Chapter 22

Six craftsmen, including me, gathered together.

“We’re going to build sturdy wagons. With the added weight of all the passengers, there are a lot of places where we’ll need to reinforce the body.

Let’s split up. Coat and I will make the iron fittings. Henri and Laurent, reinforce the underframe. Veng and Lupuy, make the oak shafts that will connect the wagons to the horses.”

Getting the necessary materials wasn’t difficult. The carts they had already been using, timber obtained in Vaucouleurs, and some wrought iron for making hinges and iron rings were all we needed.

Some of Domrémy’s finest craftsmen picked up their tools and got to work.

They poured molten wrought iron into molds. Once the iron had cooled slightly, they removed it and worked it into the desired shape.

The pieces that came out were far from the exact dimensions I needed. If the parts didn’t fit properly, the wagon could twist under stress and cause problems on the road. In other words, this was critical work directly tied to safety.

So we used the molds only to establish the rough shape, then finished each piece of iron individually.

An ordinary craftsman might have shaken his head at a job that amounted to working almost entirely by trial and error, but I never shied away from a task simply because it was difficult. That attitude was part of what had allowed him to become so much more skilled than everyone else.

“Let’s finish up.”

“Ugh… If it weren’t winter, the heat would’ve been unbearable.”

Along with the pieces needed to reinforce the underframe, we made iron tires to wrap around the wheels and tapered spiral iron pins to secure the axles.

I should reinforce the wheels too.

Once the casting work was done, we took a short break.

“At least it’s winter, so the iron cools quickly.”

“Yeah, but that just means we have to work that much faster.”

In winter, the iron cooled quickly, so the cycle of heating, hammering, and reheating went by faster.

“I wonder if Pierre and Jeanne are learning properly.”

“How would I know how they’re doing when I’ve been stuck in the smithy just like you?”

“…I wasn’t telling you to go find out. I’m just worried about them. Falling off a horse is no small risk.”

Jeanne and the others who would be going into battle were learning how to ride from the knights of Vaucouleurs. Mobility was a key element of combat effectiveness. I had told them to learn as much as they could while they had the opportunity.

I ended my break before my younger brother did.

“The curved wheel rims you asked for are ready!”

“Leave them there. I’m going to char them right away.”

I charred the surfaces of the wheels over charcoal. Lightly charring the outer layer reduced the amount of moisture the wood absorbed and hardened the surface. As an added benefit, it also made the wood less susceptible to mold and pests.

Charring the surface required a good feel for the process. I watched the condition of the charcoal and moved almost mechanically, maintaining a steady pace as I charred every surface without missing a spot.

“If it were me, I would’ve run out of stamina ages ago. You work so fast, Maxime, and you never seem to get tired.”

One of the craftsmen watching me voiced his admiration.

Is it really that impressive? Anyone would get used to this after doing it for a few decades.

Even in my previous life, when my body had been less robust, this kind of work had been basic stuff. The craftsman’s praise almost sounded like flattery to me.

“The surface work is done. Could you handle the heat treatment?”

“Yes. Leave it to me.”

Once the heat treatment was finished, the wheels would become more perfectly round. We would then fit iron bands around them, creating the earliest form of tires. Heating the iron would allow it to clamp tightly around the wheels.

I wasn’t satisfied with stopping there. I added iron plates and grooves for the tires to maximize the wheels’ durability.

“We layered the floorboards several times like you said and left a little space between them.”

We would fill the empty spaces with straw and cloth to create a cushioning effect similar to suspension.

“We’ll keep the exterior plain, like an ordinary merchant wagon. But it would be troublesome if certain supplies were discovered at a checkpoint, so let’s use an optical illusion to create hidden compartments.”

“…What do you need us to do?”

“Just follow my instructions.”

I directed the craftsmen through the work.

“The axles for the curved wheel rims are finished!”

“We’re almost done. Let’s put it all together.”

Assembly was over in no time. We had completed a four-wheeled wagon.

We carefully greased the wheels and covered the wagon with a thick canvas canopy to conceal the interior.

Some of the cargo wasn’t placed directly on the wagon bed. Instead, we suspended it with leather straps.

We adjusted the canopy surrounding the wagon and the apparent position of the wheels. A simple optical illusion made the interior look smaller than it actually was.

Finally, we hitched the horses.

“Let’s take it for a test run.”

I called over the driver. We simply used reins, a bridle for controlling the horse’s head, and the other tack already available in the village.

The driver gave the wagon a quick appraisal.

“Nice, clean-looking wagon.”

The craftsmen riding inside were excited like children before we had even set off. It was their first time building a wagon, and getting to ride in it right away made the experience all the more special.

“Then we’ll be off.”

The ride was stable. The wagon rolled smoothly wherever the horses pulled it.

“With this thing, I could practically doze off at the reins and it would still keep going straight. What did you do to the wheels?”

The driver seemed impressed as well.

The exterior was deliberately plain as part of the deception, but the craftsmanship underneath was second to none. It was like a piece of luxury furniture with an understated exterior. It might look ordinary, but using it was an entirely different experience.

The craftsmen were satisfied as well. Then Veng, who had made the shafts, pointed to one part of the wagon.

“Maxime, this step is unusually high. Is something wrong with it?”

He was pointing to a section I had worked on myself. It couldn’t be seen from outside, but it was clearly visible from inside.

“That’s a space I hid on purpose. I designed it so we can fire the Thunder Falcon from inside the wagon. The distortion is intentional, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

“I-I see.”

“You even designed something like that? That’s kind of unsettling…”

The test run came to an end. I drew water from the well and handed out cups to each of my companions after all their hard work.

Now we’re finally ready to leave for Chinon.

***

I said goodbye to Robert.

