ã€ŠThe Mechanical Eraã€‹


 Chapter 1 Former Memories

    ?It was a bright, beautiful morning in America. Howard Bright, the slim ck-haired Floridan with emerald green eyes, walks out of Orbitair Inc. HQ and heads down to the street in his ck suit with a blood-red tie. He had ordered a Robo-taxi to pick him up back to his home.

    Only waiting after a few minutes, A metallic white car parked near. It opened its suicide doors to allow him to enter. He sits on the vehicle''sfortable white seats and orders the door close. On the dashboard, the taxi asks where he wanted to go.

    Howard selects his destination; home. As the vehicle moved, he sits back and rx like always. It had been a long day at work, designing Orbitair''s gship expected toe out in a few years.

    As he sits in the car, he thinks of his past. Once a broke young man in the middle of an economic depression called ''The Great Misery'', to a draftee forced to join a significant war he didn''t want to fight, to end up working alongside the pioneers of the space-manufacturing industry.

    His bubble was soon burst by the ringing and vibrations of his phone. He reached into his pocket to find the caller went by the name ''Reba''. A co-worker he worked with for a military spacecraft. He answers the call and the two start chatting about work and life.

    Once the call was over, he ced it back in his pocket. As he started to rx once more, he hears an annoying honking noise. He turns his head to his left window. There was a car moving unusually fast straight towards him. In a state of panic, he tried to leave but was just a second toote.

    A malfunctioning A.I in the other car collided with the one Howard was in. The sirens of the ambnce were heard. Howard was put into the hospital, along with the other passenger from the other car. After days in the hospital, the two came out one way or the other.

    One is sitting in a wheelchair with casts over his arms and legs, and the other one is in a coffin.

    ...

    A boy, aged 16 years old,y on his queen-sized bed snoozing quietly. His messy medium-long hair was tinum blonde, grown to bebed in a certain way. Behind his eyelids were two sharp eyes with jet-ck irises.

    He was thin, but not frail. He wore a white and blue striped pajama as he slept. His room, painted white had many red curtains and luxurious renaissance furniture. In 3 corners of the walls hung many paintings he drew himself.

    The photorealistic paintings depicted modern buildings, vehicles, technologies, and famous world leaders in their attire. He had these weird dreams for a long time. He often liked to portray them on a canvas, as the child was deemed to be a good artist. As the sun rose on the pce, its rays shed on the boy, waking him up.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Well, now I know," Kant said to himself. sighed. He got off his bed and took his regr morning bath. After it was done, the 16-year-old boy wore his excessive renaissance ck suit with golden yellow linings and 12 buttons on it.

    Along with the excessive suit, the boy put on his ck breeches, that matched the suit, along with a pair of pointy leather boots. He went up to a mirror to look back upon himself. There, in the reflectiony Kant Maybale.

    Just then, a knock on the dark oak square patented door could be heard.

    "Come in."

    Cora, a fair blonde maid, wearing an all-ck outfit, entered the room. She carried his morning breakfast of bread, butter, and water on a silver tray. On top of that, there were plenty of vegetables, meat, and fish to go along.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The bread, unlike in his old world, was drier and harder to makest longer. The hot smell of the meat and vegetables, however, had the prince''s mouth water. Though there was no spices present, the pce chefs outdid themselves in making Kant''s food to the best of their abilities.

    She ced it down on his table. He walked over and sat on his chair to eat. He first ced a daisy white napkin on hisp and then grabbed his silverware to dig in his meal. As he was eating, the maid had something to say.

    "Prince Kant. I have been given a message for you." said the maid.

    "What is it?" he asked in his usual sad tone after swallowing the bread with butter he ate.

    "The King''s health had been gradually declining because of his fever. He had asked you, as his son, to temporarily take up the throne while he goes away to heal."

    The king had been gued with illness for a while now. At first, it didn''t hold him back from ruling his subjects. But as his health gradually declined over the years, he was left increasingly found on his bed than on his throne.

    Though the King had other children, they were off to another city learning to master their magic, control their mana, and fully utilize their magic potential at an academy so one of them could rise to the throne.

    Kant takes a sip of water from his ceramic white cup and ces it down. He thinks about the situation for a minute. The boy was not at the very least confident of his abilities, yet the king offered him his throne, at least temporarily.

    "I don''t have a choice do I?" he asks the maid.

    "I guess not." the maid replied.

    "I will ept then."

    "Then please inform them as soon as possible. His majesty is currently in his study."

    Kant continued with his breakfast. After he finished, he got up from his chair and left the room. He walked across the pce''srge long halls lit by the sun''s rays through the windows during the day, and torches during the night.

    After traversing across the white shining marble floor, he arrived at a square patterned door with a gold door knob.

    The elite mage knights protected the door wearing their signature sleeveless daisy white uniform, enchanted steel gauntlet, and chest te while wielding a spear in their hands. From behind the room, faint sounds of a light argument can be heard from the other side.

    "I came to see my father," Kant tells the knights. In response, one of them knocked on the door for Kant. A faint ''Enter'' could be heard from the other side.

 Chapter 2 New Found Confidence

    ?The cold marble tiled floor tuned to a warm wooden floor as Kant entered the room. The ce was lit and warmed by the firece, which provided a warm atmosphere. There were lots of redwood bookshelves, with a variety of books arranged by the letter in the alphabet.

    Across the room on the red couch sat two people looking straight at him, his loving parents.

    His majesty Danial Maybale is a 43-year-old man, with short ck hair and ice blue eyes, with sleek cheeks on his face that managed to charm any women he met. He wore his sapphire red renaissance suit with a golden lining like Kant''s suit. However, there was a certain pale weak look to him, as the disease remained in him.

    The queen, Malinda Maybale, who was and looked simr in age, being only 41, had ice-blonde hair with great glistening blue eyes, amplifying the beauty that made Danial fall for her. She wore a red gown with arge overskirt.

    As the couple was blessed with magic, it allowed them to live longer and age better than their non-magical peers. So even if they were in their 40s, they looked rather younger, in their middle 30s.

    Kant walks over and drags a chair. He ces it right in front of his parents so that they can talk face-to-face. He sits down and holds his head with both his arms, ready to listen to what they have to say.

    "So... Prince Kant..." Danial coughs a little. Kant simply stared at him, waiting for his father to find the words to speak.

    "I am sure you are aware of my disease, right?" Danial asks.

    "Yes, father," he said.

    "Well then good! It means that we would have to go to the city of Nexert to get my diagnosis and treatment, which is down South from the city. We are not sure how long we have to stay though."

    "How long will the treatment take?" Kant asks.

    "It might take a while. Maybe... a month? Maybe two?" he responded.

    "Doing this for us would be wonderful darling. If you are sessful, you might even be able to get a bride!" the mother added. The father nodded in agreement.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Yes! A bride! Don''t you feel very lonely Kant? I am sure you would feel a lot better!" he said. Kant was silent. His parents were not sure what was going on behind his head when, but they can see he was thinking about their proposal.

    "Why can''t theye here?" he asked.

    "Well, because they specifically requested us to be there at Nexert," Danial responded. He just nodded at their answer, epting it.

    "So... what do you say?" his mother asked. There was a brief silence as his parents both waited for an answer. The only sound that can be heard was the crackling embers of the fire.

    "I ept," he said.

    "Good. We will make the preparations. You are dismissed."

    Kant got up and left the room. As he closed the door on them, the mother rests on her husband''s shoulder as heforts her.

    "Do you think he will fair well?" Malinda asks her husband.

    "He is a smart child. Smarter than we ever were when we were his age."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I don''t know honey..."

    "Darling, this will be good for him. He will... he will get to be a man again."

    ...

    Kant came back to his room. He decides to pick up a canvas and start to paint another picture. This time, however, was a portrait of the man he was in his dreams, Mr. Howard Orwell Bright himself.

    Once he finished, he sat in deep thought further. He remembered a bit of Howard''s life, of all the hardships, the sufferings, and all the work he had put in to get to the position at thergest space manufacturingpany ever seen. The more he thought, the more he started questioning himself.

    "The dream. Was it real? Was what saw something I had experienced before, in a form of another man, or just a figment of imagination, made subconsciously by my brain to cope with my failure in life?"

    He had a hard time believing in himself. It all felt like d¨¦j¨¤ vu. He looks at his chair. It was a swivel chair, the ones that can turn with force. Just then in his head, something clicked.

    "Wait, the chair!" he said to himself. How did he invent it? Where did that ideae from? He looks around his room, looking for more items that he had brought from the old world with his mind.

    His eyes spot his ck umbre. Now, umbres have existed forever. No doubt, but this one was an automatic umbre, invented in the 1920s back in the old world. He looks for more. On the redwood desk, he looks at the ck typewriter he also made, using white sheets of paper, a rare sight.

    More memories flooded his brain. He remembers ying chess against his parents, and even winning multiple times. There was a time when he used the piano, ying songs old and new. More and more of these examples came to his head. Throughout the day, all his life, all his previous memories, hade back to him.

    "If I truly have reincarnated, won''t that mean..." Kant smiled for the first time in a long time. The boy has been filled with hope and motivation once again.

    With this revtion, Kant, who had just gained a new sense of self-confidence, walked over to the library, to learn of the city he would rule, at least temporarily.

    The city was located on an ind, that was protected by two other inds, and a natural river called the Pixie river, flowing upstream, which was little as 40 to 50 feet wide to a whole 8km wide, acted as a moat that defended the city against the demonic beings.

    The ind that the city settled on was called Santo ind, which meant something else entirely in an ancient forgottennguage. The Pixie river was also connected to arge drainage basin, allowing the city to be amercial hub.

    The city had a rather merchant and artisan economy. It did have an agricultural sector that produced enough food to feed and sustain the city''s ~210,000 people, but there were sizable merchant and specialist sses thanks to the city''s location.

    The city seemed to be pretty stable. But there were some problems, ording to Howard''s 21st-century mindset. There was not a lot of economic freedom which makes it hard for businesses to operate.

    Serfdom is widespread with about 80% of the people living were serfs in one way or another, forced to work to feed the rest of the 20%. Disease and poverty were prevalent, at least ording to Howard himself.

    Politically, the city, and the rest of the world, had a feudal structure in ce that was simr to that of the old world, with monarchs all over the world deriving their political power from their skill and potency in magical ability, which they used to protect the people of the city.

    This philosophical outlook that came from the church, was not new, as it had evolved from ''the strongest man shall rule'' from the previous cycle. However, it was a problem.

    Kant had no magical power, meaning that he was deadst when it came to recing his father. If he were to rule, he would have to prove himself, to themoners and royalty alike, that he was not someone to be tossed around.

    Gripping his hand, he promises himself one thing. He promises that he, no matter what, will lead this world into a new age, to bring this near primitive world technology and wealth they had never seen before, to lead them into a new age for humanity now and beyond!

 Chapter 3 The City Hoverdam.

    ?The busy port had a new ship in town. Made out of teak and cedar wood, with its gigantic white sail and a wind mage on the pole, it could sail longer than any ship before. The royal couple had already given the message to their people that Kant would temporarily be their leader 2 days after he agreed. Now, they were to head to Nexert, to get rid of King Danial''s fever.

    Malinda hugged her son before she departed with her husband on the ship. Kant waited as it slowly sailed down the river before disappearing from his sight. He was already introduced to his new staff members. Arjun Boyle and Kristina Robin.

    Arjun Boyle was the young yet intelligent assistant manager for his father. A man with wavy long ck hair, and brown eyes, rocking a ck cloak for his wear, he had earned the position after impressing the King many times before.

    His opinion of Kant was rather mixed, being a manaless anti-social kid would do so, but he was intrigued by the boy as well. He heard stories from his personal maid who was the one who usually enter his room. She described interesting devices that Kant invented to help himself.

    Kristina Robin was the knightmander. The tall woman had short ruby fusion hair, with sharp emerald green eyes that can spot anything a mile away. As the knightmander, she usually wore a long-sleeved silver-gray uniform, a purple skirt long enough to cover her knees and a pair of ck leather shoes. In battle, she wore a lightweight enchanted steel chest te and leggings, along with a pair of gauntlets and shoes.

    Like Arjun. Kristina also had a mixed opinion of Kant. She was also intrigued by his so-called genius by the maid''s stories. But she also was a bit suspicious of him. Being a teenager, she expects the castle to be filled with prostitutes by the time the royal couplees back.

    "Well. It''s time to head back home." Kant said. He turns to his new staff members.

    "I would like to walk home, please. Can I do that?" he asked.

    "That will be a long walk sire. Are you sure?" Arjun responded.

    "That''s fine by me. It''s good for my health and I want to look around." Kant replied. Arjun turned to Kristina awaiting her response.

    "If sire wants to walk back to the pce, you will need a knight to apany you," Kristina responded.

    She called out of the elite knights. A male one. He immediately dismounted from the horse. and walked over. While she ordered the knight to protect Kant, he asked Arjun a favor.

    "Arjun, I would like for me to have a tour guide of sorts. So would you follow?"

    "Well sire, I dly ept."

    The two started walking along the lively streets of Hoverdam. The roads were all paved with polished cobblestone bricks, with smaller streets meant only for walking that would often have trees to give shade.

    Every building Kant could see was mostly made from wood and cobblestone, with no ss windows to be found on them. Yet, there was a beauty that caught Kant''s eye.

    The near odorless streets had many giggling children ying along with each other. Sellers chanting ''Apples!'', ''Tuna!'', ''Gems!'' or whatever products they were selling.

    They weren''t as dirty as Kant would have expected, with some seeming to have just cleaned themselves. They do, however, look to be thinner, with a faint touch of unhealthiness that could only be seen in his eye.

    In fashion, many men seem to like tunics with leggings and long brown boots. Colors include coffee brown, beige, yellow, and cyan. The women prefer gowns with long shirts, while boys and girls under 5 feet were given dresses to wear. Only children aged 13 or older wore what their parents wore.

    The buildings all had a great amount of order and bnce to them, with them having the same width and height, yet they had been given a great amount of freedom, to fit the owner''s tastes and needs.

    It was not perfect, but it felt as if the city was designed for humans, not automobiles. Many questions started to form in his head but got temporarily distracted because of something that caught his eye.

    Many people were all lining up in one specific building, all carrying wooden buckets with dirty brown water in them. It was two stories tall, but it was clearly builtpletely of expensive stone bricks, painted with a coat of white. Its design had roughly the same characteristics of the pce''s ssical architecture.

    "Arjun, what is that building over there?" he pointed at the strange building.

    "That sire is a water pub."

    "A business selling water?"

    "Not quite sire. Water pubs are property that rightfully belongs to the ruling royal family in charge. It belongs to his majesty Danial Maybale himself. Since his majesty is away it is controlled by you sire." Arjun replied.

    "What about the dirty water?"

    "Theye in there to purify it. Mages cannot create water out of thin air. Even if they do, they disappear into thin air."

    "You mean they turn to vapor?"

    "No sire. It turns to mana and returns it to the air. It cannot be used for drinking. Many had tried before."

    "Why is it called a pub then?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "It involved a bit of history. Themoners started calling it a pub, and the royalty followed suit. I think sire can guess which family."

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Queen Diana Maybale III?"

    "Exactly sire, But in reality, it''s where peoplee there to purify the filthy water they use, to make it safe for drinking."

    "How exactly? Mages?"

    "Correct sire. Any mage that learned the spell of purification, but since it is very... useless and time-consuming, most of them aremoners who only learned that spell."

    "How long does it take?"

    "I don''t know sire. I assume maybe.... 5 to 10 minutes a bucket. Maybe more?"

    "For a single bucket?"

    "Well I expected sire to not know this, so let me exin. For magic to be effective sire, one must use up a lot of mana for it to be powerful. The potency is what determines its effectiveness. It is true in every spell, even for the purification spell.

    Since the very fewmoners that possess magic does not have much mana reserves, it takes them a lot of time to do the job. It is well taught in the academy.

    There are, however, some mages with arger mana pool who attended smaller academies that tend to help out themoners, either to teach them magic or help them more directly. That one right there is." he pointed to a woman in a ck cloak.

    "For them, it would only take a few seconds toplete. Their charity helps save a ton of hassle."

    "I see. It seems like they carry a small amount to purify. How often do they visit? Do they use it only for drinking, washing their clothes, and such?"

    "People usuallye in every other day. Which is why they all form in lines. They use it for drinking and cooking only. Commoners wash their bodies and clothes in the public bathhouse. They do take baths like you do sire. Only... less often."

    "I knew that Arjun. But how many times a week do they wash?"

    "Only once a week. Peoplee in and clean it when it is closed. There also is a ce for them to defecate as well."

    "Is there a system to clean it?"

    "Yes, sire. Commoners willing to ept the job for a few coins do. They would clean it once a week."

    "I see."

    "Is there anything else would sire like to know?"

    "Yes, Arjun. I look around this city and... Do you happen to know the reasoning for the design choices for these buildings? I am a bit curious."

    "Unfortunately sire, that is an area I do not have enough expertise in. I suggest asking one of the owners in that regard. I guarantee sire will get to hear its story." he replied.

    One building, in particr, caught his interest. It was a food shop, 2 stories tall. On the countertop facing the side street were pots filled with hot food that would draw anyone in.

    Kant wanted to know more, but the invisible hand of anxiety and fear kept him from entering, while themoners, noticing his clothing, looked at him with suspicion. He took a deep breath, gained up a bit of courage, and walked in.

    On the inside were many tables, all with people standing around the counters, picking out what they liked from the pot, and paying for it. He entered the building to look around. As soon as Kant entered the shop, everything went silent, the people looked over and his direction, and started whispering. They all stopped and continued to shop around. Kant then was confronted by a man.

    He had short ck hair, and brown eyes on a sleek face with a thick mustache that would make anyone jealous.

    "Sire Kant Maybale. Uh... what business do you have with us?"

    "I am here to ask questions regarding your establishment."

    "Oh... um of course! Would you like toe upstairs?"

    "I would yes."

 Chapter 4 A Hardening Idea

    ?They both made their way up the creaking wooden staircase to the upper floor. It seemed to be made as a home for the owner''s family. Kant was guided throughout the hallways with many cheap wooden doors to a dining room with a wooden desk and chair.

    "Wait here, sire. I will bring something," he said with a smile. While he went off, Kant sat down and looked around. The ce had half-melted yellow wax candles on the walls next to the windows. An expensive item for a peasant for lighting at night. The only other thing noteworthy was the wooden cupboard.

    The man came back with a teapot. He opened the cupboard filled with tes, cups, spoons, and forks made of wood. He took out one wooden cup and poured the yellow liquid in.

    "I am sorry for ourck of luxury. We never thought the day woulde for royalty toe to our humble business. But please, enjoy the tea. Only for people like sire himself."

    "It''s fine." Kant drinks it. It tasted just like tea, only without the sugar added in. He did not mind, as he had already not used a lot of sugar in his cup of tea.

    "I am more of a coffee guy anyway."

    "Pardon sire?"

    "Sorry. It''s nothing."

    "I see... What is that sire wants to know?"

    "First of all. What is your name?"

    "My name sire?"

    "Yes. I would like to know your name." The owner smiled.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "W...well sire. My name is Jose."

    "It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Jose. I would like to know the design choices that went into this making this building. What is the history of this establishment? When did it start?"

    "Well, sire. This shop was started by my great-grandfather. Our family had managed to save up to buy a little plot ofnd to build a shop here.

    It started with 2 rooms and was much smaller. It was wide as the counter outside, and it was only thrice asrge as this dining room. When it was on a day he had no work, he help serve his customers with his food. If he off working in the mines, our great-grandma would take over for him that day."

    "Where did they live?"

    "The other room behind the store sire. They both lived and worked there, like most people in their ce would do. If the shop wasn''t doing well, the money from his job could cover it. If he got fired from his job, he hoped the restaurant would cover the family''s expenses until he found new work.

    When the city grew, more people came to do business. The shop grew along with our family''s wealth, so they bought a bit morend to add more rooms. It had helped us feed my family through famines like the one 3 years ago. If the shop suffers, we can easily sell a part of it, to get us some money."

    "I see. How big was the shop when you were a boy?"

    "When I was young, I remember the store having only one floor. It took 6 months to build this floor. The stones were what took the longest. It cost us a bit"

    "Is it because they had to grind them properly, as well as to make the holes to keep it together?"

    "I think it was the reason sire, yes."

    "Good to know," Kant replied.

    Kant happily walked out, thanking the owner beforehand and giving him a gold coin for the troubles. He continued to explore the city, talking with the owners, interacting with people, and slowly getting better atmunication. He had learned many things about the city itself.

    Unlike North-American cities, where a city was like aplicated and fragile machine, Hoverdam wasplex habitat built for humans and the product of a culmination of several millennia of human experiments of trial and error on urban design that madepromises to work in a best-in any situation.

    It wasn''t perfect, it wasn''t even the prettiest city he ever visited, but he understood their way of thinking, and respected it. Yet, there still he could improve. Visiting Jose and the other owners had gotten him an idea. Kant wanted to create something to present to the people, to solve a problem, and now he got one; cement

    Specifically Pornd Cement. It was a material that was used in many modern buildings in the old world. From what Kant can find, the people here used a form of Lego Architecture that took manpower and time to make and grind the specific bricks needed. If he could make and effectivelymunicate its uses, he could get the attention of people he would like.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    From that point, he could present and get merchants to build some factories and distribute the product to other cities, bringing in a lot of gold that Kant would tax to use on other innovations he can fund and to start building credibility among the people at least.

    He continued to observe and tour more of the city. While walking, he identally bumped into a distressed woman. She wore a ck cloak with a ck mask, presumably a high-ss mage shopping incognito.

    Kant noticed that she was breathing very heavily. Before he could ask, she quickly apologized and disappeared among the dense crowds of people handing around, away from Kant''s eye. Kant brushed it off and continued with the sight-seeing.

    ...

    The sun was beginning to set. Kant had arrived back at the pce. He had been thinking of creating cement since the trip, but several holes had emerged. For one thing, who would be able to buy the product he is going to sell? What incentive do merchants have to stay here to produce it instead of anywhere else? Doubts started racing through his mind.

    Before his brain started to panic and trap itself in a mental jail cell, he started taking deep breaths to calm himself down. With a clear mind achieved, he digested his questions again.

    ''In the likely event that I won''t be able to mass produce vast amounts of cement, are there any rich buyers I can sell off to initially?'' He had to ask someone else, someone with expertise on this matter. But who?

    "Sire. Your tea is here." Cora, who came out of nowhere, spooked Kant.

    "Oh... Mrs. Cora. You startled me."

    "Sire seems to be in deep thought. What is it that you are worried about?" she asked.

    "Well I had this idea to make something that could help people but er... I am not sure if I can produce in the quantities enough at the start..."

    "And you are thinking where there is an elite buyer?" she finished his for him.

    "Yes... exactly," he said with a smile.

    "What is this product Sire? I would like to know more about it," she asked,

    "It''s called cement. It is a mortar that allows bricks to stick in a day or two, so we don''t have to grind and make Lego bricks anymore." Cora started to think, while Kant took a sip of his tea.

    "The wall. Sire what about the wall"

    "What wall?"

    "In the city of Albersterg, the king is nning to build a fort near a huge wall to allow the city to expand. You can convince them to sell to him."

    "That is... good. Hey, howe you know about this?"

    She smiled at him. "Let''s just say that gossip spreads across us maids like wildfire." Kant epted her answer and asked her to heat his tea again.

    She dly did by using a simple heating spell. Cora left the room afterward, and Kant was all by himself again. He went back into evaluating his n and started listing all the equipment he needs to make his product.

    He writes it down on a piece of paper, a coffee brown one with a pen in his hand. Once he was finished, he takes it and walks out of his room. After walking along the hallway, he knocks on the door.

    "Come in." Arjun voiced consent behind the wall and dark oak door.

    "Sire Kant. What is it that brought you here?"

    Kant ces the list down on his table. Arjun picks it up.

    "Arjun, can you get me a vacant building, along with everything I want on that list." Arjun scans the page and bes a bit perplexed. He thinks for a minute and puts the list down.

    "Alright sire. Whatever you say," he said, while he nods. Kant made a faint smile, thanked the man, and left his room, to practice some lines.

 Chapter 5 Powdered Prototype

    ?It had been two days since the tour. Kant woke up at around 6 AM as usual. He got off his bed and went down to take his morning bath. After which, he went to his closet to pick out some clothes to wear. Instead of his usual royal suit, he took out a white tunic, ck leggings, and a pair of gloves for his outfit.

    By the time he went down to the grounds, it was already noon. Kant was left with no other option but to use a horse for where he was going. He had ordered Arjun to get him a small vacant house, the machinery, the materials for the cement, andbor.

    He hopped on the horse and made it across town to a wooden shack, guarded by elite knights. The limestone and y chunks the size of his head were being unloaded from a cart to the inside of the building. Along with bags of sand, buckets of water, and rectangr stone bricks.

    He entered the ce. There the 2 tall knights with enormous muscles dwarfed Kant. The duo had short ck hair, brown eyes, and a round face holding giant sledgehammers 4 inches tall. Thankfully there the two had their facial quirks that help differentiate the two.

    The one on the left was slightly taller, maybe about 3 inches more. On the left side of his face, there was arge ck bump half an inch wide. Meanwhile, the one on the right had his face covered in freckles, along with a small scar near his eye.

    "Good morning," he said.

    "Good morning sire." they both responded at the same time.

    "Before we continue. I would like to know your names."

    The man on the left went first. "My name is Leon De Vandal. I have been drafted since because of Sire''s request." Kant noticed the man''s unusually deep voice. He figured it helped in interrogations.

    "I am Warren Farrell sire. I had willingly volunteered to help you with your project." said the man with the freckles. He had a more normal voice than Leon, being at a higher pitch.

    "Alright, thank you. Now, I assume you all have been informed why you are here?"

    "No sire. We haven''t," replied Leon

    "No? Alright then. You are all here to help me with making cement."

    "Uh... What is cement sire?" Warren asked.

    "Cement is a material used in construction and civil engineering. You can mix it with water and 3 parts sand to make a mortar that you can stick on bricks. Then, in about a day or 2, you will find the mortar solidified, with the bricks being held together.

    You can also use it to make concrete, a building material that will get stronger over time. It is a mixture of cement paste with aggregates, but that is for another time."

    He took a deep breath.

    "Do you two have questions to ask before we continue?"

    "..."

    "No? Alright then. Let''s Begin then."

    Kant pointed at the limestone.

    "First, we must take this limestone, and turn it into a fine powder. So take your sledgehammer and start grinding them." Kant ordered. Leon and Warren started to bash it hard with their all their strength. Till then, Kant looked upon the furnace, or the bloomery.

    A bloomery consists of a pit with heat-resistant walls. This particr one was made of stone. Near the bottom, 2 pipes made of metal were ced through the side walls. Its function was to allow air toe in. He knew it wouldn''t be enough, and got Arjun to bring in tworge forge bellows for Leon and Warren to use.

    Once the duo had got the limestone to the point Kant epted. He mixed the limestone powder or calcium carbonate with y and put it in the bloomery. Then he started the fire up and turned to the two.

    "I want you two to use the forge bellows to push a lot of air into it. Understood?"

    "Why is that sire?" Leon asked.

    "Well, we need to get temperatures up to 1500¡ãC, maybe more. The reason being is to make something burn, you need to feed the fire a ton of oxygen and that is what you two are going to do."

    "Thank you sire. I understand." They both picked up the bellow, put it in the pipes, and started to blow hard. The smoke started to pick up and leave through a window on the roof.

    After a few hours of blowing, it was time to see their result. When they opened the bloomery up, what they found was a clinker of dark grey cement.

    "Alright, we are almost there Now we need to grind it with calcium sulfate, represented in the gypsum until the cement powder is made. Then finally add one part cement powder and 3 or 4 parts sand, mix it with water, and we can get our product. Depends if it is stering or brickyering." he said. The knights stood still.

    "Go get grinding you two."

    While they turned the clinker into a powder, Kant took measurements of sand using a bucket withbels. He came back to the, now powdered cement. He took measurements and took in 1 part cement powder, then 4 parts sand.

    "I want to experiment with brickyering." He mixed it with water while Leon and Warren watched. They watch as he made the paste.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Get the bricks, I want to test it."

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® ...

    It has past two days since he tested out his product. Kant wearing his formal suit rode down to the house to see if the results were a sess. He has apanied some bodyguards and by Arjun, who was curious about what he had been making.

    When they entered the building, he observed the result. The stone bricks and the cement seemed to have been sessfully bonded and stuck together with the mortar.

    "Is this it sire?"

    "Yes, this is it. It is a simple invention. So it was likely that... there might not need other experiments. I was lucky."

    "Well sire, would you like for me to ''test'' its strength."

    "Sure, go ahead."

    Arjun ordered an elite knight to try and separate it without the use of magic. His confidence when he walked up to the challenge vanished as soon as he applied force to it. Arjun was astonished at its resilience.

    "Well sire, it certainly seems to live up to its name. What is next on the list sire?"

    "Well. The next step is to build some production facility to produce a lot of cement."

    "Sire, you are not nning to use the royal funds are you?"

    "No. I n to use the merchants, and the money those rich bastards have."

    "If you are to do so, you are going to have to impress them in some way. Do you have any ideas sire?"

    "I do. I was thinking of a buildingpetition of some kind. To see how long it takes to build one room or something. It''s not fully thought out yet."

    "Who would they be selling to?"

    "To someone rich probably. I am thinking of King Heinrich Canmore of the Kingdom of Albersterg. I heard the city was building a wall for its expansion."

    "Ah, it looks like sire has done his research. Although..."

    "What is it Arjun?"

    "His majesty King Heinrich is a cautious man. Albersterg''s royal family is not the one to take much risks, so I do hope you somehow manage to convince the royal family there."

    "I sure hope so."

    The two made their way back to the castle. There a maid walked up to Kant and gave him an envelope. The coffee brown paper container had a peculiar seal. It depicted a coat of arms, with the shield having 4 pointy stars and two dragons on each side; a letter from the royal family of the Kingdom of Vallina.

    After opening the envelope, he found a letter written in cursive. Since Kant could not read or learn to read in cursive ever, he got Arjun to read it for him. Arjun put on his reading sses and started scanning through the letter. After a while, he puts the letter down, shaking.

    "Sire, this message is from the academy."

    "The academy? Why is the royal seal on there then? Don''t they have their own?"

    "Yes sire, it is just that it is an urgent message."

    "Then what is it? Tell me."

    "...Salvator Humat."

    "The pseudo-terrorist group? What about them."

    "Yes, sire. One of their members got caught in the academy, holding a letter from its very own leader. Apparently, it was supposed to be destroyed by him."

    "Get to the point Arjun."

    "The letter had your name in it sire. They are watching you."

 Chapter 6 The Next Few Steps

    ?Salvator Humat, a group believed to primarily focus on resisting the magical world. It is said that in their doctrine they desire to take back power to themon people, and exterminate the "demon-blooded" that have been oppressing the pure humans. They are the sessor to other previous groups which have haunted the many cities of the continent.

    The entire castle had been on high alert. Interrogations on many of the non-magical staff members were taken ce. The king and queen had already been informed and had immediately sent back a letter to the castle for Kristina about some strict security measures.

    Kant was only allowed to speak with the most trusted staff members; the highest ranking maids, assistant ministers, and elite knights, and had no visitors or leave the pce for at least 4 months. He will always be apanied by someone with high magical prowess to protect him, who would be switched every week.

    Kant sat in his office. He had been typing a letter for about two hours. It was to convince his parents to lift the insane restrictions. The current arrangement threw a wrench in his n. If it means he has to reveal his product to his parents, so be it. nning the letter had him thinking of production as a whole.

    Though cement had been invented, producing it in the quantities he needed was a whole other matter. Not just to impress the merchants willing to sell it off, but also his buyers who would be interested in doing so.

    He had ordered Arjun to get him a map of the city, with lots of important geographical and demographic information like the mines and y quarries marked all over, along with the highest need forbor.

    The map depicted the city divided into a grid, with an average of 8 square buildings within a rectangr shape block, with a tiny street meant for walking cutting it in the middle. The outskirts of the city were mostly houses for farmers and miners, with some shops of food and tools for said farmers and miners.

    The roads belong to everyone, people, horses, carriages, carts, and more. The current mines were on the outskirts of the city, while the river where the y was being produced was at a great distance.

    "Well sire, is there anything else you need?" asked the maid.

    "Coffee please," he said.

    "Alright Sire."

    Kant started to formte a n. His idea had evolved into getting the manufacturing process pinned down, then impress the merchants into selling cement to various other cities and the king of Albersterg.

    There was a knock on the door. A maid, carrying a ceramic cup of coffee on a tray. He dly epted the coffee and drank the dark drink. It was bitter, nowhere near as tasty as modern drinks, but he went with it. Before the maid left, he ordered her something.

    "Tell Arjun toe back to my office. I want to speak with him again."

    A few minutester, Arjun, wearing a white cloak and round sses instead of his ck ones arrived at his office. He got the maid to wait outside until the meeting ends.

    "You wearing those for fashion?"

    "What? Oh, you mean the sses sire?" Kant nodded.

    "Yes, it is for fashion." he came and sat down on the wooden chair.

    "What do you want to speak of sire?" he asked.

    "Well, I had figured out what the next step is." Kant leaned forwards from his chair.

    "We built the factory. Then get the merchants."

    "Well sire, if we are taking that part, the factory would have to produce the cement powder consistently. Have you put any thought into that?"

    "Of course. We store the limestone and y in the factory first, then start producing cement while bringing in more. That way they could keep making the cement all day long. You understand?"

    "Yes sire, but there is already a problem with that idea. You would have to produce a lot of cement so that the storage won''t run out. Does sire have a n for that?"

    Kant smiled.

    "Yes, Arjun I do. This is where specialization and the division ofbor apply."

    He leaned forwards. "Please borate sire."

    "dy. What we would do is separate the process into many simple tasks for people to do repeatedly. First, we use carts to bring the materials to the factory daily. There will be a specialized group of workers, all working on single tasks.

    The first group of workers will simply transport the materials for the second group of workers to turn into a powder, the third group to mix the materials for the fourth group of workers to heat it, then the fifth group of workers grinds the clinker to a powder.

    After the cement powder is made, the final group of workers will package the cement in bags, which the carts would bring to the merchants to sell it off to whoever they want to."

    "And you are sure that this would work sire?"

    "I am confident."

    "But how will you pitch the cement?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Economics."

    "Care to borate sire?"

    "Uh. Yea sure. . We build two buildings and factor in the costs of each. The amount ofbor needed, the time it takes, and so on. Then we add up the budget and see which one is cheaper and faster to produce."

    "Won''t that be expensive sire?."

    "No. It should be two simple houses. Nothing too crazy. When they find out that they can make a lot of money selling it to Albersterg government."

    "Well, it appears that you have thought this through sire. Where should the factory be?" Kant pointed to the map. It was near the outskirts of the city, with many houses nearby.

    "This is what we will do. I heard some people are out of a job there. I hope to use them t...to fill the factories. Get cheapbor."

    "Wow, sire I... I am impressed. You have thought of a lot. But you do realize that they are... weakerpared to the ones I send you?"

    "Yes, I do. The farmers aren''t like Leon or Warren, but they will do. I can have some equipment lined up for them. Which reminds me..." Kant gives a note from white paper. It is a list of all the equipment he needed to operate the factory. It featured Bloomeries, forge bellows, hammers,rge mortars with pestles, bags, and more. All with a specified quantity amount.

    "Well sire, I will see what we can do. Is the letter ready yet?"

    "Oh yes, it is. Here." Kant took it off his typewriter, ced it in an envelope with the royal seal, and handed him the letter.

    "Alright sire, let''s see what I can do."

    Arjun left the office, and Kant was once again back with his thoughts. Since he had a bit more time on his hands until he can hopefully get his parent''s permission, In the meanwhile, he thought of what he should do now.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom He took out a nk piece of paper and wrote down a couple of instructions. If the merchants wereing to meet him, he had to present something delicious. Though knowing the chefs, they won''t allow him to go there if he had no idea how to cook. So, he ns to earn a bit of trust first.

    "Excuse me, Miss Caroline?"

    "Yes, sire? Is there anything you need?"

    "Yes, can you send off this note to the kitchen chefs?"

    "The kitchen, why is that sire?"

    "I got something in mind I want to create. It is very simple and cheap to create in all honestly."

    "What is it, sire?"

    "I call them potato chips."

    ...

    The sun rose on the city of Nexert, home to over 300,000 people and guarded by some of the best knights the continent had seen. Many farms were protected by walls that took a long time to build, yet the investment was worth it, as it freed a lot of knights while essing a lot morend for peasants to farm.

    Malinda was in the guest room she had been assigned to, while Nexert''s greatest mages inspect Danial to find and cure his strange disease. She was reading a novel to calm her mind down.

    A knock on the door could be heard.

    "Come in." A maid came inside, holding a letter. She handed it to over Malinda.

    "Your majesty, a letter from Hoverdam has been sent over here."

    "From Kristina I presume?"

    "No your majesty. It is from Prince Kant Maybale."

    Malinda instantly grabbed it from her hands and started reading it. The maid stayed there, trying to take a peak. The letters were in a very weird font, not in the cursive that any other royal wrote in.

    Malinda sighed after reading the letter. She turned to the maid.

    "Inform the mages that I want to speak to my husband in a few hours. I think he needs to be informed before I make any decision."

 Chapter 7 A Little Faith

    ?The chefs and maids looked at the simple dish they made for Kant. His orders were simple; cut the potatoes paper thin, then deep fry them in oil. Afterward, they poured a bit of salt over it. The recipe itself also stated that the same process could be used to make a different dish called "Fries" but required the potato to be cut into sticks instead.

    "So... Is someone gonna try it?"

    "A potato dish? No way. Why would I want to try out a dish with its main ingredient being a potato, amoner food?"

    "Well if nobody is going to try it, I will!" said Head Chef Benvolio Becquer. The obese man wearing a chef''s outfit didn''t care, for as long he could make a good dish, he would be happy with it.

    He tried to pick it up from his fork. However, after finding out the food was too thin, he used his hands to take a bite of it. While he slowly chews the food in his mouth, the rest watches closely, waiting for his judgment.

    "Master Chef, how is the dish?"

    "This is one of the most unique dishes I have ever tasted in my life! Everybody else, try it!" Everyone dived in to taste what it was like. The unique taste it delivered wildly overshot their expectations. When the te was emptied, the cooks began to work to make another batch again for the prince to taste.

    After a bit of testing, one specific recipe was found to be the most tasteful. As a kind gesture, he took a small ceramic te and ces a nice batch of chips. After handing it over to the maid, he gives her instructions.

    "Send this over to sire Kant. Tell him his dish was a sess."

    ...

    Danial had put on his reading sses to look at the letter Kant had sent for them on his bed while Malinda sat in her armchair waiting for him to finish digesting its content. He puts the letter down and takes off his sses.

    "Well?"

    "Well. I agree about what you mean. Going out in public with them in their eye is very risky. But..."

    "But what Danial! Kant is being watched by the group that killed off my very own brother! You expect him to stay alive?"

    "Honey, calm down. Take a deep breath." Malinda took his advice. After her temper cooled, Danial finally spoke again.

    "I agree that... our boy would be in great danger if he goes out in public. BUT..."

    "But what?" Malinda asked. Danial pointed at the letter.

    "He had imed to have made something, done something, to improve the lives of our people, to bring wealth to the city. This is a chance for him to prove himself."

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® I mean, he made a strong mortar that would harden quickly in two days. It would allow our people and the other kingdoms to better fight the demons. We could build walls quickly, construct stronger houses, and more. This is his potential, his chance to bring prestige to our family."

    "Prestige or not, he is still in grave danger. I cannot stand any harm toe to him! At least have it calm down."

    "I hear you, honey. But we cannot keep him locked up in the castle as we did in the past. He needs to grow, and this is his chance." Malinda thought for a moment. Evaluating her husband''s statements.

    "Alright, if we are to have him go about in public, I suppose we have him inform Kristina where he wants to go, then have him travel anonymously. He cannot show his face unless he has permission from Kristina first."

    "That is good, yes, but I still feel it is a bit too strict. Regarding his inability to show his face. Won''t it be important for him to have some sort of charisma?" Malinda signed.

    "Fine, he can allow being seen within the ce he is. But other than that, no exceptions. If there is however a special need, he would need permission from Kristina to do so."

    With that, Malinda started to write down a letter, to send back to Hoverdam about the situation. Once she finished, she handed it over to a maid, who told them to send it immediately over to Hoverdam.

    ...

    It had been two days after the great sess of making the potato chip. The kitchen was all still talking of the unique dish, some hoping to have it to be brought home for family members to try it out, maybe even start a vendor around it.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    When another recipe came down from Kant, many were excited about what he hade up with. This particr recipe appeared to berger, and moreplex than the previous one. It also came with a wooden box that was advised to not be opened until the recipe was read.

    It indicated a drawing of the dish, detailed as being a thin round disk with a crust, topped with ayer of tomato sauce, mozzare, and basil. The texture of the dish is said to be crispy and the crust about 5mm thin because of ''theck of chlorine in the water that would kill fewer bacteria.'' Whatever that meant.

    "Alright, listen up everyone! I will announce the recipe list as follows." The Chef had managed to catch everyone''s attention, who was at least curious about what his majesty hade up with. He looked at the white paper of the recipe.

    "1 and a half cups of water heated to a 44¡ãC, mix it with one tablespoon of yeast. Add two cups of flour, half a tablespoon of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir it with a half cup of flour, and another half cup of flour for the kneading surface.

    Knead the ball of dough for about 15 minutes, then ce it in a container to rest for about 24 hours. Afterward, take the dough out and roll it t, and make a disk. Cover most of the surface with ayer of tomato sauce first, then ayer of cheese, and finally some basil on top of it.

    Put the pizza into a 246¡ãC oven for about 10 to 15 minutes. To assure yourself that it is ready the crust should brown and the cheese golden. They are indications of when to pull it out. To measure the temperature, use the device inside the box."

    After putting the recipe down on the table, Benvolio opened the box to see what is inside. What he found was a hollow ss straw that has arger special ss container filled with mercury. The ss tube was welded to the piece of wood, that had marks on the side, indicating what the temperatures were; a thermometer.

    Kant had gotten a craftsman to make one for him the other day. It was surprisingly easy for him to make. He made it so that the chefs won''t have to hassle in figuring out what temperatures they were cooking at.

    "Well everyone, it seems like we have a long day ahead of us. Any questions or suggestions on how we should proceed?"

    Out of all the staff, one raised his hand. A bald man, the one without any magic.

    "I have one suggestion chef. Considering this is more time-consuming and riskier, should we make more samples to try and test it out?" he suggested. Benvolio stroked his beard, giving it a thought.

    "That is a wonderful idea Clovis! Well done!" He turned to everyone.

    "Alright, let''s start!"

    They all start to prepare the dough first. Following the instructions, they achieved a slimy thin dough ball. Many of these dough balls were then put into a container, and left for tomorrow.

    ...

    The sun was beginning to set. Kristina was about to call it a day and leave for home. It was when a knight burst in through her door, carrying a letter from Nexert by the royal couple.

    Over dismissing the soldier, she went into reading it. She read it thrice over, bbergasted by their willingness to rx the security measures. Do they expect him to aplish anything at all?

    Reluctantly, Kristina calmed herself down and decided to go inform Kant of the news. She arrived at the pce and went towards his room. When she arrived, Kant was in his chair, having a book cover his eyes, taking a nap.

    She went to pick it out and look at it. The cover was made of hard leather dyed in daisy white coloring. The title of the book was etched in gold, and a drawing was present in the middle, depicting a lush.

    She put the book down and woke Kant up from his slumber.

    "Prince Kant!" She said while tapping his shoulder. Kant''s eyelids shot opened, revealing his jet-ck irises.

    "Knight Kristina? What brings you here?" he said, still half asleep.

    "I came to inform you that I received a letter from his Majesty King Danial Maybale the III and her majesty Queen Malinda Maybale informing me of the loosening of restrictions."

    "Ah, neat. Is it immediate from tomorrow onwards?" he asked. Kristina simply nods.

    "Good. It is just in time for the pizza to be made tomorrow," he remarked.

 Chapter 8 A Mouthful Dish

    ?The sun''s rays travel through the window,nding on Kant''s fair face. Its heat and light immediately woke him up from his slumber. After taking his morning bath and breakfast, he headed over to his office, where he found a stack of papers on it.

    They all just had a list of disputes between themoners. Usually, there would be a lot less paper, but ever since Kant''s entry to his current position, he found some pretty fraudulent casings to be listed. Arjun was a bit jolted seeing Kant spot them all so easily.

    After dealing with such, he ordered a status report on the production of the equipment for the factory. Unfortunately, there have been some dys, and the equipment won''t be ready till the day after tomorrow.

    With his, however, came an opportunity. Since he found himself with a lot of free time, he wanted to go help out the chefs perfect the pizza he wanted to be made for a future meeting with the merchants.

    Kant walked down the hallways to the kitchen. There was no reason for anyone to apany him in the castle, only to the outside world. When he entered the kitchen, the whole room went silent. He was greeted by dozens of staff members in the kitchen.

    Benvolio, noticing the silence, came over to meet the prince.

    "Sire Kant! Wee!" Benvolio looked around to see if anyone was apanying him.

    "It is a pleasure to meet you Head Chef." Kant extended his hand.

    "What is..?"

    "You shake it."

    "Oh!" He took Kant''s hand. They shook hands. He figured this was some professional gesture by Kant.

    "By the way sire, how did you?"

    "Oh did they not inform you all already? Knight Kristina got a letter from... his majesty to lift a lot of the restrictions imposed."

    "Ah! I see. Well, we have made the dough balls. It came out the way sire has instructed to havee out."

    He showed off the multiple containers with his slimly thin dough ball in them.

    "We figured that we would want to test out since we might get some of it in the wrong way. However, now that sire is here, it should not be a huge problem."

    "Smart," Kant remarked. There was a bit of silence.

    "By the way sire, I wanted to ask you a... question."

    "Go ahead."

    "Why is the dough left for 24 hours exactly? Couldn''t we have kept it for far less than that?" he asked. Kant thought it to be some kind of test, to see if he has any knowledge of cooking.

    "Well, in terms of Pizza making, to make sure there is as much vor, it relies on a resting and rising process to let the yeast ferment the dough to produce an alcoholic vor. This is the case in breadmaking as well, I think."

    Benvolio smiled at his response.

    "Alright, we are going to make the topping. Let''s get to work."

    Kant ordered a staff member to take out a dough ball and turn it into a t disk, all while the others prepared the tomato sauce and the cheese. When the dough was stretched thin, it was a bit translucent, prompting Kant to authorize adding a bit of flour.

    After putting on the toppings on the pizza dough, now a disk, they ced it into the oven for about 12 minutes. When it came out, the results were not as expected.

    Kant washed his hands to lift a pizza slice. Though the pizza crust was thin and crispy; about 5mm thin, but it was also a lot weaker than expected.

    The staff noticed his reaction and began to gossip among themselves. Benvolio''s heart was beating a bit faster while Kant observed the pizza more, thinking he did something wrong. Kant takes a look at the list of ingredients and preparation.

    "Did something go wrong sire?" Benvolio asked.

    "No. We followed everything to a tea. Where did the watere from again?"

    "Uh... from the royal well your majesty."

    "So not the river water?"

    "No sire. It is too salty and dangerous. Were we supposed to use that?" Kant chuckled.

    " No. I just forgot one variable that we had to adjust."

    "Oh, and what that is that sire?"

    "The water itself."

    "Er... I don''t understand sire."

    "Don''t worry, I will exin. The water that we usedcked one element and apound. They are chlorine and fluoride. The higher the amount of chlorine, the higher the amount of yeast killed. Since not a lot of it is in the water we used, the pizza came out crispier because of it.

    The simplified reason is that when the yeast dies, it releases glutathione. Because it has one sulfide bond, it cannot bond with other gluten molecules. So the more dead yeast you have in it, the chewier the bread bes. That is why the crust is very crispy."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "And the fluoride?"

    "The fluoride, or NaF, is what makes the bread as strong. It is what would allow it to be this thin while also having a lot of toppings on it. Since there isn''t much fluoride in the water, the pizza bread turned out weaker and softer. Understood everyone?"

    They all nodded their heads, pretending to understand half of what he was exining.

    "What do we do then sire?"

    "Since NaF is a salt, we can fix this by adding actual salt into our recipe, which is NaCL, sodium chloride. It would make the pizza stronger, crispier, and able to support the weight of our toppings."

    He put on a faint smile.

    "For our first time, This is an absolute sess! Well done everybody!"

    ...

    Stacks of reports were ced on Kristina''s table. As she read through them, she spots a worrying trend. Over the past few months, demonic activity had been on the rise, requiring more knights to be diverted to the outside world. However, with the suspicion of Salvator Humat on the rise again, the demand for more knights to garrison the city seems to have risen as well.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® She stayed there, trying to figure out apromise. She checked her sundial, and found it was time to She wasn''t sure whether she should discuss it with Prince Kant, as she didn''t have much faith in him for handling this situation.

    She checked her sundial and found out that it was almost time for her to give him his report. With that, she packed the papers into the leather satchel bag and headed off to the castle.

    When she arrived at his office, however, he was nowhere to be found. It was then that she heard that he was in the kitchen when Kristina got a bit suspicious. What was he doing there of all ces?

    Nevertheless, she went towards the kitchen. What she was greeted by was one perfectly round pizza right out of the oven, on a wooden te cut into multiple slices. This was their 4th attempt at making the pizza perfectly.

    "Kristina! Would you like to try out the pizza that we made? Took a few attempts to get it perfect."

    "Sire I don''t think..."

    "Please?"

    Curiosity got the better of her, and she took a little bit off it. A great unique taste of crispy bread with tomato sauce and cheese hit her taste buds. What she thought would be one bite, tuned into one slice instead.

    "Well, it is safe to say that the pizza is a sess!" Benvolio remarked. Kant nodded in agreement. Kristina, after finishing her slice, came back down to reality.

    "Sire, we need to talk."

    "Is it about the report?"

    "Yes, sire."

    "Alright, we will talk in my office then." Kristina left the kitchen. Kant turned around to the chefs that he worked with.

    "Well, it was a pleasure working with every one of you. I hope I cane back to help make some more dishes, considering I got a few ideas."

    "It has been an honor sire."

    "Alright, I will see you all."

    "Wait sire!" Kant stopped. It was one of the lower chefs that called him.

    "What about the rest of the dough balls? We still got a few left."

    "Keep it. Have somepetition that allows the winners to bring them home. I don''t care."

    With that Kant got out of the kitchen and into his office. Kristina had already taken her seat.

    "So what is the situation?"

    "Well sire, the amount of demonic sightings has increased yet again. It had been increasing for the past few months. Many of them are Harpies along with a few gryphons."

    She hands over the papers. Kant picks them up and starts to read through it all.

    "They were all apanied by possessed silver wolves. I would have to dispatch at least a dozen knights in order to eliminate them."

    "So what''s the catch? Is it them?"

    "Yes, sire. Because of Salvator Humat, it is unwise for me to dare pull out knights from garrisoning the city."

    "I see. I think I have an idea. How about a police force staffed with regr citizens."

 Chapter 9 Structuring The Police

    ?"Sire I do not think that would be effective."

    "Why not?"

    "Because the knights are much stronger than that themoners, they can easily take down any criminal who will harm."

    "But aren''t most arrests consisting of petty crimes? It says here in the report." Kristina looked at the statistic Kant was pointing out.

    "It appears so."

    "Since most of them are... minor crimes, they can get away with paying a fine and such. No need for brute force. So strength won''te into y all that much."

    "Do you think they would listen to them?" she asked.

    "Yes. I do. They are simr to the knights in that regard." Kristina clenched her fist.

    "How are knights and policemen operated bymoners any simr?" she asked.

    "Because the knight and the theoretical police force will both be a government institution, supported by the royal family and knight hall for its legitimacy.

    The reason they won''t go resists the knights is that even if they are stronger in their case, they know they will be hunted by both the royal family and the knight hall.

    Considering most situations feature these minor crimes, the cost of resisting would not be worth getting either detained, exiled, or executed. That is why they would listen."

    Kristina calmed down and digested his words for a minute.

    "Yes sire, I am sorry sire. You are correct," she said, slightly disappointed in herself.

    "But what if they do notply?"

    "Then that is where the... knights do get toe in. They take down the ones who don''t follow through."

    "What if they get away?"

    "Get in a detective work to narrow down the suspects into one."

    "...Detective...?"

    "A person who investigates and solves crimes."

    "Well... how would they go on doing so?"

    "They can use the process of elimination. Take in clues, witness reports, the time it took ce, where it took ce, and so on. Eventually, you will be able to cut it down to a few suspects at the least."

    "...How would we differentiate them from normal knights?"

    "We can give them a different uniform. Make it very distinctive. Probably ck and white wool, it''s cheap rtive to dyed uniforms.

    "What about money?"

    "A normal wage would do. Not as high as the knights though."

    "Can the citizens file in cases to be solved?"

    "Definitely, but no knight hall reward system. Though the citizens can file a case, they don''t have to pay for it with their own money. It is their job after all."

    "Well sire, won''t all this mean that you would have to establish a new institution?"

    "I am well aware of that fact. Don''t worry, I can manage. I just need a bit of time to write a form of a bill, a structure of power, and how everything will work. Give me some time."

    "How long will it take?"

    "Toe up with a basic structure of it, I can probably handle you one tomorrow evening. In terms of fully assembling a working team, it could take two months. I assume thatmoners cannot read or write. Correct?"

    "Yes, sire. That is correct."

    "It will take some time for them to learn, it would be of vital importance for them to do so. To file reports and so."

    "What do think his majesty would think of this? Don''t you think that he will have any objections?"

    "Well, I hope to reduce the burden on the knight''s shoulders with the police force. The knight hall can then concentrate more on the demons instead of policing. His Majesty will consider it a long-term investment."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "When should we inform his majesty?"

    "We can then inform King Danial about the n after. If all is good, we continue."

    "...Alright sire. Is there anything else for you to inform me?"

    "Yes, I will be heading off to the factory the day after tomorrow. Other than that, no. Just keep the papers with me for now. I want to read more of it." With that Kristina dismissed herself and left the room. Kant took the papers back and reread them all that instant. There was some information on there that caught his eye.

    He flickered through them more closely. It mentions that only about 1680 knights are working for the monarchy in total, with only 237 of them being registered in the knight hall.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® However, the reports were suspicious. Though the reports have been on the rise overall, the problems themselves have hinted to be dated back at least a few weeks, some even a few months. Kant did have a hypothesis as to why.

    With the limited supply of knights avable, yet the demand being extremely high, many of the rewards are set out to be pretty exorbitant for themon man. Although there is a surplus in demand for people who require their services, the prices keep them away from reporting and putting up a bounty.

    Considering the knights will take care of a problem when the same problem reaches a certain limit, it would be economical for everyone to wait until the problem will be solved for free.

    ''I could be wrong though. I should investigate this further. Maybe on ater date.'' Kant thought to himself.

    Kant leaned back on his chair. For now, he just wants to improve the city in any way he can. Deciding to focus on the police, he takes out some maps of the city along with some paper sheets for him to write.

    ''I need to build an institution the people can trust. Any mismanagement could damage its reputation as well as mine. I need to be careful about this, think all of it though, then talk with Kristina and the others to find and patch up ws.''

    ...

    It had been a day since the discussion with Kristina. The sun had just started to hue an orange, as it had begun to set once more. Kant''s desk was oddly clean, with the paper detailing everything about the police neatly organized in two files stacked on top of one another.

    He had been talking to Arjun for the past couple of minutes. Kant had been informed that the factory equipment is ready, with 31 workers being hired toe tomorrow.

    "Have you learned anything"

    At the moment when their discussion ended, a knock came on the door.

    "That must be Kristina. I think you should leave Arjun."

    "Alright sire..."With that Arjun left the room and Kristina walked in.

    "Well sire, have you made up the structure."

    "Indeed I have."

    "I have decided the police to be a hierarchical organization with a Chief of Police as its executive leader. The departments will be separated into the districts of the city, which will be subdivided further to better effectively cover the city. Of these departments, they will be separated into two sections, a patrol side, and an investigations side.

    In terms of hiring, anyone who is about or over the age of 21 in good health with no prior rtion to crime, and with a stable financial position will be qualified for being recruited.

    In terms of training, not only they will be taught to read and write, they will go through a program, as well as a period of field training before bing fully certified officers. The details of which I have written on the papers." he gives her the files. She opens them up and begins to read them.

    "Officer ountability... Standards of Suspicion..." she murmurs the further deep she goes. After Kristina finished, she closed the file andy it back on the table.

    "Well sire, you seem to have gone through a lot. But what about their uniforms, their weapons? Have you thought about it?"

    "Yes, I have thought through that as well. For a weapon, they are authorized to use a nightstick as their main weapon. They are also required to carry one set of handcuffs, a small notebook with a pencil to write fines, and a whistle.

    The uniform would be made of wool,prised of a ck shirt with a white armband on the left sleeve. To go along with the ck shirt, I rmend using ck pants along with ck calfskin shoes." Kant gave her the other file.

    "Everything you need is in there. Do you have any questions?"

    "Yes sire, only two. First of all, what is this weapon you are giving them?"

    "A nightstick can cause high amounts of physical pain without being very lethal overall. I want to have the public ept the police officers, and having them carry anything lethal could damage the public''s trust."

    "And the uniform?"

    "The uniform is cheap to produce while also helping separate the police from the knights, who wear mostly white and metal armor."

    "Alright sire, I will need to read these in my spare time. I inform back to you of any objections I have with it."

    "Please do take your time. No need to rush."

    With that, Kristina was dismissed. Kant, having a few hours left, got up and went over to the library. There he grabbed a book, a history book.

 Chapter 10 First Impressions.

    ?Neon Furner woke up as the sun began to rise. He had a bad week so far, getting fired from his farming job and struggling to find a new one, he was in a desperate position and went out to find work in a different field.

    Neon turned out to be one lucky man, as he heard that a new ce was in need ofbor nearby. Naturally, he went over to sign up for the job, along with other young men his age. They called it a ''factory'' where they were going to help Prince Kant in producing his product called ''cement.''

    He got out of bed, cleaned his messy ck hair, and put on his clothes which were a tunic and leggings made of hemp, and brown shoes made of calfskin. His wife had already prepared some food that included dry bread with cheese and some vegetables.

    "So today is the day you are headed off to work?"

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Yes, to a ce they called a factory. They produce something called cement there."

    "Cement?"

    "They say it is a material used for building."

    "How does it work?"

    "I don''t know, they haven''t told me much about how it works. Apparently, someone wille down to exin it today. I do know who made it though."

    "Who?"

    "Kant," he said.

    "Is that so? Then why did you waste your time to even applying there?"

    "They offered a good wage. I couldn''t say no."

    After gulping it all down with a cup of water, he headed out. But not before kissing her goodbye.

    "Take care dear!"

    He walked along the dirt road to get to his new ce of work. The path gave him a view of the gorgeous wheat fields nted all over. After about 25 minutes, the building was visible enough for Neon to tell it was made out of mostly wood, used to be two houses that just got connected to the factory.

    There were knights stationed there, elite knights. They blocked his way of entering and asked a bunch of questions. It was to confirm his identity and that he works there. After a quick inspection to see if he carried any weapons, he was allowed in.

    He entered the building to find a lot of people there. All were inspecting the equipment that was inside of the factory; the furnace, the mortar, the forge bellows, whatever. What caught Neon''s brown eye, was whatever that was covered underneath therge hemp cloth, guarded by a knight.

    Everyone had been gossiping behind the knight''s back about the prince. Neon himself even joined in. Poking fun at his rumored awkwardness and hisck of magic without having the knight notice.

    "Who do you think that they will send off to teach us?"

    "I don''t know, but one thing is for sure, that coward won''t being here. He might shit his pants."

    "Maybe they will send someone with the instructions written on the paper."

    "What if he dide though?"

    "If he did, he will be stuttering all over. Anyone wants to bet how many?"

    "I say about 12 times," said Neon.

    From the outside, the sound of horses could be heard. One of the knights shouted to get everyone''s attention.

    "EVERYONE GET IN LINE! PRINCE KANT HIMSELF IS COMING OVER!"

    Everyone stopped gossiping. The shocked workers felt their hearts stop for a minute. They had not expected him to be the one toe. Following the knight''s orders, they got to a line.

    Kant walked in wearing his royal ck suit, with his left arm covered in a cloak, along with his ck pants made of expensive linen, and hands covered in ck gloves. Everyone got a glimpse of his face, noticing his creepy silver hair paired with his soulless jet-ck eyes.

    There was something strange, something eerie about his appearance that made everyone''s heart start beating faster, breath heavier. Kant looked at the knights and nodded. Onmand, they all left the building, stationing them outside, except one.

    "Good Morning everyone. My name is Kant Maybale. It is a pleasure to meet you all. Tell me, what are your names?"

    The group exchanged their names with the prince.

    "I would like to thank you all for being here today, on arriving on time at the factory. Before we continue, I would like to show the product we will produce."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He walked over to the hemp cloth, and finally unveils it. Whaty underneath, were a bunch of stone bricks, connected together with a gray mortar. On top of it, was a hemp bag, filled with something. Kant takes the bag and opens it up. Inside was a fine gray powder. Kant looks back at everyone.

    "This is cement. Or more urately, cement powder. Mix this powder with 3 parts sand and water, we will get a mortar paste we can use to stick bricks together, like here." he pointed to the hardened mortar.

    He got a knight to demonstrate its strength. As he struggled to pull it out, Neon''s head was a bit blown. He had clearly underestimated the prince, but a question lingered in his mind. Where did he get the idea for it? Howe nobody else came up with it?

    "Does anyone have any questions before we start?" Kant asked, after having the knight leave the premises.

    Neon, realizing his opportunity, quickly took it.

    "Excuse me sire. How did you manage toe up with it?" Neon asks. Kant looked at Neon.

    "That is a good question, Mr. Furner. To answer that, we need to go a while back. When I was around the age of 10, I read a history book on the Asteria Imperium. On its pages, I stumbled upon something that caught my eye.

    It mentioned the use of some kind of mortar that was used for buildings. I asked my parents what it was. They informed me that it was aposite material that the ancient Asterians used to build their castles and homes quickly, which was unfortunately lost to time.

    But I was a bit stubborn. I dedicated myself for months on end to trying to discover it. Though I did not get exactly what I wanted, I got something even better. This..." he pointed at the cement.

    "When I went to inform my parents of my discovery, it happened to the day when they had enlightened me of my... unfortunate situation. I was shocked, it slipped out of my mind.

    It remained in my head until about 8 days ago when I managed to recreate the cement powder. Now I hope to produce arge quantity of it. With it, we will be able to build homes, defensive walls, wells, tunnels, roads, and many more structures a lot faster for a cheaper price."

    Kant took a deep breath.

    "Any other question?"

    "I do sire." A bald man asked.

    "Yes, Mr. Murray?"

    "What is the Asteria Imperium? I have never heard of such."

    "The Asteria Imperium was an empire that stretched over the entire Pixie drainage basin thatsted for about the first 2 and a half millennia. They are the inventors of many of the items we use today. Did anyone work as a farmer here?"

    Nearly all raised their hands.

    "Good, so I think you know about the 3 crop rotation, correct? Well, that method was discovered by the empire, which allowed it to grow more food to feed its poption. They had also invented a lot more, like the sewage system, the city grid, and yes, even the cement right here.

    Their empire however copsed about 2 millennia ago. The reasons are because of high corruption within the system, many famines, rebellions, and many more. It was also when the first true magical kingdoms started to establish themselves. Their empire was balkanized into many city-states, and here we are today."

    ''The first magical kingdoms?'' The facts that kingdoms were without magic were an alien concept to him and the rest of them. He felt inclined to ask another question but was afraid of doing so.

    "If you have multiple questions, it is fine. I am happy to give an answer."

    "Sire I have one more question."

    "What is it, Mr. Furner?"

    "Sire, you mentioned the first magical kingdoms?"

    "Yes. For the majority of the Asteria Imperium, it is believed that people gifted with magic are more demon than human. It was a time when magic was seen as a curse, then a gift, and people brutally murder anyone who would show signs of it.

    However over time, people came to ept mages into their society, and the two groups flourished alongside each other. Though it has benefited humanity overall, their integration has had the unfortunate effect of leading people to all believe that anyone, without magic, is inferior to the ones who so."

    Kant took in a deep breath.

    "For example, before my arrival to the factory, you have all been gossiping, mocking me of my character, of my strengths, of my personality. All because Icked the ability to cast magic, something that was assigned at birth."

    "..."

    "Am I correct in making that judgment?"

 Chapter 11 The Princes Dream.

    ?Neon felt as if a thunderbolt struck him twice over. He started to fear where he was going with this.

    ''How did he know? Maybe he can see into our minds. Is that his magic?'' Neon thought to himself. Everyone got on their knees instantly, begging for forgiveness as tears flowed down their eyes.

    "Do not worry everyone. I will not punish you all in any way. Please stand back up." Everyone collectively sighed a deep breath of relief. Neon used his hands to wipe off his tears that fell for a bit and stood back up.

    "It is not your fault for believing such. This idea is a myth that had managed to take hold not because of some conspiracy by the magical poption to take over and subjugate you all, but instead a reaction by the people at the time. The ones who made those decisions lived far back during the decline of the Imperium. It was a reaction to a great event. A reaction that made the world today.

    However, in their reconstructed world, they did not ount for the genius of themon man and hadpletely abandoned them. A new idea was born. One that dictates anyone who was born with magic be superior. I do not believe in this facy, and therefore, will ept your apologies."

    There was silence at first. Neon felt something. They all felt something in their hearts, growing, yet they cannot tell what. He cannot believe what he was hearing. Was this prince thinking highly of them?

    "We are all honored by that you sire, but... why? Why does sire think of us like this?" he asked. Kant turned to Neon and made a tiny smile that was barely noticeable.

    "Tell me, Mr. Furner. Do you know who the smartest man to have ever lived?" Kant asked.

    "Um... unfortunately no sire. I do not know of anyone."

    "Well, I will tell you the answer. He died over a thousand years ago. If he wasn''t, he would die an illiterate peasant, with nobody ever knowing his name, never having the chance to be known for something. That is the ugly truth of our world. It arrogantly treats you and allmoners as if you are illiterate morons who cannot rule themselves."

    "Excuse me, sire, are you saying that... some of us here, could be like... a genius? Even Me?" he asked.

    "Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid," he said with a smile.

    "In thest millennium, themon man has truly stagnated, disrespected, and left behind by the ones who cast magic. The new kings lead the people to ept, to swallow the idea that whoever is deemed to be gifted with magic is naturally stronger and superior to the rest.

    While is it true that they are indeed stronger, let me ask you. Who makes the food in which they eat? Who builds the houses in which they stay? Who makes the weapons they use to help y the beasts of hell?"

    "..."

    "It is themon people. You, your mothers, fathers, wives, children, friends, ancestors, and descendants. Your work in the fields, in your smithies, or where ever, YOU!..." he pointed at everyone.

    "YOU all are what is keeping our knights alive and the royal family legitimate and absolute. You provide what the royal family needs to survive and to protect you from the evils beyond the city walls.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® You are all equal partners in a mutually beneficial agreement, not servants, serfs, or ves to a king imed to naturally above the ordinary man, that in return for his protection, you give him your loyalty and yourbor to keep the city and to keep civilization itself running."

    He takes a deep breath.

    "I have a dream. I dream of a world where anyone born into poverty has the choice and opportunity, to dig himself out of poverty, to acquire riches, fame, power, and respect among his peers.

    I dream of a world where every man, woman, and child needs to not worry about food, water, or shelter in their lives.

    I dream of a world where everyone, is taught to read and write, grow smarter, and wiser, and contribute to society in a meaningful way.

    I dream of a world where everyone is allowed to have better medicine, not die of horrible diseases that ravage the world, and not lose a loved one because of a single cut on their finger.

    I dream of a better world, a better future, for ourselves and our descendants. And all of it begins here, in this room. This is our great opportunity, to show the world that they are wrong, that ordinary people like us, the ones without magic, could create miracles, something great, something to be proud of."

    Neon was bbergasted, yet ttered by the prince. He was astonished by the prince''smunication skills and the professionalism that he projected, along with everybody else. Yet, he felt honored and appreciated. Standing in front of him was a man that understood, cared, and even respected him for what he does, despite his extreme status.

    "But sire, do you think we could do it?" someone asked.

    "I do believe so Mr. Lernout. The strongest society is not the one with the most powerful monarchs, but the leaders who recognize and fully utilize its poption''s talents to the max, bring the best out of them, to make them as productive as possible.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    It will be an uphill battle, but we have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Now, let''s get to work. Shall we?"

    ...

    Neon arrived back home safely 3 hours before sunset. He was a bit exhausted and extremely bored, so sat down on the chair to rx. Aggie, hearing the door open, came back inside through the back door. She took off her wimple made of silk, revealing her short blonde hair.

    "How was your new ce of work honey?"

    "It was very tiresome, to say the least. I had to move lots of heavy things around all day. Not fun, but not dangerous either. They have assigned people to a single repeatable task throughout the entire day." he takes out a pouch filled with money.

    "It was worth the while though. I got my first wage. We have enough tost three whole weeks! I would have to leave again for tomorrow though."

    "You don''t get to have tomorrow?"

    "No. But I have to do what I have to do."

    "Did you get to find out what that cement was?"

    "Oh yes, and what a miracle it was! It was this gray powder when you mix with sand and water, you get this mortar anyone can use to stick bricks together. Leave it for two days and boom! Locked in ce!"

    "So that empty-handed prince''s creation is legitimate?"

    "Do not disrespect sire Kant honey. He is a lot smarter than anyone had anticipated."

    "Really? How would you know?"

    "Sire Kant came down to teach us himself. I have to say, the gossip people spread about the man is utterly absurd! But then again, that is the consequence of what our world is." Aggie was a bit surprised at her husband''s strange change in attitude towards the prince.

    "Well, what was Kant like then?"

    "Sire Kant, Aggie! He is a prince!" heshed out a little.

    "Alright then! What is Sire Kant like?"

    "When we all first met him, we got caught off guard by his appearance. His hair and eyes they..." Neon stopped.

    "They what?"

    "...They creeped me out a little bit. The rumors were spot-on about that, but when it came to everything else, it was a load of utter bullshit. Sire Kant was extremely polite and very professional. He didn''t treat us like we were peasants or anything, but more as partners."

    "Partners?!?"

    "Not that kind you heretic. I mean as more of a mutual agreement. He... is extremely intelligent.  He knew we were talking behind his back as if he could read minds, but instead of punishing us, he forgave us. He exined the ''manufacturing'' process to us well."

    Aggie got more and more fascinated and asked him to tell him his tales. Neon told of the history lesson he received, and the great ideas that the young prince has in his mind, along with every other worker in their families.

    ...

    The carriage finally arrived at the pce, report in hand. Kant made his way inside his room and locked the door. He slowly removed his cloak and ck gloves, and neatly ced them on the table along with the report. He walked up to the mirror, took a deep breath, and broke his calm fa?ade.

    "Yes! Woo!" he said as he clenched his fist. He gave out another deep breath. Kant took out a piece of paper he had read all night and kissed it. He had managed to lookpetent and professional in front of many. Now, he hopes to build on that further to boost his poprity.

 Chapter 12 Academic Troubles

    ?The sun shined once again in the city of Vallina, the megacity of the northern continent, and the birthce of the Asteria Imperium. With about a million people living their lives, it had the greatest mages and knights working for them, and they dominate the west side of the northern continent.

    All children of royalty from the other cities send over their children to have their schrs teach their magic there. The academy itself was made out of polished marble bricks, with every room fully furnished. sses onlyst for about 4 hours and only ur every other day.

