"Jean, what is this dagger?"
They finally got home. After dinner, Salam invited Jean to his room and opened a box. Salam then showed Jean the dagger he had found in the box. Jean then attached the dagger to a nearby gun.
"This is a gun dagger. You won't be without a weapon when you run out of bullets, right? If you do this, it will become a spear. If you take it out, it will become a normal dagger."
"I see."
When Jean hands the gun to Salam, Salam looks at it and is amused.
"It's a really well-made weapon."
Salam says this as he raises his gun again.
"Jean, how far can you aim with a gun?"
"Hmm, I think it would be enough to hit at least twice the distance. Mother shot a wild bird, the distance was further away than today's target. At that time, Mother hit it with one shot. It was cool."
Salam smiled as Jean spoke with sparkling eyes.
"I'd like to meet your mother someday."
"Yes. I'm sure she will be happy to meet you."
Jean nodded and picked up the rifle scope under the box that Salam had dismantled.
"What is it?"
"It's something you can use to see far away. Well, lend me your gun for a moment."
"Okay."
Salam handed him the gun, and Jean skillfully attached the rifle scope.
"Are you used to this kind of weapon?"
"Well, I played with guns almost every day, so if you say I'm used to it, then yes, I'm used to it."
"Play?"
"Yes."
Jean nodded.
"I took apart a gun without bullets and put it back together again. It was so much fun that I played with it almost daily."
"Is there anything useful about disassembling it?"
"If there's something wrong with it, you can fix it yourself. Besides, you can clean it yourself. If you leave it to a professional, it'll cost money and take a lot of time. So, my grandfather said, it's better to do it by yourself."
Jean handed the gun to Salam.
"Please look through that scope."
"Oh, like this?"
"It's a bit different. Brother Salam is big, so you will just hold it, fasten it to your shoulder, and look through the scope."
"Like this?"
"Yes."
Salam did as Jean instructed, and suddenly he burst into laughter.
"Looks far away."
"Yes."
Jean nodded.
"In that way, you can easily see from a distance, so you don't have to waste bullets."
"I see."
Salam nodded.
"Jean, thanks to Father for making you my little brother."
"Huh?"
"Nothing. You don’t have to worry about it."
Salam smiles and looks at the gun in his hand.
"Does this gun have a name?"
"It's a rifle."
“Rifle?”
Salam mused.
"There are various types and names for swords, right? Are there also various types of guns?"
"Yes, they are."
Jean nodded.
"Large guns are heavy and difficult to move. They are called cannons."
"When do you use it?"
"I heard from my grandfather a long time ago that it is used to destroy the gates and walls of a town from a distance. Also, when a large army attacks, it is quite effective to shoot at that large army."
Jean painted with sand from the small garden on Salam's balcony. Salam is looking at the picture while nodding his head.
"There's also a small gun. We call it a handgun. It's easy to carry, and the soldiers of Ircandia often carry it. However, hitting the target is almost impossible unless you shoot it from close range. It's even harder for people like me who aren't good at it."
"I see."
"The other thing is that rifle. It's very long, but if you practice properly, the accuracy will increase, and it's a very stable weapon. There's also a dagger. I think it's a good weapon."
Salam looks at Jean’s picture drawn in the sand.
"Next time, let's write it on paper. If it's sand, it will disappear quickly."
"Oh, yes."
Salam said and Jean nodded.
“Which one do you like among those three?”
"Hmm, personally, I like rifles. I like to aim from a distance, shoot, and run away."
"Hahaha, I see."
Salam smiles and looks at Jean.
"Now that I think about it, there was an empty one during yesterday's test shoot, right? What was that?"
"Is this?"
Jean pulled out an empty cylindrical object from inside the box.
"Yes, that."
"This is called a cartridge case. Gunpowder is put inside it and the bullet is stuffed into it. The bullet is placed inside the gun, secured with a bolt action, and when the trigger is pulled, the gunpowder is released. It explodes and the recoil causes the bullet to fly out."
"Hmmm, I guess we need gunpowder."
"Yes."
Jean nodded.
"Can those empty cartridges be used again?"
"Grandfather said he would reuse it. The chamberlains would collect used cartridges, and Grandfather's servants would remake them. He said it was cheaper that way. Somewhere, we have the tools and equipment to do that."
"I really think your parents' house looks interesting."
"Huh? Is that so?"
"Hahaha."
Salam laughed and put the gun back into the box. Jean tilts his head, looking at the contents of the box. In the end, the guns that Salam entrusted to Sahim totaled 400 guns, and they were packed in large boxes full of bullets. It's a mystery where he got it, but from what Salam says, it seems like he got it all the way to the northwest.
Sahim moved from the northwest to the south and met Salam. Salam took a boat to the northeast, where he met Jean.
"Brother, all these guns cost a lot of money, right? Was Brother Sahim okay? And wasn't there any danger?"
"No problem."
Salam smiled.
"Even though he looks stupid, he's actually quite good. He's so smart that he can't be compared to the idiots from Archia who got caught in the Ircandians' trap, so you don't have to worry."
Salam kept only a few guns and returned the others to the box. He put the bullets into several bags and closed the box again.
"If you have gunpowder, fire is strictly prohibited."
"Yes, it is."
Salam said and Jean nodded.
"Well, assassins don't smoke in the first place. That's because people can smell it while they're hiding."
"Is that so?"
"So even if you grow up, don't smoke."
"Yes, Brother."
Jean looked at Salam and nodded.
"Jean, let's practice tomorrow morning."
"I have practice with my dad in the morning, so I might have to talk to him about it."
"I'll tell Father. You won't have any problem practicing in the afternoon."
