The Returned Lord Is a Genius of Gun Law - Chapter 24
chapter 24
The Gate Opens
The Returning Lord: Gun Genius – Episode 24
Episode 24
The day after the Earl’s emissaries departed, the old, rarely used square behind Crocus Castle buzzed with activity for the first time in ages.
Whoosh!
The magic circle drawn on the square’s surface shimmered, and a rift began to tear through space.
Then, with a Fwoosh!
A blue light flashed, and a hole large enough for two people to pass through opened in the fabric of space.
A gate.
A dimensional portal created by teleportation magic.
“Careful with the transfer!” a voice called from the other side.
Soon, several wooden crates came through the gate and landed on the square’s floor.
“That’s everything!”
As the last crate arrived, a man emerged from the gate.
He appeared to be in his mid-forties, dressed as a merchant.
“Please inspect the goods, Lord.”
Yujin nodded and approached the nearest crate.
Click!
When he unlocked the crate, neatly arranged ammunition revealed itself inside.
5.56mm NATO rounds.
The very ammunition used in his beloved HK416.
“Check the quantities,” he ordered.
“Yes, my Lord.”
At Yujin’s command, Jerome and the soldiers opened the crates one by one to verify the contents.
“10,000 rounds of 5.56mm NATO, 15,000 rounds of 7.62mm armor-piercing, 500 shells of 12-gauge buckshot, 2,000 liters of diesel fuel…”
Yujin listened expressionlessly as Jerome read down the list.
“My Lord, everything is in order.”
“Good.”
“Then, please sign here.”
Yujin signed the parchment presented by the merchant and then pulled a small pouch from his robe.
“This is the remaining balance for the magic stones we received as a deposit.”
“Thank you, my Lord.”
The merchant accepted the pouch and turned toward the gate.
“Then, I’ll see you on the next deal.”
Whoosh!
As the merchant entered the gate, the blue light gradually faded and vanished.
Only several wooden crates remained in the plaza.
“Move these supplies to the armory basement.”
“Understood, my lord.”
Jerome nodded, and under his command, the soldiers swiftly began moving the crates.
Yujin watched them for a moment before turning away.
Now we finally have the real power we need.
Next, his steps led him to the magic stone mine in the Black Forest.
Rumble! Grumble!
The engine roar of the excavator digging through the mine echoed through the entire forest.
CAT 390F.
The heavy machinery abandoned by Primrose had now become Crocus’ most valuable asset.
“My lord!”
When Eugene arrived, Frederick, who managed the mine, waved enthusiastically.
“How was the day’s yield?”
“See for yourself!”
Frederick pointed to a pile of raw magic stones, freshly dug from the ground.
The black ore emitted a faint blue light.
The stones varied in size, but the largest was as big as a human head.
Eugene knelt and lifted the largest magic stone.
Whoosh!
The moment the heavy stone touched his hand, he felt a faint vibration.
This was the phenomenon commonly referred to as the “flow of magic.”
“How much did we mine today?”
“About 50 kilograms,” Frederick replied proudly. “If we have enough fuel, we can easily mine this much in a day.”
50 kilograms.
Even though it was raw ore and not refined magic stones, it should still fetch a good price, at least 2,000 amil.
Not bad, but… ultimately, we’ll need to secure refining technology too.
This was the next goal required to develop the territory.
Eugene set down the magic stones and stood up. “Good work. Keep mining at this pace.”
“Understood!”
Looking at the pile of magic stones, Eugene thought, Now, it’s time to move on to the next step.
As evening fell, Eugene summoned his retainers to his study.
The attendees were Butler Crawford, Knight Commander Sir Leon, and Captain of the Guard Sir Jerome.
The reason for the meeting was to determine the future direction of the territory.
“Starting today, we will begin producing magic stones in earnest,” Eugene announced.
“50 kilograms per day. That’s 1,500 kilograms per month. We need to figure out how to use this.”
The retainers watched Eugene with tense expressions.
Crawford spoke first. “According to imperial law, 70% of the mined quantity must be sold exclusively to the royal family. What we can use are the Amyl we receive in return and the remaining 30% of the magic stones.”
“That’s right,” Eugene nodded, then continued.
“The remaining 30%, after the mandatory imperial sale, will be sold on the black market to Earth.”
“To Earth… you mean?” Leon asked, his expression of surprise evident.
“Yes. We need cash immediately. We need to buy more weapons and fund the development of our domain. And Earth is the place that pays the best price for magic stones.”
“But my lord, I understand that Earthlings only accept refined magic stones. Wouldn’t it be difficult for our domain, lacking the refining technology, to meet this requirement?”
“That’s why we need to address that first. Among other issues, of course.”
In truth, what Yujin was about to say was the most critical issue currently facing Crocus.
“We will reactivate the defensive barrier stone of Crocus Castle.”
“The defensive barrier stone…!”
“Are you referring to the barrier stone beneath the castle?”
“Yes.”
When Eugene nodded, Jerome’s expression turned grave.
“That barrier stone has been inactive for years. Since the previous Baron’s death, the supply of magic stones has been cut off. Moreover, it’s been neglected for so long that parts of it are likely damaged.”
“Then we’ll just repair it.”
“But my lord, repairing a defensive barrier stone requires…” Crawford trailed off.
“A mage.”
Silence fell.
A mage.