    In the front row seat of the dark oak chair, facing the professor as he teaches, sat two twin girls, one with a serious face and the other with apathy, paying full attention to the small poetry book hidden behind the textbook rather than the professor''s teachings.

    They both had simr facial features, blue eyes, round heads, and small noses they inherited from their mother, and short hair from their father. The thing that separated them was the fact they had differing hair colors, ck and ice-blonde.

    "Sister, pay attention! The teacher will notice!" the one with ck hair said.

    "Dear sister, I believe this isn''t much of importance. Just something of an old ma..." she got cut off before she could finish her sentence.

    "Miss Sofia!" the teacher in an aggravated tone. Sofia was forced to stand up.

    "Can you tell me what we were discussing?" he asked. She stayed silent, as she struggled to know what the topic was specifically. The teacher then sighed and gave Lisa the chance to do so.

    "We were discussing the life and times of King Gunther Valline, sir." Lisa confidently responded.

    "And what he is known for?"

    "He was known for being the king who took the throne away from the Callius bloodline to the Valline bloodline in the year 3,943 I.C. He was also the one to change the kingdom''s name from its previous name the Kingdom of Callicin to the Kingdom of Vallina."

    "Very good Princess Lisa. Sit down." Lisa smiled andplied. Sofia was still standing.

    "As for you princess Sofia, I want you to meet me after school. I will inform you when you should. Is that clear?"

    "Yes sir."

    "Good," he said, irritated.

    The ss had dragged on for 2 hours in total before it ended. Lisa and Sofia walked back to their rooms. They have another ss in about two hours. This was the time to rest and socialize with other parts of royalty.

    "Sofia! You need to start paying more attention in ss! We just started!"

    "How is it any important? Why are they so strict?"

    "Because knowing our history is of great importance! I firmly hold the position that knowing the historical knowledge allows us to help rtions with other kingdoms and help our family!"

    "Is it more important than that learning magic? The subject that would allow us to defend ourselves and our people?"

    As started arguing, the door struggled to open. On the other side, the voice of a boy was heard. Lisa and Sofia knew who it was. On the other side, the ice-blonde-haired boy with a round cheek waited. When the door opened, the two were staring him down.

    "Brother Edward, you have been in the academy for about a year, correct?"

    "Yes. Can Ie in?"

    "Oh, Sorry."

    Edward walked into the room he shared with his sisters. "Now, what is it that you two want to know."

    Lisa spoke up first. "We want to know whether learning magic is as important as history."

    "Is that what was so prizing that it caused you two to argue? I never expected such behavior from you two."

    "Please answer our question."

    "Well, I am sorry to break you the news that even I do not know the answer to your question."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    They both sigh in disappointment.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Well sister, it appears we unfortunately would have to wait and see."

    "If only that older useless brother of ours had at least a little magic. Then at least he could have joined to answer our questions." Lisa remarked. Sofia and Edward nodded in agreement.

    ...

    A woman with wavy medium long ck hair dressed in a royal white gown sat on her golden throne. She was about 40 years old but appeared significantly younger. On the outside of the throne room were guards stationed to protect the queen. She was currently holding a meeting with the pope of the church.

    The pope was a position elected by the sacred crystal. Legend has it that it had been handed down to humanity by god himself when the demons first arrived and have been a vital part of society for millennia. The pope, an old bald man dressed in his white silk cassock knelt in front of the queen.

    "Your majesty, we suspect that a new wave of demons is fast approaching. Won''t it be beneficial for the people''s safety if the knights started to train harder, and have some grain stored for the future?" he asked.

    The Queen herself was distracted with a romance novel about rejection. A very tragic tale indeed.

    "Your majesty?"

    Her brown eyes moved away from the pages to meet with the pope. She closed the book and finally paid attention.

    "Is there?"

    "Pardon me, your majesty?"

    "The church had imed to have predicted many demonic waves to destroy the many kingdoms of the continent. Yet we have managed to deal with them with ease for the past century. Why is there a need for such drastic actions?"

    "B...But your majesty! This time the crystal experienced a great surge! Surely it would be best to at least do a minimal amount of training?"

    "I think not your holiness. Would it be necessary under my protection? Are you doubting me, Queen Rose Valline the I of Vallina, of my abilities to defend my loyal peasants?"

    "Of course not your majesty. I just think..."

    "Then please watch your mouth, your holiness. If that is all, you are permitted to leave." The pope just nodded and leaves the throne room. She picked back her book again, but her reading was, however, once again interrupted. This time by a messenger.

    In his hands was a letter, received from the principal himself. He knelt and handed over the letter, which she grabbed with a small spell. She closed the book, but not before using her bookmark, and started to read the contents of the letter.

    It detailed Sofia''s current misdeeds. She had joined the academy for about 3 months when she turned ten along with her sister Lisa. The misdeeds all came from the same professor, whoined that she was not listening properly.

    Normally, she would ignore such actions from beginners, but this time it was from the rather resistant Maybale family. She was in an ongoing cold war with them and had a bit of history, especially the current King Danial Maybale and his wrenched wife Malinda Hernfest. Therefore she gave their children ''special'' treatment in regard to the academy, along with the others.

    She got a maid to call the assistant minister, who dumped everything he was doing toe to her aid with quill and paper in hand. The man was about the queen''s age and a former member of the Dellone Royal family. He was disowned by his family following a scandal and was taken in by Rose.

    He did not resist obeying his queen, never asking questions about her actions. Always taking her side in any legition she would want to ce intow, like the good minister he is. He had short brown hairbed up. Though he held a pair of boring brown eyes, his cheek was sleek and masculine.

    "What is it my queen?" he asked.

    "Minister Nathan Covett. Princess Sofia Maybale seems to have once again shown apathy toward her ss. Pleasee up next to me to help craft me a letter to inform her guardian."

    "Yes, your highness." While Rosey out the message she wanted to be delivered, Nathan gave out suggestions to help amplify its effectiveness.

    ...

    Malinda was enjoying herself in the royal garden. She sat on a wooden chair under the garden seating area next to a man with ruby fusion hairbed to the right, along with his coca-brown eyes on his round face. His name was Corel Gendelburg, the king of Nexert. Corel, a fan of green, wore his green royal suit for the asion. On the table were a teapot, cups on top of saucers, and a scrolled map.

    They were both waiting for Salvatore Dellone, King of the city of Desmon. She had sent off a letter about 4 days ago and got a letter back saying he himself will be arriving here today. They have arranged a meeting, to continue their discussions to help gain influence in the northern region, to fight back against Queen Rose Valline.

 Chapter 13 An Ongoing Cold War

    ?Queen Rose Valline is the most powerful queen in the northern continent, born into the most powerful magical bloodline in history that controlled the city that had managed to hold arge influence over the kingdoms settled in the Pixie Drainage Basin, due to geography.

    However, over her 4 years in power, she had enacted several decisions that made some royal families feel as if they were being targeted, and were an abuse of the terms and conditions set in the Peckerson ords. Like teaching Valline''s history, or forcing other royal families to force their children to participate at the age of 10 rather than 15.

    Therefore the 3 kingdoms, Nexert, Desmon, and Hoverdam hade to form a coalition to gather as much influence in the northern region by using trade pacts, arranged marriages, and greater cooperation. They had started their meetings in the previous years when they heard of the disrespect she had for the pope and the church.

    They hope that, with enough royal families by their side, they would have gained a sizable amount of influence which they would use to force her to reverse the terrible stack of policies she had enacted if sheplied, or deposed if she refused. Now it was time for another meeting.

    Over the distance, they can see a man walking towards them. He was being escorted by two elite knights, both female. He had long ck hair, that went down to his shoulder, hazel green eyes, and a sleek cheek to boot. He appeared to have worn his blue suit, with a half cloak on covering his right arm and shoes with heels.

    "Wee, Salvatore. We have been patiently waiting for you." Malinda greeted.

    "Indeed Salvatore, the tea was just getting cold."

    Salvatore smiled at them.

    "Thank you, both of you. It is a pleasure to be here." He grabbed a chair and sat down. Malinda grabbed the teapot and poured him a cup.

    "Is Danial okay? I heard he hasn''t been getting better?"

    "He will be just fine. But since he has to take a bit of rest, I will be taking over for him."

    "Alright then. So... how is everything gone? Malinda?" he turned his head towards her.

    "It is a pleasure to say that we have done well." She unravels the map. They didn''t have any color to them, and had a brown tone to them, with many city names written in cursive.

    "We have managed to pressure the smaller ind city-states near the river by threatening to cut off their spices and such. The ones over here are safely under our control." She pointed to the left side of the Pixie river.

    "Though we do still have a bit have a little trouble with Valoco, which is further ind and near other coastal cities. We should be secured over there." Salvatore smiled. He was not surprised at their achievement.

    "What about you Corel? How is progress so far?"

    "It has gone well. In terms of the south, we have managed to have our son marry the King of Peckerson''s first daughter. It will help tilt the bnce in the Kingdom''s decisions. For the smaller cities, the ones near the river were the easiest. Especially the East.

    How about you Salvatore?"

    "Thanks to the river, we have managed to project power over the kingdoms in the north with ease. Though I did have a bit more difficulty with the south in the beginning.

    Other than the cities, I managed to finally convince and snuggle in 2 teachers from the academy we can use to form our own school. Though we will need more teachers, this is a good start. That is about it. "

    "Now that we have established the kingdoms we have power over. What are the ones we are struggling with?" Malinda asked. She turned her head towards Corel.

    "I am having problems with Tyro. Though they may be in proximity, their family is... unusually stubborn. I have sent some spies to try and investigate, but no luck for now."

    "I got a few cities. They are all generally a bit cautious considering that... I have been a bit aggressive. However, with a bit of time, I could help change that... yes."

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "And Malinda?"

    "Well. Our main problem is the east. A few cities are unwilling to obey. Apparently, they seem to have some connections to her rise. We haven''t found a workaround for it yet. The biggest ones are Albersterg and Conosac. Although..." a memory came into her mind.

    "What is it?"

    "Do I have your attention gentleman?"

    "Yes, you do. Please."

    "I am sure you are all familiar with Prince Kant..." the two leaned in when they heard that name.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "He had managed to invent a new construction material called cement. He says it''s a mortar that hardens in two days."

    "That is... impressive. But why does this matter?" asked Corel

    "The wall. In the city of Albersterg, Heinrich is trying to construct a wall to boost his city''s defense. What if we try to convince him to adopt one?"

    They were both genuinely giving it a thought without dismissing the idea entirely. They have had some encounters with the eerie child, especially with the things he invented, the art he painted, and the other stories they heard.

    "Do you have any details on this? The cement?" asked Corel.

    "It''s a powder one mixes with sand and water to get a mortar. At least that is what I have heard."

    "Did anyone back there confirm it?"

    "Yes, I got confirmation from both the knightmander and the assistant minister. We instructed them to look after the boy. Make sure he isn''t in any danger."

    "Sounds good to me. But we should wait to see if he can do it himself. If the product gets more notoriety from it, then we would have a bigger bargaining chip to use in the other cities. Your kid has done something for us! As expected for a Maybale. But make sure it doesn''t go too far."

    "Thank you Salva..." she smiled as she heard this.

    This was when the meeting was interrupted. A maid hade holding a letter addressed to be delivered to Malinda. She opened it, and read its contents. She read it for a few minutes and sighed as she finished.

    "What does it say?"

    "My daughter Sofia seemed to have gotten herself in trouble again. I would have to teach her a lesson when shees back in the summer. It feels as if she is getting careless every day."

    "Well, now that is all well and done, mind if you show me my good friend Danial? I haven''t seen that happy bastard in a while."

    Malinda smiled. "Of course, you can. Though I think he might be sleeping at this time. We should check up on him in about an hour."

    ...

    Arjun and Kristina were called off to a room, guarded by the most trusted knights that she could find. Kant had given orders to meet him there, with reasoning vague; said that he wanted to present them with something new, and would like for them to not get disturbed.

    The room itself was the study room that he decided. The two sat down next to each other on the red couch. Kant had not arrived yet and had started to read some books lying around. All are mostly a bit boring.

    "Do you know why we are here?"

    "I have no clue either Knight Kristina. He just informed me that this... presentation... to be crucial."

    "Whatever it is, I hope it would be worthwhile."

    A knock then came on the door. Kant, holding a stack of papers, entered the room. He looked to be a bit tired. He ce the papers on the table, gave the knights instructions, then locked the door.

    "Good Afternoon Knight Kristina and Minister Arjun. I would like to thank you two for being patient. I hope I didn''t force you to wait long?"

    "No sire, you have not."

    "Good. Then let''s start then, shall we?" He did a little stretch and cough, before continuing.

    "Now, about 3 days ago, I got assistant minister Arjun here to do a census of the literacy rate of the poption. Since it was impossible to ask everyone in the city whether they could read we did a random data sampling to gather the most urate amount of data. We also asked for the participant''s upation, age, and such to have more of an informative look.

    Unsurprisingly, the literacy rate turned out to be around 25%. Most of them are knights, mages, merchants, and other high-ss upations that bring in a high ie or a job that requires reading and writing to be a skill needed. Most of the illiterates remain in the peasantry as they don''t see a need for such.

    That is what I want to change. I n to teach most of the poption to read and write. I believe it would be extremely beneficial for us to do so and it could be aplished by the end of this year."

 Chapter 14 Plan To Educate

    ?Both raised their hands immediately upon hearing his proposal. Kant took a deep breath and prepared for the objections he was about to receive. He decided to go with Arjun first, as he was the one to raise it first.

    "Yes?" he pointed at him.

    "Sir, do you not realize what an expensive endeavor this will be? To teach a poption big as Hoverdam is an extremely difficult task. I do not know how sire intends to see it through."

    "Same here sire."

    "Not to worry you two. I already have thought it through. We are going to use the help of two new inventions for that. The first one will be cement.

    Now, as I am sure Arjun knows, the factory has been able to turn out 20 tons per day. The production could increase if we brought in more materials along with hiring new workers to have 2 shifts. But that doesn''t matter here.

    The point is that we are expected to produce more cement than originally projected. However, as a side effect, we can build many schools with stone bricks a lot faster at a cheaper price. Cement will be an essential ally in helping us to do so.

    It will provide us with a ce of learning, and at the same time, it will be a practical showcase of cement''s effectiveness and cost efficiency. Convincing any potential merchants to buy and sell it off."

    "What is the other invention sire?"

    "The next invention that we can use to help us is what I like to call the printing press. A printing press is a mechanical device that allows us the mass production of uniform printed matter.

    It does this by applying pressure on an inked surface upon the print medium. That process transfers ink to the other paper. A wooden one can print about 20 to 25 pages an hourpared to 2 pages an hour through handwriting."

    He hands over a blueprint he had made to the both of them.

    "I will give you some time to digest it."

    After a few minutes, Kristina raised her hand.

    "Yes, Kristina?"

    "I have a question sire. Wouldn''t a mechanical device such as this be expensive to maintain?"

    "Though the expenses are high, the benefits the device produces far outweigh the cost. First of all, we can stuff a lot of textbooks into schools, which means that even at home, they could learn to read in their free time.

    It could also act as an experiment on how we can effectively teach the police officers, and they will be able tomunicate with reports more efficiently.

    Second of all, it would mean that a book publishing industry could be created. We can sell a lot of our books not just to themoners, but also internationally. Think of all our literature that the kings and other wealthy peoples of other continents aren''t able to acquire them.

    With this, it bes feasible and more profitable. This high volume of the sale of books means that, with a little tax, we can reap in a lot of new tax money from themoners.

    Thirdly, it incentives people to start to get into reading. This then creates massive wealth for the people that can write books, and a new opportunity is created for people to grow wealthy, incentivizing them to learn to write. A self-fulfilling prophesy if you will.

    Finally, it would allow for information and knowledge to flow more freely with themoners. They can learn new techniques. Learn new skills that would allow them to invent new inventions that could increase output, like say in agriculture."

    Arjun raised his hand. "What about the teachers sire? Wouldn''t it take time?"

    "It will take some time to hire and train some good teachers. Maybe in about two to three months in total. But having them would be vital for the schools to be effective."

    If you want more details, I have them within these papers here." He gave them what he had worked on all day the previous day. The two took time to digest the high amount of information presented over there.

    "How many are you nning on making?"

    "To fit one in every school at least."

    "Did sire prepare a... map?" Arjun asked.

    "Oh yes, I have made a location distribution map. Here." Kant presented both of them with a map.

    "Here in the red circled area, is where I want the general location of the schools. I factored in the average walking distance, which is about 4.83km/h to 6.44km/h. Inside the circle, I have assigned a number that indicates how big I would want them to be.

    The areas with the higher amounts of poption are where the taller buildings should be, as the price is a bit higher there, but also more students will be packed in here.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® I intend to start in the autumn, as the summer will be too hot. It will also give us time to prepare the material needed.

    Since we can''t take in all of them at the same time, we will have each student attend school every other day. They can learn to continue at home. With the materials provided."

    "So, what do you think?"

    There was a brief moment of silence. The two were thinking about it. Digesting the information that was presented to them.

    "Well, Sire... I am afraid this would take us a while. May I have your permission to discuss this with Knight Kristina? We both like to think this through in private."

    "Granted. I will be leaving now. Inform me of your decision at my office. Please leave once you have finished." With that said, Kant left the room.

    "Well, what do you think?" Kristina asked.

    "I have... mixed feelings about this. On one hand, I would rather not like the lower peasants being able to read or write. They might get some ideas. His majesty thinks so."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Kristina slightly nodded at his response, slowly looking away. Arjun picked up on this.

    "Why, do you not feel the same?"

    "What... oh no, I think the same as well. Just thinking."

    "What exactly?"

    "This might sound a bit ludicrous, but what if we... use the schools to hide teaching magic. For royalty only of course."

    "Fool Vallina to think that we are just allowing more people to read? To act as a cover?"

    "Exactly. It would allow us to buy more time in training them, and we could start from summer if they all build quickly."

    "I think we might have to ask his majesty for permission."

    "Won''t that take 4 days at least to get a response back? We should allow Prince Kant to make at least 1 or 2 of these printing presses."

    "Why so?"

    "We both know how he has been getting more ambitious over the weeks. He wants to help improve the lives of the people, and as a result, is getting more and more popr among themoners. Especially with the..."

    Kristina stopped.

    "What is it?"

    "Never mind, I was thinking of something else. But my point still stands. Besides, think about them."

    "Salvator Humat?"

    "Yes. We both know that they have been gaining supporters in themoners over the years. Thanks to all the... questionable things they did in their youth.

    Having a young prince seen well mannered and popr among them is vital for the royal family''s safety. We could even stunt their growth."

    "That is... yes. I think I agree. I will write to Nexert informing his majesty. Can you inform Kant about the decision?"

    "Of course."

    ...

    The sun was beginning to set. Kant was in his room reading a bunch of papers when Cora, his maid, entered the room to bring his cup of tea. She noticed that Kant was going through a dense list of names. Intrigued by what it was, she decided to ask.

    "What is that sire?"

    "It is a list of the most trusted artisans in the city. I need to choose one to make the printing press."

    "Printing press?"

    "It''s like a highly advanced stamp mixed with a screw press. I hope to teach people to not just read and write, but also to help create a book publishing industry. Maybe even a public newspaper service."

    "A newspaper?" Kant used his hand to get Cora toe closer.

    "A document that allows the people to be informed of what is happening in a given area. That is the gist of it at least."

    "I see. Can I... take a look? I might have someone." she asked.

    "Oh, of course! Here." She starts to flip and skim through the pages, using her index finger to help find what she needs. She stopped at one name in particr.

    "Bingo! Sire, have you heard of the Petersons?"

    "The Petersons?"

    "Yes. You mentioned earlier that the printing press is like a screw press, correct?"

    "Do they have some experience with screw presses?"

    "That and many more sire. They have a lot of experience with manyplicated machines, and they have a lot of connections."

    "To their suppliers?"

    "Suppliers and buyers. The Petersons have a loyal customer base, and they are good friends of mine."

    "Alright then. Thank you, Cora."

 Chapter 15 Meeting The Artisans

    ?Samuel was minding his own business in his workshop, building what his rich customers requested for him to make. He had his brother working with him, and a lot of friends and connections to get the parts he wants.

    One day a message arrived, informing him that Prince Kant himself wasing over to his workshop on an invention of his. He wanted to help guide the craftsman to build it and was willing to pay handsomely. Though it was a shocker, he was a bit curious.

    He had heard many tales about the man, including the ones from the factory workers, on what he was really like. Now, he gets a chance to test to see if their words hold. He made sure that he and his twin brother, Victor, were well-cleaned and prepared for his arrival.

    Both of the men were in their 30s, maiden-less. They had focused solely on their passion for bing master artisans. While Samuel and Victor both had short bronze brown hair; Samuel had a thick beard while his brother rocked a thick mustache.

    There were knights stationed outside the door, waiting for him to arrive. The twins stood by the window upstairs. In the distance, they saw a white horse carriage, with two knights on the front and back of it. They quickly went back downstairs to greet the man himself.

    There was a knock on the door. Before Victor went over to open it, they did a little prayer.

    "May your god bless you," he said.

    On the other side, Kant stared back at him. His heart, like many others, started to beat a bit faster as he looked at them. On his left hand was a strange ck bag, rectangr and made of ck leather.

    After a moment of silence, Kant decided to respond.

    "Good Afternoon Mr. Peterson. May Ie in?"

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Oh. Yes, sire. Wee, Sire Kant. We are honored that you have chosen our humble workshop."

    The ce, like every other building. It was made with ground stone bricks, with a wooden floor on it. The windows themselves were made of ss, which is rare, as it is very expensive to produce at this time.

    "The pleasure is all mine. Shall we sit down and talk?" Kant asked. They sat on the wooden chair and desk. The twins had prepared him a cup of tea, to wee him.

    "Before we get on to the main business. I have a rather few questions to ask you two. Is that okay?"

    "It''s fine sire," Vincent replied.

    "First of all, what are your names?"

    "Does sire not know?" Samuel asked.

    "I do, I just want to confirm your identities. Know which one is which."

    "My name is Samuel Peterson sire."

    "And my name is Victor Peterson. We are both about 29 years old."

    "Now, I was informed that you two have many connections regarding your suppliers and loyal customers?"

    "Well yes, sire. We have gathered these connections over the 16 years we have worked in this workshop.

    The business had many loyal customers and great suppliers for items such as nails."

    "In that case, do you two happen to know any merchant willing to take a substantial risk in a product I am trying to sell off?"

    "I would rmend Mr. Oswald Audley. He is one of the richest merchants on the continent and is infamous for his risky investments."

    "Thank you. Now to the main reason for my presence. I am sure you know the reason for my intent ofing over to your workshop. I need your help in making a mechanical device."

    "What is the function of the device sire?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Its purpose is to allow me to print texts quickly, and efficiently. I call it the printing press."

    They were a bit taken aback. They did not expect the Prince to even request such a thing unless those workers were right.

    "I have drawn a blueprint on how we can achieve how to build one. It is right here." he opens up his briefcase. He took out a piece of white paper and passed it over. The two inspect it.

    "Allow me to exin.

    These small metal things with a reverse letter attached to them, are what I call a movable type. They are arranged over a t wooden te called the lower ten.

    The ink can be applied using a bowl with calfskin on the bottom and a top handle.

    Once the ink is ced, the paper isid on top of the moving type. The upper te is then brought down to meet the lower te. Then it is pushed under the presser, and it is pressed."

    "This looks suspiciously simr to a screw press. No?" asked Samuel to Kant.

    "That is where I got the design yes," he said as he smiled.

    "Well Sire, this looks like a brilliant invention. But what will his majesty think?"

    "I have been allowed to make 2 printing presses for now. You are free to work on the project. 5 gold coins on sessfully building a prototype."

    "Well sire, it would be a great honor, but there is a question I have to ask."

    "Go ahead. I will be happy to answer."

    "Why did you decide on this shop? Instead of any other workshop nearby?"

    "Cora, my maid rmended you two. She told me that you all are friends."

    There was silence. Samuel and Victor looked at each other, whispering something to their ear.

    "Give us a moment will you sire?"

    "Of course."

    The two went out to the backroom. Kant couldn''t hear what they were saying, nor he had any clue what. He assumed that they were talking about whether they should ept, or talk about how long it would take to build the presses.

    They came out after about 15 minutes, with Victor behind Samuel''s back.

    "It could take us about a week at the most to make one. Is that fine with you sire?"

    "It ispletely fine by me. Please, take your time. I will visit again this time to see if it would have gone smoothly."

    "Oh, before you go sire..." Victor handed over a letter.

    "Please, give this to her... sire." Kant looked upon the envelope and then at Victor. He looked at the wall, seemingly for no reason. ''Could it be some sort of love letter? In any case, it must be personal.''

    "I fully understand. I will make sure only Cora will receive it."

    "Thank you, sire."

 Chapter 16 Delivering A Message

    ?It was getting dark outside. Cora was getting ready to bring a cup of tea to Kant, who was in his room working on a school design. He had got Arjun to buy thend area that had the least profitable business in the city center. Thend was said to be expensive.

    She arrived at his room and poured it into his cup. Kant, upon seeing Cora, opened his briefcase and gave her the letter that had been sitting there, waiting. Cora was a little confused until Kant told her that it was from Victor.

    "Victor? He gave you this letter?"

    "Yes. He gave me the letter while looking away. Must be a personal one."

    "I see sire, thank you."

    Cora then dismissed herself and went to the room she shared with a maid friend named Katy. She was rbing her long wavy hair when Cora entered her room holding the letter to her chest.

    "What is it, Cora? What is in that envelope?"

    "It''s from Victor. Prince Kant delivered it to me."

    Katy looked at Cora''s face, to see her blushing red. She pieced the puzzle together and guessed it was a love letter of sorts. She couldn''t help smiling and even started to tease her a bit.

    "Well, it looks like somebody is getting her confession."

    "Shut up."

    "Oh, what''s this now? Are you refusing to acknowledge it? All those dreams you had in your head?"

    "H...Hey! I haven''t even opened it. It might be something else entirely."

    "Well then, what are you waiting for? Open it!" Cora slowly took out the folded letter. Before she read it, Cora pushed Katy away to read it by herself. When she finished reading the letter, she folded it back and handed it out to her.

    Katy wanted to ask, but when Cora had her index finger to her lips. She nods back and reads the letter, then gave it back to Cora.

    "So you two are meeting in the marketce the day after tomorrow?"

    "Yes, I am."

    "Well, good luck. Make sure you get him this time!" she said, winking.

    ...

    Victor, wearing his usual outfit, went out in the middle of the night, with the moonlight being his only source of light. Most people were starting to go to sleep at this hour. As such, the city looked empty, deserted even. Yet everything looked well maintained, and it felt like it all belonged to him.

    He came up near an alleyway, where a woman in a cloak was waiting. Using a simple fire spell, she lit up an ember, giving the two a sense of vision. Under the cloak was a blonde woman with coca brown eyes, and a round feminine face.

    "Did I keep you waiting?"

    "No, I just got here. Let us take this inside."

    The two then walked into the alleyway, until they met a dead end. Victor knocks on the door to the left. It opens, with an old man inside it.

    "What do you want at this hour?"

    "May your god bless you." They both said at the same time.

    "Come in," he responded. They walked into the house. It was dimly lit by a bunch of waxed candles, all half melted, with the only thing giving a decent light source being her ember. He walked them towards a room with arge hemp carpet in the middle.

    Victor helped the old man roll up the carpet, revealing a trapdoor. He knocked on it. A tiny hole slid open, with an eye staring back at them. It then closed, and the door swing open to adder.

    "The leader was waiting for you two. Come in."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ...

    The well-lit room had a short old man in the middle of his 50s sitting on his oak chair, guarded by a young man. He waspletely bald on the head except for his thick white mustache with cocoa-brown eyes. He wore what themon man wore, a beige tunic made of hemp paired with brown leggings and calfskin shoes.

    On his desk were a piece of paper, an ink bottle, and a quill in his left hand. He was currently writing a letter, possibly to some associate in another city. He stopped when his guard and friend informed him that they arrived.

    The two both came down and sat on the chair.

    "Cora," he asked in his deep voice.

    "Yes sir."

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Regarding the prince. How is the progressing along?"

    "The prince is getting a grip on bing a leader and appears to be growing more ambitious and popr among the people. Faster than we expected."

    "How is he now?"

    "Currently, he is working on something called the printing press. It would allow him to print a lot of papers."

    "This sounds important, so who got the job?"

    "Why, the Peterson''s sir. I managed to convince him to select their workshop."

    The man then turned his head to Victor.

    "You got the job?"

    "Yes sir. We did. The man seems to trust us. We have the blueprints for the printing press at the workshop."

    "That is good yes. How many could you make?"

    "He said that we can 2."

    "Did he want to make more?"

    "Yes sir. He wanted to make one or two for every school." Cora responded.

    "What else did he want?"

    "He wanted to know about any merchants he could trust. We gave him Audley."

    "I see." The old man leaned back on his chair, back to his thoughts. There was a bit of silence among the three.

    "When did you say you could bring make him a printing press?"

    "A week. I went for a more conservative estimate. I hope it is enough."

    "Hm... yes. That is enough." he went back to his desk to finish his letter, then gave it to Victor.

    "Give this to Silvester tomorrow at the inn. He will construct a viable n for the Prince. Then ry that n to Cora, who will inform the other maids. Got it?"

    "Yes sir. We will not fail." With that, the two left. The old man leaned back in his chair. ''It''s about time we get in touch.''

 Chapter 17 Printer Prototype (1)

    ?Samuel and Victor woke up next to each other on their shared bed. Both the mattress and pillow were made of hay. Like any man living in the city, they scrubbed and cleaned their teeth using rags and charcoal, giving them a great white shine.

    Once they both got dressed up in their attire, they came down the stairs to have their morning breakfast. Today was the day. The day they started work on the mechanical device Prince Kant had tasked them to build. Their n was simple; make a smaller model of the mechanical device first, then figure out the nuances of it to make it into a reality.

    Being artisans, they kept nks of wood, nails, and tools in the workshop storage in the back. They used them for other crafts they knew how to build. After carefully picking their equipment, they grabbed the blueprints that were handed over to them and started building a model.

    It took about an hour to build one. Victor and Samuel started to examine it. The model replica was much smaller, as to save precious wood. Despite the blueprints, they still needed to look at it from a 3-dimensional ne, to help them figure out how to move on.

    "Looks like our best bet is to split this up into 3 separate main parts, and focus specifically on designing that part in particr first. We can then find a way tobine it." Samuel remark.

    "Agreed. From what I see, we need to specialize in 3 parts. The moving type, the upper te, and the press itself."

    "There is a problem with the moving types. It says that it is made of metal. We might need tomission some from the smithy. For testing."

    "I can go ask for some on my way to deliver this letter. A smithy won''t be far away from there. Just use wood for a test substitute."

    "Alright then, that is settled. Now to the next part. The upper te. It''s not tooplicated. Just put some hinges in the right ce, and a frame under it for the paper to be ced, and it will be done easily. We can move on to just the press itself then.

    It looks like he did adopt one simr to the screw press. It uses a handle to turn a wooden screw that presses it down. Should be simple enough. We do have a lot of experience with them."

    "Is that it?" Victor asked.

    "Yes, it is. We can start working on this now."

    The two worked on the device for hours. While Samuel worked on the upper te and frame, Victor worked on the wooden moving types. Once that was done, the duo built the press itself and assembled the device.

    It had only taken them the entire morning and half of the afternoon to do so. But once it wasplete, they attempted to test it out. A test that revealed to them the multiple problems and the areas they had glossed over.

    Victor was given the honor of cing the moving types he had made. When he tried to put them in, he found that the ones he made were all inconsistent. In reaction to this, they looked over at the blueprints.

    "Hey, Vic?"

    "Yes, Sal?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I think you might want to read this." Samuel showed the blueprints to Victor. He pointed at the area of the moving type with his index finger, to the small paragraph Kant had written for both of the Petersons.

    "The moving type needs to fit into this hole and needs to have a consistent height for it to work the best. I rmend each being 2.33 cm tall." Samuel read out loud.

    "The man had thought it through. Too bad we didn''t notice it before. Might be because it is too small." He chuckled.

    "Well, good thing we did notice it now. Imagine if we didn''t when we go to order the metal types. We will pay lots to have the smithy toil on these small things only to find that out that they won''t be usable because of their height."

    "That reminds me, Victor. Don''t you have to deliver that letter?"

    "Why yes, I do. What time is it again?"

    "Wait here. Let me check the sundial." Samuel grabbed his sundial and went outside to check the time. The clock read 3 till sunset. Samuel headed back inside.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Victor, I am afraid that our crafting session together will have to be interrupted. You got to go deliver that letter to her."

    "Good luck brother. We should ask the smithy tomorrow!"

    ...

    As the workday came to a close, the sunset slightly turned the sun orange. Many people went out to the inns to have a conversation with their friends, along with gulping a pint of beer or two. Sat alone on the corner, however, was an ordinary knight.

    Silvester was one healthy young man, with only a few little wrinkles on his forehead. He had short messy hair, after all that fighting, coupled with a matching pair of sharp amber eyes and a strong chin to go with his face. To protect himself, he was protected by a chest te, leggings, and two iron gauntlets on his hands.

    He had gone through her day like everybody else. After ying a bunch of demons with his sword and sorcery, which consisted of giant white wolves with goat horns, naked women with wings and bird legs, the recent wave of just birds with an angry woman''s face, and a lion with an eagle head, legs, and wings. He came over here to rx.

    Or, that was what it seemed to everyone else. He was there because he was waiting for somebody. His eyes focused on the door, waiting for the man who will deliver him the message for the next step of the n.

    The door opened once again, this time a bald man with a thick mustache. He knew who he was, and sat straighter for his arrival. Victor had asked where the bartender where was. His finger pointed at Silvester. With that, Victor thanked the man and came over to sit beside him.

 Chapter 18 Plan To Initiate Contact.

    ?"Hello Knight Silvester. I hope I am notte?"

    "No your not." he said.

    "How long have you been here?"

    "2 hours."

    "Oh... I see. Well, sorry about that. Um... Where are we going to talk?"

    Silvester pointed his index finger up, signaling to Victor to wait. After he gulped down his entire pint of beer, he finally stands up.

    "Upstairs in a cheap room I rented. Just follow me."

    They climbed the creaky wooden stairs to the small room he rented, about the size of 5 king sized mattresses, and about 8 feet in height. The floor, walls and rood were all made out of oak wood.

    On the walls were a bunch of candle brackets, used to hold candles and lit the room with light when it is dark. On the left corner was a bed with a mattress and pillow made of hay and hemp, just like the Petersons'' home.

    They even put a closet, to put one''s cloths in, a wooden desk and a wooden chair as well. The light source, other than waxed candles that are all either half or nearly melted, was the ever dimming sunshine that came into the room from the windows.

    Silvester grabbed the chair while Victor sat on the bed. He dragged the chair and ced it in front of the bed, meeting Victor face to face.

    "The letter. Give it, Now." Victor opened up his satchel bag and handed it over. Silvester unfolds it and starts reading it thoroughly.

    "Are you sure nobody is going to listening to us?"

    "I am positive. Besides, if they do, I can probably get their ear cut off and charged for being part of humanity''s savior. Being a peasant, nobody would ever listen to them."

    After he is done, he uses a fire spell to burn it up to dust. The letter contained of what n they should be using.

    "Is he arriving at 26th?"

    "To the workshop? Yes. He will being to see the progress of the printing press. Is that enough for the n?"

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "It depends on how convincing and intelligent Cora is."

    "I though it would be enough?"

    "Why do you think that?"

    "I... neverminded. So what is the n? When is it beginning?"

    "We are going with the 73rd n we had prepared about 2 years go. It willmence as soon as she is informed. Come closer to me." Victor happily obliged. He leant out his ear for him to speak clearly to.

    "I want you to tell Cora to try convince themander to select me as a candidate for his new bodyguard. Whether it be through the prince himself or any other way, doesn''t matter.

    She has to achieve this objective before the 24th at most, when the time for the prince to switch his main bodyguard ur. Once I have been selected, it would be then we start our conversation with the prince.

    Incase if he starts to panic, I would use my mouth to silence his voice and have him listen. If he still refuses then... it''s all over."

    "Over?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Yes. Over. No matter what we do at that point, it would lie on his hands. If we kill him off there, our movement will forever be demonized. If he is let go and decides to tell anybody, there will be a crackdown on themoners."

    "Was there any other option?"

    "Some. But the birth of this prince is the most extraordinary thing to have happened on this continent. Considering his position, he is the one who we have a chance of getting through. We need a member of the royal family to take power to have legitimacy. Any at all.

    This was always going to be an all or nothing gamble from the beginning. So we better do it right."

    "What if he refuses to have some knight in?"

    "Well, that is what Cora is for. I heard those two have a near mother and son rtionship over there. If she can''t convince the Knightmander, she can convince the prince. If he still doesn''t, then the risk is higher that he will panic, but the n will continue."

    ...

    A dayter, in the busy marketce of the city, Cora was out with a basket in her hand, wearing the cloths of any other peasant around. However, due to her working for the royal family, she could afford the more expensive cyan gown and good leather shoes to fit her.

    Though she looked as if she was buying up food to feed her parents, the real reason was to wait for Vincent, who is supposed to deliver her information about the n Silvester has crafted.

    As she continued to walk on the main road, making small talk to the people she happen to know her as friends, she bumped into Victor, who was wearing his craftsman attire.

    "Oh, Victor. How is it going?"

    "Well I am good Cora. I had just ordered for the moving types for the press. What about you?"

    "I am fine, just buying up some items to deliver to my parents."

    The two were silent at first.

    "So err... what is it that you want to tell me?"

    Victorid out what Cora needed to know. She felt a bit pressured on having to bare the burden of the one being responsible for the entire fate of the movement she had helped out all her life.

    "Is that all you got to tell me?" she asked

    "Yes. So... I guess this is goodbye for now?" he asked.

    "Maybe..." she said.  With that, Victor tried to turn around, to leave the scene. As he started walking, Cora''s smooth hands touched his shoulder.

    "Wait!" she said. Victor turned around to meet her face, blushing a bit.

    "Do you... want to just... walk with me for a minute? For old times sake."

    "...Alright." I can.

    The two started to walk together. They talked about many things, about their personal lives today, the stories of their childhood, and the memories they shared together in the long past behind them.

    Meanwhile, at the pce in Kant''s room, he had brought along a stonemason to help him with the first school Hoverdam would have seen."

 Chapter 19 Draft For The School Building

    ?Yesterday, while the Peterson twins were working on the printing press, Kant had got a stonemason toe over to the pce, to help build him the first-ever school the city had for themoners.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® Arjun had picked a man named Decan Hurst. A 54-year-old bald tall man with a very sleek chin arge brown beard and a few wrinkles and freckles on his face. He normally wore breeches made out of leather with a light tunic and a short cloak, as a sign of his craft when in public.

    He had arrived at the pce gates, where he was guided by the knights and maids to his office. They knocked on the door, and once he was given permission, he walked inside.  Kant Maybale, who had turned around, walked over to greet the man himself. Decan was about 1 inch taller than Kant.

    "Wee, Mr. Hurst. Please sit down."

    Kant grabbed the chair for him. Decan appreciated his kindness. After Kant sat on his swivel chair, it was when the conversation began.

    "So, I heard you have a lot of experience regarding your craft?"

    "That I do sire. I have been in this skill for about 35 years now."

    "Wonderful. Now as I stated in the letter I sent you. I need help in building a school. For the people to start learning to read and write."

    "Why is that sire?"

    "Many reasons. But the simplified version is that I need to show the merchants the cost benefits of my new product called cement, and to help increase the literacy among the poption."

    "I see sire. Do you happen to have a floor n?"

    "I do. I prepared one yesterday night. Here."

    Kant gave him a rolled piece of white paper. He was surprised when he saw its color. Touching it, he felt the high qualitypared to the normal paper he uses. Putting that aside, he unraveled it and looked at what Kant made.

    The buildings seem to have about 5 stories tall, each story being about 4m tall. Every floor had 16 rooms consisting of 12 ssrooms, a teacher''s lounge, a room for the staircase, and two bathrooms separated by gender.

    Each room is about 85m2 in area and is fitted for 12 students in one ssroom at a time. the teacher''s lounge is however slightlyrger, at about 95m2, taking up a bit of area from the staircase.

    Decan was notably impressed by the design, yet the amount of time to grind the stones properly, insert the ss, and many more would cost him the pce a lot of money. It was then he remembered the cement, and the wonders it can do, ording to the factory workers.

    Hey down the blueprint.

    "Sire, with all due respect, this is a pretty good blueprint for a building this size. But I feel that it would copse with proper structural support. Considering it has 5 stories in total, I rmend adding multiple columns to keep it up."

    "Other than that, is there anything else?"

    "Just a few questions. I heard of cement''s capabilities from a friend of mine. How much is the factory producing per day?"

    Kant opens his drawer and takes out a file. He starts skimming through it, trying to find a specific piece of information. He suddenly stops, takes a closer look, and closes the file.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Currently we are producing 20TPD, which means tons per day. The factory has been operational for 5 days currently. So far we have about 88 tons of cement in storage. Which is about 2063 bags in total in storage each weight 94 pounds."

    "How many bags do we need for the brickyering?"

    "I think for about 1m3 of brickwork, we would need about 1.8 bags. 0.0019 m3 with the mortar for each brick."

    "How thick are the walls?

    "About 0.5m. Designed to be heat insted."

    Decan sat back on the seat. He started calcting the number of bricks needed for the job. It took him a hot 3 minutes for him toe up with an answer.

    "We would need about 75,000 bricks just for the outer wall. About 135,000 bricks for the inside of the wall, discounting the columns. Add everything else up and we might be looking at... maybe around 250,000 to 400,000 bricks off the top of my head. Maybe 500,000 bricks to be conservative.

    Normally it would take at least a year or two to properly grind the bricks and build it over the years but, taking into ount this new technology, it could take up to 3 to 4 months of building. So we will be able to finish off either in the beginning or the middle of the summer if we start construction on the first of next month."

    "I see. That is good enough for me. Yes."

    "Yes. that''s about right. Is that good enough?"

    "Yes. Even better actually. I can use that time to prepare other things. Like the furniture and all."

    "Indeed. Now, how would you like for this building to look? You gave me a basic blueprint of the building, but it won''t be enough."

    "I would like you to design one. You are the expert here, after all. " Kant opens his drawer and ces arge file of drawings. Decan opened it up, to find near photographic drawings of buildings, both exterior and interior.

    They all featured a unique architectural design he has not seen. Their characteristics are liner, sleek, and often geometrically in rectangr forms arranged or broken up by curved ornamental elements.

    The interior was typified with rich colors, bold geometry with detailed works. To Decan, it was extremely unique, creative, and aesthetically pleasing. He asked Kant what style this was, while still admiring its beauty.

    "The name of the architectural style goes by the name of Art Deco. I would like for the school to feel like something more than a building. To be more of a start something big, something important, that they will be part of."

    Decan looked back up at Kant.

    "Give me about a week and a half sire. I wille back on at least the 29th to submit a blueprint of my own." He said. Kant smiled.

    "epted. I am d we can work together Mr. Hurst. I will have prepared some stones for this project''s construction."

 Chapter 20 Your Old Mans Friend

    ?Danial lies on his bed, surrounded by men in white silk cloaks. These were the great mages meant to cure Danial of his sickness. They had managed to list out a couple of suspects and had initiated treatment for them.

    However, as more and more of their medicines seemed ineffective, the list started to narrow to the possibly most dangerous diseases known to the realm. They were getting desperate, trying to at least diagnose him with something.

    One man, with long brown hair, with coco brown eyes, and fair skin with a purple armband, named Jared Jaguar. He was the head mage of Nexert, and had been tasked with identifying and curing Danial.

    "What''s left on the list?" he asked while looking at one of his assistant mages.

    "We have so far ruled out 16 different types of sicknesses."

    "Out of how many?"

    "16, sir."

    "What?" he was surprised.

    "Yes sir. It doesn''t appear to be from a curse or anything."

    "What are the symptoms again?"

    "So far the symptoms appear to be pale skin, fatigue, chest pain, headache, diarrhea, and loss of mana."

    Jared stood still hearing. He was thinking of all the diseases that had those symptoms. He turned to the king and asked him a simple question.

    "Is your majesty in pain?"

    "Yes. Very much so. My whole body hurts like hell." he said in a deceiving calm voice.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® He shivered at what it meant. All the other mages knew what it was when they saw his face.

    "Call his Majesty Corel. I need to speak to him instantly."

    They followed his orders. Corel came, leaving his ck tea behind. "What is it head mage? What makes you want my presence?"

    "Your majesty, I might have identified King Danial''s condition. He appears to have been feed poison which has caused a severe case of mana fever." Corel froze. The whole room was in utter silence.

    "Are you sure?" he asked.

    "Yes. There is nothing else that I could view as a viable alternative to the symptoms that are present. Besides, our spells were starting to not take effect. Which is the major symptom of mana fever."

    "How long does he have to live?"

    "It is not guaranteed that he would die as it is curable at this stage, but I assume about 2 months. Either that, or he survives a weak frail man, with his mana reserves permanently damaged. We can go through treatment, but it could take a month to see its effectiveness."

    "This is bad. Has anyone informed Queen Malinda yet?"

    "No sir. We haven''t."

    "Then go tell her! She needs to be informed about the condition. But!" He pointed at Jared. "Don''t dare tell this to anyone else. I do not want this information to leak out. Got it?"

    "Yes sir."

    "Good. Because thest thing I want now is for all the hard work we build up to counter Rose to go to waste."

    With that, Corel left for his study to write a letter to Salvatore, which took about 45 minutes. It was when he finished his letter is whether he should write to Danial''s children over at Vallina and the assistant minister and knightmander over at Hoverdam.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ''Definitely not Vallina. The letters will all be checked upon notice. If I sent one over there to inform them, Rose will definitely get to hear about the news, who will then spread it over the entire continent.

    But what about Hoverdam? The assistant minister and knightmander over there might need this critical information, but then again, Salvator Humat might get to hear of it. Not guaranteed, but it is a possibility.

    ''I need to consult Malinda on this.'' he thought to himself.

    ...

    Jared was walking alongside 2 other mages with him. He was walking to the guest room that she stayed at. When they arrived at the door, he first cleaned his cloak and then knocked on the door.

    The sound of her voice consenting came through the door to his ears, and Jared walked right into the room. Malinda was seen praying to god. When she saw that Jared was the one that had arrived, she immediately stood up and walked over to him. Hoping for the best.

    "Head mage Jared, how is my husband? Is he okay?"

    "Your majesty. I havee here from the orders from his excellency Corel Gendelburg, to inform you of your husband, his majesty Danial Maybale, of his sickness."

    He took a deep breath.

    "I believe that his majesty Danial had been poisoned, and is currently suffering from a severe case of mana fever."

    "What?" she asked.

    "A poison. We call it anti-mana poison for now. It causes a sickness called mana fever."

    "Are you sure?!? I mean... is there nothing else?" Malinda did not want to believe it.

    "All the symptoms point to it at least. Our spells are starting to be ineffective against his withering health. If he manages to survive, he will for sure be a weak man."

    "..."

    "There is a treatment, however."

    "There is?"

    "Yes, though it is unlikely for him to not lose any mana reserves, we can minimize the amount lost and minimize suffering."

    ...

    Meanwhile, at Hoverdam, Kristina had arrived back at her office. She had gone out with a team to take down a stone golem causing havoc on the other side of the river. A stone golem was, as it sounds, a rock creature with a giant mana crystal on its head.

    She had her team distract it when she swooped in for the kill, breaking the tough rock with the tip of her sword with a high amount of mana added. When she returned, she had to go to a smith to get a new one.

    She got back to the papers, and the many orders she had to give out to keep this city safe. It was when at her work, someone had to knock on the door.

    "Come in," she said. Kristina was surprised to see who it was. Cora, the personal maid of Prince Kant.

    "What you want Miss Cora?"

    "I came here to file aint."

    "Aint?"

    "Yes, about Prince Kant''s safety."

 Chapter 21 Coras Concern

    ?Cora stood right in front of the knightmander. She was sweating a little, due to the high amount of pressure she is put under by her informants.

    "Who did you hear from?" she asked.

    "From my good friend''s sire had visited."

    "Well, what about it?"

    "I just heard that Prince Kant does not allow a knight to apany him at all times when outside. I would like Knight Kristina to enforce that rule. Did her majesty not request it in her letter?"

    "She did yes, but his majesty King Danial and Prince Kant made the case that it was only when he is going somewhere. Said something about allowing him to build charisma."

    "Yes, but what if he is held hostage inside? How can we be sure that he will be safe?"

    "That is... a fair concern yes? But how will theymunicate?"

    "They might use notes!" Kristinaughed at that one.

    "Though that is a legitimate concern, I do not think that peasants would be able to have the necessity to write. So it would be unlikely."

    "There are manymoners who can read and write. Merchants, craftsmen, stonemasons, and much more. The prince is visiting a lot of people, very important people that can write."

    "That is true... but."

    "Have you lost a loved one?"

    "Huh?" She was caught off-guard.

    "I am asking you, have you lost a loved one?"

    "Yes. I have. But..."

    "Then you know what it feels like. To lose someone of great importance to you in life. Her majesty is currently having to see his majesty suffer because of some disease. The only thing that she should not be worried about is whether her children are safe.

    Right now, you have been neglecting your duties as a knight to keep the Prince safe. So if you were not to send a bodyguard to protect him, and if the prince gets harmed. I do not think her highness will ever forgive you for it."

    There was a moment of silence as Kristina processed what Cora had just said. She thought of an answer to give out to at least satisfy her needs.

    "Can you please then convince the Prince to meet me at my office?"

    "dly, Knight Kristina."

    She leaned back in her chair. Kristina thought of what Cora said. She thought of her family, the ones who lived with the maid she hired to take care of her children while she is always off at work. Kristina can''t help but notice the ever-deep emotional connection that Cora the maid had for Kant.

    She was startled at what would happen to her own children. Would they see her as less of a mother as they grow up? Would they view the maid more as a parental figure than her?

    ''What if...'' she thought.

    The door received a firm knocking on the other side. Kristina was caught off-guard.

    "Come in," she said. Just then, Kant, holding a white piece of paper with a drawing of a weird-looking table in his hand, entered the room.

    "Oh, Prince Kant! You came quickly."

    "Prince Kant? I thought I was to be supposed addressed with ''Sire''?"

    "Oh, yes. Sorry sire."

    "Apology epted. Cora informed me that you wanted me to be present at your office."

    "Yes, sire. Your mo... maid Cora had been concerned about your securitytely."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I see. Yes. But it is vital for me to build a good connection with the people. I do not think that having a tough bodyguard would help with such. It might even discourage them. However..."

    "What is it, sire?"

    "Just to satisfy her worries. I could apany one for meeting with craftsmen, merchants, and such."

    "And when speaking to a dozen or more people?"

    "I can have guards check if they have anything before they get into the crowd. That would be my next safest option. In regards to selecting a bodyguard, when will the process take ce?"

    "On the 25th, sire."

    "Well then, would you allow me to pick out the one I would like to be by my side?"

    "That is... eptable. Yes."

    "Very good." Kant got up and nearly left the room. It was when Kristina called out for Kant again.

    "Wait, Sire!"

    "Yes, Mrs. Robin?"

    "I... would like to ask permission from you first. May I... take tomorrow off?"

    "Why? Is there something wrong? Are you feeling under the weather?"

    "No sire. It is just... I haven''t been able to be around my children for a long time. Therefore I am asking permission to see them."

    Kant smiled at her request.

    "Yes. I grant you tomorrow the day off."

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Thank you, sire."

    Kant made his way back to his room, where he would work on what he needed to fit in his school of learning. Cora was unexpecting there, cleaning up some things that Kant had missed out on.

    "You got your wish, Cora. I will be apanying a bodyguard when meeting up with some people I can work with. I even got her to let me select a bodyguard of my choosing."

    "Thank you sire. For hearing out my concerns for your safety."

    "You told me that you have someone in mind?"

    "Yes, I do. Would you like to hear about him? I want to make sure..."

    "Of course! Continue."

    "There is a man in his early 40s. Though he is an ordinary knight, he is well experienced and capable of punching above his own weight."

    "What is his name?"

    "His name is Silvester Mowbray. He is a veteran knight that had been serving since his majesty king Danial had taken over."

    "I see. I will look into him."

    "Thank you, sire."

    With that, Cora managed to achieve her objective. At night, she managed to pass down a note. It was an encrypted message briefing her informants that their n had been sessful and that they can move on to the next stage of the n.

    Meanwhile, at the same time Cora''s conversation was going on, the Petersons were out and about in town. They were going to meet a friend. One that would help them supply them with the moving types they need for the printing press Prince Kant wanted in about 5 days.

 Chapter 22 Printing Prototype (2)

    ?Victor and Samuel had both departed first thing in the morning to ce an order. They entered the brick-stone building people called a smithy. They entered the dirty building, firstying eyes on the walls hung with lots and lots of tools they use. The anvils he had collected a bit of rust over the years, and the furnace zing hot as orange glowed out of it.

    The ones who worked in this ce wore a hemp tunic with leggings as usual. But they also hadrge calfskin boots, with leather gloves and aprons and a ck hat on while working. All dirty with soot and a bit tired, as that is what you get when you work in a smithy.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® A voice from behind called the twins. "Well look who it is!" They both turn around, to see the man who owned the ce. He had rather short curly hair and a long curly beard with no mustache. With his hair and eye color the same as the mud on his boots.

    "It''s nice to see you two!" he said.

    "It''s nice to see you too Paul," Victor said.

    "Now, what have you gentlemen want me to make? A specialized part?" Pauls asks the twins, rubbing both his hands.

    "Yes, we do, we need you to make a moving type," Victor replied. There was a minute of silence between the three before Paul broke it.

    "A what now Samuel?" he questioned. Victor exined to Paul what they were talking about.

    "A moving type. It''s a metal square 2.33 cm tall. It also has a letter assigned to it."

    "That... is a weird invention..." Paulmented. Regardless, he wasn''t going to give up on a customer.

    "So... What do you all need it for?"

    "Sire Kant had given us a blueprint for a new mechanical device that would allow us to print a lot of paper. It''s called a printing press, and he expects us to make him one by the 25th." Samuel responded.

    "Prince Kant?" he asked, realizing the job they hadnded. He was happy for his friends and was d that they chose him of all people.

    "Yes. Him. So can we trust you on that?" Victor asked. Paul smiled.

    "For sure! What kind of fit do you want?" he questioned. He did not want them to receive a product that they would dislike. That would give him a bad name.

    "Clearance Fit is the best," Victor responded. Paul decided to write that down on a piece of paper using a quill and a bottle of ink.

    "Alright then. That might cost you two a bit more," he reminded them.

    "It is fine. We are getting paid a lot of money for it."

    "Good. Good. Is there anything else you need to be made?"

    "Yes. We also want a bowl with a handle stuck up top." The description made him turn once again. He wondered what kind of invention they were nning to make.

    "For what?"

    "The ink. We intend to put calfskin on the bottom and use it to put ink on the moving types, and we need a lot of them."

    "Alright then. When do you want it?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Before the 26th. Got a schedule to catch."

    After they ced their order. They left and went to other shops to buy what they needed. A stack of papers, ink, and such. Every expensive item. They came back to their workshop with their hands full of the goods. They carefully ced all of them down on the table, then came to the printing press.

    "The supplies cost us 10 silver coins! Can you believe it?"

    "Well, ourpensation is 5 gold coins. We are still making a huge profit."

    "I guess you are right. What do we need to make again?"

    "We need to perfect the pressing part itself. There is some improvement that needs to be done there. Along with the frame. We need to make that"

    "Guess it''s back to work huh? How long do you think it would take"

    "Probably two or three hours."

    They worked on the printing press, to try and finally perfect the prototype to present to Prince Kant. Once they thought they have finished it, they tested it with the wooden moving types. Though the wood broke from the pressure, it was a seeming sess. Now all they had to do, was wait until they got their metallic moving types.

    ...

    Kant was sitting on his office chair, settling disputes that were written on the papers, waiting. Waiting for a letter from Nexert to arrive by yesterday. It would only take about 4 days usually to get a response back from there. He had distracted himself with drawing furniture he would want to use in the school, but he had now already finished that!

    He called for Arjun toe over, to ask him whether the letter had arrived. He replied with the same answer. Though he did have a hypothesis this time.

    "It might have got lost. Or that his majesty Danial might have started the process of treatment for his sickness. Therefore, he might not able to respond adequately to her majesty. "

    "Does the queen need her husband to help her respond? Why...?" a thought came to his mind.

    "What are the chances that this might be a strategy they employ to... put the issue on hold? That they might havee to an eptable conclusion?"

    "Why do you think that sire?"

    "Because they have done it before. It was just a thought. Possibly that might be the case. So far I don''t have enough information about why. But there is a chance, a very real chance. A way of buying time."

    "I see. Oh, and sire. There is another batch of disputes that you have to settle. I will have a maid bring them for you."

    "Can you also get one to make me a coffee?"

    "Is sire feeling tired?"

    "No, I just don''t think I will be able to effectively make a correct judgment when my mind is not concentrating hard on it."

 Chapter 23 An Opportunity

    ?A man sits firmly on his chair. He had short ck hairbed left and right, with his eyes as brown as chocte in the 4 buttoned ck renaissance suit he preferred to wore.  He had just received a few letters from two particr cities and was currently reading them.

    Heinrich ms his clenched fist to the desk in anger as he reads the letters he was sent. The ink bottle tips over and spills a lot of ink on the table and the floor. The stack of papers near the corner went flying down to the floor, making a mess, and a subtle mark is made on the dark oak table.

    The letters had arrived from the city of Nexert and Desmon, both pressuring him to buy some product being made over at Hoverdam, whose oundish ims it would solve their problems. He had been advised by the guild members of Albersterg to not purchase their product and continue to use it traditionally.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® There was a knock on the door. After Heinrich gave his consent, the door opened to reveal his assistant minister, wearing a ck cloak, paired with high-quality leather boots. Although bald and old, he is known to be blessed with wisdom thates from being at the age of 70. He was there on the king''s orders, to advise him on how he should respond.

    "I arrived as soon as I could when I was informed that your majesty needed my advice. How may I be of service?"

    "Well, sit down first."

    "Yes, your majesty."

    He pulled over the chair and sat down. He was then passed the letters that he had been reading. The assistant minister picked them up and started reading them.

    "The Maybale family and their allies seem to be putting pressure on me to use Hoverdam''s ''cement''. I had already given in to a lot of their ridiculous policies. What kind of fool do they take me for?"

    "What is this ''cement'' that they are talking about?"

    "Oh yes. I had forgotten you were on sick leave. A prince of Hoverdam, the one synonymous with being born without magic, had made this... powder that apparently hardens and sticks bricks together. He ims that it would reduce the cost of the wall building, while also iming that it would reduce the time toplete it while retaining its strength."

    "That is interesting. Did you discuss this with the guild''s your majesty? What was their opinion?"

    "Of course! I consulted the stone mason guild on such a product. They informed me that it was highly improbable for such a material to exist. Though they might have a conflict of interest, I believe the decades of experience that they have."

    He looked at him, who had his hands on his chin. Kieron sat there thinking it through.

    "What do you think Kieron?"

    "...Your majesty, I suggest you purchase a bit of the product they are offering."

    "Excuse me, minister?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Let me rephrase your majesty. This might have presented us with an opportunity. If what the prince is saying is the truth, we can then use this material to construct the wall at a much faster rate for a cheaper price.

    But if what he says is false, we could use this failure against the Maybale family. It would hurt their prestige if what he ims doesn''t hold up to his name. Since Danial and Malina endorsed his product, they won''t be able to back away if it fails."

    "Won''t that be a risk?"

    "There is a risk to everything. But no matter what we do, buying off the cement from Hoverdam is our best option. We will gain something beneficial from either oue."

    "Won''t it give the Maybale family more power if it were to be sessful?"

    "Like you said it yourself, your majesty. The guild members expect it to fail. The city of Hoverdam had been going through some troubled times recently. Just a few years ago, they saw it losing 25% of its poption from a gue, more than any other city by a wide margin.

    Then its leader, King Danial Maybale had fallen ill over the months and was forced to put the cursed prince in charge. If hees out weakened from this, they might not be able to show much of a threat.

    It had already lost a lot of its influence from before. Buying this cement will either hurt its reputation if it fails to meet expectations or just slightly increase it if it did. There is, however, a long-term benefit to it."

    "Which is?"

    "If the cement were to seed. It would give the physically weak prince more legitimacy. Having someone weak as him having power could mean that Hoverdam would be easier to control and manipte. We might be able to take on the city in a fight."

    Heinrich thought of his minister''s advice. Sure he might not like the Prince or the Maybales as a whole, but he had a lot of respect for his assistant minister. Kieron had served him and his father for a long time. His words are not something to be ignored.

    "I will give it a thought," he responded.

    ...

    As the sun fully sets on the city of Hoverdam, it would get dark soon. Kristina got out of her chair, grabbed her satchel bag, and went home. On her way to her house, she saw the people all heading inside. The children were out ying, telling their mothers they woulde back inside in a minute.

    She arrived at her house. A 2 story building that dwarfed everyone else''s estates. Arrivingte as usual. She went inside to find her children sleeping, and the maid cleaning up. Kristina approached the maid, informing her that she would be staying home for tomorrow.

    With that, she went over to eat what they left for her. After eating her dinner, she changed took off her uniform to change into a different set of clothes and went over to herfortable bed.

 Chapter 24 Family Is Precious

    ?Kristina woke up on her mattress bed before the sun got to shine on her face through the ss window. Her house walls were made out of expensive polished stone bricks, and dark oak floors and roofs to go along with it. It had been built 4 bedrooms, a personal bathroom, a dining room, a kitchen, a study room, and a lounge.

    She got off the bed to the dark oak floor and went over to take a bath. Afterward, she opened her closet to change into. Usually, she would go in her royal knight uniform to go to work. But today was her day off she took to spend time with family. Instead, she picked a white and green gown to wear today.

    She went up to the kitchen, where the maid was cooking breakfast for the entire family. She had her ck hair tied like a knot with a stick and boring brown eyes. As a personal maid does, she more a ck maid outfit, as for anyone to recognize her as a maid. From what Kristina can see,  the maid had already cooked up the vegetables for their greens, and the bread, and was on her way to prepare the chicken meat with expensive spices.

    "How is the food going along?"

    "Going well Miss," she said.

    "Is there anything I can help with?"

    "No miss. I can handle it by myself. Miss Kristina might want to wake up the children. The sun will be up soon."

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom She took her advice. Kristina went up to her children''s room. She did not have much time to interact with them. The two children, Ang and Shawn, were both sleeping heavily on their beds, hair ruffed and perfectly cocooned in their sheets. Ang was the elder of the two, being 9 years old.

    She had short ck hair that was simr to her father, while behind her closed eyes were sharp green eyes. Her face was a bit sleeker than her mother''s. Shawn was only 7 years old. He had his mother''s hair with his mother''s green eyes and round face.

    The room itself had its stone brick walls painted white, with two ss windows to peer to the outside world at a whim. The two had their own separate closets.

    Kristina was a bit nervous. It had been a long while since she had talked to her kids. She tried to remember when thest time was, but couldn''t. The sun started to really rise, and she decided to wake Ang up first.

    "Rise and shine my child. It''s time to wake up." Ang''s heavy eyelids started to lighten. She slowly opened them to look at her mother, smiling. Ang thought she was dreaming at first. So she pinched herself only to find out she really was awake.

    "Mother? What are you doing in our room?" she said in a sluggish voice.

    "I got a holiday today to spend time with you and your brother!" Ang got confused, and a bit nervous.

    "W...Why?"

    "Because I am your mother darling. Now. Get ready. We have to eat breakfast."

    ...

    The family sat at the breakfast table, The tes and silverware were all ced properly. The food was hot, and everyone''s mouths were watering. The children wore their dresses given to them. Ang wore a blue one, while Shawn wore a red one. Their hair had been properlybed by themselves so as to not piss off their mother.

    The family, before they consume their food, gathered their hand and started a prayer. After the prayer, they started to consume the breakfast that the maid had made. Kristina found this to be a great opportunity to start a conversation. Catch up on what they were doing.

    "So how have you two been doing these past few weeks?" Kristina asked her children, who were sitting on the opposite side of the table.

    "We have been doing well mother. We have been learning a lot. My little brother is learning magic with me. We have both been improving. "

    "What else?"

    "I have been learning to dance."

    "Can you show me after we are done eating?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Of course mother."

    "What else dear?"

    "Well, I often read with my friends. They give me some books to read."

    "What kind of books?"

    "Mostly novels. I have managed topletely read about 5 of them so far."

    "You know, I could buy some for you. You don''t seem to have to do much around here."

    "Thank you, mother."

    "What about you Shawn? What have you been doing? Do you have friends?"

    "I have a couple of friends. We practice our swordsmanship skills with wooden swords for fun."

    "I see. I once trained with some friends when I was your age as well! Would you like me to train you? I would be happy to."

    Shawn looked back to his food and took a bite. He was hesitant to ept his mother''s request.

    "Don''t worry. I won''t be too aggressive."

    "Um... Alright?"

    "Great! When do you think we can start?" she asked.

    "Well, I think about in the afternoon?" he said.

    "Is there anything else that you have to do with your friends? You sound unsure honey."

    "Well, I train in archery with them as well. We use toy arrows to y with each other. We are going to one tomorrow. I just hope that I could train a little bit before I go tomorrow. "

    "Ah... Then I guess we can do it on another day?"

    "No mother. We can train today," he said.

    Kristina spends the day enjoying herself with her family, to strengthen her connections with them again. For the first time in a really long time, she felt in a state of pure bliss. She hoped that it couldst forever, but s the day will have toe to an end.

    ...

    Multiple knights stood outside Peterson''s workshop. A meeting is about to take ce with these two with the prince tomorrow. They had to search the entire workshop to remove anything dangerous to the Prince. The one elected to defend the prince, who was chosen today, was a man named Silvester.

    "Alright, everyone. Search the ce. Report to me if you find anything." he ordered the knights.

 Chapter 25 The Day Before The Meeting

    ?The sound of the door being knocked on could be heard. Samuel let the knights in to search their house. They moved him aside and searched the entire house for anything suspicious. They did not trash anything, as Silvester did not permit such actions.

    He came inside to meet the twins. Though they have met before, he looked intimidating to the twins and they were genuinely scared. The knights searched every room, in every corner of their workce and home. After a few minutes, the knights came down, informing Silvester that they had returned empty-handed.

    "Alright then. I want to talk to the Petersons in private. You all understand right?"

    "Yes sir."

    "Good. Now leave the premises and wait outside."

    The knights all went out one by one through the front door. The Petersons tried to speak first, but Silvester put his finger in his mouth, signaling them to stop. He takes out a piece of paper and gives it over to the twins.

    "On the day of the Prince''s arrival, I will be standing by his side to keep him secure. If there are any attempts to put his life in danger, I will make sure you will stand trial for judgment and execution. Are there any questions?"

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Yes, Knight..."

    "Knight Silvester Silverstone."

    "Yes, Knight Silvester. I have one question."

    "Go ahead."

    "Last time sire Kant hade over to visit us about the project, he did not apany any bodyguards inside the workshopst time. Why is it that the pce changed its mind?"

    "The pce had decided that we choose to put his safety above all else. If youe to disagree with this, I will have to bring you over for questioning."

    "No no no! It is fine Knight Silvester. We humbly ept this change of circumstances."

    "Good. The prince will arrive at 9''o clock in the morning. Be prepared with the project that he hasmissioned."

    With that Silvester left the building and jumped back on his horse. They rode back to the knight hall where he would go on to inform Kant that the search was done, and tell him nothing noteworthy was found.

    ...

    In Peterson''s workshop, the two were talking about the note that Silvester had given them. What it read was information about a signal he would make, tomunicate if the knight would be listening or not. The notice told them to prepare for either two way ofmunicating with the prince.

    They had gone upstairs and decided to lower their voices. They did not want anyone to hear of their n. Together, they read the note that was left to them. It detailed their mission. It was to get Kant to quickly ry the organization''s mission and get Cora to verify it.

    "He is nning to use Cora?" Samuel says.

    "It makes sense."

    "What do you mean?"

    "Silvester told me about the connection between him and Cora. The two have a mother-son-like rtionship. We will be informing the Prince we have ties to Salvator Humat. If we have a chance of living after that, we need Cora to back up our ims."

    "But what if that is not enough?"

    "It will be. The prince will know that Silvester is a magic user, no questions asked over the validity of that, but even if he could think it would be an anomaly, having two magic users decreases the chance he would doubt us. If Cora vouches for us, then it is almost guaranteed that he will cooperate with us."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I just hope that Silverstone can get Cora the message. Alright, we should find a way tomunicate the info to the prince."

    ...

    Silverstone entered the room where Cora and Katy were resting. The two were a bit spooked by his appearance. Katy and Cora both kneeled to pay respects.

    "Knight Silverstone, what brings you here?" Cora asked.

    "Cut the act. Nobody is listening." With that, they both stood up.

    "Silvester! Why are you here at this hour? Do you know how dangerous this is?"

    "I will get to the point then. Come closer." Cora gave her ear for him to speak to. Silvestery down what was going to happen. A bbergasted Cora questioned it.

    "Did he approve of this?"

    "From what I know, you are perfect for validifying all our ims. He trusts you, and that is why you are important."

    Silvester then left and went up to Kant''s office, where he would usually work on settling disputes among the masses. He entered the room, but not before knocking on the door and gaining permission.

    "Knight Silvester. Was the search really necessary?"

    "It is to protect your highness, that is all."

    "Alright then. But won''t it be effective for the knights to search their homes tomorrow, when I wille over to have my discussion? What have they done to warrant such a search?"

    "My priorities are to keep his highness safe for the week. That is my job and I would not like for my head to be beheaded by his majesty because I failed to protect the Prince."

    "I see. Alright then. You are dismissed." he said. Silvester then left the room. Kant suspected that Cora was behind it, but he could not fathom why she would suspect who she called friends. It was best if he called her to his office. He dide up with some hypothesis as to why, but he needed confirmation.

    He ordered Cora to make herself present. She arrived after a few minutes.

    "Cora I would like to ask you a question if that is alright with you? "

    "Yes, sire. What is it that sire wants to know?"

    "It is about the Petersons. Your friend Silvester Silverstone authorized a search of their homes. You had rmended both of them to me." Kant asked.

    "Silverstone himself is a cautious man. It was why I rmended him. I was worried that some harm could be done to you. Though I admit, both of us might have overreacted."

    "Well alright then. I will let it slide for now. But just this once. We should better apologize to them both."

    "Before I go sire, the suit you tailored had finally arrived. Are you nning on wearing it tomorrow?"

    "...I think I will, yes."

 Chapter 26 First Contact

    ?Kant had managed to wake up just before the sun had risen. He went over to take his morning bath. He made sure he was as clean as possible. Once he got out, he dried himself with his white cotton towel and took the breakfast Cora left for him. After taking his breakfast, he went over to his closet and grabbed his royal suit.

    Today is the day that he gets to see whether the Petersons have done their magic, by making the printing press he so desperately desired. With it out of the way, he can have another product he can easily distribute to other cities and continents, and help educate the poption.

    There was a knock on the door. Cora leaned into the room, informing Kant that his great white carriage is ready to go. Kant made a tight smile at his reflection and left the room and out of the pce to go to the Petersons, to get a look at the printing press hemissioned.

    Kant arrived at the workshop 4 minutes earlier than expected, with Silvester apanying him as for protection. The twins smiled at Kant and greeted him with respect by kneeling, just to be safe. Kant started by first apologizing.

