Loyalty Brother heard Lord Murphy's words, and his heart immediately began pounding with excitement.
He felt he might have triggered one of the legendary "hidden quests," but the quest didn't appear right away. Instead, Murphy chatted with him about "history" just like a real NPC.
He looked at the gray-black gunpowder Loyalty Brother had refined a second time, then pinched some between his fingers and rubbed it.
The powder's distinctive smell made him twitch his nose.
"I heard your doubts outside just now, about how the dwarves and halflings have made no progress in the art of gunpowder. Your conclusion is wrong, my hero. They haven't given up researching this instrument of war. It's just that you come from another world and aren't familiar with our history."
Murphy shook his head and said to the wide-eyed Loyalty Brother:
"The halflings didn't just continue researching gunpowder; not long after the dwarves came up with firearms, they produced an excellent next-generation version.
"According to my limited knowledge of history, I can tell you with certainty that in Year 430, during a large-scale prospecting operation on the outskirts of the Dark Mountains, the dwarves' prospectors accidentally discovered some miraculous minerals.
"The appearance of those minerals completely changed the history of the halflings and dwarves on this continent.
"That stuff is called 'burning gold.'
"Have you heard of it?"
"Mm-hmm!"
Loyalty Brother nodded vigorously and said:
"In Madam Triss's alchemy class, it comes up about as often as the word 'loyalty' does in Lord Maxim's mouth."
"Uh, you'd better not let Maxim hear you say that. It could really hurt a loyalist's feelings."
Murphy laughed and waved his hand.
"Anyway, burning gold is an extraordinary substance with all kinds of remarkable properties.
"If you've ever taken apart a Witch Hunter's Automatic Hunter Crossbow, it's