Release That Witch

Chapter 142: The Tramroad

t had been half a month since Roland conquered Longsong Stronghold. The five noble families in the stronghold had already delivered the needed people and supplies to Border Town.

After the Ministry of Agriculture was completely organized, spring plowing of a new year finally began, and it was the first step for Roland’s agricultural technique revolution. The serfs, who saw the dawn of life as freemen, were filled with motivation to work. The scene that a supervisor whipped the serfs and forced them to work was never seen again on the southern bank of Redwater River. Some serfs loafed on the job, only to find that no one came to supervise them again. They heard from the officials who were busy measuring in the fields with strange tools that His Highness did not concern himself about the harvest of one or two fields. From now on, the serfs would work for themselves, and the more they plowed, the more they gained.

Not all officials of the Ministry of Agriculture understood the principle of ‘distribution to each according to his work’. They were actually required by Roland to unceasingly repeat these ideas to the serfs in order to instill these ideas into their mind. To satisfy His Highness’ nostalgic feelings, red flags and banners were decorated along the banks of Redwater River. On the banners were written slogans such as ‘Labor is the only way to get rich’, ‘Labor brings honor and glory’, ‘Labor leads to freedom’, and ‘Labor changes destiny’ and so on.

Of course these measures met objections from others, for example, Barov was the first one to stand up and express his disapproval.

“Your Highness, this is totally meaningless. Most serfs aren’t able to read, and they don’t care about what’s written on the banners. These people are just stupid and ignorant. Whips can’t even make them better, let alone these banners with strange words.”

Roland, however, gave a simple answer, “Those banners aren’t meant for them.”

“Then why did you do these things?” hearing this, the assistant minister asked rather confused.

“To create living models.”

He never thought the serfs were stupid and unchangeable. It was true that they were not educated, but it did not mean that they had no thoughts. No matter how dull a man might be, he would be driven by desire and interest, which was simply human nature. The repeated words said by the officials of Ministry of Agriculture seemed to produce little effect at first, but would actually inspire them and thus lead them to subconsciously change their old ideas, like little streams would gather to form a sea. When the first group of serfs was promoted to freemen, when they exchanged their harvested crop for money to buy decent clothes and delicious food and even solid and warm brick-houses, the often repeated slogans would become a reality and be deeply engraved on their mind.

As for the banners along the riverbank, they were for the subjects of Border Town after they received a universal education.

By their own hands, the serfs were able to get rid of poverty, become a formal member of Border Town and even have a better life than the native inhabitants. All by the power of hard work.

By comparing it, people could feel the gap between them. They would then pursue a better life of their own initiative. Only in this way could an individual’s efficiency be raised to its highest level.

…

Iron Head stood at the mine entrance waiting for the latest delivery of ores.

Since half of his face was burned by the hot steam during the last Months of Demons, he never dared to stand beside this black machine ever again.

Fortunately, there was a kind angel, Miss Nana, in Border Town. Iron Head touched his face which was completely healed, and his heart was filled with gratitude. When he was wounded, he had the nerve to suspect that she was one of the devil’s minions. What an offense to her! After the winter, he took two salted fish and a wild boar leg, and then went to the house of Mr. Pine to apologize for his mistake.

More surprisingly, though Tigui Pine was a viscount, unlike those arrogant nobles who held their nose high in the air, he generously accepted his apologies. For the first time, Iron Head felt that not all nobles were cruel and merciless.

“Old Iron,” a miner who was covered with dust ran out of the mine and shouted, “The ropes have been fastened.”

“Okay,” he turned back to the direction of the steam engine and shouted, “everyone, clear the area. Flacke, lift up the green rod and then press the red rod. If you make a mistake again, I’ll twist your head off!”

“Trust me, Old Iron. You can count on me,” Flacke responded loudly.

Since Nail was sent to join the First Army, Iron Head arranged Flacke to operate the steam engine. At first, Flacke often made mistakes with the order, which caused steam pipes to burst. Iron Head had thrashed him many times for it. Fortunately, His Highness did not blame them for this matter. Instead, he sent people to replace the damaged parts of the machine. And they even did not have to pay money for the damaged parts. Iron Head originally had thought they would be fined a month’s salary for it.

With the opening of the inlet valve, the steam engine spurted out a tremendous amount white smoke and the main wheel began to slowly rotate, leading the capstan to stretch the ropes straight.

“Cheer up! Watch the ropes. Watch them carefully!” Iron Head shouted.

Besides the steam engine, the way of pulling the ores out of the mine had changed too.

His Highness ordered the carpenters to chop many long wood sticks, which were laid end to end to form rails along the whole mine’s tunnels. And then other wood sticks were placed under the parallel wooden rails. At the first glance, it looked like a long wooden ladder.

His Highness called it a wood rail transportation system, an awkward name. It did not seem to be very complicated, but it had amazing effects after they used the special trams! How efficient! The ores, which cost them three or four days to carry out of the mine in the past, were packed in several trams and pulled out by the steam engine in a breath.

Iron Head had eagerly observed the four-wheel tram running along the wooden rails. It was completely made of iron and so it was extremely expensive. The key to making it move along the narrow rails without falling was its wheels. There was a larger flange on the inside edge of the wheel which fixed it firmly on the rail. Above the wheel was a square iron pot that had hooks at the front and back to connect the trams in a line.

He could not help but admire His Highness’s wisdom. With such a simple design, he had made the transportation of ores become much easier. Before the invention, the transportation of the heavy ores out of the mine was the most time-consuming and energy-consuming labor.

However, this system was not perfect. For example, after they used it for five days, two pieces of wood rails had already been crushed, and other ones were soon broken. The situation was improved after His Highness ordered to wrap the top side of all rails with a thin iron sheet.

In addition, the ropes broke once and caused a serious accident. Iron Head still felt his heart was violently beating when he recalled it. According to the regulations, they were only allowed to pull four trams at a time. But on that day, the miners wanted to finish their work more quickly, so they linked six trams together. The tram was halfway there, when a half arm-thick rope suddenly broke, rebounded and hit a miner who was standing beside Iron Head. It broke his arm and several ribs. The trams slid down along the rails, knocked down two miners and crushed the legs of another unlucky miner.

Luckily Iron Head knew what they should do in such cases. He immediately organized people to carry the wounded miners to the house of Viscount Tigui. As long as they were not dead, Miss Nana would be able to heal them completely.

“Old Iron, the trams are out!” shouted the man who was observing at the entrance.

Hearing this, Iron Head ordered loudly. “Flacke, wait for 10 breaths, then turn off the steam engine and mind the order!”

“Yes, gotcha.”

Four trams slowly stopped at the end of the tramroad. Iron Head went over to record the ore yield. The first two trams were filled with reddish-brown iron ores, which were found the most in the mine. In the third tram, there were gray ores with a slight yellow tint, which should be copper ores. When he saw the ores in the fourth tram, he was a little shocked, as he had never seen this kind of ores in previous records. They were dark brown and emitted a dim metallic sheen in the sun.

