】
【Endurance：9】
【Special Ability：Earth Magic(Lv.4)】
【Special Ability：Water Magic(Lv.5)】
【Special Ability: Void Magic(Lv.5)】
【Experience：19213(28000)】