CHAPTER 26: THE FÜHRER AND THE KINGDOM OF BALKA

A few months before the Beastvania Beastkin Nation took their military action.

To pass the time, I came to the Balka Kingdom to do some sightseeing since I was in the area…

Hmm, it appears that I’m in quite a troublesome situation.

This is Mushclle, the Royal Capital of the Balka Kingdom. Inside the temple of the capital city.

According to the people of Balka, the temple is dedicated to Helvor, the Goddess of War. It is an ancient Greek-style white temple, and the design is very beautiful.
If it weren’t for these circumstances, I would love to paint it on canvas.

But now is not the time for that.

Because I was sitting on a throne in the central part of the temple, in a place like a throne room.

Especially in front of hundreds of musclemen who bow their heads to you?

“Oh, Goddess! O Goddess of War, Helvor! Please give strength to our people of Balka!”

My goodness.

Ayame-san happily replied, “Oh dear, are you an applicant for the Eryutheia faith? It seems that the citizens of this country are pretty reasonable people to understand the virtues of Eryu-san.” That’s what she said…

Nope, I’ve come to an unbelievable country.

I came here with a casual expectation that I would be able to do a little sightseeing, and hopefully develop a more friendly relationship with the country.

I find myself being worshipped as a goddess.

It’s a problem.

“Erm, I am, I mean, I’m Eryutheia… a goddess of war or anything like that is…”

When I try to somehow explain the situation…

“Hooh! The true name of Lady Helvor is Eryutheia! Did you all hear that!”

And they responded with something like that…Yeah. There’s nothing I can do about this.

I don’t know anymore.

I told them that they misunderstood something on their own and that I wasn’t a goddess of war.
If you later complain, “You are not a goddess of war,” I am not responsible for that.

That’s why… I want a full release of liability.

I would like to begin sightseeing. I mean, that’s what I’m here for.

I told Baal Balka, the King of Balka, that I wanted to look around the city and departed from the temple. Apparently, the macho king himself offers to be our guide for sightseeing.

The Royal Capital of the Kingdom of Balka, Mushclle, is quite a beautiful place.

I had heard that their technology was only at a medieval level, so I wondered if there would be some manure down the street as well? So I thought, but it was very well maintained…

White walls with a red roof. It’s a very beautiful place accompanied by the shining sun over the mediterranean sea.

It’s a really nice place, except that I was carried in a kind of palanquin and was escorted by a large army of Imperial Guard Maids and Machomen.

“It’s a beautiful city… I would love to have a city like this in my country.”

Somehow Ayame-san, who was riding in the palanquin with me, said, “Shall we take it away then?” What a terrible thing to say.

No, I don’t particularly want this city. These beautiful cityscapes look like tourist attractions, do you agree?

Mm-mm, groaned Ayame-san. After thinking for a while, she said, “I understand. Then, I’ll have it built later…”

Are you saying, you will have it made later, please don’t try to build a city as if you were making omelet rice like that.

See, even the King of Balka, who is leading me around on his portable palanquin, is saying, “Hoh, this maid is pretty crazy. Interesting…”

Sigh…

Speaking of which, why didn’t Roshana-san come to Balka?

That person, in case you were wondering, is a representative of the Celestial Kingdom, so shouldn’t she have come as a kind of meeting between nations?
　
I asked her out but she said something like, “You’re just so sweet, but I’m on a middle sightseeing trip…” Something like that.

That person, for one thing, is a sensible person, and I wish she could have been here for these situations… It’s a shame.

Surely Balka’s food is not to your palate or something like that? I have no idea.

Alright, now.

On the outskirts of town, a colosseum-style military training ground. This place looks great and is the best place to go sightseeing in Balka! This is apparently one of the most famous spots in the city.

In the middle of the training ground.

There, the Imperial Guard Maids line up with their muskets at ready.

These girls are aiming at the targets, the steel armor. It’s something like full-plate armor. The distance is 20 meters, well within the effective range.

The trigger is pulled… Fire.

The bullets fired with a dry sound of gunfire hit the armor several times. It penetrates through steel armor with ease.

