Everyone started to talk about the countermeasures, and everyone was able to give their insights as Andrei have suggested.
"I guess they have to be in contact with the person, in order for them to take over their minds, right? Mrs. Savoy?" Michaela asked Layla in front of her, who was sitting next to her husband.
"Yes Your Highness, my husband could also explain this…" and she looked at her husband to explain the part for her, he noticed it and immediately talked to not leave the conversation hanging.
"Actually in the dark magic I told you before, in order for them to have a lasting effect on the person's brain, they have to have something on that person, it could be a seal of magic or an item, anything that could transmit their power to their victims brain, I don't know if the same applies to those dark elves, but for dark magic, that's a fundamental. I never heard of anyone controlling people until now" he shook his head,with a hopeless mood, to end his explanation.
"So these elves had a method to do that then, the most complicated part is that we don't know anything about them, we lack information" Andrei commented, while fidgeting with a knight figurine that he got from the table.
He didn't notice it himself, but Andrei was turning paler and paler, after the battle ended, but he immediately headed with Claire to the castle. Forgetting what he felt, but the situation did not allow him to, his focus drifted to the new problem, but his body knew what he truly felt.
As he was in deep thought, Claire suggested something, "Then maybe, we could be advantageous with the archers shooting them, once they stepped into an area we planted the Bouncing… the BC's" then she realized that the weapons name was the same as hers, his eyes turned dead fish and looked at Andrei as if she meant that, "It's your fault" she couldn't complete her sentence.
Andrei, even though he was looked at as an insect by the girl he indirectly dissed, he felt comfortable and gave her a thumbs up and a warm smile.
"That's true, we also have magic casters who specialize in long range combat, combined with your Kingdom's golden knights, we would be invincible!" Gideon proudly added, when he saw the firepower caused by the new weapons he couldn't help but admire the young inventor who was still in deep thought.
"But what if our arrows gets ineffective? Remember, what your knights armor is made of, and what if those elves brats have another unknown magic that could deflect magic attacks? We shouldn't be careless when planning this" Rara was the one who gave out her thoughts this time, "My father, was a great magic caster, but he was also a master with the sword, he was supposed to be invincible! But still the dark elf was able to defeat him! Please let us think about this more and let's not get into assumptions"
The girl had a serious look at her face, as if she'd seen the battle of her father herself, she still couldn't believe that his father was defeated and his mind was overtaken.
When everyone looked at her due to the outburst, she felt so little not because she was the shortest in the room but by the fact that she acted like a kid, because of that she regrettably tried to hide her face, she didn't mean to let it out, but hearing the carefree comment of Gideon triggered her to do so.
She put both her hands on her shoulders to console herself, when he heard someone voice break the atmosphere she accidentally created.
"I think she's correct, we have to be more careful on planning this, isn't that right Michaela?" It was Andrei who spoke up as he was released from his train of thoughts.
Michaela who was still silent upto now have nodded, "As I was hearing your opinions, Claire's opinion would make sense, but if that's the case, I think that great emperor would have already known that method since he himself saw the battle, but what if… what if… we were wrong? Just a little wrong step then we will all be finished"
"But… Your Highness Andrei's invention could tear their armors apart right?" Erneis saw how useless the armors were in the face of the new weapon introduced to them, without a magic like his shield spell, a normal shield and armor would just be like paper in the face of such a force.
"That's right Sir. Erneis, but I think you saw how they were able to be safe from the eruptions as long as they weren't on the area? Am I right Your Highness Andrei? Its suited as a trap or for defense"
When Rara heard about what Gideon have said, she remembered what Andrei have promised her, that he would totally help her even if the Queen rejects her proposal, that even if he has to go on his own he would, when she thought of it, the weapon would really be useless in an offensive fight, it could be used to defend a camp, hideout or castle, but it would be useless if used to attack, "That's right… that was just an empty promise, I was the one who asked him after all, maybe he felt bad and had to agree with me, in order to not make me sad, what he really wanted was to defend this kingdom, the promise with me… it was just out of courtesy, he wasn't serious after all, damn it… I feel like an idiot for believing it" she thought as she closed her eyes and lowered her face so the people around wouldn't be able to read her expression.
Andrei looked at him and nodded, "Yes, it would be totally useless, and it takes time to set it up, so for an offensive battle, it would be hard to use it"
As it was confirmed a thunder hit Rara's heart as it was something that confirmed her doubts, tears slowly tried to build up, but it was stopped when Andrei opened his mouth again as if he wasn't finished speaking yet.