Another unknown ore, Iron Head shook his head. North Slope Mine had so many tunnels, so it was normal that they often dug out some strange ores. He drew a cross on his paper and ordered miners to send all ores to the yard. As for these dark brown ores, whether they would be thrown into the furnace or not had nothing to do with him.

Chapter 143: The Migrants

sailing ship from Longsong Stronghold slowly berthed at the dock of Border Town.

After the gangboard was lowered, the passengers, with all kinds of luggage on their back, began to walk down the trestle. Most of them had never set foot in this strange land before, so they seemed quite confused. The sailors behind were urging them to hurry up, making them feel terribly uneasy.

As the crowd began to thrust forward, a middle-aged woman accidentally slipped. She lost her balance and nearly fell from the trestle. Luckily, a younger woman instantly stepped forward and grasped her wrist, saving her from falling.

“Thank, thank you.” The middle-aged woman thanked her profusely with one hand on her chest to calm herself.

The younger woman, however, just smiled and waved her hand, indicating that it was no bother.

Ferlin Eltek was waiting at the dock. He immediately recognized this agile young woman. She was Irene, his beloved wife, the Flower of Tomorrow of Stronghold Theatre. She wore a white dress, and her long hair was coiled up on top of her head, making her beautiful and graceful as before.

Though the heart of the First Knight was beating with excitement, he waited until she had safely landed on the dock. Then he immediately rushed forward to hug her tightly, in spite of the looks and shouts of the people around them. She was startled by the unexpected hug, but once she recognized Ferlin, she responded to his hug gently.

“I was so terrified to hear that the duke was defeated. When you were in Longsong Stronghold, I never got the chance to see you,” she whispered into his ears, “Fortunately, you’re safe now.”

“I was imprisoned in the dungeon of the lord’s castle. The guards wouldn’t have let you in,” Ferlin let go of his wife and said, “how have you been these past two weeks?”

She was silent for a while and then told him, “I left the theater.”

Ferlin immediately understood what was left unsaid. When he was still the First Knight of the Western Region, only the duke would dare to harass her. But when he became a captive of His Highness, those who coveted her beauty no longer hid their desire. They had been waiting for the opportunity to possess her. If she had continued to go to the theater to work, it would have been a suicidal effort.

“That’s all right. I got a job here, and the salary isn’t bad.” He reassured her. “Let’s go home first.”

“Home?” Irene was surprised. “We don’t have to live separately?”

Generally speaking, the prisoners who were neither redeemed nor sentenced to death, would work as poor laborers. They had to live in tents or barracks which were crammed with prisoners. They had to sleep on the ground which was covered with wheat straw. The families of the prisoners would be treated similarly. The women had to live in another barrack and also sleep on the ground. When the prisoners were working, the women had to tidy up the men’s barracks, prepare meals and do laundry.

Thinking of that, Ferlin felt touched by his wife’s choice. If she stayed at the farm of Longsong Stronghold, at least she had her own spacious room with a comfortable and soft bed. Yet she still chose to come to Border Town alone, just for him. Even though she thought she had to live with other women in a small room or a tent and would be forced to work, she did not hesitate.

“I’m a teacher now.” He picked up Irene’s luggage and held her hand, heading for the New Civilization District. “As a teacher, I got my own apartment for free.”

To be honest, when he first heard the treatment of the teachers from His Highness, he did not expect much. As a prisoner, having his own room would be great. Even if it was a wooden hut with a leaking roof and broken windows, it would be a good shelter after he tried to fix it. He had never expected that the houses for teachers turn out to be so… regular.

Entering the new district, the streets became wider, and the ground was paved with gray gravel. The roads had been flattened by the stonemasons so that it was comfortable to walk on them. At first, Ferlin could not understand why the stonemasons would bother to waste labor and time. Then he saw how heavy rainwater flowed along the gravel, sinking into the ground and then into the deep drains on both sides of the road. Compared with the narrow alleyways in Longsong Stronghold, which were often muddy and covered with puddles on rainy days, these streets were obviously much better.

Irene looked around and asked with confusion, “These houses seem to be newly built. Have we gone the wrong way?”

“No, my dear. We’re almost there.”

After they had passed two more corners, Ferlin Eltek stopped in front of a two-story brick house, and said to Irene, “We’re here.”

“Where?” She looked around and then turned to the new house in front of her. She covered her mouth with surprise. “Is this whole house our new home?”

“Of course not.” He smiled. “This is the Teachers’ House, and we live in an apartment in the middle of the second floor. Let’s go upstairs.”

He opened the door with a key from his pocket, and led her by her hand into the new home. There were a living room, two bedrooms, and two auxiliary rooms, and were well decorated with furniture. It was not large, but surprisingly comfortable. From the living room decoration to the bedroom layout, they were all refreshing. Now with Irene, the hostess of the home, it became even more perfect.

“Oh my goodness. Are you really taken as a captive here?” Irene ran from one room to another eagerly, carefully looking at everything. She was as excited as a child. “We’re really going to live here, right?”

“Yes, of course.” Ferlin, with a smile of content on his face, took some bread and cheese from the cupboard and laid them on the table. “I’m guessing you didn’t eat anything on the ship. Come, let’s eat something. I have to go out to work later.”

“Yes, you’re a teacher now.” Irene ran back to her husband. “Which noble family’s children are you going to teach?”

“Not the nobles. The subjects of His Highness.”

“Subjects?” Irene was dazed for a moment, and then asked, “What do you teach them?”

Ferlin picked up a book from the desk and handed it to her. “I teach them how to read and write. His Highness gave me this… ‘textbook’.”

When he had chosen to be a teacher, he had been afraid that he was not competent enough to do it. After all, teachers were usually knowledgeable, white-haired masters. But His Highness said he only needed to teach according to the textbook. When he read the so-called “textbook”, he got to know that there were many details and methods in teaching others to read and write.

Everything was listed inside, from the methods of teaching to the content. On the first page, there was a list of dozens of frequently asked questions and answers for new teachers. For example, the question for how to become an excellent teacher, how to motivate students to learn or how to test the students, and the answers were plain and easy to understand, but yet gave the reader lots of inspiration. Before he even began his first course, he was already deeply intrigued by this book.

So was Irene, clearly. She had lived in the theater since her childhood and had read more books and scripts than Ferlin did. He had once thought, with her beauty and wisdom, if she had been born in a noble family, she would have been a distinguished lady known by the whole Western Region.

After reading through several pages, Irene suddenly raised her head and asked, “Did you say… the salary for teachers isn’t bad?”

“20 silver royals per month, with an increase of five each year.”

“There isn’t any theater here, right?”