    "I deeply apologize for thewful search the other day. It is just that the Knight in charge for the week..." he looked at Silvester with his eyes "is pretty concerned for my safety. However, I fully trust that you two don''t have any illicit intentions."

    "No need to apologize sire. We fully understood the good intentions behind it. Your security is very important."

    "Shall we continue then?"

    "Yes, sire. We shall."

    The twins presented the prototype of the printing press. It resembled what Kant had in mind, which was a Gutenberg printing press. He observed as they use the bowl to ce the ink on the moving types they had prepared.

    They then put therge piece of paper on the frame and lowered down the upper te. They slid it under the press and gave Kant the honor of pressing it. He epted and pulled the lever. The press went down to apply pressure on it.

    The te was slid back to be opened. What they found was the ink firmly pressed on the paper. The prototype was a renouncing sess, all thanks to the skills employed by the Petersons. Kant smiled at it. The printing press has finally been invented.

    "I have to say this is a job well done," Kant responded.

    "We should make sure that the letters are readable. Best to be sure." Victor said.

    "Yes, sire. Please, read it."

    Kant picked up the paper and started to read it silently. Kant''s tight smile faded as he read further. He discerned that he had been trapped, outyed by this terrorist group, whose members were right in front of him, holding him hostage.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ''Prince Kant, the three people in front of you are part of the organization of Salvator Humat. It is in our best interest for you to cooperate. Do not panic, as we do not intend to harm you in any way, nor do we desire to purge people gifted with magic. Our goal is to set up a world where the monarchs of the continent givemoners the respect they deserve.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom Cora has vouched for your talents and intelligence as a man capable of leading us to our goal and detailed your troubled past with the other princes. Please signal your response to this request this instant. It would be a danger for you to reply with your voice.''

    Kant felt as if his heart ripped apart. He had known Cora since he was 6 years old. As far as he can remember, she was the only person other than her parents who treated him with love and affection. Was that all a well-crafted lie that lead up to this very moment, or was it something else entirely, that she does truly believe in him and that there was some other reason why.

    Many questions raged in his mind and none of which he had the answers to. If life from the previous world told him anything, it is better to not make assumptions about something too quickly. He needs answers from Cora, to get confirmation, and her motives.

    Meanwhile, as he was thinking in his head, the trio stared at him looking at the paper. All, even Silvester, can feel their heart beat faster as he continued to read it. Everything they have done lead to this very moment.

    They saw Kant remain emotionless while digesting the information. When he finished, he put down the paper, and slowly turned his head to the three with a cold emotionless face. A chill went down their spine, a slight one with Silvester. He then put his index finger on his lips and made a silent ''shush'' noise.

    "You two have done a good job in creating what I ordered. Let''s go over to the table to sit down. I would like to talk about producing 2 more printing presses." he said, returning a slight tight smile.

    ...

    Cora took a huge breath before entering Kant''s room. The curtains were closed, allowing almost no light to pass.  She went inside to find him looking into the mirror slightly standing to the right, still wearing the attire he used to go out. His face was dead of emotion, with his petrifying eyes staring back at him.

    "Kant?" she asked the prince.

    Cora then walked towards him, with the renaissance wall mirror picking up her reflection on the left side. Once she got about 7 feet from him, his eyes move across the mirror to look at her reflection. Cora instantly stopped.

    Kant simply pulled out a piece of paper written backward and showed it to the mirror. She can read it from her position, and it only asked a 3 worded question, a very simple question.

    ''Is it true?'' it said in ck ink.

 Chapter 27 The Epiphany.

    ?"Yes. It is true."

    He ced the paper down, turned around and started to slowly walk towards her. Only stopping when he was only one foot away. Her heart started to beat faster. There was silence at first, as he intensely stared at her eyes before he started to talk.

    "Exin yourself." he asked Cora calmly.

    "Sire."

    "Exin... yourself."

    "..."

    "Nobody is listening. Silverstone made sure nobody ising this way, meaning nobody can hear us as long we talk normally. So I will ask again. Exin yourself Cora." he said with a stoic face. After a brief moment of silence, she took in a deep breath.

    "We had been watching you ever since your providence your highness. When our leader heard that you did not posses magic, we saw you as a potential candidate that had the ability to achieve our goals. That is why I came here to work for the pce.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "But I promise you your highness, I have grown fond of you as a child. All those precious moments we had together. It make me feel as if you were like..."

    Kant stayed silent. He wanted to hear what she had to say.

    "...like my son I never had." Kant can see little drops of tears rolling down her eyes. The room entered into a silence for a solid minute. Cora''s heart was rapidly beating, awaiting an answer from the Prince.

    Kant then walked over to the closet, grabbed a napkin and cleared off the salty tears off Cora''s face. After it was dry, he ced the napkin in his pocket, and looked back at Cora.

    "There are a few questions regarding the movement that you are a part off. To evaluate whether it is a group capable of working with."

    "Ask away your highness."

    "How does the movement view the outside world?"

    "We believe that though the magical rulers are necessary for our safety, we would like for them to treat and respect us like they have done a century ago."

    "What is the status of your rtionship with friends and family not in the movement?"

    "Good. We all connect together and talk about our daily lives, like usual."

    "Want to drop any names?"

    "Avon York, John Blois, Reisha ntag and some more."

    "How does the movement describe the monarchs of the continent to it''s followers?"

    "We believe that the treatment of themoners by the monarchs have gone down over the century as they have be ever more disconnected."

    "Is it''s members obliged to donate to the movement?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "We do take in small donations from our followers, but it is not mandated that they should donate."

    "Is financial transparency important among the group?"

    "Yes sire. Anyone who can read can check for themselves."

    "Does the group have approved sources of information that the members of the group can take?"

    "There is no such thing sire. Though we do have some books written down, we mostly talk with in speeches in underground bars. We all take turns and debate with civility. It was when I managed to convince the others to pursue you sire."

    "What is the rtionship with the branches of other cities?"

    "We do cooperate, but on a tiny scale at best. As far as we are concerned, they might as well be separate."

    There was a another silence. Cora waited for Kant to respond back. She hoped that she gave all what Kant needed to know. As she was being questioned, Kant had examined her with a stoic expression. To find any hints that she was lying to his face any way.

    "What is that your group intend me to do?" he finally asked.

    "We hope that his highness manages to take power. We believe you have the intellect and capacity to defend and rule despite your inability of magic. We have already constructed a n in doing so, and we can inform you if you are interested."

    Another silence. Kant went over to the curtains. He dragged them apart to let the sunlight in. After the room was fairly lit back up again, he requested Cora one thing.

    "Can you please bring me a cup of coffee?" he said.

    "Of course your highness." she said before she left the room.

    ...

    Kant sat on his red armchair. He was sweating a little bit. He waited for his coffee to be brought over to his table. As he waited, he thought of what happened today, and all the days that came before.

    ''Despite my dark past on Earth, I have subconsciously tried to live in this new world peacefully, like a normal person would. Yet I have once again been rejected and deceived by almost anyone there is. I tried again by embracing my technological intellect to try use it to receive the attention and care I so desperately craved.

    But all that lead to outside forces attempting to use me to achieve their goals, as a tool by people I don''t know. No matter how noble they may seem, all of them were a fa?ade ced on their face I turned a blind eye to. I realize I cannot abandon the wisdom I gained from my past life, no matter how hard I try.

    I cannot be so careless from here on out, nor I cannot ignore any red gs. I might have been lucky today, but I won''t be tomorrow. I have once again been thrown into a position of power, this time of a city with a poption 210,000 people, all who trust me to keep their families safe.

    There are only choices, all with their economic value, most that can be measured in mary terms. It would allow me to spend the least amount while maximizing the benefits. Something I have learned to be useful in the trenches of the war.

    It is no longer a matter of pride, ego and attention anymore, but one of survival; one which I intend to be on top. Yet in this world of divine leaders, it would mean that there is no ce for Kant Maybale, the cursed prince of Hoverdam whocks magic. There is only a ce for an engineer, and former U.S Army major, Howard Orwell Bright, the real me.''

    The door opened once more. Cora had brought him his coffee on a silver tray. She ced it down on the table. Kant walks over, picks it up from the handle, take a sip and turned to Cora.

    "Tell your boss I ept his request." he says. He sits down on the chair near the table, and takes another sip.

 Chapter 28 Farming Advice

    ?Richard Dietrichson was a young farmer who had worked in the fields since his childhood. Born with short ck hair paired with deep brown eyes, and a goatee on his face. He got into farming when he was 6 years of age, and now has over 2 decades of experience with tons of people he calls family and friends.

    Yesterday he and his farmer friends got a message from the pce delivered by a knight. Prince Kant had ordered their presence to do a discussion with them on the topic of agriculture. Considering his great reputation, everyone chose him to go. He wore his usual clothing, which was a hemp brown tunic, blue leggings, and calfskin shoes, as there was nothing else for him to wear.

    He lived on the outskirts of the city near the farms he tend to, so it would take him a good while to walk over to the pce. Instead, he hopped on a wagon sharing seats with his buddies to arrive at the ce. All were curious to see whether anything said in the past few weeks were to be true.

    They left first thing in the morning, after taking their usual breakfast and saying goodbye to their wives and children. It took until midday to arrive at the pce. Richard and his friends were awed at the magnificentrge pce, with its breathtaking ssical architecture.

    After the guards let them in, they walked through the cold marble floor to the room set for their meeting. They all entered, finding a long dark oak table with many dark oak chairs with red cushions. The room was lit by the sun''s rays that passed through the ss windows.

    "Sire Kant will arrive in a few minutes. He is currently working on disputes, and would be finished soon." said one of the maids.

    "Alright, thank you." a farmer responded. They all sat down and looked around the room. They started noticing the finer details of it all. Therge ss chandelier on top in the middle of the room had some detailed patterns that can be seen from here. The walls themselves were painted in a daisy-white color, and the red tablecloth with yellow stripes was made out of expensive silk.

    "Her Richard, you exited to meet the prince?" asked one of his friends on the left.

    "Well, it is the first time we get to see whether those rumors are true. So yes, very excited."

    "I wonder what he wants to discuss with us. I am pretty sure he did not tell us in the message."

    "Well, thend all belongs to the royal family. So he might want to see how well it is going."

    Just then, the dark oak door swing opened. A man wearing a ck royal suit, with his signature tinum blonde hair that looked identical to a shining silver coin, and his eyes with jet ck pupils in them. He was holding a blue file as he entered the room. Everyone stood up ordingly, as they all knew who he was.

    "Thank you gentleman foring to this discussion. It is a pleasure to meet you all. Please, sit back down."

    Kant went over to sit on the chair reserved for him, which was at the right-end corner of the table. There were little whispers among the farmers, who were all a bit nervous and intimidated.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Before we start, I would politely ask for your names." The farmers went one by one, all giving their full names.

    "Now, you all might be wondering why this meeting has been called. Correct?" Kant asked. Everyone nodded their heads.

    "As I hope to increase the overall poption of the city for the foreseeable future, this meeting is meant to help increase the agricultural output of the current farms that feeds your families, and the families of others.

    Reaching that goal, however, requires your assistance and expertise on the subject matter. Do I make myself clear?"

    "Yes sire."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Now, can anyone volunteer to exin the current method of farming? I would like to confirm my research on the field." Richard raised his hands.

    "I can sire."

    "Go on Mr. Dietrichson."

    "We use a method called crop rotation. There are three fields, and only two we nt. In the first field, we nt wheat and rye, in the second we nt barley, oats, peas, or beans. The third one is left to not be fallow."

    "What is the purpose of the third field being fallow?" Kant asks.

    "It is so that the nts can grow on the soil. If we use it too much, food will not grow." another farmer responds.

    "Thank you, Mr. Bellic. With that being said, has anyone considered experimenting with a four-field crop rotation?"

    "I''m sorry your highness?"

    "ording to my report, 20% of farnd is fallow. Following a four-field crop rotation using the crops of wheat, turnips, barley, and clover, the farms, theoretically would be able to produce more food for everyone.

    Taking one farming field, wheat can be grown in the first year, turnips in the second year, barley in the third year, and finally clover in the fourth. With the turnips being able to be used for feeding sheep and cattle during the winter."

    They all listened to what Kant said. Though the farmers were impressed by his knowledge, they were still skeptical. They all whispered around each other, arguing amongst themselves about what to do. Richard himself thought that though it could work, the risk involved is what makes him reluctant to try it out himself. It was when Richard voiced his concerns.

    "That method could work sire, but the risk involved is rather high, and the damage it could cause to be longsting. Is sire willing to take the risk?"

    "To answer your concern Mr. Dietrichson, the city has enough stocks to feed the current poption for around a year, and also has proper funds to import more food from other city-states in case it does go south. With that in mind, this is a risk I will take."

    There was a little silence. A little moment is given to the farmers to themselves to think for a minute.

    "I will also guarantee that any surplus you gain, could be sold to the market. I will not take any more of the food that you produce."

    "When do you want it implemented sire?" asked one of them as soon as he finished talking.

    "As soon as possible," Kant replied.

    After the discussion came to an end on good notice, Kant went back over to his office. He sat back on his seat and started typing on his typewriter once again, with 3 pages alreadypleted. He would dedicate the next few days to writing this new piece of legition.

 Chapter 29 Informing Hoverdam

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® ?The sun rose once again on the city of Nexert. Malinda, dressed in her pink nightgown, had fully woken up from her deep slumber. A bath had already been prepared for her by the maids. She got off the bed to take her warm bath in the morning to clean herself. There were multiple bathrooms, and one was reserved for her.

    When she finally finished, she put on her royal gown. This time she wore a light pink with white outlines. She went over to the dining room, where breakfast had already been prepared for the two houses to eat. The tes contain bread, lots of meat such as chicken, beef, and fish, along with some vegetables such as carrots colored purple, potatoes, and beetroot along with a few tomatoes.

    Malinda took her breakfast with Corel, who was seen wearing avish 14-buttoned purple suit with yellow linings, along with his wife, who wore a gown with a simr color pte, her being a bit lighter. Though they were at the same table, they rather not talk while eating. When they finished, Malinda and Corel went over where Danial rested, to discuss what to do next.

    However, when they saw Danial sleeping in his white robes like a baby. The two decided that it was better not to wake him up, as they have seen he had grown paler in the following weeks. He needed some rest so instead, the two went over to Malinda''s room to talk it out.

    "Alright, Malinda. Considering you look to be in a more stable emotional state, I think you are more... suited to talk about briefing your family and staff members about Danial''s condition. What do you have in mind."

    "Though I would like to inform Sofia, Edward, and Lisa about their father''s situation, as is the duty of the mother, the risk involved in such is great. As the chances of the letter being intercepted and clype Rose of his condition would be highly probable. So I am at a loss for what I should do."

    "What about regarding Prince Kant?"

    "Kant?"

    "Yes. Him. How would you suspect he react to the whole affair."

    Malinda thought for a minute. Thest time she had seen Kant he was in a nihilistic state with crippling social anxiety. However, the recent letters she had received is the boy had improved in his behavior over the month.

    "I am not so sure. I haven''t seen the boy in a month, and Minister Arjun in his letters inform me that he had gotten better. He might be able to take it but..."

    "But what?"

    "I would not like to risk it. I think it would be best to not disturb his... development." Malinda replied.

    "What do you propose Corel?"

    "I highly rmend that you send a letter to Hoverdam only. Informing the assistant minister and knightmander there."

    "And the children?"

    "You should only tell your children when they finally arrive back in the summer. To make sure it is safe."

    "But won''t it be toote? By then he is either cured or..."

    "Hey hey. I know it is hard. But do not worry. We have the greatest healers on the continent. So cheer up Malinda, would you?"

    "But what if he didn''t? I would feel as if I had failed as a mother..."

    Corel had no answer for that. He stayed silent and thought of an answer for a minute before he responded.

    "Look Malinda. This is our safest option. Any other option would put everyone in danger. Mothers care about their children''s safety. You care about your children''s safety?"

    "Yes of course."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Then do the right thing, and inform themter in the summer. Sacrifices must be made, and you know it better than I do."

    With that statement, Malinda finally gave it a thought and craved in. She took a piece of paper to start writing a letter to Hoverdam. Before she wrote the first word, a question came to her mind.

    "What about Danial?"

    "I will tell him once he wakes up."

    ...

    Kant sits on his desk with his typewriter in the front and a stack of empty coffee brown paper to his sides. He was still writing his piece of legition, to create a new legal entity that would be critical for him to industrialize the city. However, it was taking him a long time to do so, as he has to write everything to the exact detail.

    As he was writing, Cora entered with the coffee he requested. She was a bit curious about what he was nning. It was apparent to her that whatever he was writing was very important, as he had dedicated himself to the task.

    "What is it that is doing?"

    "Writing a piece of legition."

    "What is it about?"

    "It involves business and its biggest bane of existence."

    "That is?"

    "Liability. Not many are willing to take many risks on many projects. It is understandable, as if you make even one wrong call, it would hurt anyone''s financials severely."

    "Can you please borate more sire? I would love to know more."

    "The idea is to make a legal entity that is separate from the owner. This legal entity is treated like a person. They can ownnd, property, and assets, and even conduct business. However, it is separate from the owner, which owns the entity.

    To put it in context, think of it like a ve that can own property, except that does not have flesh or feelings. The ve''s enterprise works? Then the owner is entitled to a dividend, which is a share of the profit. If it fails? The ve would be the one going down, not the owner."

    "Oh. I see sire. Well, enjoy your coffee."

    Before she left, Kant took a piece of paper and ced it down on an empty spot. He then grabbed a quill, wrote something down, and gave it to Cora. She reads it, writes down her response, then leaves.

    Kant picks up the piece of paper to read it.

    ''What poison did they use on him.''

    ''Mesa Flower nectar. Mana-fever."

    With that, he spills a lot of ink on the page and crumbles it up into a paper ball. He then throws it in the bin, which would eventually be disposed of. Kant went back to typing his legition, feeling nothing after learning the truth.

 Chapter 30 Lone Demonic Attack

    ?Heinrich sat in his office thinking. He had already settled the day''s disputes, checked the kingdom''s finances, and took even practiced a bit of magic. The only thing that came to his mind was the wall, along with it the cement powder, which lingered in him for days.

    Heinrich was not sure what to do. On one hand, the stonemasons of the guilds were strongly advising against the purchase of cement, as the risk would be too high. On the other hand, his assistant minister made a good point, but was it worth the risk to attempt to humiliate the Maybale family when his coffers are on the line?

    Deciding he needs to rx a bit, he got up from his chair and walked over to the balcony of the pce. It gave him a nice view of the city that rightfully belong to him. Most homes were made of wood and hay, with a little bit of stone. For a city like Albersterg, grinding stones are too expensive for the business owners of the city.

    The view reminded him of old memories, of a time when he was much younger and more na?ve, but a time to be more excited about, when his parents were still alive and well. Where he had a little more time to be himself. Times that unfortunately came to a quick end.

    "Good times."

    He heads back inside to his office. Being split on the issue, he decided to procrastinate on it. It was then that a knock on the door was heard. It was the knightmander, Charles Robles."

    "What brings you here Knightmander?"

    "Your majesty, A giant pierrevol was spotted near the city. I havee to inform you of that it had been taken care of. Though we have suffered a few losses."

    "What is the big deal then?"

    "This particr encounter had only had one giant pierrevol. No support."

    Heinrich''s heart stops. Normally demons won''tmit to such tactics to take them down. Why risk a powerful demon? To test out their strengths? Unless...

    "Tell me what happened," he asked.

    ...

    The fight was not going well. Several knightsy dead. A giant stone golem tall as 8 people stacked together, stood only walking distance of the city. Magic spells were fired by the ones with swords while others fired arrows cast with magic from their bows. Severalrge explosions and cracks were made, and thoughrge chunks of stone fell apart, it was only a matter of seconds before it regenerated itself with its mana stone shielded in its core.

    Normally, a pierrevol would not be such trouble, but as the name ''vol'' suggests, it contained a violet mana crystal as its core, the most powerful of them all. They can know by looking at its oozing purple eyes. Though it won''t mean that the stone itself will be stronger, only that it regenerated faster.

    The remaining knights, who had burses and cuts all over their body, depleted all of their energy reserves, and the few potions which glow blue and tasted of rust that reinstated their health was exhausted too. Yet, they still kept on fighting, to protect the city and their families at all costs.

    They avoided the pierrevol''s attacks. It threwrge boulders that were sliced by the knight''s enchanted de. In the distance, the sound of horses was heard. All turned around and smiled at the sight.

    On top of a ck horse. was a man with blonde hair rocking a sick back haircut, hazel brown eyes, and a goatee, d in his enchanted suit of iron armor toe to their rescue. Behind him were more knights and healers to relieve the remaining knights.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He jumped down to the ground and started with a powerful fireball that threw the beast backward and nearly melted the area hit. The healers quickly covered up the wounds and healed them on the spot. The other knights distracted the pierrevol. As soon as it left an opening, the archers drew their bows once again, and Heinrich fired another spell, this time an explosion spell.

    Small stones went flying all over. The st chipped away the protection, and the archers fired their glowing yellow arrows charged up with holy magic. As soon as it hit the crystal, it began to crack and then fall apart. Without the mana crystal, as its core, the demon could no longer stand and fell to the ground. The battle was already over, and they have won.

    The knightmander looked around the battlefield, searching for other demons that should have been with the pierrevol. Yet nothing was to be found. He went over to ask the knights who fought it to question them about all the details.

    "What happened?"

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Two knights spotted the pierrevol about 3 miles away from here. They fired up a re to warn us and we arrived to relieve them. We only saw the pierrevol."

    "Who are the knights who spotted it first?" the knight pointed at the corpses.

    "Oh god. Alright, take these injured knights back to the city, and someone informs the families that they lost their family members. I need to go inform his majesty of what happened."

    ...

    "That was what happened your majesty."

    Heinrich stayed silent. Thinking of what it all meant. Normally incidents like this are a sign of aing demonic wave. The chance depends on how strong it is. If it was a bunch of weak demons popping up, then the chance was low, but a powerful demoning up? That means the chances are much higher.

    He opened his drawer and looks at the reports of demonic activity for thest 5 months. There has been a noticeable increase in their activity in terms of numbers and aggressiveness. Compound this with the incident earlier, Heinrich suspected that a wave is on the horizon.

    He leaned back on his chair and sighed. If there IS an early demonic wave, he is going to have to build the wall a lot faster, to build up his defense to protect himself, his family, and his wealth. He would also have to inform Vinia and the other cities of this incident.

    He took a piece of paper and a quill and started writing two letters. After he was finished, he handed it to the knightmander.

    "Give this to the assistant minister. Tell him that I want this first letter to be sent over to Vinia."

    "And the other one your majesty?"

    "Send that over to Hoverdam. It would appear that I am going to have to take a risk."

 Chapter 31 Limiting Liability

    ?Kant sat in his office waiting for Arjun to arrive. As a way to kill time, he wrote down a small ck book he now carries around in his pocket. He uses it to write down the meetings he has scheduled in the future, and the ones he had attended.

    It appears that tomorrow would be when Decan Hurst finally meets back with him in his office. He was the stonemason that Kant hired to design the school. That is if hees on time. The school is to be an integral part of his ns for the future.

    There was a knock on the door. Kant put down the quill, ced the book back in his suit pocket, and allowed whoever was on the other side to enter the room. Arjun walked into the office and sat down on the chair.

    "You called for me sire?"

    "Yes. I have a new piece of legition that I would like to be enacted as soon as possible."

    "Well, sire. Please educate me."

    "Of course. It''s called the ''Private Corporation Act of 5018.'' It states that by filling out a given application with the registrar ofpanies and paying the necessary fees, a person can set up a corporation to conduct business through the temporary bureau of the registrar ofpanies.

    A corporation is arge group of people that are treated as a separate legal entity owned by shareholders. Shareholders are persons who own shares in thepany. They are set up using articles of incorporation.

    The articles of incorporation mainly tell the person incorporating the primary purpose of the business, its location, the number of shares and stock being issued to owners and investors, and a few more details.

    If you want to go further into detail, you read the bill."

    Kant passed down the bill, which consisted of 22 pages of dense information regarding how this legal entity is supposed to function and act. Arjun started to read what was contained in its pages.

    "This is just the first one. I have another legition I need to type."

    "I have to question sire," he asked after skimming through it all.

    "First, what is that other piece of legition, and second, what is the purpose of this bill?"

    "To answer your first question, the second bill I n on typing would allow individual persons who hade up with a new invention, whether it be a machine, medicine,position, chemicals, processes and a list of other things, to file and gain a patent on the said invention.

    A patent will give ownership of intellectual property and would allow the said individual to go after anyone who would attempt to make money off their invention without their consent.

    It would allow them to have proper bargaining power, in order to make a deal with anyone wanting to use their invention. This would lead to them being able to earn a reasonable ie with loyalties and fees, and it would allowrger and wealthier manufacturers to produce the product and make a profit.

    You now have people who are incentivized toe up with new inventions and manufacturers who have new products and services to offer to customers, creating wealth.

    To answer your second, It is to make business more easily to conduct, and a lot less risky by limiting liability, and to create saidrge organizations from before."

    "Limiting liability?"

    "Yes. The introduction of the corporation means that the amount of money one can lose on a business venture is the amount one had spent on said venture. With this, I hope to bring capital back to the city to be used to fund the technologies I have in mind.

    It also allows for the easy raise of capital through the sale of stock, and the transfer of ownership to anyone else interested in buying in.

    In all honesty, this should have been the first thing I should have done. I havee to realize that."

    "What makes you think that they would invent these technologies sire? Say the cement powder for instance?"

    "I get where you areing from, and that is what I attempt to solve. The reason not many are willing to sell cement is the risk is too high. With a corporation, however, their risk is limited, and people are more inclined to take risks.

    You have seen cement work with your own eyes minister. The product is superior to the alternative method of grinding stones. By using a corporation, they could gain a significant profit with a minimized risk, the main motivator for the merchants to do so.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Plus, because a corporation could issue shares, it can raise capital more easily, allowing for more money to be invested and used."

    Arjun stayed silent. He thought through Kant''s counter-argument.

    "As long as you don''t extend these policies too far, it won''t be an issue regarding his and her majesty. In terms of the second piece of legition... do not ce the patent for the printing press."

    "..."

    "For now that is. That is all I am asking. His majesty might not approve of it."

    "Alright then. Consider that done."

    "Good. How do you want me to implement this new act sire?"

    "Well, it''s simple. First, we need a ce for people to file the paperwork to do so."

    Kant takes out a map of the city from his drawer and ces it on the table.

    "I suggest that we should put the department near the city center, but not in it. Real estate is a bit too high there for my taste, and I rather not take one for the building. The cost is too high.

    We then need to staff the said ce with people who are able to read and write. It doesn''t matter where they are from. They might be expensive, but I deem the cost to be minimal to the returns.

    The procedures on what to do are written down on this piece of paper. Find a ce, convert it by the end of the month, and start finding someone to staff the registrar ofpanies. Preferably, find another building close to it to use for the patents."

    "I understand sire. I will get to it."

    Before Arjun could leave, there was a knock on the door. Kant was given a letter, signed by the King of Albersterg, Heinrich Canmore.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "He wants to purchase the cement?"

    "It appears so. Though it does not say how much he wants. It appears I am going to send a letter back on the amount of quantity needed. I would for you to arrange a meeting with the merchants to ship the product to Albersterg."

    "Does sire have an idea why he changed his mind so quickly?"

    "No. I don''t think I can. There are many possible reasons why he changed his mind. His city might have been hit by a natural disaster, or maybe he might want to finish the project in a shorter time frame."

    "If sire had to guess, what would it might be?"

    "In that case, considering that there has been a rise in demonic activity over the past months, it might be something rted to the demons. Then again, the chances I would be wrong are high as there isn''t any sufficient information to make a proper judgment.

    If Arjun is curious, I can send him a letter regarding the matter. I would have to send one regarding how much he is willing to pay for the cement powder. I can add that question in the letter."

    "Yes, sire. Please do."

    "Since he seems keen on purchasing cement, I would like for you to arrange a meeting on the 31st of this month."

    "Who should be invited to the meeting."

    "Currently I have one in mind. A merchant named Oswald Audley."

 Chapter 32 Sibling Troubles.

    ?Sofia''s deep blue eyes fixated on a handsome ck haired boy wearing his training uniform in the distance. He was practicing magic all alone. His coca brown eyes focused on the wooden targets with white and red rings on it. Most of then all seem to have a ck spot in the middle.

    There were no lessons being taught today, so most would rather socialize with everyone else. There were still some who would train, but this particr boy trained more than he socialize. Sofia herself got curious as to why, why would such a handsome boy not even attempt to socialize.

    ''Maybe he stutters like my brother?'' Sofia thought to herself. She felt inclined to go and talk to him, about who he is, and learn a bit more about him.

    Sofia walked over to the prince, and greeted him by lift her yellow gown''s long skirt a little, then bowing her head in respect.

    "Good Afternoon Prince. My name is Sofia Maybale. May I ask you your name?"

    "Good Afternoon to you too as well Princess Sofia Maybale. My name is Friedrich Mercia. I am pleased to meet you."

    "Say, what have you been doing at this fine hour?"

    "I am currently practicing my aim on these targets. I have already received permission to do so from the principle."

    "I have been wondering, you don''t seem to be very social around the others. May you tell me why?"

    "Oh! Um... I rather not."

    "Rather not talk with others?" Sofia''s curiosity grew further.

    "No no. It''s just, I just... I am more concentrated on training. I am not that strong so I don''t think they might ept me." Friedrich replied.

    "Is that why do instead focus on practicing?"

    "Yes. That is correct."

    "May I join as well?" Sofia proposed. Both of Friedrich''s eyebrows raised in surprise.

    "Are you sure?" he asked.

    "Of course I am! Besides you look like you know what you are doing. I might even learn something from you. Considering you have trained for far longer than I have. I will even help you make some friends along the way as well."

    "Ah! Alright then. But you will need to ask for permission first. You can asked the principle whether you can join me."

    "Alright then. I will. See youter then." Sofia said.

    Friedrich and Sofia smiled at each other, thinking of this as a start of something wonderful.

    ...

    The sun was finally beginning to set. Lisa had noticed Sofia''s bright mood today. She already knew Sofia would have a habit of talking to many people, but this interaction seemed to have gone well.

    "You appear to be pleased. What had happened?" Lisa asked.

    "I managed to start another friendship today."

    "Who is it?"

    "Prince Friedrich Mercia. He was training all by himself."

    "Prince Friedrich Mercia!?!" Lisa screamed at her sister so loud that Sofia had to cover her ears to not go deaf. She did not expect Lisa to have such an explosive reaction to her new friendship to Fredrick.

    "Sister! Do you not know who Prince Fredrick is?" Lisa said.

    "No, not much. Is there any problem regarding his character sister?" Sofia asked.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Prince Fredrick is part of the Kingdom of Mande. A kingdom that lies in the most southern part of the continent! Mother will not approve of this!"

    "I cannotmunicate who I desire with if they are from the south? What reason did mother give us to not to socialize with the princes of the south?"

    "You heard from mother''s own mouth that it would be something that we won''t understand?"

    "With all due respect sister, I have already submitted by request for permission from the principle to participate. What I do in my time is none of your concern."

    "You know I will write to mother about this."

    "Go ahead then. Do it, like to told you would do before." Sofia remarked. Lisa clenched her fist at the fact her sister called out on her bluff.

    "Were is Edward? He might be able to talk some sense."

    "Actually, I think I saw him socializing with the other Princesses. I think some other prince wanted to enter a duel with him."

    "... I should have expected that." she says.

    ...

    Edward, in his usual white attire was challenged by Prince Chris Terrell. He had brown hair paired with hazel brown eyes. He wore an identical suit to Edward, but in ck instead to contrast the individuals.

    Chris had brought Edward to a rather beautifulke, with fisherman peacefully riding their wooden boats with rows on deck, and rod on hand attempting to catch something to sell to the markets.

    "The challenge is simple.  Whoever throws a water ball further to the pond will be the winner of this contest."

    "Is that so?"

    "Yes, it is. So are you up for the challenge?"

    "Of course I am. I suggest you go first." Edward said while making an arrogant smile. Chis dly epted. He stepped in front and raised both his hands. Under his breath, he spoke out the spell he needed to cast.

    "O¨´est leau." A sizable water ball formed on his hands, and shot to the pond. It flew fast across the air to the pond, and hit far away. They couldn''t tell how far away exactly, but it was halfway near to an innocent fisherman.

    Edward was surprised at how far he managed to threw, at least for Chis that is. However when Edward came up and fired his spell, it traveled much further and even hit the fisherman that Chris''s water ballnded near.

    Chris was silent while the girls congratted Edward. Edward felt his ego boost while Chris''s shatter further.

    "You may win this time. But next time..." Before he can finish his sentence, Edward had cut him in.

    "How many times are you going to keep trying Prince Chris?"

    "...What?"

    "Our silly rivalry had been going on for years now. When will you learn to give up?"

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "I..." Chris couldn''t speak.

    "Let''s face it. You have continuously lost against these fun little challenges we have participated. But now it is getting pathetic. Just admit your defeat and ept that you can never, NEVER surpass me." Edward responded.

    Chris looked slightly down. He thought of all that had happened and realized what Edward said. Maybe it really is time for him to stop. He took a deep breath.

    "Congrattions Prince Edwards. You beat me." he said.

 Chapter 33 Finalizing The Police Force

    ?Kristina was sitting on her chair in her office. She had just finished dealing with the mountain of paperwork and reports on her desk and was on her break. On her hands was a piece of brown paper which she stared at with a wholesome smile.

    It was a poem, written in blue ink, her children had written for their loving mother. Her heart filled with joy once she received it. She smiled while reading it over and over again. It described what her children think of her. A strong, busy mother who was finallying back to their lives once more.

    Just then, there was a knock. Kristina instinctively consented, still distracted by the poem. Kant leans into the room.

    "Knight Kristina, may I borrow a few minutes of your time?" he asks calmly. Hearing the prince''s voice put her back to her senses. She lifts her head to respond to Kant.

    "Of course sire." Kristina opens the empty drawer to put the poem in, where she can read it again some other time. Kant walks over and sits down on the wooden chair.

    "What was that? That piece of paper you were holding." Kant asked.

    "That was a poem my children wrote for me. I was just reading it," she said while smiling.

    "I see. Now onto business. Knight Kristina, do you remember about the police force I want to be established?" Kant asks.

    "Oh yes, I do. I have the file stored in the cab after reading it all through multiple times. I just... didn''t have the time to discuss it again." Kristina replies.

    "Well, I am here to inform you that there has been a change of circumstances that has forced my hand to adopt the police sooner than anticipated."

    "What is it sire?" She asks in curiosity.

    "Yesterday I received from Albersterg that he needs my cement. As the cautious man he is, it is unlikely he did it out of the blue. With the rise in demonic activity, I suspect that he might have encountered a sign of a demon wave.

    I do not know what exactly. I have sent a letter asking him on why to get a proper answer. Considering the letter will arrive sometime tomorrow, I think we should prepare, just in case. I would like them to get out in the next month at least." Kant exins. Kristina nods her head.

    "Well, if that is what you desire, then I cannot stop you sire. However, it would mean that we would have to cut out a lot from the original n. Are you going through with it?" She asks.

    "Yes. I am. What do you propose Kristina?" he replies.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Hold on sire." Kristina took out another piece of paper and a quill. She then got up and walked over to the cab. There she took two blue files and brought them back to the table. She opened it and tuned over the multiple pages, looking for something.

    "Here sire. It says that you require police officers to be literate. We might have to axe that. Considering sire wants to have police officers on the streets as fast as possible, cutting the requirement would save a lot of time.

    however..." She turns the pages of a file and points at a section of the pages.

    "...it would mean that we would have to cut out the ''detective'' role. Though I understand its purpose, and that it could reduce crime rate and catch wanted criminals, implementing such an idea would take a long time that we might not have."

    "That is fine. I can sacrifice it for now. We can add it back in the future when the time calls for it." With that answer, she writes it down on the piece of paper, in her beautiful cursive handwriting.

    "There is also the point of filing cases. Instead of its building, I propose that we can just handle any criminal cases over to the police. That way we can use the knight hall''s infrastructure to help it along."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Kant thought of it. He didn''t like the knight hall. For he suspected that it was gued with corruption. He can see the signs. He just didn''t know how much. However, in the end, he yielded to the request made. It wasn''t like the knights were going to do it anyway.

    "As long as they don''t get rewarded in mary terms like the knights. Then I am fine."

    "But what would incentivize them instead?" she asked.

    "The more work they do, likepleting the requests and such, the higher the chance their wage rate increases. It would be more suitable for them." Kant replied.

    "Alright then. Moving on... One final change regarding the uniforms and equipment."

    "That is?"

    "The uniform you have stated was ''A ck shirt made of woolpromising a white armband, ck pants and calfskin shoes.'' and the equipment being a ''nightstick, one set of handcuffs, a small notebook to write, and a whistle.''

    Considering that we won''t be teaching them to read or write, we should cut the notebook with a pencil. Should I take out the whistle as well?"

    "Yes, I do think so. It is unlikely that anyone will pretend to be the police. They know it would get them in trouble."

    "Alright then, what about the handcuffs?"

    "Take it off as well. Rece it with some rope. It is much cheaper, and a lot faster to equip."

    "And that is it. These reforms, however, would mean that the police force that sire wants to set up would be mostly just a city patrol. Are you sure you want to continue?"

    "As I said, I am prioritizing speed over here."

    "When should I start recruiting?"

    "As soon as the police headquarters is made. I am thinking of refurnishing a building to act as the headquarters. Currently, it is undecided which specifically, but I prefer an area near the knight hall."

    "Alright sire."

    ...

    Kant walks to his office and sits on this swivel chair with a nk expression. He stayed like then for a good minute until he took out his small book, grabbed a quill with ink, and flipped to the notes section.

    There, on the pages, he wrote something in ck ink. After putting the book back into his pocket, he dragged the typewriter closer to him and continued typing on the piece of paper. It was part of the Patent act that Kant wanted to implement in theing weeks. Kant continued typing on the typewriter until Decan arrives with the blueprints of the school.

 Chapter 34 Change Of School Plans

    ?For the past week and a half, Decan had been constructing a blueprint for Kant for building a school to teach. He had taken the pictures Kant had given him toe up with the overall look of the building. He had managed toplete the blueprint just in time and was ready to go on the 29th.

    Decan Hurst arrived at the pce gates holding a brown satchel bag. He informs the knights of the purpose of his visit, that being to discuss with the prince the blueprint of the school. The knights have been informed of his arrival, and open the gates for him. There he is led to the door where Kant resided in.

    They knocked on the door and informed him of Decan. Kant allowed him toe in. Kant''s office was dead silent, except for the sound of the typewriter at work, with its mechanical key clicks, to the stamping of the letters on the coffee brown paper. He appeared to be writing something. He takes out the piece of paper he was typing on, stacks it on top of another written paper, and hides it in a drawer.

    "Good afternoon Mr. Hurst. Please, take a seat."

    Decanplied.

    "Now, I assume you havepleted the blueprint of the school?"

    "Yes sire. I have." He opens his satchel bag. He takes out the blueprint, which was on arge rolled-up brown paper, that he had in his bag. Decan ced it down on the table and unraveled it. He had used a pencil to draw the ns, as it was easier to fix mistakes. The building itself featured 4 stories total, all with the rooms Kant had ordered, with the walls being fitted with the expensive heat instor to keep everyone warm in the winter.

    The architecture itself, both interior and exterior, had the aesthetics of Art Deco, being simplistic, sleek, symmetrical, and unvaried repetition of elements, while also conforming to the technological levels the world stood in.

    On the exterior, instead of having ss windows, he reced them with wooden shutter bar windows that were intended to be open in the spring, and autumn to bring in as much light as possible. During the winter, when the windows have to be closed, most light wille from amp on the ceiling of every room.

    On the interior side, along with a ssmp, the white walls and columns all hadrge ck arc patterns painted on them. The floor was made of wooden nks, all lined up like an arrowhead, also inspired by the pictures Kant had given earlier.

    "Well, I am very impressed with this drawing. However, I would like to make some changes regarding a few aspects of it."

    "Go on sire."

    "First of all are the wall patterns. It seems a bit too excessive. I would like that switched and constrained to the lower part of the walls. Maybe this pattern instead would do?" Kant drew what he talked about; An upside-down Y all connected by their ends to form a simple yet beautiful pattern.

    "Alright sire. That could be done." Decan replied.

    "Wonderful. The next request would be to reduce the stories from 5 to 3."

    Decan''s eyebrows raised in surprise. He got curious as to why he wanted to do such an action. Especially given the speech he gave to him at his previous meeting.

    "Why is that sire?" he asked politely. Kant was silent for a few seconds, clearly thinking.

    "There has been a shift in priorities. Albersterg now wants to import the product I wanted to promote with this building. Now they are interested in purchasing it, there is no reason for me to go higher. Besides, I would like for the building to finish construction a lot sooner than anticipated."

    "Oh alright sire."

    "Now before I make my next request, there is a question I would like to ask you."

    "Ask away sire."

    "What are the other alternative heating methods rather than insted stering?"

    Decan knew what it meant. Kant was seeing whether it was economical to remove the insted stering.

    "There always is a firece, but that would require burning wood and adding some chimneys. It won''t look good, on the building, and the pce finances."

    "How long would it take to implement one?"

    "A lot slower than the ster sire. They both have the same effect."

    "Are there any other alternatives?"

    "I don''t think so sire. No."

    Kant leaned back and thought for a minute. The room entered a silence as Decan patiently waited for an answer.

    "Then that is about it I think. These are my requests."

    "If so then consider them done by today."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Good. Considering the new building ns, how fast would we be able to build the school?"

    Decan thought for a minute. He originally estimated that it would take 3 to 4 months for a building this size to bepleted, at least from what he heard of the cement. As the building lose an extra story, he estimated that it could be finished building in...

    "2 to 3 months. I would like to add that this is what I consider to be the most likely oue. We might be able to build it a lot faster."

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Does your industry practice the division ofbor?"

    "Division ofbor?" Decan asked.

    "Yes. The division ofbor is the separation of a work process into several tasks. Each task is performed by either a separate person or a group. Let''s say one passes over the bricks, another makes the cement, and anotheryers the bricks. Like so."

    Decan thought of the idea. However, he needed some examples regarding its effectiveness.

    "Do you have any examples of it working?"

    "Yes. We practice the division ofbor in the cement factory. It was the reason why it was able to produce 20 tons per day. We should test whether it would work in construction." Kant replied.

    "If that is the case, then we might be able to build it even quicker. However I have not seen it in action, so I would have to find out with my own eyes."

    "Do you have a guess?"

    "I don''t know sire. Maybe at least 2 or 3 and a half months. We would have to see. When should construction start sire?"

    Kant leaned back on his chair. He held his hand together and moved it to his mouth. It took Kant a few minutes to think and respond.

    "When can you make the changes?"

    "I can do it now sire. It won''t take long."

    "Should we finish it together then? When we receive our final product it is when I think I could make the right decision."

    Decan agreed. The two went over for some time changing the blueprint to suit their needs. In the end, the blueprint ends up featuring a 3 story building, with wooden shutter windows, painted in white.

    "When do you rmend we start construction, Mr. Hurst?" Kant asked.

    "I think... we can start construction on the 5th, about 7 days from now," Decan replied with a certain face.

    "5th of Asinus then," Kant replied when he saw Decan''s face of certainty.

    ...

    Arjun sat in his office, getting the next batch of disputes for Kant to settle. It was at this moment that he received a knock on the door. When the door opened, he was surprised to see Kristina walk in.

    "Arjun, we have a problem."

    "What is it?"

    "It''s his majesty. He is diagnosed with mana fever." Arjun froze when his ears picked up what she told him. His majesty? With mana-fever?

    "I just received the letter. Her Majesty says that he will have to remain in Nexert for another two months. His majesty is currently undergoing treatment, but it would take the next month to see whether it is effective."

    "Anything else?"

    "Yes. She instructs us to keep an eye on Kant. Make sure that he does NOT learn of his majesty''s disease."

    "I understand," Arjun replies with a nod.

 Chapter 35 Rose Learns

    ?The moonlight shined through the window of the castle. Rose, with her messy hair and in her pink nightgown, was reading a book before she went to sleep. There was a sudden knock on the door. ''Who dare disturb me now?'' she thought to herself.

    She turned on thenterns with a fire spell and consented. Yet, nobody came in. Frustrated, she reluctantly got off her cozy warm bed to walk over to the door to see who it was. There was nobody present, it appears they have gone far away. It was only after she closed the door, Rose noticed an envelope on her side of the room.

    ''They must have slid it under.''

    Rose picks up the envelope and walks over to a table to read it. As she looks closer, it appeared to have been carried over by a messenger pigeon. Rose opens it up to find a letter from Albersterg, informing her about a pierrevol attack in their city. After she read the letter, she put it back on her table, ced a small mirror to keep it in ce, and went to sleep.

    ''I will discuss with the assistant minister tomorrow.'' she thought.

    ...

    Rose was sitting in her white office chair, properly awake and prepared, waiting for the assistant minister. Shebed her hair a bit more to be sure it looked good along with the blue royal gown she picked to wear today.

    *Knock Knock Knock*

    "Come in." She responded after cing her brush in the drawer. Nathan entered the office, all dressed in a fancy red suit, with yellow buttons, gold linings, and a yellow neckerchief. He knelt in front of her before greeting her.

    "You summoned me your majesty?" he asked.

    "You look rather good Nathan. Is that the reason why it looks you long?" Rose asked.

    "Why yes my queen. I thought I rather try something new. If your majesty desires, I could return to my normal attire if you wish."

    "No no. I think it looks good on you." She responds.

    Rose then took the letter and handed it over to Nathan. He read the letter detailing the pierrevol attack, what time it urred, the mana stone it contained, the casualties inflicted, and much more little, but useful, details.

    "A lone demonic attack. A powerful one too." Rose told Nathan.

    "What do you think Minister?" Nathan continues to observe the letter. Rose assumed that he was gathering all he could to give her his opinion on the matter,

    "A pierrevol is noughing matter, your highness. The sight of these rare demons would mean that they are nning something. I advise that your majesty should stay rmed, and start training the knights as soon as possible."

    Rose sighed. "That old bastard seemed to be right about something," Rose mutters under her breath. She regrets not informing her knights to start training earlier. Maybe that old hag knew what he was saying after all.

    "Do not me yourself, your majesty. There had been multiple false rms from what the pope had told us. Besides, this would allow us to nder them further."

    "I guess that is correct. But please do inform the knightmander of the situation. We need to start training the knights harder for uing battles."

    "That I will do, your majesty. But before that, there is something I need to inform you." Nathan replied. From his pocket, he took out a letter and gave it to Queen Rose.

    "The two teachers that told me they were resigning from their lucrative job had moved up north. They are currently in hiding, with the support of the rival families.

    They might want to use them to teach their children away from the academy. We got tipped off by some anonymous man. We found letters multiple letters the teachers exchanged with the rival families."

    Rose put down the letter after reading it.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Do we currently know a hint of their location?"

    "Unfortunately no. However, they are suspected to be hiding either in Hernfur, Trinoco, or Oulem. All small cities with less than 400 knights. We are not sure they are staying together or separated, but most likely separated not to put all their eggs in one basket."

    "Well, I think you should put someone to investigate them. How are their children doing? Is there any sess in that area?"

    "It is going well. However, we are having a hard time with the Maybale sisters. Their connection as twin sisters seems near unbreakable. Although..."

    "What is it?" Rose leaned forward.

    "Princess Sofia has submitted a request to practice with Prince Friedrich, from the Kingdom of Mande. Princess Lisa on the other hand seems to resent him.

    We can inform the Mercia family of this new connection. They might be able to pressure Friedrich to influence the child, like what we have done with Edward." Nathan suggested.

    "That is a very good Minister. Thank you for the advice. Before you go, I have a request for you." Rose replied.

    "What is it, your highness?"

    "I will be writing a lot of letters to inform the rest of the continent of this encounter. I need you to send it over to the other kingdoms when I am done. It will ensure the peace of the continent for some time."

    "When will they be ready?" he asks.

    "By the end of the day," she replies.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "I understand your highness," Nathan says and leaves the room.

    ...

    Kant finally finished the bill. Kant opened up his office window to take a look as he waited for Arjun. He looked onward to the city that he ruled over, admiring the beauty of theplex habitat. It was then when a knock came on the door where he entered the office. Arjun informed Kant that a message had arrived from Albersterg.

    He took the envelope and opened up the letter. Arjun waited as Kant read the letter. He had not opened the letter himself, instead bringing it to Kant to read as he requested it.

    "The letter details a pierrevol attack on their city. It seems to be the cause for King Heinrich''s decision."

    "A lone pierrevol attack?" Arjun said out in shock.

    "Yes, that is correct. It would be wise to inform Kristina about the situation. Have the knights train for the immediate future." He takes out a file and hands it over to Arjun.

    "In regards to the Private Corporation Act of 5018 and Public Patent Filing Act of 5018, I order the renovation of two buildings to be used to be prepared and start recruitment of workers who are capable of working for the two registrars.

    The same goes for the police headquarters that we have chosen. Have knightmander Kristina start recruiting officers immediately. I will instruct them on what she needs to do afterward.

    Other than that, do inform the kitchen to prepare the dough for pizza tomorrow. I am sure our guest would be delighted." Kant requested. Arjun simply nods and leaves. After a few minutes, Kant looks back at the letter and smiles.

 Chapter 36 A Man Named Marco

    ?"That''s what he said," Arjun replies as he stood in front of Kristina from the other side of the table.

    "And he did not freak out?" Kristina asks.

    "Nope. He kept calm and made a decision quickly."

    "So it is fair to say that her majesty is wrong?"

    Arjun nods. "It seems so."

    "Should we write a letter? Asking them for permission?" Kristina asked.

    "It would be best."

    "I will write down a letter then. Can you send it to his majesty as soon as possible." she requests.

    "When will it be ready?"

    "By the end of the day perhaps?"

    "Alright then. Can do."

    ...

    As the sun rose, Richard woke up alongside his wife, a blonde-haired housewife with deep brown eyes like her husband, a small straight nose, and a round face. They first got off cleaning their teeth. Their family in particr practiced rubbing their teeth with a fine powder made out of sage and salt, stamped and baked. It got rid of the yellowness of their teeth.

    The family got around to the table, where Mia had already prepared their breakfast around 12 to 1 am. It mostly contained dried bread, vegetables, cheese, and dried fish that had a salty taste, with either a cup of water or beer to drink. Today was a beer!

    "Are you going to do what sire had told you?" Mia asked in her feminine voice as she served out the food.

    "As I told you, sire promised us that he would allow us to sell any extra food that the farm makes. We can earn a little more money if we do. It could mean we can buy some better tools, the things have all gone a lot rusty, and donate the rest to church." Richard replied.

    "Have your friends talked about this?" she asked.

    "Yes, I talked to them. They said that they also want in as well." Richard replied.

    "Father, when can I join you in the fields?" asked a small ck-haired boy at the age of 5.

    "You can in next year. You seem to be more enthusiastic about it. Unlike your oldest brother here." Richard pointed to the 14-year-old blond boy who was quietly eating his food with a wooden fork in his right hand. Marco turned to his father, ready to speak his mind.

    "This young man right here only got working 3 years ago. I didn''t even know how I let you get away for so long," he remarked.

    "I honestly would rather be a merchant instead," he remarked.

    "Money is a sin, my child. Didn''t you learn that from church?" Mia said.

    "But isn''t money the whole reason why we do anything?" he rebutted. Richard was starting to get angry. Mia saw it grow on his face and decides to end the topic.

    "Silence! We will not talk about that matter any further. Let us focus on eating what god had presented us." Mia says.

    "But..."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "No buts Marco. Now eat your food. You are going to need it.

    ...

    The sun was now directly above the farmers, who had been working for 4 long hours implementing Kant''s four-field system. Tired, sweaty, and dirty, they all collectively decided that they needed a good long break before going back to work. Marco dropped his dull iron hoe on the ground and walked over to a small tree.

    The tree provided shade to rock smooth andfortable, that he felt it was made to be sat upon. On the tree itself, a heart with two names was carved out of it. He sat down and took out his bottle to drink.

    It was when he was drinking, two smooth pairs of hands closed his eyes.

    "Guess who?" a cute voice said. Marco simply smiled.

    "Hmm... I wonder who it could be. Could it be Jordie? No, wait! Is that you Linda?." Marco teased. She then took her arms then hugged Marco from behind.

    "How is it going to Cassie?" he asked. Cassie was a young girl about Marco''s age. The woman had ck hair tied up in a long ponytail, eyes the color of the blue sky above, and a smile that charmed anyone.

    She wore a brown hemp gown like the rest, but with a rare blue kerchief on her head that she got for her birthday. Cassie looked to be sweating and exhausted, just like Marco.

    "So what were you up to?" Marco asked.

    "I was carrying buckets of water from the well to my mother. She needs help with cleaning our clothes and all. What were you doing?"

    "Same as usual, farming. However this time, my father is implementing a new crop rotation that Sire Kant himself had ordered." Marco responded. Cassie wondered what it was.

    "Oh? Can you tell me about it?"

    "Yea sure. It''s called the four fields crop rotation. Instead of having three fields, we are having four separate fields. The Sire wants to reduce fallownds, and increase production."

    "Isn''t that risky? How did he manage to convince them?"

    "Ironically, he offered that the extra amount of food produced can be sold by the farmers themselves, and won''t be taxed by the pce."

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "If that is so, that truly is ironic," Cassie said. Marco looked at the fields. Several thoughts hade to mind. Cassie noticed that Marco was daydreaming again, and decides to interrupt.

    "Still dreaming of bing a merchant? Sell spices, and acquire riches?" she asks.

    "Yea. I still do." He responded honestly.

    "Of course, you would. Ever since you met that man you dream of moving to the inner city, and I don''t understand why you would."

    "What do you mean?" Marco asked.

    "Look around you! Why would you want to leave? This ce is nice and all. We have a beautifulndscape, with a wonderful family, and lots of space! You won''t get that if you be a merchant in the city." she replies.

    "That is true. But that had been my dream for a while. Though I don''t currently have the skills yet to be one, nor do I have the money to move to the city. So I decided that I remain here for the foreseeable future." he said. Marco then got closer to her ear to whisper something.

    "Besides. there is someone here that you want to take with you?" she whispers. Cassie hides her face blushing a bright pink while Marco chuckled.

    "Anyways, I got to get back. I need to bring this bucket of water to mother. I will see you around, Marco." she says, and leaves the site under the tree. Marco smiles and decides that he should also get back.

 Chapter 37 Meeting Oswald (1)

    ?The horse carriage stops in front of the pce gates. A man walks out of it and approaches the knights. He is one of the several merchants that hade over to discuss business with the Prince, but this man was a peculiar one.

    He wore a violet wool coat, with a trim of fox fur, that ended just above his knees. The leather belt he carried around had a purse attached to it, filled with money he can use to buy whatever he desired. He was primarily bald, with sharp cocoa-brown eyes, and appeared to be in histe 30s.

    "Wee, Mr. Audley. Sire Kant is waiting for you."

    The maid knocked on the door and opened it for Oswald to enter. He was taken aback gazing upon Kant''s appearance for the first time. Kant simply just stood up and politely greeted him into his office, calming him down.

    "Good Afternoon Mr. Audley. Please take a seat," he said pointing to the chair. The maid closed the door, leaving Oswald to walk closer and sit on the chair. He looked around the familiar office and spotted a few strange things.

    On the desk, there was a weird ck mechanical device with a lot of buttons with letters on them. On the top seems to be some white paper, leftpletely nk. There were also two small bricks stuck together with some gray mortar. He assumed that it was the product that Kant had referred to in the letters he was sent.

    "I would like to thank you foring over. Was there any trouble?" Kant asked.

    "No Sire. There wasn''t. I am d I can be here." Oswald replied.

    "Good. Now onto business. On the 12 of Bellum this year, I set up a factory that produces 20 tons of cement every day. Currently, in storage, we have about 380 tons stored, approximately 8,726 bags all weighing 96 pounds.

    On the 28th of this month, the king of Albersterg contacted me about his interest in purchasing 60 tons of cement powder. He is interested in buying them for 215 silver coins at the least.

    My proposal to you, Mr. Oswald, is that I am willing to sell you 60 tons of cement for 170 silver coins. It would lead you with an additional 45 silver coins in gross profit."

    Oswald sat there and thought for a moment. Was what he saying true? He knew King Heinrich. Oswald even visited the city during a business trip. He wasn''t someone to jump on to risk. So why so? Why would he do such a thing?

    Oswald''s eyes turned to the brick stones on the table. He picked it up and started to closely observe it. The hard gray mortar was stiff and hard. He tried to forcefully separate each other, to no sess.

    "Is this the product?" he asks Kant.

    "Yes, it is indeed. It hardens 2 days after applying. The hardened mortar is tested to be stronger and cheaper than the current method of grinding stones." he says. Oswald took it and observed. He was quite impressed by the numbers. But there was one thing that he wanted to know before he jumped right in.

    "Do you see any possible way for your product to be more... popr among the other kingdoms?" Oswald asks. Kant smiles at his question. He pulls out his drawer, picks out a rolled piece of white paper, and hands it over to Oswald.

    He unravels the piece of paper to take a look. As soon as nced at it, his eyebrows raised in surprise. The paper itself contained a table and a graph, showing the monthly demonic sightings over the past two years, and there was a clear trajectory up.

    Oswald did not expect Kant to share such information with him. But was d that he did. He can now see the good reasons why the future of cement be bright. This caused some greedy thoughts and ideas toe over to his head. Oswald ced the piece of paper down and turned back to Kant.

    "Well sire. This is fairly more than enough evidence for the bright future of cement. I am willing to ept your request for the purchase. However, there is one question I would like to ask of you."

    "What is your question?" Kant asks.

    "Are you interested in selling the cement factory to some third party?" Oswald asked. The room enters a silence as Oswald patiently waits for an answer from Kant.

    "I do have an interest in selling off its shares," Kant replied.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Shares?" Oswald asked.

    "There is a new piece of legition. We can talk about it in the dining room. I assume you are hungry?" Oswald smiled. He was getting a little hungry, and his letter DID say that Kant would treat him to something good.

    They made their way to the dining room. Oswald sees that the dining room had not changed much. There was a long dark oak table in the middle and a chandelier above. The table top was covered in a daisy white cloth, which separated the candleholders with candles, and ceramic white tes all lined up together with their silverware from touching the wood.

    The two decided to sit in opposite areas to each other. Though it was not too far away, as they could pass along anything they desired by themselves. Oswald waited for what Kant had stored. The maid arrived with a weird dish the likes of which that Oswald had not seen before.

    The dish itself was t and round, most likely made out of dough, cut into multiple slices. On the top was ayer of tomato sauce, cheese, and basil. A slice was ced on Oswald and Kant''s te by the maids.

    He picked up his knife to cut the tip of the slice off. He then used the fork to grab the piece and put it in his mouth. As he chew, he got a taste of this delicious, yet unique vor he never had experienced before.

    "I call this dish ''Pizza''. I specifically made this for this moment." Kant said.

    "Anyways, the new piece of legition I was referring to is the Private Corporation Act of 5018. The idea is to allow anyone to form a legal entity to limit liability, and protect the owner''s finances."

    Oswald''s eyes lit up in excitement when he heard what Kant said. He pinched himself to see whether he was in a dream; he was not. He opened his mouth yet could not mutter a single word.

    "I also have another piece of legition. It would allow anyone to apply for and gain patents. I hope to use it to release more of my other inventions, that could help boost productivity."

    "Like the cement?"

    "Yes, exactly. It would mean that you would have more products to sell and make even more profit. Take the pizza for example." he said. Oswald just sat there and thought for a moment.

    "Though if you are interested in taking over the cement factory. I do have a piece of advice for you regarding the manufacturing process."

    "That is sire?"

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "First is to apply specialization and the division ofbor." Kant went on to exin to Oswald what he meant by the terms specialization and division ofbor. Oswald thought the information to be insightful.

    "Has sire applied the idea to the cement factory?"

    "Exactly. It is what allows it to produce as much cement powder as it can, even with the workers beings around 31."

    "Well, I will take that into ount then sire. Do you have any other advice you can give me?" he asked.

    "A lot Mr. Oswald. However, this will take some time for me to exin. Do you mind?" Kant asks.

    "No. Not at all."

 Chapter 38 Meeting Oswald (2)

    ?"Another piece of advice I would like to give you is regarding worker hours. I advise you to have them work 5 days per week. 8 hours a day." Kant said.

    "5 days a week?" he asks. Oswald takes another small piece of pizza he cut into his mouth.

    "Yes. You can convince them by offering higher wages overall. Money has been proved to be a great incentive for people to act in specific ways." Oswald gulps his slice.

    "I certainly agree about that statement sire."

    "With people working more,pounded with specialization and division ofbor, a factory will be able to produce far more, and reach economies of scale," Kant replied.

    "I beg your pardon sire?" Oswald asked before taking another bite.

    "Economies of scale are where the average costs per unit of output decrease with the increase in the output being produced in a factory, workshop, or any other location. The more you produce, the cheaper each product made will be.

    This will give you an advantage over other products, which will have the same quality as your theoretical product while being cheaper. The result would be obvious to you then. I have evidence to back this up." Kant replied. He takes out a piece of rolled paper in his suit and hands it over to Oswald.

    Oswald opened it up to find a chart. It showed each cost of 1 bag of cement with the amount quantity produced. The graph showed Oswald that there was a great decrease in cost per unit, though it did slow down as it continued.

    "I will ept this answer," he replied after he swallowed.

    "Previously you said something about working 5 days a week. Can you please borate further on that statement?" Oswald asks Kant.

    "The worker should work on the first two days of the week, a full day break on Ducesore, then another three workdays with the final day of the week as another break."

    "What is the purpose of those breaks? Wouldn''t it be better if I just give a one-day break, or even no breaks while offering even higher wages?" Oswald asks.

    "Two reasons. The first in which for the workers to be able to use the wages they earned to buy goods. It gives time for a consumer base to use their money, which they will on what is likely to be the cheapest product assuming the quality is the same, as yours.

    The second is for them to boost productivity. Exhausted workers would not produce as much as well-rested workers, which is why there are two separate breaks for them. That is its purpose." Oswald smiled at what Kant had told him.

    "Thank you for the advice sire, I dly appreciate it. Though I sense a problem."

    "What would that be Mr. Oswald?"

    "The church themselves won''t find your ideas to be... moral. The incentive provided being money is something the church views as spending the least of. With the people being overwhelmingly religious, do you have any counters to that?" Oswald asks.

    "Currently I am undergoing construction of schools to educate the poption to read and write. In these schools. I intend to use these schools, a ce of learning, to tarnish the distrust of money from the public conscious."

    "Will it involve attacking the church themselves?"

    "No. It would rather look like a reinterpretation of their words. It would not be shrewd to go against such arge institution. Is my answer satisfactory?" Kant said.

    "For now, yes," Oswald replies.

    "Is that all you want Mr. Oswald?"

    "No... That''s not all. Do have any ns for the future of the city? It would be a shame if someone as intelligent as yourselfck the ambition to grow this city. " Oswald asks. Kant smiled at hispliment.

    "There is multiple yes. My main focus however would be the economic system," he replied. Oswald sat straight on his chair to concentrate on what Kant was about to say.

    "In our current economic model, there is not much room for social mobility. If a person is born to, say a farmer, then that person is most likely to be a farmer. Even if he is better off working in some other area of the economy, most people won''t because they can''t. Since most people in the city are farmers, the chances a potential genius is wasting his life is a reality.

    That is why I believe the current economic reality that I consider a waste of human resources."

    "Does sire have any ideas on how you could fix this problem you see?"

    "Yes. I hope to break down barriers to economic freedom, industrialize the city, and shift toward from the feudalistic economy to a free market capitalist economy."

    "Can you borate on the terms sire? I don''t quite understand." Oswald asks.

    "Industrialization is just moving away from agriculture to anything else, be manufacturing, services, or such except hunting and gathering.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    A free market capitalist economy is when the prices are determined by unrestrictedpetition between privately owned businesses and when trade and industry are controlled by private owners with the motivation for profit, rather than by the state.

    Did I make myself clear?"

    "Yes, sire you did. I would like to hear more sire."

    "There are multiple pirs that will support the transition. First is specialization and the division ofbor, which you have already heard. The second is the corporate registrar and patent registrar I am currently setting up and the third is the establishment of a more fair and robust legal system that protects the economic freedom of the individual. Do you have any questions?"

    "Yes, many. First of all, why would you go for what you call a market economy? Though it does sound... wonderful. Won''t it hurt your power? Won''t private individuals be more powerful themselves that could hinder their interests?" Oswald asked

    "For any normal person to enter a wealthy position like yourself, they would have had to work hard to give everyone something they wanted. It depends on their skills, talents, intelligence, and so on. People like that ultimately make the society and nation stronger and better than before.

    Currently, there are a lot of barriers for anyone to do what they please economically. What I want is to break down those barriers for those intelligent groups of people hidden in society to rise. Of course, there will be other factors at y like luck, and some will y dirty, but that is where government interventiones in.

    My job as the head of government would be to level the ying field so there is as little of an advantage against anyone else. I am there to break up any monopolies or cartels that would hike up prices to make more profit, or makews ouwing certain practices because that hurts my interests.

    With the industrialization of the city, I hope to grow the wealth of everybody, which would help me in maintaining the city and even expand its influence." he said.

    "Do you have any questions?" Kant asked.

    "Ye,s I do," Oswald replied.

    "By all means then, proceed."

    "You mentioned that you wanted to move the economy away from agriculture towards... anything else. But if there isn''t a sufficient amount of farmers, how will the food be produced to feed the city?"

    "Two methods. First is the use of more efficient methods likefour-fieldd farming, which I have already instructed the farmers to do so. The second is to substitutebor with advanced machinery that I want to be invented." Kant replied.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Advanced machinery?"

    "Specifically machinery that would specialize in a certain task of a manufacturing process of a good. This would make the process of doing a certain task a lot easier. Take textiles for example. Machinery capable of churning out more yarn at a faster rate would increase its productivity of it. Therefore, thanks to economies of scale, cheaper to produce."

    "You seem to have a lot of knowledge regarding this field. Who was your teacher."

    "An old friend of mine named Martin told me. God bless his soul... So do we have a deal?" Kant asked.

    "I beg your pardon sire?"

    "Regarding the cement. You have currently not epted nor declined in purchasing 60 tons of cement for 175 silver coins."

    "Of course. I ept sire." Kant smiled.

    "When will the shipment be delivered?"

    "When will I receive the product?"

    "The day after tomorrow. On the 2nd of Asinus. Morning."

    "Assuming that I departed in the morning, I will be able to deliver it on around the 9th evening. It would take about a week at most." Oswald replied.

    "Good. I would also like to ask you a favor."

    "That is sire?"

    "Spread the word about what I talked about. I need all the support I need."

    Oswald smiled. "I understand sire."

 Chapter 39 Finding A Job

    ?The sun shined bright on the fair face of a man that helped him to get up. He opened his eyes, revealing his ice-blue pupils. He got off the bed alongside a woman who had the same color brown hair as he got. They both got and first went to clean their teeth by rubbing their teeth and gum with a gray paste on a linen cloth.

    Breakfast had already been prepared by the woman. They both sat down and quietly ate their food. They had about a loaf of bread to share, a few vegetables, and 4 slices of cheese, lower than before that before.

    "Should I buy some for tomorrow? You don''t look rather pleased." the man asks.

    "Maybe another time honey," she replied.

    When it was over, the woman picked up the wooden tes to clean them of their filth with water and soap, while the man went over to dress up in his old dusty clothes; being a ck wool coat going down to his knees alongside a leather belt with a pouch with barely any coins, hemp leggings, and a pair old calfskin leather shoes.

    Before he went out, he walked and stood just behind the woman. Noticing the man''s close presence with her sharp brown eyes, she kissed him on the cheek.

    "Good luck honey. Stay safe out there," she said.

    "I will." The man smiled and left the apartment through the door.

    He walked outside the building 3 stories into a narrow street. He turned left to get to the main street where shopkeepers, small andrge, were all starting to open up their shops and stores. The man walked over to them all one by one, asking for some work.

    Yet as the day progressed, more and more people rejected him. He got evermore desperate, and even offered to work for free, yet no luck. The man was getting more and more hopeless as the day continued.

    As he was walking, he came across one particr building. It was made of ground stone painted in white, standing three stories high. It had used ss windows and curtains to hide some of whatever was inside.

    He turned his head up, eyes fixed on the top building where he can see a man in a suit of armor happily drinking with a beautiful woman standing next to him. The man frowned at the very sight of what his eyes told. Before he continued walking, someone grabbed his shoulder.

    He turned around to bind a middle-aged woman, with ck hair, and brown eyes wearing a suit of armor the knights wore, carrying a rather long sword sheathed in a leather scabbard.

    "What are you looking at citizen?" she asked the man, staring him intensely in his eyes.

    "Oh... nothing. I am just looking for a job. That is all." he replied quickly. She further inspected the man and scoffed.

    "Do you expect to be a knight? What a joke. You would be better off joining the police department." she replied.

    "Police department?" he asked in confusion.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "It is this new force to deter crime that the pce is setting up. Suits people of your caliber more."

    "How much do they pay?"

    "2 silver coins a month, Are you interested?" she replied.

    "Where can I join?" he immediately asked upon hearing the wage presented. She was taken aback a little by this enthusiasm, but kept calm dealing with the man."

    "You are supposed to join in the police headquarters. However as it is not finished yet, you can submit your name to the knight hall," she replied.

    "Thank you," he replied. After the woman left, he turned his face on the building, looked up, and pointed his middle finger for a second, then walked away.

    ...

    The woman continues sweeping the floor as she sweats from work. The wooden tes have been cleaned, the clothes firmly washed, and the bed properly made. She ced the broom down and sat on the dining chair, drinking a cup of water from a wooden cup.

    Her ear then picked up the sound of the door creaking open can be heard downstairs. The man had arrived back home holding a joyous smile on his face. The woman who he slept with noticed his unusually bright mood and the items he was holding.

    "How did it go honey? You found a job?" she asks.

    "I think I might have darling. The pce is setting up some sort of new knights. Policemen, I think they are calling, and are looking for people to hire. I have just managed to submit my request for hire." he said enthusiastically.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "The pce? You didn''t have any problems?"

    "No, I didn''t. They seem to be very epting."

    "Do you know how much they pay?" She questions.

    "2 silver coins a month! Can you believe it, honey? We won''t have to scrape by next month! I should have expected the pce to pay high." he replied in joy.

    "That high? What in heavens will you be even doing? How many days will you be working?" she asked.

    "3 in the first week and 4 days the next. Somedays they might call me in for an emergency and give me a day breakter. I am supposed to be like a knight that stops thieves, murders, and such." He replied.

    "Will they give you a weapon? What if you encounter someone strong and dangerous? What will you do then?" she berated him with dozens of questions.

    "Honey! Honey! Calm down. Breath." he said. She took her husband''s advice. He let out a few deep breaths, before asking one question.

    "Will you be alright?" she asked.

    "Yes. Yes, I will."

    ...

    The sun turned orange as it sets on the city of Hoverdam once more. Kristina had been in her office the whole day, looking at the multiple resumes ced on her table. There were very few that had been submitted, yet it was a good start.

    She was stuck with one particr resume, however. A man that went by the name of Ridge Myers. Conflicted about whether she should hire him or not, she called for Kant himself to decide.

    "Is there a problem with Mr. Myers?"

    "Well sire, he had been caught in a... heinous crime," she replies.

