Warhammer Divine Throne-Chapter 520 - 225, Dwarf Engineer Dugen the Ironman

"Hmm~" In the deep of night, when Teresa went to rest in the guest room, inside the master's room, Laine was chatting idly with Ollica. He laughed, addressing the big lump wrapped in blankets on his bed: "Veronica~ Come out!"

"This is truly the most humiliating day of my life!" The Jialan Witch remained wrapped in blankets, her voice filled with fury and frustration: "I actually lost to Trovik, that little princess of Jialan! Hmm~ Laine, hold me!"

Laine had no choice but to pull Veronica out from the blankets and held her on his lap. Even so, the Jialan Witch buried her head in his chest, unwilling to rise. Laine gently stroked the Witch's back: "It's normal for you to lose to her. Although Teresa's strength is slightly weaker than yours, her complete set of equipment and Magic Staff far surpass yours."

Upon saying that, Laine seemed to recall something and couldn't help but laugh again.

"You're still laughing!!!" Veronica was so angry she pinched her man hard on the waist. Then she remembered something and buried her flushed face back into Laine's chest.

When Laine arrived at the reception room, the Jialan Witch was tied up, bound on the sofa, her eyes red and about to cry. Laine hurriedly untied the ropes and held her for a long while to comfort her.

Laine was not surprised that Veronica lost to Teresa. In terms of strength, Teresa was slightly weaker than Veronica, but when it came to equipment and Magic Scrolls... Moreover, Veronica excelled in Light and Fire Magic, and without being able to unleash her full power, she indeed wasn't a match for Teresa.

"Alright, alright, it's okay, Veronica. I won't look down on you because of this," Laine comforted as he continued: "It's okay to fail. You can defeat her again in the future."

"Hmph~ I had originally promised her that if she lost to me, she'd leave immediately. But I didn't expect she would obtain a Seventh-Ring Magic Scroll from Elder Aurora." Veronica finally calmed down, sitting on Laine's lap, hugging his neck as she complained: "Initially, it was evenly matched, but Laine, my feet are sore. Can you massage them for me~"

Laine smiled as he massaged the Jialan Witch's silky beautiful feet, sighing inwardly: Veronica truly is a smart woman. She knows exactly what she wants. Losing to Teresa in magic wasn't important; the Witch immediately seized the opportunity to recover her position with him.

Teresa still needs to gain more experience.

......

Ever since the female sorcerer came to Laine's territory, the open and covert rivalry between the two Witches began. Teresa had the advantage of ample resources, while Veronica excelled in agility and wisdom. The battle of wits and courage between the two Witches provided Laine with much amusement. Of course, the one who ultimately benefited from this was the Baron himself.

Initially, Teresa was very dissatisfied, always feeling that she was the best, until she met Surya.

The appearance of the Duke's daughter made her realize something.

Laine now couldn't care less, as the Baron had his own affairs to attend to.

That was the matter concerning artillery.

When Laine first mentioned the matter of artillery to the Dwarf Craftsmen, Delong actually refused because Laine couldn't just say he wanted artillery and they'd make it.

This brings up the "Holy Alliance" between the Empire and the Dwarf Supreme King. Even after countless years, the alliance is still adhered to by both the Empire and the Dwarves. Among it, the secret of gunpowder was shared unselfishly by the Dwarves as a gift to the Empire, opening a new chapter in warfare with powerful gunpowder weapons.

Thus, the Empire and the Dwarves strictly adhered to their agreement, jointly keeping the gunpowder technology confidential. In Brittania on the Gray Mountain Range, Knights could only obtain outdated old-style Giant Cannons that had been discarded by the Empire, mostly usable only for defending castles and inconvenient for carrying and transportation.

So, what was Brittania's primary siege weapon?

The Catapult.

Laine saw this giant siege weapon firsthand in Kulona. Composed of approximately six to eight wagon-sized wooden parts assembled through a series of levers, gears, and coiling mechanisms, the Catapult's massive direct arm is hauled down into the firing position, with the other end connected to a giant stone balancing hammer. A huge sling attached to the long arm of the Catapult can accommodate rocks, debris from stone buildings, and even dead livestock. When the Catapult fires, the sling adds extra force to the moving long arm, making the slinger range farther and stronger than a typical stone crossbow.

From a Celestial Dynasty perspective, this thing is equivalent to the "Huihui Cannon" used by Mongolians to siege towns.

The Catapult's power is tremendous. Compared to the Empire's Giant Cannons, the Catapult's force is no less formidable. The giant stones thrown by Catapults can destroy most enemies, even becoming a nightmare for Green Skins and Beastmen who often act in clusters. The disadvantage of the Catapult is its inconvenient portability, difficulty in mounting and dismounting, and the rate at which it fires, which is evidently much slower compared to firearms.

Under the personal blessing of the Lake God Prophet and Lake God Witch, the Catapult enhanced by divine favor can throw three times the stone and add magical damage, proving its super powerful might.

However, most Knights still generally express disdain for these machines, and several Dukes completely refuse to use them. Nonetheless, owning a Catapult remains a symbol of wealth and status; the manufacture of Catapults requires artisans long periods and handcrafting. Only a limited number of craftsmen in Brittania can create such powerful war machines, and Lords eagerly demand their services. Although Knights won't operate these war machines themselves, they can barely comprehend the strategic value of the Catapult. Peasants are ordered by Lords to operate these precious war machines because Peasants cannot capture honor or understand the meaning of fighting for the Lady.