“No… there isn’t.” Ferlin hesitated, as he had already guessed what his wife was thinking.

Sure enough, she closed the book and smiled. “Then I’ll also be a teacher, dear. Just like you.”

Chapter 144: The Real Feelings

n the backyard of firing area of North Slope Mine.

Nightingale picked up the wine glass on the table and held it above her head. The crystal clear glass body was shining under the light without any trace of mottle.

She was aware that these glasses were called the Crystal Cup, and its firing process and formula were top secret information in the alchemical workshop. Only the goblet in her hand was valued around one gold royal. The crystal glassware which was matching the exquisite silver tableware had always been the noble and rich businessmen’s favorite to show off their wealth.

Now, these crystal containers from the royal palace would soon be melted into raw materials.

“Your Highness, you’re not burning the glass but gold royals.” Nightingale exclaimed.

“I don’t have time to study how to turn the sand into the colorless glass, so I can only combine it this way for now.” Roland threw a beautifully crafted crystal pot into the furnace made of Anna’s Blackfire. Nightingale could not help but feel pity as she still remembered that Prince Roland used to fill it with ale for the tea parties in the castle garden and for the celebration feast of the Months of Demons.

The pot quickly melted and became a sticky paste under the stable high temperature.

“Blowing glass… with sand?” Anna asked, “Are they the same substance?”

“Well, the main ingredients are similar, but the sand contains a lot of impurities. The glass that was blown with sand is mostly close to the brown and green in color, which won’t meet the requirements.”

“So, glass is actually purified sand?”

Roland smiled. “You could consider so. When I put this knowledge into a book on how the particles formed into a substance, you’ll understand once you read it.”

Nightingale curled her lips and thought, [I wouldn’t understand. Besides, the color of the glass doesn’t affect its function as a container. You wouldn’t be using it as a water cup, so why must it made by the glassware?]

Although they still looked colorless and transparent, their appearance was incomparable to the previous crystal cup.

Some looked like a tube with a round bottom, looking thin and long. And some looked like a bottle and the bottom was as large as a kettle and the bottleneck was only as thick as a thumb.

The strangest one was a tube that was bent into a horseshoe shape with both sides unsealed, and it was not even a container.

“What do you intend to do with the crystal glassware?” Nightingale could not help asking.

“It isn’t for me but for the use of the Border Town alchemist,” said Roland while stirring the paste in Blackfire with a glass stick, “they can use these glasswares to extract some acid and alkaline in order to produce some chemicals for the new weapons I created.”

[Acid? Alkaline? Chemicals?] Nightingale blinked, realizing that she did not understand what His Highness said. It made her feel a little bit depressed. Of course, she could always ask about them one by one, but she felt that it seemed too ignorant and she did not want to expose that side of her in front of Anna, so she could only pay attention to the nouns that she could understand.

“Since when did Border Town have an alchemist? There’s no alchemical workshop even in Longsong Stronghold. You can only find alchemists in Redwater City. I heard that their salary is higher than the lord, and it’s rather hard to recruit them with only gold royals.”

“You know quite a lot,” Roland answered with a smile, “that’s right. I’ve sent people who’re already on their way to Redwater City. We’ll likely receive a message in about two weeks. However, I’m not recruiting them with gold royals, but some alchemical secrets. As for our chances, I’m not very sure myself… But it’s worth a try.”

The compliment from His Highness during the first half of the conversation had suddenly blown away Nightingale’s depression, and she contentedly walked back to the center of the yard and stuffed a pastry from a roundtable into her mouth.

Since Roland changed the main experimental site from the castle backyard to the firing area of North Slope Mount, the afternoon tea was also shifted.

On the roundtable were all the Royal snacks that were specially made by the chef for His Highness.

For example, this snack was called steamed bun. The skin was made from the wheat flour which was specially handled, making it extremely soft and chewy. There was also a meat stuffing wrapped inside. The meat was finely chopped and it was extremely juicy… Unlike the salted meat which was hard and difficult to swallow, the minced meat and juice would be integrated into one in a bite.

Nightingale put her fingers into her mouth and sucked them one by one while sitting on the couch. She felt a slight sleepiness.

[Am I getting lazier recently?] she thought.

The afternoon sun shone on her which felt like the warm water slowly wrapping around her. The spring breeze was blowing on the leaves making a shuffling noise. She felt extremely calm and quiet. She took off her shoes and curled her legs up, lying down on one side.

This perspective led to the view of the backyard to the side door of gunpowder making room. A curtain was hanging down from the door, which was used by His Highness to prevent her from sneaking in. Thinking about it, Nightingale found it slightly funny. Both the courtyard wall and the gunpowder making room wall were just a flat ground which she could freely walk into. She had even entered the mysterious house and listened to His Highness who was talking about the production method quietly at one side, but just that, she did not take away the finished gunpowder.

While Roland thought that no one knew about it, he himself was the one who did not know the truth.

Nightingale shifted her head to look at Anna.

She was holding a flat cup, which was just blown and she was talking to His Highness. She looked serious and focused.

Nightingale really admired Anna. She was a girl who came from a civilian family and yet she was so extremely talented.

It was Anna who brought the sisters of Witch Cooperation Association to escape the fate of the displacement and freed them from the magic power bite. If it were not her who changed Prince Roland’s view of the witches, all the subsequent changes would not happen.

If His Royal Highness would marry a witch, Anna would be the only person she could think of.

Although she still had a slight expectation, Nightingale chose to deeply bury it in the bottom of her heart. As long as she could just stay around His Highness most of the time, she would be contented.

She closed her eyes and imagined a scene uncontrollably.

Roland was royally ascended in the palace. He wore a golden crown and held a gemstones scepter while walking towards the castle terrace to accept the public respect and cheers.

The girl in a white satin gown walking arm in arm with him was Anna, who also wore a golden crown on her head. Her face was covered by a veil. She smiled and waved to the people.

Lightning was hovering in the air, sprinkling the bright red rose petals. The melodious bell rang from the king’s city belfry afar.

She herself was standing with the other sisters, applauding and sending their blessings.

She was increasingly drowsy and her consciousness gradually became hazy.

Roland turned around, opened the veil of the girl, and lowered his head to kiss her on her lips.

The last scene became very vague, with the veil falling on the floor, Nightingale faintly saw that the girl with her eyes closed… appeared to be herself.

She smiled and fell asleep.

Chapter 145: The Quest of Pursuit (Part I)

heo walked into a pub, where he could smell the strong smell of the hot and humid air that was mixed with beer smell.

Under the dim light, the men were bare-chested, their sweaty backs revealed. They sat at the bar table in the center, gulping down pints of cheap beer while chatting noisily with their companions. The scantily-clad maids were interspersed among the beer tables filling up the guests’ glasses.

He looked around and found himself a target—a petite man who was sitting in the corner, and there was a withered wild rose on this table.

