The Returned Lord Is a Genius of Gun Law - Chapter 4

chapter 4

The Dwarf-Made Otherworldly Weapon

The Returning Lord is a Gun Genius 4th Episode

4th Episode

AK-47.

A relic of a bygone era, this rifle had been in production for over 70 years. Its simple, rugged design and exceptional durability made it a beloved weapon among poor rebels and terrorists across the globe.

With an estimated production run of over 200 million units, it was no surprise that some had found their way into Amir.

This doesn’t look like it came from a factory.

Rather, it was closer to a handmade piece.

The AK-47’s simple structure made it possible to forge one in a blacksmith’s shop with basic tools and blueprints.

And…

“This is an otherworldly weapon made by a dwarf. I paid a fortune for it.”

Noticing Yujin’s gaze, Kael’s answer wasn’t much different from what Yujin had expected.

A dwarf.

Among the various non-human races in Amir, dwarves were particularly famous on Earth.

They said their craftsmanship was on par with precision machinery. I’ve heard humans could never match the dwarves’ meticulousness.

Thanks to this, the finely crafted goods made by dwarves were so popular on Earth that they commanded exorbitant prices. If that were true, Kael’s claim of having paid a fortune for it wouldn’t be unreasonable.

Of course.

“That’s none of my concern.”

What mattered to Yujin wasn’t who had made the AK-47.

“Answer my question. Its purpose, and who’s behind it.”

“Ah, it’s nothing much.”

With that, Cael shrugged, his expression as smug as before, and continued, “We’ve been clearing some of the Black Forest to develop our territory.”

“On my land?”

“Well, I don’t think this place is exactly Crocus’s territory anymore.” Cael smiled faintly. “If it truly belonged to Crocus, their lord wouldn’t have been killed on his own land, would he?”

“What nonsense is that, Young Lord!” Leon roared at Cael, the heir to Primrose, who was watching them with a mocking smile. His face twisted with fury as he glared at Cael.

It couldn’t be helped.

The “lord” they were referring to was none other than Yujin’s father.

But…

“Stop.”

Yujin stopped Leon, who was about to lunge forward like he was about to attack at any moment.

He could clearly see the opponent’s intentions in his eyes.

A provocation.

If he were hot-headed enough to fall for such a taunt, Yujin wouldn’t have survived on the battlefield for so long.

They want us to attack first.

It was likely a way to build justification—a pretext to retaliate if we struck first.

There are three knights, but they outnumber us.

Yujin knew well that the combat effectiveness of someone who could wield aura differed greatly from those who couldn’t.

But it was impossible to know how much a numerical advantage could overcome the lack of cover in such an open field.

Moreover…

That wasn’t the only problem.

The biggest variable was the AK-47 in the opponent’s right hand.

Though he looked untrained in marksmanship and the weapon itself didn’t seem particularly high-quality, an automatic rifle capable of spitting out hundreds of rounds per minute—rounds that could instantly kill a person in the open—was not to be taken lightly.

“That’s not entirely wrong. …Perhaps another accident might occur today.”

Click!

As if he already considered the victory secured, Kael pulled back the charging handle of his rifle and aimed it at Eugene and the knights.

At that moment…

That’s it.

Eugene’s eyes lit up as he spotted something.

“If the Baron would just withdraw, such a thing wouldn’t happen.”

Whether he understood Eugene’s thoughts or not, a triumphant smile had already spread across Kaell’s face as he aimed his rifle at Eugene and the knights.

After all, the Crocus family is as good as ruined. All they have left is this useless patch of land. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to teach them their place while we’re at it.

It didn’t matter if they didn’t learn their place.

In that case, the Earth weapon in Kaell’s hand would simply spew fire.

Since this was happening in the forbidden Black Forest anyway, all they needed to do was keep the soldiers’ mouths shut, and there would be no problem.

So, Baron Crocus? Will you withdraw, or will you fight?

Having finished his thoughts, Cael waited with a mocking smile for Eugene’s decision.

But Eugene’s actions were neither of the options Cael had anticipated.

Thud

Eugene took a step forward.

Thud, thud

One step, two steps.

“My Lord, stop! It’s dangerous!”

Even after hearing the panicked cry of Leon, the captain of the knights, Eugene didn’t halt his steps.

Seeing this, Cael clicked his tongue and slipped his finger into the trigger guard.

“Tsk, tsk. I’d advise you to stop now. Unless you want to see this otherworldly weapon spew fire.”

“I have some advice for you too.”

Though Cael’s gun was aimed squarely at Eugene, the young man continued walking.

“I warned you clearly. This is your final warning.”

Thud, thud

Though Kael warned him again, Eugene’s pace didn’t slow at all. Had he given up on living? His expression remained calm as he approached the gun that could end his life at any moment.

“There’s nothing I can do. I warned you clearly.”

With those words, Kael tightened his grip on the trigger with his right index finger.

Regret would be too late now.

The metallic projectile would soon erupt from the otherworldly weapon, ending the last heir of the Baron Crocus family. Having already planned the cleanup, his finger moved without hesitation.

But—

Click!

Nothing happened. The trigger had been pulled, but the gun remained silent.