In Amyr, mages were rare and expensive. They were the pillars of Amyr’s civilization, and now that magic—a technology unique to Amyr—had drawn the attention of Earthlings, they were even more valuable.
As such, inviting one would cost a considerable fortune.
“We should contact the Mage Guild.”
Yujin answered calmly, turning to Crawford.
“Crawford.”
“Yes, my Lord.”
“Where’s the nearest Mage Guild branch?”
“In Karencia. It’s about a four-day ride from here.”
“Send a letter. I want to invite a mage who’s knowledgeable about defensive barrier stones. We’ll pay with magic stones.”
“Understood. But…” Crawford hesitated. “The Mage Guild’s demands will be steep, especially for a mage skilled in handling barrier stones…”
“I think we don’t need to worry about money anymore.”
As Yujin spoke, he glanced out the window.
Rumble—!
In the distance, towards the black forest, the faint sound of a excavator could be heard.
The sound of money being made.
A week had passed.
During that time, the Crocus territory had been quietly transforming.
The mine was yielding 50 kilograms of magic stones daily, and the soldiers continued their shooting practice with newly arrived ammunition.
Jerome further strengthened the defensive lines on the outskirts of the territory, while Leon focused on improving the combat capabilities of the knights.
Everything was proceeding according to Yujin’s plan.
And today.
“My Lord, someone has arrived from the Mage Guild.”
When Croford finally uttered the words Yujin had been waiting for, Yujin looked up from his documents.
“Where is she?”
“She’s waiting in the reception room.”
“I see.”
Yujin rose from his seat and headed to the reception room.
He opened the door to find a woman standing by the window, gazing outward.
She appeared to be in her late twenties, with long brown hair tied back.
She wore a dark navy robe, and a small leather pouch and a crystal staff hung from her waist.
This was the official attire of the Mage Guild.
“I am Eliana Rowen. It’s a pleasure to meet you, my lord.”
“Baron Crocus, Eugene.”
In Amir, mages held a position of great importance, rivaling that of nobles in status.
Eugene responded with polite courtesy, and Eliana scanned him from head to toe. Her gaze held not curiosity, but a cold, appraising look.
“You’re younger than I expected. I heard you’re from Earth.”
“That’s correct.”
“How interesting. I’ve never met an Earthling before.”
Ignoring her attitude, Eugene cut straight to the point.
“As I mentioned in my letter, I wish to have the defensive barrier stone repaired.”
“First, I must examine it. The cost and timeframe will depend on its condition.”
“Of course. But before that, I’d like to confirm the cost.”
“You mentioned you could pay with magic stones, correct?”
“That’s right.”
“Then it’s simple.”
Eliana pulled a piece of parchment from her robes and placed it on the table.
“The basic diagnostic fee is 10 kilograms of refined mana stone. If it’s repairable, the cost will range from 50 to 200 kilograms, depending on the complexity of the work. Of course, this is for refined mana stone.”
“…That’s quite a sum,” Crawford said cautiously from the side.
Ten kilograms of refined mana stone was equivalent to 1,000 Amil, and 200 kilograms would be 20,000 Amil. This was an amount he wouldn’t have dared to consider if he hadn’t received ransom for the captured knights.
But Eugene didn’t hesitate.
“Very well. Let’s begin the diagnosis immediately.”
“You’re quick,” Eliana’s eyebrows rose slightly. “Most lords would haggle first.”
“I don’t want to waste time.”
After a brief moment of studying him in response to his answer, Eliana nodded.
“Alright. Then please show me the barrier stone.”
The basement of Crocus Castle.
As they descended the long-unused stairs, a vast underground space opened before them.
Magical lights hanging from the ceiling glowed dimly, but most had already extinguished.
“There it is.”
Croford pointed.
In the center of the room, a crystal pillar twice the height of a man stood atop a circular stone slab.
This was the Barrier Stone, an essential item for the territory, capable of activating a barrier to protect the entire castle in times of crisis.
But it was far from intact.
Cracked, and the base is scorched.
Even someone like Eugene, who knew nothing of magic, could see it was far from normal.
“Oh no…”
Eliana’s expression grew serious as she faced the half-damaged barrier stone.
She slowly approached it and reached out, her fingers stroking its surface.
Hummm—!
A faint humming vibration pierced Yujin’s ears.
Soon, Eliana spoke.
“There’s a magical response. It’s not completely dead.”
After speaking, she circled the barrier stone, examining every nook and cranny.
After a moment, she pulled a small crystal from her waist and pressed it against the barrier stone’s surface.
Zing—!
The crystal in her hand glowed blue for a moment before fading.
“Hmm…”
As Eliana observed this, her expression gradually hardened.
“What do you think?” Yujin asked.
“…At least, it’s repairable.”
Eliana answered slowly, “But the damage is more severe than I expected.” She pointed to the base of the barrier stone. “Look here. Multiple magic circuits are broken, and the core magic gem is cracked.”
“How long will the repairs take?”
“At least two weeks. Including the time to procure materials, it will take about a month.”
“How much will it cost?”
“Around 150 kilograms.”
Eliana hesitated for a moment before continuing, “But…”
“What else is there?” Eugene’s sharp question made Eliana nod.
“This barrier stone… it wasn’t just damaged by age.”
“What do you mean?”
“There are signs of deliberate sabotage.”