"But… just as I have said, in order to have a perfect defense, a country has to be strong in both its offensive and defensive power, you said that arrows are ineffective against those armors right?" Andrei looked at Gideon with a serious expression who nodded immediately in response, Andrei continued and said, "Then we just need something to pierce those armors right? Just like what Bouncing Claire's could do, but something that soldiers can easily use and carry with no set up needed"
Erneis, one who's very excited on new weapons, widened his eyes as he came into a realization, he immediately asked Andrei, in order to clear his doubts, "Then! Your Highness, is it already done…"
Andrei could clearly deduct what the old man wants to say with his excited expression, he smiled lightly and started talking, "Yes, when the Bouncing Betty's started its mass production, Claire and I spent nights together in order to create a prototype of the new weapon"
Everyone went red of Andrei's wording, he spoke it as if it was normal Andrei seemed to have forgotten this as he tried to continue, but realized it immediately when he saw their expressions, Michaela had the worst one, she was clearly smiling at him, but Andrei could feel the large black aura behind her. "Is a dark elf possessing you Michaela?" he thought.
"No.. No.. it wasn't that kind of night! What the hell are you thinking everyone? Right? Claire?.... Wait Claire?" Claire wasn't around anymore.
"If it's Claire she went outside to tell the maid about the arrangements of the new rooms" Michaela said as she crossed her arms and was engulfed by the dark aura of jealousy.
"As expected of sisters, only she could know where that girl who lacks presence have gone to" Andrei thought, he cleared his throat to support his defense, "Anyway… what we did is just make the new prototype, that's all"
"What's a prototype your highness? Is it the name of the new bomb?" Erneis asked, unfamiliar of the word.
Andrei got startled as he carelessly let out an English word that currently doesn't exist on the era.
"Ahhh you see, it's like… ummm… an example.. Yes! An example build of the weapon! It's what we use for testing right?" Andrei tried to dodge the topic so he proceeded with the subject, "This time it isn't a bomb, remember when you asked about what a gun means separate from the word powder?"
"Yes Your Highness"
"This time it was what I made,, it's called a gun, and uses gunpowder, it may be not as destructive as a Bouncing Claire, but it could shoot through a knight's armor without a problem, it's kinda like a quick fireball, but…"
Andrei observed that everyone's expression was complicated as the words he used were becoming unfamiliar so this time he shortened it, he cleared his throat and started again, "It's something that could shoot faster than and arrow and could pierce through the knight's armor"
"Such a frightening weapon again huh? As expected of my future husband!" Claire proudly declared coming out of her Queenly aura, when she noticed that everyone was looking at her, she immediately changed the topic.
"Ahemm... Such a frightening weapon huh? Then I bet it would be operated by trained individuals, or perhaps magic casters right?"
It was a natural question from the people in the era, the more frightening the weapon was, the more training the person who wields it has to go on through, but Michaela, in her rush to ask the question forgot that Andrei's weapons were in a very different nature, being from a world without magic, Andrei's ancestors prioritized in making weapons that can be used by even farmers without education.
"No, it could be operated by any person, and training would be, at least one or two weeks perhaps? Hmmmmm.... One or two weeks perhaps?"
"...."
"Wha-"
Michaela covered her mouth in amazement, even though he didn't show it yet, she was astonished on the capabilities of the weapon, but her common sense couldn't keep up when he said that the training of such a fearsome weapon would only take two weeks, where knights would wield and train their deadly unique weapons throughout their life, and what's more is that the weapon incorporated a fireball which only magic casters could do, but it could be operated by a normal civilian.
"Lies! Are you tricking us? Or perhaps you would also use the life force of the common people to shoot the fireball of that weapon? I hope I'm wrong but, are you also a dark elf?" This time a disturbing voice entered the conversation, it was the research dog Gideon, Andrei compared him to a weird classmate who got heated up when a professor mistakenly wronged his correct answer.
Andrei couldn't say a word with the accusation, he didn't know whether to laugh or protest.
"Careful with your words, Mr. Savoy" Erneis reminded him.
"That's right dear, you shouldn't be like that" His wife told him as she pulled him on his ear.
The man's face was full of surprise as if he had made a new discovery, when he was about to say something, Claire came in the room holding something that was partly covered with cloth, Andrei immediately recognized what was it.
But to those, it looked like a short spear with its spearhead missing, it looked strange as it was made compact together with wood.
"Claire, is that?" Michaela asked her in surprise of what she was brought.
"I overheard your conversation, so in order to clear your doubts immediately I have brought it here, Andrei would show you how it would work" she said to everyone in her usual tone.
Andrei looked at her and smiled, she noticed this and lightly gave a smile in return, the craft that they made countless night together, will be finally be put to use.
But by that time her image become blurry from Andrei's sight, as he reached his limit, he started vomiting on the ground, and with a thud he fell unconscious at the floor.