    "That is?"

    "He was rumored to be selling opium off to the city alongside others."

    "When did this take ce?" Kant questions.

    "About 2 years ago. The ims came from his twin brother after he found opium in one of his shipments. Although we couldn''t find any evidence for his involvement, I do not rmend him sire." she replied.

    "What has he done since?"

    "Mr. Ridge states that he had tried to find normal work. I got a knight to go investigate immediately and what found out was his statement was indeed urate."

    "Then hire him," Kant replied. Kristina sat in silence, processing what she heard.

    "What?" she asked.

    "You stated that he was ''imed'' to have been selling drugs, not found or caught being involved. Therefore as I see it, he is innocent of any crime. Add that to the fact that he is literate, his skills would be useful in the long term."

    "You are taking a huge risk here sire. Are you sure?" she asked.

    "A risk I am willing to make," Kant responds.

 Chapter 40 Target Practice

    ?Waking up first in the morning ahead of Lisa, Sofia goes down to take a bath for the day, using a scented rose soap. She picks out a ck training uniform and heads. She first tends to her garden she maintains, watering somes, then go out to meet Friedrich.

    When she arrived at the training arena, she found it to be devoid of life, with none of the targets set up. She appeared to have arrived earlier than expected and decided to try out some things first.

    She starts by first setting up the target practices for them to shoot at. There were many in the storage room nearby. She grabbed two of them at a time, setting them up in a horizontal line. After she had done cing about ten, Sofia backed away to gain some distance.

    She reached out her left hand and cast a spell. A ball of the earth starts to form, ready for her to shoot. She aims for the 3rd target to the right, and fires. The rocks whooshed in the air, hitting their target on the spot. Sofia smiled at the aplishment.

    She then took a deep breath. Still holding out her hand, she conjures a water ball. Concentrating hard, she moved on to the fourth target and fired at it. Before it could even make it halfway through, the water ball disintegrates to steam from how fast it went.

    "Having trouble with a water spell Princess Sofia?" someone from behind asked. It was a voice familiar to Sofia. She turned her head around to see Friedrich in the distance, wearing his ck practice uniform, walking towards her.

    "Prince Friedrich! You startled me for a second. When did you make your way to the training arena?" she asked.

    "I just arrived as you cast the earth spell. It was fine, to say the least. Though I was left disappointed by the water spell. Do you require any assistance?"

    "Why yes Prince Friedrich. I do. My water balls just don''t seem to hold together. They crumble before they reached their target." she replied truthfully.

    "Can you cast it again? I want to see it properly."

    "As you wish. Do you want me to spell out the incantation?"

    "If it is easier, then sure."

    Sofia held out her hand again and aims again at the 4th target. Concentrated, she spelled out the incantation.

    "O¨´est leau."

    The ball yet again fractured to steam. Friedrich stood there with his right hand on his chin, clearly thinking.

    "Try to concentrate harder on the ball itself," he replied.

    "I beg your pardon?" Sofia asked.

    "You were concentrating on the target itself, correct?"

    "Yes, I was. Is there a problem?"

    "There is. Concentrating on the target means that the balls are more likely to break up faster. Here, I will show you." Friedrich held out his right hand and conjured a water ball. He turns his head to Sofia.

    "First you conjure the water ball like this. You focus on putting your mana into the ball itself when concentrating on it. Only afterward, you fire the ball at your target."

    He turned his head towards the target and fired. The water ball had managed to keep itself together this time and hit the target.

    "You will get better the more you practice. It took me a few months to achieve this."

    "Alright then. I will test out your method." Sofia held out her right hand this time, mimicking Friedrich''s movement. She muttered the spell under her breath. A waterfall appeared in front of her hand.

    After a little time, she aimed at the middle target and fired. This time it went halfway before it splintered to vapor. Sofia was happy with the result, evident because of the smile on her face.

    "How was my spell that time Prince Friedrich," she asked Friedrich.

    "That was pretty good Princess Sofia. Even my first time wasn''t as good as that," he responded, looking genuinely surprised.

    "Thank you, Prince Friedrich."

    "Are there any more spells you have any problem with?"

    "There is the fire spell. Is there any difference between that and the water spell?" Sofia asked.

    "As far as I am aware, not really. Anyways, shall we start our training?" Friedrich asked.

    "Oh yes. Of course, we shall," she replied.

    ...

    The once blue sky had turned orange. Friedrich and Sofia were both sweating and breathing heavily after hours of training. Friedrich turned to Sofia andplimented her.

    "I am astonished at your performance. You looked as if you improved a lot in those few hours."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Thank you, Prince Friedrich. I managed to learn a lot from you as well. It would have taken a good part of my youth to learn to know what I do today. I am truly grateful." she said with a smile.

    "Though there is a question I like to ask," Sofia said.

    "Ask away," he replied.

    "Where did you gain such valuable insight into your knowledge? It certainly does not seem toe from the academy sses," she asked.

    "Oh, I learned them all from my elder brother."

    "Elder brother?"

    "Yes. He taught me in secret every summer what he had learned. I strive to be better every day for him."

    "Howe we never heard of him then?" Sofia asked. Friedrich stayed silent while Sofia stood there waiting for an answer.

    "... he kept it all a secret." he finally said.

    "If you say, you Prince Friedrich."

    "When will we hold the next practice session?" he asked Sofia.

    "I need time to arrange it, Prince Friedrich. I have something else nned for the 4th. I will let you know..." She looked at him and spotted a single piece of the red petal on his hair.

    "Um... Prince Friedrich, you got a flower petal stuck on your hair." she picked up the petal and held it out in the palm of her hand for him to see.

    "Looks to belong to a red tulip flower," Sofia remarked.

    "Oh, it must havee from the garden," Friedrich replied

    "You make visits to the academy''s garden, Prince Friedrich?" Sofia asked in curiosity.

    "No. I was just called there to help out a teacher. Though I would like to get into it."

    "Well coincidentally, I maintain a private garden I received when I arrived at the academy. You could visit anytime you want to."

    "Really?"

    "Yes! You can even help me nt new ones the day after tomorrow. I will even introduce you to some of my friends. They would be delighted to have another pair of helping hands. I promised to make you some friends. Remember?" She replied.

    "I dly ept your offer Sofia," he said while smiling. His heart the inside started beating profoundly at the mistake. Before he could apologize, Sofia simply smiled.

    "You are wee Friedrich," she replied.

    ...

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® Kant sat in his office, writing on a piece of paper. He wrote more recipes that he wanted to make in the future. Just then, the door received a firm knock.

    "Enter."

    Arjun entered the room, holding a stack of papers in his hands.

    "Here is thest batch of disputes for this week sire," he said.

    "How is the registraring along," Kant asked while still looking at the paper on his desk.

    "The registrar has beenpleted sire."

    Kant turned his head to Arjun instantly.

    "Already? And the employees?"

    "All hired. When should I open it?"

    "The day after tomorrow then. Inform of the registrar''s existence to the merchants via notices all over the city. Use the printing press to make the notes."

 Chapter 41 Roses Speech

    ?Below the balcony in which two men in white holdingrge trumpets stood was the city square of Villina, where people gathered together to hear any important announcements from their queen. They were all chanting in support of their Queen.

    The men started to blow their trumpets, silencing the crowd. Once they stopped, therge dual doors opened.

    Rose in a red royal gown with a crown on her head looks over the city of Villina. Therge city featured many stone buildings of white in the distance, with the skyline dominated by a single building. It was a giant cathedral with 2rge towers featuring the church''s cross, being an X. Built around a ssical architectural style, it appeared to look new.

    Behind her was Nathan, in his red suit with golden linings. He hadbed his short brown hair to the right, to make it look good before the people. He first coughed and came forward.

    "All hail her highness Queen Rose Tipo Valline the first!" he walked back behind the queen and let her talk. Before she started her speech, she coughed twice.

    "6 years ago, a great gue ravaged the entire continent, killing untold millions. The gue raged for 2 years, killing everyone it caught. Everyone here can rte to losing a loved one to the gue. Children, wives, husbands, fathers, and... mothers.

    In response, everyone prayed, and pleaded for the lord, to the church to stop this great tragedy, to protect our loved ones from the beast. Yet, our prayers seem to have fallen on the deaf ears the lord.

    The church rationalized it was our fault, that is a divine punishment by god because weren''t faithful enough, and that it was retribution for sins against God such as greed, sphemy, heresy, fornication, and worldliness.

    But we knew better. We had realized that god, our once benevolent protector, has abandoned us, for the priests and the pope who im weren''t faithful were taken away by the very same gue that told was a punishment to non-believers.

    Yet, even without the lord, we built back up. We healed our wounds, built back better without the pope, and found a bit of happiness one more. We had moved on from the tragedy to better ourselves.

    My fellow subjects, Ie here today with an announcement that I never wished to ever announce.

    Over the following months, there had been a great rise in demonic presence over the entire realm attacking and killing our people. Yet, when I showed it to the pope, his ''holiness'', he arrogantly scoffed at the truth, and instead focused on a shiny rock that only glows half the time.

    As a result, my deepest fears havee to fruition.

    A few days ago, I received a letter from the city of Albersterg informing me of a pierrevol, a powerful demon attacking their city. Though it imed lives, they had managed to defend themselves against the threat.

    But let me ask you all a question. Who was it that defend humanity from the demonic threat that has hunted us for millennia?

    Who was it that protected your loved ones from imminent danger and gave you and your family a ce to live?

    Who was it that helped the people in need when the great gue hit?

    It was the royal family, who for millennia had guarded its subjects with its magical power. Not the lord who hides behind the clouds, too afraid to confront us directly.

    So why do we continue praying for a being who had deserted his loyal followers when they needed him the most?<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Why should we give them credit for defending us against the demonic threat, not the hardworking knights?

    Why should we allow the pope, the ambassador to god to exist?

    Why should our greatest marvels continue to be reserved to some deity that disavows his children?"

    The was silence. The mob processed the information with their collective brain, responding violently, ndering the church. Rose held her right hand up, silencing the people.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "My fellow subjects, I am here today not to just make an announcement, but a promise to you all. A promise to build a new world where humanity has ascended past the need for god! We will prove to him that he was never necessary for us, by pushing back the demons once more!

    Just like our ancestors 400 years ago, when they all came together to form an alliance against the demons and usher in an era of peace! This new world starts today!"

    The mod crowd started cheering violently at the end of her speech. Their collective voices travel far away so that nearly the entire city could hear them. Rose smiled at the reaction and went back inside smiling.

    ...

    On top of one of the towers, the pope in his white silk cassock stood on the shiny tiled floor of the cathedral, looking onward to the pce in the distance behind the stained ss on top of one of the towers of the cathedral. He can see the mob of people cheering on the town square for their queen, who had by then finished giving her announcement. Behind him, were the priests and priestesses in their white cassocks made from wool.

    He took a deep breath. He was waiting for someone to return, to inform him what she had spoken, although he could think of what she told. Down below, he saw a man in robesing over to the cathedral on horseback.

    After a few minutes, the man arrived at the top of the cathedral. The pope turned around to face the hooded man, who knelt in his presence.

    "What was it about?" the pope asked. The man exined the entirety of the speech Rose gave to the people for the pope, who kept quiet all the way through. Once he finished, the pope dismissed him, giving him a bag of gold for his troubles.

    "Your holiness, what shall we do now?" asked a priestess. The pope was silent at first. He thought for a little while about what they should do.

    "I need time to think about that. Currently, with the city bing ever more hostile to the church, it is best if we leave as soon as possible."

    "But your holiness, won''t that be dangerous? The queen will not allow for your escape."

    "I know priestess. But our lives will be at greater risk if we continue to remain any longer. Who knows what the queen or an angry mob of people do to us? If they even dare hurt us, the lord will certainly not be kind to humanity afterward."

    "Where shall we go to then your holiness?" asked a priest.

    "We first send a letter to Nexert in secret. Tell them to construct a n to get us out of here. We can get asylum in one of their cities." The pope replied.

 Chapter 42 Kant Report

    ?Malina was dressed in a modest white gown and a church cross ne made of silver, sitting on a dark oak chair near a dark oak door patiently waiting while praying to god with both her hands, holding the cross of the ne. On the other side of the door, was her husband Danial being treated for mana fever.

    He has been there for hours, yet they still haven''te out yet. Though she looked calm on the outside, Malinda grew evermore worried as every minute passed, and started treating the worst-case scenario as fact.

    The door suddenly opened, revealing Jared, a man with long brown hair, coco brown eyes, and fair skin. He was the head mage physician who diagnosed Danial''s illness. Malinda immediately stood up and walked in front.

    "Is he okay, doctor?" she asked. Jared smile.

    "Yes, he is alright your majesty. It is likely that he will make it out alive and well..."

    "Oh thank god," she muttered under her breath, after hearing the positive news.

    "...However, he might be a lot weaker than he usually is. It is too soon for us to know how much. Whether he either loses a little bit of his strength or is bedridden for his entire life is unknown and that will have to wait." the doctor finally finished his sentence.

    "But he will live right?" Malinda asked.

    "Oh yes. Certainly." Jared answered.

    "Can I speak to him?"

    "Of course yes." as soon as he replied, Malinda, stormed in beside her husband, who was in a white. He was much less pale than before, but still pretty pale and weak. The two smiled at each other. The other mages left the room, leaving the couple alone.

    "How are you feeling honey?" Malinda asked.

    "I am feeling a lot better. Were you waiting for me outside all this time?"

    "Of course... as always," she replied.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom Before they could talk for hours, there was a knock on the door. In came a knight in a suit of armor, holding an envelope in his hands.

    "A letter from Hoverdam for your majesty," he said. He gives the letter to Danial, who at this point sat on his bed while keeping his legs on the mattress, and left the room. Danial opened the envelope to read the letter. Though he read it rather slowly, he got through the contents in one sitting. After he finished, a smile appeared on his face.

    "What is it?" Malinda asks in curiosity.

    "It appears our boy is stronger than you expected dear," he replied and handed over the letter to Malina. She read through the letter, informing her that Kant had learned of the pierrevol attack, even earlier than them apparently. His reaction was described to be calm and decisive.

    "They are asking for permission to inform Kant of my illness. What do you think honey?". Malinda kept quiet. She was conflicted about how to feel about this new piece of information.

    "I don''t know honey... I think we should wait."

    "Till when?" Danial asks. Malinda thought about it.

    "How about the end of the month?" she replied.

    "Honey, you are always like this when ites to Kant as if he was a little boy. You weren''t so soft on Edward or the twins when they were growing up. But Kant?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Honey he is just... different. I think we should wait on him for a little bit longer. Let him grow a bit stronger before telling him. Another month would be the best."

    "I could have agreed to that, but he is currently running the city. He needs to know of his father''s condition. Besides, I am getting better anyways, it should be fine." Danial rebutted. Malinda was silent once again, reevaluating her choices.

    "We should involve Corel in this discussion."

    "Why?" Danial asked.

    "I discussed with him before when we talked about whether we should inform the children. Since you are telling me that this is a political issue, it would be best to bring a third party," she answers. Danial sighed and gave in to her demands.

    Malinda went over to get Corel, which took a lot more time than Danial thought was possible. However, Malinda did end uping with Corel, who was rocking a ck suit with 12 gold buttons and a red armband.

    "You called for me?"

    "Yes, we need your opinion on a subject," Malinda said.

    "Well ask away," Corel replied. Malinda gave him the letter they received. Corel read it and realized what it was about.

    "The minister and knightmander is asking for permission to inform Kant, as they view it to be best. While Danial says that we should give them permission now, I want to wait on it a lot more."

    "So what do you think Corel?" Danial asked.

    "Hm... I think it might be best for everyone, for you both and the citizens respectively, rather not to inform Kant."

    "What?" Danial said, shocked at his friend''s response.

    "Listen, Dan, for all the great progress your son might have made, it has only been a month. So I am going to have to agree with your wife here that it is best if we don''t tell him of your disease, even if you are getting better.

    Besides, he already has a lot on his te; learned that there will be a demonic wave soon after only a month of change, and not cracking up must have been really difficult.

    Do you really want to add more pressure on him, Danial? Do you really want your child to go back to his old self?" Corel replied.

    "But he needs to learn, to be stronger, to be a man again. I know he can handle it!" Danial rebutted.

    "And he is already doing that by bearing the burden of knowing powerful demons will rock the continent. Just save him the pain this time." Corel replied. Danial groaned.

    "Fine. Fine," he said. Malinda and Corel smiled. The two looked at each other and nodded their head.

    ...

    The merchants of Hoverdam kept reading the brown coffee paper that had been ced across the entire city. They were all a notice, briefing them of a new building supported by the pce called a ''Company Registrar'' and it described the new legal entity called a ''Corporation''.

    The merchants were all skeptical, yet intrigued by the idea. The notice tells of the date of the day of opening, that being tomorrow. Many are excited and mark the date on their calendar, and other richer merchants tell their assistants to remind them to make a visit.

 Chapter 43 Corporate Registrar

    ?The sun had risen to a new morning about 3 hours ago. A line of merchants, long and wide, is seen forming near the refurbished wood and stone building with a giant sign on the top. These men all wore simr outfits with different shades of them; coats with a belt and purses attached to them.

    The interior itself was well-lit by the sunlighting from outside, with the floor made of fresh oak wood nks with a horizontal pattern. One merchant, tall with shortbed ck hair, a thick mustache with a ck wool coat, and a brown leather purse waited as the man in front of him finished his affairs.

    "Next!" A feminine voice spoke out. He finally came over to the counter. On the other side, behind the iron bars separating the merchant and the receptionist, was a woman with coco brown eyes and ck hair that extended to her shoulder.

    "Hello, sir. How can I help you today?" she asked in a disinterested tone.

    "I need to start a core-pour-ray-shon?"

    "Corporation sir. First, have you reserved a name for thepany?"

    "I have to reserve a name?" the man replied in his deep voice.

    "Yes. You can do it here. Can you please inform me of the name?"

    "Willow''s Trading Company"

    "You name?"

    "Hans Willow," he replied. She went over to check for files. She then ces the file down and writes on a piece of paper."

    "Alright. Your registration of the name "Willow''s Trading Company" has been approved."

    "That quickly?"

    "Well sir, this branch just started. There are not many registered names," she replied.

    "I see."

    "Do you want to register and other shareholders?"

    "Shareholders?"

    "People who own the business."

    "Oh yes. I do."

    "How many?" she asked.

    "Only another person," he replied.

    "Will the corporation''s mailing address be the same as its principal ce of business?"

    "Yes." The woman went on to check a small file. She quickly came back, holding a few pieces of paper.

    "Here are the forms that you have to fill out. After you are done,e back here and give us to fully incorporate it," she replied. As he picked the papers from the desk, thedy screamed "Next!" to serve the next merchant.

    ...

    A man stood outside on the other side of the street. Arms crossed and looking around the line, he appears to be waiting for someone else. Then, from his coco brown eye, he spots a slightly tall man headed his way.

    "Brother! Did you do it?"

    "Not yet Burke. We have to fill out these forms first," he replied.

    "Darn. Well then, let''s go fill it up back home I guess." Burke said. The two walked about 25 minutes to two brick stone houses, with both their roofs connected to not block the street underneath. It had a painted wooden roof with crystal clear ss windows fitted on a wooden frame.

    Behind the ss windows on the first floor were 6 children, 3 girls, and 3 boys, staring outside. They all smiled and disappeared inside. As soon as the two brothers arrive, the door automatically opened for them, with the children behind them. Smiling and greeting their children and nieces, The brothers went inside.

    They head over to their office. The one who got the papers sat down on one of the chairs present while the other one of them goes to their private office andes back with a quill and ink.

    They look at the forms called the ''articles of incorporation''. The form is separated into a few sections; name and address, incorporator, directors and officers, and authorized capital.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Name is Willow''s Trading Company..." Hans writes down.

    "What about the addresses?" Burke asks.

    "Well, the ce we operate the tradingpany is that building near the docks. As for the mailing address, since it is a family business... our house?" Hans asks.

    "Alright then." they write down where they live on the form. They move on to the incorporator section.

    "It appears there are two spots."

    "I did tell thedy that there were two. Me and you."

    "Ah. I see. Well, I will fill mine and you will yours." The two wrote down their names, Han Willow and Burke Willow on their respective forms, along with the address of their house. They then moved on to the next section.

    The directors and officers section had a multi-choice question. It asked whether there will be directors and officers involved.

    "What does it mean by the directors?" Burke asked.

    "Um... oh here!" Hans says after he turns a few pages.

    "It says that ''directors are the people responsible for supervising the activities of the corporation and for making decisions regarding those activities.''"

    "And the officers?"

    "People who are ''responsible for the day-to-day operations.''" Hans replied.

    "For the directors, can we put our names in them?"

    "Yes, it says it right there," Hans replied as he points out a description in the section.

    "If so then that is settled, in regards to the officers, I think we should write the names of the apprentices down," Burke suggested.

    "Should we contact them first?" Hans asked.

    "I don''t think that is necessary. They are already the officers of the business. I don''t see why they need to know."

    "If you say so." Hans, after ticking the box ''directors and officers involved'', write down the appropriate names, along with the addresses.

    "Alright moving on..." Hans turned the page to the ''Authorized Stock'' section.

    It had 4 nks to fill in; how much stock should be issued, and what value of the individual stock. The other two were multiple-choice questions, with the first being either the choice of preferred stock ormon stock and the other revolved around whether each should have any mary value.

    The two being confused about the definitions of the type of stock checked thest page again.  ''Preferred stock gives no voting power whilemon stock does.'' it read out.

    "So what should we do?" Burke asked.

    "I think we should just issue somemon stock instead. It''s not like we are raising money for anything." Hans suggested.

    "Alright then," Burke replied. Hans ticked the box that saidmon stock and came down to the other multiple-choice question.

    "Since we are not raising any capital, we don''t need a value for each of them. The real questiones down to how many shares to print out."

    "We can do 100 each. Split it among us 50/50."

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Alright then, but where does it say we can split the damn stock?" Burke asked.

    "It''s in the shareholder''s agreement," Hans replied. He gives Burke a separate form, which consisted of lines where they write the small details regarding the ownership of the business.

    After writing and filling up the rest of the agreement, the brothers went back to the corporate registrar where they handed the documents over to thedy.

    "The articles of incorporation will take into effect the day after tomorrow onwards." She told the brothers. After paying the fines necessary, the two left the building, while thedy shouted ''Next!'' once more.

 Chapter 44 Sofias Garden

    ?The sun was just rising on the horizon, marking another day for the city of Vallina. Friedrich walked on the paved stone pathway alongside Sofia. Friedrich and Sofia both wore a matching green tunic, with blue leggings.

    Sofia however had a red scarf on her head and carried the two simple buckets of water filled with water, while Friedrich carried two hedge shears on his left hand and a water bucket on his right.

    Besides the pathway were a bush of yellow flowers, giving a nice faint smell to the garden. They soon approached the entrance gate. Beside the golden gate were two bush hedges cut perfectly into mimicking two cats.

    Sofia opens the gate and enters the garden with Friedrich. She walks him to a shed, where a bunch of more gardening tools like rakes, gardening trowels, gardening forks, and more, including some rusty hedge shears.

    "Was that the reason why you wanted to bring these?" he asked.

    "Why yes, of course. The original pair have unfortunately gone blunt." Sofia replied. Friedrich kept the hedge shears on the shelf and followed Sofia out. She have him the watering can.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Since you are new, we will be watering some of my flowers. Afterwards we will use the new pair of shears to cut out some of the hedge statues, then rake any fallen leaves away." Sofia said.

    "When will the others arrive?"

    "Unfortunately, due to unexpected circumstances, they won''t be joining us today." Sofia replied.

    "What happened?"

    "They were assigned some duties toplete by the principal himself."

    "In that case, will we start right now?" he asked. She smiled.

    "Of course! The two of us are now responsible forpensating for their absence." she replied. She then filled up the watering cans with water and gave one of them to him. He held it while she filled up the other watering can.

    "Let us begin." she said. They made their way out of the shed and back to the lush flower garden. From all corners of his eye, the ce was filled with blooming flowers and hedge statues of animals, lined perfectly as if it was an art piece.

    The flowers itself were all perfectly segregated from each other ording to color and type. All of them were contained in brown rectangr flower pots with diamond shaped patterns. Friedrich observed the hedges closer out of heed. It all looked so smooth, so precisely cut.

    "Hey Sofia, did you make all these hedge statues?" Friedrich asked.

    "Unfortunately I did not. As Ick possession of the skills in topiary. Though I have been practicing." she replied.

    "Oh. So was it the previous owner?"

    "Absolutely. He tasked me to maintain them for him. To that I think I might have performed well." she replied.

    As he went over to pour water to the flowers, from the corner of his eye he spotted a group of flowers not nted in a pot. They were all tulips, with one being a ck one a bit to the right, while the other 5 being white tulips all close together.

    "Hey Sofia, what is up with those flowers?" he asked while he pointed his finger at the flowers. Sofia smiled when he showed her what he meant.

    "Oh, those flowers were first nted when I arrived at the academy." she replied

    "Alright, but what''s up with the ck one?" he asked.

    "That was nted before I gained this garden." she said.

    "Is that so?" he asked.

    "Quite. Though I originally wanted to remove it, I haven''t gotten around to it."

    "Oh. Should I pluck it off for you?"

    "...No. Keep it." she replied.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    After a few hours of watering the nts, the two are currently cutting the hedges, ridding any outliers to keep the grass sculptures perfection. Wanting to make some small talk, Friedrich asked Sofia a question.

    "Say Sofia, do you happen to be interested in art?"

    "Hmm... Art?" she asked.

    "Yes. I just... wanted to know."

    "Oh... Um... I am not so sure..." she replied.

    "Oh, do you have something else nned or do not like art...?" Friedrich asked.

    "It''s just... it reminds me of something." she replies.

    "I see. Never mind." There was a bit of silence where the two continued to cut out the imperfections. It was when Sofia talked.

    "Can you maybe..." she struggled to speak.

    "What is it?"

    "If you can that is, paint a picture of myself in the garden?" Sofia requested. Friedrich smiled and replied.

    "Sure." he said.

    ...

    Arge leaf pile stood in front of both Sofia and Friedrich. It was all the leaves that they raked from the garden grounds. Casting a spell, they set fire to the pile, finishing their tasks.

    "I did not expect that I had such an... interest in gardening," he said.

    "Is that so? Would you rathere again another day? I am sure everyone would be enthusiastic about it."

    "That would be great. I will think about it."

    "Exquisite!" she replied. There was an awkward silence from then onwards. The two didn''t seem to have an idea of continuing the conversation.

    "We should really be at our dorms before sunset" Sofia said.

    "Yes. Of course." Friedrich replied. The two start to ce things back in their proper ce. It was then when Friedrich seize an opportunity to ask a question.

    "By the way, when can Ie see your paintings?"

    "Is the 14th okay?" he asked.

    "Indeed it is." Sofia replied with a smile. After walking near the dorms, the two decide to separate from there.

    "Farewell Friedrich, we shall meet again." Sofia replied.

    "Of course. But before you go..." Friedrich reached for her shoulder and grabbed a small leaf from the hedge and showed it off to Sofia.

    "This must have gotten on your shoulder when we trimmed them. I am ashamed I didn''t notice."

    "No matter Prince Friedrich." she replied. With that the two went over to their rooms with a genuine smile on both their faces.

 Chapter 45 Beginning Construction

    ?As the city entered the morning, the sun shined its light on arge plot ofnd in the city guarded by knights in suits of armor, carrying pointy spears. Near the site were construction materials, mainlyprised of tons of bricks, bags of cement, and buckets of sand and water intended to be used to build it.

    The workers, dressed in hemp cloths, were all chatting around, waiting for instructions.

    "Isn''t this ce used to be where Tamer''s bar used to be?" one worker asked.

    "Yeah, it was. Heard they went out of business when their secret got out. Gosh, I remember those days. I miss those old gaffers." replied another.

    "So what are we even supposed to be building?" one worker asked.

    "I don''t know. From what I know, we got to use the materials from over there." replied the worker with the only one with blonde hair.

    "That gray powder? Isn''t that the powder those workers gossiped about?" the same worker asked.

    "So." a worker with green eyes replied. Before they could continue, a bald bearded man holding a piece of paper, apanying some knights, arrived at the scene. He wore ck breeches along with a light ck tunic and brown leather boots.

    Everyone was silent and told to form a line by the knights. All happilyplied. Though they appear to look calm, many were shaken at the presence of the intimidating knights holding their weapons.

    "Alright. Thank you all foring here. My name is Decan Hurst, and I will be your supervisor regarding the construction of the projectmissioned by his majesty." he said in his deep voice.

    "If you have any questions, please ask before we begin," he said. The workers all looked at each other while Decan waited.

    "No? " he asked.

    "I do!" said the blonde one.

    "Please, continue."

    "What are we supposed to be building?" he asked.

    "What is your name?" Decan questioned.

    "Brandan" he replied.

    "That is a good question you asked Brandon. The pce wants us to build a school for people to learn to read and write, and to show off the strength of cement. Anyone else?"

    "How long are they giving us?" asked the worker with green eyes.

    "About 4 months in total... your name?"

    "Fabio," he replied.

    "About 4 months in total Fabio. Thank you. Anyone else?" There was another moment of silence. Decan waited for a few minutes before moving on.

    "Alright. You will all be split into different groups specializing in specific simple tasks. The first group will bring bags of cement powder, sand, and water for the second group to make the cement.

    The third group will be the ones to carry the bricks and cement to the fourth group will be cing and building the school.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Now I have to inform you, this is the first time I am trying out this new method. There might be changes and adjustments in the future. Did you understand?" The workers all nodded their heads in agreement.

    "Alright, I will set the groups," Decan said. The first groupprised four men, the second group 3 men, the third group 6 and the fourth group contain 7 workers in total. Now separated, he walked up to the first one.

    "First group, you see those bags of cement, sand, and buckets of water over there?" Decan asked. The workers looked and nodded.

    "Good, what you need to do is to bring them over to group two where they will make the cement. Do not worry about needing to bring water buckets here. There is plenty of water enough for the day, and if there isn''t you can take them from a nearby well. Understand?"

    "Yes sir." they collectively replied. Decan then walked up to the second group.

    "Since you are focusing on making the cement, you are going to need to know what to make it, it needs to be mixed with the right portions. Considering we are making the cement for brickyering, for now, you all just need to mix one part cement powder with 4 parts sand and a bucket of water to get the cement for brickyering. That is all you need to know." he said.

    "Clear?" They nodded. Decan moved on to the third group.

    "Group number 3, you all just need to carry the bricks and cement to group 4. Use the round disk to bring the cement," he said. The group shook their heads, telling Decan that they understood him. Decan walked up to the 4th group.

    "For your task, what you need to do is to use an adequate amount of cement on each brick to use like a sort of glue, and then ce it down. I will show you all how personally. Alright?" they nodded.

    "Alright everyone, let''s get started!" he said.

    ...

    Though only a few hours passed by, the group had made immense progress. They have already used a quarter of the bricks they had prepared, while nearly half of the cement, sand, and water had been used up.

    The construction workers were working so smoothly, efficiently doing what each was set out to do. Though the repetition was a bit boring for them all, they were all well motivated by the coins dangling in front of their eyes.

    A knight, curious to see whether it was normal, went over to ask whether it was normal. He asked Decan how far behind they were. He was surprised by his answer.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Oh no, we are ahead of what I anticipated," he replied as he stroked hisrge brown beard while having his eyes wide open.

    "I beg your pardon?" the knight asked.

    "They are going at a surprisingly fast pace. Believe me, as an experienced stonemason, I''ve never seen a building being constructed at such a speed," he replied.

    "Is that a problem?"

    "In a way yes. They will soon run out of bricks and would have nothing to do for the rest of the day..." he replied.

    "Hey, get me a piece of paper, an ink bottle, and a quill."

    "Why is that?"

    "I need to send sire a message that I might need a lot more materials than I originally anticipated," he replied.

 Chapter 46 First Day Of Training (1)

    ?Ridge''s sharp ice blue eyes opened up as he woke up early in the morning. He looked outside his apartment window to find the streets still covered in darkness. The sun seemed to not have gone up yet.  He turns his head over to see his wife was still fast asleep.

    He got off the hay bed to get ready for work soon. He rinsed and rubbed his teeth white, washed off his face with the few amount of water they had, and put on some new clothing for the day.

    By the time he finished eating the breakfast alone and ready to leave, his wife had just woken up, with her hair messy and her face dirty. He grabs his leather bags and moves towards the door.

    "Honey, I am going off to my training." he said.

    "Wait!" she replied.

    "What is it?"

    "Make sure you have everything." she replied.

    "Honey..."

    "Listen, you won''t be home for all day. Waiting a few seconds won''t kill you." With that, he checked his bag. From the inside, there was wooden box, and brown leather bottle.

    "Is your lunch there? Your water?" she asks.

    "Yes, it is there." Ridge replied after his eye spots the items she was talking about.

    "Alright then, be safe out there." she replied. Ridge gave his wife a goodbye kiss, and left the room. He walks down to the near empty streets of the city, with it''s wood and stone builds with using hay for roofs. From the street, he can see the people opening their windows, ready to start their day.

    After walking for about 40 minutes on the paved stone road, he arrived to the knight hall of the city. The building was a ssical marvel, standing 15m tall with 3 stories. It''s windows were made of clear ss, it''s stone brinks all painted white, and it''s roof was made distinct from the wood and stone buildings that he normally see.

    The building itself acted as sort of a defensive wall, as it surrounded the pce expect for one side.  Taking a deep breath, he entered the building. His eyebrows raise in surprise at the mour of the building. The floor seemed to be made out of marble, with the hall being held together with stone pirs with patterns carved into it.

    The knights there either were in a suit of armor holding their weapon of choice, or in their royal uniform, which consisted of a piece of white and purple clothing. Ridge, who stood in front of the door, stuck out like a sore thumb.

    Ridge slowly approaches one of the receptionist by walking on the red carpet ced on the floor. The receptionist behind the dark oak desk was a man wearing a white tunic with a purple armband. He smiles as soon as he notices Ridge.

    "Hello there citizen. How may I help you today?" he asks.

    "My name is Ridge Myers. I came for the police training held today." Ridge replied. The receptionist pulled a drawer and looked at some papers.

    "Oh! You came early. Go down the right hall and to the left out to the field. The instructor will be there soon." he replied. Ridge thanked the receptionist, and went on his way. Ridge walked to the field, and found nobody was there.

    He decided to hang around, see what happens. After spending a few minutes, one person, with simr clothing to Ridge, came over. As time went on, more and more people arrived to the field, all iming to be police officer recruits. In only a matter of minutes, the field was filled with people.

    They all talked around, wondering who their instructor will be. Ridge kept his eye on the door, waiting for someone else toe out.

    ...<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    A woman, with ruby red hair and green eyes wearing her royal uniform, was in her office finalizing some paperwork. In front of them were a bunch of men, all in brown hemp clothing holding many strips of parchments.

    "A ck shirt made of woolpromising a white armband, ck pants and calfskin shoes. That is the description of what we need. How long will it take to make their uniforms?" she asked.

    "Considering the pce is willing to pay a higher price, in about a month? Maybe less." one of them replied.

    "Although, we need to see them first. Otherwise we won''t be able to make a proper judgement." said another.

    "Fine, Let''s go then." she replied. They walked down the stairs to the receptionists. The two men both stood straighter in her presence.

    "Knight Kristina, how can we be of service?" they asked.

    "I would like the attendance of the police officers." she replied. The two gave the papers they had. Kristina looked at the papers closely.

    "No absentees?" she asked.

    "No Knight Kristina, they all came." he replied.

    "Good. Have a nice day" she said and walks over to the right hall with the man following behind. As soon as she walks out, the recruits went silent. Kristina walked right up to the field, standing in front of the disoriented crowd.

    "Stand attention!" she ordered. The recruits, although it took more than Kristina was used to, stood straight.

    "Form a horizonal line!" they did as they were told.

    "Wee everyone to your first day of training as a police officer. My name is Kristina Robins, themander of the knight hall. I will be your instructor for today as sire himself put me up to the task for you all." she said to the recruits.

    "Before we start, however, this man right here needs to take your measurements. Once you are all done with your training, you will receive a uniform once your training haspleted." she said. The tailors then went on, one my one, to take their measurements.

    They all asked for their names and use their parchments to measure the recruits, and wrote them down in a small notebook. Once they were done, the tailors walked up to Kristina, where they talked in private.

    "How long will it take?"

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "For them, less than a month." they said.

    "Alright, good." she replied.

    While the tailors left, Kristina got up to the recruits.

    "Now that line of business is done, we shall start your training!" she said to the recruits.

 Chapter 47 First Day Of Training (2)

    ?The recruits were all running around the field in a straight line, sweating and panting, as the first task of the day. At the very front of the line, leading the other recruits around the field was none other than Ridge.

    The recruits all end up running 20 times around the massive field of grass before they could all copse from exhaustion. They returned to their instructor Kristina, who now stood with 2 knights beside her.

    "Well done onpleting your first task. You may take a break. As your second task is more demanding. You all would to do 30 sit-ups! If you fail once, you will have to start again all over. Do you understand!" she shouted in amanding tone.

    "Ma''am, Yes Ma''am!" they all said at once, standing straight.

    The recruits, all after taking a deep breath, got down on the short grass floor and sat down. The men, the same ones determined at the beginning, seem to have lost most of their motivation.

    A man, one with ck hair and brown eyes approached Ridge. He looked to be young, the youngest out of them all, and seemed just as tired and unmotivated like the rest.

    "Man this training thing is a lot harder than I expected." he said.

    "Yea, well tell me about it." Ridge replied.

    "I mean really? Why do they train us this harshly? It''s not like we are bing a knight or anything?"

    "It must for some other reason I presume. Probably to discipline us. You can ask the instructor if you want a proper answer." Ridge said as he used his hand to wipe off the sweat from his forehead.

    "Heaven''s no. She will kill me." the man replied. The two were silent for a bit. Just as Ridge was about to wander off into his mind, the same man asked a question.

    "Say, what are you here for?" he asked.

    "To earn some money. I haven''t been able to get a job. I had been using the money I made previously to get by back then."

    "Really? For how long?" he asked

    "I rather keep that private." Ridge replied.

    "... What about you then? Why did you came here?" he asked.

    "I came here to earn some extra money, and for the free meal they would be giving. Though those 2 silver coins seem to be worth a lot, not when ites to this." the man looked around, to see if anyone else was listening.

    "I n on skipping the training tomorrow. I would definitely be better off somewhere else." he whispers to his ear.

    "Good luck to you then." Ridge replied. Ridge looked onwards at the instructors. A messenger seemed to have delivered something to Kristina. She signed and whispers something to the messenger before he leaves.

    "Alright recruits, break''s over! Get up!" Kristina shouted. The men all immediately stood up straight and formed 10 lines, each with 20 people on them.

    "It hase to my attention that Sire Kant has been pleased with how you all are performing. Therefor he has instructed me to give you a reward." she said.

    "Sire Kant has personally ordered to reward any recruits meat in their meals, freshly prepared by the staff of the kitchen, forplying and carrying out the tasks." she said.

    "Do you understand?"

    "Ma''am, Yes Ma''am!"

    "Good. Now start the sit ups now!"

    ...

    The sun was nearing the top of the sky, facing down the recruits on the ground standing still they were told. Though Ridge had a hard timepleting his previous task, he managed toplete it nheless.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    From the distance, he can see people carry an oak wood carts across the field. His brown eye picked up 10 of them, and his nose picked up the paint smell of food. The others picked it up too, as they turned their heads towards the carts.

    The carts were set up in line. As soon as they were done, they got up and went over. They all formed a line to pick up each of their meals for the day. When it was Ridge''s turn, the maid asked for his name.

    "Ridge. Ridge Myers." he said. The maid looked at the piece of paper pinned at the back. It had a bunch of names, including his. She then served Ridge a piece of bread, cheese, some vegetables, a boiled egg, and a small slice of cooked meat on a wooden te.

    Ridge went over to a bench to sit down and eat up his food. Along with the te, he had been given a wooden spoon and fork to help eat his food.

    His eye looked on at the small slice of meat and smiled. He grabbed his fork to grab the slice of meat. He then bits a chunk off it and begins slowly chewing. His tongue picked up the rich vors of the piece of meat, and hits his brain with a dash of dopamine.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Hey man, what''s up." Ridge turns around to see the same guy from before, sitting right next to him.

    "I''m doing rather fine. You?"

    "Doing great! I also got that slice of meat. It tastes so good. Can''t wait for tomorrow."

    "You are not leaving?"

    "Heaven''s no! I get to eat meat for the first time in my life man and this food is absolutely delicious. If think I am going to pass up the opportunity to eat meals made from the royal kitchen itself? Yea, no way man." he said.

    "Huh, that''s good." Ridge replied.

    "Hey, I never asked for your name did I?" he asked.

    "Apparently not."

    "So what is it?"

    "Ridge. Ridge Myers."

    "Nice to meet you Ridge. My name is Siphon." he replied.

    ...

    It was nearing sunset. Marco was walking back home. The streets were nearly empty, with the orange sun the only source of light at these times. Business owners closed up shop, and people went back inside their homes.

    Ridge arrived back at his apartment. His wife was seen cleaning the house. As he entered, she turned her head to see Ridge sweating heavily and exhausted.

    "How was your day honey?" she asked.

    "It went well. I had to a lot of exercise."

    "Like your brother?"

    "Not as intensely, but yes. I guess it''s a part of the training."

    "Anything else?" she asked.

    "Yes. Plenty. I will tell you all about it."

 Chapter 48 Attempted Assassination

    ?A blue ceramic mug with a yellow gold pattern filled with steaming hot chocte and floating marshmallows was on the table of an wooden bed drawer. Beside the drawer was a bed which Danialy awake with both his azure blue eyes open.

    "I can''t sleep." heins to his blonde wife, who was wearing a nightgown herself.

    "Did you drink you hot chocte?" she asked.

    "No I did not. I already told you that I don''t want to rinse my teeth again." he said.

    "Alright then, I might know another way." Malinda replied.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "You do?" he asked.

    "Yes. First, close your eyes and rx all your muscles." Danial did as told.

    "Next, you need to clear your mind. Don''t think of anything." she said.

    "What if can''t?" Danial asked.

    "Then just think ''don''t think'' over and over again." she replied.

    "Alright then. What is next?"

    "Keep that until you fall asleep."

    "If you say so dear. Say howe you never told me about this?"

    "You always sleep like a baby. I never thought you would ever need it." Malinda replied. Danial chucked a little to herment.

    "Well then, good night honey."

    "Oh wait, do you still want the chocte?''

    "No... but keep it there. I might drink it if I still haven''t fallen asleep."

    "Alright then, good night dear." Malinda replied. She blew out the torches and left the room. Danial, closed his eyes once again, and tried to sleep once again.

    ...

    A wooden door slowly opened. From the room, a hooded figurees out, wearing a ck robe that blended around with the dark environment. The person slowly closes the door. As it nearly shuts, the door creaks, jumping the figure.

    After closing, the figure walks down the hallway making muffled footsteps along the way. Sneaking pass the knights holding spears and swords, he makes his way towards a room with a dark oak door.

    Slowly opening the door, with only a little creak made, the figure spots the target. After taking a deep breath, step by step, the figure got closer. Using his left muscr hands, he grabs a mirror polished Kris knife.

    He then takes out a little ss bottle with a ck liquid inside. After putting his de into it, making sure that it touched the liquid, he closes the lid and but puts it back into his robe. Taking a deep breath, he lifts the kris knife to the air, ready to strike.

    The target suddenly opens his eyes and sshes him hot coffee at his face. The steaming temperature of the brown liquid burns his face, causing him to scream for everyone to hear.

    The hooded figure throws the knife at the targets chest. The target barely manages to avoid it as it hits his arm instead. As the man started screaming in pain. the knights kick open the door open, bringing along them theirnterns.

    Seeing the knights, the man tried to fight back, but was no match for magical power. They soon apprehended him. One decide to unveil the hood, revealing a ck haired man with a small nose, covered with burning hot chocte.

    "Oh lord." a knight says after seeing the knife in Danial''s right arm.

    "Call in the healers! His highness is injured!" the knight says. The assassin is taken away with a big smirk on his face.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ...

    Through the bars of the dungeon cell, the sun shines it''s rays on the assassin with chains all over him. was strapped to a chair with rope on his arms, legs and chest. Though the sun''s rays didn''t wake him up, the hard p from the knight''s hand did.

    "Wake up maggot. His majesty is here." Corel wore what appeared to be a ck suit with 16 white buttons on them. The king approached the assassin and red into his eyes.

    "What is your name?" he asks in a deep voice.

    "Kavan." the assassin mutters.

    "Kavan. You dare break into my home, attack and attempt to kill the king of Hoverdam, MY guest! and expect to get away with it?" he said. A tone of anger could be sensed from the mighty king''s voice, and the assassin himself kept quiet.

    "Tell me Kavan. Who sent you here?" Corel asked. The assassin simply chuckled at his question.

    "Shouldn''t it be obvious? The ones who sent me here sent me on a mission. A mission to purify this world of your magical filth!"

    "My suspicion was right then. It was them after all." Corel said to himself.

    "Who is your master?" Corel asked.

    "My mouth shall remain shut." he replied. Corel lifted his hand and casted a spell. The assassin felt an excruciating burn on his neck, where it ckens a bit.

    "Who is your master?!?" Corel asked. He increased the burning sensation to get the confession. Though the assassin screaming in pain, he never mutters a word. After what seemed like ages, Corel suddenly stops.

    The knight goes through the leather bag next to him. He takes out and gives Corel a small ss bottle containing an aquamarine liquid that glowed in the cell. He drinks a little bit and proceeds further with the interrogation.

    "I will give you one more chance of revealing your master. Who is he?" Corel asks again.

    "My mouth shall remain silent." Corel clenched his fist in anger. Though he raised his hand and casted a spell once more, he decided to suddenly stop. The assassin looks back at him.

    "What is the reason for targeting King Danial, out of everyone else?" he asked. The assassin smiled.

    "I wanted to finish the job they started." A sh of angeres to Corel as he casts another spell. This time he freezes his hand until he couldn''t feel it anymore.

    "You all dare poison a member of a royal family you filthy peasant! The lord may send you and our friends over to the deepest pits of hell for such heresy!"

    "Who says so? The lord? God? The church you control? I know your true nature. You are all responsible for oppressing us all! Responsible for the corruption of the church!" Corel casted another spell to torture the man in anger. After a few minutes, Corel stops and remains silent. The assassin''s head was now facing the ground.

    "Kavan, I herby sentence you to life in prison for the attempted murder of King Danial Maybale." Corel finally says. The assassin, after hearing the news, started tough slowly. Eventually, the slowughed turned hysterical.

    "What is so funny you dirty peasant?" the assassin looked at him in the eye once more.

    "Do you know what that ck liquid is your majesty?"

    "Yes, I have been informed. What does it matter?"

    "It is a little known poison that had been given to me, to kill a beast like you." he said. Corel''s eyes widen. Taking the knight with him, he exist the room. From the assassin''s ear, he heard him talking to someone else. After a few minutes, the door opened once again.

    The knight then cut off his ropes and escorted the assassin through the hallway. There, he was cheered on by the others behind bars, congratting him for his aplishment.

    The knight took him to another room, just as gloomy and dark. There stood arge man, with a ck pointy hat on his head, a ck robe covering his chest and skin, and arge axe with a little blood on it.

 Chapter 49 The Cement Arrives

    ?The sun was just beginning to set, entering the day into the night. It was all silent, with the only thing making noise is the sound of the river flowing, and the crew chatting and working. In the middle of the river sailed three ships, all made of strong oak wood, all fitted with giant white sails to catch the wind to allow them to move across the river.

    On the decksy bags upon bags of cement powder, pending arrival at its location. Oswald stood on the top wooden deck of the ship leading the 2 behind him. In both his hand, he held a wooden monocr he held up to his eye. In the distance, he can see the great towers of the church cathedral, dominating the city skyline.

    "We are getting closer boys!" Oswald calls out to his crew. It had been a long few weeks for everyone. They have been tasked with bringing a new product called cement powder to the city of Albersterg from Hoverdam.

    The ships closed their sails near the docks. There a small wooden boat, rowed by only 2 men, came over to help guide the ship to safe harbor. Once the ships were docked, a bridge staircase was brought over, helping Oswald and his crew to get down tond.

    Oswald, wearing his ck wool coat, blue trousers, and leather shoes came down the harbor. There were many ships present like his. He turned around to see his crew carry the cement bags and ce them on a cart guarded by knights.

    "Oswald, you made it!" Oswald turns out to be a man about his age, wearing a coat like his. Except he was daisy white instead of ck like Oswald. He had medium-long hairbed back, possessing green eyes with gold flecks. His face was near the shape of a diamond, giving him a strong jawline.

    Oswald smiled when he saw him. He instantly recognized who this man was. He held out his hand, and the two shook.

    "How is it going, Jac Pratt?" Oswald says.

    "Good! Good! How was your journey? I hope you didn''t get into any trouble did you?" Jac asked.

    "It was smooth sailing my friend," Oswald replied.

    "I got your letter just the day before yesterday. You don''t usuallye down with your crew to sell shit."

    "Indeed."

    "So why did youe down?"

    "Solley to chat with you, my friend. Along with all the others." Oswald replied.

    "Ah, I see. So you met up with that prince huh?"

    "I sure did."

    "Tell me. How is he?" Jac asked. This moment was a good opportunity for Oswald, who can carry out the other task Kant requested.

    "Quite a ster fe I say. He seems to understand our struggles." Oswald replied.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Struggles?" Jac asked, confused.

    "Well, do you know how we hate we can lose all our money if we dare make a bad bet?" Oswald asked Jac.

    "Yes. I do." Jac replied.

    "Well, the prince of Hoverdam has enacted some newws, creating something called a corporation," he said. Jac got curious as to what this was.

    "A corporation?"

    "It''s a wonderful thing. It''s to limit liability. It''s like a ve we own who doesn''t exist physically. It''s a way for us to make bets and either win it all or lose a few coins." Oswald replied.

    "That truly is wonderful," Jac replied. He thought of all the possibilities of what he could do with such.

    "But that''s not all. There is another thing you might want to listen to." Oswald replied.

    "That is?"

    "Prince Kant Maybale, in the meeting, told me that he intends to invent some ''advanced machinery''," Oswald said.

    "My friend, you are speaking cryptically. Please exin."

    "He wants to introduce this new machinery that boosts productivity. More productively is that it could produce more goods. More goods mean..."

    "More items to sell..." Jac finished for him.

    "You seem to get a grip of it quickly."

    "Is there more?" Jac asked.

    "Of course. Though I will have to tell you some other time. It is gettingte."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Where will you sleep?"

    "I thought of renting a tavern room for the night," Oswald replied.

    "How about youe to my estate? You can have many more amenities all while being free of charge. You can tell me all about it." Jac offered. Oswald was a bit hesitant at first. So he asks a simple question to rify some things.

    "Can we talk about it tomorrow? I got a meeting with the king to show him how it all works." Oswald asks.

    "Of course. I can wait." Jac said.

    "Then I''ll take your deal, my friend." Oswald epted.

    ...

    On the top of a bookshelf made of dark oak was a statue of an angel made of ss. It had been there for decades yet, not a single speck of dust could be seen on it. It belongs to the man standing by therge wooden window with crystal clear ss.

    The man had short ck hair,bed both left and right. His eyes were chocte brown and his outfit was a purple renaissance suit. He stood in his office, with its marble times, white walls, and purple wool curtains, lit by the mes ofnterns.

    He looked outside the night filled with stars in the direction of the church, thergest building in the city that dominated the city skyline. Seduced by the beauty of its architecture, and the world god had created.

    His eyes filled with joy at the sight. It sort of brought him back to his past, when he was with someone, going out against his parent''s wishes to go outside and stargazing with someone special to him. Yet that fantasy was not tost, as he soon snapped back into reality.

    Just then, he heard the door being knocked upon. Heinrich closed the purple curtains and sat down on his dark oak table with papers, quills, and ink bottles on the best. Before he allowed whoever was on the other side to enter, he cleaned his desk a bit.

    "Come in," he said as he finished tidying things up. The door opened to reveal his assistant minister, a bald man wearing a ck cloak. Alongside him, was a beautiful white cat with copper eyes entering the room alongside the minister.

    "What brings you here minister?" Heinrich asks. The ministeres over and sits down on the chair, while the cat touched Heinrich''s legs, iming him as her own.

    "I came to inform your majesty on the cement powder." the minister replied. The cat meanwhile tried to grab Heinrich''s attention. She desperately seemed to want to be a pet.

    "Oh that. Well, what about it? Is it here?" he asks. The cat started meowing its displeasure. He looks down at the cat. Seeing its cute eyes, he was finally seduced to take her onto hisp.

    "Yes, your majesty. The cargo has arrived in the city only two hours ago. Knights are currently bringing the luggage over to the storage room."

    "That is good. I have been waiting for that thing toe for ages. When will the demonstration ur?" Heinrich asked while he pets the cat. It purred loudly infort in his arms with closed eyes.

    "It will happen first thing tomorrow morning your majesty. Mr. Oswald Audley himself will show us how to operate it."

    "What about the other things? Are they prepared?"

    "In terms of the sand and water, yes they are prepared. The sand is stored in the same ce we decided to keep the cement powder." the minister replied.

    "And the water? How will they transport that?" he asked. The cat started to lick Heinrich''s fingers with her tongue. A sign of affection a cat makes to their human ves. Heinrich smiles at this and lets it continue.

    "We decided to use barrels brought in a cart. They will be brought by the knights in the morning your majesty. You lest not worry." the assistant minister replied.

    "Is there anything else?" Heinrich asked.

    "Yes. The guild masters in particr." Keiron replies.

    "And that is?" The white cat suddenly stops licking. She appears to have spotted something in the room and jumps down off hisp to get it.

    "The Stonemason guild master and his associates are scheduled toe tomorrow to look at the cement powder being tested, as per your request your majesty."

    "Is that it?" he asks. Keiron thinks for a minute before giving him an answer.

    "Yes, your majesty. That is all I have for you." Keiron replied.

    "Well, in that case, you are dismissed," he said. Just as the minister was about to leave, the sound of ss shattering on the ground caught both of their attention. They turned to see the broken statue of the angel, shattered into a million pieces.

    On top of the bookshelf was the culprit on hand. The cat appears to have spotted something on top of the shelf, and identally knocked it over. Heinrich, who would usually be fuming at the cat action simply sighed.

    "Get a maid to clean this up Keiron." Heinrich requested.

 Chapter 50 The Power Of Cement

    ?Heinrich wearing a ck renaissance suit with white outlines looked onward at the iplete stone brick wall in the distance. He was riding on his great white horse, being protected by knights in iron suits, carrying sharp spears.

    From his sharp eye, he can see the little stonemasons working on building the wall. It was rather tall, being a full 6 meters or 20 feet high, and 2 meters or 6.5 feet wide. It was being built on the southern end of the city, to protect it from any uing demons.

    He arrived to the wall and dismounts from his horse. He approaches and asks a stonemason where Oswald was. The stonemason immediately knelt down, telling him that he had not arrived yet.

    "Isn''t he supposed to be here?" Heinrich asked.

    "Your majesty. It is just that you are very early."

    "Then why is it that people are build the wall?"

    "We were told to start building as soon as we came here." he replied. Heinrich thought of what he told him. He thought of some culprits who were behind it.

    "Tell them to stop. We are going to need those bricks for a test." Heinrich replied.

    In the distance, he can hear the clops of more horses, running straight in the walls directions. He turned around to see not Oswald as he expected, but the guild master and his associates, all wearing a wool cloak of either ck, white or gray.

    They dismount off their horses and approach Heinrich. The guild master himself wore gray breeches to go along with his gray cloak. Though his face was round and slightly feminine, his voice was anything but.

    The two other men behind him were thergest stonemason the city of Albersterg had to offer. They all more a simr outfit. The one on the left of the guild master wore white cloak with white breeches while the one on the right wore all ck

    The one in the white had an oblong face shape with arge forehead. He had short grey hair with a few balding spots, a result of his old age, and deep brown eyes he uses to see. The one in ck was much younger, with a square face. While he also had short ck hair, he had a strong brown mustache.

    "Your majesty, as you requested we have arrived to look onward at the cement powder being tested." he said.

    "I hope we are notte your majesty." the man in the ck cloak said.

    "No. You are a little early. Mr. Oswald will be here in about 5 minutes or less." Heinrich replied.

    "Until then, I want to ask a question."

    "What is it your majesty?"

    "I thought I told you to inform the masons here not to start building this day. Do you have an exnation for it?"

    "Your majesty, there must be a grave misunderstanding then. When I sent the letter, I thought it was on the 11th! When I learned that it was supposed to be on the 10th, it was toote to change it." he replied.

    "Please forgive me for my mistake. I swear to..." before he could finish his sentence, Heinrich interrupted him.

    "You are forgiven Guild master Brax Rudd." he said.

    "Thank you your majesty." he replied.

    Brax and his associates looked on at the tons of bags stacked together, along with therge quantity of sand and buckets of water. Guarding these products were a bunch of knights in their suits, holding spears made of iron.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom The guild master eyes the bags in which cement is kept. He then points it out to the other two.

    "Do you think that is the cement powder?" asked the guild master.

    "My guess is as good as yours Mr. Brax. We will have to see." said the one with the white cloak.

    "Mr. Lyle, what are the chances that it will work?" asked the one in the ck cloak.

    "I am not entirely sure Mr. Iman. But if it is like that weak limestone mortar, then we will have nothing to worry about." Lyle replied.

    After a few minutes, they spot a great ck horse in the distance. On top of it, wearing his signature ck coat, was Oswald Audley himself, sitting on a leather saddle made for him and the horse he rid.

    The stops and jumps down and introduces himself to Heinrich.

    "Thank you for your patience your majesty. My name is Oswald Audley. I do hope I did not keep you waiting for long." he asks.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "No Mr. Oswald. You did not." Heinrich replied.

    "Well then, let''s get started shall we?" he said. Heinrich nodded. The masons, who were working on building the wall, were called down to witness the production of cement. Oswald picked out two of them to help him in the process. He took one bag of cement and poured it on the ground.

    "There are two forms to make cement. The first is to use 3 parts sand with water, making cement for stering. The other is 4 parts sand with water for brickyering. Ins this instance, we will need 4 parts sand." Oswald said.

    He got a mason to pour the appropriate amount of sand. He then grabbed a bucket of water and mixed the sand and cement powder. It was when a mortar paste was formed in it''s ce, ready to be used.

    "And there you go! Cement your majesty!" Oswald said. He started inspecting the cement paste along with the guild master and head stone masons for a while.

    "Is it really? That quickly?" asked Lyle. Oswald smiled at his question.

    "Yes. It is. indeed Mr. Lyle." Oswald replied.

    "How long will it take to harden?" Brax asked.

    "About 2 days." Oswald truthfully replied. Brax and Lyle pretended to throw a tantrum, make it look bad.

    "2 Days? That is far too long for the material to harden! Besides, what happens if it is too weak? The wall will crumple and allow the demons on the other size to consume us all!" he objected.

    "Do not worry. The cement has been proven to be just as strong, if not stronger than the old method. Over on Hoverdam, the prince there is building new projects with his own invention.

    Add to that, you can build the wall a lot faster as making the mortar is much more easier. You can also ce just as many bricks on the cement and expect it to withstand. By the time the next day arrive, it should be strong enough to support the weight of the other bricks." Oswald replied.

    "Your majesty, what do you think? Do you really want to risk it?" Brax asked. Heinrich thought for a minute.

    "Well then. Get the masons to start using it on the wall. I want to see how fast they will be able to build it." Heinrich replied.

    "But your majesty...!"

    "I have made my decision Mr. Lyle." he replied.

    The masons obeyed the kings orders and started to build the wall. By the end, a good chuck of it held together with cement mortar. Oswald went back to Jac''s estate, to fulfill his promise on telling him all about Kant''s policies.

    ...

    King Heinrich, riding on his white horse, went along a dirt path alongside his knights  in iron suits, whose job it was to protect him. He heard from yesterday that the cement powder have been used up, just as they finished their work for the day.

    Beside him were the guild master Baux in a ck coat, along with Lyle and Iman, who whore coats in their respective colors. In the distance, they see the wall they have been building for months. Yet, never before they have seen such progress.

    "Oh wow, that was fast." Heinrichmented.

    "Do not have your hopes up your highness. We still have to test out the strength of the wall." Brax replied.

    "I guess you are right Mr. Rudd." he replied. Brax and Lyle was a bit nervous while Iman was a bit exited. Oswald was seen to have already arrived beforehand, wearing a purple coat instead of a ck one.

    Heinrich jumped down on the grass ground and walked up to Oswald, who knelt down in front of him.

    "Good Morning your majesty. I hope you had a safe ride here." Oswald said.

    "I sure did Mr. Oswald." he replied. Oswald stood up, ready to ask Heinrich on what he thinks.

    "Well your majesty, as I promised, the cement has managed to build the wall at a much faster rate. Is there anything you would like to inspect?" he asked.

    "Yes, the strength." he replied. Heinrich got a knight to inspect it''s strength. He got up to the top floor to try and separate the bricks apart, but to no avail. Heinrich smiled at the result of his test, concluding that it was indeed strong.

    "The prince seems to be a man of his word." he tells to himself. He goes back to Oswald, who was waiting patiently for him.

    "I am truly impressed Mr. Oswald. I would like to buy more cement powder from you." he told Oswald.

 Chapter 51 The Secret Letter

    ?While Oswald was presenting cement to King Heinrich, the guild master Brax, his associates Lyle and Iman, and the other stonemasons, over at Nexert a meeting between the three families have been assigned.

    In a great white room with red curtains of ss windows, the floor made of polished marble tiles, and the furniture made of expensive dark oak, two men sat on a circr table, meeting face to face once again.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom The one present was Danial Maybale, who was deemed healthy enough to discuss with the men, wearing an aquamarine blue suit with golden buttons and yellow stitches. Under his suit his left arm, was wrapped around in a gauze fabric.

    His eyes were blinking a little bit, and he used his right hand, which stood on the arm of the chair, to hold his head. The effects of that poison seem to be getting back to him little by little. The person to Danial''s right was Corel.

    Corel Gendelburg, though the king of the city, came in a bitter after Danial. He had worn a white suit with 5 ck buttons and ck threads. Danial had noticed his ruby fusion hair had grown a bit, though he kept silent on the matter.

    The third chair, made of dark oak wood, was left empty and reserved for someone. The two have been waiting for a while, yet nothing have seem toe of it. Feeling bored, Danial decided to make some small talk, to pass a bit of time.

    "When is he supposed to be here?" he asked.

    "He should have been here by morning. I don''t know what is taking him so long." Corel replied.

    "You think he ran into trouble?" Danial asked.

    "Don''t think so. He should be able to fight off any threat he might face," he replied.

    Just then there was a knock on the door. After Corel granted his permission, a maid with her all-ck uniform entered the room. She informs the two kings that Salvatore had just arrived, and is currentlying over to meet them.

    "You are dismissed," Corel said. The maid bowed and left the room. Eventually, the dark oak door with a square pattern opened once again revealing none other than Salvatore Dellone himself. wearing a red renaissance suit with white threads.

    Thees forward, throws an old envelope on the middle of the table, drags his chair back, and sits on it. Corel and Danial looked at the envelope, then turned their faces to Salvatore with confused faces.

    "What is this?" Corel asks.

    "A secret letter from the pope himself." There was a bit of silence. The two took a little time to process what he said.

    "What? Already?" Danial asked.

    "Well, the pope appeared to have got an opportunity to pop up. With a little outside help from an anonymous group, I managed to grab a hold of it.

    This is the decoded one. The original is in my pocket." he replied.

    "Have you read it?" Corel asked.

    "Yes. I have. You should probably read it too." he said. Corel took the letter and read it.

    "Is it legit?" Danial asked while he was reading.

    "Yes does seem so. You see for yourself, Danial." Corel replied and passed it over to Danial to read. After he finished, he ced the decoded message down in the middle of the table.

    "It seems his holiness wants us to n an escape to Nexert," Danial remarked.

    "That is if who ismunicating to us is not some impersonator," Corel remarked.

    "What are the chances you think that it is an impersonator?" Salvatore asked.

    "Pretty high. I mean the speech happened only about 7 days ago. If the letter came after 17 or 18 days after, it would have been more likely." he replied

    "Yes. It all seems a bit too early. If it is truly genuine, he must have had a great stork of luck." Danial remarked.

    "You can read the original if you want. Handwritings the same from the pope if you ask me." Salvatore remarked.

    "Looks like you got a job to do Danial," Corel remarked. Salvatore reached out to his pocket and gave Danial the original letter.

    He inspected the original beige letter. The letter itself was written in a unique cipher that only anyone on the inside ever knew. The encrypted letters the pope sends to the monarch back and forth all use 2 types of paper. One is coffee brown, and the other is beige.

    Depending on the color of the paper, is the type of cipher hidden in the letters. A message from a coffee brown usually meant that the cipher was hidden in the letter itself. A beige one meant that the cipher was predetermined, with one of either family.

    After Danial examined the message, he called in a maid to tell the knightmander to get the previous letters from the pope.

    "Is there something wrong with the letter?" he asks.

    "That''s what I am going to find out," Danial replied. The knightmander entered the room wearing his royal uniform, which consisted of a gray suit with 16 golden buttons, some badges of honor, with ck pants featuring 2 pockets.

    The man himself had a heart shaped face, with baby blue eyes with straight espresso hair that reached to his shoulder. His face was clean-shaven, with the spots of his facial hair to be near invisible.

    On both his hands was a wooden chest. He ces it in front of Danial and opens it up and grabs one of them. He ces the two letters side by side. He closely examined the two letters and did the same with the others.

    After going through them all one by one, he ces them all back into the chest, while leaving the secret letter back in the middle and started thinking. The other two, filled with intrigue, wanted Danial''s answer.

    "Well?" Salvatore asked.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "It is most likely real. The handwriting is near perfect. It''s just... seems too early to me." Danial replied.

    "Well if the handwriting is what you call near perfect'', it''s most likely authentic," Corel replied.

    "That is true."

    "So what are you thinking about Danial?" Corel asked.

    "Think about it Corel. If I manage to snuggle the pope out to Vina and over here, that could trigger a potential war. At a time when we are expected to see a demonic wave." he replied.

    "That is true. Maybe the... anonymous group that helped us have something they want to achieve?" Salvatore suggested.

    "That''s what I am thinking. But I am having a hard time questioning who?" Danial replied.

    "Well, it could be Rose herself." Corel put forward.

    "Why do you think that?" Danial asked him.

    "Well Danial, she already made a big speech about taking down the church and all. She is practically arming us to go after."

    "But now? Does she really want a war so quickly? Given the time, we might have one this year! No, that''s... it''s suspicious I tell you."

    "It could also be Salvator Humat. Use this incident to cause a war to damage the entire continent" Salvatore submitted.

    "That''s more likely yes. Those maniacs would do anything to see our heads on a pike." Corel suggested.

    "But there is also a problem. Though they have the motives, I don''t think they have the ability to sneak messages so quickly, nor have the power  to get those messages out of Rose in the first ce." Danial said.

    "I think your memory is a bit fussy Danial," Salvatore said.

    "Why is that?" Danial asked.

    "Remember in thest month when we got a letter from the academy? About how they were monitoring your son?"

    "I don''t... Oh." Danial just remembered what Corel was talking about.

    "Alright, I admit though it seems more likely that they were the ones who might have been behind it. But there is not enough information about their... capacity yet." Danial replies.

    "Well whoever it is, do we all agree that this message is real?" Corel asked. The other two nodded.

    "Well then, that would mean we are going to have to form a n to get his holiness out of Queen Rose''s grip."

    "Any ideas anyone?" Danial asked.

    "First we got to face the logistical challenge before attempting to fool the queen of Vina," Salvatore said.

    "Yes obviously. What do you think?"

    "There are two ways we can ship in holiness. Either by water or bynd. If we transport using water, then although his holiness will get there faster, the chances of him being caught are high.

    If we use thend route, although we could be a lot safer from the knights, the dangers arise when ites to the demons. What do you all think?"

    "Maybe we can use a mix of both?" Danial propounded.

    "That could work. Although we need to give ourselves some time to get as far we can." Corel said.

    "I have an idea. We can use a decoy." Salvatore advised

    "A decoy?" Corel asked.

    "Yes. Like for those teachers we used."

    "Alright then, we use a decoy then. That will give a few days a head start. Once she discovers the fact that his holiness is missing, she will send out letters to order every city on the basin to find him." Corel said.

    "We just need to figure out how long it will take her then. The more simr the actor, the more time we have." Danial said.

    "Conservatively it should give us 3 days. Taking that into factor, the pope should drop off at Peckerson. What then?" Corel asked.

    "We can hire a cart. Pay them to hide his holiness until they get to the outskirt of the city. Then have a group of hired knights to transport him to small towns in between to travel to Tyrol, then ship him over to Nexert." Danial said.

    "Sounds good to me," Corel said.

    "Yea. It''s good. We should go with that then." Salvatore said.

 Chapter 52 A Nostalgic Breakfast

    ?As the sun just started to shine its rays on the city of Hoverdam once more. Benvolio who had woken up at 4 in the morning, wearing his signature white chef uniform made of wool, tore the beige calendar marking the date from the 10th of Asinus to the 11th of Asinus in ck ink.

    The vast kitchen, a room floor tiled with polished gray stone tiles, the walls painted daisy white, and equipped with all the pots and pans any chef could ever dream of, was brimming with the maids in ck and chefs in white.

    "Come on everyone! The prince ising over again to cook with us. We got to get ready." he said out loud to the staff. Kant had informed him that he wasing to the kitchen once again, to help them cook a new dish!

    As they were preparing to cook breakfast, there was a knock on the door. Benvolio, as he was working on preparing everything, granted his permission to enter his kitchen.

    "Come in," Benvolio said while he set up everything. When he turned around, he was surprised to see the prince, in his royal ck suit enter.

    "Good morning Mr. Benvolio," Kant said.

    "Oh! Good morning sire. I did not expect you to get up this early. Are you hear to present the recipe to cook for you?" he asked while smiling.

    "Yes I... I did." Kant replied while shaking his head in agreement. Benvolio naturally smiled at his response.

    "Well, what are we making?" Benvolio asked.

    "Hash browns, with pancakes, bacon, and scrambled eggs."

    "Hash browns?" he asked. Benvolio never heard of such food terms before. Neither of the words was even coined yet. He asks Kant what it was and where he heard it from.

    "Hash browns are mainly made out of potatoes. I will teach you how to make them." Kant replied.

    "Sire you sure seem to love potatoes a lot. If may I ask, why is that so?" Benvolio asked.

    "It''s a cheap and nutritious source of food that allowed the city to traverse through tough times. Plus, any dish regarding the ingredient could be adapted to the masses rather quickly." Kant replied.

    "If you say so, sire," Benvolio responded with a shining white smile. He got some potatoes in a wooden tray, washed them using water, and handed it over to Kant. Kant, who had put on leather gloves, grabbed a knife and turned to Benvolio.

    "First, we got to peel the potatoes," he responded. Benvolio also grabbed a knife and potato and started peeling them so elegantly. Being a master chef, it was expected of him to do so. Kant himself wasn''t doing badly either.

    Though his peeling was much less morous, it was better than a rookie who did so. While they peeled the potatoes, the others got to work on making the other part of the dish. While some chefs cut the bacon into thin slices, others made the pancake batter, while a few tasked themselves with the scrambled eggs.

    "Say sire, your birthday is on the 9th of Amare. Correct?"

    "Indeed you are Mr. Benvolio."