Theo walked towards the bar and ordered a pint of beer. He slowly savored the bitterness while looking around to see if there was anyone else secretly watching the petite man. He was very satisfied with what he saw. Although patrons would occasionally glance towards the corner, most were inadvertent. Only one person at the center table made the effort to cover his observation with his beer glass.

One person to connect, another person to coordinate was the practice of Rats in the Black Street, which was coincided with Theo’s understanding.

“One more,” he shouted at the bartender, “iced.”

“Sir, the price of cold beer is double,” the bartender reminded.

Theo threw a silver royals out and said, “The icier the better.”

Theo walked towards the petite man with the foaming beer in hand and poured it onto the wild rose. The cold beer flowed down the curled petals. The man raised his head and said impatiently, “Pouring such a good beer on the table instead of drinking it, are you crazy?”

“Paying respect to the rose,” Theo smiled and sat opposite the other party. “We’ve been looking for you.”

“It only proved that you weren’t looking at the right direction,” he rudely said, “but since you’re a customer… go ahead, how can I help you? Ask for a clue, to steal, to redeem the lost property, or stolen goods?”

“Neither, I hope you can help me to spread a rumor.”

“That’s not within the business scope of the Wild Rose.” He shook his head.

“No, no, no. You would be interested in anything as long as it could be paid with gold royals.” Theo shook his finger at him. “Young man, I’m not a layman. In order to get the prey hooked, we sometimes need to create a bait and rumor is the best bait, which has no evidence and arresting point. It’s safer than stealing.”

“This sounds very reasonable, “the other party straightened, showing a trace of a smile. “You’ve commissioned Wild Rose before?”

“I once entrusted your competitor from a small place. The name isn’t as elegant as yours, and they can’t do much.”

“The business scope is too small and it’s hard to find the right business whereas in Silver City, competition is fierce.” He picked up the wild rose and shook it off a little before putting it into his pocket. “So, what kind of rumors do you need to spread?”

“News about the witches.” Theo smiled. “An organization called the Witch Cooperation Association has found Holy Mountain in the Western Region, and they’ve overcome the Demonic Torture and gained eternal peace.

“Brother, this news is really…” The petite man clucked. “Really old school. Although I rarely abet the customers on deceiving, you have to at least come out with one that makes more sense. Let me guess, either you’re trying to abduct a witch or to act against the church. For the latter, you would only be waiting for the Judgement Army to hang you to death, so I would think it’s the former…” He showed a nasty smile. “Unfortunately, as far as I know, almost all of those who wanted to catch the witches and sell them for money are dead. Even though they all have God’s Stone of Retaliation with them, those women aren’t idiots.”

“Why doesn’t it make sense?” Theo asked curiously.

“A union organized by the witches is just like the moon in the dark night sky. If it was true, the church would certainly flock there, and if I were a witch, I wouldn’t go to that kind of place. If it was false, then I would have no reason to go there. As for the Demonic Torture, brother, are you serious? Witches are the embodiment of the devil, and this is such a big lie that even the witches will scoff.”

“Then just spread it like this,” Theo said without taking it seriously.

“The customer has the final say.” The petite man shrugged. “Anyway, I have to remind you that it costs 20 gold royals.”

“Do I pay in one shot?”

“Yes, Wild Rose doesn’t accept any deposit or final payment,” he said, “and the trade is entirely voluntary.”

Theo sighed. He took out a sack from his pocket and poured 19 gold royals on the table, and then he seized a handful of silver royals which were only the size of a fingernail and counted out 100 pieces before pushing the money toward the man in front of him. The latter only checked the authenticity of the gold royals and swept all the money into his bag.

After receiving the money, the petite man was much more relaxed. “It’s rare that Wild Rose can’t deliver what was promised. As I told you before, the competition in Silver City is very fierce, and our reputation would be ruined if we deceived the customers. If you’re not in a hurry to return to the Western Region, you could stay here for a few more days. You’ll hear the news everywhere not before long.

“Will it spread to the witches’ ears?”

“Of course, but it depends if they’re willing to go. In short, I wish you success. You’ll be able to cover the cost if you sell one to the church or you can earn more by selling them to the noble. Of course, if you can’t find a way out and afraid to be found by the church, you can always come to us, we only charge a 10% of the introduction fee.”

The petite man snapped and walked away with the bag. The man who was responsible for the coordination also got up and left soon after him. Theo finished the rest of his beer with a gulp after waiting 15 minutes and hiccupped before walking out of the pub.

His Highness’ task was now complete. Theo had gone all around, first from Fallen Dragon Ridge, then to Redwater City, finally to Silver City, to find the Rats from Black Street and spread the news. Every city had a group of them in a dark corner. They formed an orderly and hidden organization even under the acquiescence of the lord, including the king’s city of the Kingdom of Graycastle. What they could do was far more than those who spoke. As to what extent was mainly dependent on the number of gold royals the customers had.

The only difficulty was in finding a connection with the Rats. Not to mention it was rather difficult for him as an outsider to gain their trust. It cost him at least five gold royals just to speak to them. If it were not for his similar experience in the king’s city, he would probably still be in the Fallen Dragon Ridge right now.

Walking on the way back to the hotel, he was aware of the strange atmosphere.

He was followed.

Although the other party was acting very subtly, however, Theo as a professional guard was aware of the presence of her. He quietly drew the dagger at his waist and turned into an alley on the edge.

Was it Wild Rose? He had purposely emptied the sack to find the 19 gold royals when he paid to avoid others from coveting. In general, they would not loot for a few hundreds of silver royals.

He leaned against the wall, counting the footsteps that were getting closer and closer. He rushed out suddenly as the other party was about to pass through the alley. His dagger suddenly appeared on the other party’s neck.

“Don’t move!” Theo shouted.

The other party suddenly turned into a mass of fog and disappeared.

[A witch!] He realized and before he could make a noise, his neck was hit heavily from behind. He suddenly felt a sense of dizziness and lost all his strength, falling to the ground.

Chapter 146: The Quest of Pursuit (Part II)

heo awoke, the back of his neck tingling with pain.

“Damn it, these women are ruthless.” He opened his eyes and tried to move but found his hands were tightly tied behind him and that his feet were tied to the chair.

“He’s awake.” He heard the voice of a woman.

“Your name?” One of them came to him and lifted his chin. “I suggest you not lie, or your corpse shall be found in the city moat tomorrow.”

Theo blinked. The woman was wearing a veil over her head and her body was covered in a robe. She obviously did not want to reveal her appearance.

“Theo,” he replied truthfully while looking around.

It was a narrow room surrounded by dusty plaster statues. Some of the statues had been completed while some appeared to be only carved halfway. The accumulation of dust dyed the plaster gray and it looked like the place had been abandoned for a long time. There was no window in the room and so it was impossible to speculate the time, and the only light source was from an oil lamp on the wall.

