A line of researchers in white coats stood waiting behind the door.
They bowed the moment they saw Grom and me.
“Lord Demon King, welcome! On behalf of the entire staff, we are truly honored by your presence!”
The woman serving as the Research Institute Director gave a high-spirited greeting as their representative. She was a young mage behind spectacles, her face wearing a faint, somewhat timid smile. Coupled with the freckles on her cheeks, she gave off a distinctly rustic impression.
At first glance, she seemed ill-suited for a Research Institute in the Demon King's Domain, but in reality, she was an exceptionally talented mage with a peculiar history. Until two years ago, she had been employed at the Magic Workshop in the Imperial Capital. However, after conducting unauthorized research on Forbidden Magic and embezzling a significant amount of research funds, she was relegated to a remote post. That post was subsequently overrun by the Demon King’s Army, and she was taken as a prisoner of war.
Now, her abilities were highly valued, and she held the position of chief executive of the Research Institute. To put it mildly, she was quite the eccentric.
Of course, the other staff members were no less unusual. They had all volunteered to work here for the sake of their research. Every one of them possessed a wealth of magical knowledge, and they were free of any prejudice regarding gender, race, or age. Provided with abundant resources, they spent their days immersed in their studies to their heart's content. I regularly received reports from them expressing their immense satisfaction with the arrangement.
“Let’s get right to it. Show me around.”
“Understood! This way, please!”
We followed the Director further inside. Beyond the entrance, several small gates had been installed. They were just large enough for a single human to pass through comfortably; large monsters or demi-humans would likely find them a tight squeeze.
“These gates utilize Magic Power Authentication. They are designed so that no one can pass through unless they are registered. If anyone tries to force their way in, an alarm sounds immediately and the Interception System is deployed.”
“Hoh, that is convenient indeed,” Grom remarked, stroking his chin in admiration.
The technology for Magic Power Authentication had been included in the documents we seized from the Imperial Capital. It had been proposed as a security measure, but since it had never progressed beyond a mere concept, I had constructed the core logic of the Magic Formula myself. I had handed the project off to the Research Institute after that, and it appeared they had successfully integrated it into the facility.
This Research Institute handled a vast amount of confidential material. Every scrap of information was strictly forbidden from leaving the premises; in a sense, the facility housed more critical assets than the Royal Castle itself. For that reason, Luciana personally scrutinized the backgrounds of all staff members to ensure no spies from other nations slipped through the cracks. It would be extremely problematic if the research conducted here leaked abroad. As of now, there had been no reports of any such infiltration.
“Please rest assured, the Magic Power of both of you has already been registered.”
With that, the Director passed through the gate. There was no sign of the system activating. Grom and I followed. Grom’s shoulders and head scraped against the frame, but he managed to squeeze through.
The interior of the Research Institute was impeccably clean. Not a single speck of dust lay on the white corridors. Organization was strictly enforced, leaving the space feeling pragmatic and efficient rather than cluttered. Furthermore, a number of Magic Tools were installed in hidden locations, likely designed to detect suspicious Magic Power or intruders. Any abnormality would be discovered immediately.
The gates at the entrance were probably little more than a diversion. I suspected the real security lay in the Magic Tools hidden throughout the halls. Ingenuity had been applied to even the finest details. With equipment like this, stealing anything from within the institute would be nearly impossible. One would have to perform a feat as drastic as teleporting the entire building away—and since that was something only I could do, it wasn't a realistic concern.
The Director stopped in front of a door and unlocked it with a key. She then invited us inside.
“This room is the storage vault for our guns. It’s also set up for test-firing.”
The moment we stepped inside, the ceiling lights flickered on. Metal shelves lined the walls, filled with guns and ammunition. They bore a striking resemblance to the prototypes I had captured in the Empire, though each model had subtle differences in shape. They were clearly in the middle of a process of constant refinement.
The Director stroked one of the guns with an enchanted expression.
“Ah, guns really are wonderful, aren't they? I'm certain they will become the primary weapons of the next generation.”