“It was a pleasure being able to stay here. I’ll never forget what you’ve done for us. Our time here has been a tremendous help.”

“We owe you far more than you owe us. The whole town has more life in it than before… Thank you for giving us hope. Go show those wicked invaders what happens when they cross us.”

Robert had once been full of suspicion, but now that it was time for us to leave, he sent us off with warm words and wished us well on our journey.

“Did you hear? The saint is leaving today.”

“They’ve been talking about that for a while, haven’t they? It’s sad, sure, but is it really a surprise?”

“Do you have no heart? The saint is leaving! How can you not be sad? I know he has to go if he’s going to teach the English a lesson, but… I still can’t help crying!”

“I knew this day would come, so I made sure to attend every service where the holy maiden appeared! God’s blessing must be with me now!”

“…Helena heard the news and fainted?”

“Wasn’t she the one who ran away last time because she was overwhelmed by the holy maiden’s sanctity?”

I had intended to leave quietly, but the people of Vaucouleurs came pouring out around our procession of wagons.

“May God shower His blessings upon the journey of the saint and the saintess…”

“Saint! Please, just shake my hand once before you go!”

“Thank you for fixing the roads. My father works hauling goods, and every day he praises you for making his job easier.”

“The saint looked at me…!”

People greeted us everywhere we went. The crowds made it impossible to pick up speed, so Pierre eventually took the lead and began clearing a path for us.

I waved back at the people seeing us off. The cheers only grew louder.

“I kind of feel like I’m riding on your popularity, Maxime.”

Jeanne d’Arc whispered to me.

She was on horseback. She had only recently learned to ride, yet she already handled a horse better than most knights. Apparently, the knight teaching her had been so astonished by how quickly she learned that he had actually fallen off his own horse.

“Being popular is a good thing.”

“Still…”

“Does it make you uncomfortable?”

“A little.”

“These people were living through dark times, and now they’ve found hope. Hold your head high. The cheers you’re getting now are nothing compared to what we’re going to accomplish. When that happens, maybe I’ll be the one riding on your popularity.”

“Me?”

“Of course. A commander who wins a war is bound to become incredibly popular. You’ll be the commander standing on the battlefield, not me. When the time comes, I’ll probably need your help too.”

“I feel better now.”

“I barely said anything. Impressive.”

I was amazed that just a few words of advice were enough for Jeanne to regain her composure. A hero really was made of different stuff from the beginning.

***

Meanwhile, Jeanne’s imagination was heading in a completely different direction.

He’s going to rely on me? …He’ll need my help?

It began as an innocent fantasy. Maxime asking her for help, receiving it, thanking her, and coming to depend on her.

Maxime coming to her whenever something happened.

…Her imagination gradually turned into a darker resolution.

I’ll make sure he comes to depend on me.

Jeanne’s eyes lit up. Maxime failed to notice the change.

***

“Boss, we finally have a clear path.”

“Please pick up the pace.”

“Yes, sir. Here we go.”

Once we picked up speed, Vaucouleurs rapidly receded into the distance.

I doubt I’ll ever come back here.

I felt a strange mixture of relief and regret.

That was when Robert’s voice rang out from far behind us.

“Go! Whatever fate awaits you, make sure you come back alive! May God bless your adventure…!”

He looked as though he had rushed all the way here. He was the last person I had expected to come see us off.

Hearing his farewell, Jeanne responded by making the sign of the cross.

…

The road from Vaucouleurs to Chinon inevitably took us through enemy territory. Vaucouleurs itself jutted out between the two opposing sides in the first place. Burgundy-controlled territory began just a short distance south, so there was no way the journey to Chinon was going to be easy.

We can’t go straight there, and we can’t make a huge detour just to stay within the Dauphin’s territory either.

Because of the limitations of our wagons, there were plenty of areas we had to go around. Every road was unfamiliar to us. It was like traveling from Seoul to Busan without navigation.

This was going to be an arduous journey. The kind of adventure even the hardy people of the Middle Ages would balk at as too dangerous. Without the safe-conduct, we couldn’t even have attempted it.

Day 1.

I learned that simply sitting in a wagon all day could be exhausting. I could handle it well enough, but half our group became dizzy and threw up.

We stopped periodically to make sure we were still headed in the right direction. Every time we stopped, Walter marked his territory.

Day 2.

We were now well inside Burgundian territory. At the first checkpoint, we didn’t even need to show our safe-conduct. The soldiers took one look at us and waved us through. With the entire surrounding area under Burgundian control, they weren’t particularly vigilant.

Day 3.

We happened across a band of robbers. They tried to rob us, so we beat them to a pulp and confiscated all their weapons. That evening, we found a river and buried the confiscated weapons beneath the water.

Walter marked his territory over them.

Day 4.

We arrived in Clairvaux. We had made it there a full day earlier than expected. Following the road the robbers had used turned out to be the right decision. It was an off-the-books route, so there hadn’t been any checkpoints.

Clairvaux was an isolated village far from any important facilities. We camped out of sight behind a hill.

Day 5.

We reached Pothières, half a day’s journey away. Unlike Clairvaux, this place had been properly fortified as part of the region’s defenses.

To get past it, we had no choice but to pass through the checkpoint at the bridge.

“What business do you have here? This is a restricted area. You cannot pass.”

Inside the wagon, Agathe and Leo took aim with the Thunder Falcon. Pierre and the other fighters concealed their weapons beneath their clothes.

“We have a safe-conduct.”

We went through the checkpoint under considerable tension.

While the soldier was preoccupied with examining our safe-conduct, Walter marked his territory on the man’s foot.

…

Day 13.

After a long journey across France, we had finally entered Armagnac territory.

“State your purpose here.”

“We have come to save France, as foretold by prophecy.”

For the first time on our journey, I openly declared the purpose we had kept hidden until now.