“You’ve been relentlessly looking for us from Fallen Dragon Ridge to Silver City,” the woman coldly said, “Why are you looking for us?”

“I’m not the one who’s looking for you, and it’s the Witch Cooperation Association.”

“What’s the Witch Cooperation Association?”

“A witch organization just like yours. I was sent by them to spread the news.”

“Nonsense.” She snapped. “I don’t know where you heard the name, but the Witch Cooperation Association was far away at Seawindshire in the Eastern Region. You think we would believe you simply because you recited a name?” The woman drew a dagger out from her waist. Theo noticed that it was exactly the dagger he used earlier on. “I’ll give you one last chance. Don’t test my patience!”

“I’m telling the truth!” he said in a suppressed voice as he wanted to shout but did not dare, “They intended to go to the Impassable Mountain Range to look for Holy Mountain. They had not only found Holy Mountain but also settled down in Border Town. The Demonic Torture has also disappeared and therefore, they want to save more witches. I swear I’m not lying!”

“Why did they look for you?”

“It’s because I helped them before. A member of the union was besieged by the Judgement Army of the church, and I helped her to distract the soldiers. Their mentor was Cara. It was Wendy and Scroll who asked me to come here!”

The masked woman kept quiet for a moment after listening, and then she put the dagger back into her waist and walked behind him. Soon, Theo heard the whispering sound of two people behind him.

“Newbie,” he thought, “These two women are pretty accurate on the sneak attack, but the trial is completely and utterly the work of a novice.”

The taboo of a trial was to get only one chance to choose. If there was no answer given, it could easily give the interrogator nowhere to go. To kill or not to kill? If it was to kill, the possibility of getting the information was lost. If it was not to kill, it was equivalent to failing to achieve the threatening effect the interrogator mentioned. It would seriously damage the majesty of the interrogator, and the effectiveness of the next threat would also be significantly reduced.

If it were for him to interrogate, he would certainly start with finger torture. A finger would be cut off for every lie, so even if there was a mistake, it would not be a big problem. The threat that was acted upon accordingly would quickly collapse the will of the enemy. It would be hard to carry out such a trial for those that had not been professionally trained.

The other party was in doubt as soon as he acted frightened. That exposed the fact that they simply could not identify whether or not he was lying.

The information of Cara, Holy Mountain and the Witch Cooperation Association were all true and reliable, which would further strengthen his position.

After a while, the masked woman appeared before him. “When did they go to the Western Region?”

“Two or three months before the Months of Demons. After the winter, they returned to the town and announced that they had found Holy Mountain.”

“How many… of them?”

“About 40 of them? I’m not sure, except Cara, the other witches did not appear very often.” Theo decided to add a little more bargaining chips. “‘The Snake Witch’ Cara, did you hear about her? Her ability is to summon the Snake of Magic, and one kind of it called ‘Nothingness’. It can quickly remove any toxins. I have seen it myself and it was so magical.”

“You’re not afraid of the witches?” The woman sounded a bit puzzled.

“Why should I be afraid? The witches in the Witch Cooperation Association are all… beautiful! They aren’t the demonic beasts with bare fangs and brandish claws that people have said they are and they don’t hurt ordinary people. If I’m afraid, I wouldn’t come this far to help them spread the news.”

“If someone went to Border Town, how should they contact them?”

“One of them can sense magic power, and then they’ll find any witch once that goes there.”

“Shadow, what do you think?” The masked woman looked behind him.

“I don’t know,” said the witch called Shadow, “Let’s wait for sister to come back and make the decision. She would definitely know what to do.”

“…Yeah.” She nodded. She found a chair which could be considered clean and sat in front of Theo.

“Who’s your sister?”

“The guide.” The masked woman’s attitude had softened a lot compared to before, and it was probably due to him saying that he was not afraid of witches. “She’ll take us out of here.”

“Leaving? Where are you going?”

The other party shook her head and did not answer.

“You’re not the witch from Silver City, right?” Theo continued, “Your accent doesn’t sound like the people from the king’s city.” Silver City is close by, so the people here are proud of imitating the accents of the king’s city.”

She hesitated for a moment, “I… am from the Southern Territory.”

“The witches from all over the kingdom have gathered here and are soon to be led by the guide to go somewhere else…” Theo thought to himself, “I have no doubt that this is a witch organization, and they’re recruiting companions, just like the Witch Cooperation Association. But, where are they going?”

This was when footsteps came from outside of the shed again.

“Sister is back!” Shadow cheered as the wooden door squeaked opened. Theo held his breath in his heart.

“Is he the one that had been using the underground channel to spread the message?” The voice of the newcomer was mature and steady. “What information did you get from the interrogation?”

“He seems to be telling the truth.” The masked woman repeated the investigated content and stated her thoughts, “It’s not possible for him to know so clearly if he did not have a lot of contact with the Witch Cooperation Association.”

“Well, that’s true.” She walked past Theo and stood in front of him. Different from the masked girl, and she did not cover her face. Her long black hair almost reached her waist and she looked around 25 or 26 years old. The most interesting part of her was her eyes. Theo found her pupils appeared to be gold in color, and her star-like eyes could be seen so clearly that even when she was standing in the dark they were visible.

Theo thought that he had seen many witches around His Highness, but the appearance of this woman was still considered as one of the best. There was a deep scar that went across her eyebrow and extended down to her cheek. The scar did not destroy her beauty but added a sense of seriousness to her look. Since seeing her face, Theo felt that this woman was a warrior.

“If the Witch Cooperation Association really found Holy Mountain, they should not send people to spread such a message.” She shook her head. “This will only bring the church. If they don’t leave Border Town as quickly as possible, I’m afraid disaster is around the corner.”

“Then… what should we do?” Shadow asked.

“The ship will arrive at midnight. There’ll be other witches on board and so you, have to leave,” she said without hesitation. “I’ll escort you on board.” As for the Witch Cooperation Association…” the black-haired woman looked at Theo who was tied to the chair and said, “Please help me to get a message to Tilly. Tell her that I’ll be there a few days later. Perhaps I can bring more companions.”

“Are you going to Border Town with him?” Shadow said in shock, “What if this is a scam…”

“So, he’ll only kill himself.” She smiled, her words full of confidence.

Chapter 147: The Emissary Delegation

licia had never thought she would one day be a part of the emissary delegation.

After all, whenever the church sent an emissary delegation, the members were always elite warriors. They were not only blessed with civil and martial virtues, but also looked good enough to represent the church. She was very confident about her fighting skills and the rites of the church. But when it came to her appearance, how good-looking could a woman who was swinging her huge sword in battlefields all day long be? Thinking about this made her uncomfortable.