"Alright."
Jean nodded and stood up.
"I'll give you this gun."
Salam gave Jean a set of guns with a scope and a dagger. There's also a bag full of bullets.
"I'll discuss with my father later whether the bullets I used can be reused."
"Yes, Brother."
Jean nodded.
"I think the scope is still in another box. Surprisingly, the gun sword is also available. I want to master how to use these as soon as possible."
Salam said and Jean nodded.
"I would also like to practice how to use a spear. I can use daggers better recently, but I still don't know anything about spears."
"I see. I'll talk to Father about it later."
"Thank you."
Jean bowed. Salam smiled and nodded.
"Ibrahim, bring Jean to his room. It's already late."
"Yes, young master. Now, please excuse me."
Ibrahim bowed his head, took his things, and left the room with Jean. Salam looked at the large boxes in his room and thought to himself.
Jenal expressed his desire for the gun. That's why he's thinking of selling about 100 guns to Jenal. Zaid says just follow Salam's decision and he will discuss the amount with Jenal.
Besides, it became the talk of the village. Jean is a child who can use a gun. Therefore, the biggest problem for the Tareq family is how to protect Jean, who has such high abilities.
That evening, Salam went to Zaid's room and talked. Salam reported exactly what he heard from Jean. He talked about details such as bullet casings, daggers attached to guns, and rifle scopes. Zaid was interested in Salam's story and reached for it on his desk.
"Did Jean attach these things to the gun?"
"Yes, he did."
Salam nodded.
"This dagger can be used as a spear when you put it on. It turns into a dagger when you take it off. It's a well-made weapon."
"Yes, indeed."
Salam nodded.
"Jean wants to learn how to use a spear."
"I see."
Zaid nodded.
"By the way, that gun is long, so it would be quite difficult for Jean to carry, right?"
"Yes, but you can easily wear it over your shoulder with a belt."
Salam puts the gun on his shoulder while showing off.
“Did that go in the box too?”
"Yes. It was a set with a dagger, but there were only 10 scopes."
"Take out all the scopes in the box you will sell to Jenal. They will be sold separately."
"Okay."
Salam nodded.
"Really, this weapon is interesting. It's a powerful weapon if you get it on the front lines in time, but if you don't get it in time, it's deadly. But if you look at that target, it's a deadly weapon."
Zaid nodded and looked through the scope.
"If you use this, you can aim from a distance. It would be suitable for assassinations if you can make the sound quieter."
"Yes. Besides, if you practice properly, your accuracy will improve."
"I see."
Zaid looked at his desk and thought.
"I'll meet Jenal tomorrow. Is 100 guns alright?"
"Yes, I think it would be no problem."
Salam nodded.
"We will give the five guns to Mr. Jahir for free. We were the ones who took them, but without his judgment, we would never have gotten them."
"Okay."
Zaid nodded.
"You already gave one to Jean, right?"
"Of course."
Salam nodded.
"I want to practice with him as soon as possible."
"In that case, let's do it tomorrow. Make good use of it."
"Thank you, Father."
Salam nodded happily.
"Salam Squad, 1st Division, 2nd Division, 3rd Division, Security Guard, Mr. Jahir and others will also be participating, right?"
"Yes, indeed."
Salam nodded and Zaid smiled.
"When Zaad returns, I'll have him join us."
"Understood."
Salam nodded. Then he mentioned the other weapons that Jean mentioned, and Zaid thought about it.
"Were there also short guns?"
"Yes, I can't take the picture with you because it's written on the sand, but I'll ask him to write it on paper again tomorrow."
"Do that. If possible, I would like you to record the information in that child's head."
"Understood."
Salam nodded.
"By the way, Father, Jean said that he disassembles and reassembles guns almost every day over there. He says he does it for repair and cleaning."
"Really?"
"They also reuse empty cartridges."
"Hmm."
"He said it needed gunpowder to make the bullets fly so they could be reused."
"I'll discuss it with the craftsmen later. If I can make it myself, I won't worry about falling into the enemy's schemes."
"Yes, indeed."
Salam nodded.
"Yes, does this gun have a name?"
Zaid asked and Salam nodded.
"It's a rifle."
"A rifle? I'll remember it."
Zaid nodded.
"Father, there's actually one more thing I have to report."
"What?"
Zaid looked at Salam and listened.
"Actually, Jean was crying in Ishmaya."
"What's the cause?"
"I think I heard in the report the Ircandians made Mr. Jahir and Jean to be thieves. They accused them stole a cloth to offer to the queen. Mr. Jahir and Jean were safe because they hid the cloth on a date palm tree. It said a close to the queen, but in reality, that cloth was handmade by Jean's mother.''
"How did Jean know that the cloth was his mother's?"
"The cloth was hand-drawn by Jean and his mother, and he showed me how he had drawn the irregular circles."
"Why did that cloth go to the Ircandians?"
"Jean said they took it away because it was rare. The Queen seems to like rare things."
"So, did they take it while Jean's mother wore it?"
"I don't know. However, Jean said that the cloth was his mother's favorite cloth. I think it was used for everyday wear. However, from what Jean said yesterday, Ircandians would not imitate Jean's mother harshly, so I guess nothing untoward had happened."
"Hmm. When did that happen?"
"Last year, Jean said."
"Last year... Does that mean Jean and his grandfather went to Urda after that?"
"I think so."
"I see."
Zaid nodded.
"Then, the report is over."
"I understand. You can back."
"Yes, excuse me."
Salam bowed to him before leaving the room. Zaid thought for a while in the empty room, and then he took the gun that Salam had placed and looked at it for a while.