Evan followed Commander Rhel through the fortress halls as the patrol returned. Soldiers carried carved plates from the slain beasts while craftsmen rushed over to inspect the materials. The entire yard buzzed with excitement. Everyone kept whispering about the precision of the new weapons and how cleanly the beams fired.

Rhel motioned to Evan. “The council insisted on meeting you immediately. They rarely gather unless something important threatens or strengthens the kingdom. You changed our battlefield in one day. They need to understand how.”

Evan raised a brow. “I hope they are not expecting miracles. I am still working with half broken tools.”

Rhel smirked. “Fixing broken things seems to be your skill.”

They reached a tall chamber with stone pillars rising into a high ceiling. Six council members stood near a long table carved with old runes. Their robes were dark blue edged with silver markings of rank. The air felt heavy with authority but Evan did not shrink from it. Years of dealing with picky clients and military labs taught him how to face stubborn decision makers.

The eldest councilor stepped forward. He had sharp eyes and a firm voice. “Commander Rhel tells us you repaired our unstable weapons. He claims you improved them beyond anything our workshops have produced. Explain yourself outsider.”

Evan kept his posture steady. “Your weapons fail because they are built too large. Your energy channels are rough. Your cores are cracked. You force magic into unstable shapes. I just made the parts fit the way they should.”

One councilor scoffed. “And you expect us to believe an unknown man from nowhere can improve an entire kingdom’s weapon craft”

Rhel stepped up. “I witnessed the patrol myself. The improvements are real. My men hit armored beasts with precision even master casters struggle to match.”

A younger councilor studied Evan closely. “You speak as though you are trained in our arcane engineering. Are you a smith Are you a mage”

“A model maker” Evan said. “From a place far away. I build small scale weapons with perfect internal structures. That is enough to understand why your devices fail.”

The chamber went silent. A few councilors exchanged unsure glances. They obviously did not know how to categorize him.

The eldest councilor finally spoke again. “Show us. Demonstrate the changes you claim.”

Rhel handed Evan one of the repaired lances used in the patrol. A craftsman brought out an old dummy plated with beast shell. It was a target known for resisting direct shots.

Evan checked the alignment one more time then nodded to Rhel. “Fire.”

The commander pulled the trigger. A compressed beam shot straight through the dummy plate leaving a smooth hole where the energy exited. Gasps filled the room.

The younger councilor stepped forward eyes wide. “Impossible. Our best lances scatter against shell plates.”

“Yours do” Evan replied. “This one does not.”

More murmurs echoed between the pillars. Slowly disbelief turned into hungry interest.

The eldest councilor raised a hand for silence. “Evan Marshall if you can truly refine our weapons then Ironhold cannot afford to let you wander. We offer you a formal position. You will be given authority over the main workshop under Commander Rhel’s watch. You will design new weapons and train our craftsmen. In return you will receive protection food and lodging.”

Evan crossed his arms. “I want a clean workspace. Better tools. And people who are willing to learn instead of hammering everything.”

Several councilors actually chuckled. The eldest nodded. “Granted. We will allocate resources to reshape the workshop to your needs.”

The younger councilor added hesitantly. “And if you produce new weapons we may ask for designs reserved only for the royal guard.”

Evan sighed. “I am not promising anything until I see better material quality. But we will get there.”

Rhel whispered beside him. “You just negotiated more freedom than most artisans dream of.”

Evan shrugged. “I only asked for what the job needs.”

The council dismissed them but the eldest member stopped Evan at the exit. “One more thing. You speak of small scale precision. Miniature structures. Could such methods create weapons lighter stronger and more stable”

Evan nodded. “That is the entire point.”

A slow smile crept across the old man’s face. “Then the kingdom may rise higher than we ever dared to imagine.”

Evan left the chamber feeling both weight and excitement press against him. This world barely understood precision. He carried decades of fine mechanical knowledge inside his hands.

If they were ready to follow him this far then he would push the limits.

Tomorrow he would begin the first complete redesign of a magic weapon this kingdom had ever seen. Something smaller faster cleaner. Something that would change battle forever.

Something only a model maker from another world could build.