Time sure flies... Well, it's weird to think like that considering I am holding the Aspect of Time. Anyway, it has been two months since the arms deal with the Long Dynasty, and so far, no trouble has come knocking which is very surprising. Curious, curious... Are they really that inept at gathering intelligence, even on their own ally, or are they plotting something else? Though Section Head Quellec is still busy setting up shop in Rusviet, he has taken it upon himself to direct a few eyes and ears to Japan. Sooner or later, the full picture of Imperial Japan's internal working will be figured out, then we will see just what they're planning.

After the three-way meeting between us, the Ustian Reformists, and the Long Dynasty, all parties have gone home in an uplifted mood. Belka has succeeded in securing control over the Reformists and expanding our influence over China. The Reformists, on the other hand, have gained valuable material and tactical support, which allow them to pull their own way in a combat scenario. Ultimately, they will be their own regional power, after they've toppled the current regime and assimilated their colonies, that is. And it will be a sight to behold to have them under our wings for you can never have too many resources. After all, though Belka is sitting on a gold mine of many things, we struggle to mine and process them fast enough to fill our ever-expanding needs. Hence, it's important we have access to a large pool of manpower and readily available, tradeable resources. The latter can't be fixed yet, not until Rosa is the Queen of Ustio, but the former has been rectified thanks to the Reformists and the Long Dynasty.

Fortunately, I have full confidence that we won't be running near the red anymore. With the first void reactor working smoothly as silk, we have wasted no time at all integrating it with the national power grid. For now, only Berlin and 1/3th of Belka have been using electricity provided by the reactor but we are aiming to have the entire country using power from the reactor by the end of this year. Of course, we can't exactly only use one reactor, no, we aim to have at least five reactors working in tandem to power the nation. Can't have an enemy agent blowing up the one and only reactor, effectively plunging an entire nation into darkness.

Now, because the need for fossil fuel has been lowered drastically, we have been funneling the excess resource back into other industries. And with companies, i.e. mining, refining, and manufacturing... that answered directly to the government have been slowly phasing out their old equipment in favor of the first mana-powered equipment, we should see an increase in productivity. Though I plan it to be like that, I still have to wait for the first test run of the mana-based machinery, the companies above also serve as test pilots for those things. If any issue crops up, Dreamer will have to deal with them swiftly to not waste any time.

Speaking of testing things, right now, we, as in me, Einstein, and Bryn, are at a military range just outside Berlin, testing the prototypes of Einstein's rifle and much more infantry-based equipment. In front of us stands the devoted members of the 404th Division, my 404th, dressed up with the new combat helmet, load-bearing equipment, and bulletproof vest that is worn over a field dress. Their uniform camo is a 5-color disruptive camouflage pattern, Flecktarn for woodland terrains, Tropentarn for arid and semi-arid regions, and Schneetarn for snowy environments. Currently, they are all sporting Flecktarn as their camo. They all are holding different variants of the G1 rifle, mainly the G1 itself or its derivative marksman, SMG, or MG version. A few other noticeable mentions will be the appearance of the bigger MG-35, the newer modular multi-caliber sniper rifle, and the Panzerfaust anti-tank rocket launcher.

We won't be testing any bigger stuff until another month or at least.

Nodding at them, I say. "Well then, ladies and gents, put them through their pace!"

With a snappy salute, they all divide up into smaller formations, each taking up a corner of the military range to perform proper combat maneuvers and drills with their respective equipment. Once those are out of the way, they will then proceed to put the weapons through live fire and torture tests. These acts will allow us to gather all sorts of necessary data on many things at once. Of course, there will be possible cases of failure so medical teams are on standby. It's especially important when you're testing out a rocket launcher, a grenade, or putting a rifle that's chambering for 20mm HE next to your head.

As the range dives into a hubbub of activity, my entourage and I move back to an elevated, secured observation post. Inside, we each take a comfortable position to witness the trials below.

Turning toward Einstein, who is watching the processions below with deep fascination, I ask.

"What material will come out on top today, Einstein?"

Einstein jerks up, probably too deeply enchant, before turning back to face me with an apologetic smile. "Sorry, but can you say that again."

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

I let out a chuckle before patting the chair next to me, motioning for her to take a seat. Turning toward Bryn, who has just placed down a set of tea and snack, I say. "You come and relax too, it will be a while till they get to the loud part."

They both nod before taking their seats next to mine, from where we are, getting a good view is easy enough without the need to stand next to the window.

"I was asking what material for your weapons will come out on top during this one-week test run."

"Oh, right! That..." Einstein exclaimed before putting on a pondering face with her hand underneath her chin. "To be honest, I think that wood and steel will be the best. According to my calculations, if we use wood for the stock and handguard while the internal is made with pressed and stamped steel, we will have cheap, easily producible but effective, and durable weapons. A good option to easily outfit armies with the newer designs."