    "So about... 16 years old. Yet you seem to have a good grip on peeling those potatoes. Have you been to the kitchen before?" Benvolio asked.

    "Indeed I have. Although it is not in this specific area we are in."

    "If so then where?" Benvolio asked, curious to know how someone so young managed to do so.

    "When I was a young boy, I used to travel to Mende in the summer to y with my friend there. Whenever the two of us decide we want a snack but the maids won''t give us any, we went in and stole some potatoes.

    There, after we took what was necessary, we started cooking. Though it took us some time, we managed to create those potato chips and hash browns I told you about earlier. It was the only thing that came out of it." Kant replied.

    Benvolio was a bit suspicious of Kant''s exnation. Though it was a risk, he decided to further question Kant on the matter.

    "If so, then howe his and her highness never found out about it?" Benvolio questioned.

    "I often wear gloves when handling sharp objects. I understood that my mother would have gotten angry if I had injured myself. So I used protection too before doing so." Kant replied.

    "Where was the ce you cooked located?" Benvolio continued to ask.

    "It wasn''t located anywhere specifically. It was more like a campsite. To not raise suspicion, we moved."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Once they were done peeling all their potatoes Kant took the box grater. Together, Benvolio and Kant started grinding the potatoes until the pieces themselves get cut into the smallest piece imaginable.

    "Now we need to get the water out of the potatoes," Kant replied.

    "Should I grab a cloth?" Benvolio asked.

    "Yes, please. Thank you." Benvolio brought Kant a white tablecloth. Kant ced the tablecloth on the desktop, put the ground potatoes on top, and closed it. He then grabbed a basin, held the wrapped potatoes up, and started squeezing out all the moister.

    Liquid dropped from the white cloth to the basin. The water looked to be yellow simr to that of a potato after being peeled. As Kant was doing so, from the corner of his eye, he saw a chef about to clean a frying pan used for the bacon.

    "Do not clean than pan just yet. We will be using the bacon grease to cook the hash browns," he said.

    "Why? What does it do?" Benvolio asks.

    "It gives it a better taste, a better vor," Kant replied.

    "You stole bacon as well?" Benvolio asked.

    "Yes. However, the slices themselves were small."

    "How small?"

    "It''s about the size of the meat each recruit is rewarded with." He takes the pan and puts it on the stove, powered by the orange mes of burning wood. Kant ces the ground potatoes on top of the hot pan surface and ttens it with a spat.

    He then lets it cook for a few minutes before flipping it on its side. The yellow ground potato looked to be more cooked as the top part, as there was much more brownish-orange on the side.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Are we almost done?" Benvolio asked, looking at the pan.

    "Yes. We are." Kant replied. After a few minutes, Kant took out the hash brown and ced in on a silver tray. Kant took some salt and started to pour it on top of the hash brown. It was then brought over to a different counter.

    There the other food items were ced onto a white ceramic te. They first put the three thick pancakes, along with the slices of brown bacon, and scrambled eggs. Out of Kant''s request, they put on a bit of butter and honey on top of the pancake.

    The dish was brought all the way over to the dining room where Kant could sit down and eat. He takes off his gloves and starts washing his hands with soap. When he was sure that his hands were clean of germs, he left the kitchen and went over to the dining room where his meal awaited.

    He sat down, with Benvolio next to him. He inspects the finished product before digging in. As his nose picked up the smell, it rediscovered some roads to memories. Feeling excited, he grabs the fork and knife and takes a slice of the hash brown he made.

    As soon as he started biting into it, the floodgates of memories and nostalgia opened. He can remember the time of his previous life, with old family and friends. How once his mother made him his breakfast. As he continue to eat it, his eyes started tearing up.

    "What is wrong, sire?" Benvolio asked. Kant simply smiled at him before responding.

    "It''s perfect. It''s perfect. Down to thest minute detail." Kant replied. Benvolio smiled at Kant''s reponse.

    "I am d you loved it, sire. Would you like me to prepare you this breakfast every... week?" he asked.

    "No. Maybe once a month but not every week. This is... well... it''s unhealthy. I rather have it in terms of maybe once a month." Kant responded.

    "Like a desert?" Benvolio asked.

    "Yes. Exactly." Kant replied.

    Once he finished his meal, he went to the bathroom, feeling the need to urinate. When he got there, he stopped to look in the mirror. There, he saw his ck renaissance suit made of wool. With its white cross stitches and white buttons with diamonds engrained, it was a defining piece of clothing representing royalty.

    He takes his left hand and ces it on his chest. On the palm of his hand, he felt the small details that had been etched into it. Though a mark of craftsmanship, he felt it was a bit too... excessive. Not before long, he decides to stop focusing on the mirror and goes to do what he was going to do.

 Chapter 53 Designing A Steam Engine

    ?The sun shined Kant''s desk stacked with beige paper, all nk. It was all so sleek, not a wrinkle to be found in any of the pages. They were all brand new, and he often used them in writing legition and designing new inventions.

    Just then, the door opened, revealing Kant who had just taken his breakfast that he helped make. He takes a book with a thick smooth cover and ces it on the desktop. After he sat down on his chair, his right-hand takes one piece of paper out of the stack and ces it on top of the book.

    While he took the paper, his left hand reached for a pencil made of wood and much thicker than the ones he had back in the modern world. Using the pencil made of wood and graphic, he starts scribbling drawings of a modern suit that he wanted.

    After a few minutes, he was finished drawing his sketch. The paper featured a detailed drawing of a modern suit and the pieces that went along with it. Although it was not the photo-realistic drawings that he usually drew, it did the job and was far better than what the average man could do.

    The suit on paper depicted single breasted suit. It featured 2 buttons and no front pockets. The pockets themselves were concealed on the inside of the piece. To go along with it, he also drew pants, ties, shoes, and a shirt to go along with it.

    On the bottom left of the drawing, we some details that could not be depicted in his drawing. It consisted of the materials and colors used for the suit. All pieces would be made with wool, with the suit, tie, and pants being made of ck wool, with the shirt being the only piece colored white.

    The shoes themselves were depicted to be a type of Oxford shoe and intended to be made with expensive high-quality ck leather, while theces were to be made with strong linen. Kantpares his suit to the one he was wearing now. Compared to the modern suit, with its sleek and clean look, his current clothes were a bit excessive.

    As he had finished his drawing, Kant called in a maid to get Arjun into his office. As he waited, the maid came back, informing Kant that Arjun is currently busy with work and will arrive once it is done.

    After he dismisses the maid, he contemted what he should do in the meantime. He turned his head to the monocr near the window. The same one he used to watch the police recruits.

    ''Should I?'' he thought to himself.

    Just then, he was reminded of the ck book he carried around in his pocket. He took it out and started flipping through its beige papers on what he could do in the meantime. He stopped at one page, and read it in his head.

    ''Of course. How could I forget.''

    He ces the book back in his pocket and started sketching something with the papers again. This time, however, he needed a lot more than just the one he used to sketch the suit. The invention he drew, was a lot moreplicated.

    ...

    Arjun took a sip from his ceramic white cup with blue flower patterns etched into it. The high caffeine of the ck coffee allowed him to concentrate on his harder work. A habit he picked up from Kant when he was feeling sleepy or stressed.

    A letter had arrived from Nexert informing Arjun and Kristina of the assassination attempt on the king''s life. It also informed them the culprit of the King''s sickness was none other than Salvator Humat.

    The letter itself instructed the minister to follow 3 instructions. First is to increase the security measures, and the other is to investigate the staff to detect any malicious individual motivated to harm the royal family, especially in the kitchen.

    Though Arjun and Kristina wanted to send some high-ranking knights to investigate the kitchen staff, they were unable to as Kant was present in the area, cooking a new dish with them. As the letter stated he should be left in the dark of the events unfolding over the month, but they had to wait.

    So far, ording to the reports, all were proven to be innocent. However, there were still some reports pending to be turned in by the knight hall. Arjun turned his head to the pendulum clock, made of oak wood and ss.

    The handles pointed towards 10:45, a full two hours and forty-five minutes when Kant called him to his office.

    ''I should get going.'' he thought to himself.

    He stood up from his chair and grabbed the disputes of the day to handle over to Kant. He got out of his office and walked over to Kant''s office. He knocked on the door and waited for Kant''s voice on the other side to permit him to enter.

    "Come in." he heard. Arjun entered the room. His eyes got distracted by the number of paper used up to for Kant''s scribbles. Some of them were very simple, and not that detailed, while others had some proper sketches. Not before long, he got on track once more.

    "Ah, Arjun. What took you so long?" Kant asked

    "I was busy with some paperwork. That is all. Where shall I put the disputes sire?" Arjun asked.

    "On the top of the bookshelf. I will solve them allter." Kant replied. Arjun did as instructed, and ced them over on the clean wooden bookshelf top. Afterward, he dragged and sat on a chair, facing Kant directly.

    "Is there anything that you request of me?" Arjun asked.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Yes, I do. I want you to find a suitable building for me. It is necessary to construct a working prototype of a new invention of mine. Then send the craftsman I selected in the list a letter informing them toe on a specific date." Kant replied.

    "Oh? What is the invention about sire?"

    "It is an engine using water vapor at high temperatures which creates pressure to convert power into motion to substitutebor," Kant replied. Arjun, not even understanding some of the words Kant spoke out, got a bit confused.

    "I beg your pardon sire? I did not understand what you just described to me." Arjun asked.

    "Is there any specific part that I need to borate on?" Kant asked.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Yes. First off, what is an engine?" Arjun questioned. The word engine hasn''t been coined yet in this world, and Kant had to exin what it was to Arjun.

    "An engine is a device or a machine that converts power into motion. The engine I want to invent uses water vapor, or steam, to convert power into motion." Kant replied. Curiosity sparked in Arjun''s head. He wondered how an invention as Kant described could be economical, let alone possible.

    "I have two questions to ask you sire."

    "Go on."

    "What is the purpose of this device you mention, and how does it even work?" Arjun asked.

    "As I said before, the purpose of a steam engine is to substitutebor and increase productivity so the city can produce more. We can have fewer people but still produce more at the same time."

    "Alright sire. That makes sense. And the other?"

    "A steam engine in theory uses pressure made from the collection of steam to move a piston, here let me show you an example."

    Kant took a piece of paper and drew a simple diagram of a box separated by lines with gaps and intakes. He then drew a simple piston and a valve rod. He then ces it facing Arjun for him to see it."

    "First, the boiler heats the water that it turns to steam. This steam enters through the steam inlet here..." Kant pointed at with his pencil.

    "From there the steam makes its way to the cylinder through the open port. The high pressure of the steam pushes the piston. In this diagram, it moves to the right." Kant drew out the flow of steam and the way it moved.

    "This in turn causes the valve rod to move in the opposite direction. It closes the port allowing any more steam to enter the cylinder to push the piston left and instead opens a different port." Kant adds this to his diagram.

    "This causes the steam to push the piston to the left. This causes the value to move back to the left. The steam itself exists the steam chests through the exhaust port." Kant said.

    "How do the piston and valve rod move?" Arjun asked while Kant was in the middle of exining.

    "That is because of the flywheel present right here..." Kant draws in a simple flywheel.

    "It allows the steam engine to function while also directing it to other parts where it is needed," Kant replied.

    "That''s the basics of how a steam engine works in theory. There are multiple other ways it can be designed, and it would depend on the specific purpose. This is vaguely simr to the one I am currently designing."

    "What kind of fuel will sire be using?"

    "Currently, the main contender is coal. For a steam engine to operate, it would needrge quantities of high-energy fuel for it to operate. If I want to expand the use of it to other sectors, we need a good supply of it as well, which I don''t think other sources can provide."

    "Well sire, I am not sure you know this but, this city doesn''t have coal mines. Or anyrge coal mines to be precise."

    "Yes, but kingdoms on the west of the Pixie River do. We can import the coal we need from there in exchange for money and cement. This brings me to my second request. It is to expand the production of cement."

    "Why is that sire?"

    "Well, to meet the demand to build the school, we are going to need to produce a lot more to meet up with demand."

    "Alright sire."

    "Any other questions?"

    "No sire. Not at all."

    "Good. My other request is, once I finish designing the steam engine I have in mind, I need you to send them to cksmiths and craftsmen instructing them to make the individual part assigned to them. Then, have that part delivered to the building.

    There, we will test the concept out. If it fails to function, we will identify the points of failure, rework our design, and make new parts again. Once it does function, we will try improving it until the device will be economical for use." Kant replied.

    "After that?"

    "We will move on to retrofit the technology for other tools, like say a loom, to increase productivity further," Kant replied.

 Chapter 54 A Knight Called Paul (1)

    ?It was another day as Kant sat in his office working on settling little disputes among the citizens. It was a bit boring, but it was a job that needed to be done. On the fields, the recruits were training hard all day, hoping to be professionals at their craft.

    Arjun on the other hand was tasked with finding a ce for Kant and his future team to begin their project, renovating the building a bit to suit Kant''s preferences that he ordered, and sending off letters to the people Kant requested.

    As Kant was working, there was a knock on the door. He figured out who it was, as he requested a certain maid to do him a favor yesterday.

    "Come in," he says. Cora, the fair blond maid in her ck attire,es in holding a silver tray with an empty ceramic cup and a teapot with steam leaving the trout. She ces it down and fills Kant''s cup with some ck coffee.

    "Thank you Cora." he takes a piece of paper and writes down on it.

    ''Did you find anything about Arjun?'' it says. Cora took the quill and wrote her answer.

    ''A letter had arrived from Nexert from his majesty to increase security. That''s all we got so far.'' she then gives the quill to Kant.

    ''What about Kristina.'' he wrote on the beige paper. Cora took something out of a hidden pocket on her little overskirt and gave it to Kant. It was a small book, simr to the one Kant carried around with him. She then took back the quill and wrote something on the paper.

    ''Here''s a bit of history on her. The ones I managed to snuggle at least.''

    ''Is it at least important?'' Kant writes in ck ink.

    ''The most important of them all'' She writes. She was about to leave the room but was stopped by Kant. He gives her the drawings for the modern suit he wanted and instructs her on one more task.

    "Please give this to Arjun. I was supposed to give it to him yesterday but it slipped out of my mind." Kant requested.

    "As you wish sire," she replied. With that, she left the room. Kant ced the book in the drawer, tore up the paper hemunicated Cora with, and threw it in the bin. He then continued to work on the disputes until they were allpleted.

    Only after he finished, he started reading what was on the pages. The first pages of the book describe, not Kristina, but someone else.

    "Mr. Paul Robins..." Kant mutters under his breath.

    ...

    Walking down the hall to the receptionist was a knight in a suit of armor, holding his choice of weapon, an enchanted longbow, on his back along with an empty arrow bag. The man had short ck hair, with hazel eyes, and a sleek face. He approached the receptionist and asked her a question.

    "Hello there. You got some quest for me?" he asked.

    "Actually yes. I do," she replied. The receptionist takes out the rolled piece of beige paper and hands it to the man. He unravels it and reads the thing.

    "A quest from the knightmander?" he asked.

    "Yes. There have been reports of some powerful demon lurking around. The knightmander asks you to kill it before it harms anyone."

    "It says here it''s located west of the ind. That''s the other side of the river. Are you sure you just want me to do it?" he asks.

    "Take a party with you if you want. All the information you need to know is on the paper," she replied.

    "I am not sure. Not many people are up to go out for today."

    "Did you not read about the rewards?"

    "It''s not written here."

    "It isn''t?" the receptionist took the paper back and realized her mistake.

    "Ah. I apologize. The reward forpleting the mission would be 125 gold coins." she gives him the paper back to him.

    "Well, that''s all you had to say! Why don''t you all lead with that first?" he replied. After epting his quest, the man walked outside the knight hall. He looked around for someone to partner with, wanting aid in this mission.

    All around, many of them were not in a suit of armor, but their royal uniform of a gray topping, with either red, blue, or green leggings to go with it.

    From the corner of his eye, he spots somebody. A woman, with ruby red hair, and sharp emerald eyes in a suit with her spear, ready to go at any moment. The two looked at each other, and the man decides to walk over.

    "Hey man, I got this really dangerous yet extremely rewarding quest. You want to go?" he asks the man in a royal uniform next to the woman.

    "Hey! I am here you know!" she said to the man.

    "Hmm... I don''t know. I don''t think you will be able to manage. What do you think Carl?" the man asked the other man next to him. While the women frowned, Carl just chuckled.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I am sorry Paul, I am off today. I won''t be able to join. Maybe you should take her instead." Carl replied.

    "Alright then, if you say so. Come on Kristy. Let''s go." The couple started walking away from the knight hall.

    "So what''s the mission about?" Kristina asked.

    "About killing off some powerful demon over at the west. Payout is high."

    ...

    Before they went off on their quest, the two rode down to a ratherrge house built of polished stone bricks and featuring ss windows, symbolizing the wealth of the owners who lived here.

    The two walked inside. The floor was made out of oak wood nks, the same as used on the roof of the house. As they close the door behind them, a little girl, who looked to be at the age of 6, was peaking in the corner along with a boy 2 years younger.

    She had ck hair that reached up to her shoulder. She wore a dress pink in color with white ''S'' patterns etched at the bottom part of the dress. The boy''s hair was a ruby fusion in color, with a cute round face and emerald green eyes. He wore a blue dress, with white flowers threaded on the bottom instead.

    "Papa''s home!" Paul called out.  The children rush towards his arms, however,, the girl was much faster than the boy due to their age difference.

    "Mama! Papa!" they call out in joy. Paul picks the little girl up and tosses her in the air, while Kristina took hold of the boy.

    "How''s my little girl? Did you just wake up?" he asks his daughter, while the others just watched on envious of her. The daughter nodded in agreement.

    "I assume you woke a bitter my little boy?"

    "Yes mamma." the boy responded.

    "Say, what have you two been doing while mommy and daddy were gone?" Paul asked.

    "I have been ying with little brother after auntie fed us both. He is still so slow when trying to catch me" she responded.

    "It''s not fair! You are too fast! Why don''t you let me win?" the boy responded.

    "Now now. You two better not argue around Mommy and Daddy now. We juste back home you know?" Kristina said to her children. Paul smiled.

    "Come on, let''s go to the table," he said. They walked over to find the maid working there. The woman, who was dressed in a ck maid gown, had her ck hair tied like a knot with a wooden stick. She was found cleaning the tables.

    "Wee back home Mr. and Ms. Robin,," she said as she bowed.

    "How was everything?" Kristina asked.

    "It all went well madam. The children were not a hassle," she replied.

    "Did they eat well?"

    "Yes, Madam. They ate their food. It was hard, but I fed them anyhow."

    "Those green beans are disgusting!" the little girl responded.

    "Now. Now. Those are healthy for you Ang. It helps you and your brother grow strong."

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Well good. Kids, we will be going out again in a few minutes for a mission. We came to get some more arrows we have in the storage." In response,, their children hugged their parents even harder, not willing to let go of them.

    "NO! Mama and Papa just came!" she argued. Her brother seems to agree. The stubborn kids refused to leave their parent''s arms.

    "Now, now. We are not going right now. It''s too soon! But yes, mommy and daddy will have to go."

    "But why?" she asks.

    "Sweetie. We are the ones who protect other people''s ma''s and pa''s. Imagine how sad your friends would feel if they lost theirs." Paul tells his children.

    "I promise you. Mama and Papa will be back. Like we always do." he said.

    "Promise?" Ang asked.

    "Promise."

 Chapter 55 A Knight Called Paul (2)

    ?The two knights rowed a small wooden boat down the river to the other side. They move away from their urban home in the city to the rural green forests filled with nothing but nts, trees, animals, and dangerous demons that can dispatch their a normal man in an instant.

    The knights started walking towards the forest. The trees provide the two with shade from the sun''s rays. Kristina has taken out her spear, while Paul had drawn his bow with a sharp pointy arrow, ready to fire at a moment''s notice. The two wander off, looking for the demon to kill.

    "Where do you think it could be hiding?" Kristina asked.

    "Just follow where the most demons are," Paul replied.

    The forest seemed rather peaceful. Their ears could pick up the song of the birds on trees, along with the faint rustling of the tree wind. Animals, such as squirrels went about their day searching for nuts, while the bees pollinate the various flowers there were.

    Yet, despite the calm noise, Paul''s sensitive ear picked up a sound near a bush. He turned around to face what he could be facing. Eyes, oozing blue, stared back at the both of them. It then jumped, revealing itself to be a demonic wolf, with muddy brown fur with long sharp ws.

    It started running straight towards them, attempting to make them its prey. He quickly takes aim and fires. The arrow swooshes into the wolf''s left eye. However still ran like a cheetah, and jumped to take a bit.

    It was when Kristina, spear in hand, had positioned herself while Paul distracted it. He jabbed straight through on the right side of its body. The metal point dug deep into the wolf, almost striking its heart. Then, sheunched the demonic wolf into a tree, finally killing it off.

    Paul walks up to the beast and collects the mana stone on its forehead. The blue gem glowed in Paul''s hands. It was a valuable item, being one of the rare mana stones to ever encounter.

    "Put this in the bag honey." Paul requests her.

    "A rare one? This close-by?" she says after taking a look at the mana stones'' color.

    "Yea. It''s odd. Odd. It might be a sign that the demon is closer than we originally thought it was." She ces the mana stone into an empty brown pouch, used normally to carry money around by average citizens.

    "The loupmal seemed to havee from that way." Paul pointed out.

    "Let''s go then." she insists. The two walk on to where the beast popped out from. As they strayed further in, the faint sounds of the birds were heard, and the presence of animal life started to disappear; they knew they were headed in the right direction.

    At first, the couple fought through more demons, featuring demonic monkeys known as ''singefurs'', more demonic wolves, and demonic boars known as ''sangliers''. Then they fought through more anomalous creatures they had to fight.

    There started to appear petijau, small stone golems with yellow mana crystals as their core, along with some demonic trees hiding in in sight. The two knights, however, had read books written about how to deal with such monsters and therefore breezed through them.

    Then, it suddenly stopped. Demons stopped charging at them. It was total silence in the rather shady forest.

    "You hear anything?"

    "No, it''s quiet." The two continued to walk further while a figure in the trees watch. Paul concentrated hard on trying to pick an abnormal sound. Anything to help him locate a demon. Then suddenly, a small movement and the branches were picked up by his ear.

    "IT''S ON THE TREES!" he screamed. A dark figure dropped down with its sword aimed at Paul, but he managed to dodge it just in the nick of time. Kristina, taking her chance, stabbed the creature with her spear. Although not a perfect hit, she manages to stab its right arm.

    The being backed away and stared at the two while breathing heavily. It had two arms and two legs, along with simr body structures to a human male. Its skin was fair, just like Paul''s and Kristina''s. However, its demonic eyes had ck pupils, along with the horns on its rather sweaty head.

    Its nails were short but sharp, allowing it to cut through anything with ease in case it loses its sword made of steel. Its body was covered in red scales, acting as natural protection like a human knight suit would, with the only exposed spot being its neck and head.

    "Looks like you missed pal." Paul teases the demon. It merely scoffs at his remark. It drops its sword and raised its left hand. He ces the hand on the injured spot to heal it. Paul fires an arrow, but the demon''s shield it casts with its injured right-hand blocks it.

    "I was hoping..." *cough* "... to end the battle quickly," it spoke in its deep distorted voice. The beast started casting fireballs at the knights. All missed and hit the trees. Kristina and Paul had to cast some spells to not burn the forest down.

    Paul takes another arrow from his bag and aims it at the demon. He fires but misses his shot. However, as it was distracted Kristina went in for another jab, this time on the heart. Though the demon manages to move, the spear slices through the side of his chest.

    Injured once again, it tries to heal. Paul takes another arrow and shoots. Itnds right on the neck, and the creature falls to the ground. With a smirk on his face, he walked up to its body, wanting to taunt it.

    However, the demon was still alive, and it fired a powerful fireball straight at Paul''s chest. Kristina, filled with rage stabbed the demon in the head, finally killing it off. Breathing heavily from the fight she sighed a breath of relief thinking it was over.

    "Honey! Are you alright?" she came rushing over to see Paul''s health. He was lying on the ground, not moving. Kristina fired a water spell on his chest te, cooling it down.

    "Paul? Can you hear me? Paul!" she said. Tears started flowing out of her eyes, but before they could reach the ground, his eyes suddenly opened, and his head thrust at Kristina.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Boo!" he says. Kristina backs off as she was taken aback by his movement. The man chuckled, seeing that she fell for his tease.

    "Oh darling, you seem to have forgotten I wear more protection under this armor," he says in a tight tone. Kristina was visibly angry.

    "I was worried you know! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" she says.

    "Yea, well sorry about that," he responds. Kristina looks at him once more and asks him a question.

    "You are alright. Right?" she asked.

    "Well, that fireball seemed to have melted the chest te a little, and my chest burns a lot. Can you help me remove my armor?"

    "Here? We are in the middle of the forest! There are still demons out here!"

    "Well, it looks like you are going to have to look after my back once more. I mean I looked after yours right?" he says.

    "Does it hurt that much?"

    "Oh yes. Very. It burns like hell. Can you please help me now?" he asks while trying to conceal his pain.

    "Of course," she responds, and helps him get rid of his chest te.

    ...

    As Kant was reading the book that was presented to him, there was a sudden knock on the door. Kant ces the book under the drawer and permits whoever was on the other side to enter. The door opened to Arjun dressed in a white cloak contrasting Kant''s ck suit.

    His face looked with confusion. Though Kant wonders why at first until he takes out the drawings of the modern suit and ces them on Kant''s desk.

    "Excuse me sire, but what is this piece you have designed?" he asks.

    "It''s a suit," Kant replied. His confused face did not disappear but intensified.

    "A suit? This?" he asks.

    "Why. Does it not look good?"

    "No no sire. It looks good. Just... I don''t understand why you this made. Does sire not like your current attire?" Arjun asks.

    "Well... yes. I find it all a bit too excessive when presenting myself. There are a lot of patterns threaded on this garment that you can feel when you run your palm through it.

    Then there''s the fact that it''s all over a top piece. Then there is the unnecessary amount of buttons on it. There are 12 in this one alone. Need I go on?"

    "No sire. It''s just that... it''s the trend among royalty these days. It allows them to stand out against themoners. Are you sure you want it?"

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "I rather prefer much sleeker clothing to wear than... this. Besides, it would help me stand out more, don''t you think?" he responds. Arjun thought of it for a minute before giving in.

    "Alright then. How many do you want?" Arjun asked.

    "2 is enough. I won''t be wearing it every day."

    "Oh?"

    "Yes. I would most likely wear it on days when I go out in public."

 Chapter 56 A Book Recommendation

    ?Surrounded by bookshelves filled with all colors of books, they acted as walls separating a fair girl wearing a ck gown with white stitches and patterns. Her short ck hair seemed to have been properlybed, and her nails cut short.

    She sat on the wooden chair with a book with a ck leather cover lying open on the table. Her ice-blue eyes were too busy reading the ck ink on the coffee-brown pages that were a little torn and wrinkled. Yet, she enjoyed her time, reading and learning from it.

    To her side, there was another stack of books with the same ck leather cover on them. On the side, there was some text written in gold yellow, mentioning the history of the Early Asterian Republic, a time before humanity''s first golden age.

    The girl was so infatuated with her reading that she was trapped in a bubble of immersion. She imagined what it was like to be there during that era. As she was trapped in her bubble, she failed to hear the sound of heavy footsteps, walking toward her.

    The footsteps stop when they came only inches next to her. There was a moment of silence, as the figure watches over the girl. It turned its head to see what she was reading. Then it turned to the books on the side, waiting to be read by the girl.

    "How is the history book Princess Lisa?" he asks. Lisa turns around finally hearing the voice of the man. She found a rather tall man in a white cloak with red breeches and ck boots. His face was that a shape type of diamond, with a strong jawline.

    His curly hair was rather long for a man, reaching his shoulders. The man''s sharp dark brown eyes were conceded behind the thick round sses he wore, and his voice was ever deep than even her father''s.

    "Professor Campbell! I sincerely apologize for not noticing you. I have been reading the books you have rmended to me."

    "I see. Well, how are they?"

    "They are amazing Professor. They are filled with great detail about the lives of the people who ruled. It''s all perfect!" she replied. The man smiled.

    "You sure do love learning history don''t you Princess Lisa."

    "Oh yes, very much so sir."

    "Say, why don''t youe to the office? I have some other books to offer you. Things that the academy deemed... too intellectual to your age group." Lisa was taken aback by Campbell''s offer.

    "But professor, isn''t that against the academy''s rule ofw?" she asks. In response, he takes out a folded letter and hands it over. She unravels the beige paper to find that it was from Rose Valline, who on Campbell''s request, permitted her to read those books.

    The little girl smiled at the page. She hands the letter and thanked the professor.

    "That her majesty Queen Rose Valline for that. Nowe, follow me," he said. The girl followed the esteemed professor to his office with a tiled marble floor. On the front wall was a mirror that faced the dark oak door with square patterns.

    On the front of the window, were a table and a chair, made out of the same wood the door was made. On the left and there stood tall bookshelves packed with books documenting almost all of human history.

    "Wee to my office, Lisa. I hope you find itfortable."

    "It looks lovely professor Campbell."

    "Thank you. Now, about the book..." the manzily searched the shelves with various covers of color. Then, he picked out one and handed it over to Lisa.

    "This one is good. A religious history of the Angelisist Church. Now, this is a very, VERY exclusive book." he tells Lisa who listed with all ears.

    He goes to the door and opens it. He looks around the hallway to see if anybody was nearby. After he is done, he closes and locks the door. Then hees closer to Lisa, kneels down, and whispers in her ear.

    "Do not let anyone else read it. There is a lot of written truth there the church does not want anyone to know. Take that and read it alone." he whispered. He stares into Lisa''s eyes.

    "What does it contain?" she asks.

    "The church says heresy, while I, and a lot of others, say it''s the truth. Do not let them find you with it. Otherwise, they will likely lynch you."

    "Did you understand Princess Lisa?" Lisa started shaking a little. She doesn''t say a word and just nods. With that, the professor unlocks the door and lets her leave the room. As soon as she scoots away, he goes over to his desk.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He takes out a piece of paper, a bottle of blue ink, and a quill. With a quill in hand, he starts writing down the beige piece of paper. The quill suddenly stops writing. He shakes his hand to get the quill to write again, only to drop a ball of ink on the paper.

    Seeing the imperfection, he crumples it up and throws it in the bin. He takes out another piece of paper and starts writing another one. After he finished writing, he walks down the hall to the area where the birds are being kept.

    It was a dark gloomy room, with the only lighting from the few windows there. It was filled with rattling cages of birds desperately wanting to be let out. Through the pack, there were small corridors, where anyone can walk and select a messenger pigeon of their choice.

    Campbell walked on one of these corridors, looking for the right pigeon. He was revolted by the nature of the birds, trying to flee their home to the outside world. Though he may want to kill every one of them, he spared them all so he won''t get in trouble.

    One particr cage caught his eye. The bird was still, not seeming to be in the state all the others are. It was calm and silent, patiently waiting for its turn. Campbell smiled at this pigeon. He takes it out and attaches the letter to it.

    "Send this to her majesty Queen Rose Valline," he said. He then takes it to the nearest window and sets it on its mission.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® ...

    Lisa was back in her room, holding the ck book tightly to her chest. She thought of what Professor Campbell had told her, about never presenting it to anyone. She brainstorms ces she could read it in peace, without anyone spotting her or questioning her.

    Just then, she remembered exactly where. cing the book in a leather bag and scooted off. She soon arrived on a paved cobblestone path, with flowers on both sides of the road. She was headed to her sister''s garden, wanting some peace to read it.

    However, when she arrived at the garden entrance, her ice blue eyes spot a boy, in what appears to be white clothing setting up a canvas holder. Sitting on a wooden bench, wearing a beautiful yellow gown.

    She sneaks around the garden, managing to avoid detection. She then heads her way away from Sofia and to a rather distant part of the garden, where she felt safe.

    "I should have chosen the other ce," she says to herself. In the end, what was done it done. Lisa was not safe. She takes out the ck book and stares at it once again.

    She takes a huge breath and starts reading the book. The first page reads ''The Angelisist church was the greatest religious institution to have ever existed..."

    ...

    The sun was almost starting to set once more. It was time for everyone to go back to their dorms so that they won''t get punished for misbehaving. Lisa however, one of the most obedient students in the entire academy, was thinking of something else.

    Lisa stayed and went over to a ce she knew where she can keep the book safe. She walked carefully and quietly across the halls of the school, avoiding any teachers, and makes her way to a dark room.

    There was no light source except for one, that being a square window to the outside world, allowing the dimming sunlight to illuminate the teacher''s abandoned table. The rest of the ssroom lingered in the dark.

    She raised her left hand and pointed up her index finger. Lisa then cast a spell, forming a small ember enchased in a small magical ball with its top cut. This was to prevent her finger from burning.

    She goes up to the teacher''s table and ces the book on the dusty table. No longer needing the ember, she puts it out. She then drags out the first drawer, causing dust to fly at her face. After a little cough, she got back to work.

    Lisa then opens the bottom drawer and ces it on its side. Using the tip of her finger, she casts another spell. A sharp de formed above her fingertips. She uses it to slowly cut the bottom half of the second drawer, removing the strong glue that held it in ce.

    After the glue is taken off, the drawer floores right off. Lisa then ces the bottom half on the top drawer. As it didn''t fit, she used her de cut precisely cut it so it would fit. It took some time for her de to make way, but she manages in the end.

    She then makes a hole in the bottom of the first drawer. Big enough for two of her fingers to fit. With all said and done, she ces the book in the first drawer and conceals it with the cut bottom.

    Lisa then ces the drawers back in their ce. As to make sure that the bottom would never be opened, she takes the key handing on the top drawer and uses it to lock the bottom. She then casts a spell, causing the key to melt with the bottom lock.

    "It should be safe now." She said to herself again. With that, she leaves the room and heads back to her dorms.

 Chapter 57 Setting Up The Test Date

    ?It was a bright beautiful morning in the city of Hoverdam. The birds were singing on top the branches of the city trees, business booming in the busy markets, and people chatting along with their friends and family.

    Over at the pce, Kant sat on his office chair, wearing a green suit with yellow threads and cross-stiches, continuing to read the book that Cora had given him. There was nothing that exiting that had happened where he left off.

    Paul had managed toe back home along with Kristina to their impatient children. However, it appears to be the only boring part. Just as it started to get spicier, there was a knock on his door interrupting his reading once more..

    He ce the book in the bottom drawer again and calls in whoever was on the other side. It turned out to be Arjun He was wearing that white cloak once again, along with the round sses. On his hands were a bunch of papers clinging to his chest.

    "Good morning sire!" he greets.

    "Good morning Arjun. Sit down." Kant replies. Arjun happilyplies and takes a seat.

    "Sire, I came here to report you on a few of your requests from the past days." he said.

    "Go on."

    "First order of business is the suits youmissioned me." he said.

    "That is?"

    "I am happy to inform you that they have already been tailored. Along with the suit, the tailors have made you your tie, pants and t-shirt quickly, while retaining their quality."

    "Well good. Is it here already?"

    "Yes sire. A maid has probably delivered it to your room. You can put it up in your closet however you like."

    "Fantastic. The next one?"

    "The second order of business is in regards to the cement factory and the production of cement. The current building is undergoing expansion to amodate 24 more workers. The extension is said to be finished on the 19th using part of the cement reserves we have.

    Furthermore, we are building a second factory in a different part of the city, more closer to the urban settlements. We hope to hire 31 more people as we did previously." Arjun said.

    "Good. What about the supplies? I don''t think the materials at home are enough." Kant asked. He knew that the resources within the city was not enough to create the vast quantities of cement he needs, and might need more from other cities to keep up production.

    "I have sent letters to nearby towns in the delta requesting trade for the sufficient materials we need such as limestone, gypsum and sand. They have epted and sent us dome shipment."

    "How many are currently on their way to the city?"

    "About 25 boats, enough to produce an additional 40 tons of cement per day with the old factory. They are said to bemitted to gathering more of the materials needed, so sire can expect more resources to produce even more cement."

    "And the equipment?"

    "2 craftsman have managed to produce 7 forge barrows while the other 9 is said to bepleted by tomorrow. Brick forges have been built to rece the old bloomeries, while tools such as hammers, mortars and bowls have been bought, ready to be brought over, with moreing tomorrow ." Arjun replied.

    "Is that it?" Kant asked.

    "In regards to the cement factory, yes, that is it. The other order of business is in regards to the steam engine sire intends to build."

    "What about it?" Kant asked.

    "First is about the use of coal. Currently, we do not have the sufficient amount of coal for the test. Though I reached out to other kingdoms, it might take some time to ship the coal over to Hoverdam."

    "Ah. I see."

    "Well, what is your decision sire?" Arjun asked.

    "Import the coal, but use some other material for fuel for now." Kant replied.

    "I understand. Which source would you be interested?"

    "Is charcoal avable in the quantities I need?" Arjun checked his reports after hearing his question. When he came to a certain page he smiled a little.

    "Good new sire! We do indeed have that in storage."

    "Alright then, that''s settled. What else is next?"

    "The parts you havemissioned sire. That being the boiler, steam engine cylinder attached to the steam chest, the flywheel, the exhaust and the pipes have all beenpleted."

    "Did the boiler take the longest?" Kant asked.

    "Yes sire. Your blueprint for that specific part was more sophisticated than the other parts. Why is that sire?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Well, multiple reasons. First, since this is the first time making a steam engine, things are guaranteed to go wrong. So I need a uniform boiler to test it out and make proper adjustments and modifications to certain parts.

    There are also variables I need to monitor at all times, which requires a specialized boiler in which can easily bepatible with any new parts I bring in. It''s the main reason why I have integrated a thermometer and a barometer to it..." Kant said.

    "Excuse me sire, but what is a barometer?" Arjun asked.

    "A barometer is a tool used to calcte pressure. Mainly atmospheric pressure, but I fitted it to work on the steam engine." Kant replied.

    "Anyways, another reason is to the pressures present in the boiler, there is a chance for it to build up and culminating an explosion, which would be a safety hazard for the researchers doing testing." Kant replied.

    "Does sire know when it gets to dangerous levels?" Arjun asked.

    "Precisely? No. But I do know a general area when it gets dangerous." Kant replied.

    "Alright then sire. Up next is the... building." Arjun said after checking his reports again.

    "Have you found a suitable one?" Kant asked.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Actually yes sire, I did. It fits all the criteria you have given me; Arge building with many windows and multiple rooms, with one beingrger than the rest." Arjun replied.

    "What is the state of it''s condition? Does it need any renovations? Any maintenance?" Kant asked.

    "I have send some people to inspect it. They reported that the condition is good. Although it is reported to be dusty and the floors a bit creaky, I can assure you sire, that with some renovations and cleaning, it should be good to go."

    "May I take a look at the floor n?"

    "Of course sire. Here." Arjun hands him a rolled piece of paper. He unraveled it and took a look. The building appeared to beprised of one floor with 3 rooms in total. One of which was about the same size as the other two roomsbined.

    "How long will the renovations take?" Kant asked while still keeping his eyes on the floorn. Arjun looked through the reports.

    "ording to the inspection, about a day. I can have it finished tomorrow." Kant thought for a while on what rooms should be assigned for what, and anything he would like to change.

    "I would like a few modifications to this building." he finally said outload.

    "Alright sire. Though it might take a little longer for your instructions to be carried out." Arjun reminded.

    "I can wait." Kant replied. Arjun took a piece of paper and eyed the pencil on Kant''s desk.

    "May I?" he asked.

    "You shall." after he got Kant''s permission, he picked up the pencil to use.

    "I am ready sire. What will be the changes?" Arjun asked. Kant turned the floorn towards him. He pointed to at thergest room inside of the building; specifically the right wall which faced a hallway in the middle.

    "I would like to inset some ss here on the right side of the testing room. It would allow me to look into the room while the steam engine is operating." Kant said. Arjun writes it down.

    "What else sire?" Kant moved his hands to the room on the bottom left.

    "I want you to fit the room with a ckboard, multiple tables, chairs and storage closets." Arjun writes it down.

    "Are there any specifics to it?" Arjun asks. Kant thinks of it for a minute.

    "Um... ce the ckboard on any wall without windows, and have at least 25 chairs, 5 tables and 5 closets." Kant replied. He writes in down. Kant moves his finger to the other room of the building.

    "Add arge door to bring in the charcoal and any other parts easier." Kant said. Arjun writes it down.

    "Is that it sire?"

    "Yes. That is about it."

    "Well sire, with that I think it might take until the 19th for the building to be finished and prepared. When would you like the testing to start?" he asked.

    "How about the 20th?"

    "It sounds good."

    "Alright then. Make sure you have the smiths deliver the parts on that day, along with the charcoal and tools I will need." Kant says.

    "Alright sire." with that, Arjun left the room to fulfill Kant''s requests.

 Chapter 58 Rose Is Informed

    ?As the sun rose in the city of Vina, Rose, wearing a white nightgown, woke up in herfortable royal bed. The first thing she ever saw, when she woke up every day in the morning, was the cathedral dome blocking the sunlight in her room.

    She wasn''t sure whether it was intentional or not, but personally, it annoyed her. It blocked a nice view of the sunrise, one she used to enjoy in her youth bedroom. Rose hops out of bed and does to take her morning bath, using a scented soap that smelled of roses.

    After Rose is done taking a bath, she wears her usual white royal dress, with short sleeves and blue diamond shape patterns etched into it. Along with her dress, she wears long white gloves that stretched past her elbow.

    Her hair had been thoroughlybed down, and her face fully washed. Her teeth gave a white shine, and her body gave a rose flower scent for everyone to pick up. Once Rose was prepared, she headed over to the dining room, to have her breakfast.

    She sat on thest chair, eating her meal all alone. She looks from side to side, at where the empty redwood chairs sat. Her heart felt a sense of emptiness, that something was missing from her life. Just then, she clenched her fist, when she remembered why.

    She soon finished up her breakfast and went over to her office to work. There were a bunch of disputes she had to solve today. As she came over to her office and picked up the papers, there was a knock on the door.

    "Enter." The door opened revealing Nathan, who was wearing a white cloak with ck threads and cross-stitches, and holding a letter."

    "What caused you toe here so early minister?" she asked Nathan as she continued to solve the disputes.

    "Your majesty, I have news regarding your ns," he said. Rose set the dispute aside and

    "Sit down." Nathan happilyplied. Rose herself went over to her chair and sat down.

    "Now tell me. What news do you bring?" she asks Nathan.

    "Your majesty, the first is regarding the assassination attempt on King Danial Maybale," he responded. She sat straighter, wanting to know the results.

    "That is?" Before she can have an answer, there was a knock on her door. It turned out to be a maid, who came to give her queen a ss of water she requested earlier to be brought to her table. After the maid left, the two continued their conversation.

    "What was your question, your majesty?"

    "I am asking what is the state of King Danial''s... condition?" she asked.

    "s your majesty, he survived the attempt once again." Nathan''s reply disappointed her. She slides back into a more rxed position on the chair.

    "Well damn it. What happened?" she asked

    "My sources tell me that the king threw a mug of hot chocte at the assassin. It burned his face, causing him to scream. This went on to alert the guards who caught him. Though he did manage to injure them with the poison by throwing the knife.

    It had managed to hit his arm. Not the area we wanted, but still a seat. The results remain to be seen."

    "Did the assassin squeal?" Rose asked.

    "No. He med our coborators, just like he promised." Nathan replied. Rose sighed a breath of relief.

    "Oh good. Is there anything else I should learn about?" she asked the minister. He takes a deep breath, getting himself ready for what he is about to say.

    "Our spies over at Albersterg noticed a product called ''Cement'' being used," he said.

    "Cement?" she asked Nathan, a bit confused.

    "Yes. It appears that Hoverdam has shipped this product called ''Cement Powder'' to Albersterg. Most likely due to an uing demonic wave." he replied.

    "Do you know what it is?"

    "Apparently it is like that weak limestone mortar, but vastly stronger and more convenient to use. It has been used to build the wall over at Albersterg."

    "Why have I not heard of this before?"

    "Well, the risk was too high as they expected it to not work. Their hand was forced by the demons so Heinrich had to take a risk and buy their product."

    "Was it sessful?"

    "Very. King Heinrich seems to be interested in buying more from Hoverdam."

    "Any idea invented it?" Rose asks Nathan.

    "We are not sure. We are currently investigating that matter." Nathan replied to her question. Rose leans back on her chair in a morefortable position, to think it through. Feeling a bit thirsty, she takes a ss of water from the table while at it and starts to drink it.

    Then, all of a sudden, it clicked in her head. Rose immediately stops drinking her ss of water and ces it down on the table.

    "It must be that boy then..." Rose muttered. Nathan became confused.

    "What was that majesty?" he asked.

    "I was talking about Malinda''s little boy."

    "Kant Maybale?" he asked.

    "Yes. That one. I am positive it was his bidding."

    "What makes you say that, your majesty?"

    "I have interacted with him a couple of times before. He was the one who made the principal his umbre," she replied.

    "I see your majesty," he asked.

    "We might have to send some spies to Hoverdam, to check back up on him."

    "Why so, your majesty?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I have ns for him. Though I think they might need a little rework." Rose said. Nathan became ever more confused at what she said.

    "I don''t understand, your majesty..."

    "Do you remember that I asked you to mutter rumors about him? Get the other kids to reject him?"

    "Yes, I do. Why so?"

    "Well, I was hoping that once I defeat the Maybale family, I intend to keep him as a submissive puppet on Hoverdam''s throne."

    "Didn''t you promise Edward Hoverdam''s throne your majesty?" he asked.

    "Although I did indeed, he is far more powerful and much harder to control. My best option was and still is his mana-less brother.

    Besides, he would be smart enough not to pick a fight with us AND be able to run the city well, considering the fact that he is currently helping his parents gain more power, intentionally or not, it remains true." she said. Rose was visibly frustrated over the situation.

    "However, if he regains his confidence, he might try to take revenge one way or the other," she said.

    "What should we do then your majesty?"

    "That''s what I am thinking..." the room entered into silence as Rose thought of a new n to counter Kant''s potential recovery while Nathan sat there, waiting.

    "I think I have an idea," Rose said.

    "Well, what is it, your majesty?"

    "From what I know, the things Kant has now are his parents and his siblings. The only reason I can think of him making the cement is to impress his parents and everyone around him, as expected from someone who craves attention.

    If I manage to split him apart from his parents to resent them and make them think they look down on him, he might be morepliant with us. All while serving justice." Rose said.

    "But how should we do that, your majesty?" he asked.

    "We can get our coborators in on it. They seem to despise the current northern monarchs. nt fake evidence, and have a consistent story, then we can break them apart." she said. Nathan pretended to think about it.

    "But why him specifically? I mean... I understand that he doesn''t have magic but... your majesty is going through so much trouble when you can easily just use force?" Nathan asked. Rose stayed silent and looked straight at him in his brown eyes.

    "Did you forget already? Because he has to," she replied.

    "He just... has to."

    ...

    Kant Maybale, wearing his usual royal attire, sat on his desk reading a book. Just then, Cora, the fair blond maid with a ponytail, came into the room holding a silver tray with a ceramic tea pot letting out hot steam and an empty white ceramic cup.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® Cora ces the tray on the desktop and pours some ck coffee into the cup from the tea pot.

    "Your coffee Kant," she said.

    "Thank you," he replied.

    "What are you reading?" she asks.

    "A book."

    "What is it about?" she asked.

    "Just an old history book. That''s all" he said.

    "I thought you didn''t like reading... those history books. Didn''t you say that they were hard to read?"

    "Yes, but I have taken an interest regardless."

    "What is it about?"

    "I will tell youter. I am currently focused on this," he said while pointing at the book.

    "I see... well, I should be going now," Cora replied. She walked up to the door, but just as she was about to open it, she heard a voice from behind.

    "Wait."

    "Yes, Kant?"

    "Can youe back for a second?" he asked.

    "Sure thing." she came back up to Kant He pointed at the pages of the book, where a nk note seemed to have been ced.

    With the quill, Kant writes ''Intel?''. Realizing what he was talking about, she hands him the note he wanted.

    As soon as she was about to leave, Kant said something before she did.

    "It''s master, by the way," he said.

    "Alright Ka- Master. Alright." With that, she left the room. Kant opened the note and started reading it. What it contained was the culprit of Danial''s assassin; another branch of the people he was working with.

    ''Hmm...'' he thought to himself.

 Chapter 59 Steam Prototype (1)

    ?A carriage dragged by two white horses, surrounded and guarded by 2 knights on both the back and front arrive on to arge building, made of stone and wood. The carriage door opens and out steps.

    He wore his white tunic, ck breeches and a pair of ck leather boots and gloves along with it. Though he appears to have grown a little, as the coat seems tighter than it was a month ago. Nevertheless, Kant walked inside the building through the wooden oak doors.

    The floor was made out of oak wood nks, while the walls were made mostly of grinded stone, with long wooden logs acting as columns for the interior. Looking around, the cobwebs and dirt have all been removed and cleaned, giving the building a rather new look.

    The shutter bar windows, which were made out of the same wood used for the door and floor, were wide open to let sunlight in. There was no ss installed. Instead, there were metal bars that were used to prevent any thieves from breaking in.

    On top of each door was a sign that told them which room it was. The sign was made out of wood, with letters caved and painted in ck ink. Kant walked up the one with b'' on the sign. Before he entered the room, Kant took out a napkin from his pocket and wiped the sweat off his face.

    His ear picks up the sound of people talking on the other side. He takes in a deep breath, calming himself down. Under his breath, he mutters a single sentence.

    "You can do this Howard." Now ready, he touches the door knob, twists it around and walks inside the room.

    The room, which was filled with craftsmen, immediately went silent. The ones who were sitting on the wooden chairs immediately stood up upon Kant''s appearance. Kant walks in front of the ck board, and behind the table.

    From his view, he saw two familiar faces, the most prominent being the Peterson twins, while the other 14 were all new to him, rmended by the Petersons through Cora. The craftsmen all seem to wear the same outfit, a woolen tunic, either in beige, brown or green, along with leather shoes.

    "Wee everyone! I am d you were all able to make it today." Kant said to the group.

    "Please! Sit down." he said. They did as they were told. There were enough chairs for everyone to find a spot.

    "Now, I am sure that you all know why you are here; to construct and test a new piece of technology that I have designed; a steam engine." Kant took a piece of chalk and started drawing on the board. It depicted the concept of the steam engine, the same one he showed to Arjun.

    "The concept behind a steam engine is to use pressure to move the parts inside the cylinder around, creating motion. We then intend to use that motion, and turn it into power. Everyone got that?" Kant asked. They all nodded their heads.

    Kant then went on to exin the concept and it''s multiple uses to the craftsman, who listened very carefully. After he was done exining, he went on to let them ask questions, to clear out anything in their mind.

    Though when it came to questioning, they didn''t seem to be keen on talking.

    "No? Did you all understand then?" he asked. The craftsman nod.

    "You all understand? Alright then, we should go assemble and test it then." he said. Kant walked opened the door and inclined everyone to follow him. He led them to the test room, where the part; the boiler, the cylinder with a piston and valve rod inside, along with the exhaust and a bunch of pipes.

    The boiler was made out wrought iron, and so was the rest of the parts. It had an area where charcoal would be burned and turned to heat, protected by a small sliding gate with a wooden handle. Above the furnace, was a metal container, meant to be filled up with water.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom On the top front of the boiler, where the water container is ced, was a valve closed in a bottle cap. This bottle cap was meant to be opened to pour the water inside of it. On the side of the boiler, featured a thermometer near the water container, along with an empty ss tube located near the pipe holes.

    On the back of the boiler, was a wooden structure with gaps to fit the other parts of the steam engine. This allowed for our fellow craftsmen to assemble it quicker. It hade with the boiler, as Kant had requested.

    Facing sideways on the wooden nk floor, was the cylinder with the steam intakes. It had the piston and value rod attached inside. There were also some intakes, with holes meant to be connected with the pipes.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The cylinder and steam chest were ratherrge. It was about the diameter of a wooden te, being 12 inches. Finally, there was the flywheel. It was made mainly of iron, but also wood as well. There were some other parts too, but they were mainly used to connect it all together.

    "Alright everyone, let''s get to assembling it." Kant said. Kant picked out 5 people out of the group to help him build it while the others watched. The craftsman followed Kant''s instructions, cing in the parts where it needed to go.

    They attached the steam chest and cylinder up sideways, with the steam chest on the top and the cylinder at the bottom. One of the craftsmen attaches the pipes, connecting the steam inlet to the boiler, while another connects a pipe to the exhaust. The other craftsman connected the valve rod and piston rod to the gearing, where it would be attached to the flywheel.

    The assembly took only a few minutes. After it was finished, the craftsman all stepped back as per Kant''s orders. Kant walks behind the steam engine and looks onwards at them.

    "Well done everyone. You have managed toplete the assembly part. Now before we go on to test the steam engine out, I need to exin a few tools installed in the boiler." he said. Kant first pointed his finger towards the long thermometer.

    "This is a thermometer. It is used to measure the temperature of whatever you desire, in this case the water inside the boiler." he moved his finger across the thermometer to the red line near the middle of the tool.

    "This red line indicated that the water has exceeded 100¡ãC (212¡ãF). This is the point where water starts to boil. The maximum temperature this tool can measure is about 350¡ãC (662¡ãF)." he said Kant then moved on to the long ss tube on the side.

    "This is a barometer, which I am sure you have not heard before. This is generally used to measure atmospheric pressure, but in this instance, it will be used to give us an idea of the pressure inside." he said.

    "Now you know of the tools, we can now start the test." Kant said. Kant went out and brought a wooden bucket, filled with water. He opened the bottle cap on the front and poured in the water to the container.

    "Go grab a bucket from the storage and bring in charcoal. We are going to need a pile." he said. The craftsmanplied and brought in charcoal until there was a sizable pile of charcoal near the furnace. Kant then brought in a shovel, to stuff some charcoal in the boiler from the pile.

    From his front pocket, he takes out a box of matches he had made a long time ago. He took out one stick and lit a match. Kant then threw it into the furnace where the charcoaly. The ck minerals started to burn.

    The heat emitted by the coal transferred over to the water. The craftsmen saw that the thermometer went up. It was little at first, but it started to pick up the pace. Kant fueled the fire further with more charcoal.

    Only once the thermometer reached the boiling point, Kant stopped feeding the machine more coal. He closes the furnace and steps back away from the machine.

    "Come, let us observe it behind the ss." he said.  The group made it outside the room, and stood side by side with Kant. They all patiently waited for the machine to work. Little bits of steam can be seening out of the machine, with a small clouding out from the exhaust.

    The cloud gotrger andrger. The flywheel, which was still for most of the time, started to move. The craftsman all looked in awe as the machine did its work. It slowly got faster and faster, but soon teaued at around 30rpm. Kant smiled at his invention doing its work.

    "Gentlemen, it appears that the first test is a resounding sess!" he said while smiling.

    "Is that it? Did we do it sir?" The craftsman on his left asked. A short man with blond hair with green eyes.

    "No Mr. Grant. There are still a lot of tests that need to be conducted to see whether it  would be economical. But this..." he pointed at the steam engine with his hand.

    "... this is a good start."

 Chapter 60 Steam Prototype (2)

    ?Kant Maybale walked back to theb all by himself. The craftsmen were all preparing more charcoal to burn and testing the machine, to learn more about its capacities. He walked up to the table and pick up a piece of chalk residing in a wooden cup. Kant then moved to the ckboard and started writing.

    On the ckboard, he wrote ''122 X ((4 X 2 X 30) /12) X 7 / 33,000''. He then started simplifying the equation, where he got ''122 X 20 X 7 / 33,000''. From there, Kant went further and got the answer ''0.6109090909...'' which he wrote as ''0.61''.

    As soon as he finished, Kant cleaned the ckboard to get rid of any evidence that he used it. He ce the white chalk in the cup and walked away from the ckboard to a wooden closet at the other end of the room.

    He opened them one by one, taking a specific item from each closet. From the closets, he took a thick wooden pencil, a clipboard with some beige papers attached to a metal clip, and an hourss with the number ''15'' on it.

    Having everything he needs on his hands, he walked out of theb and walked up the hall. When he came back to the testing room, he saw a couple of 10-liter wooden buckets stacked on top of each other, being weighed using a steelyard scale, and some balls with numbers engraved in them.

    Kant approached Victor, the Peterson brother with a thick mustache. He was the one that Kant put in charge to view the craftsmen measure the coal, along with Samuel and Grant, the blond-haired man.

    "How is the weighing going?" Kant asked Victor.

    "Good sire. We are making sure that the buckets all weigh about 1 kilogram (2.21 lbs) each. Not counting the bucket." he replied.

    "Good," Kant replied. It took some time, but eventually, there were about 150 buckets stacked together in a pyramid shape. The craftsmen then all form a sort of horizontal line, all facing Kant.

    "Well done everyone. With this charcoal in ce, we can now move on to conducting the second series of tests of the steam engine.

    We have only one goal today. That is to calcte the horsepower of the steam engine prototype. Along the way, we will also be recording the time it takes to reach the maximum temperature, along with the amount of coal we need in terms of weight to get there.

    It was the reason why I brought this 15-second hourss. Though not perfect, it is the best tool we have for now. Now before he does so, does anyone have any questions?" Victor instantly raised his hand.

    "Sire, I am not sure what ''horsepower'' even is. Though I think I know what it could entail, could you please borate?" Victor questioned.

    "Of course. Horsepower is a unit of measurement to calcte the output of power a steam engine has. We can calcte it for this steam engine by multiplying the area of the piston, which is 122, by the piston speed. We then multiply by 7, then divide by 33,000.

    However, 1 horsepower does not equate to the power of a single horse as 1 horsepower is equivalent to 1/15 of the power a horse could do at the maximum. I picked the name horsepower because it can give people a general understanding of what it is." he answered.

    Any other questions?" Kant asked. Samuel, the Peterson with the beard, raised his hand this time.

    "Why do we need to measure the RPM if we don''t need it to calcte horsepower?"

    "Oh, we do. We need the RPM to calcte the mean piston speed. The form for this is the number of strokes, which is 4 for this steam engine, multiplied by 2, and the RPM of the flywheel. Then you divide the number by 12, and you have your piston speed."

    "What is the horsepower of this steam engine?"

    "Currently I calcted it to have around 0.61 horsepower. For the first test, it is not a bad start, but what I would like to achieve is around 6 or 7 horsepower today, and 26 at least by the end of the month.  Any other questions?" Several raised their hands. Kant picked Mr. Grant this time.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Sire, if horses offer more power than this steam engine, then what is the point of pursuing this technology?" he asked. The several who rose their hands nodded at his question.

    "Well Mr. Grant, the steam engine has two advantages. First, it can be easily manufacturedpared to horses. Where for a new horse to be added, you need to wait for one to grow, whereas, with a steam engine, you can just build one.

    The second advantage is that a steam engine could keep on continually running for long periods as long as you continuously feed it a fuel source, which when bought in bulk, is generally cheaper than food to be fed to horses.

    The third advantage is that a steam engine has the potential to improve dramatically. Remember, this is our first time making a revolutionary machine. It will take a few iterations to get it right. Do I make myself clear?"

    "Yes, sire." Mr. Grant replied.

    "Good. Any more?" he asked. This time, nobody was keen on raising their hands. Kant took the silence as a no and started the testing.

    ...

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® Through the open window, everyone can see that the sky has turned orange. The craftsmen were all seated on their chairs, waiting for Kant who was sitting at the front. On his hand was a clipboard with beige paper, filled with numbers inside of a table.

    To his left, he had a nk piece of paper, used to calcte the horsepower. He was busy calcting the average horsepower achieved, as well as the average time to get there, along with the average amount of coal that needed to be burned.

    He continued to write on the paper until he was done. By that point, it was covered in various numbers and letters made out of pencil graphite. He turned it around and wrote 4 numbers on it. Kant stands up, ready to address the craftsmen.

    "Gentlemen, I thank you for your patience with me today. You will all be handsomelypensated for your time here." He held up the piece of paper with the table on it, allowing everyone to see it.

    "So far, we had done 8 tests, each taking about 6 hours toplete." he then picks up the other piece of paper, looking at the numbers he wrote.

    "ording to my results, it takes about 2 kilograms of charcoal to boil the water up to 350¡ãC (662¡ãF) at an average time of 25 minutes, ounting for human errors.

    With the high temperatures and pressures achieved, the steam engine managed to run at an average RPM of 280. Taking the values into ount, ording to my calctions, this leaves us with a horsepower of about 6.11 horsepower." Kant ces the paper down. The room itself was silent.

    "Is that it sire?"

    "For today, yes. It is gettingte, and you all should better get home now. But in terms of the steam engine, we are far from done. This engine is still not powerful enough to be economical, so a few tweaks will have to be made for it to be viable." Kant said.

    "So when will the next test take sire?"

    "I am not sure Mr. Samuel. I need to first create the blueprints. I will inform you all once that dayes." he replied with a smile. With that, the craftsmen all got up and left. Kant himself decided to stay for a while longer.

    He walks over to the closet and grabs a piece of white cloth. He then back to the testing room. The engine appears dirty from the burning of charcoal. Taking a deep breath, he kneels and started to clean the furnace.

 Chapter 61 The Standards Of Suspicion (1)

    ?On the front of the room was a tall dark oak podium with a 5-pointed star engraved on it. Behind the podium were 3 ss windows, looking upon the sea of upied tables and benches perfectly ced in horizontal order, with 4 columns and 4 rows, each holding 2 people on them.

    The walls were visibly made of polished stone, painted in pearl white. The clean floor was made of dark oak wood nks, the same used for the tables and chairs they sat on. The room was well-lit by the sun''s rays entering through the front and the right wall.

    Seated on the benches themselves were the recruits, all wearing their normalmoner clothing. Oddly enough, instead of the sound of chatter, there was a strange silence in the room as everyone waited patiently for their instructor to arrive.

    Though their mouths seemed to be glued shut, the recruits made all sorts of other noises using their fingers and feet as they wait. Some tapped the table with their fingers, making a repeating rhythm, while others kept lightly tapping the wooden floor with their brown calfskin shoes on.

    Ridge Myers was sitting on a wooden bench at the back of the room with Siphon, with both hands resting on the desktop. Both were silent and patient with their instructor arrived. His sharp ice-blue eyes kept focused on the podium.

    Just then, the dark oak door on the top left corner of the room opened, revealing Kristina herself, holding a stack of beige papers. Everyone stood up as soon as Kristina walked in, as per protocol. Kristina was wearing her gray uniform, with a purple skirt covering her kneecaps.

    She walks up to the podium and looks around the room with her sharp green eyes. In her head, she counted everyone who remained from memory. While some appeared to have left the recruitment, most of them had stayed. She smiled, seeing their determination still standing after a long time.

    "For the men that remain, congrattions. You appear to have the determination and willpower to continue through this training process.

    However today is not a day of training, but a day of learning. In this room, you will acquire the knowledge you will need to be the ideal officer that the people can trust to protect them from dangerous criminals." she proimed. The policemen recruits were all silent.

    "Do you all understand?" she asked.

    "Ma''am yes ma''am!" they said out loud.

    "Good. Now our first topic today would be the ''standards of suspicion''." she said. Kristina coughed twice and took a glimpse at the papers she ced on the podium before continuing.

    "As you are being recruited to protect the people, there will be high expectations ced by the public and the pce for soon-to-be officers such as yourselves to act responsibly and legally while upholding thew and preventing crime.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom However, to intervene in a possible crime being taking ce, you need to suspect that there is a crime being taken ce. To that, there are 5 standards you need to follow." Kristina held up her left hand, closed in a fist.

    As she started to state the 5 standards, she lifts each finger, starting from her thumb to her pinky finger.

    "First is ''Reasonable suspicion'', next is ''probable cause'', after that, ''preponderance of the evidence'', with the fourth and final being ''reasonable likelihood of conviction'' and ''beyond a reasonable doubt''."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    She brings down her left hand and raises her right hand.

    "Now tell me. What are the 5 standards of suspicion?" she asked. They all rose their hands. She instructed every one of them to stand up and answer themselves. Although they all gave a variation of what she said, it was clear that they understood it, and that was good enough.

    "Very good. Today, we will explore the first standard of suspicion; ''reasonable suspicion''. Reasonable suspicion is the belief that a crime may have urred OR a specific individual may have been involved in a crime.

    Reasonable suspicion CAN NOT, however, be a hunch and MUST be supported by articble evidence to be... reasonable. Got it?"

    "Yes Ma''am!" they all said.

    "Moving on. When deciding on whether reasonable suspicion exists in a situation, you all must consider the totality of that existence. For example the suspect''s behavior or the location in which contact urred.

    You can also consider an individual meeting a suspect''s description by any witnesses. It can also apply to reasonable suspicion. You are authorized to stop someone for an investigation whenever a crime urred when they have reasonable suspicion.

    In summary, reasonable suspicion allows an officer to briefly detain someone to investigate further. However, reasonable suspicion alone is NOT enough to make an arrest or convict someone for a crime." she said.

    "Now, do you all remember what I just said?" Kristina asked the recruits. They all nodded their heads in agreement.

    "Alright then, I will ask some of you questions. Starting with you!" she pointed out to one of the recruits. One by one, she asked the recruits a simple question, in which they managed to answer. Kristina eventually pointed at Ridge, to ask him a question as well.

    "What is the scope of ''reasonable suspicion?''" she asked Ridge. The man stood up and took a deep breath before he answered.

    "The scope of ''reasonable suspicion'' is defined as the limits of what does and does not count as reasonable suspicion and the powers it grants an officer.

    Reasonable suspicion is a justifiable suspicion based on facts and circumstances that allows officers to stop and search a person thought to be involved in criminal activity at the time. It does not however merit an arrest of the suspect alone." Ridge answered.

    "Well done Mr. Myers. Sit down," she replied.

    "And that concludes reasonable suspicion. We will now move on about ''probable cause'' which is different from ''reasonable suspicion'', along with the other standards." she replied. The recruits sat straighter, ready to listen to what she had to say.

 Chapter 62 The Standards Of Suspicion (2)

    ?"Probable cause is the information sufficient enough to support a person''s belief in a specific individualmitted a crime or the evidence of a crime or contraband would be found in a search.

    Just like ''reasonable suspicion'', probable cause requires officers to have articble facts and the circumstances surrounding those facts. It requires officers to consider the totality of the circumstance.

    "The standard, however, only requires a substantial chance or fair probability of criminal activity," she said.

    "Now tell me, with this information, what happens to probable cause when more information is found out about a suspect?" Kristina asked. She then pointed to an officer and expected him to answer properly.

    "Well... when more information is found out that the suspect, it would result in probable cause to shift overtime in an investigation as they are far less likely tomit the crime?"

    "That is correct Mr. Neave Donovan. Sit down." The recruit happilyplied.

    "If information is found out that the suspect could be innocent, then the probable cause will disappear, and vice versa. Therefore, all officers will have a duty to consider those facts when deciding to proceed with an arrest or to seek a search warrant.

    The probable cause, however, also only requires a substantial chance or fair probability of criminal activity. Make sure you all remember that."

    "Moving on to another question. Mr. Ridge Myers!" she said. Ridge stood up from his seat. This was the second time he got asked a question.

    "Assuming that you have listened, what is the difference between ''Reasonable Suspicion'' and ''Probable Cause''?" she asked. Ridge took in a light breath before he answered.

    "Reasonable Suspicion is the belief that a person or an individual is acting suspiciously, while the probable cause is the information that is needed to support it. In terms of what it allows an officer, Reasonable suspicion can allow an officer to search a suspect, but not enough to make an arrest.

    For an arrest, you need to have Probable Cause to proceed with an arrest or a warrant for an arrest. Those are the two differences between the two standards." he said.

    "That is correct Mr. Ridge, well done. Sit down." Kristina replied. Ridge happilyplied and sat down. Siphon leaned in a bit and whispered.

    "What are the chances you get to answer again?" he asked Ridge.

    "Likely," Ridge responded. Siphon leaned back to the right, listening to Kristina in her lecture.

    "That concludes ''Probable Cause'' which you all seem to have a good understanding of. We will now proceed onto the third standard." she said. Kristina licked her index finger and flipped the page.

    "The third standard of suspicion is the preponderance of the evidence. The preponderance of the evidence is the only standard in the 5 standards that can be quantified by thew. It is met if a proposition is more likely to be true than false.

    However, it is important to know that two opposing arguments do not always equalize the other out. For example, in a case where two witnesses give contradictory stories, officers can consider the credibility and truthfulness to help decide if the preponderance of the evidence is met.

    Officers can also take into factor clues remaining at the given crime scene. It could also help identify the more urate story, given by the witnesses, of what urred. Especially when the guilty are among the witnesses.

    Now in any case that the preponderance of the evidence is tied due to any logical or reasonable reason, then the preponderance of the evidence is not tied.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    You should all also take note that whether an act of misconduct urred, only needs to be shown by a preponderance of the evidence.

    As officers conduct a preponderance of the evidence, there may be a shift as new information is identified. For example, if an incident that an officer once believed did not ur. Do you all understand until that point?"

    "Ma''am Yes Ma''am!" they said out loud. To test their knowledge, Kristina asked them all a bunch of questions. All of them gave her satisfactory answers to her question to the point she feltfortable moving on.

    "Now you all might not use these final 2 standards, but sire Kant deems this knowledge important enough for you to all know.

    I will first cover the 4th standard of suspicion being the ''reasonable likelihood of conviction''. It was made considering how an impartial finder of fact adds. The reasonable likelihood of conviction takes into ount several factors.

    These are the avability of the witness, the witness''s likely impression of the jury, as well as issues in the avability of evidence. Prosecutors should consider avable defenses including arguments made by a defense counsel and rulings made by a judge at pretrial proceedings.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom Because even after an arrest, factors and circumstances can change, so prosecutors must consider all avable information avable to them when deciding whether a reasonable likelihood of conviction exists.

    You should all also remember that reasonable likelihood of conviction is a much higher burden than probable cause, meaning prosecutors may agree to an arrest or seek a search warrant for an individual.

    However! Due to the additional factors that they consider, they might not bring charges forwards if their valuation of the evidence presented does not provide them with the belief that a reasonable likelihood of conviction exists.

    This would result in the closing of a case, or would be sent back to be investigated further. " she said.

    "The next and final standard is..." Kristina pointed her finger at the table where Ridge was sitting.

    "Mr. Siphon?" she said. Siphon shook when she spelled out his name. He nervously got up to give his answer.

    "Um... is it the point where the suspect is most likely guilty?" he said.

    "The proper term we like to use is ''beyond a reasonable doubt''. However, I will pass on your answer. Sit down." she said. Siphon breathed a sigh of relief and happilyplied.

    "Beyond a reasonable doubt is the standard used by prosecutors whether to bring criminal charges. It will be required byw as it ensures that people used of crimes are protected from conviction, except upon proof beyond a reasonable doubt," she said.

    "To reach beyond a reasonable doubt, all other standards of proof must be met. Which are, of course, reasonable suspicion, probable cause, the preponderance of the evidence, and a reasonable likelihood of conviction," she said as Kristina flipped to thest page.

    Upon a nce, it appears it was empty. With that, she takes hold of the papers and faces the recruits onest time.

    "That is the lesson for today. I hereby dismiss you all back to the fields," she said.

 Chapter 63 Learning Of An Auction

    ?A square pocket mirror held with a fair left hand reflected the face of a man with a strong jawline, wearing a daisy white coat with polished yellow buttons. His ck hair had been thoroughlybed back, with a slight roll on the back, and his green eyes with gold flecks stared right back at it.

    His trousers were made of ck wool, while his belt with a polished belt buckle that held it up was made of high-quality leather, strong, evesting, yet expensive. It all went along with his pair of ck shoes, made out of the same leather that holds the belt, though its texture may be different.

