I Won’t Let the Execution Battalion Die, ~Even If the Empire Falls, We Want to Survive~ - Chapter 26: An Upset Night ②

I completely ignored the muzzle pointed at my chest and looked Admiral Telzen straight in the face.

“That you made your fortune through prohibited drug smuggling, and that this came to the Emperor’s attention—my master sees through everything. On top of that, he ordered me to see whether we should lend Admiral Telzen our strength. Whether you’re worth dealing with.”

Abandoning my fawning smile, I snapped open my fan and switched to a cold smile.

“I’m merely a running dog. Even if I die here, it wouldn’t cause my master the slightest inconvenience.”

“Then answer me. Who is your master?”

Admiral Telzen kept his gun trained on me, but asking a question meant he had no intention of shooting. I was confident of victory.

“The Shao person who finds the Empire’s Emperor most disagreeable—I think you understand now?”

“Could it be… the Shao King!?”

Is that so? I don’t know, but if that’s the case, that works…

I had no idea what to do anymore, so I responded with improvisation while watching his reactions.

I kept my mouth hidden behind the fan while attacking with a supremely confident attitude. Of course, I had no confidence at all. I was desperate.

“No matter what I say, you won’t believe me, Admiral. However, what I’m about to tell you is absolutely true. Soon, no one in Zelan Bay will be able to defeat your fleet. Because artillery range will triple.”

“Triple!? Ridiculous! If you’re spouting nonsense, I’ll shoot you dead!”

It’s an unrealistic number. I think so too.

But it’s the truth.

I flipped my fan over.

Written on the fan’s reverse side was a shell design. I’d prepared it as a trump card for negotiations.

“This is a new type of shell under development by Shaoyuntasa. While I’ve erased the detailed numbers, this is genuine top secret. I can only discuss this with you, Admiral.”

“I could torture you to extract information, you know?”

I chuckled at this cheap threat.

“That’s an excellent idea. Being a coward, I’d tell you everything under torture. However…”

I snapped the fan shut.

“Unfortunately, I know nothing about iron and fire. I was sent precisely because I don’t know. Even under torture, I can’t tell you what I don’t know. I might babble something random in desperation, though.”

Admiral Telzen held his gun silently.

If he was the type to shoot me here, he probably wouldn’t threaten the Emperor anyway. We’d die, but everyone else in the Ceremonial Battalion would be safe for now.

I don’t know how much time passed, but eventually Admiral Telzen lowered his muzzle.

“You’re an impudent young punk, but I like that about you. Speak so only I can hear.”

“Yes.”

I bowed, then turned to Second Lieutenant Crimine and the seamen.

“Please step back a bit more. If I try anything strange, feel free to shoot without hesitation—just get to a position where you can’t hear my voice.”

I said this gravely with a serious expression, as if it were truly a momentous secret.

After confirming they’d stepped back a little, I approached the Admiral by about two steps and respectfully offered the fan.

“Make the shells acorn-shaped and carve spiral grooves on the surface. This causes the shells to spin, making them fly straighter than before. Range increases, and accuracy improves dramatically.”

“Just from this?”

“If you doubt it, why not experiment with bullets based on this diagram? Whether pistols or cannons, the principle is the same—your naval arsenal should be able to manufacture them.”

“Hmph…”

The interiors of guns and cannons in this era were smooth, without grooves like rifle barrels. This makes trajectories unstable.

Modern shotguns were similar—even using slugs, you couldn’t expect the range and accuracy of rifles. They were completely different weapons despite both being guns.

But by carving rifling into slugs, range and accuracy apparently improve.

Of course, you couldn’t expect rifle-level performance, but it would be much better than firing normal slugs.

I was not particularly knowledgeable about guns, so I might be misremembering, but Admiral Telzen probably won’t have a chance to utilize this knowledge anyway.

He’ll die before the first prototype was completed.

So there’s no problem.

Admiral Telzen accepted the fan but looked at the diagram with a face full of suspicion.

“If this is true, you’ve given military secrets to a foreigner for nothing. It doesn’t add up.”

He’s still an admiral after all—he’s thinking properly.

“Ah, the calculations work out fine, so don’t worry. Carving grooves in shells is merely an emergency modification. The real thing involves carving grooves in the gun barrel itself—that’s what triples the range.”

I answered thus, then continued:

“Latest cannons with grooves carved inside the barrels are already in production in our country. We’ll sell some to you, so please supplement the shortage with these shells.”

“You expect me to fight the Emperor with this?”

“How you use them is entirely up to you, Admiral. We just need to avoid being shot by the cannons we sell. If we sold them to the current Emperor, we might be the ones getting shot, but you have someone else you should shoot first, don’t you?”

Admiral Telzen thought for a while, then holstered his gun.

“I see, now I understand why you came to sell to me rather than the Emperor. Indeed, I have no reason to fight with Shao people. The Emperor might, though.”

Negotiations successful?

I returned to my original sofa and sat down comfortably.

Seeing this, Admiral Telzen called out to the seamen:

“He’s my guest from now on. Don’t be rude.”

“Yes sir!”

The seamen lowered their guns. I’d thought it would probably be fine, but I was honestly relieved.

Admiral Telzen poured brandy into a glass and roughly offered it.

“So you’re telling me to earn money for the new cannons through slave trading. You’re planning to profit from that too, no doubt. Typically calculating for Shao merchants.”

“I’m impressed that you see through everything.”

I bowed reverently with Shao-style movements and accepted the glass. Bowing your head costs nothing, so it’s convenient.

“For the profits we make, we’ll ensure you have a good time too, Admiral. As a Shao trader proverb says, ‘Distant friends are true friends.'”

Collaborators far from headquarters were important for traders. Incidentally, I just made up that proverb.

Now, I’d successfully infiltrated Admiral Telzen’s inner circle. My job was finished.

Captain Yugi would eliminate Admiral Telzen when she saw an opening. She was a master of grappling techniques. She could strangle an opponent from any position.

“Thank you, Admiral. Then as a token of our friendship, this dancer…”

When I indicated Captain Yugi in her cheongsam, Admiral Telzen unexpectedly shook his head.

“No, I don’t need that woman. Rather…”

He pointed at Second Lieutenant Crimine with his thick finger.

“I’ll take that woman instead.”

“Eh, me!?”

Second Lieutenant Crimine froze.