"I see, those are some valid points." I nodded at her words, not failing to understand her underlying meaning. I turn to my ever-trusty aid-now-girlfriend. "What about you, Bryn? What's your opinion on this?"

Einstein perks up, also interested in hearing the words from an actual, long-lived veteran. Noticing our curiosity, Bryn puts down her cup of tea before addressing the question.

"If I recall correctly, for Einstein's design, there are three major variants with different material compositions." Bryn holds up her fingers. "The first variant, the one Einstein mentioned, features wooden and pressed and stamped steel furniture. Next will be a mix of synthetic material and machined parts. Lastly, is a full-steel design."

"That's right. Each of the variants has its own pros and cons. Since you're a soldier, what will you bring to war?" Einstein asked as she leans closer to Bryn. Which, mind you, is also closer to me for I'm being sandwiched by the two ladies.

Bryn answers. "My answer will be based on my experiences. The first variant is, just like you said, cheap and easy to manufacture but durable enough to withstand the punishment. Yet, what you fail to account for is the weight and pressure it places on the handler. The majority of the rifle or whatever is in the family is built of wood, and wood is not light by any means. A Kar98k weighs up to 4.1kg but the main rifle, the G1, weighs up to 5.2kg. That's a major increase in weight. If you account for all the newer equipment, mainly helmet, armor, and auxiliary, they all amount up to 30kg in standard operations and 58kg in combat operations. Counting the eight spare magazines and the rifle with another one inserted, you will have to add another 6.3kg. That's a lot of weight you will be hauling around and no doubt you will find it hard to aim with the rifle without swaying all over the place. When the soldiers know that, they will no doubt return to the old faithful that is the Kar98, just for the ease of handling alone."

Einstein visibly shook, her face now showing a regretful smile as she turns to look at the marching soldiers below. "Now that you have said it straight, I can't help but admit that I failed to account for the weight on the shoulders of our fighters. I pity the men and women running around with the wooden furniture now."

I pat Einstein's back as she slumps forward, defeated. "Come on, it's fine! We made these test weeks in mind to figure out anything we missed in hindsight. Nothing will go wrong aside from a few aching shoulders, that's something we should be thankful for. You can think of this as a chance to gather credible data and feedback from the veterans, also"

Bryn adds comfort. "Yuki's right, even a genius designer will come to miss a thing or two for lacking field experience. After this, maybe you should take some time to address the men and women down there for a few things."

Being advised like that, Einstein realizes that the spreadsheet she drafted isn't always reliable. Life isn't just about numbers, after all. "Thanks, I will do just that."

Seeing that she has moved past the moody attitude from before, I now have a pleased smile on my face. Our attention is grabbed when Bryn points at a corner of the field.

"Though we say that someone may run ragged with the heavy rifle, I don't think it applies to that guy."

We direct our sights to where Bryn is pointing, only to sweatdrop at the sight of a very familiar Oni running about. The Oni is Sergeant Jirou who is leading the marching formation with an MG-35, fully loaded to the belt with ammo, in his right hand, while his left is carrying a Panzerfaust. The man even has the strength to sing loudly as he marches across the muddy test ground.

"...Well, what else did you expect from an Oni?" Einstein asked rhetorically. To which I deadpan with a. "Yes."

Einstein gives me a pointy look before directing the conversation back to what we have been discussing. "Yuki and her... questionable tendencies aside."

"Hey!" I've taken offense to that!

Einstein ignores it while saying to Bryn. "Please, do continue telling me your thoughts."

Bryn nods but before that, she pats my hair to calm me down. An action in which I gladly partake.

"What I'm gonna say next also applies to the second variant of the designs. Pressed and stamped steel components are great if you're looking for ease of manufacturing and cheap. But in actual field conditions, they're more trouble than they're worth when you have a powerful rifle like the G1. Stamped steel is never famous for its durability against impacts and now you have a full-auto capable rifle that's firing the strong 8mm Mauser cartridge? Try banging the rifle against some rocks and taking it for a few dips into the mud. You will see why using stamped steel is bad for the rifle. Don't get me wrong, using either wood or steel are great ideas on paper, but only for less complex and powerful weapons. However, for the next generation of warfare that Yuki and the military envision, we don't need cheap, disposable weapons. What we need are reliable, durable, and quality weapons. By building around that aspect, we can have our military fights anytime, anywhere for who knows how long without proper resupply. As such, a soldier's weapon must be as dependable, if not more dependable than his or her brother and sister. Only with it can he or she protects everything they or hold dear, after all. This means that the variant with synthetic materials and machined parts stands a higher chance of being accepted by the military, regardless of the higher cost."

I nod, showing my agreement with Bryn's words. Einstein is silent, contemplating the short yet passionate talk that Bryn gave. Knowing how her mind works, she must be revising her priorities and the like to be better at her work. Unwilling to interrupt her train of thought, me and Bryn sit back in comfortable silence as we keep watching the trials below.