In a matter of seconds, I found myself in a relatively open field. A short distance in front of me stood four soldiers: two wore masks, while the other two were unmasked. Behind me, the royal family sat at a table, observing our experiment.
(Meanwhile)
I looked up and noticed several elderly men on the second floor, gazing indifferently at the testing site. I recognized these men from a recent meeting I had with them. I had inquired of the king why they were present, to which he simply stated they were there to witness the experiment. I couldn't comprehend his reasoning, given that they appeared to hold me in low regard. Ignoring this, I turned my attention back to the four soldiers.
"Alright, let's commence the tests. Before we begin, I want to forewarn you that a relatively loud noise will emanate from this device. However, there's no need to worry, I assure you it won't cause harm. Subsequently, gas will be released. Anyone who inhales this gas will feel mildly dizzy and promptly lose consciousness. This mask is provided to guard against the gas"
I declared audibly enough for all to hear, without the need for shouting. The soldiers nodded, attentively absorbing my instructions. Now that everyone was informed, I proceeded with the tests.
"First and foremost, the initial step to activate this device is to extract this pin"
I explained while displaying the pin to the soldiers.
"It might require a bit of effort, so remember to push as you pull it out"
I added, positioning my finger on the pin.
"Typically, the device takes about two seconds to detonate. Keep that in mind when you throw it"
With those words, I removed the pin and swiftly hurled it to a spot near the soldiers, yet still a short distance away. As anticipated, precisely two seconds later, a minor explosion resonated, accompanied by smoke that began enveloping the quartet of soldiers. From my vantage point, I could see the smoke spreading significantly, a feature that would be advantageous when engaging a sizable group of adversaries. Within seconds, the smoke dissipated, revealing two unmasked soldiers sprawled on the ground, while the masked ones remained unaffected. Witnessing the success of the experiment, a smile crossed my face, coinciding with voices emanating from the second floor.
"H-He effectively incapacitated them using the smoke"
"This is impossible! How could this be? A mechanism that acts swiftly, inducing unconsciousness within moments... How can it be achieved?"
"If this holds true... we might indeed stand a chance of prevailing in this war"
"This has the potential to revolutionize the warfare strategies we've employed thus far"
Numerous voices resonated from the second floor. Although their exact words escaped my ears, their expressions clearly betrayed astonishment.
"Escort the unconscious soldiers to the infirmary. They should regain consciousness within a few minutes"
I spoke to the two guards who were still standing. As soon as they departed, carrying the unconscious guards, I returned to the royal family, who were observing. As I approached, a maid removed the last available chair and positioned herself by its side, waiting. I comprehended her intention – she wanted me to sit. However, I remained uncertain whether I should. The royal family's demeanor didn't seem overtly opposed to my joining them. Moreover, it would be impolite to keep the maid waiting for too long. With these thoughts, I settled into the chair, while Ammy and Rebecca stayed behind me.
"That was an exceptionally innovative demonstration of military technology. To think that such a feat was possible…"
The King spoke once I had seated myself.
"You truly are an intelligent young man, Ren-kun"
The Queen chimed in. Interestingly, this marked the first time she had addressed me in such a way. Both of them were making me quite uneasy. Strangely, I felt like someone meeting their potential in-laws for the first time. I stole a glance at Emi, but her expression remained indifferent, which brought a touch of melancholy.
"Emi seemed surprised as well, didn't she?"
Amidst this, a voice rang out. I directed my attention to the source and saw Arisa, wearing a broad smile, looking at Emi. Upon hearing Arisa's words, Emi's face turned crimson, and she hastily reached for her tea.
"I-I'm not entirely sure what you're insinuating, Arisa-onee-sama"
Emi stammered. Arisa turned towards me, still smiling.
"That's what she claims"
Arisa quipped, causing a chuckle to escape my lips at her jest. Yet, my focus soon shifted to Albert.
"I concur with my father. This is truly impressive technology. Could you elucidate how this device operates?"
Albert's query grabbed the attention of everyone, prompting them to gaze at me.
"Well, it's quite straightforward, really. Within this device, Ammy and I have developed a liquid. Originally, it only induced sleep when injected. However, we've managed to enhance its concentration, enabling it to cause sleep simply through inhalation of the vapor"
I explained, surprising the gathering. Emi, however, quickly noticed something and pointed it out.
"But how did you convert the liquid inside this device into vapor? It generally necessitates a temperature of at least 212°F"
Emi's remark diverted the attention of the others.
"That's a rather simple question to address"
I replied, turning towards one of the bags and retrieving one of the "Grenades." Then, I opened one of its compartments and extracted a small amount of white powder.
"What's that?"
Emi inquired, her confusion evident.
"It's known as sodium nitrate"
I explained with a smile, leaving everyone perplexed. It was clear from their expressions that they were unaware of the connection between sodium nitrate and the rapid conversion of water into gas.