    "You are looking too much in the mirror my friend," Oswaldmented, who was wearing his violet wool coat. Jac turned his handsome face towards Oswald before replying.

    "You cannot be so certain Ozzy. A few looks in the mirror might out to help with first impressions. Besides, I sense that you had done the same before during your first-time visit to the prince." he said before focusing his eyes on the mirror reflection.

    Using his right hand which held a woodenb, the man continued to perfect his hair. Oswald sighed a little.

    "Even I didn''t so to such an extreme extent! It''s a bit unnecessary." Oswald spoke out. Jac kept his eye on the mirror.

    "Well, we shall see," he replied. The two men were both in a carriage, with red leather seats stitched with yellow threads that imitated gold. The ss windows provided light inside as the red curtains stay off the side.

    They went on for a while until they came to a stop. Jac, who was sitting on the right, ced the mirror andb into his pocket and brought down the sliding window with both his hands. A knight approached the men and asked them to state their business.

    "We are here for a meeting with the prince. Merchant Jac Pratt and Oswald Audley are here to see him," he said with confidence. The knight turned his head towards his buddy, which seemed to be a female.

    She takes out a small note and reads it silently. She then gives a thumbs up, indicating that they were scheduled to be there. The pce gates open, and their carriage is allowed inside. It was soon stopped as the entrance was close to the pce gates.

    The two merchants get off the wagon drawn by two strong ck horses and went inside. There was a maid, a beautiful blonde maid wearing her ck attire, waiting to greet the two men.

    "Greetings. I have been tasked to bring you to Sire Kant''s office," she said. The two followed her along to his office, which turned out to be empty.

    "Where is Sire Kant" Oswald asks the maid.

    "He is currently working on something in his room. I will call him to the room. For now, please be patient as it won''t take long." she replied.

    "Of course prettydy. Say, what is your name?" he asked.

    "My name is Cora sir. I am sire Kant''s maid," she replied.

    "Ah, I see. Well then be quick," he said. As soon as she left, Jac put on a disappointed face, while Oswald chucked, knowing full well what bothered Jac.

    The two went on and sat down on the two redwood chairs. The room entered a silence, as neither of the two talked. A few minutes pass, and Kant was still nowhere to be found.

    "Where is the prince?" he asked Oswald.

    "I don''t know. It might take him a while," he replied.

    "Well until then, I might as well get ready," he said. As he takes out the mirror from his pocket, the doorknob turns and opens. From the mirror, he saw the reflection of the man, with his creepy silver hair and his soulless jet-ck eyes.

    He immediately put the mirror back into his pockets and stood up. Kant was seen to be wearing something... odd. It was a very sleek piece of clothing. No excessive patterns and colors. The outfit only contained two colors, ck and white.

    "Jac, this is Sire Kant Maybale. Sire Kant Maybale, this is my dear friend I was talking about. His name is Jac Pratt." Oswald introduced the two to each other. Kant stood 2 inches taller than both Jac and Oswald.

    "It is an honor to meet your Mr. Jac Pratt," Kant says as he holds out his right hand. Jac turned his head towards Oswald, who was bobbing his head at the hand. Jac, feeling nervous, grabbed the arm his left hand, and the two shook. Kant did the same with Oswald.

    Kant then walks over to his swivel chair and sits down. He maintains a straight posture, with his back on the seat, his arms on the table, and his fingers held together. On his face, he held a smile,forting the two men a little.

    "I am sorry to keep you both waiting. I was working on some new legition. Now... what can I do for you gentlemen?" he asks.

    "Well sire Kant, we came here to talk about a business opportunity. As we mentioned in the letter." Oswald replied.

    "Ah yes. You came here to purchase more cement?"

    "No sire. We came to acquire the factory." Jac corrected. Kant''s smile did not face away.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Go on," he said.

    "Well sire, we think that cement could be used in almost any construction project. The news of cement has been passing, meaning there will be a higher demand in the future.

    However, at the current rate of production, we do not think we can fulfill the increasing demand. It would mean that sire would have to personally expand the factories themselves, and since sire is very busy with your duties, you might not be able to expand fast enough." Oswald said

    "If sire were to sell to us, we can greatly expand the production of cement and sell it off to many more merchants thate to the city. Higher sales mean that the city can expect more money toe back, which could be taxed and make you an immense amount of money for nothing." Jac added.

    "So what you say, sire?" Oswald asks. Kant stayed still, silent. The two men waited patiently for his answer.

    "Well gentlemen, I have only one question to ask both of you before I decide whether to sell or not," he said.

    "Go ahead sire. We are listening?"

    "What are you two offering?"

    "8,500 gold coins," Jac said.

    "I am sorry gentlemen, I do not believe that is sufficient enough for me to sell off the two factories," he said.

    "2 factories?"

    "Yes. I have recently expanded my previous factory to amodate 55 workers, and I built another factory employing 31 workers. In total, I am producing 60 tons of cement a day. With this calction in mind, I am instead willing to ept 12,500 gold coins for both factories." he said.

    "I am afraid that is too high for the both of us sire. At least initially. Would you rather be interested if we paid in monthly payments?" Jac asked. Kant chuckled.

    "No. There is no need. I was already nning on selling the factories anyhow."

    "You were?" Oswald asked.

    "Yes. Although not privately. Instead, I n to incorporate apany, transferring the factories to thatpany, and then auctioning the stock to the public." he said.

    "Stock?" Oswald asked.

    "It is the share of apany. Do you remember the legition I was talking about?"

    "Oh yes, of course, sire. Is that what you meant?"

    "Exactly."

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "When is the auction taking ce?"

    "In about 1 and a half weeks I presume. There will be a notice regarding the matter."

    "I see. Well then sire, we will be making our purchase at the auction then. Thank you for your time" Oswald said.

    "Your wee gentlemen. It was nice talking to you," he replied. The two men then went out of Kant''s room and to their carriage. Only once they had made their way out of the pce, they began to talk again.

    "We should contact the others should we?" Jac said.

    "I agree. There is no way we can a majority on our own." Oswald replied.

    "You got someone in mind?"

    "I do. One. He should be enough." he replied.

 Chapter 64 Collecting Crystals

    ?The sun shined down on a great forest resting on the earth. Waking around the dense forest was a ferocious sanglier; a great ck boar withrge sharp tusks with purple oozing out of its eyes. It was tall as a human and was rare as gold. On its forehead resided a ratherrge purple mana crystal it used to reinforce its power.

    From the corner, the sanglier heard something move to his left. As it turned around to check, an arrow pierced through its skull and came out on the other end. Losing consciousness, it fell on the grass floor.

    From the trees emerged a group of knights, d in thin steel armor. 2 were holding a spear, one holding a bow, and the other staff used to heal people. Their faces They approach the carcass to examine the demon.

    One kneeled down and opened their'' helmet, revealing a ck-haired man with a goatee on his face. His hazel brown eyes scanned the demon to see if there was any remaining life force left in them.

    "This one''s dead. Purple crystal is intact," he said in his masculine voice.

    "I will bring the bag then." another knight holding the spear replied. There was more of a feminine voice. While the other knight walked back, the ones remaining opened their helmets protecting their face.

    The one holding a staff appeared to be a woman, with short auburn blond hair with cocoa-brown eyes. The one with a bow turned out to be a man, with the same blond hair as the girl, along with her eyes.

    "That was a good shot brother," she told the man with a bow on his back. He was reaching for his leather bottle near his belt.

    "Thank you sister," he said before he started to drink. The man holding the spear carefully started cutting the demon''s forehead to acquire therge crystal it held. He slowly pulled out and removed any demon flesh attached to it.

    Then, with a magical water spell, he washed the crystal to cleanse the demonic red blood it had on it. The crystal itself looked near circr with many edges that shined in the sunlight. Meanwhile, the other knight carried over the brown bag filled to the brim with mana crystals.

    She ces the leather bag down and opens it up. Various colors of a crystal can be seen. Mainly green, blue, yellow, and the rarest of all, violet. The man ces the crystal in the bag, and the woman closes it up.

    "Well. It is full. We should dump this bag in the cart." she asked.

    "How many have we got so far L?" the brother asked the female knight holding the bag.

    "I counted about 56 mana crystals. Considering our other trips, I think it should be enough for today." L replied. She then turned her head to the man with the beard.

    "What do you think Trey?" she asked

    "We can probably get two hundred more if we continue," Trey replied back.

    "We already got about 5 other bags on the cart. I don''t think her majesty requires that many more crystals," she said.

    "You are not thinking about the other cities, Sarah. Her majesty needs to arm them with the crystals as well."

    "Won''t they have their knights search for crystals as well?" Sarah asked. The man was a bit stunned by her question, thinking it through.

    "I guess you are right about that. But still. The more crystals we get, the higher our payout." he argued back. Sarah turned to her brother, wanting assistance.

    "Brother, do something!" she said. Trey smiled.

    "What do you think Roger? You want to cash out, or do you want to keep on going and even get more practice with your new bow?" he asked.

    "Though that does sound good..." he muttered.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Roger!" the sister proimed.

    "... I DID promise my children I will be back in the afternoon. Any more and I don''t think I can make it," he said.

    "Well Trey, it looks like it''s 3 against 1. Do you want to stay here alone, or are youing back with us?" L asked Trey, who had disappointment washed on his face for everyone to see.

    "You all agree to go back?" he asked the trio. They nodded their heads in agreement.

    "Alright then. Let''s go. I don''t want to fight those beasts alone."

    ...

    A man wearing a green tunic, brown pants with no shoes, and a haybale hat sat in front of the cart, with the leaches of the horses in his hands. He had short brown hair,bed using water hand the palm of his hand.

    He had his hands on the back of his head while his legs spread on the rest of the seat for the driver. His hat was ced so that the sun was blocked from his face. On the cart, were dozens of brown leather bags filled to the brim with mana crystals.

    "Hey get up." a masculine voice said as a hand tapped his shoulder. His eyelids flew open, revealing ocean-blue eyes underneath. He got his legs off the bench and looked at the knight.

    "Howdy Knight Tray! How did it go?" he asked.

    "You tell me you sleepy bastard." he pointed to the 6 brown bags in the middle of the cart covered by the sun thanks to the cart''s beige soft top. Around it sat the other knights, who sat on the wooden seats at the edge of the cart.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "I see you had some good catches. Well, we should be on our way now!" he said.

    "Yes, we should." Tray replied. He went back and hopped on the back seat where the shade was while the man sat out in the sun. Soon, the man got the horses to stop drinking the water, and go down a dirt road back to the capital.

    While on the way, the man had a quenching thirst for knowledge. He was curious as to why the knights have been sent out here to collect arge number of mana stones. After gathering a bit of courage, he asked the question.

    "Say? I have been wondering..." he turned his head around to speak. The knights at this point have taken off their helmets along with the chainmail inside.

    "You should keep it to yourself." L interrupted with an intimidating look.

    "But I just wanted..."

    "Her majesty requested we stay silent upon the matters of why we were sent here. Now shut up and keep your eyes on the road." L interrupted.

    "Ah. I see. Sorry about that folks." he replied. Sarah and Roger, feeling sympathetic, leaned in to give him something to work with.

    "It''s for some new parts for the armor," Roger said. The man smiled at his response.

    "Thank you, Knight Roger," he said.

 Chapter 65 Writing Runes

    ?The sun shined on the gorgeous city of Villina. A bustling and lively ce with many happy people who worked and lived in the city their entire lives. The paved cobblestone streets smelled usually of baked bread, tulip flowers, and even sometimes meat, and rarely of trash and unwanted ordure.

    The roads and buildings all looked clean of dirt and filled with people walking and shopping around. The stone buildings all had a ssical architectural touch to them, along with lots of excessive details. Most roofs appeared to be made out of wool but were almost always painted to suit their needs.

    From a distance, long or short, anyone can see the only magnificent building of the city; the grand cathedral, home to thergest angelisist cathedral on the continent. Though many seem to despise it, with some giving it dirty looks, it was an icon of the city skyline.

    Outside arge smithy featuring arge column that puffed out ash clouds of smoke, a middle-aged man with a great ck beard sat on a great wooden rocking chair. He wore a beige tunic along with ck breaches and leather shoes. On his front, was a brown leather apron.

    His eyes were closed shut as a rocked around in a rxed position. He was on a good break, awaiting for his workers inside his smithy to be finished cutting the stones.

    Just then, the sound of two horses clopping, along with the drawing of the wooden cart, caused him to open his right eyelid, revealing his emerald green eyes. His eye recognized a familiar face on the driver''s seat. As if it was an instinctive reaction, he got up to wee the man.

    "Cartman! How are y''all doing!" he said. The man stopped and hopped off to greet the man.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Howdy there Mr. Erwin. It''s been a while!" he proimed. Erwin smiled.

    "Man look at you! You have grown quite a lot! How is your old man doing?" he asked.

    "He is doing fine Mr. Erwin," Cartman replied. The knights all dismount. The men grabbed two bags, while thedies lifted one.

    "Where do we need to ce these?" L asked Erwin.

    "Toss it along with the other bags. Those crystals need to be properly sorted and cut first," he said. The knights did as they were told. Erwin put his hand on Cartman''s back.

    "Hey, let me show you around. I think you might be interested in what I am doing here," he said. The two walked into therge smithy, which did more than any ordinary smithy would do.

    There were lots of people running around, doing work using the many simple, yet genius devicesying around the ce. There was one in particr that helped with sorting different sizes of crystals.

    One simply must dump it into a funnel, where the rocks travel through arge tube where ites across a slide with a hole. The hole gradually gets bigger so that the rock continues to pass through while sorting them from smallest torgest.

    Erwin picks up a bucket containingrge mana crystals and walks over through the wooden nk floor to a short man with a crooked nose.

    "Hey, pal. Would you mind sorting these for me?" Erwin asked.

    "Yes sir. I can," he replied. He started to pick up each stone and ce it in the designated bucket by color. There were also a number of buckets on the side, waiting to be used. Erwin picked up the blue-colored mana crystal and brought it over to his workbench along with Cartman.

    "Now watch carefully boy. If you ever change your mind about bing a simple... cart man. You will need this." he said.

    "Alright, Mr. Erwin. I will try my best to listen." Cartman replied. Sarah came over to Erwin, wanting to ask him a simple question.

    "Mr. Erwin, can you please tell me where did you keep the runes we came to collect?" she asked politely.

    "They are over there." Erwin pointed to a spruce door with a sign saying ''Storage''. Sarah thanked Erwin and left the two to be.

    "Now, back to business," Erwin remarked. He ced the crystal into a hole that fitted it perfectly. The crystal had 7 sides on the front. With thergest one being t while the other small sides were tilted.

    "Now to make runes is a VERY difficult task. It''s why there is not a lot around here. You know?" he told Cartman. He takes a small paintbrush and dips the very tip in ck ink. He then marks tiny dots on the crystal at precise locations.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "For a rune to work, you need to give it precise instructions. You understand?" Cartman nods. Erwin then grabs a tool. It was a very thin yet sharp steel knife. Erwin started to carve strange letters on the dots he ced.

    "The runes have their ownnguage that allows them to work. The more instructions you write on the rune, the moreplicatedmands it can execute," he told Cartman as he continued to engrave it.

    After writing a small sentence that Cartmen read ''¦Í¦Á ¦Ì¦Ç¦Í ¦Ò¦Ð?¦Ò¦Å¦É ¦Ð¦Ï¦Ó? ¦Ç ¦Á¦Ò¦Ð?¦Ä¦Á'', he wiped off the ink using a little alcohol and some white cloth.

    "Now what we need to do is to make the engrave bigger for the manacite to fit," he said. Erwin started to cut out more of the crystal until the text looked to be in a thick font. He then took it over to a different room where the metal would be engraved.

    The room was much hotter than the rest. The floor transitioned from oak nks to hard stone. Cartman''s feet felt a tolerable burning sensation as he walked around. Erwin ced the crystal down and dowsed it with molten hot manacite.

    He then ced it down to cool, while taking another one toplete. From the side, he took a violet mana crystal and showed it off to Cartman. It was a medium-sized mana crystal, with metallic tiger orange words engraved on it.

    "And this is the final product. If the metal gives an orange look, it means we have done it correctly." Erwin said.

    "So... what do you think?"

    "It looks good Mr. Erwin, but I have a question to ask you," he said

    "Go on."

    "Where do you fit a rune in armor? Is there like a socket?" Cartman asked.

    "Well yes, after fitting this to an armor, which needed to be specially made, it would give the wearer unique powers encoded with the words," Erwin imed.

    "That is brilliant Mr. Erwin," he said.

    "So my child, what do you think?" Erwin asked.

    "I think what y''all doing is amazing!" Erwin smiled. He carefully ce the crystal back in its ce and then turned to Cartman.

    "You think so? Well then, do you mind if I... train you?" Erwin asked.

    "Well..."

    "Cartman here needs to be with us to deliver the runes to the cksmiths." L interrupted. The knights have all been waiting patiently for them to end their chatter to leave.

    "Oh? Did you load the boxes already?" he asked

    "Yes, we did. I am sorry to interrupt both of you, but we need to leave NOW." she proimed.

    "Well then kid, you should probably go. Tell me if you are interested," he said.

    "Alright, Mr. Erwin. I will." Cartman replied.

 Chapter 66 Forging Armor

    ?Inside a stone brick building with 2 chimneys that puffed smoke, a man worked hard with one eye as he pounded a piece of hot manacite on an anvil with a hammer. It made arge nking sound as he went on as the manacite was being formed into a hollow oval.

    He wore a green tunic, with brown breeches along with leather shoes and leather gloves. Protecting his chest and a part of his legs was a leather apron with some ck stains on it. The man himself look rather old, looking to be in his 70s.

    He was bald with no facial hair to be found on his face. On his forehead he had 3 little wrinkles forming sort of a tight smile. On the right of his eye was arge red scar which came from a demonic beast with sharp ws.

    Though normally people have one eye color pair, this man had two. On his left eye is his natural coca brown eyes, while on his right was an ice blue. Normally, he covered his right eye when he didn''t need it.

    After he finished, he brought over the hot hollow oval belt and carried to over to the other room where another man worked on another part. He appeared to be much younger by at least 50 years. He had a full set of ck hair, and a great mustache on his face. They both wear the same cloths.

    "Is the breastte done?" the old man asked the younger man with his rickety voice.

    "Yes Uncle Dante." he replied.

    "Good. Now we just ce this where you usually ce a belt. The only difference is that we we put it on the inside." Dante said. The young man ced the hot breastte on the desk top, where the old man could easily slide belt in ce. Using his hammer and tong, he took out any excess and hammered it in.

    As the hot metal wielded together, they waited to make sure it was connected before cooling it down in water. What they achieved is arge breastte with a manacite belt with a 6 sided diamond shaped hole on the front.

    "That''s the final part finished Uncle Dante." the young man said.

    "Good job Harry. You can take a rest if you want to." Dante told Harry.

    "Oh... no. I can continue working Uncle Dante. It''s nothing..."

    "No no. It''s fine. Take a rest my boy. You will need it." Harry was silent in his thoughts while Dante sat on a wooden chair near an open window.

    "I will attach the breastte to the armor and be with you then." he replied.

    "Alright then. Be quick." Dante turned his head to look outside. There he saw people walking down the streets, caring bags, baskets or their children on their hands. He then turned to his armoury, to only see his nephew working with him, along with some other workers.

    There was a sense of regret wash over his body. He closed his eyes as he thought of the many other paths he could have taken. Though he had epted that the past was in the past, he cannot help feel being tortured by it.

    Just then, he heard a carting towards his armoury. He turned to see a familiar face driving the cart pulled by two horses. He immediately got up and headed out to greet the man.

    "Cartman! It''s good to see you my boy!" he said. The cart stopped in it''s tracks as Cartman pulled the leash. He got one box from the bag before jumping down.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Here is your delivery Mr. Dante Hardin." he said. Dante took the oak wood box and opened it up. Inside were medium purple runes, all with different codes to what they can do. The man smiled at them and closed the box.

    "Thank you my boy. Say, would you want toe inside? I am sure you are tired and all?" he asked.

    "Oh no Mr. Dante. I got more of them stones to deliver. I''lle back to pick up back ya suits." he said.

    "I see. Well, carry on then." Dante replied. Cartman hopped back on his seat and took off down the road. Dante stood outside, waited until the cart disappeared deeper into the city roads. With the box in hand, he walks back into the armoury.

    "Who was that Uncle?" Harry asked.

    "Cartman. The grandson of a good friend of mine. May he rest in peace." he said.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "I see. Well, can I have the runes?" Harry asked.

    "Of course! Here." Dante said. He hands over the wooden box over to his nephew. He takes it and ces it on a wooden desktop. He then takes out one by one, encasing it inside of a tight manacite cage.

    The cage covered the edges of the rune, while entirely covering the front half of the crystal containing the letters. He then ces the finished rune on to his left, and picks up other rune to put into a socket.

    He does this until there are no more runes left inside of the box. After he finished, he ces the socketed runes back into the box and brings them over to the different room filled with finished suits.

    A suit was made mainly out steel. It had inhibited orange lines made with manacite. It used as a form of wire to transfer the rune''s power to the person wearing it, with the socket being on the lower part of the breastte, where a belt would usually be worn.

    The armor consisted of a helmet,  for head protection. A breastte to cover a knight''s chest. Leggings underneath to cover a knight''s legs. Shoes to cover his feet, and gauntlets with a vambrace and a rerebrace to cover a knight''s arms.

    Harry takes out a violet rune and ce it inside socket. Just like a ma, it attaches to the socket. The manacite lines glowed a bright orange as it started inhibiting it''s powers to the armor. Harry moved on to a different set, to equip them all as well.

    After he finished, he went back to Dante, who was still resting in his chair.

    "Uncle. The suits have all been fitted. What now?" he asked.

    "That''s enough for today. Now... we just got to wait until Cartmanes back to deliver the armor to the pce." he replied.

 Chapter 67 Steam Prototype (3)

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® ?Samuel and Victor overlook therge stone building with a wooden roof. The open wooden windows, which allowed anyone to take a peak at what went inside, was protected by iron bars preventing anyone to enter through there.

    The only way inside was through the front door guarded by tall muscr elite knights holding pointy spears. It was clear that the prince had already arrived. After taking a deep breath, they walked right up to the knights, and requested to enter the building.

    "Letter?" asked the knight on the left. Victor takes out a small piece of white paper and hands it over. The knight carefully inspects it while the other keeps an eye on the two.

    "All clear. You may enter." he said. Before Samuel could enter, he asked the knight a question.

    "Were wete?" he asked.

    "No. Sire had just arrived earlier than scheduled. New security protocol." he said. Satisfied with his answer, Samuel thanked the man and went inside. There, they walked down the hallway, and to theb room.

    Though the craftsman seem to be present, Kant was nowhere to be found. Samuel asked one of them where he was.

    "He is in the testing room, building something with a few craftsman." one said.

    "He told us to sit down and wait until hees back." said another. The twins took their word from them, and decided to sit down. The two didn''t have to wait long till he came back in his while tunic and ck breeches.

    "Wee back everyone. I am d you all made it to conduct a new test. Now before we move on, I need to make sure that everyone is present." he said. On the table, he picked up a blue file and opened it.

    Kant started to call out the names, like a teacher in his ssroom. The craftsman, who were all sitting, got up one by one and answered Kant with ''Present!''. After a few minutes, he closed the file and ces it in a drawer.

    "Alright. It appears that everyone had made it in time. We shall now begin." he said.

    "Now as you all know, a steam engine uses pressure to move a piston inside of a cylinder, allowing it to move. Yesterday, we made what is called a single cylinder steam engine.

    However, there are many limitations of a single cylinder engine. First of all, a huge and robust cylinder is required to with stand and amodates high pressure steam. The second is the condensation loss.

    Because of therge pressure difference between the inlet and exhaust conditions, there will berge temperature difference and which results in a lot of condensation losses." He remained silent at first.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "This... is where a multiple-expansion enginees into y." he finally said. Kant took a piece of chalk from the wooden cup and started to draw on the ck board.

    He drew onerge box. He then separated the box into two parts; one on the top, and the other bottom. The new top box was much smaller than the bottom. It was about 1/3 of the entire box itself.

    Kant continued to divide the boxes once more. On the top box, he separated it into three unequal parts. The first box was about 1/4 of the top box. The second one was a bitrger, while the rest went to the third box.

    On the bottom, he did the same. However, he went to divide the bottom even further. On the first box on the left, he divided them in half. The middle box had it separated unequally, with the left gaining only 1/4 of the size. Same went for thergest box. Only then, he started to draw theponents.

    On the right side of the boxes, he drew the pistons. The top boxes had the piston head with a bit of the piston rod, while the bottom had only the piston rod attached to a connecting rod, which itself was joined with the crankshaft, represented by a line near the bottom of the lower box.

    On the left side of the mini-boxes, he drew the valve rods mainly situated on the left mini-boxes on the lower box. He then drew the intake on the left and the exhaust port on the right, with a with two pipes that allow steam to go in between.

    He ces the chalk back in the cap and face the craftsman sitting on their chairs, silently waiting for Kant to deliver his exnation.

    "This is a concept for a multiple-expansion engine. As you can see, this engine has more pistons than a regr single cylinder. Though this is not the exact version we will be working with, I deem it good enough.

    A multiple-expansion engine is a more advanced steam engine expanded to contain more stages to increase efficiency and horsepower with the additional use of cylinders and progressively lower pressure to extract as much energy from the steam. " he said. Kant then first points to the intake ced on the top left of the diagram.

    "This is where high pressure steam enters. It pushes the piston downwards, causing it to spin the crankshaft. This causes the valve rod to move and thereby allowing the steam to flow to the next cylinder.

    This process urs all over in the next cylinder and is finally released through the exhausted. However remember, as the pressure decreases as it moves on to the next piston, it needs arger area to make it more effective. Which is why I separated the boxes unevenly.

    This causes the crankshaft to move, which is connected to the flywheel. Since this model theoretically gives out more power, he should be able to expect more revolutions per minute from it. Though we need to conduct test to prove it." he said.

    Kant then turned to the craftsman. "Any questions?" he asks. They all remain silent. Kant takes that as a negative.

    "Alright then, let''s head to the testing room." he said.

 Chapter 68 Steam Prototype (4)

    ?After taking all the items Kant needed from the cupboard, being the hourss, the clipboard with paper and a pencil, he ordered the craftsman to follow him across the wooden nk floor back to the testing room where the steam engine was present.

    Though some have already seen the new engine already, when they helped to rebuild it, the others were dying of curiosity. When they arrived at the testing room, they were marveled at what they saw.

    A ratherrge steam engine, with 4 vertical pistons connected to a crankshaft. This crankshaft appear to turn a small flywheel which turn therger flywheel using a leather belt. The piston cylinders all seem to be connected together from small tubes attached, while the intake and exhausts are connected via pipes.

    The pistons themselves were all visibly different in size. From the left side, near the boiler was a the smallest of them all. There was a marking on the cylinder ''5'', which implied that was the diameter of the piston. The others also had markings of ''7'', ''9'' and ''11'' on them.

    Next to the steam engine, on it''s left side near the boiler, was a bunch of buckets of charcoal, all weighed to be 1kg stacked on top of each other into several small pyramids. Near the boiler was arge metal bottle closed with a lid. The metal bottle contained plenty of spare water to use, if they run out that is. On the opposite end was a wooden table, used to keep anything down.

    The craftsman all marvel at the new prototype while Kant got things ready. He ced the clipboard on the wooden table next to the engine. With pencil in hand, he started writing down a few equations to help calcte the total HP of the engine. After he finished, he got the craftsmen''s attention.

    "Attention everyone." he said. They all turned to face Kant. The ones who were behind the engine walked to the side to face him.

    "This is the multipound steam engine. As you can see, it featured four pistons all in various sizes, from smallest torgest. Though I originally nned for a 2 piston engine, I decided it would be the best if I skip to using 4 piston.

    As there is not much difficulty in adding 2 more piston, I decided it would be best to save us our time." Kant said.

    "Now before we start the first test remember, we are trying to achieve a horsepower of 6 or 7 with this machine. So keep that in mind.

    First, we will start by seeing if this machine functions properly. Then we can move on to the other tests." he said. A few craftsman gathered some buckets of charcoal and threw it inside the furnace. Kant, after taking out his box of matches lit a fuse and threw it inside the boiler. The water was already inside.

    The small me grew in size as the charcoal started to burn along with the bubbling of the water inside. The thermometer started to read higher temperatures indicated that it was getting hotter. Soon, there was little movement shown by the first piston, then the second, then the third and finally the forth.

    As it went along, the flywheel started to move faster and faster, until it stagnated once again. There was less of a reaction from the craftsmenpared to before, but they all still cheered at their sess nheless.

    "The machine seems to be a sess. We can move on to the next series of tests." Kant said.

    ...

    A few hours pass since the first test. The window, a sort of small view to the outside world showed that the sun was starting to set on the city, giving it''s usual orange color.

    As the flywheel slowed down once more, and all the charcoal used up, Kant wrote down the final results on the table present in the clipboard. He ordered the craftsmen to wait for him in theb while he calctes the final results.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® He calcted the total horsepower by calcting the horsepower given by each piston. However, as all the pistons were connected to the crankshaft, he counted RPM on the crankshaft instead of flywheel.

    However, the numbers he was presented with were more like estimates than actual figures, considering he doesn''t have any proper tools to get precise numbers. After taking into ount any potential human errors, he started to calcte the total horsepower given by the machine.

    After he finished calcting the figures, he double checks to make sure he didn''t make any mistakes before going back to theb. As soon as he walked in, the gossiping craftsmen all turned silent. Kant walks behind the desk and coughs twice.

    "Now before I unveil the results, I would like to thank everyone here foring over to help me build and improve this wonderful and revolutionary invention. I humbly thank all of you." he said.

    "Now, of with the results. Like I said before, we are looking for a horsepower of 6 or 7. ording to my calctions, the new steam engine reached a total horsepower of 17, which is over 143% of what we wanted." he said with a smile.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The craftsmen all did a small celebration on their chairs, d that they had managed to surpass their goal.

    "Now before I dismiss you all, do you all have any questions?" Kant asks. One of them held out his hand.

    "Yes?"

    "Will we be back here again?" he asked.

    "Yes, of course. There are many more things I intend to build. Inventions where I would need your help." Kant replied. Satisfied with the answer, he sat back down.

    "Anyone else?" Kant asked. Nobody appears to be raising their hands, indicating Kant that there were no more questions to ask."

    "Well, as the testing of the steam engine is over, I herby dismiss you all."

    ...

    As the sun starts to set on the city, 2 men stood alone on the port, waiting for a ship to arrive. The two men wore simr outfits, being a ck coat with white breeches and ck leather boots. One of them, the one with a handsome face, looked onward into the river with a monocr.

    The two men have been waiting since 4PM. Waiting for arge ship holding a long time friend and business partner on board.

    "Do you see any shipsing?" Oswald asks his friend.

    "Yes, I do."

    "Is it ours?"

    "I am not sure... oh wait! Yes. Yes it is! I see the g. It''s definitely ours!"  he replied. The ship soon sail near the port. After a small row boat helps it dock, a bridge is moved onto the deck to allow it''s passengers toe down.

    "Jac! Oswald! How is it going?" a voice told from above. A man slender and tall spoke out on top of the staircase. He soones down and meets up with the two.

    He had medium long blond hair, which had an oily texture, wasbed back with the assist of some hair oil. His hazel brown eyes and button nose were on his oval face, and on the right side of his nose, there was a little scar present.

    The man wore arge white coat, with 6 yellow buttons covering his undershirt. He wore ck pants along with ck leather shoes to go along with it.

    "Oswald. I received you letter and came as soon as I can. What is that talk about a new business opportunity?" the man asks.

    "Well Allister, my dear friend. You are going to love this." he replied as he held out a piece of beige paper in his hand. Allister took the paper from Oswald and started reading.

    "An auction?" he asked.

    "Exactly, and we need your help. I will fill you in on the details once we get home." Oswald replied.

 Chapter 69 The Start Of A New Partnership

    ?Oswald opens the dark oak door to his home''s living room. The room featured stone brick walls, stered and painted in pearl white paint. The floor consisted of rectangr polished marble tiles with little ck spots here and there.

    On the left side of the room were 3 windows with red curtains attached to them. Their job is to normally allow anyone to take a glimpse of the outside world and to allow light to travel into the living room.

    On the opposite end of the room away from the door, was a firece connected to a chimney. The burning embers gave the room a warm atmosphere along with some needed light. Other than the firece,nterns ced around the house provide a source of light for anyone wanting to stay upte at night.

    The beige calendar hung upon the white wall read ''24th of Asinus'' written on the page with ck ink. It looked down on the red couches that allowed for seating, along with the two armchairs near the firece.

    Above the firece, there was a magnificent painting of an angel, looking down on humanity from the sky with its gigantic angelic wings. The painting was one of Oswald''s greatest possessions, costing him 500 gold coins.

    "Your home''s gotten a lot bigger Ozzy." Oswald smiled at his remark.

    "Thank you, Alister. I decided that I fancy a better home for myself." Oswald replied.

    Oswald and Jac turned the two armchairs away from the firece to a red couch on the left where Alister took his seat. As the men sat on their chairs, cozying up to the warm atmosphere of the room, they decide to begin their little meeting.

    "Now. About that auction... What is it even about?" Alister asked the two.

    "Well Alister my friend, I am sure you have heard about this wonderful new product called ''cement'' going around. It''s the talk of every merchant around." Oswald asks Alister, who was removing a bit of sweat from his middle-aged face with a pink napkin.

    "I have heard of the name, but not much else. What is it?"

    "It''s a construction material that is used to create a mortar or paste that hardens over time. They just started using it to build the wall in Albersterg." Jac said.

    "It got his approval?" Alister asks.

    "Yes. He was impressed by it. I was the one that delivered it to him. It''s one of sire Kant''s inventions." Oswald answers.

    "The prince? Prince Kant?"

    "Yes exactly. I believe he had just tested another invention of his. A ''Steam Engine'', or at least ording to the Petersons."

    "What is a steam engine?"

    "From their own words, it''s a machine that turns coal into motion," Oswald replied. Alister ces his left hand on his chin and started to think it through.

    "Huh. That could be useful," he said.

    "Anyways, going back on topic. Recently he announced that he is selling off thepany in an auction house. The price is said to be very high, and he is going to need your financial backing as well to... take a majority stake."

    "Apany?"

    "A corporation. Thanks to new legition, people can register a legal entity to limit liability." Jac said. Alister sat straighter when those words entered his ear.

    "Hold up, what?" he said. Alister was not aware of what they were talking about and desired to learn more.

    "Private Corporation Act of 5018.  Just was enacted at the start of this month. Think of it like a ve you own that can hold properties and will take the me for any bankruptcies." Oswald exined as Alister sat there in deep thought. His mind got an idea but wasn''t sure if it was feasible.

    "Though I know I am going off-topic, I have a few questions to ask about this new legal structure."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Go on."

    Alister went on to ask multiple questions regarding how apany works; how it''s formed, how it''s taxed, and what it mainly does, which Jac and Oswald happily answered. After they were done, Oswald asked him whether he was in on buying thepany up at the auction.

    "Say, Alister. Are you in or not?" Without hesitation, Alister immediately responded to his question.

    "Oh, certainly Ozzy. Although I have a slight proposal to make to the both of you," he said. The two were straighter on their chairs, awaiting this ''proposal.''

    "What is it?" Jac asked.

    "Say, why don''t we register apany with the sole purpose of holding shares in otherpanies? We can use thatpany to buy up the cement manufacturer?" he proposes.

    "Holding shares?"

    "Yes! Apany that holds parts of otherpanies. Like both of you said, the main purpose of a corporation is to limit liability and to give a level of security. By using apany to hold those shares, we can add even more security for nearly no cost." he suggested.

    Oswald and Jac thought of his proposal. Though it was a good idea, they found a few disadvantages to such a structure and felt the need to address them.

    "Well Alister, though that sounds like a good idea, have you considered the fact that any conflict of interest between us three could cause its dissolution?" Jac asked.

    "I am fully aware of that. Besides, we can have greater control of thepany and allow us to save some money on taxes. Besides, it would have other advantages.

    It would allow us to concentrate property assets and allow flexibility for growth and development, which would be extremely beneficial if we intend to invest in any more inventions his highness creates." he replied.

    Oswald and Jac thought about it further. There was a moment of silence as they evaluated the potential benefits and drawbacks of Alister''s proposal.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "What do you think Ozzy?" Jac asked.

    "Well, considering the benefits, I think I am going to have to agree. There might be a lot of money to be made, and I want to make sure we don''t leave a single penny on the table." Oswald replied.

    "Is that so? Well then, I guess I am in as well." Jac replied. Alister''s face forms a small smile to their responses.

    "Great! Now back on topic. When is the auction taking ce?"

    "It''s marked to take ce on the 1st of Possum in a special room in the pce," he said.

    "That''s plenty of time for us to prepare. In the meantime, we might as well go around and meet up with the Petersons."

    "Why is that?" Jac asked.

    "You remember that steam engine that Oswald mentioned?"

    "Yes?"

    "Well, I would like to know more about it. I think we might have another potential revenue source," he said.

 Chapter 70 Asking A Few Questions.

    ?The sun shined on the great city of Hoverdam once more. The people went about the day, wither talking in a bar, shopping around in the market, or just hanging around peacefully. Samuel, wearing a brown tunic with blue breeches and brown calfskin boots was walking back to his workshop on the paved stone road holding a leather bag on his shoulder.

    Inside contained a bunch of beige papers with blueprints of mechanical devices Kant had registered. A few customers, being mainly tailors and weavers, asked them to build some for their business. Nevertheless, the Petersons took all their offers, wanting to make a bit of money.

    As he made a turn, he spotted three horses, ck, white, and brown, all on a leech in front of his workshop. Samuel guessed that some more clients have arrived at the workshop, wanting something to be built.

    Not wanting to make them wait longer, he sped and walked to his workshop. As he opened the door, his eyes spotted three men sitting around the table, all wearing a coat of white, ck, or brown. Though he didn''t know two of them, he recognized the bald man in the ck coat.

    "Good morning Mr. Oswald! What brings you here this early in the morning?" he asked.

    "Good morning to you as well Mr. Peterson. We came here to ask some questions."

    "Oh? Have you asked Victor about it?"

    "Mr. Victor is nowhere to be found. But since the door was unlocked, we decided it would be best to stay until you arrived."

    "Oh! I see. Well, can you gentlemen give me one more minute then?" Samuel asked.

    "Of course." Samuel went upstairs to the bed where Victor was found snoozing heavily in his hay bed. Samuel, being a little angry, took a bottle of water and sprinkled it on his face. It took a few seconds, but eventually, his heavy eyelids lifted.

    "Victor! We have clients over at the workshop, and yet you are still sleeping? Get your ass ready ande down!" Samuel whispered to Victor.

    "Alright. Alright. I''m sorry." he replied. With Victor awoken, Samuel went back down to the merchants to continue their discussion.

    "Thank you for your patience. Now, before we continue, can I have your names?" he asked the two sitting to Oswald''s sides.

    "My name is Alister Cobb." the man in the brown coat said. The other man, who wore a white coat stood up with a smile. He then approached Samuel and extended his left hand.

    "My name is Jac Pratt. It''s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Samuel Peterson," he said. While Alister whispered something into Oswald''s ear in the background, Samuel grabbed Jac''s hand and shook firmly.

    "Now, what do you need to know gentlemen?" Samuel asked while Jac went back to take his seat. Oswald decided to speak up on the matter of why they came.

    "Remember when you told me about this new invention the prince was testing?" he said.

    "The steam engine?"

    "Yes! That! Alister here wants to know a little more about it. He thinks it could be of great use." he said Samuel turned to Alister, who had his legs crossed while he sat on the chair.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Well, Mr. Alister. A steam engine is a mechanical device that can turn a source of energy into motion. You just need to feed it some fuel for it to function, like charcoal." he replied. Alister stood straighter in his chair and coughed twice before asking a question.

    "Energy into motion huh... Say, can if it truly does what you im, can you perhaps make a device that allows other mechanical devices to function? It could prove useful in many areas." he said.

    "Actually yes. His highness even has constructed a few blueprints regarding that idea." Samuel replied.

    "Oh really?"

    "Yes. I have them in my bag. One minute..." Samuel opened up his bag and handed out two rolls of beige papers to Alister and Jac. It contained a picture of someplicated mechanical device, drawn using ck ink.

    "The mechanical devices present in those papers are called a power loom and a spinning mule. A few weavers requested a few of them to be made," he said.

    "Say where did you get these blueprints from?" Jac asked.

    "The patent registrar. It''s where anyone can go to submit their own patent or take a look at other people''s inventions. Those specific patents belong to his highness Sire Kant Maybale." The two merchants looked at the blueprints before giving them back to Samuel.

    "Say, Mr. Peterson. If wemission a mechanical device to do a specific task or function, would you be able to do that for us?" Alister asked.

    "Certainly Mr. Cobbs. Though it would take some time, that could be done. Anything else?"

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Alright then! Now one final question. How powerful can a steam engine get?"

    "That depends sir. When we first tested out the steam engine, we achieved a horsepower of about 6, if I remember correctly. However yesterday, thanks to improvements made by the sire, it reached over 15 yesterday!" he said.

    "What is Horsepower?" Oswald asks. Neither he nor the other merchants have context or meaning regarding the word.

    "It''s what they use to measure the power output. For context, a horse has up to 15." Samuel replied.

    "I see. Well, that is all we needed to know. Thank you for your time, Mr. Peterson."

    "It''s my pleasure, Mr. Cobbs. When will I see you, gentlemen, again?" Samuel asked. It was then that Victor came down from above.

    "Hopefully pretty soon," Oswald replied. The merchants soon left the workshop and got on their horses. Before they went anywhere else, they headed off to the patent registrar, as Alister wanted to ask a few questions regarding how it worked.

    Meanwhile, as the merchants travel down the road to the patent registrar, Kant was in his room, tying a charter with his typewriter for a new institution. As the school is said to be nearpletion, much earlier than expected, Kant needed a ce for science.

 Chapter 71 The Importance Of Science!

    ?Wearing a long-sleeved white shirt with a ck tie across his neck, Kant sat in his room typing away on a piece of white paper on his desk. To his sides were a bunch of more pieces of white paper, with the ones on his left nk while the other had both sides embedded with letters of ck ink.

    There was a third pile of paper, the ones in the bin. The metal bin, ced on the right side, had more papers thrown inside than the ones on the desk. Kant had gone through many revisions as it''s an institution that would have a great impact on any research done on anything.

    At his bedside, there werey more long-sleeved white shirts with ck ties along with pants and suits. He had ordered more to be tailored for him. As he continues to type on his typewriter, Arjun knocked on Kant''s door, requesting to be let in.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Enter," Kant replied in a slightly deeper voice. Arjun, wearing a white cloak with sses on his face, entered the room carrying a bunch of more white paper.

    "Here is the batch you requested sire," Arjun tells Kant as he ces the stack on his left. A little curious, Arjun decides to ask what Kant has been up to, albeit a little indirectly.

    "There are a couple of disputes in the office that had been umting. I think sire should turn focus to it."

    "I am nearly done. I will look at them in a few minutes," he replied.

    "Is it that important sire?"

    "Yes, it is indeed Arjun."

    "Well, what is it?" Arjun questioned.

    "It''s a charter for a public institution dedicated to discussing, testing, and recording scientific knowledge and breakthroughs," Kant replied confidently. There was a hint of confusion ced on Arjun''s face as he continued to ask more questions.

    "Oh? For what reason?"

    "I had been informed that the school is nearlyplete. Therefore I need to have a ce to regte scientific knowledge to establish some standards regarding what knowledge will be published and easy ess to said information."

    "Oh right, of course. Well, sire, I am not sure that you have to go... that deep into writing the charter." It was a simple jab at how Kant seemed to be putting lots of time into this possible institution. Kant however, thought otherwise."

    "Oh, I think I do Arjun."

    "Why is that?"

    "I have a long response to that. Do you want to hear it?" he asked.

    "Sure," Arjun replies. Kant immediately stops typing on his typewriter and turned to face Arjun while sitting on his swivel chair.

    "There are manyws of the universe that we do not understand. Whether it be because we cannot see it or cannot experience it. However, even if we cannot sense them directly, we understand it exists.

    The only way we can gain knowledge about it or anything around us is through the scientific method. It was how our current understanding of magic came into y, how our tools work, and such.

    However, for the scientific method to function as fluently as possible, it needs skepticism and the input of people, no matter their intelligence or credentials. As we discover more information, many settled theories will fall apart, and it would help find out holes in one''s theory if there were more people to point it out, allowing better hypotheses to be constructed.

    With the school established, I intended to teach the poption how to read, allowing everyone and anyone to participate in the system that will progress our understanding of the world further.

    With this processes a greater understanding of the rules of the universe. It would allow us to find problems we didn''t know existed, and create tools to solve said problems, and technology that will increase productivity.

    These factors mean that the city itself is stronger. It would give nations an advantage over everyone else. It''s the main reason why I am doing this." Kant replied.

    There was a brief moment of silence as it took Arjun some time to digest the information given to him by Kant. However, as he fully grasp it, he had a little nudge to ask one more question.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I might find a w in your idea."

    "That is?"

    "You mentioned earlier that you will allow anyone? Like... even rookies."

    "Hmm... yes. I do."

    "That is the thing sire. Don''t you think it should be a ce for people with the right credentials?"

    "I am not sure why I should."

    "Well sire, take for instance, what if someone starts spewing out false statements in the discussion? Or what if they ask stupid questions? Wouldn''t a requirement for credentials make those incidents ur less?" he asked. Maintaining a straight face, Kant calmly responded.

    "There are no stupid questions when ites to science. Any question directed at the theory should be properly addressed with an answer by the researcher presenting it. If false information is given, they are to point it out and cite their source. Without it otherwise, there may be undetected holes that will pass along as truth.

    This is not like religion. Although it may be one side to the same coin, being that is a gift from god, science is a gift that god gave to all men to interpret and act on their own, different from religion.

    Although anyone can read more information about the topic, or do more experiments on it. They cannot however use their credentials to shut others down as a preacher would. That would just be bad science."

    From his desk, Kant then pulled the drawer and grabbed a piece of paper. He handed it over to Arjun to look at. Drawn with a pencil appear to be a man, wearing ab coat over a white shirt with a tie around his neck. His legs were covered in pants and leather shoes, while his face was concealed behind a cloth mask.

    "What is this sire?" Arjun asked.

    "It''s a possible uniform I might require. It''s meant to conceal the person behind it." Kant replied.

    "Why is that sire?" he questioned.

    "I think it would be best to have ayer of anonymity while discussions take ce. There will be people who will try to use their credentials to shut down others. As credentials are often tied to one''s identity, this uniform is attempting to make everyone represent their ideas, instead of themselves." Kant answered.

    "But how will they receive credit for their work? Won''t that be a big motivator?"

    "Oh, they will be credited. It will only be unveiled after a certain period of time has passed. Besides, a mary reward will be handed out based on its contribution."

    "How will that be decided?"

    "I am still working on that." He replied. With that, Arjun had run out of questions to ask. As he was about to leave, Kant made a small request of him.

    "I want more printing presses to be crafted."

    "Again? How many more?"

    "About 25. Along with all the types. I need a few books to be made as a base understanding. Along with other books about the things we know."

    "As you wish sire."

 Chapter 72 The Auction

    ?In the tall white room with a giant chandelier above, were set many benches. People,ing in through therge door at the back of the room, wearing big expensive coats and holding a colored sign in their hands, took a seat for themselves. In the front of the room, looking straight at them all was an empty wooden podium ced on the tiled marble floor.

    Through therge oak door, many more people entered the room and took a seat. Of the people, three of them went by the names ''Jac'', ''Alister'', and ''Oswald.'' The three men were all wearing ck coats. They chose a spot enough for 3 people to sit next to each other.

    "It appears we made it in time," Jac said. The men all seem to be a little sweaty. They appeared to have been on their horses for longer than they expected as the ''shortcut'' was clogged up with a lot of people today.

    "Lots of row benches though. I count at least 14." Oswald remarked.

    "Do you see anyone that could give us trouble?" Alister asked Oswald, being the man who has the most connections. He looks around and tries to recognize any faces he might have seen before.

    "A few, but they seem to be spread out. I see two on the 1st column, 3 on the 3rd and 4th, and only one more on the back of the 6th column right next to us."

    "Could they give us trouble?"

    "They all apart from each other, so I am assuming that they are not working with each other. So they won''t be that big of a hassle." Oswald replied to Alister''s question.

    "I wonder how they are nning on selling this thing? Are they going to sell the stocks individually, or are they going to have us ce offers for it?"

    "Well however they do it, it won''t matter to be as long as we do not overpay for it. If ites to a bidding style sale, we should probably start out low and then continuously increase the amount."

    "Agreed," Alister replied. A few minutes pass by with many more merchantsing into the room. It was only when the dial read 12, did someonee over. A middle-aged man, wearing a thick ck coat and a long top hat walked up to the podium.

    He had straight ck hair, along with amber-brown eyes. His oval face had a thin mustache ced on it along with his round sses made of metal. Oswald, being the man with the connections, recognized him as Xavier Hickman.

    "Never thought that guy to be there. Then again, it would make sense for him to be the one on the podium," hemented. Xavier coughed twice before he started the auction.

    "Everyone please turn your attention to me," he said using his loud voice that echoed throughout the room. The slight noise of chatter vanishes as they all turn their attention to him. He sounded to be rather disinterested in whatever was going on and only came because he was paid a good amount.

    "Thank you. Now, the purpose of this auction as the paper bulletin states is to sell off the cement manufacturingpany holding ownership of two factories that can produce up to 80 tons of cement a day.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The way in which we sell off the amount is that we have a bidding price. The ones who win the bid can select the amount of money they would want to spend buying the stake in thepany. We will then start again with the leftovers.

    To make a bid, just raise the sign we have handed out when I speak of a price for a portion of thepany. This way, I know of the people who will ept it. I would also like to add something that you do NOT have to fully purchase thepany to have control over it. You only need arge share inparison to the rest.

    After the bidding is over, we will give the new shareholders a tour of how the manufacturing process works." he said.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Now, we will start the bid. Starting at 0.1%, with 1000 shares out of 1,000,000 shares. A price of 1  copper coin for 1 share, totaling a cost of 1000 copper coins. Any bidders?" The entire room raised its signs.

    The bidder continued to price the stock higher and higher. As he went on, fewer and fewer people were beginning to raise the sign-up. In the end, a small fraction of the bidders were questioning whether they should pay 85 copper a share for a sizeable chunk of the business.

    However, in the minds of the merchant trio, that would still be a stealpared to what they could have paid Kant, which was a 125 copper a share. They kept going and in the end, they wound up paying a price of 98 copper a share.

    "Mr. Alister. How many shares would you like to be issued to your name?" Xavier asked. Alister stood up from his seat before he started to talk.

    "Oh no, it''s not going to be me who will be purchasing it. I am more of a representative of the OSAC group."

    "Which is?"

    "A corporation separate from us as a legal entity."

    "Well then representative of the OSAC Group, state how many shares you desire to be issued to yourpany?"

    "56.4%," he replied. There were a few gasps in the room. They did not expect for the group to attempt to take over thepany. Many stood up from their benches and left the room, as they no longer believe that they would be able to purchase enough of thepany. Some of them were their rivals.

    Xavier however, did not seem to care. He was just seen writing it down on the piece of paper in a book and moving on.

    "Alright representative. Sit down. We may now continue the auction. For the representatives of OSAC, you may leave if you desire." he said. With that, the group stood up from their benches and left the room. They have got what theye for.

 Chapter 73 A New Project

    ?While the auction was ongoing, Decan was once again at the gates of the pce. He had been tasked with building the school for Kant. Now that it has beenpleted, he wanted to move on to other projects, and some other things he had put away. However, he had been called up once again by Kant, for another job.

    He wore a rather modest brown tunic that day, along with a pair of ck breeches and calfskin shoes. His hair appeared to have beenbed to the left with oil to make him look much better.

    With the permission of the guards, he entered through the front door and was escorted by a maid to his office. She gave a firm knock before there was any response.

    "Enter." a slightly deeper voice said from the other side. The maid opened the door for him and allowed Decan to enter. Kant was seen to be sitting on his swivel chair, with a typewriter on his desk, and multiple books beside him.

    "Ah, Mr. Hurst. Come in," he said as the door closes behind Decan. He closed off the books and put them in the drawer. He then ced the typewriter on the floor. The desktop, which was once upied by many things, is now nearly empty.

    "Sire, you called for me?" Decan asked while standing near the door. Kant makes a small friendly smile for Decan.

    "Yes, I did. Come. Sit down." he says. Decan walks over and sits down on the chair. He sat straight, looking at Kant in his modest white shirt along with a ck tie. His ck suit appeared to be hung on a rack nailed on the back of the door.

    "I am extremely pleased with the final result. You had done a wonderful and magnificent job overseeing its construction." Kant tells Decan. Decan smiles at hispliment, feeling honored at Kant''s words.

    "Thank you sire," he said.

    "Considering your experience, I was wondering whether you can build another project for me," he asked.

    "Oh well, I was hoping to move on to other projects but um... how much more are you willing to settle for?"

    "80 more thanst time," Kant replied. Decan was a bit shocked hearing that figure. But as it was no ordinary sum, he decides to ept it.

    "Well sire, what would you want to be to build?" Decan asked. Kant opened the drawer and ced a piece of rolled white paper. Decan unraveled it to find himself a blueprint of a ratherrge building. It had many rooms, with multiple staircases to get to 1 of the 5 floors present.

    In terms of size, it was about the size of 9 townhouses and wasprised of brick, stone, concrete, and steel. It featured ss windows that allowed light to enter its rooms. It featured a few libraries, testing rooms, debate rooms, storage, and such. A truly massive building.

    "This is the basis of what I want in the building. You can change whatever you like as long as what I need is there. What do you think?" Kant asked

    "It is the possible sire. Though it might be an expensive building. This one features steel, and this also features... concrete?" Decan asked. He was not aware of what concrete even was.

    "Concrete is aposite material. It isposed of aggregates bonded together with fluid cement. A property of concrete is that it hardens over time, so it would be wise to use it in the construction of the building."

    "Alright then, but what about the steel then?"

    "When it is dumped on a steel beam, you can get reinforced concrete, which is much stronger. I advise you use it." Kant said.

    "...Alright. But with all this... it might be very expensive, and very time-consuming. Especially the steel."

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Don''t worry about the materials, I got it all covered. Is there any other difficulty?" Kant asked. Decan nodded in response.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Yes. I am going to need to build a team of stone masons like me toe up with some designs. I assume you want to incorporate the new architecture?" Decan said.

    "That is correct yes. Can you do it?" Kant replied. Decan sighed at Kant''s question.

    "Well sire, this project is ratherrge, meaning the risk is a bit higher. I mean, I am nning to integrate the new architecture alongside it, so I am not sure that the 80 would be enough," he said.

    "Use a corporation then" Kant suggested. His face showed a hint of confusion as Kant muttered those words.

    "A what?" Decan asked.

    "I am suggesting you use a corporation."

    "I don''t think I am familiar with that sire. Can you exin it to me?"

    "Of course. A corporation is a legal entity designed to separate the owner from thepany. I am suggesting, you use that to form a financial shield against yourself." Kant replied.

    "You might also want to use it to help build your team, and concentratebor and talent within your ownpany. If thepany receives profits on the contract, you can have it distributed among each other.

    If it fails, well then your team members are safe. It''s thepany that will go down. Not you. Other advantages include that you and your team could be arger firm overall. It could be an opportunity for a lot of money." Kant said while Decan listened in closely.

    He gives Kant''s advice a thought. Though he was financially stable, having a lot more money would be nice.

    "I am sorry sire, but I might have to consult this with my wife," he said. Kant smiled.

    "No worries. Just let me know when you are ready." Kant replied. With that, Decan stood up and left the office. He eventually made it out of the pce gates and left for home.

    ...

    The stone brick building held by wooden pirs of the tree, along with a hay bale roof consisted of two floors. The bottom one was called the ''Mason''s Lodge'', where stone masons would usually work. Above it, was his home.

    Decan walked in through the oak door with a metal knob and made his way to the wooden stairs. On the top floor, with a broom in hand, was a woman just turning 50 this year. She had straight brown hair, along with chestnut brown eyes on an oval face.

    She noticed Decan entering the house and smiled in response.

    "Wee back honey. How was your day?" she asked. Decan walked up to her and held her rather rough hands.

    "Honey, can I talk to you for a minute?" he asks the woman.

    "Oh... of course!" she replies.

 Chapter 74 The Workers

    ?Riding along a paved cobblestone path on top of three ck horses were the trio of Alister, Jac, and Oswald. The men all wore white coats with white hats to cover their faces from the sun''s rays that burned them.

    Ahead of them was Xavier, wearing the same set of clothes he wore yesterday. He was appointed to travel with the group to show them around the main factory. As it was settled near the outskirts of the city, they had to get up earlier in the morning.

    Behind the trio were more people, all wearing coats of various colors and sizes. These people were the other owners of the business, who purchased a good chunk and had bothered toe to take a look at their new business.

    In the distance, the merchants can see a building with smokeing out of its stone chimney. Assuming that it was the workers working hard, they figured that it was the ce they were being taken. The three were proved right when Xavier stopped just outside the building premises.

    "Dismount everyone," Xavier said.

    The men alle down to the dirt ground with their ck leather shoes. They then followed Xavier inside, to find groups of workers cooperating with each other to make the product. As soon as the supervisor notices the men enter, he puts two of his fingers in the hand and blows a whistle to catch everyone''s attention.

    He made them all line up in a horizontal line, with the separate groups of workers a little apart to distinguish themselves by about 1 foot. The trio walks in front of the workers along with Xavier.

    "Hello everyone, I would like to introduce you to the new owners of thepany. Mr. Oswald Audley, Mr. Jac Pratt, Mr. Alister Cobbs..." Xavier went on to list the other owner''s name. It was then that the workers themselves were given the chance to introduce themselves.

    Theborers first spelled out their names, being their first andst ones. They then told them what they do in the workce and end it there. Starting from the left, the new owners got to hear every one of the workers. Oswald, being the man with connections, memorized each and every one of them.

    They were then shown around the factory room, and how the cement was manufactured. They were shown as one group bringing over the materials needed while another either grinds it, mixes it, or heats it. They were shown the various tools use for their job and how much experience they had.

    Though the merchants seem to be at least a little curious, Alister spots areas in which the process can be improved. Although he would have to wait until it was over to discuss it with his partners. When the tour was over, Alister grabbed his buddies and went outside to discuss it with them.

    "What is the matter, Alister? You spot something?" Oswald asks.

    "Yes. As a matter of fact, I do." Alister responds.

    "Well, what is it?" Jac asks.

    "You know that steam engine those Petersons were talking about?"

    "Yes?" they both reply at the same time.

    "Well, I was thinking. There are plenty of tasks that can be done without the use of those workers."

    "Like what?"

    "Like the grinding of the stones. We could have a craftsmane up with some contraption to do it for us," he suggested. His fellow partners thought about it for a second before giving a response.

    "That''s a really good idea Alister. What do you think Oswald?" Jac asks.

    "Yea, that sounds good. Do you have any more in your brain?" Oswald asks.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I am thinking of using a sort of moving belt to transport the materials. Say some workers are there to ce the rocks, and the moving belt brings it over to the grinding machine where it breaks it down. It could work."

    "Only problem is, how expensive will it be?" Jac suggested.

    "Or what will they think?" Oswald asks.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "I am not sure how much it will cost, but the productivity gains of it would be massive. I am thinking 600, 700 maybe even 1000 tons per day, and thanks to economies of scale, our cost to produce them would be even cheaper.

    In terms of the workers, we will use them for other areas in which we still need humanbor. Think about areas where they need to pack the cement to ship, or fix the steam engines that we brought ourselves.

    With that possible steam engine upgrade, we might be able to process much more cement than ever before. So when some other bastards try topete with us, we will have the upper hand. At least initially." Alister said.

    "Won''t teaching and training them to be costly?" Jac asked.

    "It''s not if we can make more money in the long run," Alister responded.

    "Well, I am in. What about you Oswald?" Jac said, feeling convinced. Oswald thought for a minute in silence before responding.

    "Count me in too. Though we might have to inform our fellow... owners on the decision." Oswald said. They went back inside where the merchants and the workers kind of hung out. Jac got Xavier to get the merchants outside for a talk. It was where they decided to spill the beans on their ns.

    Although the merchants had some disagreement, they all went in for a vote and the trio beat them out thanks to theirrge share size. When the workers were informed, they were not happy. Manyined that they might lose their jobs by bringing in machinery. In the increasing anger of the mob, Jac stepped in to calm them down.

    "Gentlemen! Please! Calm down!" he said. The workers obeyed, giving him a chance at what he had to say.

    "We will not be cutting any of your wages, or firing you in any regard! Though you may find yourself not making the cement directly due to the steam engines, you will still find work in operating the steam engine or fixing it.

    These jobs, although much harder, we are willing to help you undergo training to understand these. This would give you a better skillset, allowing you to keep your job, or even find somewhere better to work.

    Whatever it is, I promise you all. You will not be fired. We hope to keep every one of our employees so we can all prosper together!" he said. His little speech managed to calm the workers down. With that, they went back to work, wanting to finish the next batch of cement. The merchants all hoped on their horses, wanting to head back to their homes deeper in the city.

    "That was a good speech Jac." Oswaldplimented Jac. He humbly epted it as they rode along the road.

    "Now Oswald, I am sure you got a job to do."

    "I know, I know. I got to find someone to help make those steam engines, along with someone willing to teach them how they work to the workers."

    "Can you do that?"

    "Of course, I can. I know a few people. I can check them out." he said.

 Chapter 75 The Last Two Months

    ?The calendar that hung on the white wall of the office read ''2nd of Possum, 5018''. Thest month of spring. In just one more month, his parents wille back home, along with his siblings. But over that 2-month period, so many things have happened.

    Sitting on his swivel chair inside his office, he leans back on his chair and thinks about everything he has done. Kant had discovered Cora''s secret and epted her deal. He introduced new legition such as ''Private Corporation Act of 5018'' along with the ''Patent Registration Act of 5018''.

    He had established a new police force which is currently still undergoing training, and he had brought in a plethora of inventions such as cement, the printing press, the steam engine, the power loom, and the spinning mule.

    Despite his sess, Kant wondered whether the road he was on was worth it. He had forgotten what his original motives were by this point, with his new one being about the kingdom''s benefit and his own survival. Yet, he felt a weird feeling... a sensation of uncertainty.

    When he arrived in this new world, he thought he had a second chance. A chance to make things right and live to be a better man. Yet once again, it felt that the world pped him in the face, as his inability in magic caused everyone to turn their backs on him.

    Although he had made some connections in this world, they all seem to be falling apart. His childhood friend died of disease, Cora turned out to be a spy for a terrorist organization, his siblings are distancing themselves from him, and his parents don''t have a single ounce of hope in him.

    It all felt too familiar. It felt like he was back on the road once again, the one Howard was. Although it led him to a life of riches and sess, it left a trail of destruction behind. It was when Kant wondered, whether all of it was worth it.

    His inner monologue was disturbed by the sounds of someone on the other side of the door knocking. Kant straightened up and maintained a good posture before he let anyone enter the room. When the door opened, it revealed Arjun, wearing a ck cloak and some sses on his face with a bunch of papers in his hands.

    "Good morning sire." Arjun greeted.

    "Good Morning Arjun. Sit down." Kant replied. Arjun walked across the tiled floor to the left wooden chair.

    "What were you thinking about sire?" he asked. Kant was caught off-guard by his question.

    "What?"

    "You were thinking of something. What were you thinking about?" he asked again.

    "Why do you ask?" Kant questioned his motive. The man just made an innocent smile.

    "Just curious." he lied. Although Kant was tempted to fill him in, he decided against it.

    "It''s nothing..." he replied.

    "Alright then," Arjun replied, moving on.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Now, about that report sire wanted earlier... I have it right here with me."

    "That is good. Would you mind reading me through the entire thing? Kant asks.

    "Of course sire," Arjun replied. He looked down at the papers he was carrying for an answer. After scanning it, he turned to look back at Kant to give him an answer.

    "The first point I would like to bring us is about the police recruits. I have been informed that the tailors have already weaved the uniforms they need, along with the smiths who have prepared all the equipment we ordered. The recruits themselves will be ready to be deployed next week. Should we proceed with it?"

    "Yes."

    "Alright, I will inform Knight Kristina about it," Arjun said as he turned a page.

    "The next one is about the state of the school. As you know, the building was finished just a few days ago. As per your orders, we have sent out a survey team to the city whether they would be interested.

    We have several requests from people to ask to teach them how to read and write. Although there are others who are resistant, telling us that they have other work to do at home, they did tell the survey team that they are willing to participate."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "No one objected?"

    "No sire. No one."

    "And about the teachers?" Kant questioned.

    "I have found several in thest month. Though they are a bit expensive, they do have experience in teaching other royalty to read and write. We just need a date to open it." he said.

    "How about the 7th?" Kant asked.

    "That can be arranged sire. Yes." Arjun replied.

    "And finally, as sire requested, there have been reported to have been 230 reports of people checking up on the patents for the steam engine alongside the spinning mule and power loom," he said.

    "That many?"

    "Yes sire. What do you want this information for?" Arjun asked.

    "I would like to send subsidies to help them buildrge factories where workers can effectively produce arge quantity of textiles," Kant replied. Arjun sat straighter in his chair and adjusted his posture.

    "Oh? Why is that sire?" Arjun asked, genuinely a little curious.

    "Because textiles and clothing in general, are a great way of getting rich quickly. It is amodity that is essential for human life, while also being easily destroyed and torn, making demand high all year around.

    With the help of the steam engine, power loom, and spinning mule, I hope to increase textile production this month and export it to other cities. However..."

    "What is it sire?"

    "For me to achieve that, I am going to have to do multiple things. First, I need to set up factories with the help of weavers and merchants. Next, I need to import lots of cotton, wool, and other materials to make the textiles, along withrge quantities of coal." he said.

    "Do you understand Arjun?" Kant asked.

    "Yes sire, I do. I assume you want me to set up a bureau to send out subsidies along with letters to discuss trade agreements with other kingdoms for coal and cotton?" he asked.

    "Yes, I do," Kant replied.

    "Consider it done sire. Is there anything else?"

    "Yes. There is another industry I would like to focus on, but it is much more long-term than textiles."

    "Well sire, what is it?"

    "I will keep it simple. I will need more steel to use in construction and engineering. Steel can be used to make buildings stronger, and make more powerful steam engines. The city however is not producing enough steel, and the price of it is too expensive." Kant filled in Arjun.

    "That is the nature of steel making yes. I am assuming sire had already researched the topic?" he asked.

    "Yes, I have indeed. While I was researching the topic, I managed toe up with a new process to produce steel." Kant replied.

 Chapter 76 The Bessemer Process

    ?"Well sire, I am all ears. However, before you exin the... new process, would you mind exining to me how steel is made in the first ce? I am not that familiar with the topic." Arjun asked Kant. Although Arjun thought that it was unlikely that it could work, he wanted to hear what Kant has to say before making a judgment.

    "Oh dly. Now what you need to know is that steel is an alloy of iron and carbon that''s sturdier than either of those two alone. Now steel itself usually had about 0.2 to 2.1 percent of carbon.

    Different carbon levels can give different hardnesses and tensile strengths. So it would depend on the nature of the application of the product. For example, a knife would need to have a tough edge and won''t break easily, it should have around .75% carbon.

    So to make steel, we need to introduce carbon to iron. The way people normally do it is by packing iron into boxes of powdered charcoal and then heating them up to 700¡ãC for about a week..."

    "A week?!?" Arjun interrupted, a bit shocked at the information.

    "Yes. A week. But I am not finished." Kant replied calmly.

    "Oh, I am sorry sire." Arjun apologized.

    "Anyways. As it burns, the charcoal''s carbon will react with the heat-softened iron, producing a thinyer of steel on the exterior. However, as the steel is produced ONLY on the exterior, they have to fold and tten the metal on the anvil again, because remember iron needed to be folded as wool, to produce a uniform material.

    This process is the reason why steel making is verybor intensive and the material expensive. Besides, hitting metal for hours on end would not be fun. It takes too long and too much work." Kant said.

    "I see. Well Sire, how do you expect to decrease the cost?" Arjun asks.

    "Simple. We need to first use a st furnace. Think of an extremely powerful bloomery or forge. Instead of sucking air, the air is forced into the st furnace through the materials from the bottom up.

    Also instead of alternatingyers of iron ore and charcoal, we will beyering iron ore with limestone and hotter-burning coke. It will produce more intensebustion that smelts the iron ore.

    The iron will react with the stack, forming a new alloy with a melting point down near 1200¡ãC. The high-carbon liquid runs out the bottom and soon cools, which will give us an iron-carbon alloy. However, do not confuse that with steel.

    As the process will most certainly put more carbon than intended, exceeding 2.1 percent, we will have to reduce the amount of carbon as the new high-carbon iron alloy, also known as pig iron, will be too brittle to be useful. To reduce the amount of carbon in the iron, we will put the metal through what I call the ''Bessemer Process''."

    "The Bessemer Process?"

    "Yes. The main idea is to blow air across a molten metal, in our case a molten pig iron. The oxygen in the mixture of air will react with the carbon to form carbon dioxide. This either burns off or bubbles out, leaving a purer iron behind."

    "How do we know when to take it out?" Arjun asked.

    "We can test it by testing its hardness and strength of it. If it matches the steel we have produced, then it should be recorded as the correct amount of time." Kant replied.

    "I see. Is that it sire?"

    "Yes. Now the first thing I have to do is to make the st furnace and a Bessemer Converter. However, considering that the machinery I am talking about could berge, it will take me some time toe up with the blueprints and build a prototype."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "But it is possible right sire?" Arjun asked.

    "Yes. It will just take me a long time. Maybe one or two months?"

    "To build a prototype?"

    "Yes, but that is not the end of it. After the prototype is built, I would have to build a mill for the workers to work and create a whole new supply chain to bring in the materials I need to the mill. That is the hardest part of this whole situation, but it is doable."

    "I see. Is there anything I can do to help?"

    "No. Not yet anyway. I will tell you when I do." he said.

    "By the way..." Kant said in an attempt to shift the conversation to a different topic "...have you found a temporary office for the Hoverdam Institute for Scientific Research?" Kant asked. Arjun checked his notes once again before delivering an answer.

    "Not yet sire. I am in the process, however. There are a few contenders. I will keep their papers for you to review" he replied. Arjun picked out several papers from the stack and ced in on the desktop neatly.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® Kant picked up the papers and read them all through. He then picked out one he liked and handed it over to Arjun.

    "This will do just fine," Kant said. Arjun took a look and the papers and rolled them up to be taken with him.

    "Is there anything else?"

    "Yes. I want the status of the printing presses?"

    "About 9 of them have already been made by the artisans, with the rest soon to be finished by the day after tomorrow."

    "Where are the 9 printing presses now?"

    "They are in storage sire. What do you want to do to them?"

    "Transport it to the new office of the institute once it has been fully refurbished."

    "Alright sire. Is there anything else?"

    "No. That is all. You can leave." Arjun gets up and leaves through the front door, leaving Kant alone once again to his thoughts. He leans back in his chair and continues to think it through. Although it was the road that epted him, it could lead to a path he might not want to be in.

    Then again, the more Kant thought of it, he realized he doesn''t have much of a choice. It seemed to be the only way for him, the only road left open for Kant to drive on. Besides, if he can keep some integrity and honor, although it might not fully prevent destruction, he could mitigate it.