According to Priest Mira, their delegation would head to a small town in the Western Region of the Kingdom of Graycastle. Their purpose was to deal with the blasphemous event of a prince harboring witches. Aside from the priest leading the delegation, there were another 10 members of the Judgment Army. One of them was even the stony-faced cool captain she had once met in Hermes Defense.

But from the looks of it, the man was still stony-faced even in the absence of combat. Alicia felt the temperature dropped a fair bit just by standing next to him.

Priestess Mira was completely different. She was over 40 years old and had a pair of wise-looking eyes. She wore a constant smile on her face when she discussed anecdotes about the church. She was sophisticated and warm without losing an ounce of grace. Even in front of the archbishop, her poise was unabated. Alicia had heard many times that she would likely be the next bishop.

What surprised Alicia, however, was that Mira as a civil official rode her horse as well as those in the Judgement Army. In these two days, she led the procession, from the forest in the mountains to the town tracks. She kept her horse moving at a stable pace while minimizing any physical exertion. This was a skill that would take a person of the Judgement Army a long time to master.

“We’re heading south, aren’t we?” Someone in the procession asked after leaving the Hermes area and entering the Kingdom of Graycastle.

“No. Border Town is too far away from us. I don’t want to hurt my butt if we travel by land,” Mira waved and said, “and we’ll go east to Deep Valley Town. There’s a river that can take us directly to Redwater City. From there, it’ll be an easy path to Longsong Stronghold.”

“When did you join the church?” Alicia asked curiously, “You’re not only familiar with anecdotes of Holy City, but also well-versed with the secular world.”

“12 years ago. I was exactly 30 years old then,” Mira replied.

“That’s so late!” Alicia exclaimed. “As far as I know, the older a person is, the more difficult it’s for her to comprehend the teachings of the deities. But you took only 10 years to promote yourself from a believer to a priest. That’s incredible.”

“Yes,” Mira smiled. “That’s the charm of the church. I was the daughter of a merchant. I followed my father and learned to do business in the Four Kingdoms. We bought ordinary local commodities and resold them for higher prices in other places. The price could go several times higher. Take the emerald coral of Seawindshire for example. We bought it from a local fisherman for 20 or 30 silver royals. We then put it into a water tank, carried it to the Kingdom of Everwinter, and sold it for a gold royal. If the coral had a good color and well-distributed branches, we could sell it for over five gold royals. I used to wonder why the same item would have two different values.”

“Because… it was rare?” Alicia replied.

“That was what I thought at first.” The priestess nodded. “But something happened and my opinion changed. There was a noble in the king’s city who harbored a witch capable of changing the temperature. He came up with different ways before he finally succeeded in growing Seawindshire corals in the Kingdom of Everwinter. He modified the basement under his yard into a huge pool with an overhead skylight. His harvest was about once a year. The corals he grew were more than our yield for 10 back-and-forth trips. But the trade road was so long that my father only took it once a year. As a result, the emerald corals flooded the market. The noble even sold them both to the palace and aristocrats. If a rare object became more common, it was only fair that the price would drop.”

“But just two years later, the palace refused to accept low-priced emerald corals, thinking they were counterfeits. Not only did my father not slash the prices by half, he even doubled it. As for the noble, he was discovered by the church and charged with the crime of harboring witches. He, together with the witch, was tied to a stake and burned to death. But I knew his corals were not counterfeits. They were exactly the same as the ones my father sold.”

“The idea that a rare object is priceless isn’t wrong. But there are other factors affecting the price of an item. This is the simplest example. Since the palace of Kingdom of Everwinter treated the emerald corals as a symbol of luxury, they set its value. When more emerald corals appeared, the rules of royalty were impacted. Thus on the day of the noble’s execution, the queen even threw a big celebration. Do you think these items are like those of us who’re secular?”

“Like… what?” Alicia was lost.

“Like the people, the children under the throne,” said Mira word by word,”we are born with a price, and this price doesn’t reflect our real value. Just like this emerald coral, we are obviously same, but some are at a low price, and some are too high to be reached.”

“Too high for us to attain… You mean the nobles.”

“The nobles are like the corals of the palace of Kingdom of Everwinter.” The priestess smiled. “We’re all born having the same hands, feet, a pair of eyes, and a mouth. However, their prices are set at the highest value. That’s not determined by their own abilities, but by the rule of the royalty. So I joined the church. At least, in the new Holy City of Hermes, your birth doesn’t limit your value. If we could turn the entire continent into the final holy city of the church, then that would be our so-called divine state.”

“You’ve made a very good point!” Alicia nodded repeatedly with excitement coursing through her. If they really manage to build Kingdom of God as per Mira’s descriptions, where people were born without classes and there were no lowlifes and serfs, it would make a beautiful landscape.

“Kingdom of God?” The stony-faced captain of the Judgement Army scoffed and stepped forward. “How many more people do they want to turn into cold-blooded monsters? Honorable Priestess, and how much do you know about God’s Punishment Army?”

“Hey, you…” Just as Alicia was about to reprimand him for his lack of courtesy, Mira stopped her.

“The God’s Punishment Army is made up of the most powerful fighters in the church. They’re faithful, willing to devote themselves, and brave enough to join the God’s Punishment Army.”

“Not bad. You’re right about them being the most powerful fighters and converting into the army. But what they convert into aren’t warriors, but a group of emotionless monsters instead!” Having coldly spat out this sentence, he rode away and ahead of the team.

“How rude!” Alicia said angrily. When she met him in Hermes, she considered him a calm person with the steadiness of a general and the bravery of a soldier. How did he become this kind of person?

“It’s alright. He’s just distracted.” Mira shook her head. “Setbacks and sacrifices are inevitable in the building of Kingdom of God on earth… But at least we’re willing to do so.”

When the team arrived at the next town, it was already dark. The priestess led the delegation to the church to take a rest. After dinner, they went back to their rooms. Alicia followed the captain and stopped him in the hallway.

“Priestess Mira is our leader. What did you mean by saying those things earlier? Have you forgotten all the rules of the church?”

“You’re Alicia, aren’t you?” he only spoke after a moment of silence.

“Yes, I’m a caption like you. I asked for your name as early as in the Months of Demons, but you said nothing. May I know your name now?”

“Abrams,” he answered without expression, “as for why I said that…? Do you have any siblings?”

“No.” Alicia suddenly remembered that Abrams once said his elder brother was a member of the God’s Punishment Army.

“I have one. We grew up together in the church. We knew each other so well like we were one person. Later, he took the initiative to accept the conversion and I never saw him again. The chief justice told me that his conversion was so successful that he was now doing special missions for the church. I was very happy for him.” He paused. “That was until I saw him again in a cathedral one day. I called his name and want to go forward to hug him. Guess what I saw.” His expression showed a hint of pain. “A stranger. It was as if he didn’t see me. He walked straight past me. There was no light in his eyes at all, which only stared straight ahead. His movements were completely inhuman.”

