Tanks. Heavily armored weapons of war with destructive firepower. One can even say that a tank is equal to a group of heavily armored cavalry who uses cannons as their weapon of choice.

 

The machines we call tanks are very diverse and depending on armament and equipment, they are capable of many different jobs.

 

Digging trenches, providing artillery support, and maybe far as going and being a glider dropped troop one time in history.

 

Their design changed throughout history. Sincerely that was expected since the war itself evolved.

 

Yet, one thing stays still. A tank is a highly adaptive and crucial part of warfare, and I wouldn't be wrong if I say something like a Mark V tank is equal to a monster of its size in this world.

 

And while taming a monster of that size is nearly impossible, at least in current standards, building a tank is not. It doesn't. That's why I spent most of my time designing one.

 

"Erwin!" Silvertowers voice echoed through the cave and hit my eardrums like a truck.

 

"Ah, the voice I was excepting." I cheerfully exited from my office and saw Silvertower standing with a chain of steel plates that I assume is my track on his back.

 

"I did finish the thing you asked me, but I am still unsure if I am forging a weapon or you are just making me do random things."

 

A king, a master ironsmith, and a living (sort of he is still an undead) legend, yet he cannot understand the simple concept of an iron box with cannons.

 

"I assure you, my friend, this is just one more part of a big weapon."

 

"Well, I believe in you, but I am still unsure, like how the hell is we even going to use this. Up until now, I only made a huge mining cart, this thing, and other small parts you said, yet I am unable to see."

 

"Don't worry about it. These parts are not the weapon itself. Think of them as a swords sheet, handle and guard. We still need to forge the blade."

 

"Yeah, blade... Just tell me the goddamn thing, you moron! For the past two months, you are saying everything except how this weapon works!"

 

I might be doing that. Silvetower has a point.

 

"Well, to make things simple, what we are building is called a tank, a metal box that can move around and shoot to our enemies."

 

"So you made a Steel Bull." He laughed. "And here I was waiting for something new."

 

"What is a Steel Bull?"

 

"Dwarven open battle weapon. It is nothing complex, just a giant metal statue with wheels pushed by dwarfs inside, while ones on its top shoot the enemy on the ground."

 

So, more like a mix of chariot and a siege tower.

 

"Interesting concept, but let's not divide our workforce now, but come here and look at this."

 

Tanks chassis is not the only thing I am working on right now.

 

I am building a prototype rifle by hand. Most parts are crafted under my recipe and supervision by our skillful metalworkers.

 

"This." I showed the wooden square with a barrel strapped on its top to Silvertower.

 

"Don't tell me this is the weapons of the thing you are making."

 

"You believe they are. But don't judge a book by its cover. Here let me tell you the concept."

 

I placed the weapon on my table.

 

"This is a rifle, a weapon which uses gunpowder to shoot projectiles. The concept is simple, but it has many parts inside of it."

I placed one hand on the gun's barrel and the other to its stock. "This type of gun is called break-action firearm." I grabbed the gun and opened it, showing its breach.

 

"As you see, this thing is made from two parts that are hinged together, like a door and wall. I choose this design because of the simplicity's sake, but there are better ones."

 

"Hmm." Silvertower grabbed the weapon from my hand and began inspecting it. "I heard what guns are from you, and far as I remember, they are deadly, but how?"

 

I placed my finger on the breach. "You put the ammunition inside here then." I closed the gun pulled the hammer back for cocking. "With this, you cock your hammer."

 

"Not a very good choice of words, I say."

"Not funny, friend." I grabbed the weapon from Silvertower's hand and pointed the trigger. "When you press to this part, you release the hammer. Hammer hits the back of the bullet and ignites the gunpowder inside, burning gunpowder builds up the pressure, and that pressure fires the top of the bullet."

 

"Then load another bullet and repeat the process. I got it. Such simple process for a weapon strong if not stronger than a crossbow."

 

"Well, those are only the basics of basics. I can give you hundreds of reasons why it wouldn't be effective as the guns I used in my past. For example, we use black powder, not smokeless powder. Then there is the fact that the production of even a single gun took a week, try equipping an army with that speed, then there is the whole production of ammunition.