 Chapter 77 Commissioning A Conveyer Belt

    ?The bright yellow sun was at the top of the sky, looking down on arge stone building, held up with wooden columns, featuring two stories with a wooden nk roof, belonged to a skilled craftsman with multiple apprentices who all one day wanted to aspire to be a professional like him.

    Like most buildings, the bottom story featured the workshop, with the top of the building featuring the home of the owner and his family. The apprentices themselves lived rtively near the workshop, with an average walking distance of 8 to 10 minutes.

    The owner himself went by the name of Willie Walton. He had a round face with a scar on his left hazel eye that he got when he was a child and a small dadbod that came with fatherhood. Willie usually wore a green tunic and brown hemp breeches with calfskin shoes.

    Willie had received a letter from an old friend, giving him a heads-up about their arrival today. With the help of his wife and apprentices, he made sure the workshop and home were spotless of dirt. With the ce clean, he stood near the window, waiting for them patiently.

    His eyes scanned the paved roads filled with people walking. They seem to be going along their day happily as ever, holding bags made of hemp, pouches made of leather, and carts carrying barrels of food and cloth.

    A smile formed on his face, seeing the people''s spirit alive and well. However, the smile soon disappeared as his eye spotted a cart carrying spears with mana stones attached. He suspected runic weaponry. Willie was a bit suspicious as to what the knights needed such powerful weapons for. Was a powerful demon wave iing, or was it something else?

    ''Those greedy rascals might be up to something.'' he thought to himself. Turning away from the window, he asked his wife for her opinion.

    "You think we might want to tell them about those weapons?" he asked his wife, who was busy cleaning the floor with a broom.

    "Hmm...?" she asked. The woman, wearing her white tunic and long green skirt turned around. Her ck hair was hidden inside the cap she wore while cleaning the house.

    "What was that?" she asked.

    "Those weapons. Do you think...?"

    "No. I don''t think we need to," she replied. Willie turned back to the window. Before he can think further, his hazel eye spotted three horses on road, being ridden by men wearing white coats. Willie immediately rushed downstairs to greet them with a warm wee.

    "Mr. Oswald! Wee!" he proimed. The men dropped down and tied their horses onto the fence before they confronted Willie. Oswald, a rich bald merchant in his middle ages, approached Wille with a smile.

    "It''s been a while hasn''t it Willie? It''s good to see you." He said. Willie smiled back in return.

    "I was d you remember me, friend. It would have been for business if you did!" Willie replied.

    "Say, who are the other gentlemen behind you?" he asked. Oswald first pointed at the man on the left. His medium-long ck hair wasbed back, and his emerald green eyes came into contact with the artisan''s hazel eyes.

    "This is my friend and business partner, Jac Pratt. I am sure you two haven''t met before," he said. The two men smiled and greeted each other. Oswald then pointed to the other man with blond hair. He had simr hazel eyes, with a button nose on his oval face.

    "This is my other friend and business partner, Alister Cobbs."

    "It''s nice to meet you, Mr. Walton," he said. Willie smiled back.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Come in, Gentlemen! Let''s have a talk!" the men followed the artisan back into the building, and up the stairs. There, they were seated on wooden chairs, with tea served on their desks.

    "So... gentlemen. How may I help you?" Willie asks the merchants. Oswald, after taking a sip from his tea, replied calmly.

    "Mr. Wille. We got a... device we want you to make. Or more urately, multiple devices that need to be made."

    "Oh? Well what are they?" he asked. Oswald turned to Alister and nodded. Willie assumed Alister was going to be the one talking. As so, he turned his face away from Oswald to Alister.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Recently, we acquired arge factory that produced a product called cement. When we got there, we had a realization that we couldmission an artisan to make a device that could carry the materials to one ce from another within the building, to the other mechanical devices," Alister said.

    "The main idea is to have some sort of belt move in one direction in a loop, using the power of the steam engine. Although we don''t have the technological know-how to make such a device, we are sure you can do it. You were there, right?" he added.

    "Yes. I was there."

    "Good. So, what do you say?"

    Willieid back on his seat and began thinking. A few concept ns got drawn inside his head. It certainly was feasible, at least ording to him. With the new steam engine, he might have enough horsepower for it to be powerful enough.

    "I got a few questions to ask before we move on."

    "Go on."

    "What''s the budget?" he asks. If he going to invent a brand new piece of technology, he is going to need to spend some money, and Willie was not keen on paying out of pocket.

    "We can spare 25 gold coins to develop the technology, another 10 gold coins to purchase the patent rights to the invention, and another 5 gold coins to buy multiple mechanical devices to fit into our factory."

    "What if I need more money to continue research?" he asks.

    "We can provide it IF it doesn''t get too expensive. We are a business after all. Don''t like to spend money on unnecessary things," Jac replied. Willie thought about it for a moment before giving a reply.

    "Oh, alright then. I ept." A smile formed on the faces of the three merchants. Alister took out a piece of paper. He asked Willie for a quill and a bottle of ink. There, he filled out many of the gaps left by the merchants and handed them over to Willie.

    "Just sign on the bottom of the page, above the dotted line," Oswald said. Willie, after reading the contract, took the quill filled with ck ink and signed the piece of beige paper.

 Chapter 78 Shipment From Down Below

    ?A gigantic wooden ship with great white sails made a stop at the Vina harbor. There, men dressed in steel guarded the men in brown clothing who unloaded tons of wooden crates sitting inside the ship. After unloading the cargo to the carts, they were sent off to the castle, where their Queen Rose Villiana would have great use for them.

    A man, about 6ft tall, with bright blonde hair and beautiful green eyes looked onward with curiosity, along with his friend, who in contrast was a little over 3 inches shorter than him, and had dull ck hair, along with normal brown eyes. After loading a lot of cargo into the carts, the men took a break.

    "Hey, Herrold. Wonder what those are about?" he asks as he wipes off the sweat from his face in one hand, and ate his lunch in the other.

    "Don''t know Carson, but we got to get helping soon. Otherwise, who knows what they will do if they caught us cking."

    "Yea. You right. Just gotta finish my sandwich, he replied." Herrold looked at him with a weird look.

    "You are taking too long today. What''s so good about it?" he asks, feeling curious as to why.

    "There is chicken in here! Can you believe it?" he replied, leaving Herrold shocked.

    "How the hell were you able to afford chicken? And most importantly, how the fuck did you even buy the chicken? I don''t remember any ce nearby?"

    "Found a gold coin off the ground and went to the central district. Poor bastard. Must be wondering where it went." Carson smiled as he said it.

    "Was it far?"

    "Nope. Hehe," Carson replied. Herrold frowned a little, jealous of Carson''s luck.

    "Lucky bastard," he replied. There was a moment of silence between the two. Herrold turned his head slightly, to see that a lot of it was still left.

    "Hey, mind if I have a little?" he asked.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Sure bud. Here." He split the sandwich in two and gave it to Herrold. With a smile on their faces, they both enjoyed the chicken sandwich. After finishing eating their sandwich, they headed back to work.

    They continued to lift the wooden crates and loaded them onto the carts. It took a few hours toplete it, but it was all worth it. With the sun still in the sky, they asked for their payment.

    They lined up in a long queue, headed to a wooden shack. The shed wasn''t always there. It was one out of many built. However, nobody understood why they didn''t care all that much. Once someone goes inside, there seemed to be a pause every time, only for them to walk out safe and sound, with the promised money paid to them.

    As the other person left the building, Carson walks in through the door. The shack had three windows, one on each side of the walls, with none on the wall holding the door. In the middle, was a wooden desk and chair, with a knight sitting on it.

    He had long dark hair, with hazel-brown eyes on his square face. Rather than wearing a suit of armor, as the other knights did, he wore his silver gray uniform, with golden yellow threads embedded in it. On his chest, he can see a few medals beside him, indirectly pointing to the fact that this man was powerful.

    Carson, although a little intimidated, walked over to the man and reached for his hand. The knight, however, looked straight at him in the eyes with a friendly smile.

    "What''s your name, son?" the knight asks confidently.

    "Carson. Carson Williams, sir."

    "Well, Carson. You look to be a rather fit man. How old are you?"

    "19, sir. I am 19 years old."

    "A young man indeed. Well, I would like to thank you foring to help us out loading the cargo. It is an important shipmenting from the continent down below," he said.

    "Say, would you like to... be like us?" he asks. This an odd question, considering one needs to have some sort of magical power of excessive before being able to enter the knight.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Why of course! Why wouldn''t I?"

    "So why haven''t you?" he asked. Carson knew the answer was obvious, but this was probably a test of some sort. After a few seconds, he decided to answer.

    "Well, I don''t possess the strength to join the knights. I would have joined when I turned 14," he replied.

    "Well, I think I can help you with that." Carson''s eyebrows raised in surprise. Carson immediately responded out of excitement.

    "You can, sir?" he asked. Although, after he said it, he wondered what he meant. He might have to train all day, using his weapon of choice, the sword. After he fights off the demons, he will gain glory and the respect of everyone around him. At least in his mind.

    But there was a lurking suspicion on him. If anyone could join the knights, wouldn''t have his father already joined? He remembers clearly that he told him that it was his dream.

    "Very enthusiastic I see. That is good. Now, you won''t EXACTLY be a knight, but you will do a job simr." he said. Carson''s dreams vanished as soon as the knight said that. However, he managed to remainposed in front of him and proceeded further in the discussion.

    "What do you mean, sir?" Carson asked.

    "Well, we are currently trying to find recruits to join the new army. We opened the position for a limited amount of people, but currently, we are about 24,000 people short. Considering your statue, you should be able to qualify," he replied.

    "What will the army do?"

    "You will mainly find yourself battling weaker demons. Though it won''t be much, it will help the knights to concentrate on the more powerful demons lurking around. But, your help will be extremely useful to us. So, what do you say?"

    Carson began to think. He doesn''t have much work to do in the city. He always was the more adventurous type,pared to his shorter, younger brother who helped out with the family business. With this in mind, he replied to the knight''s answer.

    "I will think about it. Where can I join, sir?" Carson asked.

    "In the downtown area, the building with the red banner, with a yellow crossword symbol threaded on it. Once you make your way there, they will ask you a bunch of questions, and send a message to your home to tell you if you got the job. Alright?"

    "Alright, sir."

    "Good. Now here''s the money. You did a good job today." With that, the knight handed him a pouch consisting of a few dozen copper coins, adding up to a few silver coins. Good pay for lifting crates around.

    Carson walks out of the shed and finds a ce to sit. He finds arge crate, not meant to be sent off to the royal pce. He jumped on and sat on top of it. As he waits, he second-guesses whether he should do it. What would his parents think? Will he even survive? What happens if he gets killed Yet, the alluring thrill of adventure appeared too tempting to resist.

    He continued to think about it till Herrold came by, and asked him a question.

    "Did he ask you as well?"

    "Yes. He did."

    "Are you joining?"

    "Are you?" Herrold asks. Carson was silent for a minute, before replying.

    "Yes. I will."

    "Then I am with you homie."

 Chapter 79 Marco Comes By Middletown

    ?Mia, the blonde housewife of Richard Dietrichson, was walking along the streets of Hoverdam in a reed flower green hemp gown, holding a wooden basket she uses to carry groceries. Apanying her trip to the city, was her son Marco.

    Marco had blonde hair, inherited by his mother while possessing brown eyes. He wore a bog myrtle yellow hemp tunic, paired withtle leaf gray pants, with calf-skin shoes. After begging his mother to apany him to the city, she finally gave in and allowed him toe

    Marco, with glittering curiosity in his eyes, looked around in awe. From the distance, he can see thergest building in the city, the pce housing the royal family. Coming in second ce, was the church, which had a pointy roof on its tower.

    He found himself surrounded by wooden and stone buildings, with people going business as usual. Separating them were tiny alleyways, which often were exposed to sunlight, and was a ce children yed, or people entered their homes. Although he did pick up some nasty smells, he managed to easily tolerate it.

    "This ce is amazing," he muttered under his breath. Mia, his mother, managed to hear his statement. She made a lot of trips to the city multiple times and knew a little better. Although, it wasn''t his fault, considering she had never brought him over to the city.

    "Calm down my boy. This is just middletown. The downtown would be much more exciting."

    "Middletown?" Marco asked his mother.

    "It''s what the locals call this general area. It''s what separates the center from the outskirts of the city."

    "Is there anything different about the downtown?" Marco asked.

    "From my previous visit when I was your age, the downtown has painted buildings, mostly made of stone, and houses many knights," she replied.

    "Damn, I got to visit that ce one day," he whispered under his breath. This time his mother didn''t hear anything, sparing him a p for saying a naughty word.

    As they walk along the paved streets of Hoverdam in Middletown, Marco''s eye spotted a unique building, unlike anything else he has seen before. Although he tried to walk over to see what it was, Mia grabs her son''s ear, preventing him from doing so.

    "Oh no, you don''t mister! You came to help me with my groceries. Remember?" she reminded her teenage son.

    "But mother! I want to see what that building is!" He said. Mia takes her eyes away and to the streets.

    "What building?" she asks. Marco pointed at the building with his finger. Her eye spotted the strange structure, but it did not spark the curiosity it did in Marco.

    "Can I go take a look?" Marco asked.

    "What is the word?" Mia asked.

    "Please?" he replied. His mother seemed displeased.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Now use it in the sentence."

    "Can I please go take a look?" he finally said. Mia sighed, then released his ear, which was glowing a little red.

    "Make sure you don''t take too much time," she said. Marco nodded at her request and jogged over to the strange building.

    The building was 3 stories tall, painted daisy-white with ster. It featured wooden shutter windows with a sleek and geometric design, resembling a Y shape, with onerge upside-down Y in the middle, and smaller 4 upside-down Y shapes on the inside of the walls of therger Y shape

    Separating the windows were columns of walls that nearly made it to the t roof of the building. Between the space that separates a bottom window from the top window, along with the top part of the column, there was a shape of arge upside-down Y inside the square box engrained into the building, painted yellow.

    The front door to the building was in the middle. It was made of dark oak and had an upside-down Y shape pattern engrained in it. Just like the windows and the side of the building. On the very top of the building, were a bunch of letters,bined into words that Marco could not understand.

    As Marco''s eyes fixated on the building, a man walks right behind him without him noticing. With two of his fingers, he taps Marco''s shoulder, causing him to turn around quickly. There was a man, wearing a long-sleeved gray tunic, along with ck pants and brown leather shoes.

    "What are you looking at?" he asked with a deep masculine voice. His lips had formed a thin line, hinting at aggression. Whatever it was, it seeded in intimidating Marco, who was 5''6 but was a bit intimidated by the man, who was 4 inches taller.

    "Oh! I am so sorry! I was just... interested in this ce. It looks so much different than the rest of the buildings here," Marco told the intimidating man. Just then, his cold expression turned into a smile.

    "I see. Do you perhaps know what this ce is?" he asked.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "No sir. I don''t."

    "Well, this ce was built to help people to read and write," he said.

    "Oh? I see. But why is it here?" Marco asked.

    "It''s because his highness wants the people around this area to be able to read and write."

    "How expensive is it?"

    "Oh no, there is no entrance fee. You can register for the school and they will happily teach anyone for free if they want to learn that is. I am pretty sure some people have already joined." As soon as Marco heard that the ce teaches a person how to read and write, something Marco couldn''t learn, he asks the stranger how he can get in.

    "Well, what you need to do is just go inside, and find a ssroom with a teacher that will ept you. He or she will give you a date and a specific time toe by, and all you have to do is just be there. They already have the materials for you."

    "How old do I need to be?" Marco asked.

    "How old are you?" the man replied with a question. Marco answered quickly, without hesitation.

    "14."

    "Can you at least get a day off a week from your parents?"

    "Oh yes! Very! I get every other day off, so I should be good." he replied.

    "Then you should be good! Go on, register!" he said. Marco, taking his advice, walked up to the door, took a deep breath, and entered the building. Inside, he found the floor made out of wooden nks, with the design of an arrowhead.

    The walls, although painted the same color of daisy white on the outside, the bottom part of the wall, it appears to be painted ck, with an upside-down Y repeating pattern to it, with the top of the ck paint a yellow outline separating the white paint from the ck paint.

    He entered and knocked on the first ssroom door he came across. After he heard the soft voice of a woman permitting him, he entered the room. The room was held with a bunch of columns and was fully furnished with wooden chairs and desks, made with the same design concept as the building; Sleek, and geometrical with detailing.

    The tables themselves were sleek, with tworge rectangr lines engraved on the edges of the table, giving it a sense of fashion while not causing possible disturbance to the students. The tables were arranged with 4 columns and 3 rows, equating to 12 tables and chairs.

    Marco approached the teacher, who was a short woman with short curly brown hair, wearing ck sses over her emerld-green eyes. As for her outfit, she was wearing an expensive white down, with yellow floral patterns threaded all over it. With her left hand holding her head while she looked at the paper, Marco had to excuse himself once again to get her attention.

    She took her eyes off the papers for a second and looked at Marco. She ces the papers down and sat straighter on her chair. After coughing twice, she asked Marco a question.

    "How may I help you?" she asked.

    "Hello, ma''am. I am here to register for the school," he said.

    "What is your name?"

    "Marco. Marco Dietrichson."

    "When are you free next week?"

    "I am free on the 7th, 9th, 11th, and 13th," he said. The teacher looked at another set of papers on the side. After a minute, she ces the papers down and looks him in the eye.

    "Can youe in on the 7th?"

    "Yes."

    "Then congrats, you are in. Make sure toe on the 7th, by 9 AM."

 Chapter 80 Kant Gets Suspicious.

    ?Kant sat in his office, wearing his long-sleeved white shirt with his ck tie around him, cutting his pencil point with a sharp dagger he kept in his drawer. On his desk, was a piece of white paper, with some kind of sketch for a new type of weapon, one he would want to use to protect himself in the future.

    As he sits there on his swivel chair peacefully cutting his pencil, his ear picked up a small sound of the pping wings of a small insect. Kant instantly recognized where the sound came from, and which creature it belonged to. He lifted his left foot, looked down, and smashed the small roach t.

    As soon as he thought it was over, he heard more sounds that belong to the devious parasite carrier. He ces his pencil down and stands up from his desk. then walk over to the door where his suit hung.

    He takes out the two gloves that remained in the pocket of the suit. After wearing the gloves, he walks back to the table and picks up a metal swatter that was sitting in the drawer that he previously used to kill any insects that used to terrify him.

    Using his sharp jet-ck eyes, he scanned the room for any roaches that care confront him, to try to scare him like when he was a child. From the right, he picks up the sound of a roach flying toward him.

    Immediately, he felt a rush of adrenaline as he turns around to smack the flying roach on the wall. Fortunately, hends a hit, killing it instantly. Just then, as he killed the roach, there was a knock on the door.

    "Come in," Kant permitted in his voice, which was bing a little deeper and more monotone as the days passed. Arjun, wearing a ck cloak, with a pair of sses, entered the room, holding a stack of papers. He was a little confused seeing him standing in the middle of the room, holding a metal swatter.

    "Sire, what is going on?"

    "Roaches. Arjun. Roaches."

    "What about roaches?"

    "There are here, in this very room. I hear them lurking around." Kant exined.

    "I see..." Arjun replied, a little more confused at the way Kant spoke about the roaches.

    "What brings you here Arjun?" Kant asked as he stood guard.

    "Before I move on to the main topic sire, I just want to inform you we hadmissioned a few hundred runic weapons and armor to be made along with thousands of iron spears and armor. Ordered by his highness.

    The new equipment will be fitted on several knights, who will n to head down south. Along with an excess amount of horses. The normal ones will be used on the peasantry."

    "How many of them? And where will they move to?" Kant asked.

    "Out of the 1680 knights, about 1176 of them are being deployed south to the cities of Nexert, Desmond, Tyrol, and a few other ces. As for the numbers regarding the peasants, about 18,000 of them." There was a pause.

    "70%?" Kant questioned. He did the calctions in his head.

    "I am sorry, sire?" Arjun told, not getting his question.

    "You are moving 70% of the knight down south, equipped with new armor along with a much of armored men, for what?" he asked.

    "Well sire, we suspect that a demonic rift will open up in mainly those areas during the summer. At least, that is what his majesty suspects," Arjun replies. Kant listens to what Arjun has to say while spotting another roach.

    He squashes the roach once with full force, ttening it instantly. Arjun was a bit distraught seeing how brutally the cockroach was murdered right in front of him. However, he dared notin.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Why are you telling me this now?" Kant asked.

    "Your father authorized me to inform you."

    "Did mother approve?"

    "She did, yes."

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Is that it?"

    "Regarding that news, yes. The main topic I wanted to bring you is about the school you asked me to bring."

    "What about it?"

    "ording to my reports, we have about 432 people attending the school tomorrow, which is the maximum capacity the building has seated for. About 60% are reported to be likely toe every week, 45% toe every two weeks, and the rest to be able toe for more than three days in a week."

    "How many registered in total?"

    "About 2,834 people, sire. Are you satisfied with the results?" Arjun asked while Kant killed another roach. He started suspecting something was off with them. Where the hell were theying from? He listened closely to his surroundings, to hear any potential roaches hanging around.

    "Sire?" Arjun asked.

    "2,834," Kant replied.

    "Yes, that is right. Are you satisfied?"

    "Very. You can leave now." Kant said. As Arjun walked up to the door, Kant made a small request from him.

    "Ask Cora to bring me a cup of coffee. I might need to get caffeinated for the day," he said.

    "Very well, sire." with that, Arjun left the room, leaving Kant all by himself again. The room entered a period of total silence, with the smallest of noises filling in the background. As Kant was left alone, he thought about Arjun''s first message.

    Kant starts to regret not reading up on demonology beforehand, or writing it down. Sure, it was possible, but the information he might have presented is false, and he knows how faulty human memory can get.

    He walks up to the desk, grabs his pencil and dagger, and sharpens it once again. He then grabbed a piece of beige paper and wrote down a message. As soon as Kant finished, there was a knock on the door. Cora, holding a cup of coffee on a silver tray, entered the room, as she ce the tray on the table, Kant leans into her ear, to deliver a simple instruction.

    "I got another mission for you Cora. Go to the library and find a few books for me. I want you to read them and write them down on a piece of paper and deliver it to me quickly. If you want more details, just read this piece of paper I am giving you." he whispered to her ear.

    He then gave it to Cora, who hid it under the teapot. After Kant drank his coffee, she was sent on her way, to get Kant the truth. Something was going down under his nose, and Kant had just picked up the scent.

    Kant walks to his chair, wanting to sit down. His eye, however, spots another roach on the floor. He stood still, waiting for it to move. As soon as it crawled over, Kant utilized this moment of vulnerability and squashed the bug.

 Chapter 81 School Day (1)

    ?Marco, for the first time ever, was excited to wake up on time. He quickly rinsed his teeth, wearing some new clothes, eats his breakfast, and runs straight outside to catch up with a wooden caravan, which sets off to the inner city in the morning.

    There is usually a building, where a bunch of caravans is stationed. The people who generally live on the outskirts of the city usually pay to get to the city and back. The ce also has a built-in stable for oxen; the engines of the caravans.

    As he ran towards the caravan, he found a young woman waiting there. She was about his age and had ck hair knotted in a ponytail with a blue handkerchief wrapped around her head. She had sky-blue eyes while wearing a reed flower green gown, and holding an empty wooden basket.

    "Oh, Cassy! You are going to the city too?" Marco asked.

    "Why yes. Of course. I need to go pick up some groceries. This is my first time doing so," Cassie replied.

    "Anyone going with you?"

    "Just my mother. She says that she will teach me how to ''properly negotiate'' with the shoppers to get a better price, help pick out the best items, and such."

    "Where is your mother now?" Marco asked.

    "Hustling the salesman in that wooden building over there." she pointed at the building with her finger. It was about 5 caravans away from where they stood. It was mostly made of wood, with a hay rooftop.

    "What about you? I don''t assume you came all the way here because you want to join me, would you?" she teased while making a little smile. Marco''s face nearly puffed red, but he managed to cool himself down.

    "Actually, I am going to learn to read and write!" he replied. Silence. It took Cassie a bit to process what he had just said. Him? Going to learn to read and write? How?

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Come again?" she finally said.

    "I am going to learn to read and write," he repeated. A wave of shock and confusion came across Cassie''s face. His answer only brought her more questions.

    "Wait what?"

    "It''s true."

    "Wait a minute! How on earth did you manage to afford that? Where are you going exactly to learn? Who is teaching you? Does that mean you went to the city already?" she fired a barrage of questions that nearly drowned Marco. To get her to stop, he ced both his hands on her shoulders and said,

    "Calm down! I will exin everything." Marco went on to exin the trip where he went to the city for the first time, where he got to see this new building, that there was a school there, and that he registered.

    "I see... say, when are youing back?" she asked.

    "From what I can remember, the schoolsts for about 4 hours. So I should be back home at about 2. Why did you ask?" Marco questioned Cassie back.

    "No reason. No reason at all," she replied.

    "Well then, I am going to go pay the guy. I will be back soon!" he said.

    Marco went toward the building and paid the guy who was driving the caravan a few copper coins. A few more people came by before the caravan made a departure to the city. It took about an hour and a half to get to the city.

    He managed to arrive at school on time. 30 minutes early in fact. However, the ss seemed to be half full. All the front-row seats were taken, except for one. Feeling pressured, he decided to grab the opportunity and sat on the chair, iming it as his own.

    On the desk, there was a te tablet with a wooden frame and a piece of white chalk next to it. Marco figured that it was how they were going to write and learn from. On the teacher''s desk, there was a wooden cup with more white chalk, and two hoursses filled with sand, with one beingrger than the other. Behind the empty teacher''s desk, was arge ckboard hung up on the wall.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As he waited for the teacher toe, from his right, someone called upon him with a little whisper. He turned around to see a boy, about a year older than him. He had short brown hair, gemstone-green eyes, an oval-shaped face, and a little mustache growing. He wore a silverweed yellow tunic, along with a brown help tunic and pointy calfskin shoes.

    "Hey! What is your name?" he asked. Marco smiled and replied kindly.

    "My name is Marco Dietrichson. It is nice to meet you." Marco replied.

    "Nice to meet you, Marco. My name is Vice. Vice Grotti."

    "That is a cool name," Marcoplimented.

    "Thank you. So... where did youe from?"

    "Hmm..."

    "I haven''t seen you around these parts. Are you from outside the city? From the outskirts?" Vice asked, curious to know where Marco was born. It was usual for people to know each other through a third ce, like a tavern, or a cafe.

    "Actually yea. From the outskirts. Like... far out. I belong to a family of farmers."

    "Really? You must havee a long way then. Did you walk here or...?"

    "Well, not entirely. I came here via a caravan that sets off early in the morning. It drops me off and I walk from there instead. Still, it would be a little-long walk." Marco exined to Vice, who listened very carefully.

    "Do you like it?" he asks.

    "Like what?"

    "Being there? Being a farmer?"

    "Not really. Well, the scenery is nice but, I would rather be a merchant and sail across the world. It is kind of my dream." His reply gathered a smile from Vice, who felt he was in the same boat as well, just in a different way.

    "Same here Except that I don''t want to work in my father''s shop. We have been there since my great-grandfather. That can go to my brother or sister. Do you have a brother or sister?" he questioned.

    "I have one. He is about 9 years younger than me, but he seems to love what my father does."

    "Wonder how long that willst," Vice replied. The two chuckled. Marco and Vice continued to talk throughout the day. Though it felt like a few seconds have passed by, the teacher arrived at the ssroom via the wooden door.

    The teacher was the same woman when Marco registered at the school. Today, however, she wore a minimalist white gown, carrying a leather handbag on her shoulder.

    "Alright, ss! Sit down!" she said. The kids, who were in the age range of 13 to 17, did not listen. Only after mming the desks to get the attention of the students, and lighting her hand on fire, she managed to get them to their seats.

    After picking up the white chalk in the cup, she wrote something on the top write of the board.

    "Hello everyone! My name is Eden Roy. You can refer to me as Mrs. Roy. I will be your teacher for today."

 Chapter 82 School Day (2)

    ?Mr. Roy picks up therger hourss and turns it upside-down. The sand slowly fell from the top ss to the bottom. Little by little, the bottom grew, while the top shrunk. Marco could not help but eye the hourss for a few seconds before moving his eyes to the ckboard.

    She appeared to have grabbed a piece of chalk and started to write down all 26 letters of the alphabet. It was separated into 6 invisible columns, along with 4 full rows and 1 other row that took the final two letters. The letters themselves were simr and worked like the English alphabet, but there were a few differences with the way they are drawn.

    B is a 3, O has a dot in the middle, R has a half A attached on the left side, and S has a 45¡ã line attaching the top end to the bottom end. There are some other alterations to it, but these are the most noticeable.

    Mrs. Roy then takes out a stick from her leather handbag. It had a leather handle with a pointy tip. She ced used it to select the first letter of the alphabet and turned to the ss with a smile.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Alright ss, repeat after me." she went on to pronounce the letter. Everyone, including Marco, followed. She repeated a few times and then moved on to the next letter.

    They all repeated the letter, over and over again. She then moved on to the next letter and have them repeat that for 2 minutes. Mrs. Roy then came back to the previous letter and got the students to speak it once again.

    The students manage to sessfully repeat it, which made Mrs. Roy smile. She checks the hourss once a few times to see whether it was finished. Once it was, she flips it again and continues with the ss.

    She manages to teach them how to pronounce the first row of letters. The students, with great sess, manage to recognize it somewhat urately. By the time they were done with the third row, the hourss was finished once again. This time, she flipped the smaller hourss on its head and continued with the ss.

    After grabbing a piece of cloth, she erases the first row of letters and writes one of them randomly. She first writes 3 and picks one student to read them out loud. She then erases the letter and moves on to another one. Once a student answers, Mrs. Roy does not correct them however, just keeps in mind who said what.

    She continues to do this until the smaller hourss finishes. Only then, she repeats the words out loud once again, allowing the students to correct themselves once again. Once she is done with the lecturing, she ces her stick down on the table.

    "Alright students, we have sessfully finished our first 25-minute period. You will all get a 5-minute break to talk to each other and rest. Just make sure you don''t leave the ssroom unless you need to. Just make sure to inform me beforehand." she said.

    The school uses a technique called Pomodoro Technique. You do work for 25 minutes and then get a 5-minute break. This keeps the students in shape and gives them enough rest to keep their productivity high, allowing for faster learning. Howard himself was the one to advise the teachers of the method.

    With that, Mrs. Roy sits down and grabs a book out of her bag. With her eyes on the pages, she starts to read them. Marco turned to Vice, the 15-year-old he was talking to earlier. They started to talk once again, picking up where they left off.

    "Anyways, like I was saying, have you ever gone on a boat?" Vice asked.

    "No... I have not. I was a farmer boy," Marco replied in a rather shameful tone. Vice chuckled at his response.

    "Well, I am going to give you heads up, you might get seasick, and have a possible chance of scurvy."

    "Scurvy?"

    "Yea. It''s this disease that runs amok sailors who had been out for too long. It is why they always have us drink that lemon juice. They say it prevents us from contracting it." Vice advised Marco, knowing it would save his life.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Alright, thanks for that. I didn''t even know. Hey, how do you know about that?" Marco asked.

    "I knew it through my uncle. He runs this boat that deals trade from this city to the smaller ones surrounding it," Vice informed Marco with pride.

    "Damn. Can Ie one day?" he asked.

    "Oh. Sure! If he allows it that is. I will ask him." Vice replied. Marco smiled internally, happy that he found someone he can rte to. Meanwhile, Mrs.Roy looks up at the hourss. The ss bits of sand traverse through the sand and into the bottom.

    She ce her book down, got up from her seat, and pped her hands, gaining the attention of all the students.

    "Alright ss, our short break is up. We shall begin our lessons once again. Sit down." she said. Marco and Vice felt a little sad. The 5 minutes felt so short, shorter than before. Time usually warps in ordance with one''s emotions and age.

    The ss went through 3 more periods before the interval arrived, with 25 minutes of studying each, following a 5-minute break. After the 4th period, the entire school was given a 30-minute interval, where people can eat and socialize.

    Marco, being usually alone at home, asked Vice to apany him to get some lunch. A request to which Vice agreed. They two walked out of the people, along with some other students, and walked on the streets to get some food.

    "Say Vice, you have been here right?" Marco asked. Vice scoffed, replying.

    "I live here dumb-dumb."

    "Right. Do you know any ce where we can eat?" he asked.

    "Oh yes! Certainly! The question is though, do you have enough money?"

    "Got 36 pieces of copper. Is that enough?" Marco asked. He was a little worried that he did not bring enough money with him. But Vice, however, smiled at him.

    "That''s enough for a full-course luxury meal! Come. I will take you to a ce I know."

    "Where is it?"

    "It''s a bakery. They have these amazing pastries, cookies, and bread, you got to try them. I rmend you try the fish pastry, fresh out of the oven. You will love it, I promise," Vice imed. With his im, Marco had high hopes for this ce.

 Chapter 83 The Bakery

    ?The bakery epassed the ground floor of a 3 story wood and stone building. The bottom floor was mostly made out of stone, with the upper floors being made out of wood except for the corners, which acted as stone columns that held the building together.

    The bakery itself was very open and spacious, with no walls except a stone collum in the corner to support the building. There was a roof on the sides, which gave some extra shade. The bakery itself was open, allowing the fresh smells of its goods to reach the noses of everyone walking up and down the street, and allowing potential customers to have a good look inside.

    The bakery floor was made out of nk wood, cut into long endless rectangles. There was a counter, made of wood and stone, where one could ce their order. On the bottom left and right on the counters, there were trays of goods that they sold. So even if a customer did not know what they want, they can order it by pointing at it.

    The bakery also featured a bunch of round wooden tables, with chairs surrounding them. Some of them were upied, while the empty ones were being cleaned by a young girl, wearing a hawthorn-leaf orange gown, with a light brown hemp apron, using a hemp cloth.

    "Is that it?" Marco asked while pointing to the bakery.

    "That is it. Although, there appear to be more people sitting around. Must be due to the school opening so near the ce," Vice replied. As they walked closer, Vice suggested that Marco should be the one to order.

    "Why is that?" Marco asked.

    "Well, it''s because you are new around these parts. People usually remember their faces. I think it will be a good time to introduce yourself to the bakery owner." he replied. With that, Marco agreed to Vice''s advice and walked right in.

    While Marco went up to the line to the counter, Vice secured them a table. He had already told Marco what he wanted;10 buns, a fish pastry, and an almond cake along with a small cup of beer.

    As Marco got closer, the great smell of food, which had resided in the bakery, increased Marco''s appetite a little more. He looked around and saw nothing familiar to him. As a result, he picked something that he thinks he will enjoy.

    Once it was their turn, a woman, with long ck hair tied up in a knot with a stick, came up to them with a smile. She wore a simr outfitpared to the one working at the counter, but she looked to be a few years older than the one cleaning the counter. Marco guessed about 19.

    "Hi, how may I help you?" she asked.

    "Hi. How much is the small bun?" he asked while pointing at it. It was a round dough bread on a wooden te.

    "Oh, that? We sell 2 buns for 1 copper each. Normally people order a basket of buns. Thates with 20 buns for 8 copper. It alsoes free with the butter."

    "Alright. What about a fish pastry?"

    "2 copper for 1 each."

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "And an almond cake?"

    "6 copper. The people love it."

    "And the beer?"

    "A small cup costs 5 copper. A medium costs 8, and arge one, 10,"

    "Alright then, I will a basket of buns, 2 fish pastries, an almond cake, and 2 small cups of beer."

    "Alright, anything else?" she asked. Marco eyed a brown cookie on the side. He pointed to it and asked for one

    "That will cost 8 copper. Do you wish to proceed?"

    "Yes."

    "Dine in or takeout?"

    "Dine in."

    "Alright then, Just wait right here," she said. The woman disappears into the kitchen through the door. A good minute passes until shees back with arge wooden te full of the freshly baked goods Marco ordered.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Your totales up to 36 copper pieces," she said. Marco, after giving all the money in his pocket, lifts the wooden te of goods. Before he leaves, the woman asks him a question.

    "Before you go, may I ask your name?"

    "My name is Marco. Marco Dietrichson," he says.

    "Nice to meet you, Marco. My name is Nia, I will make sure to remember your face," she replied. Marco brings the te of goods over to where Vice was sitting. He had picked a spot where they can enjoy a good view of the streets.

    "Thank you, Marco. Here is the money for my share. Forgot to give it to ya." he handed a pouch of coins which covered the cost of the food he wanted. Marco ced it in his pouch and started to eat with Vice.

    Marco tried the fish pastry first, while Vice ate the almond cake first. Marco wanted to try and see if what he talked out about the fish pastry was true. As soon as he ced it in his mouth, he felt a great sensation in his mouth.

    Coming from a rural area, where he mostly ate the same thing every day, with a few variants, Marco''s tongue managed to taste something new for the first time in a long time, and he enjoyed it.

    Wanting the sensation tost, he slowly bites into it, creating a stronger, and longersting vor. Vice, who was seeing his face, chuckled.

    "I see you like it." Marco gulps his bite to respond.

    "I do. It''s amazing! You were right about his ce!"

    "I told you. Say, did she ask for your name?"

    "She did, and she responded with her name. Nia. Pretty simr to my mother''s name."

    "Oh, really? What is her name?"

    "Mia."

    "Ah. That is simr. Well, make sure you remember the names of the people around you. You will get to see them a lot when youe here. You can even recognize a few faces after a while. Like that guy." he pointed his finger at a young man.

    He had blond hair,bed back and a little to the left side. He had a sleek masculine face, along with a clean-shaven face. His ocean-blue eyes looked directly at the food he ate, picking them up with his clean pocket knife. The man wore a clean white coat with ck pants and leather shoes.

    "That guyes into this ce every day about this time. His name is Lester Von Hattlebur. He is a rich merchant that likes to live around these parts."

    "You. know him?"

    "A little. I talked with him a couple of times. Although it is small talk really. It''s a good ce towork with people. Pretty important to be a merchant."

    "I see."

    "Hey, once we are done with learning to read and shit, we can maybe ask for an apprenticeship. I mean, by then we would already have the skills he needs. Right?"

    "Yea. Right." Marco replied. They continued to eat their food. From the corner of his eye, Marco spots two strange men, wearing strange clothes.

    "Hey, you know who those guys are?" Marco pointed at them. He turned around to see what he was talking about.

    "No. I don''t I wonder who those could be." Then, all of a sudden, a woman, whose voice belongs to Nia, screams at the top of her lungs.

    "THIEF!!!!"

 Chapter 84 Officers On The Streets

    ?Confined in the locker room with a bunch of other men in his age range, a man possessing ice-blue eyes, along with boring brown hair and a heart-shaped face, Ridge Myers dresses out of his ck coat and hemp pants to puts on his newly tailored uniform.

    It was a ck shirt thatprised a white armband on the left sleeve. On the armband, was a symbol that represented the police, which was a 5 pointed star with small circles at the tips of each end. To go along with the shirt, he wore ck pants along with the ck socks handed to him. To keep the pants in ce, he used a leather belt. Covering the sock was a pair of calfskin leather shoes, withces on them.

    After tying a double-bunny knot, he put on one extra item he had received, a ck hat that kept his eyes from being shed by the sun''s rays. Once he dresses up in his attire, he heads out to see a man with ck hair, holding his hands together while leaning on the wall.

    His head was faced down on the nk wooden floor, while his brown eyes were covered by the hat he is wearing. Once Ridge closes the door, his head turns to meet him with his eyes ced on his diamond-shaped face.

    "Took you long enough Ridge. You take too long to dress up. I am starting to wonder whether you are a man or not."

    "Well, sorry about that Siphon. I wanted to see myself in the mirror back there," Ridge replied. Siphon simply smiled, understanding why.

    "Oh is that so? Well then, I shall forgive you once." He jumps up into a straight standing position and walks up to Ridge.

    "Come on. Let''s go. We don''t want to keep the boss waiting. I don''t want to get yelled at for the seventh time this month."

    "They called our names?"

    "Apparently so. I am guessing that she will give us our patrol area or something. Don''t quote me on that though."

    "And what if you are right?"

    "Then I will take all credit please!" he said with a smile. The two talked all the way till they reached the front door of her office, where they decided to zip their mouths. As soon as he was about to knock on the door, another pair went out of the room. From that brief opening, Kristina called out their names.

    "Ridge Myers. Siphon Cohen. You may bothe in." The two men walked inside. Kristina, who was wearing a long-sleeved uniform, along with her purple skirt, looked at the men with her emerald green eyes.

    "I am very pleased with both of you. You two have shown immense discipline as well as the ability to learn quickly."

    "Thank you, ma''am. We are honored," Ridge replied while Siphon stayed silent.

    "Now, I have been making notes on everyone to make some pairings. You two seem to be perfect for each other. You both live rtively close by while being good friends. Therefore, I am assigning you both as partners. Is that alright with you two?"

    "Yes, of course, ma''am," Siphon replied in a neutral tone.

    "Very good." Kristina takes out a map and presents it to both of them. It was a map of Hoverdam, epassing the downtown to lower Middletown. She then points out a part of middletown, on the lower part of it. In the area, was the school that Kant hadmissioned to be built.

    "Both of you will be patrolling this area. It features the school building that sire Kant himself required to be patrolled by 2 pairs at least. You two will guard the west of the area while the other patrol the east.

    There, you will simply walk around and stop any criminal in the area. You will then hand them over to the knights, who we will take care of them. Any questions?" Ridge and Siphon both raised their hands. Kristina pointed to Ridge first.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "When do we get to meet the other pair? Won''t it be useful that we learn their faces before we head out?"

    "You will meet then in the caravan I prepared. It will give you some time to know each other." Kristina then pointed to Siphon.

    "When do we get our equipment?"

    "For that, you both must head to the armory. From there, you will both receive the equipment. Is that all?" The two men nodded.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Good. You two may leave the office."

    ...

    Ridge was walking along the streets of Middletown with his partner. When they were dropped off, a knight in a suit of armor, informed the citizens that these men were hired by the pce to keep them safe. Naturally, the message was to remind them that the police force existed now.

    Tied around his belt was a piece of strong rope, intended to be used to tie a suspect''s hands like a handcuff. Only that the pce didn''t allow money to be spent on building them. Other than the rope, was a metal nightstick, held by a hoster. An officer and easily take it out and beat up anyone that causes trouble.

    As they walked along the streets, many turned to look at them, while some decided to wave at them. Though, the waves were mostly for Siphon, who had lived in the area for most of his life.

    "You from around here?" Siphon asked Ridge.

    "No. I was born downtown."

    "When did youe here then?"

    "I just moved in a while back, pestering everyone for a job. Like I said when we first met, I needed some serious money." Siphon, who waspletely disinterested in people''s past, now started to get curious about what someone from downtown to get here.

    "What did you do beforehand?"

    "I was a merchant. I made some good money selling spices."

    "I see. Did you run out of customers?"

    "No. I did not. I was pretty sessful till the end."

    "Then why did you go broke?"

    "You don''t want to know." Siphon was annoyed at Ridge''s answer. He wanted to investigate further, but the sounds of the screams of a youngdy distracted them both. They ran eastward, in the direction of the sound.

    The noses soon picked up the smell of baked goods, causing their eyes to turn to the bakery. There, they see a man try to run away from the bakery but seem to have slipped considering he bumps into the tables.

    The officers both run up to the thief and yell "POLICE!" The thief seemed unfazed by their scream. He drops off the stolen goods and raises his fists, wanting to show everyone how powerful he is. Ridge simply takes out his nightstick and approaches the man.

    "Police! Stand down or I will have to use force!" he said, as per in the training. The robber simply swings his fist at Ridge, who manages to dodge it. Considering he provoked an attack, Ridge and Siphon struck back.

    The two, armed with their nightstick, struck the thief. The metal weapon hurt him badly, that he backed off. He then pulled out a knife from his right hand and pointed it at everyone. The people backed off, letting the police officers face them. The robber was fuming with anger, seeing them mess around with his food.

    He charges them with the de. He tried to stab in the chest, but he dodged it by moving to the left. At this moment, Siphon used the opportunity to strike him in the head hard. The third falls to the ground, letting go of his weapon.

    With a great headache on his head, the thief dared not to move. Siphon came up to him and grabbed both his hands. Using the rope on his belt, he tied the man''s hands on his back. Meanwhile, Ridge walked up to the knife and collected the weapon.

    He kneels down and picks up the knife. Once he stands up again, he sees that everyone was looking at them, shocked. With a smile on his face, he reassured the people that they mean no harm.

    "Please,dies and gentlemen. Go along with your business. We are simply taking care of this thief," he said in a friendly tone. They all smiled at the officers, and went along with their day, gaining some trust in them.

 Chapter 85 Decans Business Proposal

    ?Sitting inside of a tavern alone on a round table, was a 5''11 inch man, wearing a nestle-leaf gray hemp cloth to cover himself up, Decan Hurst. He was a 54-year-old tall bald man, with only facial hair and arge brown beard on his sleek face. Although, he did have some freckles on his cheeks, and wrinkles on his head.

    On his hand was arge wooden mug full of beer he used to keep himselfpany as he waited for a few friends to drop by. Facing his front left and front right, were two empty chairs with no backrests.

    As he takes another small sip, he listens in to the background noise that is going on. The establishment seemed to be full today, with people talking about their small but fulfilling life and a little bit of gossip.

    Decan himself focused on the gossip. He hears some things about families being ordered to send their fully able-bodied children toe with them. Thankfully, the ones with disabled siblings or loved ones can stay, considering they would need them to be their breadwinners and caretakers. He also heard stones from people trying to dodge the conscription. The people here have seeded, while a lot of others failed.

    Just then, a tall man, about 6ft, approaches the front right chair. Decan turned his head to face the man, to tell him that the seat was upied. However, as soon as both of their eyes met, Decan instantly recognized him, causing him to smile alongside his friend.

    The man, who was in his 50s, with short messy hair along with a ck goatee on his square-shaped face. One of his rare green-gold eyes had cataracts, making it look as if he had a white eye. He was wearing an acorn-gray coat, along with a pair of ck breeches.

    "Melor! It''s good to see you!" he said as he opened his hands. Melor sits down in his rightful ce and replies back to Decan.

    "I am doing fine Decan. It has precisely been a month and a quarter since the day you got ckout drunk and started spewing out the ways you made love." Melor smiled.

    "Good times, weren''t they?" he asked. Decan nodded awkwardly while some turned their heads, giving them weird looks.

    "Did you have to bring that up?"

    "Not really. I just wanted to mess with you. So... where the hell is Lenin? He isn''t alwayste."

    "I mean..."

    "Oh yes. My bad. Guess we can catch up on what we have been doing..."

    Just before they managed to get into a meaningful conversation about their lives, another man sat right beside them.

    "Sorry guys, I amte. How are you doing Hill? Hurst?"

    Decan and Melor turned their heads to face the man. He had a heart-shaped face, that made him look like he had arge brain. His eyes, contrasted with Decan''s coco brown eyes, possessed Caribbean-blue eyes. His most remarkable feature was his giant forehead, which had 5 wrinkles in total.

    The man looks at both their faces. A wave of horrores across his face.

    "What fes? Howte was I today?" he asks. The two other men blinked twice.

    "You are on time," they said.

    "Oh thank god! Phew," he replied as he whipped the sweat off his forehead. Melor leaned into Decan''s ear.

    "This is the first time this motherfucker is this early. You think he is on some self-improvement coach or something?" he whispers into his ear.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Don''t know. Whatever it is, I wee it," Decan replied. Lenin then sat straighter on his chair.

    "So... Decan, what is this... opportunity you mentioned in the letter you want to discuss with me and Melor?"

    "Yes, what is this all about?" Decan coughs before answering both of their questions.

    "Well gentlemen, considering you are all here, I may begin. In thest few months, I had beenmissioned to build a school by the prince-in-charge. He told me to use his new product called cement to get the job done.

    Nearly 2 monthster, I managed to design, construct, and finish a building epassing a new architectural style he called... Arteco? Ardeco? I think. I can''t remember the name. It has been a while. Something like that.

    The building was beautiful, and he loved it. Thanks to my sess, hemissioned me to build another building. This time it was a much moreplicated andrge structure, which he hope to use new materials to create called concrete and reinforced concrete.

    What you two need to know about these two materials, is that concrete is made from cement. While reinforced concrete will have us pour concrete over bars of steel."

    "Steel, isn''t that expensive?" Lenin asked.

    "Yes, for now at least."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "What do you mean?" Melor questioned Decan.

    "The prince told me he wille up with something. He came up with the cement."

    "Are there any other inventions that he came up with?" Melor asked again, a bit skeptical about the prince''s abilities, and rightfully so. Sure, he has heard some great stuff about the man, but nothing too much to waive suspicion off of him.

    "Well, in the ce itself, I saw some impressive stuff. There was this mechanical device that assisted him in typing. There was also this whitish-colored paper that also existed. Then there was the swivel chair..." Decan went on about the many things he saw during his visits.

    "Ok, is there an invention, that could have a great impact, that you know for sure, he had invented?" Melor finally asked. Decan remained silent, unable to brainstorm any ideas. However, Lenin decides to raise his hand.

    "I think I know."

    "Then, please. Speak your mind."

    "I have a craftsman friend who got to visit the prince. They invented something called a ''steam engine''. It is this device that can create power on its own. At least that is what I think."

    "You got a craftsman friend?"

    "I do, yes."

    "Is this friend of yours reliable?"

    "More than I ever will be."

    "Alright then, but how does that apply here?"

    "The thing is, my friend thinks that it could find a use in multiple applications. Theoretically, it could be used to build an automated hammering machine. And since folding molten iron is the way we can get steel, it usually works!" Lenin added in.

    Melor thought of what Lenin told him. Considering the friend of his friend, who is an expert in the field, is vouching for the prince''s genius, he decided to give in.

    "Alright, you convinced me. Decan, continue to your proposal." Decan took a while to recollect where he left off, and then started there.

    "Alright, using the new materials that we hope he will invent, hemissioned me to design thisrge building for the... sciences.

    Considering the scale of the building, I told him that I would need a team of stonemasons to help mee up with designs. Considering howrge the project was, the 80 gold coins were not enough.

    I was thinking... maybe we all could partner up." The two other men lean back and think about Decan''s deal.

    "Not sure my man. The risk is high. I am not if I want to enter this deal." Melor said.

    "Same here. Although, do you have a way of mitigating it?"

    "I do, yes. We can use a corporation."

    "A corporation?"

    "A legal entity that separates the owner and the business itself. I have been thinking... maybe the three of us could start one?"

    "Like a new business?"

    "Yea, exactly. If we make a profit, it will go to all three of us. If we make losses, we are secured from it. It''s the basics of how it works. Who knows, if it is sessful, we can even hire some newbies, expand the firm and make a lot of money.

    So... what do you say now?" There was a moment of silence between the three men as they think through this new deal Decan was proposed.

    "Alright, I am in. And you Melor?"

    "... I guess I ept the offer Decan."

 Chapter 86 HugoFabrics Company.

    ?Riding on three ck horses on the street were the OSAC founders of Jac, Alister, and Oswald themselves, all in ck coats with white breeches and high-quality leather boots. They had received a letter from a weaver nearly a week ago, inviting the three men to his humble home to talk business.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® Naturally, the smell of potential money was too tempting to resist. As a result, they told him that they will be visiting today, on the 9th of Possum. The journey wasn''t that long, considering he was located on the edge of downtown. Based on the location of his home, they expect him to be someone experienced in the industry.

    Jac took out a card that came with the letter. He then asked for a few directions from the people on the streets politely. Thanks to hismunication skills, they managed to make their way quickly to the establishment.

    The building was 4 stories tall, made of stone, and fitted with expensive ss windows. Although the walls weren''t painted in any color, it did not matter if the weaver himself is as skilled as he ims to be.

    The trio drop off and tie their horses to a fence. They then give the oak door a firm knock, alerting everyone inside. The door soon opened, revealing a man about 5ft''9, looking at the men in the eyes. He had short chocte cherry hair on his head, with a great mustache on his face. His eyes, which were ced on his oval face, were a dark brown.

    "Ah! Gentlemen! Wee!" he said. The men walked onto the wooden-nked floor, made of native oak trees. The first floor was filled up with all sorts of equipment weavers use. All are upied by some youngsters.

    There were baskets of cotton, being turned into thin threads using small wooden devices that needed some handly knowledge and patience. Then, the same person who used to make the yarn balls ces them on a wooden tray and then moves over to a handloom, where they will make the fabric. This is done across multiple people, on both stares.

    "We may talk upstairs gentleman," he said. The trio followed him with two stories. They did manage to get a glimpse of what was above, which was simr to what was happening downstairs.

    They eventually made it to the 3rd floor, where they were greeted by a clean table with a piece of white tablecloth with golden-yellow dying and flower patterns. There was also a vase of flowers in the middle, giving off a rxing flower scent to the room.

    The trio sat down in the chairs surrounding the room. Just as they ce their arses down, a woman, in a green gown made of cotton, brought a silver tray with an expensive ceramic teapot, along with 3 ceramic cups and a small enclosed cup with a spoon. There were no patterns on it and was purely daisy-white. Yet, theck of patterns gave it a sort of charm that couldn''t be exined easily.

    She picked up the teapot and poured the hot tea into the three cups. She then lifted the lid of the enclosed cup, revealing the brown sugar hidden inside. With the saucer at the bottom, she gave the men their tea.

    "If you gentleman want sugar in your tea, just add it in," she said with her sweet feminine voice.

    "Thank you, Mrs. Higgins," Jac replied. With that, the woman disappeared into the other room, leaving the men all by themselves.

    "Now, Mr. Hugo. What is this business proposal you want to discuss?" Jac asked while the others sat in silence, drinking and adjusting their tea.

    "Well, Mr. Jac. As you can see I am a weaver. I make cotton fabrics to sell to the market. Usually, some expensive tailor buys my product to make it into fancy clothes. Most often are rich merchants or knights."

    "I am well aware of that."

    "Yes, but you see, I would like to... expand my business. Sell more fabrics, and hopefully conquer themon market."

    "But ain''t cotton expensive?"

    "Not anymore that is," Hugo imed. Eyebrows were raised between the trio of men sitting on the other side of the table.

    "Why is that?" Alister asked.

    "Well, you see gentlemen. There has been a... new development in the industry. A simple device that allows the separation of sticky seeds from the fibers in cotton. It''s called a cotton gin."

    "Cotton gin?"

    "Yes. Some guy from the small city of Kelith invented it. The city is hoping to expand its cotton farms by bringing in more cotton. But since they are doing it, some nearby cities in their area are also trying to get into it."

    "You are expecting an increase in supply?"

    "Yes, and since it is where I get my supplies, I think it presents me an opportunity to expand further. But that is not all gentlemen."

    "It is not?"

    "No. There have been more developments we can rely on, that happened in this very city!"

    "Oh! I think we know." Oswald added in. Hugo was surprised.

    "You gentlemen do?"

    "Yes. The spinning mule and power loom, am I right?"

    "Yes. That is correct. Anyways, with these inventions, I am hoping to purchase more cotton and produce more fabrics to sell. However, I need some things before I start."

    "Go on. We are listening."

    "First, I need plenty of money tomission the machinery I need, and I will need some horses as well."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Excuse me, Mr. Hugo," Alister questioned. Hugo stopped and looked in his direction.

    "Yes, Mr. Cobbs?"

    "Horses?"

    "Yes, to power the machinery. Is there a problem?" Alister turned to Jac, who relied on giving Hugo the news.

    "Well, Mr. Hugo. There is a much more... efficient method that a horse."

    "Oh? Is there?"

    "Yes. Recently, artisans have figured out how to make a steam engine. It''s a machine that turns steam into power. It can do the same job as a horse while being cheaper to operate and cheaper to make."

    "How powerful is it?"

    "Currently, it can give about half the full power for a horse as long as it is running. You won''t have to feed it or let it rest. It can continuously operate for hours on end without getting exhausted." Hugo was surprised at the existence of this invention. He usually kept tabs on the industry he worked in, not the ones outside it. However, this new invention could be useful.

    "I see... Well, I guess we can use the steam engine. That is what I need," he said.

    "Will you be bringing the machinery here?"

    "Yes, I will. I can have my workers learn to use."

    "Like, everyone, to use each of the machines?"

    "Precisely." The trio looked at each other. Although they didn''t speak, they all had a conscious agreement that this idea had even more potential.

    "Mr. Hugo, may I give you some advice?" Jac asked. Hugo smiled.

    "Please, Mr. Jac Pratt. Go on ahead."

    "Instead of having each and every one learn to use how every machine, how about you specialize your workforce."

    "I beg your pardon?"

    "Have one of your workers work with one machine for a long period of time, and have them do very simple tasks, repeatedly. It is called specialization and the division ofbor. Your workforce would be able to produce more fabrics and bring the unit cost down. You understand me?"

    "Yes, Mr. Pratt. Does that mean you will invest?"

    "Yes, we will. However, there will be a few conditions that will be added."

    "I am listening."

    "First, we will be incorporating the business into apany. It''s a legal structure that is like a safety measure. Second, we want a 60% stake in thepany, and finally, we want you to agree to allow us to design,mission, and build a factory for the business."

    "A factory?"

    "Yes. This ce will do just fine for any early operations. However, we will want to scale up and conquer the market before anyone else does. So, what do you say?" Jac asked. Hugo began to think.

    "How much are you willing to offer?" Hugo asked.

    "What do you think your business is valued at?" Jac answered with a question. Hugo, not catching anything suspicious, answers straight away.

    "About... 78 to 80 gold?"

    "How about 82?"

    "It''s a done deal then," Hugo replied. Jac extended his hand. Hugo, although a little confused, grabbed it, and the two men shook.

    "Good. Say, what should we call thispany?" Jac asked. The men in the room thought and debated for a minute until finally settling on "HugoFacrics Co."

 Chapter 87 Suspicions Confirmed

    ?The sun''s rays shed across Kant''s fair face, causing him to wake up. He got off his bed in his white pajamas with blue stripes. He soon makes his way to get himself cleaned by taking his morning shower, which helps to keep him awake.

    After them, hees over to the closet and picks out his suit, which has be a sort of uniform for him. Before starting the day, he walks over to his mirror, to get his messy hairbed. Only after he is done, he gets on with what he needs to do today.

    A few days before, he went to the royal library and asked the librarian for a bunch of books on demons. The librarian, who was a sweet olddy, happily handed what Kant needed. He then made his way to his room, skimming the pages for a specific piece of information.

    ording to the book he was given, a demonic rift, which is a portal to the demon world, opens up after about 2 to 3 months after an appearance, meaning Arjun''s exnation would check out. However, Kant usually wanted multiple sources to make sure that it is correct, at least in this regard. He got more books, about the same subject matter. Again, he found out that it always says the same thing. 2 to 3 months.

    There was a knock on the door. By this point, Kant was sitting on his chair near his desk, where the books in the library he brought were ced. He allowed the person to enter, knowing full well who it is.

    Coraes in pushing a moving tray filled with ces, covered in round metal cloches. There were also some clothes down as well, possibly containing more food. She picked up one of the lower tes and lifted the cloche up, revealing a purple book, with the golden words "Demonology 101" etched into it, the same one he got from the librarian.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom He picked it up and skimmed to the pages where the goldys. This version, however, mentioned that it usually takes 4 to 5 months for a portal to open. He writes the information down, as well as the name of the book. He then checked the other books, all verifying it was 4 to 5 months when the demons starts pouring.

    Although it states we don''t know whye out 4 to 5 monthster, the current theory is that the pierrevol is some kind of scout demon to test out humanity''s strength, so that they could make preparations before attacking.

    Whatever the reason, one thing was certain; Arjun lied. He lied about the piece of information that held his justification together. Kant closes the book and ces it back on the te, away to be hidden under the cloche.

    As he starts drinking his coffee and eating his breakfast, he starts brainstorming other potential reasons. The information could be outdated, sure, but why wouldn''t they update it? Besides, the ones he has here have been up to date since about a year ago. In terms of a historical sense, the time in which they appeared barely moved as well, so that is out of the picture.

    He hypothesizes that it was more of a buildup for some military conflict, although he did not know the reasons for it, considering information regarding the current political climate was kept out of his hands, a direct order from his parents to the staff.

    Kant takes out a small book with a ck cover, the same one he writes down things he wants to remember. It acts like a diary, but he uses it to store information and to help him not get gaslit by anyone. He flips through the pages and arrives on the 6th of Possum.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "1,176 knights, along with 18,000 peasants armed with spears and bows," it said. Already, his mind had formted a n. He ces the book back into his pocket, takes a piece of paper, and writes down some instructions.

    "Bring me books regarding recent military conflict, containing information regarding tactics and strategies." he writes down in ck ink. He then hands it over to Cora and continues his breakfast. After he is finished, he sends her on her way.

    As the door closes behind him, he picks up a map and a pencil to help him figure out what the two sides may look like. He chooses the one with the names of ces,rger cities, and small towns alike. Then, with the information presented, he started drawing a broken line.

    Once the line is done, he assumes that whatever conflict is brewing, it is between a northern opponent and a southern opponent. Whether it is the entire south or just arge chunk of it, he did not know.

    Now Kant was not a historian, and he does not know how the war will y out. There is a huge difference between the way warfare is fought from the modern agepared to this medieval-renaissance-ish age he currently resides. Therefore, he will wait till he gets more information.

    In the meantime, after erasing the broken lines and cing the beige map back in its ce, he decides to pick up the blueprint to continue working on making it. Although most of the separateponents have been drawn, he had added the final product, on how it would work.

    After a few minutes, he had finallypleted his drawing. The weapon featured a smooth barrel, with a piece of flint at the end of the lever. With the pull of a trigger, the lever will be struck down, causing a spark because of the flint. This spark causes the propent, ck powder, to be ignited.

    This sudden reaction will cause arge amount of pressure to form, forcing the bullet out of the barrel at high speeds. In this case, he chose a round metal ball, which was the most obvious option for him.

    With the blueprints ready, he was able to move on to the next few steps. He walks over to the door to leave the room but stops as he hears the sound of the insect wings pping. He looks down, to see another roach.

    He lifts his feet to crush it but then stops. He thinks about it for a minute before proceeding. He examines the roach itself. it was very still, not daring to move.

    "Hmm..."

 Chapter 88 An Experimental Weapon

    ?The sun was at the top of the sky, making it midday. Kant had finished up all the parts of the blueprints he needed and now waited for Arjun in his office. In the meantime, with the typewriter in front of him, and a bunch of books beside it, with some of them open, he was typing out a new piece of legition he intended to work on for a few months.

    The books were all mainly aboutnd, the value ofnd, the multiple ways it could be used, and so on. After reading the information in the books, he has to make an informed decision on how to continue with the bill.

    As he worked on the typewriter, his ear picked up the sound of the firm knocking on the door. He assumed it was Arjun, allowing him to enter. The door opened, revealing him in his ck cloak and round sses. His hands, usually filled with a stack of papers, were now empty, free from the tyranny of carrying them around.

    "You called for me, sire?" he asked. Kant, opening his drawer, took out a few rolls of paper.

    "I did, yes. I have a few requests to make of you. Sit down," Kant replied. Arjun walked over and sat on the chair right before him.

    "What are these requests?" Kant passed a few blueprints at a time. He reached out his hand and took the blueprint away from Kant, to take a look at it himself. The paper was rolled and tied with a blue ribbon. Arjun untied it and unraveled it.

    On the paper, it featured a ck powder smoothbore flintlock musket, but Arjun didn''t know that yet. The drawing, clearly made using the help of a ruler and pencil, went into detail about how it operated and how it worked.

    Kant then passed the other blueprints, which all went into detail on how each part worked; how the trigger function works, how the projective travel, and so on. He was surprised by the amount of detail in it, as a lot of thought went into making the blueprint.

    "What you are seeing in this drawing, is what I call a gun or firearm. More precisely called a ck powder flintlock musket with a smoothbore barrel. For short, you can just call it a flintlock. It is sort of a new experiment of mine. I want to make a weapon to defend myself.

    I wanted to make one a few months back, but I got caught up with making newws and settling disputes. Since there will be a demonic wave in the next few months, I decided that it would be a good time to make one."

    "Hm... How does it work?" he asked, wanting to make small talk and not just examine the blueprint.

    "When you pull the trigger, the lever goes down that ce over here..." Kant pointed to where the flint causes a spark.

    "This causes a spark that activates the propent. This causes the bullet to escape through the barrel at high speeds."

    "Ah. I assume the metal ball deals damage by going fast?"

    "Yes, precisely."

    "How is it reloaded?"

    "Once a bullet is fired, a bit of ck powder is ced inside the barrel. Not too much, which could cause the gun to break, but not too little, which might cause the firearm to explode."

    "Explode?"

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Yes. I am going to have to calcte the right amount to put. Don''t worry. I got a safe setup in mind."

    "Alright then... continue."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Alright. Anyways, after the gunpowder is loaded, a projectile, which is most likely a metal ball. Then, with a special stick, we make sure that the ball goes all the way down the barrel, to meet the gunpowder.

    After that is "done, the lever is pulled back to the second position, and it will be ready to be fired once again."

    "How powerful will it be?"

    "Enough to go through a suit of armor. At least, that is what I am aiming for." Kant''s hands go under the desk. His answer raised suspicion in Kant. Sitting straighter, he asked another question.

    "Sire, what kind of threat do you think you will encounter, that you think you would need a weapon like that to defend..."

    Before Arjun could finish his sentence, he felt something crawling on his leg. He looked down to see, what appears to be a roach. He suddenly jumped off his seat and pped it across the room. Itnded near Kant''s feet, where it got squashed by the heel of his boot.

    "A person is most vulnerable when they feel safe. Though there might not be anything that could be done about it, a powerful weapon would help, won''t it?" he replied. Arjun stayed silent, processing Kant''s answer.

    "I see. Alright," he says. He walks over and sits back down on his chair.

    "Do you have any more questions?"

    "No sire. Not at all," he replied, still a bit shaken.

    "Good. Now, I would like you to find an alchemist and get him to make ck powder. The ck powder can be made by mixing 75% potassium nitrate, whiches from saltpeter, with 15% charcoal and 10% sulfur. I will write it down on a piece of paper, so make sure to put it in the letter."

    Kant opened his lower drawer and took a piece of beige paper. He puts a ruler in the middle on top of the paper, bends the paper, and carefully tore it apart, giving a nicely divided piece of paper. His right hand then went to grab a quill, which he used to write down the information he needed.

    "For my next request, I want you to send these blueprints to a smithy to build specific parts for the musket. However, make sure that smith writes down how he makes the gun parts. I will need to as to improve any new designs in the future.

    After that, have him send it over to an artisan, who will promptly finish the job. Make sure the artisan also receives the blueprints and has the smith to build at least several of theponents. I am going to need 2 muskets, in case something goes wrong with my experiments and I need a spare," he replied.

    As he was writing, Arjun asked whether there was anything else he could do for him. With a smile, Kant politely asked whether there were any disputes to solve.

    "A little, why is that?"

    "Send them over here. I will finish them today before they stack up," he replied. Arjun nodded as he understood what Kant meant. His eyes turned to the books on the desk, thinking that Kant wanted more time to concentrate on them instead.

    After handing him the paper, Arjun got up from his chair, eximing, "Well sire, if that is all you need, I will be on my way now." With that, he walked to the door, and left the room, closing it and leaving Kant alone again.

 Chapter 89 Factory Renovations

    ?The morning sun''s rays rained on Neon Furner, a man with ck hair, and brown eyes on an oval face, wearing a brown tunic along with grey leggings and calfskin boots, who waited alongside his buddies. They were expecting a new craftsman to turn up at the factory, carrying along with them the conveyor belts and machines powered by steam engines they weremitted to being made.

    He had worked in the factory for about 2 months now when it first opened. There have been a few renovations, and expansions. The factory had expanded to over double the size thanks to the use of cement. The old equipment had been cleared out for the new equipment that will be fitted in today. It was even fitted with arger chimney.

    The men talked to each other while they waited or just looked at the beautiful fields, with wood and stone buildings in the distance. The buildings themselves were packed together, consisting of houses and some small shops run by the locals. Neon himself came from one of these ces. Though he would have to walk a good 25 minutes, that was the longest he had to walk.

    In the distance, one spots a caravan headed this way, pulled by horses. He informed the men, who turn their heads to see what was up. They see a long trail of caravans get closer and closer while going slower and slower. Eventually, the front caravan passes the factory building, until it stops a few meters away.

    From the caravan, a bunch of young men all jumps down. They appear to be in their early 20s, most likely apprentices of the craftsman, considering their attire mainly consists of a gorse flower orange tunic, along with a pair of acorn gray breeches, with calfskin shoes. They approach the men and introduce themselves.

    "Good morning everyone. We are here to help you all build the conveyor belts. Please, can you help us unload the parts?" one of them asked. The men agreed and got to work. Neon, along with a brown-haired friend, carried the steam engines inside the factory while the others carried the other parts. There, they set it up where the artisans wanted, iming that they were instructed by the big three, Oswald, Jac, and Alister.

    The interior of the building was rather empty, except for the giant furnaces in the room which were built in ce. It was connected to arge chimney that spewed smoke out. A few more parts are brought inside, mostly gears, long leather belts, and long iron bars called "idlers", along with some other parts. They also brought in wood and nails, to ce the things together.

    The men started working on setting up the belts. While the workers held things together, the artisans fixed them onto the total machine. One by one, each machine is built, tested, and fixed if a problem was stumbled upon. Neon himself worked with a brown-haired midget, with coca-brown eyes.

    As they were working on building the contraptions, Neon couldn''t resist but ask a few questions about how it worked. He faced the midget and asked him a question.

    "Say... Keith. How do these things work?" he asked. Keith, not taking his eyes off where he worked, replied calmly.

    "ording to Mr. Walton, the belts move thanks to a closed loop around the pulleys, which are therge round things here. This means that the belt can continuously rotate and deliver the materials where it needed to go."

    "How powerful is this one?"

    "Considering this uses a single-piston steam engine, about 6 to 7 horsepower?"

    "So... like seven times what horse could do?" Keith chucked.

    "Oh no! A horse at the max has about 15 horsepower! This can do only less than half that."

    "Then why use a steam engine?"

    "Probably because it is cheaper and can operate for a long time without needing to rest or eat food. Well, unless you think burning coal is giving food."

    "Ah, I see."

    Soon, one row of conveyer belts was finished. From the start, it went straight and then up. From there, it straightens once again allowing whatever materials to fall down into, what they designate as a grinder.

    However, since that will take some time to get here, considering that project went to a different duo of craftsmen, they could all focus on the belts. They went back outside, brought parts back in, and continued. They continued till midday when they finally finished.

    With the machines built, all they had left to do was test them. Neon, after grabbing a bunch of coal and a box of matches, brought it to cover the first conveyor belt they build. He opened the steam engine gate and threw the coal inside. Then, he filled up the tank with water, closed the cap, and then lit the coal on fire with a match.

    As the water boiled, allowing steam to travel through, the flywheels turned gears that cause the belt to move. It started slowly, but it soon elerated. The workers, not wasting time, dumped the materials onto the conveyor belt.

    Although the weight of it slowed things down, it manage to deliver the load to the other side of where it needed to go. The conveyor belts seemed to work well, and that was all that mattered. However, if they thought that was the end, they were dead wrong.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    From the outside, another caravan was heard stopping nearby. Neon, and a bunch of others, went outside to see who it was. As the artisans got on their caravans and left, it revealed a much smaller, modest caravan, being ridden by two twins of sorts.

    Neon, who was shown to be the mostfortable with the artisans, was voted to confront the artisans. He protested, arguing that the supervisor should be the one to confront them, but since he was busy, Neon was their next pick.

    Neon walked up to them, and lend out his hand, something that he learned from his boss, Jac Pratt. The two men both had brown hair, on their heads and their face. The one with the thick beard shook Neon''s hand first, followed by the one with the thick mustache.