“Hou, so this is the divine staff…”

King Balka looks impressed.

So let me tell you what I do, I’m giving them as a gift and making a sales pitch while sightseeing. It is a demonstration of weapons made by the Yamato Empire at a training ground.

I had brought some Imperial weapons as a gift to Balka.

It’s basically a musket gun and an old-style front-loaded smoothbore gun. It is the kind of weapon used in the Napoleonic Wars.

The reason why I only brought old weapons is… One of the reasons for this is to control the outflow of technology, and another is to prevent Balka from becoming the sole power in the eastern continent.
　
Once Balka’s army was armed with modern weaponry, they could eventually dominate the Eastern Continent… It would be a hindrance to the war business later on.
Scatter the sparks, make them fight, and sell the weapons. Since it is not profitable from a war business perspective to have only one dominant country.

It’s better that the various countries continue to fight each other for a prolonged period of time.

Besides, if Balka were to attack and destroy a different race nation, the market would be temporarily burned to the ground.
　
So that’s a not good thing.

“But that musket gun is somewhat lacking in muscle. Even a maid with such slender arms can handle it…”

“That’s what makes it such a fascinating weapon, though.”

“Hmm, I see. But what I’m more interested in is this.”

That said, King Balka picked something up from a nearby display shelf… What is it, I wonder?

A big musket gun?

I haven’t seen this weapon before. It is similar in structure to a musket or a flintlock rifle, but it is somehow different in every way.

The size is.

It’s about two times bigger.

“It’s a Ōdzutsu, Eryu-san.”

“…Who brought these weapons?”

“It’s me, is there a problem?”

　……Ayame-san.

So, What is this rare weapon-like object?

Ōdzutsu is it? It is a weapon that looks like it could have been made in the Warring States period.

You could even call it a big-ass musket gun, couldn’t you? Or should I describe it as a small cannon that can be held in your hand?

You may as well call it a hand cannon.

They look like they would blow up from the recoil if you shot them.

When I asked her with a cynical look, “Can a human being even fire such a stupid-looking weapon?” she replied…

“Do you want a demonstration?”

Then, Ayame-san forcibly took it from King Balka, who was gazing at the ōdzutsu he was holding, and loaded it in a flowing manner.

“Whoa! What monstrous power this maid has! How can she take away the weapon from me!”

Without paying any attention to what he said, she fired at the armor that had just been used as a target for the musket gun.

　……Ayame-san is actually very strong. Once she gets hold of you, there is absolutely no escape.

Then.

With a boom, a shell is fired with an explosive sound that cannot be compared to a musket gun, and the armor of the target is blown off.

It looks like it’s not an explosive round, just a steel ball… It is a large caliber gun, so the kinetic energy must be tremendous.

“Hohou… just now, this is an enhanced version of the musket gun. A wonderful muscle weapon. Let me have a shot.”

Then, he is very impressed.

As I thought, muscle brains and perverts like these stupid-looking weapons. This is a weapon, you have to be macho to be able to control the recoil of this weapon.

“My King! Look at this!”

“What’s the matter, Muscle General!”

“This weapon called a cannon is quite a good one. You could probably blow away Moruro’s Monitor Lizard with a single hit.”

“Hmm… However, that weapon seems to be on wheels, can’t you… hold it and shoot it?”

“Yes, let me try.”

Goodness, they are trying to hold and shoot a front-loaded field gun off a gun carriage… Ayame-san is smiling as she watches the eccentric behavior of these musclemen…

Sigh…The heat is getting too much.

Is there any theater around here? I want to see an opera.

What, there isn’t one? There is a gladiatorial tournament? I don’t want to, such a bloody thing.

=====

Little Weapon Description “Ōdzutsu” Edition
　
Performance Specifications.
Caliber 4 centimeters.
Bullet weight: approx. 300 grams, initial velocity: 240 meters per second.
Penetrating force up to 5 mm

It’s capable of blowing away even large targets that musket guns simply can’t hope against! The recoil must be endured with the muscles.