 

Silvertower turned around and began moving outside while grumbling. "Either I am too stupid to understand what you are doing, or you are an idiot who cannot properly explain something."

Well, you can't expect everyone to understand you.

 

Silvertower suddenly stopped. "By the way, what is with deal with that guy you hired a week ago. The whole city cannot sleep because of the explosion."

 

"Nothing. What he is tasked with right now is crucially important for our forces. If he succeeds in creating the thing I told him to, we will gain an incredible edge over our rivals."

 

"Whatever, just tell him to be a little quiet or do his experiments away from me, if possible on another floor."

 

I nodded since a peaceful environment. for my people to live in is necessary as many other things.

 

"My Lord!" A voice echoed inside my room. "I have a message, my Lord. Please."

 

A man wearing our standard-issue armor set and carrying gate guard weapon arrived. From his constant breathing, I might say he run from the upper floor to here without stopping. Good job!

 

Yet, he is not our regular messenger, but what bad could happen from just listening to him?

 

"Be fast."

 

"There are some people outside wanting to talk with you."

 

"They should have informed me before. I don't have time for sudden comers."

 

"I thought the same, my lord, but they came here with a force to be reckoned with and various carts we assume filled with gifts, then Captain Mel ordered me to inform you."

 

Gifts and forces to protect it. I can connect some dots.

 

Considering there is a civil war happening, the three sides, Noble Opposition, Loyalists, and Peasant Revolution, I wouldn't be surprised if one side wanted to add more people into their side.

 

I don't think this gift came from Loyalists, General Leonard's side, since I am on bad terms with their leader.

 

The second option, Peasant Revolution, is also not likely to be here, considering they are not an organized group but individual uprisings spread through the realm.

 

Then it only lefts one choice, and it is a good one, Noble Opposition. They are traders and large landowners who might help.

 

Considering that I am alien with the elites of this land, I might need them even more than ever, but their point of stand against other races and some of my other policies will be the main deciding factor.

 

"Go and rest, meanwhile eat something as well. If anyone asks, especially Silvertower or Oracle, tell them I am on the upper floor."

 

The soldier nodded and left my office without wasting a second.

 

Right after him, I exited as well and moved next to my beloved Wyvern, currently doing nothing.

 

"Wake up, you lazy lizard, we need to be fast." Or we may not, but I don't want to spend half an hour waking his lazy ass. 

 

Wyvern screeched with a quiet and sort of lazed tone but eventually got up from the ground and opened his wings.

 

"Now that's my boy. To the upper floor." I climbed on Fionnlagh's back, and the magnificent creature began flying.

 

----

 

Thanks to my dear Wyvern, I quickly arrived at my destination. Balcony opening to outside.

 

Arthur, Mel, and a couple of guards were waiting there as I expected.

 

Mel was the first one to sense my presence. "Thanks to gods, you are fast, my lord."

But there was no reaction from Arthur.

 

Arthur's mentality is like that since I rescued him. Blank and depressed, but he has a right to be like that.

 

Arthur saw the slaughter of the town he was living in, failed on protecting two people he swore to protect, got betrayed by someone he trusted. I don't even talk about the amount of torture he handled.

 

Now his once life full eyes are blank, and there isn't just that old shine he once had.

 

"Thank you, Mel." I touched Arthur's shoulder. "How are you doing, friend. Are you doing better than before?"

 

Arthur sighed. "Not good, not good. It is just not fair. I lost everything I had, again. I now have no purpose in my life, and I doubt if revenge will ever change things."

 

There were two children Arthur was assigned to protect,   children of the Northern king. One of them got killed in the slaughter of the town, but the other survived.

 

Sadly, this was the case until the last month. I got the news while being on an undercover intel-gathering mission outside.

 

The news said that she got brutally murdered by a group of assains sent by the Opposition, and now General Leonard, as the bastard brother of the old king, sits on the throne.

 

As everyone can tell, that bastard was General Leonard, born from a relationship between a trader's daughter and the father of the old king.