In an instant, Kael’s face flushed crimson with panic.

“W-what is this?”

Click! Click!

He pulled the trigger again, but each time, only a pathetic clatter of metal, not the expected roar, came from the rifle.

Could it be broken? No. A weapon forged by dwarves wouldn’t be faulty.

Then why was Baron Crocus, who should have fallen to the ground long ago, still walking toward him unharmed?

Click! Click!

Even as the flustered Kael kept pulling the trigger, Eugene’s feet never stopped moving.

“If you buy a weapon, read the manual.”

“W-what did you say?”

Click! Click! Click!

Kael frantically pulled the trigger of the now-useless rifle, his face a mask of panic.

But it was too late.

Eugene had already reached him.

Rat-tat-tat!

Holding the wooden stock of the rifle with his right hand, Eugene aimed the barrel downward, precisely at Kael’s left leg.

Simultaneously, he flicked the safety switch on the side of the AK-47 with his left hand and pulled the trigger.

Bang!

The rifle roared, spitting fire—right at its owner.

“Aaaargh!”

Kael screamed and collapsed, unable to endure the agony of a hole torn through his leg.

“Young Master!”

The guards and soldiers, who had been complacent, assuming Kael would easily subdue his opponent, belatedly realized the situation and surrounded Eugene.

But.

Clack!

Already holding the rifle, Eugene pressed the barrel against Kael’s throat.

Ssssss—!

The hot barrel, heated by gunpowder, pressed against Kael’s nape, and a sizzling sound rose as smoke curled from the point of contact.

“Ugh…”

With Kael half-conscious from the excruciating pain of his flesh being seared and a hole burned through his leg, Eugene kept him pinned while surveying the Primrose knights and soldiers who had surrounded them.

“The thigh is pierced. If you don’t stop the bleeding, your captain will die.”

“You bastard! Are you dying to die? Release the young master immediately!”

Whoosh!

Hearing this, the guard knight’s sword vibrated, and a blue aura erupted from it.

Aura.

One of the special abilities wielded by Amir’s knights—a sharp aura forged from magic.

“Release him now, or I’ll cut you down in one stroke!”

Crunch!

The bodyguard knight’s roar wasn’t just a threat. His entire body tensed, and a chilling sound echoed through the air.

Though still some distance away, the knight could close the distance in an instant and hack Eugene to pieces.

But…

Heh.

Instead of fear, Eugene laughed at the threat.

“Are you serious?”

In his hand, he held an AK-47 aimed at the heir to Primrose’s territory.

In literal terms, Kael’s life depended on how Eugene’s fingers moved.

“Ugh…”

“Choose. My life or this one’s. One of them.”

“Ggggh…”

In the tense silence where no one dared move, only Kael’s groans—his eyes rolled back in his head as he collapsed from pain—filled the forest.

“My Lord, that was reckless of you.”

Leon watched the carriage carrying the heir to Primrose, along with its escort of soldiers, disappear into the distance, his tension still palpable as he spoke. “You know as well as I do that weapons from another world can kill a person in a single shot. You should have been more cautious.”

His words came from a place of genuine concern for his lord and the safety of the territory. After all, if anything had gone wrong and Eugene had died, the Barony of Crocus would have been wiped out.

“The odds were more than sufficient,” Eugene replied with a relaxed smile.

“What?”

“He was a greenhorn who didn’t even know how to disengage the safety.”

It was only possible because the opponent was a complete novice.

Forgetting to disengage the safety before firing is a common mistake among beginners who have only recently started handling firearms.

The moment Eugene saw Kael aiming at him with the safety still engaged, he was 100% certain his plan would succeed.

And indeed, the plan had worked perfectly, just as he’d anticipated.

“…Still, I’d appreciate it if you’d be a little more careful in the future. The safety of the Lord is directly tied to the safety of the territory.”

Despite this, Eugene shot back at Leon, who was still lecturing him:

“So, that’s why you tested me yesterday?”

“Y-yes?”

At that moment, Leon’s face paled.

Yujin continued, “Did you really think I wouldn’t notice?”

“N-no, my Lord. Yesterday’s incident…”

At Yujin’s icy tone, Leon hastily waved his hand, trying to excuse himself.

But Yujin didn’t stop. “You tested me, so now I’ll test you.”

“A t-test?”

“If you want to stay in Crocus, behave properly.”

Leaving the pale-faced, frozen knights behind, Yujin turned his gaze to the open field—specifically, to the excavator parked in the center.

He wouldn’t have invaded my territory just to cut down a single tree.

Something was clearly being hidden.

Thud, thud

Yujin slowly walked toward the excavator. If there was a secret buried in this land, it would undoubtedly be where the excavator had been digging.

Reaching the excavator, Yujin focused his gaze on the spot where it had been digging.

And then…

…This is…

In the deep hole, Yujin spotted something glittering. Stones, firmly embedded in the earth, were shining and emitting a blue aura like heat haze.

Just then…

“No…!”

Leon, who had followed Yujin, blurted out the stones’ identity.

“M-magic stones…!”

Magic stones.

The oil of a new era, right there.