“What do you mean by that?”
Astreia and Sera asked almost in unison.
“It’s very simple…”
Wendy slowly paced to the front of the map, his slender finger gently tapping the area marked as the canyon.
“Blow up the mountain.”
The air instantly froze.
The war council room fell silent, everyone staring at him with the kind of look reserved for lunatics.
“Blow up the mountain?”
General Sera’s single eye flashed with a sharpness that seemed almost tangible, her brows furrowing tightly together.
“Kid, do you think this is a game? That’s a naturally formed rock-walled canyon, not some mud-brick hut! Even if you drained every mage in Sunset Fortress dry, you wouldn’t budge that mountain a single inch!”
Wendy raised an eyebrow at her words. It seemed this iron-blooded general had wracked her brains over this before, and failed.
“And,” another weather-beaten officer in heavy armor couldn’t help but interject, “even if you could bring down the mountain, how much gunpowder would that take? Buy it from the Dwarves? Never mind the astronomical price, there’s simply not enough time!”
“Who said we have to use Dwarven gunpowder?”
Wendy interrupted, the corners of his lips curling up.
“I have my own gunpowder formula. Here at Sunset Fortress, I can start making it right away.”
“What did you say?!”
Before the words had even faded, every officer present—including General Sera—slammed the table and shot to their feet, their eyes round as saucers as they stared at Wendy, as if they wanted to burn holes through him.
Even Astreia couldn’t hold back any longer. She grabbed Wendy’s hand, her voice trembling with excitement, “W-Wendy! You have the gunpowder formula?! This… this is not something you can joke about!”
The warmth and softness of her touch spread from his hand. Meeting Princess Royal’s gaze, which was almost pleading for confirmation, Wendy didn’t say much—he simply nodded gently, giving the firmest answer through his actions.
At that, the atmosphere in the war council room changed completely.
A simple gesture, yet it carried the weight of a thousand pounds.
The officers, who had been so agitated just moments before, now sat back down in perfect unison amid the clatter of armor.
But this time, all trace of scorn and doubt was gone from their faces, replaced by uncontrollable joy and greed.
Wendy, of course, understood why they were so excited.
In this world, according to the setting of Witch’s Conquest, the Dwarven Kingdom’s absolute monopoly on gunpowder technology not only made their short and adorable handgunners the most expensive units on the battlefield, it also made gunpowder itself as valuable as gold.
Ordinary kingdoms, even if they emptied their treasuries, could barely buy any.
Now, a brand new gunpowder formula, free from Dwarven control, had suddenly appeared before them!
What did this mean?
It meant that the Valoran Kingdom, and Sunset Fortress, might have the chance to produce their own “handgunners”!
It meant that in the war against the Orcs, they would gain a trump card powerful enough to change the entire course of battle!
“Tap… tap… tap…”
General Sera’s fingers rhythmically tapped the stone table.
She forcibly suppressed the countless tactical plans swirling in her mind and, in an unprecedentedly respectful tone, asked, “Your Highness, how long will it take for you to produce enough gunpowder? And… the gunpowder formula…?”
Wendy raised a hand, cutting her off, and said bluntly, “The ingredients I need are very simple, all available locally. One day is enough to make enough to flatten that mountain. As for the formula… I don’t intend to make it public.”
At these words, the fire that had just ignited in everyone’s eyes dimmed a little, and sighs of disappointment rippled through the room.
Though unwilling, they understood.
Such a precious formula was worth a king’s ransom—who would just give it away for nothing?
But just as everyone thought that was the end of it, Wendy instead gently took Astreia’s slender hand, still clutching his, and, in front of everyone, lifted it to his lips and planted a light, dragonfly kiss.
His gaze was focused and “sincere,” and though his voice was not loud, it was clear enough for everyone to hear: “However, as long as Astreia stays by my side, I would be happy to make gunpowder for her, free of charge, and deal with any enemy who dares to stand against her.”
“Hiss—!”
The officers who had just sat down all drew in a sharp breath at once.
This… isn’t this basically giving it away for free?!
As long as Princess Royal stays, gunpowder will flow without end! If… if the First Princess marries Prince Wendy and makes him consort, wouldn’t that mean the entire Valoran Kingdom’s army could use this coveted gunpowder?
Princess Royal’s status would soar, possibly even surpassing Her Majesty the Queen back in the capital!
And don’t forget, Princess Astreia holds First in Line to the Throne! There’s still time to choose sides… isn’t there?
In that instant, a dozen dagger-like gazes shot toward Astreia, filled with envy, jealousy, and resentment.
Why her!
Why does this “ugly girl,” scorned by popular standards, get such doggone luck—not only winning the favor of the kingdom’s top beauty, but also getting her father-in-law’s infinite refills of the gunpowder formula?!
Why isn’t the one Prince Wendy likes me?!
Damn it! I want to have both career and beauty too!
Under the nearly tangible waves of resentment from the crowd, Astreia’s cheeks had long since turned bright red.
She could no longer contain her overwhelming joy and emotion, and suddenly pulled Wendy tightly into her embrace, squeezing him so hard it was almost suffocating.
“Wendy… thank you… I… I don’t even know how to thank you…”
Wendy, unashamed, seized the chance to bury his face deep in that soft, ample whiteness, closed his eyes, and took a long, deep breath of that unique scent—a blend of sunlight and daisies.
Top tier.
Absolutely satisfying!!!
Only after he was thoroughly content did Wendy reach out, gently stroking Princess Royal’s silky golden hair, and dotingly said, “Astreia, there’s no need for formality between us~”
“Wendy…”
Astreia’s eyes shimmered, misty with emotion.
“Astreia…”
“Ahem—Ahem—Ahem—!”
Seeing the female officers around them twisting with jealousy, General Sera finally couldn’t take it anymore.
With a thunderous cough, she forcibly dragged everyone’s attention back to the topic at hand.
“Since we have enough gunpowder, here’s the question…”
The one-eyed general’s gaze sharpened again.
“Prince Wendy, how many wolf cavalry reinforcements are coming? How much of the mountain do we need to blow up?”
At her words, Wendy slowly lifted his head from the snowy embrace, a pure and harmless smile on his face.
“I want… to blow up the entire mountain!”
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