—
"Now that introductions are out of the way, I need the four of you to bring me any kind of locks — door-hinge locks, chest locks, or even, if you can manage it, large gate locks. Better yet, try to find any mechanism that uses a spring as a primary component."
The three of them stared at him in puzzlement, unfamiliar even with the simple idea of a spring. Gustave sighed inwardly at the gap between his education and theirs, then patiently explained what a spring was and the kinds of objects it typically appeared in.
"And once you've found those springs," he continued, "I want a metal tube about half the length of my arm and roughly half the diameter of my wrist. If you can't find that exact size, any metal tube not much larger than my hand will do."
He added, wanting parts he could dismantle, "Bring me a crossbow and its bolts as well — make sure the crossbow still has its string. That cord is what I really need; the weapon itself is only for reference."
Pausing to consider the weapon he actually intended to make, Gustave decided it would be best to collect any ready-made mechanisms available in this world. With a variety of small components at hand, he might find pieces that would — or might not — prove useful for his design.
"Speaking of references," he said, "instead of just one crossbow, I want the four of you to go to the market and bring back any mechanisms or devices you find interesting — something from Oxenfurt, perhaps a compass, an astrolabe, a barometer, or even a printing press, if you can manage it."
When the maids stared blankly at names like astrolabe and barometer, Gustave explained what they were and described several other instruments he suspected already existed on the continent, so they would know what to look for.
The reason he wanted all these components and ready-made mechanisms was simple: Gustave planned to take them apart and reuse any working parts for the weapon he intended to build.
He hadn't settled on a final design—beyond that it needed to be hidden from plain sight—so he decided to collect everything he could get his hands on to avoid running short of parts.
He also hadn't commissioned custom pieces from a blacksmith because there wasn't enough time. His mother, Meve, wanted him and his brothers to leave the twin realms of Lyria and Riva so the unrest following the beheading of a Ban Ard sorcerer wouldn't endanger them.
Because the evacuation needed to be swift, there was no time for him to prepare thoroughly or to have custom-made mechanical parts.
"Write that down, so you don't forget."
With the physical mechanisms accounted for, Gustave turned his thoughts to the mystical side of things. He admitted to himself that without proper equipment and precision cutting tools, the weapon he wanted to create would not function properly.
Unlike the modern world — where machines can craft mathematically precise components and even children can handle simplified versions of such devices, like Nerf guns — medieval society was very different.
It relied on blacksmiths who forged everything by hand, and their work, while skilled, could never match the standards or speed of modern assembly lines. Hand-forged parts were prone to small errors and lacked the fine precision made possible by modern cutting tools.
For that reason, he hoped to find a mystical solution here — a way to cheat the limits of the tech tree of science. With such a shortcut, he wouldn't need years of experimentation or a master blacksmith to forge the precise components he required.
Although he lacked a Source — the innate affinity that sorcerers possess to wield magic — Gustave knew that even those without magical talent could still make use of mystical wonders.
The only difference was that while sorcerers could draw upon Chaos through their natural affinity, this form of magic allowed its user to channel Chaos without a Source, because the language used was itself the Source.
Rune Magic.
An ancient art of magic discovered long before humans — before any human ever set foot on the Continent. Some claimed it was created by the elves, but Gustave knew better. The long-eared folk, ever eager to twist history and glorify themselves, were not the true creators of this primordial magic.
Perhaps it was the native races — the dwarves, gnomes, or the vran, the lizardfolk who evolved directly from dinosaurs — who first created Rune Magic. But that didn't matter to him; what he needed was a ready-made form of magic that could be used and wielded by a layman like himself.
By using an ancient runic language carved onto stones scattered across the land, even ordinary people with no magical affinity could wield enchantments of great power.
Over time, this practice gave rise to a profession devoted to the craft — specialists known as Runewrights, masters of inscribing and manipulating runes to harness magic through language itself.
Eventually, they learned to create new runic stones — transforming those massive, immovable monoliths like Places of Power into portable Glyphstones and Runestones. These could be embedded into weapons or other instruments, the most notable examples being those engraved upon a Witcher's silver sword.
Although he had not yet officially studied any form of mysticism — since the books provided by his mother excluded such "dangerous" knowledge — Gustave assumed that even without prior practice, he might still be able to use it.
Coupled with the fact that he possessed the [Knowledge] ability, which allowed him to draw information directly into his mind, he at least wanted to try using this form of magic — to see if he could cheat his way through the tech tree of science.
"And when you finish gathering those components, I want you to buy me all kinds of glyphstones and runestones, particularly Aard or Wind stones. If you can, also buy chiseling tools or any tools the seller has related to Runewright—just get them."
"If anyone asks why, tell them the youngest prince wants to play with them after seeing the illustrations in the books. As for money, take whatever you need from the tax vault—only from the funds set aside for me. Got it?"
Seeing them nod nervously, still fidgeting and clearly frightened by the whole ordeal, Gustave realized that his sudden change in demeanor had made them uncomfortable. Because of that, he could understand how they felt; if he were in their place, without any experience in mysticism, he wouldn't have reacted much better.
Still, it was regrettable that he had to become alert and act this early. Originally, he had intended to improve himself gradually and at a relaxed pace—perhaps waiting until he was a teenager—so he wouldn't have to explain why he possessed the mind of an adult. He had trusted that his mother, Meve, could weather any storm for at least another decade before the Nilfgaardians arrived.
But it seemed circumstances had proven otherwise, forcing him to prepare for the challenges ahead much sooner than expected.
Sympathetic to their fear and confusion, he reassured them once more. "It's okay to be confused, or even afraid of me. No mortal can meet the Paragon face to face without feeling overwhelmed. And as His angel, it's only natural that vestige of His divinity linger within me—enough to make you uncomfortable."
Thinking for a moment, Gustave then proposed a solution. "Hmm… how about this? Just think of me as a normal adult. There's no need to focus on my age—treat me as you would any other prince ready to serve the twin realms. That should make things easier for you."
He paused, suddenly remembering that in this era, religion was taken far more seriously than in his own world. As a modern atheist, he had momentarily forgotten how deeply people here believed in higher powers.
So he continued, "Also, there's no need for you four to convert or do anything of the sort. His Brilliance doesn't demand your belief or worship if your piety lies with other gods. He is content with your open-mindedness and your support for the advancement of civilization—that alone is enough."
Seeing them sigh in relief, Gustave realized he had struck the heart of their worry—they had no desire to worship an unfamiliar god when they already followed deities like Melitele. He could only sigh helplessly, once again reminded of the discordant between his modern mindset and the people of this medieval world. Their thoughts simply didn't align.
Shaking his head, Gustave decided to focus on the task at hand. "Now go—prepare all of those things. I'll be waiting here."
Suddenly remembering something, he stopped them and said, "Oh, right—one more thing. While you're in the royal vault, retrieve some dimeritium for me. I want to conduct a bit of research."
—
Author's Note: Short chapter. Sorry.