“…” A shiver ran down Alicia’s back. She badly wanted to shout that he was lying, but when she opened her mouth, no sound came.

“The God’s Punishment Army deprives their fighters of human emotions. They’re nothing more than a group of walking corpses.” He pushed stunned Alicia away and returned to his room without looking back.

Chapter 148: A Merchant from the King’s City (Part I)

order Town finally had a rainy day. The sky was overspread by thick clouds. The rain poured in torrents and pattered on panes and windows.

Spring was usually a wet and warm season. This was not the case. After the Months of Demons, there was hardly any rain in Border Town. Fortunately, farmlands were just by the river, making it easier for farmers to water their crops. The heavy rain had dispelled the sultriness in the air. Nightingale opened the window to let the scent of soil fill the room.

Across Redwater River, young buds were shooting forth from the field at a distance. The endless green wheat wound underneath the canopy of the sky until it disappeared from sight. Quite contrary to the somber river, the crops appeared fresher and more vivacious than ever after the rain.

Roland stretched himself and threw the quill in his hand into a pen holder.

“Done?” Nightingale asked.

“Yes. A brand new weapon which can increase the shooting speed of flintlocks by several times.” Roland stacked up a dozen sheets of blueprints and then said, “I call it a revolving rifle. Do you want to take a look?”

“No.” Nightingale twitched her mouth. “I don’t understand it anyway.”

“This is just a prototype. If I shorten the barrel, it’ll turn into a portable revolver. But I need to solve another key technical issue before I can put it into use. If everybody has one such kind of weapon, we won’t need to be afraid of the Judgement Army from the church anymore.”

“Are you saying it’ll make an ordinary woman as powerful as a fully armed strong man?”

“Not just one, but several.” Roland smiled triumphantly. “If we’re lucky, we can make this number into five.”

Nightingale appeared perfectly incredulous. She was about to say something when suddenly there was a knock on the office door.

“Your Highness, Barov’s apprentice just returned from the king’s city. He also brought a merchant who sells saltpeter. They’re waiting for you outside the castle at the moment.”

“The apprentice of the assistant minister?” Roland thought for a while and recalled the matter. As the gunpowder had been running out when he had attacked Longsong Stronghold, he had sent his guards to Fallen Dragon Ridge and Redwater City for new saltpeter suppliers. Barov’s apprentice, whose destination was the king’s city, was the last one to commence his journey. After all, King’s City had everything. As summer was around the corner, the production of saltpeter must be increasing rapidly.

Roland had not expected the last to take his departure was actually the first to bring good news.

“Take them to the living room. I’ll be right there.” Roland looked up at the sky and added, “Ask the kitchen staff to prepare some desserts as well.”

By the time he turned around, Nightingale had been out of sight.

But he knew she was right beside him.

…

When Roland entered the living room, the merchant who sold saltpeter was just walking into the hall under the guidance of the guard. She took off her drenched cloak and straw hat before bowing to the prince. “I’m Margaret Farman from the king’s city. Please accept my warmest regards, Your Highness.”

Roland was taken by surprise when he noticed the merchant was a lady. It was far less safe to do business in this era than in the modern world, as tradesmen frequently encountered bandits and refugees when they traveled, not to mention the harassment of local bullies and underground gangsters. Because of this, not many women engaged in business.

Like Lightning, Margaret also had fair blonde hair, but hers was denser and longer. She looked in her thirties. Probably because she was not a noble but simply an ordinary woman, she already got wrinkles around the corners of her eyes and on her forehead. Her skin was a bit dark, and even a little coarse at the first glance. From her appearance, however, Roland felt she did not look like a Mojin but instead a Fjords native.

“Please take a seat.” The prince motioned her to sit down and seated himself in the host’s seat. “You aren’t from the Kingdom of Graycastle, are you?”

“Why did you say that?” Margaret smiled.

“You’ve got a hair color that’s pretty rare in inland countries. As far as my knowledge goes, most people who live across the channel have beautiful blonde hair. I know an explorer from Fjords as well.”

“You’re indeed a learned man. My native town is at Fjords, but I’ve been here for over 10 years. I’m currently living in the Kingdom of Graycastle, and I consider myself as a half native of the Kingdom of Graycastle.” She paused for a moment and then said, “You just left the king’s city not a while ago. Perhaps we’ve met somewhere else before. I feel honored to live in a city that Your Highness once stayed at.”

Apparently, every successful merchant had exceptional communication and diplomatic skills. Roland knew Margaret was trying to flatter him, but he still felt quite pleased with the comment. Just when he was absorbed in the compliment, Nightingale pinched his right shoulder with great strength. [Well, Nightingale, you’re being over-responsible. In this case, there’s no need to check the credibility of her words.] Roland said within himself.

“But speaking of explorer, it’s a highly-respected title in the Fjords.” Margaret went on. “You probably don’t know. There are few lands in the Fjords that’re suitable for a dwelling. As the tides rise and recede continuously, some islands will be swallowed by the rising seawater. Some, on the other hand, constantly erupt into flames and smoke. Rocks will melt into a dark red river at such a high temperature. Only those who have discovered a new sailing route or a new island suitable for life are qualified for such a title. Ordinary people won’t call themselves explorers.”

“Haha. She not only calls herself an explorer but also calls her father the greatest explorer ever.” Roland shook his head with a smile. “She’s just a kid. Kids always like to imagine themselves as some sort of great men.”

“Even kids won’t be so reckless as to regard themselves as explorers in the Fjords.” Margaret frowned. “Did she say who his father is?”

Roland realized he had just made a mistake by the look on Margaret’s face. It seemed to Fjords natives, the word “explorer” contained some sacred, spiritual meanings, which could not be used unscrupulously. “Her father’s name is Thunder.”

To Roland’s surprise, Margaret’s eyes widened as soon as she heard the name. “You’re acquainted with Mr. Thunder?”

“No, but I know his daughter. Have you heard of him?”

“Everybody in the Fjords is familiar with that name! Mr. Thunder discovered Doublepeak Island and Sea Dragon Bay, expanding our living area almost by half. He also drew a detailed map of the east coast and Endless Cape. 80% of the current routes on this continent were discovered by him. Every kid knows Mr. Thunder’s stories by heart. He’s one of the most extraordinary explorers in the Fjords!”

“But I’ve heard Thunder died in a storm…”

“No, Your Highness. A true explorer won’t be easily defeated by a storm. He encountered numerous dangers but always managed to escape. Mr. Thunder at present must be recruiting new crews somewhere, just like what he did before.” Margaret leaned forward a little bit. “Your Highness, do you know where his daughter is?”

Roland was also surprised by the fact that Lightning’s father was such a well-known figure. Did that indicate all those adventures, as bizarre as the Arabian Nights, were indeed true? “She’s living right in the castle at the moment. She headed west after the storm until her arrival at Border Town, where I took her in.”

