That evening, during the negotiations:

“We propose sending our artisans to the Dragonia Empire to share firearm-related technology.”
“…Dominic?”
“…!”

With a single suggestion, Dominic turned the negotiation hall upside down.

Everyone in the room fell into stunned silence.

“And I intend to travel to the Empire myself.”
“!!!”

His proposal didn’t stop there.

“Dominic, what is this all of a sudden…?”

Stephen, clearly taken aback by his younger brother’s unexpected announcement, called out in confusion.

“…Was this discussed beforehand?”

Erika, translating for the dwarves, looked to Victor for clarification, but Victor merely shrugged with an inscrutable expression.

Dominic stepped forward with confidence.

“As you all know, I have been dedicated to firearm development for quite some time now.”
“…”
“Embarrassing as it is to admit, my recent progress has been slow. Despite having the necessary technical skills and clear objectives, I’ve repeatedly hit practical roadblocks.”

The dwarves, surprised by Dominic’s open admission of his struggles, kept quiet to let him continue.

“During this time, I had the opportunity to discuss firearms with Victor from the Dragonia Empire.”

Dominic nodded toward Victor before resuming.

“Contrary to our assumptions that the Empire lacked understanding of firearms, he demonstrated profound knowledge of their principles and manufacturing techniques. Our conversations offered a new perspective that proved invaluable to me.”
“…Invaluable, you say.”
“It’s almost regretful that I cannot present a finished product here today. Without Victor’s insights, this development could have taken decades—if it was even possible at all.”
“Ho…”

Stephen, recalling Dominic’s past boasts about firearms, stroked his chin and waited for him to continue.

“Thanks to him, I realized something. What I lacked wasn’t skill or experience—it was imagination. The Dragonia Empire is highly attuned to changes on the battlefield, and their artisans continuously adapt to these shifts. Collaborating with them will undoubtedly benefit us as well.”
“…”
“Moreover, the Emperor of the Empire returned an artifact crafted by our ancestor. Simply selling a few weapons doesn’t feel like an equitable exchange. Since fulfilling the full order immediately is impossible, I plan to exchange knowledge and broaden my horizons while responding to the goodwill they’ve shown us.”

As a people known for their pride and strong sense of reciprocity, the dwarves murmured in agreement with Dominic’s proposal.

“I see… but your presence is crucial for mass-producing firearms. None of the other artisans are as skilled as you yet.”
“Of course, I wouldn’t leave during such a critical period. My plan is to prepare the 8,000 rifles and 20 cannons you mentioned yesterday, and then transport them to the Empire while accompanying the shipment.”

Stephen met Dominic’s steady gaze, recognizing the firm resolve in his eyes.

“And how long do you plan to stay?”
“That will need to be discussed with the Empire, but I’m thinking of about six months.”

Stephen calculated the pros and cons in his mind before nodding.

“…Hmm. That duration shouldn’t pose any significant issues.”

The Anchester Kingdom wasn’t currently at war and maintained amicable relations with neighboring countries, making Dominic’s absence manageable.

Feeling indebted for receiving Boetis as a diplomatic gift, Stephen agreed to Dominic’s proposal.

“Victor, what do you think of Dominic’s suggestion? We’ll ensure the remaining 5,000 rifles and 10 siege cannons are transported as soon as they’re ready.”
“…”

After Erika translated Stephen’s words, the Empire’s delegation exchanged a brief discussion.

“Very well.”

Victor concluded the conversation with a clear and confident acceptance.

Over the next few days, both sides worked out the finer details of the agreement.

“Sign here, and the deal will be finalized.”
“Understood.”

With Stephen’s bold signature, the negotiations came to an amicable close.

---

With the arrival of Dominic and the other dwarven artisans in the Empire, we gained not only their expertise in firearms production but also access to Anchester Kingdom’s advanced metalworking techniques.

Of course, they wouldn’t reveal all their trade secrets, and the tools and methods used by our artisans differed greatly from theirs. Perfection was unlikely, but the potential gains were undeniable.

