Before the expectant eyes of everyone present, André proceeded to present his new weapon.
"This weapon I call a percussion rifle."
With a body made mainly of wood and a long steel barrel, everyone could see it and wondered how it would work.
Around 1830, rifles that fired with the percussion-lock mechanism became widespread, and rifles with rifled barrels began to be used, but modifications in the composition and shape of the bullet were already common at the beginning of the 19th century.
The percussion lock is a firing system that consists of a hammer-striker that strikes a copper cup (percussion cap) fitted over the mouth of a tube (called the "nipple") that communicates with the interior of the rear part of the rifle barrel. The primer already came inside the cup, although there were also mechanisms with paper tape containing encapsulated primers that moved over the tube. The hammer-striker detonates the primer with a blow and releases a flame through the nipple, which causes the ignition of the gunpowder charge compressed in the barrel and the shot.
"Alchemist Antonio, I ask that you please lend me the bullets."
Alchemist Antonio stepped forward and opened the box he was holding, saying:
"My lord, these were made according to the method you provided us. I hope they meet your expectations."
At the beginning of the 19th century, lead bullets began to be hardened by alloying them with antimony or coating them with copper to prevent them from deviating from their usual trajectory due to the deformations caused during firing. They were also given a cylindro-conical shape to favor rotation when fired from a rifled barrel.
André had previously given the alchemists the method for making bullets and had assigned them a group of apprentices so that they could begin large-scale bullet production.
Nodding, André took the box of bullets and proceeded to load the weapon.
With a wave of his hand, a group of mansion servants brought some steel armors and placed them on scarecrows about 50 meters away.
"It will be better for you to observe the greatness of this weapon rather than listen to my explanation."
"Raúl, the honors will be yours. Just aim and pull the trigger. Be careful with the recoil." André, who was barely eleven years old, was not in a condition to demonstrate with the rifle, so the robust Raúl took his place holding the weapon.
Raúl picked up the rifle and did exactly as André had told him. He familiarized himself with the weapon for a moment, then aimed, and then:
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Everyone was surprised by the loud sound of the rifle.
André ordered the servants to bring the test armors. Upon seeing the state of the armor, everyone was shocked: it was completely destroyed, with holes that entered through the front and exited through the back.
The following tests were carried out at one hundred meters and one hundred fifty meters afterward, with the same result as the first test.
The most excited and shocked of all were Raúl and the division generals Greg, Armond, and Joss, who were among the most loyal knights André had.
They could already imagine that the time of knights and swords would come to an end and that there would be a new order in how wars would develop in the future.
"Bravo, bravo, bravo!" André applauded excitedly and hugged Orobio, congratulating him.
"Orobio, well done, you did not disappoint me. Now I want you to tell me how long it will take to make me twenty thousand units of these rifles."
Orobio had an embarrassed expression and said:
"My lord, I am afraid it will take our workshop around two years."
"That will not work. Orobio, I want you to tell me what you need so that they will be ready in six months."
Orobio thought for a long moment before answering:
"My lord, I need to expand my workshop at least three times, and likewise the number of blacksmiths. It does not matter if they are apprentices; the important pieces will be made by the more experienced ones."
"Very well, I approve the expansion of your workshop, and I hope it will be ten times larger, because I will not only need you to make rifles. Later come to my office so I can give you some other blueprints I want you to make."
"Yes, my lord." Orobio was excited about the new blueprints André would give him; he was still surprised by the rifle blueprints.
"Rose, speak with Mario about the workshop plans. Have him take care of it," André said to his lovely assistant, who always followed him and handled various matters, making his work much easier.
"Yes, my lord," Rose replied cheerfully; she liked being useful to André.
"Then, my lord, I take my leave. I am not the only one who is waiting to speak with you, my lord." Orobio bowed and left. Immediately there were new visitors.
"My lord, this will revolutionize the world. I believe that with this we will not fear anyone in the region," Raúl was the first to speak.
"Raúl, soon all the soldiers of the viscounty will be armed with these rifles. I expect great things from you, since I have many plans for the army."
"Yes, my lord." Raúl, together with the other generals, made a standard military pose and felt something hidden in their lord's words. It seemed that soon this territory would make itself heard throughout the world.
"Then, my lord, we take our leave. We are going to continue with the army's training."
Watching Raúl and company depart, André thought that soon a time of great expenses would come. He needed to generate other sources of income.
Then, after thinking for a while, André told Rose what she had to do next:
"Rose, go and tell Orobio that we will need double the number of BLAST FURNACES I ordered. In addition, take the document on my desk that says 'mirror manufacturing' and 'sugar manufacturing' and deliver it to Mario. Tell him to begin production of both as soon as possible and to take the high-end route with the mirrors and the white sugar."
"Yes, André," Rose replied, getting to work.
When Rose was about to leave, André suddenly said:
"Also take the one that says 'wine and beer manufacturing.' Tell him that the wine can take the high-end route for the nobility. As for the beer, tell him to take the low-end route; the more you sell, the better."
"Yes," Rose said and walked away toward André's study.
André had complete trust in Rose, which is why she was the only one who could review the documents in his study—documents that not even his mother Amanda could look at. It was not that he did not trust her, but rather that he wanted to avoid unnecessary questions. As for Rose, she never asked anything: she trusted André blindly.
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