“In your castle?” Margaret could barely hide her anticipation. “Can I… have your permission to meet his daughter?”

“Well, I’m afraid not now.” Roland was pretty sure that Lightning was currently flying around the Misty Forest trying to locate the relic marked on the “treasure map”. “She’s now practicing… her jungle exploration skills. If you intend to stay over, you should be able to see her.”

“Then please excuse my intrusion.” Margaret nodded instantly.

“So, can we now jump into the business?”

“Of course, Your Highness.” She smiled. “Please feel free to start.”

Chapter 149: A Merchant from the King’s City (Part II)

quot;Do you primarily sell saltpeter in the king’s city?” Roland came straight to the point.

“No, Your Highness.” The smile on Margaret’s face was no longer a fake one of formality but became more sincere and cordial. “I sell many products, from gemstones to fabrics, and I also run inns and taverns. In fact, I just started selling saltpeter a month ago. The previous business owner lost everything in my casino and had to put a lien on his plant.”

[She not only sells various goods but also involves in the service industry. What kind of businesswoman is she?] Roland knew it required more than capitals to operate a casino in the king’s city. He knocked on the desk, but Nightingale simply pinched his neck, which meant Margaret was wearing a God’s Stone of Retaliation that blocked her scrutiny.

Hang on… If Nightingale can’t detect lies, why did she pinch his right shoulder earlier?

Roland coughed and suppressed the desire to turn around and question her.

He had heard some merchants from Fjords, after settling down in the four kingdoms, expanded their business and accumulated incredible fortunes. After all, Fjords natives were all born businessmen who were not only fearless and adventurous but also good at sniffing out a business opportunity. Although many of them were ripped off by the government, some managed to establish themselves. By lobbying with local authorities, they formed a relatively stable alliance with some distinguished figures. Could Margaret also be one of the successful ones?

If this was the case, Roland felt it would be better to save the small talks and directly state his needs. “I want a large quantity of saltpeter. The more, the better.”

“But the Western Region of the kingdom isn’t hot, especially for the towns close to the Impassable Mountain Range. Do you really need that much saltpeter, Your Highness?” Margaret asked curiously, “I own three plants in the suburb of the king’s city, which will suffice the needs of nobles in a medium-sized city.”

[Three plants!] Roland was internally exhilarated by the news but still remained expressionless. “I plan to build a freezer in the basement of the castle to preserve some food that goes bad easily. If you offer me a reasonable price, I’d like to purchase all your saltpeter.”

Margaret nodded. “Well, since you’re being so straightforward, I’m willing to ship all my saltpeter to Border Town and give you a 10% off on the current market price. But…”

“But what?”

“I don’t really want gold royals. My warehouse is full of them. I’ve heard you have some unique products, which I’m really interested in using as a substitution for gold royals if you don’t mind. I’ll be happy to make the deal with you if you agree to this term.”

“Some unique products?” Roland was surprised. Margaret was the first person that he had ever known who did not want gold royals.

“Yes. For example, an automatic machine made of black iron.” The merchant leaned forward a little bit and said, “Your servant told me it only requires some boiling water to produce immense power. In fact, this is what made me decide to come to Border Town in person. Otherwise, I actually prefer to sell my saltpeter to nobles in the king’s city. Border Town, after all, was very far, and the shipping costs a lot.”

[This is indeed unexpected,] Roland thought. Although he did not know how Barov’s apprentice found her and how they turned their subject to steam engines, it was evident that this merchant from the king’s city was very interested in it.

Roland knew very well how enormous the profits industrial goods could bring, especially for those machines that only he knew how to manufacture. He had been worried that the money in the duke’s mansion would exhaust eventually after Border Town stopped selling ores. Now, a great business opportunity had just been presented to him.

“I know what you’re talking about.” The prince smiled. “It’s called a steam engine. Its operation mechanism is pretty simple, which is to convert the steam of boiling water into power. But only Border Town manufactures this kind of machine.”

“So it does exist?”

“Of course.” Roland spread out his hands. “But its manufacture process is very complicated and the price is steep. If you’re interested, I can show it to you.”

“I would love to see it.” She rose in excitement.

…

When Margaret saw the roaring steel monster slowly pull the mine car out of the mine at the North Slope Mine, her eyes almost bulged out under her lids.

“Your Highness, it, it’s… so inconceivable.” There was a tinge of tremor in her voice. “I thought your messenger was just exaggerating, but the truth is actually more fascinating than his description… I’m afraid one… steam engine can replace… more than dozens of people’s labor.”

Margaret wanted to take a closer look but was stopped by Roland. “It’s too dangerous to approach an operating steam engine. Don’t get too close to it. See that white steam puffing out? A little can burn you.”

“Do you use it only to ship ores?” As the machine was too loud, Margaret had to crane her neck and raised her voice.

“There are two in total at the mine. The first one is responsible for pulling mine cars and the second one for drawing water from the mine,” Roland replied, “In fact, the machine can also replace windmills and watermills to grind wheat. It won’t be affected by water currents or wind and can save a lot of manpower and animal labor. It can even set paddles in motion and thus be used as a power source for a sailing ship. With a steam engine, you can operate a sailing ship even without wind.”

Roland knew what a boat that did not need to rely on wind power and wind directions meant to Fjords people. As he had expected, Margaret’s eyes were glowing with excitement. “Make an offer. I want to buy it.”

“I can’t sell this one to you, as the mine needs it for production. You can pre-order some new steam engines. Once your saltpeter arrives, I’ll send you my invoice.”

“What about the price…”

Roland led her to a quieter spot slightly away from the mine. “500 gold royals,” Roland answered. It was definitely overpriced, for the number was almost equal to the annual income of a knight in the territory. The overhead cost for a steam engine was around 20 gold royals. It would be no more than 50 gold royals in total after adding smelting costs, labor costs and installation costs, but it created big room for bargaining.

“Then that’s the deal! I want to purchase 10 steam engines!”

“…” Roland was speechless for a second. 10 steam engines meant 5,000 gold royals, which was pretty much a five to six years’ savings of Duke Ryan’s. As Margaret did not even bargain, Roland wondered if this was normally the way an ultra-rich merchant did her business. He cleared his throat and asked, “Are you sure? This is a big sum of money. Plus, it isn’t going to be a one-time investment. You have to spend a lot as well on future maintenance.”

“I know. It’s just like maintaining a boat. You need to clean it annually to get rid of algae and tiny marine creatures nested in the hull and replace new sails, ropes, etc.,” Margaret said carelessly, “let me know what needs to be changed or added, and I’ll purchase them. If that doesn’t work, you can just sell me the labors who maintain and operate the machine altogether at another price.”

Roland shut his mouth. There was only one idea in his mind: it felt so good to have incessant money.