 

"Yes, perhaps like you said, revenge will change nothing but believe me, revenge makes you feel much better."

 

Especially when you see the corpses of those bastards who killed a person beloved to you and terrorized screams of the ones trying to escape with their lives."

 

"The Epic of the Wolf, I assume." The sound of a girl came from behind. 

 

"What a good day, isn't it, Lord Of The Death." She bowed.

 

It is Oracle, a young girl who works as the messenger of The Goddes of Mercy, a job I see too much for someone that young.

 

"Yes, it is the messenger of Goddes, but what are you doing in here?" 

 

She slightly bowed forward. " Goddes ordered me to watch the discussion.

I suppose that wouldn't be a problem."

 

"I accept your request, but be careful." I whistled to call Fionnlagh.

 

After the arrival of the creature, we landed on the ground.

 

And here stands our possible allies, forty well-equipped heavy cavalries and two carts filled with various goods.

 

But right in front of them, three middle-aged men wearing seemingly expensive clothing stand.

 

I approached them, and they greeted me, then one in the middle began talking.

 

"It is good to see you, Lich King. We were  afraid that you might ignore our call."

 

"I was planning to contact your faction in the future anyway. Your arrival didn't cause any problems for me."

 

"Yes, we know that. That's why we are here. For something to benefit both sides." The man on the left entered.

 

"Now, let me do the talking." The man on the right, the oldest one, took a step forward and grabbed my left hand for a shake.

 

I shook his hand and smiled. "Perhaps learning your names will be a good start to our relationship."

 

Man shaking my hand stopped it and took a step back. "These two won't be talking, so let me do the job. My name is Hurbard Coin, founder of Northern Bank. These two are the Adam brothers. Large ranch owner Micheal Adam, and well-known trader Nicholas Adam."

 

"And my name is Erwin, the Lich King. I am glad I met with civilized elites. Who can make a deal."

"Ask that to me. All the raiders and barbarians are making such a pain in our asses."

 

"They are not related to us if you want to learn that."

 

Hurbard began shaking his head. "Of course, I mean no such things. I actually want you to get rid of those groups."

"More details." I raised an eyebrow.

 

"Well, after the kingdom collapsed, criminals created massive raider gangs and occupied every place they could hide, including some old fortresses around the kingdom. They target women, traders, and food sources."

 

"Our payment?" Let's dive to the point.

 

"Gold and exotic materials."

 

Gold? More gold is good, but we already have lots of Dwarven gold sitting inside, but exotic materials? Now that's what I want to hear.

 

"So, about those fortresses, if I conquer and kill all the criminals inside, I want to have it as well."

 

"That wouldn't be a problem, but of course, we are ready to pay well for every fortress, and since this place is sitting right middle of the conflict, some extra money and allies are always needed, I assume."

 

I got it, they know we have a limited force, and we cannot over-extend. Over to that, they also know I am in desperate need of allies if I want to expand."

 

"Then deal is accepted."

 

"How great." Hurbard pulled out a parchment from his pocket with a smile. "Perhaps, you may want to start from here."

 

I grabbed the parchment and opened it. 

 

"A map with a single marked location. I suppose a fortress infested with bandits. Only fifteen minutes of flight away from here."

 

I advanced my map reading skills quite well here. I wanted to add that extra detail to the whole thing.

 

"Yes, and we suppose that there should be around five hundred troops, but they have connections to an even bigger raider group working for Loyalists."

 

So they were trying to hit two birds with a single old me.

 

"I suppose I need to go in, kill their leader, and go out."

 

Hurbard nodded and began moving away. "I suppose everything is clear. Let's meet again after you finish your task, Lich King."

 

Poor choice of words. "While our meeting will happen in a short time, and I hope next time you remember to change your tone, Mister Hurbard. I don't want to remind you that I am still a king and a possible ally, not a paid mercenary.

 

"I will try to." The man bowed forward. "Then I leave these two carts to you. Best spices and silk you can find in these land."

 

With that, our talk has ended, and they are leaving my land with gifts. What a good day.