A week had passed since the meeting with the barons, and Drakmoor was beginning to feel the effects of the new alliances. The cold still plagued the kingdom, but the city remained alive, with the new brick roads nearly completed and the constant sound of hammers echoing from the large forge that Miguel had designed. About 15 blacksmiths had arrived, responding to the king's call. Arthur, the chief blacksmith, personally welcomed them, showing them the furnaces, the equipment, and explaining how everything worked. The large building, capable of supporting up to 30 blacksmiths working simultaneously, was a testament to Miguel's dedication to transforming Drakmoor into a strong and self-sufficient kingdom.

Marcus, the chief carpenter, was also busy. Five experienced carpenters had arrived, ready to help with construction and train new workers. Each was immediately integrated into the effort to build new houses and fortifications.

While the work continued at a rapid pace, Miguel remained in his office, sitting at the table with a glass of wine in hand. The fire in the fireplace cast soft shadows on the walls, but the warmth it provided did little to soothe the unease Miguel felt. He was thinking, as always, of ways to protect his kingdom.

John, the defense secretary, had given a report the day before, confirming Miguel's suspicions: Drakmoor was still vulnerable. Even with the addition of the two baronies, its military strength was still insufficient. Only 15,000 soldiers were available to defend the kingdom, and that number could rise to 25,000 if they conscripted civilians with no military experience. A number that, in a war against larger forces, could easily be crushed.

Miguel knew he needed to think of something quickly. He looked at the wine in his glass, recalling the times his kingdom had been on the brink of destruction, saved only by his ingenuity and the support of the beastmen. But this time, it would be different. He couldn't rely solely on the inventions he had already created. He needed something more, something that could turn Drakmoor's small army into an unbeatable force, even against armies three to ten times larger.

He rose from his chair and walked to the window. Outside, the snow continued to fall gently, covering the kingdom in a white blanket. Miguel reflected on the military history of the great empires of his former world. Weapons, he thought. Not just any weapons, but firearms.

The idea began to take shape in his mind. If he could develop these weapons, he would turn his army into a lethal force. No one would expect a small kingdom like Drakmoor to possess such technology, and that would give him a decisive advantage. He knew it wouldn't be easy, but there was no choice. His kingdom, his new home, depended on it.

Miguel returned to the table, set the glass of wine aside, and picked up a blank piece of paper. He needed to start working immediately. Time was against him, but more than ever, he felt he was on the right path. Drakmoor would become a fortress, and he would be the king who would lead it to survival.

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Miguel sat at his desk, where the embers in the fireplace crackled softly, offering comforting warmth against the relentless winter cold. His mind was in full gear, revolving around an idea that could transform Drakmoor's fate. With the tip of the pen already dipped in ink, he began to draw, focused on creating something that had never before existed in that world: a cannon.

He started with the basic structure. The cannon's body would be forged from solid iron, with a length of approximately 2.5 meters. The cannon's mouth, wide and sturdy, would have an internal diameter of about 10 centimeters, large enough to fire a projectile that could devastate enemy ranks. The metal needed to be strong enough to withstand the explosive pressure of black powder, which led him to consider using the casting technique he and Arthur had developed, incorporating charcoal during the process to increase the iron's hardness.

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Miguel detailed the combustion chamber, which would be precisely molded to contain the charge of black powder. He thought about the thickness of the cannon's walls, which had to be robust to withstand the internal explosion without breaking, but not so thick as to make the weapon impossible to move. Miguel planned to mount the cannon on a reinforced wooden base, equipped with wheels made from the same sturdy oak that had already been used in their wagons. This would allow the cannon to be positioned and repositioned on the battlefield with relative ease.

The minute details were essential. He sketched the components of the ignition system, where a fuse made of saltpeter-soaked cord would connect to the combustion chamber. The idea was simple: light the fuse, step back, and let the black powder do the rest. The cannon's mouth would be equipped with a fitting for the projectiles, which could be solid metal spheres or explosive projectiles, like those Miguel had already experimented with using catapults.