“…It’s nothing short of extraordinary to sway those stubborn dwarves.”
“Without the Emperor’s carefully chosen gifts, such an outcome would have been difficult to achieve.”
“Do you think I didn’t try before? This success is entirely yours, so there’s no need for humility in front of me.”

Securing a technical exchange with Anchester’s artisans was a significant achievement.

Luise personally called me and my team upon our return to commend our efforts and awarded individual rewards. Afterward, the delegation dispersed, returning to their respective duties.

“Artisans from Anchester Kingdom collaborating with us? I never would have imagined.”
“To think I’d live to see the day we exchange knowledge with dwarves…”

Before the dwarves and their weapons arrived, I arranged a meeting with the Empire’s artisans who would handle the production of firearms and related supplies.

Knowing I had been instrumental in securing the deal with Anchester, the artisans were particularly amicable toward me.

“I’d like to share some insights I gained while speaking with the Anchester artisans.”
“Oh, really?”

When I introduced the topic as an idea inspired by the dwarves, the artisans waited attentively.

“One of the most striking things I noticed was the shape of the bullets they used. Previously, they also used round lead balls, but these had several inherent issues.”
“Hmm…”

While it was disappointing that we couldn’t yet implement rifling in barrels, as the current level of technology made it infeasible, I chose to focus on a simpler innovation: a new type of bullet.

“Bullets that fit tightly to the barrel diameter produce greater force, as the explosion’s energy is fully utilized. However, these tightly-fitted bullets are difficult to load, and repeated use can cause problems with the barrel itself.”
“I’ve seen soldiers struggling to load their guns. They had to push the bullet down with a long rod, and it seemed to take over a minute.”
“So that’s why the condition of the barrels was so poor…”

The artisans quickly grasped my point as some shared their observations about the issues with existing bullets.

“To address this, the dwarves experimented with various bullet shapes. One artisan developed a new design.”

I presented a detailed sketch of the bullet to the artisans.

“…?”
“That’s an unusual shape.”
“They say this pointed design allows for longer range and greater accuracy.”
“I see. Interesting.”

Unlike traditional round lead balls, this new bullet had a conical shape with deep grooves along its sides. The artisans were captivated by its unique structure.

“This bullet is slightly smaller in diameter than the barrel, making it easier to load.”
“But didn’t you say smaller bullets wouldn’t fully utilize the explosion’s power?”
“Correct. However, the grooves along the sides allow the explosive force of the powder to compress the bullet against the barrel when fired. As a result, the bullet fits the barrel precisely upon firing, achieving higher accuracy and penetration.”

The artisans examined the design closely, discussing its potential among themselves.

“…If this is a design from an Anchester artisan, it’s worth trying out.”

They quickly created a temporary mold to test the concept.

A few days later, we headed to the firing range with bullets made from the new design.

“Oh, what brings the artisans here?”
“We’re testing a new dwarven technology. Care to watch?”
“Absolutely.”
“General Victor! May I watch as well?”

As we arrived, soldiers training at the range gathered around, curious about the demonstration.

I loaded the new bullet into a musket instead of the traditional round ball.

“Let me help you with that—oh?”
“You made the bullet smaller? Hmm…”

The Red Dragon Legion officers and soldiers watched with fascination as I loaded the bullet effortlessly.

After finishing, I aimed at a steel-plated armor target 50 meters away and pulled the trigger.

Bang!

With a thunderous explosion, the bullet fired.

“…Unbelievable.”
“How did you manage that…?”
“Didn’t you use a smaller bullet? How is this possible…?”

Unlike the lead balls, the new bullet pierced straight through the armor.

The soldiers, especially those in the armored cavalry, were visibly impressed.

“With just a new mold, mass production shouldn’t be too challenging.”
“To compress the bullet using the explosive force of the powder… The dwarves truly have remarkable ideas.”

The artisans began discussing the potential of the new bullet, and one approached me to ask:

“General Victor, what’s the name of this bullet? Or could you tell us the name of the artisan who designed it?”

With respect to its original creator, I replied:

“This design came from the ‘Lorenz Workshop.’ The bullet is called the Lorenz Bullet.”

I announced the name to the gathered crowd.