“These tiny beans are to be our mainstay? It hardly looks that way to me...” Grom muttered, picking up a bullet with a suspicious look.
He was an immortal who preferred a fighting style centered on magic and Miasma, capable of taking on an entire army by himself. It was only natural that he doubted the practicality of firearms. In reality, even if he were hit by hundreds of bullets, he would not die.
Sensing his skepticism, the Director began to explain their utility.
“It may seem that way from your perspective, Lord Grom, but for an ordinary soldier, they are formidable weapons. They don't require the years of practice or innate aptitude demanded by bows or magic, yet they allow a person to kill from a distance.”
“Hmm, I cannot deny that,” Grom groaned, unable to offer a rebuttal.
The Director was correct. For humans who lacked magical talent, a reliable means of long-range attack was precious. Guns offered a new alternative that was far easier to aim than a bow.
“If you like, would you care to try a test-fire?”
“Yes, please.”
I accepted the gun she offered me. It had two barrels and two triggers, a mechanism that allowed for two consecutive shots. As I took it, a section of the wall opened up to reveal a firing range. Armor, shields, and other targets were placed at irregular intervals, many of them already riddled with holes or caved in from previous tests.
“Hmm...”
I observed the gun to understand its structure. The mechanism itself was simple, not much different from the first prototypes. It seemed they had focused their efforts on improving ergonomics and accuracy.
I aimed at a suit of armor in the distance and pulled the trigger. With a sharp crack, a jolt of recoil traveled up my arm. The bullet pierced through the center of the armor and embedded itself in the shield behind it. I immediately fired at a fixed sword. There was a dull metallic clang as the blade chipped at the point of impact.
The weapon performed admirably.
“As expected of the Demon King! What magnificent marksmanship!” Grom cried, clapping with a hint of excitement. He had been dismissive just moments ago, but the display seemed to have struck a chord with him.
Meanwhile, the Director looked at me with a touch of trepidation.
“How was it? That is our latest model...”
“It's easy to handle. Not bad at all,” I replied, handing the weapon back.
It was a clear improvement over the ones I had seen in the Imperial Magic Workshop. It was refined enough to be deployed in actual combat. However, doing so would require us to produce them in great numbers. According to the memories and experiences I had inherited from the Valley of the Dead, firearms were most effective when used for volley fire by large formations. By increasing the density of the fire, one could shatter an enemy's ranks. In terms of operation, they were similar to bows, but their ease of use made them superior in terms of overall military capability.
“Eventually, we plan to apply Magic Formulas to the bullets themselves. We’re tentatively calling them Magic Bullets. Ideally, we’ll be able to swap types depending on the tactical situation.”
“...I see.”
I stared intently at the gun in the Director's hand. While considering its design, a thought occurred to me. Noticing my gaze, the Director looked down at the weapon with a bewildered expression.
“Um, was there a problem? If so, I can begin corrections immediately...”
“Do you know the person who originally conceived of this weapon?”
The Director's face went blank at the unexpected question. She looked up at the ceiling, searching her memory.
“The inventor? He was a male technician temporarily dispatched from the Technomagic Kingdom. He was only with us for a short time, but he provided a staggering number of groundbreaking ideas. I heard he was responsible for inventing most of the prototype weapons brought into the Imperial Capital as well.”
“Do you know his name?”
“John Doe... I believe? Yes, I'm fairly certain that was it.”
The Director spoke the name. It was a name that had appeared several times in the documents I had recovered from the Magic Workshop. Just as she remembered, he had been involved in the development of a wide array of weaponry. Furthermore, the Technomagic Kingdom he belonged to was a nation that maintained a secret partnership with the Empire. They were the primary reason the Empire had possessed such advanced armaments.
John Doe... I should have Luciana look into him.
I had a premonition that this man could not be ignored. If the Director's memory and the documents were correct, he possessed a brilliant mind capable of transforming the very nature of conflict. Though likely not a soldier himself, he was undoubtedly a man who would revolutionize the face of war. Even now, he might be working on even more advanced designs.
In any case, we would need to investigate the Technomagic Kingdom in detail.