He also considered the weapon's safety. He knew that repeated use could cause wear, so he designed an additional support structure to reinforce the cannon, especially around the combustion chamber. Miguel added notes alongside the sketch, listing all the necessary materials: iron, oak wood, black powder, saltpeter fuses, and specific tools for forging and assembly.

Miguel paused for a moment and leaned back in his chair, admiring the cannon sketch he had just drawn. He knew that building this weapon would be arduous, but the idea of having a cannon on the battlefield, a weapon that could change the course of a war, filled him with pride. If he could bring this vision to reality, Drakmoor would become an almost impregnable fortress.

Satisfied with the progress, Miguel turned his attention to the next project: the rifle. Grabbing a new sheet of paper, he began to draw the weapon that, in his hands, could be even more revolutionary than the cannon.

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Miguel, satisfied with the cannon sketch, knew that the next crucial step would be to create a robust and precise mold for casting the weapon. He began sketching the mold, imagining the process in his mind. The mold would be divided into two halves that, when joined, would form the cavity where the molten iron would be poured. Each half of the mold would be made from a specific type of sand bonded with clay, a material capable of withstanding the extreme heat of the casting process without disintegrating or deforming.

Miguel detailed the internal parts of the mold. The internal walls would be slightly tapered to facilitate the removal of the cannon once cooled. He also added ventilation channels to allow gases to escape during casting, preventing bubbles or imperfections in the metal. At the top of the mold, he drew a wide opening where the molten iron would be poured. This opening would connect to the mold's main chamber through a narrow channel, designed to ensure the metal filled all the internal details evenly. The mold would need to be mounted on a reinforced wooden structure to ensure stability during the casting process. Miguel also considered the possibility of creating a removable core for the combustion chamber, which would be made of clay coated in wax, allowing for a smoother, more precise finish inside the cannon.

With the cannon mold well outlined, Miguel turned his attention to creating portable weapons. He took a new sheet of paper and began sketching a rifle. Inspired by his memory of old trapdoor rifles, he started outlining a simple and effective firing system. The rifle would be single-shot, meaning that after each shot, the shooter would need to manually reload the weapon.

Miguel sketched the rifle with a long barrel, approximately 1.2 meters in length, made from reinforced steel. At the top of the barrel, he drew the opening system, where the shooter could lift a small hinged door – the "trapdoor" – to insert the ammunition. After placing the cartridge, the shooter would close the trapdoor, securing the ammunition in the chamber and preparing the weapon to fire. Miguel also added an external hammer that, when pulled back and released, would strike the firing pin, detonating the powder in the cartridge and firing the projectile. He sketched the rifle's body in oak wood, designing it ergonomically for better handling and accuracy.

The next weapon on his list was the pistol. Miguel decided to follow a similar concept to the rifle, creating a smaller and more portable version. The pistol would have a 25-centimeter barrel and also use the trapdoor system for loading ammunition. Like the rifle, the pistol would be single-shot, requiring manual reloading after each shot. The pistol's body would be made of wood, but Miguel would reinforce the areas around the barrel and the firing system with steel, ensuring durability. He designed the pistol's grip to fit comfortably in the shooter's hand, with a protective trigger guard to prevent accidental discharges.

Miguel made notes alongside each sketch, describing the necessary materials and manufacturing details. He knew that both projects, the rifle and the pistol, would require precision in construction and rigorous testing to ensure their effectiveness on the battlefield.

Satisfied with the progress, Miguel set the drawings aside and prepared for the next step: designing the ammunition for these weapons, as well as for the cannon. He knew that the success of these projects depended as much on the quality of the weapon as on the efficiency of the ammunition. Pouring another glass of wine, Miguel took a deep breath, feeling the weight of responsibility but also the excitement of being on the brink of an innovation that could change Drakmoor's destiny.