    "Hello, gentlemen. My name is Neon Furner, an employee of the factory. I assume you have something for us?" he asked while shaking Samuel''s hand.

    "Nice to meet you, Mr. Furner. And yes, we have what your boss required... a steam-powdered grinder, I believe," he said. Neon had already moved on to Victor as Samuel spoke.

    "Hmm... yes. For the limestone. Well,e in. The others will bring in the parts," Neon said. With a wave of a hand, hemanded the workers toe to lift the parts inside of the caravan. Soon, they ce the parts inside and built them alongside the twins.

    ...

    It was nearing 6 P.M, and Jac Pratt, wearing a purple coat while riding on a horse, wasing to see the progress of the renovations. He wanted the factory to be up and running by tomorrow, to fulfill any demand that his customers would have. That wall is going to need a lot of cement.

    He stopped the horse near the fence. After tying the ck beast up, and walked to the front door. After knocking on the door, it opened, revealing Neon. He looked to be rather tired, after a long day of work.

    "Oh, Mr. Pratt. Wee," he said as he held the door for Jac. The man stepped inside, to see rows of conveyor belts, all connected toplicated mechanical devices powered by steam. Each conveyor belt leads to a steam grinder, which turns the material into a powdered version of itself.

    Then, the powdered material heads to a funneling system, where one can control how much of the material they would need so that the factory workers can easily add the proper parts, mix it up, and throw it inside therge furnaces present inside the factory.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Impressive," he said.

    "How much cement can we produce an hour?" he asked Neon.

    "Hmm... If I remember correctly, about 40 an hour, but that was because we ran out rather quickly."

    "How long did itst?"

    "About... 15...20 minutes?"

    "I see. Well, I think this is a job well done! Everyone, you can all go home."

    "Excuse me, sir?" Neon interrupted.

    "Yes, my boy?"

    "Am I getting a bonus for this work?"

    "Why of course! I wouldn''t want you to go home without anything! It will be included on payday."

    "I see. Cherro, boss," he said in his sleepish voice.

 Chapter 90 Alchemist Duesenberg

    ?Sitting on a wooden chair, looking at a smaller version of the periodic table drawn with a pen on a piece of beige paper, was a man with short messy ck hair, in a long white victorian cloak, gloves on his hands, ck pants tied with brown leather boots, and a punch of safety ss goggles resting on his forehead.

    He was in a rather well-lit room, surrounded by books, and bookshelves, along with desks and chairs, stacked with quills and ink bottles. A study room, if you will. One in which he spends some time in his free time.

    As his green eyes focused on the periodic table, his ear picked up the sound of the door being knocked upon. Without taking his eyes off the periodic table, he muttered a single word with his smooth voice.

    "Enter."

    The doorknob turns, and a man enters the room. He delivers a letter to the alchemist, and swiftly leaves as soon as he appeared. The alchemist, after putting the periodic table down, carefully opened the letter with grace, and start to read it.

    "Mr. Heinz Duesenberg,

    We are pleased to inform you that you have been chosen by the pce to help process a few chemicals in need. His highness, Prince Kant Maybale the I, is requiring a new chemical explosive called ''ck powder''.

    The instructions to make the given chemicals and the amount needed to be produced are included in the envelope. We hope to see your report soon. Please send the finished chemicals in a sealed, and safe package.

    You will receive apensation of 2 gold coins, which we are sure will cover the cost of production and distribution while handing over arge profit.

    Sincerely,

    Arjun Boyle, assistant minister of his highness."

    After reading the rather short letter, he searched the envelope again, to find a small list, containing instructions on how to make the chemicals in need. Duesenberg felt a little salty, and a bit insulted. Yet, he kept faith in the letter and assumed that if the assistant minister had a high degree of trust in whoever the prince was, he should follow.

    After getting up from his chair, he left his room, en route to hisboratory, where he kept all his cool ssware, which was connected to his ratherrge home. He walks across the nk wooden floor, through the painted halls of his house, to get to an oak door.

    He made his way to his pocket to grab his key. He ce it in the lock and turned it. However, there was no sound of the lock moving away. Rather, they hear the bolt retract. Duesenberg slowly opens the door and looks inside.

    There, he sees someone with strawberry blond hair, reaching up to their shoulder, using some ssware. The person had a simr attire, with the same cloak, same gloves, and same boots, although their pants were blue instead.

    Duesenberg sighed and fully opened the door. After coughing twice, he yelled at the person, who was a little shorter than he is.

    "Mira! What are you doing?"

    The woman turned around, revealing her shocked face. Duesenberg''s green eyes focused on her green eyes with gold flecks in them. His lips formed a thin line, and she bowed down while standing with her hands together with a tablecloth.

    "I am so sorry sir! I was just cleaning up the ce!" she said, defending herself. Duesenberg looks around the room to see whether anything was out of ce. Not finding anything, he turned to the teenage girl.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Did you break anything?" he asked.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "No, No, sir! I was extra careful today. I did not break anything," she replied.

    "Hmm..." he looks around again, turning to her.

    "I see. Well, this is perfect timing Mira. You can help me with some work. Put on your sses," he said as he put on his safety sses.

    "What are we making, sir?" she asked as she ces the safety sses on her eyes.

    "We are making something called ck powder. We need 75% potassium nitrate, 15% charcoal, and 10% sulfur. All we have to do is to grind it and mix it. Rtively simple."

    "Is that it, sir?"

    "Like I said, yes. It was. Now go get the ingredients needed. I will prepare the pestle and the scale."

    "Alright sir, I will!" she said. As she went into the storage room, through a wooden door situated on the left side of the room, Duesenberg walks over to the cupboards and grabs three pestles and three mortars, both made of expensive white ceramic. He then grabbed a scale and ced it to the right of the pestles.

    Mira soon came back from the storage room carrying ss jars of the materials Duesenberg had ordered her to bring. She arranged the materials on the table while Duesenberg set 75g of weight on one side of the scale by adding a 50g metal ball, along with a 10g and 5g metal ball. On the other side, set down or take away charcoal on the other till it is bnced.

    On the scale reached an equilibrium, he then threw it inside the first pestle and instructed Mira to turn the charcoal into powder. Mira nodded and started grounding the charcoal. Duesenberg took away the 50g ball and threw it inside a drawer.

    His eyes turned to a ss jar closed with a rubber seal, filled with tiny white crystals. He popped the seal open and poured the saltpeter out till it bnced. Duesenberg picks up the ceramic pestle, and carefully pours the saltpeter in.

    After he keeps the pestle with saltpeter down, hees to the jar containing a yellow rock. As usual, he measures them and pours them on a pestle. Once the measuring waspleted, he joined Mira in crushing the ingredients to a fine powder.

    It took them a while, but eventually, they managed to get their fine powder, although with a few small chunks. To funnel out theserge chunks, Duesenberg took a metal strainer, and put it the ingredients through it, capturing the small chunks, while leaving the fine powder in the bowl underneath.

    He soon poured all of the fine powder materials into a separate bowl. With the help of Mira''s magic, he then dried out the saltpeter before mixing them together. He stirred it for a good while with a ss rod. After a few minutes, he stopped, thinking that the ck powder was finally ready.

    "Alright. All we need to do now is to test it." Duesenberg takes out a handful of ck powder from a spoon and ces it on a metal te. His head then turns to Mira, instructing her to light the ck powder up.

    He raised her finger and cast a spell, shooting a small ember at the ck powder. As soon as the fire made contact, the powder instantly reacted, causing a sort of fire, while releasing tons of gas into the air.

    "Was that a sess?" Mira asked.

    "Yes, I think so," he replied, after seeing the reaction. The roof of the room was filled a little with ck smog, that fortunately escaped through the window. Duesenberg smiled, gaining a little more respect for Kant.

 Chapter 91 The Trigger And The Barrel

    ?While Duesenberg was making ck powder for the flintlock musket for Kant, on the Middletown, near the edge of downtown, a smithy was busy trying to make the metalponents of Kant''s weapon.

    The smithy was a brick-stone building, with no paint visible. It was connected to a muchrger building and had its own distinguished chimney that puffed smoke constantly. Inside they found a dirty environment, with the walls and floor covered inyers of dust and soot. Up on the walls were tools in a smith used.

    In the middle, sitting on the stool, was a man with short curly hair, but a long curly beard that featured no mustache. His eyes, ced on his oblong face, were mud-brown. He wore an acorn-gray hemp tunic, which went well with the dust and soot, along with iris root leggings. He also had a pair of brown calfskin boots that matched his gloves and apron.

    The guy went by the name of Paul. Paul Windsor. There were others in the smithy working there. They were mainly focused on building stuff for the other clients. These people who worked a the smithy are part of the family or just apprentices who wanted to gain some skills. In front of the stool was a table, with a blueprint of the revolver ced on it.

    The man clearly thought for a minute before continuing on how to proceed. He decided to make, what he thought of as, the easiest part of the weapon; the barrel. Being just a long smooth metal tube, it won''t be that hard to do.

    He grabbed a mandrel of the proper diameter, which is like a long rod, a t piece of iron, a hammer, and iron tongs, and got to work. He held the piece of iron and first smacked it around the mandrel. Once it was finished, he took another piece of iron and smacked it around the mandrel. He did this until almost the entire rod was covered.

    Then, grabbed it with the tongs, he held it out in the forger, increasing the temperature of the iron. By heating the iron to a high enough temperature in the forge, it allows the smith to seam weld, which means connecting the separate iron pieces, to one smooth barrel.

    Before he cools it down, using another rod and tong, he makes a little hole for the trigger mechanism. After that, he cools the barrel down in a bath of water,pleting one part of the gun. He then keeps it separate in a box, and moves on to the next part; the trigger mechanism.

    The trigger mechanism, as detailed in the blueprint, is made up of a series of parts when assembled, which will work together that allows the gun to fire its projectile. The parts in question are; the trigger, the sear, the tumbler, the hammer, the t spring, the frizzen, the pan, and the lockte, along with a few nails and spings.

    When the trigger is pulled, it pivots up due to a pin on the top left of the trigger. As the trigger pivots up, it pushes upward on the sear on the right end and has the left end go down. This causes the sear toe out of the notch, also known as the second notch. As the seares out, the t spring will pivot the tumbler down on the left end, driving the hammer forward down on the frizzen.

    As the hammeres down, this causes the piece of flint to hit the frizzen. As the frizzen is angled in a specific way, the flint will slide down the t slope of the frizzen, causing it to pivot backward due to a hinge on the right.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As the frizzen pivots out of the way, it uncovers the pan, in which the priming charge is in ce. The priming charge is a separate charge made of ck powder. As the sparks are being created with the interaction of the flint sliding down on the metal, it will ignite the priming charge.

    This priming charge is connected to the barrel thanks to the tiny hole made, allowing the ck powder inside it to ignite. To make sure that all of them work in tandem, the lockte is used to connect and help hold each part together.

    To make sure that the gun can fire again, the tumbler has two notches. When the hammer is pulled back, the seares over to the lower notch, which is called the first notch; entering the half-cock position.

    Due to its shape and angle, it makes it impossible for the trigger to pivot, preventing another shot from being identally fired. A safe mode for the flintlock musket, if you will. After reloading the priming charge and the weapon itself, the hammer can be pulled back into full-cock position, for allow firing another bullet.

    With that information in mind, the smithy started working on the small parts. Using his trusty tools, he starts beating, heating, and forming all the necessaryponents together. It takes a while to do so, with many attempts leading to failure. Yet, with each failure, he improved, and by the end of the workday.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® The sun was now starting to set. The other workers of the smithy had already left a few minutes ago. Paul himself had finished working on theponents, making enough for one flintlock musket, but that was all he needed for now.

    He will send theponents to the artists tomorrow. Paul was sure that, when the Petersons help build the weapon itself, they might encounter some problems in theponent itself. Therefore, he deemed it wise to send the items for only one musket, so that if any criticismes in regard to theponents, he can make adjustments.

    Before heading back into his home through a wooden door, he deposits the metalwork into a chest. He then wipes the sweat off his face with a clean hemp cloth and heads back inside his home. His work, however, was still not finished.

    With a quill in his right hand, a bottle of ink in his left, and a piece of paperying in front of him on the top of his desk, he started detailing all the ways he made the metalponents; the barrel and the trigger mechanism.

    asionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 92 DML Designs

    ?It was a bright, sunny morning in the city of Hoverdam. Oswald Audley, who was all alone this time around, felt that the weather was getting a little hotter. Maybe the fact that wearing a ck cloak contributed to it, and that it was the middle of thest month of spring contributed to it.

    Regardless, he is currently riding down the street on top of his horse to meet up with someone he has connections with. He heard that he started an architecture firm along with a few of his buddies. Therefore, he decided to meet up with him tomission ns for a factory. He already had another one lined up.

    Their office was said to be delegated in Middletown, a bit further away from the downtown. He heard it used to be an old building, waiting to rot. Conveniently, it was closeby to all their residences, therefore leading the men to purchase and refurbish the ce to work there.

    "Over there, boy," he told his horse, pointing to a turn. As they made their way, his eye managed to spot the building almost instantly. Standing 3 stories tall, with the top floor featuring a balcony, it looked as if it was replenished, the only fresh structure among the sea of old, even though it was just a renovation.

    On the t roof, he saw a particr sign that read "DML Designs", the name of thepany they started. Though there doesn''t seem to be anyoneing in and out, Oswald was about to change that.

    He first heads over to a nearby stable, ties him up there, and walks the rest of the way to the firm. He knocked on the door and awaited one toe. He expected a familiar face to pick him up, but instead, he saw a rather tall bald man, about 5''11, with arge brown beard on his sleek face. There were also some freckles visible on his cheeks, and wrinkles on his forehead.

    "What can I do for you?" the man asks.

    "I would like amission for a building. An associate of mine works here."

    "What is your name?"

    "Oswald. Oswald Audley." The man turned back and asked around. From the distance, he can hear the voice of the associate approve.

    "Let him in, Decan! He is the one I was talking about!" Lenin spoke from upstairs. Decan turned to Oswald with a smile, saying.

    "Sorry for the inconvenience. Come in." The door fully opened, allowing Oswald to enter. As he took his first steps, he noticed that the floor didn''t creek. He looked down, to see it was all new. They must have reced it.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® The room itself didn''t feature much. It was rather empty and barren, with the only thing noticeable being a door with a sign that said "stairs" attached. Due to the curtains, it was a bit dim, not allowing him to see what was beside some corners.

    "Sorry about the emptiness. We have just started to set up the ce. Follow me. The others are upstairs." Oswaldplied, not out of fear, but out of interest. They made their way up two floors to the top, where he found himself in another room. This room was much more well-lit as the windows provided them with lots of light.

    In the middle, there was arge square table, with three chairs on the front, facing the two chairs at the back on the desk. Of the three chairs, two were upied by Melor and Lenin, who was the man Ozzy had contact with.

    Oswald walked over and sat in the bottom-left chair while Decan took his ce with the other three. There was a moment of silence before Lenin initiated the conversation.

    "So... Mr. Audley. What brings you here today?" Lenin asked. Oswald looked at Lenin, who was sitting in the middle, and then at the other two, who upied the side seats, before looking back at Lenin.

    "I came tomission a blueprint of a factory for an investment of mine." Lenin leaned in forward, arms resting on the desk.

    "What is this factory, aiming to produce?"

    "Textiles. We intend on making textiles. We will also be utilizing some machinery powered by steam engines. I would like the factory to work in tandem with the steam engine, to provide maximum efficiency."

    "Alright..." Lenin leaned into Melor''s ear.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Write that down." Melor, who had a piece of paper settled in front of him along with a bottle of ink and a quill, wrote down one of Oswald''s requests next to a number.

    "Is there anything else you need? Any form of arrangement that you would like?"

    "Yes. I want separate rooms for separate operations. I want one room for caravans to easily enter the building to deliver supplies, for example, cotton.

    Then I want that to be connected to where the spinning mules operate. I assume you don''t know what a spinning mule is, do you?" Oswald questioned the three. Decan and Melor kept nk expressions while Lenin smiled.

    "Unfortunately Mr. Audley, we do not. We do know what a steam engine is. Though, can you mind exining it in simple terms?"

    "What you need to know is that it is this mechanical device that turns cotton and any other sort of fabrics into yarn. There is also this other machine called a power loom, but I think that is self-exnatory." Oswald sat straighter on his chair before he continued.

    "Speaking of which, I want the spinning mule room to be connected to the power loom room, which connects to another area for caravans to be there, to ship the final products out of the factory."

    "Is that all?"

    "In terms of the main parts needed, yes. I also want some chimneys installed with pipes attached. Don''t want those workers to slow down due to cough. There are many others, but it will take too long for that.

    In fact, I got a list right here of all the other entricities you might want to incorporate into the project." Oswald then takes out an envelope and hands it out to Lenin, who hands it over to Melor.

    "I see. Alright then. Now then, there is one more question I would like to ask, regarding the style of architecture."

    "Go on."

    "We have multiple styles. You could go with the normal Gontic or a ssical Rumero, or... the newest style avable... Arteco."

    "Arteco?" Oswald asks. Just then, Decan walked over to a bookshelf, grabbed a bunch of drawings, and presented it to Oswald. The buildings featured in the drawings were... sleek with bold geometric forms, a liner appearance and stylized with geometric ornamentation. Compared to the other styles, it was rather very unique and fresh looking.

    "How expensive is it?"

    "Not as much as the others. It is actually a little cheaper than the others. There is no need for detailed miniature statues of man or extensive windows. Besides, it has proven to work well."

    "Has anyone else used this before?"

    "Why yes, the new school building that Prince Kant hadmissioned. It was his idea after all." Oswald ced the drawings down and handed them over to Decan. He took his hand and rubbed the bottom of his chin, thinking.

    "Hmm... Alright. Arteco it is. You have yourself a deal."

 Chapter 93 Negotiating Bauxite

    ?While Oswald was negotiating with DML Designs, Alister and Jac were meeting up with a bunch of merchants who can help bring in the three vital ingredients to make cement. However, as they might not be able to bring in as much limestone as they would desire, the men had to adapt.

    Instead of limestone, the trio had the idea to use substitutes. Materials with basically the sameposition as limestone and y. Kant, who was kind enough to leave a manual about the wonders of making cement, listed the possible alternatives to limestone and y.

    Limestone can be reced with chalk, shells, shale, and even calcareous rock. Meanwhile, the y can be reced with sand and argiceous rock. Although, due to the y containing anotherponent vital for cement-making, any substitute that gets rid of y would need bauxite for Al2O3.

    With that in mind, the OSAC group set up individual meetings with merchants and get them to agree to sell their goods to thepany, and form a formal partnership. This way, they can import the materials rtively cheaply, while they think they are profiting off big time.

    Alister and Jac sat on twofortable wooden chairs in the room the meeting was to take ce. A long luxurious table was at the center, facing the door horizontally. There were three chairs in total. Two of the chairs were ced facing the door, behind the table, while the other was ced in front of the table, turning its back to the door.

    Behind them, was a giant ss window that allowed light in, simr to the setup that DML had facing Oswald. Speaking of which, the third seat was apanied by a man wearing a simr ck coat to what Jac and Alister were digging.

    He had a clean-shaven diamond shape face, with exotic bottle-green eyes. His ck hat covered up hisbed brown hair. His hands and feet were covered in gloves and ck socks, with his ck boots left behind at the door.

    He is a merchant from the city of Tyrol. One who had connections to many merchants, and government authorities around the city, and even have some connections to some merchants outside the city, including Oswald, which was how they managed to contact him.

    "We are d you could make it Mr. Chase Bowman. I hope your trip didn''tst too long," Jac said. Chase''s head turned to face him.

    "Thankfully not. Besides, I would not like to toss up a great opportunity." His head then turned to face Alister. Before speaking, he smiled.

    "Ain''t I right?" The two men awkwardly smile back at each other.

    "...Well then! I am assuming you want to know what we desire?"

    "I am assuming you want materials to be delivered over to this city? Limestone. y. All that?" The two were surprised that he knew the materials used.

    "You know?"

    "Of course! Ever since King Heinrich used your product to build his wall over at Albersterg, you all have been in my sights. Learned a thing or two about it, before the factory was sold off at the auction. Besides, I wouldn''t be a good merchant if I didn''t know what I was getting into now, would I?" he asked, still keeping his smile.

    Jac and Alister were seen sweating a little bit. He took a piece of cloth from the drawer and wiped it off their forehead. Chase turned to Jac.

    "You better open that window. We are halfway to summer, right? Let the cool breezee into this room. It should help cool it down," Chase suggested after seeing the two men. Alister and Jac both nodded in agreement.

    "That''s... that''s a good idea. Alister, would you mind?"

    "No, I won''t." Alister got up from his chair and walked over to the window behind him. As he was attempting to open it, Chase turned his attention to Jac. He takes off his hand and uses it as a fan before starting to talk.

    "So... what are your prices? Becausest time I checked, there is not a lot of limestone or y to be had. Right?" Chase asked. Jac took a silent breath, keeping cool in front of Chase. He didn''t want him to copse to the pressure ced on him. Remembering what Oswald told him, he struck back.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Well... we got some other substitutes avable to us."

    "Oh, you do?"

    "Yes. We do. We have already a fixed supply of limestone substitutes. We already signed a contract with a few other merchants, so that won''t be a problem for us. The same goes for the y. However, we are still looking for one that could provide us with bauxite."

    "Bauxite..."

    "Yes. Although we have 3 potential merchants that could deliver us that promise, we heard that Tyrol has a vast quantity of bauxite, is that right?"

    "Yes. The city does have arge supply. Although, I don''t think it would be cheap. What is your pricing?" he asked, By this point, Alister managed to open the window wide open, allowing cool air to enter the room. The breeze hit both Alister and Jac, who were a little calmer than before.

    "What do you think it is worth?" he replied back with a question.

    "ording to the others, they think 127 to 132 is about right. Settled mostly on 70," Jac lied. He wanted to make sure that he could get the best price possible, which is often the cheapest.

    "Hmm... I see. Did they settle on the agreement?"

    "Not yet. They are going through it."

    "Hmm... in that case, how about we bump the price up to 148. I can ship in more bauxite than you will ever need, besides."

    "Hmm..." Jac thought about it for a minute, at least he showed it off by rubbing his chin. He then held out 3 fingers.

    "140, and you got yourself a deal."

    "145." I cannot go lower.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "144 then. Just a cent difference, yet you will still be raking in a lot of silver." A smile formed on Chase''s face.

    "You got yourself a deal." Jac smiled at his reply. In turn, he extended his hand, wanting to shake it with him. Chase, understanding the cue, took it, and the men shook, smiling. In the end, both thought that they had yed the other.

    Chase could easily buy and ship the bauxite for 129 copper per ton, while Jac thought he won considering the other merchant''s settlements were much higher. With this contract, he can forcibly bring the price of the other merchants down.

    Regardless, the two eventually signed a contract and had Chase on his way.

 Chapter 94 The Mysterious Smiths

    ?Carson, the 6ft tall with bright blonde hair and beautiful green eyes looked onward at another ship harboring to port. Unlikest time, where he was just a normal peasant, wearing normal peasant clothes, he now wore an azurite blue wool long-sleeved tunic, beige breeches held together by a leather belt with pockets attached, and a pair of calfskin boots. On his head, was an iron helmet, stepped together with a leather belt, like the one holding his pants.

    Beside him was his old friend Herrold, along with a bunch of other people in uniform. From what they were told, a bunch of important people was headed to the city, carrying along with them barrels of materials they would use in a future conflict, and a bunch of other,rger crates.

    Behind the soldiers, a long line of caravans, pulled by horses, were all in line to bring these people to their new homes. As the small wooden boat sessfully help therger vessel dock, a bridge was connected to the deck, allowing the soldiers to walk up.

    Everyone followed behind Carson, who was the tallest of the bunch, and the current appointed leader of the whole team. He ordered the shorter ones to carry the barrels, while therger, stronger ones to get the big crates.

    They went along their day to load the cargo into the specific caravan. They all had to look out for a symbol marked on each of the boxes, which belong to the strangers from down below. After all of it was loaded up, and there were none to be handed, Carson lead the strangers to one caravan.

    "One by one gentleman! We are headed to see her royal majesty!" he said. The men, who were wearing rather cotton clothing, with a much more variety of die, entered the caravans designated to them.

    One of them was carrying a rather long wooden box. Carson stopped the man, wanting to inquire what it contained.

    "What is that you are holding, sir?" he asked.

    "This is a gift we wanted to present to her majesty ourselves for showing us so much kindness," he replied. The men around him nodded, prompting Carson to let it go.

    "Alright then," he said, as he walked and got up to the seat next to the driver of the caravan in the front.

    "Howdy there, Sir Carson! Is everyone here?" Cartman asked.

    He was the young man who helped the knights carry those stones to make runes. He had short brown hair with ocean blue eyes, still rocking his green tunic, brown pants, and haybale shoes. This time, however, he had wooden sandals on his feet.

    "Yes. Let''s go Cartman," he politely told the driver.

    "Alright, mister Carson." with that, he used the leash to signal the horse to move. As they slowly started to ride, Cartman looked on at the pce in the distance, feeling a little excited.

    ...

    Rose Valline was sitting on her throne, awaiting the immigrants to arrive. She was a young-looking woman with wavy medium long ck hair, along with brown hair on her pretty, feminine face. She was wearing her usual royal white gown.

    Just then, there was a hard knock on therge door to the throne room. Collecting her voice, she permitted the mysterious outsider to enter therge morous throne room. Carson, who was in his uniform, enters the room. He takes a few steps and gets on his knees, respectfully bowing to the queen.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Private Carson Williams. What brings you here?" she asked Carson.

    "Your majesty, the new smiths have safely arrived from the Azureline Continent and have been escorted to the castle," he replied. A smile formed on Rose''s lips.

    "Good. Let them in," she said. Carson got up and fully opened the door. The men in cotton tunics walked inside the room, looking around the ce in awe. Despite being from, what is a little more advanced society, they had never seen such beautiful architecture up close.

    The men soon bowed down before the queen, paying their respect. One of them, who was in the middle of all of them, decided to speak up. He, like the rest, had straight ck hair, along with brown eyes to go on his diamond-shaped face.

    "Your majesty, Queen Rose Villine the I. My name is Jake Donovan. We humbly thank you for showing us your kindness at our greatest moment of turbulence. The kings and knights weren''t too kind to us back home, " he said in his smooth soothing voice. They then all stood up, facing the queen with a neutral look.

    "I have heard many tales of your profession, Mr. Jake Dovovan. Your weapon has great potential, which is why I granted all of you a ce in my magnificent city. Though, I do hope that we have the materials for your weapons to work," she said.

    Although it was meant as some small talk, Collectively, the smiths'' hearts started to beat rapidly, hearing her uncertainty about whether they could get the materials they need. However, Jake Donovan already had a response prepared.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Fear not, your majesty. We know multiple substitutes that aremon among yournds, as well as ours. There is no need for such panic or hassle," he replied calmly.

    "Very well then. I trust your judgment in your field. As for a ce of stay, I have already arranged for you all a ce of work, as well as a ce of home built on it. I hope you find them to your liking."

    "We will, your majesty. As an appreciation for your kindness, we have brought you a gift."

    Just then, a few more smiths enter the room and hand over the present they had been carrying in a box. They got on their knees and presented the long weapon, which was fully covered in a red cloth, tied with a white cloth, and used as a ribbon.

    The queen dly epted the gift and ced it on herp.

    "I thank you all for bringing me this gift. I humbly appreciate it." Her head then turned to Carson.

    "Private Carson, would you mind sending them back home safely?" Carson bowed while standing.

    "As your wish your highness." With that, he lead the smiths out of the room, leaving Rose all by herself once again. He looked down at the gift, a bit curious about what she will find. She got up from her throne and walked all the way back to her room, and ced it on a table.

    Taking a deep breath, she unraveled the white cloth by pulling one end. She then slowly unfolded the red cloth, wanting to see what it was.

 Chapter 95 The Flintlock Arrives

    ?Kant, wearing his suit, found himself in the middle of the castle grounds. In front of him, there is a wooden table, with an open crate. Inside the crate,ying on the haybale, were two flintlock muskets he had wanted. Kant picks up a flintlock musket from the wooden crate and raises it near the sun to examine it more closely.

    It had a 40-inch barrel to it, with a total length of 56 inches. Parts of it were made out of iron, polished to look new, while the other half was made out of fresh wood, painted in a coat to make itst longer. Under the barrel, there was a ce for the stick he can use to get the gunpowder and bullet thoroughly inside.

    Besides the crate, there was also a ss bottle filled with gunpowder, brought over from Duesenberg, as well as a chest full of metal balls that would act as projectiles. The final three items were a clipboard with paper attached, a pencil, and an eraser.

    On the beige paper attached to the clipboard, there was a table drawn, with multiple rows and columns inside it. It was there to study the range and powder of the flintlock musket, as Kant had no idea.

    In the distance, there were wooden targets, with red and white circles painted on them, as well as the distance there to them and the wooden stage they were meant to fire it from.

    Other than Kant, Kristina and a bunch of armored knights were present. Instructed by Kant, as well as his highness, King Danil to make sure he doesn''t get hurt, as they fear the wrath of Malinda, who would probably have them executed if any harmes to her little boy.

    "Is that it, sire?" Kristina asked.

    "Hmm... I think so," he replied. Kristina was pretty unsatisfied with his answer.

    "You think so?" she asks calmly.

    "Can''t tell till we test it." Kant pushes the hammer into half-cock position and checks the moisture of the gun.

    "It''s dry," Kantmented.

    "Is that bad?" Kristina questioned, not knowing anything about the weapon.

    "No. That is good. Moisture would mean that the gun would have a hard time firing, and that is not good." The simple exnation stuck with Kristina.

    "I see."

    Kantys the musket down on the table and opens the ss jar containing the gunpowder. He measures the amount of gunpowder using a little wooden cup and pours in the gunpowder inside the barrel.

    As he pours the gunpowder inside, Kristina asks another question, partly to make sure to he is safe, and partly curious about how the weapon works.

    "Is that safe?"

    "Perfectly safe. It is currently in half-cock position, meaning that the seam is in the first. The first notch is angled in a specific way, so even if I try to pull the trigger, it won''t budge. A safety mechanism, if you will."

    He then takes out the stick and inserts it inside the barrel to make sure it has gone all the way through. After that, the metal bullet followed. He then opened the frizzen, and ce another bit of ck powder in the priming charge.

    "I think you shouldn''t be firing that weapon. For your sake, sire." Kristina suggested.

    "I guess not. Who do you have in mind?" he asked. She turned to a knight covered in a suit of warmer, with even a helmet on.

    "Hmm... Alright then. Say, what is your name?" Kant asks.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "My name is Leon De Vandel, sire."

    "Ah, yes. I remember you, Knight Leon. You were pretty helpful back there." Kant hands over the musket to the knight.

    Kant then went through a quick rundown, exining to Leon how the weapon worked. As he listened, he points the barrel to the ground, and away from any human around, not wanting to injure anyone.

    "Pull the hammer back and fire at the ground. To fire, all you have to do is to pull the trigger." The knight listened to what Kant told him and quickly followed through. He pointed at the grass, pulled the hammer back, and fired.

    In a second, their flint went down on the fizzle, causing a spark. This spark caused the ck powder inside the priming charge to explode, causing the first small explosion. Then, as the first explosion caused the gunpowder inside the barrel to ignite, the first boom was followed by a second.

    The bulletunched out of the barrel and hit the grass hard. It traveled a little beforeing to a stop. There was lots of smoke everywhere, caused by the firing of the weapon. Kant, Kristina, and even the knight inside coughed a little.

    The knight in the suit felt a bit of recoil which meant that the gun swang towards him after firing. Partly because of the miniature explosion, but mostly due to therge bang it made.

    "It works. This is it," Kantmented.

    "How fast did that bullet go?" Kristina asked.

    "Not sure, what I can tell you is that it is definitely below the speed of sound." Kristina turned to Kant.

    "Pardon me sire, but what?"

    "Let me exin. When something goes past the speed of sound, which someone calcted to be about 700mph or 343 m/s, it causes a sonic boom. Since we didn''t hear that crack, it meant that it went below that speed."

    "Ah. I think I understand. So will it be louder if it did travel faster?"

    "Definitely, and there would be a lot more recoil as well," Kant added. Leon felt a wave of powere inside him as he fired the weapon. A sense of awe and fear struck him, imagining what would happen if a peasant wielded this. It would not be pretty for them.

    "Alright Knight Leon, we are going to be adding two cups of gunpowder. I want to see how much I need for optimal use." Kant then went on to take the weapon away, safely reload it, and then give it to Leon, resulting him in firing the weapon.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® Eventually, they got to 3 cups of gunpowder, where the bullet broke the spread barrier. They did follow up with a fourth, which only caused an explosion that caused the gun to crack and break. Leon, who was in his suit, managed to get away, albeit a little injured.

    "3 cups it is then. Are you alright knight Leon?"

    "Yes sire, I am alright."

    "Good. Because now that we know how much gunpowder we can use, we can focus on how far the bullet travels." Leon soon got up and used his hands to get rid of any dirt attached to his armor. Kant, after handing over a loaded gun, gives it back to Leon.

    They walk up to the wooden tform and take aim at the closest target, which happened to be the one at 25 feet. They fire multiple times, getting a knight nearby to tell them how urate it was so that Kant could write it down on his clipboard.

    They continue on till they run out of gunpowder, where they have to forcefully conclude it. Kant would go on to test the weapon for a few more days onward, all under the watchful eye of Kristina Robin.

 Chapter 96 Rescue Plan.

    ?In a room hidden away inside Grendleburg''s castle, the three families got together at a round table with a fewrge maps of multiple cities and the entire continent. The room itself, which consisted of stone brick walls, and a cold stone floor, was lit withnterns on the side of the walls.

    Sitting around the desk, other than the knightmander, were Danial, Corel, and Salvatore, all in theirvish renaissance outfits. Danial, the tallest of them all, had ck hair with ice-blue eyes on his sleek face, a trait he passed down to his boys. He wore formal blue attire for this asion.

    Sitting next to Danial, the knightmander was Corel Grendleburg. He had ruby-fusion hair, with cocoa-brown eyes on a round face. His favorite color is green, thereby, meaning most of his suits were green themselves.

    The final king present was Salvatore, who had long ck hair and hazel-green eyes on a sleek face like Danial''s. He wore a brown and white suit. Other than these three heads of the families, was the knightmander, who was the only one standing in the room, holding a stick.

    "There are only 12 days left till the month is over. What do you have nned Knight Seamus?" Danial asks the knight.

    "Well your highnesses, the n is simple. Like your original n, we first sneak in a decoy into the city Vallina or Villina, whichever you all prefer..."

    "Villina. We all agree it is Villina. Right?" Salvatore asked while pointing at the other two. They both smiled and nodded at his response.

    "Villina it is then. Anyways, we will send in our decoy and have him switch ces with his holiness at night. Then, he gets on the cart and is escorted out of the city. From there, he enters a small boat, travels to a nearby town, and gets on arger sailboard there."

    As the knight spoke, he pointed to where the things urred in the city of Villina. He first pointed to the gate, and then took the stick''s point through the city to the inn he was talking about. Then, as it seems if there was a tunnel, carved through the inn and into the cathedral. Afterward, he stayed there for a minute, before returning to the inn, and then to the city gates.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "How do we get the decoy in?" Corel asked the knightmander.

    "It is simple, your highness. He will nearly act as an old oxen carrier, carrying hay bales to the city," Seamus replied. Danial''s hands instinctively move up to his chin.

    "Will that work?" Danial asked, a bit doubtful.

    "The young knights barely even know the elderlying from the rural parts of the city. He should be fine. I already have a good alibi and ally for this operation."

    "An ally, you say?" Salvatore asked

    "Yes. A local, living in the more rural parts of the outskirts. Many still believe in the church there. Recently, his father contracted an illness, so we gave him an option. Help us, and we will give you the medicine, or do not. Thankfully, he agreed."

    "I see, continue."

    "The decoy will make his way into the city, where he will stay at an inn till dawn. When the nightmences, it is when he will make a move into the cathedral, and switch ces with his holiness. They will exchange clothes, and the holiness will leave the city from there onwards."

    There was a moment of silence in the room as the three thought of the n presented by themander. Though it sounds reasonable, they were skeptical whether the disguise would work."

    "Who is the decoy? He must look pretty simr to pass as his holiness, don''t you think?" Corel asks. A smile formed on Seamus'' face.

    "Worry not, your highness. I may have already found the perfect man to be our decoy pope. He is currently behind that door," he said.

    "Well, is that so? Then show us! Let him in" Danial replied. The knightmander then walks up to the door. An old man, who looked early identical to the pope, enters the room. He was wearing peasant attire and was a bit frail.

    The kings all got up and walked closer to the man. They examined him, grabbing his arm and looking at his body with shock and awe. Though there were slight differences, being that there is a ck lump on his chin. His eyes were also the wrong color, blue instead of brown.

    "Knight Commander Seamus. Where on earth did you find this man?" Salvatore asked in amazement. The knightmander smiled.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I got an artist to sketch a good picture of his holiness and gave it out to some knights. One of them found him on the streets. It appears that god truly wants to banish the heretic queen to the pits of hell."

    "It appears so," Corelmented with a smile.

    "Impressive," Danial said. His head then turned around to face Seamus.

    "But what about the children?" Danial queried. Seamus turned his head to Danial.

    "I am sorry, your highness?" he asked, wanting him to repeat his question.

    "I am talking about our children, as well as the others. What about them?"

    "Ah yes. Regarding the princes and princesses inside the academy, there were a fewplications regarding getting them to safety. However, we have managed to formte a scheme."

    "Good." Danial turned to the old man.

    "You can leave now," he told him. The old man bowed and left the room. He was soon escorted by the knights guarding the door. The kings all went to sit back on their chairs, wanting to hear about Seamus'' n.

    "If I can remember correctly, the n for your..."

    "It''s fine."

    "...children, is that we cause an incident somewhere, and smuggle them out to the same boat we are bringing the pope to." Corel bobbed his head.

    "Alright then. Go on." Using his stick, he pointed at the dorm rooms.

    "On the day that his holiness would be snuggled out, they will be holding sses. We will get a spy to educate beforehand about the n. Once the sses are over, and they all go to ''bed''," he said the word bed while making air quotes with his finger.

    "...is when we will take them out of there, and have them travel through the night. There, they will get on the boat, which will set sail in the morning. At the very least, even if someone squeals, it will give us a few hours head start, and if it all goes to n, a day or two, when people really start to recognize that they have gone missing."

    "Alright. Sounds good. So what is the route this ship would be taking."

    "The ship will travel upstream, all the way to Damascus, which is halfway to Peckerson. From there, they will travel through multiple small towns until they get to Tyrol. From there, we they should be safely in our hands, and we will be able to initiate the invasion.

    Does your majesty have any questions regarding the n?"

    "Just one," Salvatore said.

    "How long will it take for them to get to Tyrol?"

    "Assuming we start on the 28th, they may reach Tyrol on the 30th at the fastest, or 4th of Nummum at the slowest. Did you find your majesty find that answer satisfactory?" he smiled.

    "Yes. Yes, it is."

 Chapter 97 A Spy Squeals

    ?A maid, one with ck hair tied to twin tails, with hazel green eyes on her oval face, was sitting on her small desk, all alone, in a confined room that was fitted with a bed, a chair, and a table. The floor was made of marble, while the walls were made of stone bricks, coated with ster, and painted white.

    This maid, a magical one as well, was working with Salvator Humat and acted as a spy for the castle. She had arrived here about a month ago, taking ce of another maid who was loyal to the king and queen.

    With quill in hand, and a full bottle of ink, she was writing down information about the flintlock musket, and how Kant had managed to sessfully produce one. She also describes the personality shift, writing down his confidence boost, poprity, and what has been happening since.

    As soon as she finished, she took out three gold coins from her pocket. Once that she had been stealing from the royal family. Reba ces them on the table and goes underneath the drawer. There, she finds a hole to lift up the floor of the drawer, revealing a hiddenpartment.

    In the hiddenpartment, there was a single book, with the letters "Diary" inscribed on it, along with a belt to hold it in. Opening a few dozen pagester, there was gold, lots and lots of gold coins hidden within a collum of circle holes.

    Unfortunately for her, before she can hide the stolen goods, the door bursts open with a bang. Knights, holding their sharp metal spears, pointed them at them. A wave of confusion swept across her face, as she had no idea what was happening.

    "Mrs. Ruba, You are under arrest for espionage and stealing property belonging to her royal highness! You areing with us," the faceless knights told her. She tried to run away through the roof, however, an arrow cracked the window open, warning her of the danger.

    "Nice try, bitch," the soldiermented. The knights struck her down unconscious and took her incapacitated body with them.

    ...

    Reba soon regained consciousness. The world appeared dark, as a ck blindfold tied to her head. Her mouth instinctively tried to scream, but something shoved into her mouth prevented her from doing so.

    She can feel her hands, feet, and body tied with cold metal chains with strong locks to them. From her sense of touch, she can feel the freezing stone floor, paralyzing her legs. The chair was the only ce of warmth in the frosty room.

    From her ears, she picked up the sound of the door opening. Two people, both wearing a pair of metal shoes, walked inside the room and closed the color behind them. As they walked closer, she heard the nking noise made by the iron.

    "It appears she is finally awake," said one voice. It was masculine but had a young tone to it. The other was silent, as he reached for the blindfold. As soon as the person took off the blindfold, her vision became a little fuzzy.

    In front of her, there were two big men, that looked rather simr due to her fuzzy vision. One of them was carrying a basket of berries, and a ss bottle with some kind of green liquid. One of the men took a berry, which was a round purple berry, and fed it into her mouth, rather forcefully. Then, he got her to fully drink the bottle of liquid green, which tasted like rust.

    "That out to keep you alive for a while. Now, Reba. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way. From the letter, it appears that you betrayed our own lord, for some heretic in the south," Reba started heavily breath, scared of what was going to happen.

    "I... I... I am sorry," she muttered.

    "Hmm...? Sorry isn''t going to be enough for espionage, won''t it? Now be a good little girl, and give up the names of the coborators."

    "Can''t. I can''t," she spoke. A bad choice. The knight raised his finger, pointing at her neck, and cast the spell.

    "Du Froid." he whispered. A cost breeze few from his hand and hit the neck of Ruba. She ground her teeth as she endured great pain. He held it for a whole 3 minutes, before stopping.

    "Hm... I can see why they made you a spy. But if you don''t speak up, things are going to get a lot worse. So do yourself a favor, and spill the beans," the man said. Reba, feeling weak, still stayed silent.

    "Your choice," the man finally replied. The knights went on for hours, torturing the maid spy. Her beautiful looks, one she had been grated at both by her mother, degraded as the knights, beat, tortured, burned, and froze her, trying to break her spirit.

    Within only three hours, her hair had been nearly cut off, leaving a bald mess. Her face was covered in scars, bruises, and marks all over, destroying her beauty. Yet, the woman stayed silent, until, she didn''t

    Suddenly, as the knight tried to continue on, her head turns towards her. After collecting all her energy, she spoke out, but with a raspy voice.

    "You... You should..." she stuttered, feeling weak.

    "What is it?" the second man asked.

    "You should... you should just stop wasting your time... *cough* *cough* *cough* " The woman started to cough heavily, with bits of blooding out of her mouth.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The torturer looked onward a bit confused. He turned to the other man, who had the same reaction. He turned back to face the spy and coughed a little, and spoke again, but now with a deeper, and more menacing voice.

    "What did you just say?"

    "No matter what you do, I won''t yield. I have nothing to lose, but everything to gain. Besides, I don''t know a lot of people here. I just picked up the notes, and send them away. You would all be wasting your time." she imed, all while heavily stuttering. The knights smirked.

    "We will see about that." one said.

    The two knights left the cell, leaving her alone. The woman''s thoughts were empty, near nk after what they put her through. Not that she could me them. She very well knew the risks involved, as well as the rewards.

    It took a while before she heard the sounds of footsteps echoing across the halls of the dungeon. However, there was a third person, walking with knights, who she assumed were the two from before.

    "Reba? Is that you?" a feminine voice called out. She instantly recognized it, from someone she had known and loved all her life.

    "M...Mother?" she called out. He turned to see, what was a blurry figure, which Reba still managed to identify. Her hands were covering her mouth, utterly in shock at the state of her daughter.

    "She is not the only one, Miss Reba. We got your whole family here, and we might have to start breaking them up as well."

    "Don''t you dare! She has done nothing wrong!"

    "Desperate timese for desperate measures. So if you don''t start speaking..." the other knight stopped on her left foot, causing her to scream in pain.

    "they ALL will be in trouble..." the knight proimed. Reba stayed, calcting all her options. The knights wait in silence, waiting for a response.

    "Your silence speaks for itself. Isgirigori..."

    "wait!"

    "Hmm...?"

    "I... I will you who they are. I know the names of the ones I work with, and some of the other people who we work with". The knight leaned in.

    "Alright then. First, give me some names of the people you work with directly."

    "There... There is Carlo Hup, Jarred Loquez, Rubin Rubber, and Kylie Juncker. There are the only 4 directly working with." The other knight, Isgirigori, writes it down.

    "Good. Good. Now, about the coborators. Who does Rose Valline work with?"

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® ".S... S..."

    "SSS! SSS! SSS! Tell me damn it! I can''t wait for all..."

    "Salvator Humat! We coborate with Salvator Humat!" The room was silent, with the knights in utter shock.

    "What are the names? Do you have any names?"

    "Only two. Lana Fleck and... Katy Hillwood! That is all I know!" The knight writes the names down. With that, they decide to stop the interrogation there, an bring the information to the minister, secretly.

 Chapter 98 Letter Arrives At Nexert

    ?It was a calm, but yet hot day in the city of Nexert. The knights out on the fields were training for the uing battles that woulde ahead, along with some peasants who, contrary to belief, actually had practice with weapons, as they were allowed to have one at home.

    Whether it be a bow or spear, all of them will be important to defeat Rose Valline, the most powerful queen on the continent, that had turned bad. At this rate, the war would start at the beginning of the next month, when summeres around.

    Danial, wearing a suit of armor and sweating a waterfall, wasfortably sitting on his chair, thinking about nothing at all. Corel and Salvatore were out training in the fields, along with Malinda and their wives. While Danial had also trained, his mana reserves had run out much earlier than before, and needed to take a rest. He needs to practice using his magic much less intensely than before.

    Just then, there was a knock on the door, knocking him back into reality. With a bit of strength, he gets up and walks over to the door, and opens it. From behind, he found Corel''s assistant minister behind the door. He hands over an envelope and informs the king it was from Arjun, and an urgent message.

    The minister then scoots off, leaving Danial alone once again. He goes back inside his room and sits in his armchair. After taking off his gauntlets, he starts reading the letter that was sent to him. As he read it further, he sat straighter, looked at the letter closer, and hisid-back look turned into a serious nce, but by the end, a smile, but then a look of horror.

    He gets up again, walks up to the front door, and finds a maid. He instructs her to bring Corel, Salvatore, Malinda, and their wives, to the room they discuss the n, which Corel and Salvatore should know.

    With the messenger maid dispatched, he walked over to his room, took off his suit of armor, and changed into formal attire before walking over to the secret room. He arrived at the library, which was like a giant maze of bookshelves anyone can get lost in. Danial ventured into the maze, took one left turn, two right turns, and then straight ahead.

    He came up to a wall. There, he picked out a red book and pulled it from the top. Just then, the sound of two locks moving was heard, and he was able to enter the dark hallway. As he went, he lit up thenterns on the walls, allowing anyone else entering to see the way.

    He approached the door, entered the room, sat down on the chair, and waited for the other toe over. Soon, Corel, and Salvatore arrive, along with Malinda, Fiona, and Samantha. Like Danial, they took the time to change out of their suits of armor, to a more formal dress code.

    Fiona, the wife of Corel, was a woman the same age as Malinda. She had short dark-gold brown hair that reached to her shoulders. Her eyes on her puffy round face were brown as chocte, gaining a little charm that nobody else had.

    Samantha, meanwhile, was a rather tall womanpared to Malinda and Fiona, being 3 inches taller. Though she had ck hair, she had exotic bottle-green eyes on her triangle shaped-face. She was the wife of Salvatore Dellone.

    "What is it, Danial?" Salvatore asked. Danial had put on a serious face.

    "Grab a chair and sit down. It might take some time to exin."

    He simply took out the letter, and read it out loud for everyone to hear. They all have a simr reaction to it at the beginning, however, in the end, they diverged a little.

    "Rose Valline? Working with them?" Corel asked.

    "Apparently so. That is what the spy said."

    "That would mean that... oh god..." he said as a sudden realization hits his head. Salvatore''s head turns to face the table, instead of anyone''s face.

    "Imagine how many of those god-damn spies we had overlooked. Those stories, those stupid stories. Who knows how much information got leaked?" Fiona remarked.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Friet not, everyone. It is better that we learned of this now, rather thanter. Imagine what would ur IF we went into the war without knowing."

    "Yes. You are right Danial."

    "Besides, this presents us with a unique opportunity. We can use this new information to use Rose Valline of coborating with the enemy, prove it, and have the rest of the continent go down on her."

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Absolutely... But what should we do about these new spies?"

    "I have a n. First, we get our most trusted knights and advisors in on the information. The people that benefit from obeying rather than betraying. Anyone got anyone?"

    "The ministers and knightmanders. It is unlikely that they would have anything to benefit by betraying us," Malinda brought up. The men nodded at her.

    "Alright, good suggestion. Like... someone in a low position. That is good. What else?"

    "I have one! What about knights and maids that genuinelye from a knight or magical family? It is also unlikely for them to support amoner movement." Samantha suggested.

    "Another good one from thedies! Well done. Yes, we should probably look at those ''new magic'' folks. They might have the mostmoner influences. What else?"

    "How about a staff member with obligations to family or require money? I mean, the spy earlier was caught with lots of stolen gold coins, right?" Corel said while nodding.

    "So.. anyone with financial troubles. What next?"

    "I would like to suggest that we write down our suspicions. There is a good chance we might forget, right?" Fiona said.

    "Right..." Danial turned to Corel, the one who technically owned the ce. However, before he could ask, Corel got up, went over to a bookshelf, ripped a piece of paper off, and grabbed a bottle of ink and quill.

    "Here, this should do," Corel said before sitting down.

    "Thank you, Corel." Daniel writes down any traits that would likely influence one''s decision to work with Salvator Humat, the terrorist group.

    "Anything else I think I should write down?" There was a moment of silence between the monarchs as they struggled toe up with anything else. With that, Danial ended his list.

    "With that, we should form a team of spies of our own in the pce, and get them to investigate these people in hand, quickly capture them, get them to squeal, and clear out the castle. Got it?" Everyone nodded at him in agreement.

 Chapter 99 Decoy Gets In.

    ?On the paved stone road, en route to the city of Villine, a man sat right beside his "father", who apanied him into the city. Though the young man passed a rather round face,pared to his fathers'' oval, he was slightly taller than the man and thankfully possessed his blue eyes, giving some connection.

    The two were both sitting on a caravan, filled with stacks of hay bales, ready to trade with the city for some other items in need for the vige. They were to stay in an inn, switch with the pope, and leave tomorrow.

    "You know the lines?" the young man asked the old man.

    "Yes, don''t worry. I got this."

    "Alright."

    As the twoe near the stone bridge, they saw two gray figures beside the stone bridge. The more they got closer, they recognized that it was just two knights beside them. When they got just 8 feet from the bridge, one of them held out their hand.

    "Halt!" one of them shouted. The young man pulled his leash, stopping the horses in their tracks. The knight drops his hand and walked up to the driver. His face was covered with his helmet, and his hand held the handle of his sword.

    "What is your business here, citizen?" the knight asked calmly with his masculine and intimidating voice. The two men were sweating a little, nervous about what is about to happen.

    "Oh great sir knight, I am simply here to trade in my hay for other food supplies and tools. That is all," the young man replied while looking at his helmet.

    "I see. Who is the man to your right then?" the knight asked while pointing at the old man.

    "He is my father, sir knight. He wanted to apany me to the city."

    The knight analyzed their faces. Although they were different, the knight assumed that he inherited most of his characteristics from his mother. Besides, they both had simr eyes, which was enough to give them a pass.

    "I haven''t seen him evering around here. Why is that?"

    "He said he wanted to return here after so long being enclosed in the vige."

    "Hmm..." the knight thought.

    "I see. May I check your luggage?" the knight asked.

    "Of course, sir knight! dly." The knight walked to the back and unsheathed his sword. He then poked the inside of the haystack, looking to see if there were anything inside. After he found nothing, the knight went back to his partner and whispered something to him.

    "How long will you be staying for?"

    "About a day. We will leave tomorrow morning?"

    "Why not today then?"

    "Because by the time I would be done, it would likely be dark. I don''t want to rush my father," he replied. The knight nodded.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Alright then. You may enter."

    "Thank you, sir knight," with that, the horse started moving once again. As soon as they got to the middle of the bridge, the two men breathed a huge sigh of relief that they managed to get past the guards. Now, was time for the next step of the operation.

    The men found themselves surrounded by buildings made of hard stone, and roofs made of native wooden nks. The wealthy ones had ss windows and painted walls to them. In the distance, they can see the towers of the grand cathedral, a beautiful piece of architecture that gets scorned at.

    The two make their way to the inn. The young man stops the cart and helps the old man get down. They both enter the building made of stone and wood. The inside featured nked walls with defusednterns, only to be lit during the night.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® The men made their way to the receptionist''s desk and got into the room they wanted. There, the old man was expected to stay inside. The young man, who had aplished his goal for now, left him alone to do business.

    Hey on the hay bed and looked outward the window. He waited till the sun started toe down. Once it was time, he got up, and came up to the receptionist, again. A woman, with short ck hair, brown eyes, and freckles all over her face.

    "Hello, sir. How may I help you?" she asked unenthusiastically.

    "Where is your boss?"

    "Is there a problem?"

    "No, not really. He... he is just an old friend." She stayed silent and stared at the man.

    "He is in the room behind," she replied, before going back to work. The old man thanked her and walked over to his room. The man was sleeping on his desk, over a stack of books and papers.

    He had short ck hair, along with a ck lump to his right. He wore a white cotton tunic, along with a pair of ck breeches, holding a quill in his hand. Looking around the room, the decoy could not find the way by himself, so he decided to wake him up.

    "Uh... oh. Yes?" he asked while sitting straight up. A few pieces of paper fell on the ground due to his swift wake.

    "It''s time."

    "Oh, right. This way." he led himself to a trapdoor. Behind, was a dark hallway with only a torch to give visuals. The decoy entered the hallway, grabbed the torch, and walked into the darkness. Despite being an old man, he managed to walk for half an hour before feeling the need to take a rest.

    The hallway was not straight, with little zig-zags and turns present throughout the entire hall. It would have been ridiculously expensive to do so. Eventually, he made it to the other side of the hallway and knocked on the trap door.

    The trapdoor soon swung open, when suddenly, a knight grabbed him behind his back and tossed him out of the hallway. The rest of them pointed out their swords at the decoy. He looked around and found his holiness in chains.

    A wave of shock and confusion went across his face. Thest thing he expected was a knight to be here. He and his holiness were supposed to be alone so that they could make the switch.

    "You are under arrest for espionage and conspiracy against her royal highness, Queen Rose Tipo Valline the First!" he screamed menicingly. Two other knights lifted him by the shoulders and covered the decoy in chains. His heart started beating rapidly, utterly confused at what had just happened.

    They soon brought him over to a caravan and tossed him, and the pope inside. Their destination? Straight to the dungeon.

 Chapter 100 Giving Up A Note

    ?A few hours earlier...

    The ss window allowed the sun rays to sh past and hit the faces of Lisa and Sofia, who were bothfortably sleeping in their beds. The heat of the rays as well as the light got the two to awaken from their dreams. Sofia and Lisa hopped out of bed, took their towels, and got a bath.

    Once they were done, they switched to their gowns. Lisa put on her usual ck gown while Sofia put on her white gown. While Lisa''s gown was particrly minimalistic, Sofia''s gown was embedded with flowers, leaves, and other tiny details.

    Lisa chose her ck gown to match her ck hair, while Sofia, for the first few months, wore a yellow gown because she liked the color. However, that changes today, when she decides to watch her ice-blond hair by wearing the white one. The rest of their characters were pretty much the same. They both had ice-blue eyes, round faces, and small noses.

    With the two sisters were ready, they took their books and swiftly made it over to the ssroom. Sofia wanted toe overter, but Lisa always forced her hand into making it there earlier than everyone. Once they pick their seat, they wait for the rest of the ss, as well as the professor toe.

    Once everyone arrived, the ss finally began. As usual, Lisa was the one paying attention, while Sofia dozed off into her daydreams, despite possessing simr intellect. The sses featured history, foreignnguages, and magic. Magic sses were usually separated into their types, kind of like how science is split into biology, chemistry, and physics. However, for their years, it was just magic for now.

    They were currently in history ss. Lisa stared at the board, which featured a drawing of the Aceaton continent, while Sofia had her head held up by her hands while sitting next to her sister as always.

    "Now, students. Can you tell what the meaning of a conflict is?" the professor asked. Lisa immediately raised her hands.

    "Lisa?" she stood up

    "A conflict, in regards to the context of war, is a dispute among two or more leaders who desire to fulfill their interest by forcing it upon the losers."

    "That is correct! Good job as always Lisa. Sit down." The professor starts dividing the parts of the continent into three separate groups.

    "In the year 2042 I.C., a great war was fought along three different religious groups. These were the Angelisist, the winners of the war, the Palonites, the existing regime, and the Cantonese, which was a small group.

    Now, this warsted a few years till the Angelisists won. How they managed to win, we will get into those detailter. What I think you all should know for today... is the aftermath.

    Just like every other major war before, the winners often executed the losers, being the elite of the defeated regime, and initiated a new world order of sorts. The world that arises afterward is simr but yet different from what it was before. This behavior has been seen to have happened a few times throughout millennia..."

    The professor continued on with Once a ss is over, they would usually get a break for a good period of time, before needing to go back to ss again. Once they got their break, a strange man in janitorial peasant clothes, came up, gave them a letter, and told them to read it in secret in their rooms, now.

    "Why? What for?"

    "It''s from your parents. That''s why."

    With that, the two siblings remained silent. They decided that their best course of action get back to their rooms. When they arrived, they saw a boy, with ice-blond hair, glistening ice-blue eyes, and a round face like theirs.

    "Say, Edward. May I ask you what you are doing in our quarters?" Sofia asked.

    "Same as you two. I got something from a janitor, who told me toe here," he replied. The two sighed.

    "So, you got one too, huh?" Lisa asked.

    "Yes, I did indeed."

    "Well, if that is so, then I might have a suggestion."

    "Go on Sofia."

    "Say, shall we all read it together? Considering we found ourselves willingly confined to this room, we might as well "

    "Um... sure. On the condition, Lisa epts," Sofia said. The two waited for her response.

    "Sure, brother," Lisa replied.

    She took out the letter while the other two decided to gather around. ording to the letter, they will need to pack their most important things, because a bunch of men wille to pick them up at dawn, to bring them over to the boat. Although the letter didn''t state why the three children felt something fishy was going on."

    "So... what should we do?" Lisa asked. The trio remained silent, not wanting to vocalize their thoughts. They first made sure that nobody was around there before they start to voice their opinions.

    "Alright... since no one is roaming around the halls, please speak your minds."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Hm... maybe a war?"

    "A war?"

    "Yes. We learned this in our history ss today. Think about it. Our mother and the Queen here have not been on good terms, as far as I know."

    "Dearest sister, don''t you think it would be too extreme for the both of them to risk the lives of people for their petty quarrels?"

    "This is not about them. It''s about the angelisist church."

    "What do you mean?" Edward questioned her, just as confused as much as Sofia was.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "I will keep it short. Last month, do you two remember what the queen told you about the church?"

    "Yes, I remember it clearly." Sofia nodded with Edward on his statement. But then, a wave of horror goes across both their faces.

    "That is right. A religious war. One that attempts to overthrow the current angelisist church, in favor of her own. Just like the past before us, there will be blood."

    "So... what do we do?" Edward asked.

    "Personally, I think we better hand the note to a trusted official or a teacher. Maybe the principal himself."

    "What? Why?" Sofia asked in shock.

    "Sister, did you not listen to what went on in history ss?" Lisa questioned her sister in an annoyed tone.

    "Well..."

    "Once the war is over, the losing side will get eliminated in order to bring in a new order. That is how it always goes."

    "So... why do you think they will win?"

    "It''s simple. They first have Queen Rose Valline herself, who is said to be a prodigy, even among the elites! Second of all, she has ensured the use of a new weapon to help her gain victory."

    "You mean..."

    "Yes. That. If we turn ourselves in, we may get to live. Maybe... even thrive?"

    "But... but our mother? Our father? What about them?" Sofia said. The two girls looked down with their hands on their heads. Tears started to drop from the girl''s eyes as the overbearing emotions went over the two as they realized the gravity of the situation. Edward, who did manage to hold his tears, was still in shock.

    He sat on a chair and started thinking it all through. Despite everything, his parents still meant a lot to him. They have been there for him all his life, taking care of him, and loving him. He may have wanted the throne, but he still cared for his parents.

    "We should do it," Edward said.

    "What?" the two girls asked, with tears still pouring out. He gets up from the chair and started to exin his choice.

    "Listen to me. Presumably, if she takes over the continent, that would mean she would need people to run the new territories right?"

    "Well... yes."

    "That is where we cane in. If we deflect, we might be able to convince her to keep our mother, father, and brother alive! How does that sound?" he asked. The two girls thought about it.

    "...alright. I agree with you. And you, Sofia?"

    Sofia was still in deep thought. She never expected a moment like this to actuallye to fruition. She felt helpless, yet... she remembered someone. She remembered... him. Sofia took a deep breath, turned to her siblings, and replied.

    "Alright... Let''s do it."

 Chapter 101 Declaration Of War

    ?In the cold, dark, gloomy dungeon, two old men, in prison clothes made of a single brown hemp piece, were present in their ratherrge cell. Their hands were held behind their back, wrapped around with chains, and forced to kneel due to cuffs on the floor. On the pope''s cuffs, was a jet-ck stone, preventing him from using any magic.

    The cold stone floor made the elderly men shiver, while the pain of kneeling for so long made their legs burn in pain. The room itself was dead silent, with the only sound they could hear are the deep breaths they took to love.

    Then, there was a knock on the metal door. The men turned their heads to see what it was. The door then opened afterward, revealing a knight bringing in more men involved in the rescue operations. Their hands were also covered in chains, wearing the same prisoner rag.

    The pope was bbergasted at the sight of it all... Many more questions raced through his mind, none of which he had the answer to. They were locked in ce, a bit further away and to the side of the room, distancing them from the pope.

    With his weak voice, the pope asked the men.

    "What happened?"

    "We don''t know, your holiness. We were just getting ready, but then, we got jumped. Someone has leaked information beforehand."

    "But how?" he asked. Just then, their ears pick up the noise of steps. Steps made from a pair of leather shoes, expensive shoes. The door unlocks, revealing a tall feminine figure; Rose Valline. She was wearing a white gown, with many floral patterns and details embedded into it.

    The woman red at the two old men; the pope and the decoy. she raised her hand and cast a spell, forming arge ball of light to form. Using her mind, he controlled it to move to the center of the room, clearing away the darkness.

    Her eyes moved slowly as she examined the two old men. A few moments of silence went by before Rosemented.

    "You two look very simr, your holiness. They appeared to be lucky with this one..." shemented. The pope felt a shiver in his spine as she continued to re at him. Yet, he picked up the courage to plead with the queen, to spare her life.

    "Your majesty. You are making a grave mistake! If you continue on this path, so much bloodshed will be spil..."

    Rose red at him with vicious eyes. The pope''s mouth immediately shuts down on its own.

    "You have no right to speak of bloodshed, after all the atrocious crimes and decisions the church made that had ruined the lives of millions, myself included. The church has failed tomit to its duties, therefore I am here to inflict righteous punishment on it, as one should."

    "What nonsense are you..." Rose held out her hand and cast a magical spell. For a split second, the pope felt his face burn with fire. He stops talking again, not wanting to get hurt.

    "The church''s duties are simple. Give people hope in a time of trouble, to be the unbiased mediator during a conflict between two kingdoms, and to be the interpreter of god. Those are the three simple duties, yet you failed to perform all of them!

    The first duty. During the Session Crisis of 4,990 I.C. When wars erupted all over the continent, my parents had to fight to establish peace, while the church had to keep the people calm.

    Yet, when the church saw it could expand more of its power, it spread fear and panic among the people, leading to hundreds of thousands of people dying and suffering, all because of its greed.

    The church got its wish. It established awork of allies in the north, all at the expense of my family. My father was killed, leaving my mother a widow. She was never the same afterward."

    "I..."

    "Silence. Next, was the marriage. To allow a peaceful coexistence with this new elite, my parents wanted to marry my siblings and me off to the leaders in the north. I was willing to leave everything behind.

    My lover... my family... everything.

    But did know what happens next, your holiness?

    My siblings suddenly die, my lover vanishes, and I sumb to the disease, forcing my mother to cancel the wedding," she said in a cold voice, with a hint of anger present.

    "It went all ording to n, except for one part of it; I managed to survive. I had a suspicion it was you all, but I could never prove it. At least, until I got some help."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Help?"

    "I got connections to many people, your holiness. People you do not want to mess with. I learned why you helped her. She bribed him with endless riches she would get from the rich trading kingdom, and she gave him the idea to kill off my family, all because of her desire to be with her ''lover.''

    And you knew about it. You were there. You knew what was going on, and yet you did nothing..." A little moment of silence appears, allowing the pope to process what he heard.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "The third duty. An interpreter to god. You want to know what the previous pope was like, your holiness?" he stayed silent.

    "A disgusting vermin, without a drain of empathy inside him. A conman who stole thousands'' livelihoods to make himself rich. A total humiliation to the church. You expected me to believe that god himself chose him? That the sacred crystal chose him? No.

    I know what happened. I know why our prayers weren''t heard. I know why that man-child became the pope. God didn''t choose him, but the corrupt cardinals. Because god is dead, and he has perished."

    "No, NO! That is not the truth..." before the prisoners start to scream in anger, she used a magic spell that inflicted unbearable pain upon them. Their voices, which they used to speak, refused to open.

    "Ever since then, I nned, I schemed, I learned, and I patiently waited for the right moment to strike, gaining many allies along the way, including the ones who helped me capture you."

    Rose kneeled to get closer to the pope, who was now visibly shivering.

    "Do you know who they are, your holiness?"

    "What?"

    "The allies that helped me capture you?"

    "How should I..."

    "Their own children, your holiness. I filled their heads with everything I needed. So when the timees, they will willingly betray their own. Rest assured your holiness, by the time the demonic wave approaches, I will have already exterminated the church.

    When that timees, your holiness, I would make sure that you and yourckeys all suffer for the sins you havemitted." Total silence, as their fears consumed them from speaking up. Rose stands up once again, and leaves the jail cell, but not before turning off her magical light, leaving them in nothing, but darkness.

    ...

    On a bright morning, a day after meeting up with the pope who is locked away in the dungeon, Rose, wearing a shiny new suit of armor, with runes attached all over, came out to the balcony. Below, she saw thousands of men, either wearing a suit of armor like hers or wearing a blue uniform, holding their matchlock muskets.

    Gathered around in the streets, were the people themselves, who all cheered on as their queen made their way. They all seem to be excited about what she has to say. Rose, after raising her hand, got the crowd to remain silent.

    "My fellow citizens, about 2 months ago, I made a great promise! The promise of freedom from the tyranny of the church! Now, fellow citizens. The time hase!

    Yesterday, the fraud who ims to be a ''representative of god'', tried to escape with the help of his allies. However, we managed to catch on beforehand to their misdeeds. Their attempt at escape, however, means that are preparing for war!"

    Many great battles are ahead of us. Everyone here, including myself. There may be food shortages. There may be more demonic attacks.

    However, remember fellow citizens! We are fighting for freedom and liberation! Freedom from the tyranny of the church. With our superior army, we shall reach the other end of the continent, and im humanity''s soul once again!"

    With that, thundering apuse went up in the air, with the chant "Long Live The Queen!" shouted by every man, woman, and child in the city. Of course, the children didn''t know what was going on and just imitating their parents. The adults on the other hand, couldn''tprehend what was toe.

 Chapter 102 Early Invasion.

    ?2 dayster, after the deration of war, the three heads of the big three already gathered in the northwest border cities of Tyrol, Gardon, and Xaver. They received the message about the failed attempt on rescuing the pope and their children. Assuming that Rose Valline will soon dere war, the men wanted to gather up their forces, and start their invasion.

    However, considering they received the message near dawn, they all collectively agreed to set out in the early morning tomorrow. One nightter, on the 1st of Nummum, the northern armies prepared to march forward.

    The invasion n was simple. Launch an attack through the western side of the continent to make their way to the city of Villina. This hopefully puts pressure on the queen to send more knights and peasant infantry to the western side of the continent.

    From there on, an attack would beunched in the east. Though there might be trouble getting past therge tributary, from there onwards, it could be a breeze through the enemynds as it would be scarcely defended. Once they arrive at the city of Villine, they will save the pope, save their children, and burn the heretic, as they should have done long ago.

    Danial was to march from the city of Tyrol, while Corel was to head down from the city of Gardon, therge city next to Tyrol, while Salvatore was to go down from the city of Xaver. Malinda, Fiona, and Samatha, with their respective knightmanders, had all taken a position on the river, to defend the eastern side. Once Phase 1 of the n ispleted, they wouldunch the attack by crossing the river.

    Before the sunset even arose, around 4 AM, the soldiers were woken up early. The peasant infantry, after grabbing their weapon of choice, either a spear and shield or a bow, said goodbyes to their families and joined up in the city squares.

    The knights, who were on the backs of horses, were at the front, while the peasant infantry was at the back. They had prepared all the equipment they will need to make it to the next city via small caravans pulled by mules.

    Some lucky ones, who had connections to people in a higher positions of power, managed to get on a caravan themselves and sit out the ride. At the very front of it wall, sitting on a white horse, was the monarch themselves, leading the army forward.

    After a quick speech to elevate their spirits, the men, wearing their best pairs of shoes, marched 3mph (4.83km/h) on paved roads all over the continent. Roads built millennia back to the Asterarian Imperium days.

    As they march continuously for a long time, the sun boiled them all alive. Although the knights were worse off, considering they were stuck inside that metal suit, the peasant soldiers felt as if their knees were slowly broken with each step they took.

    Danial, who had marched with his men for about 2 days and 12 hours, which covered a distance of 75 miles in total, ordered another stoop to take a look at his map. While the men sat on the ground, exhausted, his blue eyes scanned thendscape, looking forndmarks to pinpoint where they were. Using his spyss, he checked to see a small shallow river.

    "Ah, there it is!" hements. About 273 yards (250 meters) from their position, he can see a river flowing eastward. With their location pinpointed, he then looks for some kind of marking. When it was confirmed no markings are to be seen, they marched left to the river, where it flowed, till they came across a bridge.

    The bridge presented the army with a bottle cap. Being only 2 meters wide, it would take some time to fully cross the bridge, especially while carrying all that equipment. So, to make the maximum use of their time, Danial and a bunch of knight scouts crossed first.

    Danial gives and instructs his scouts to search for the agricultural city of Browntown. The city of 45,000 that has plenty of excess food that they could use to feed their soldiers, knights, and peasants alike. However, as Danial suspects, the city would be guarded by an army, as it would be a goodunching point for Rose Valine.

    The scouts disappear for about 12 minutes before returning back. By this point, about 480 knights have managed to cross the small bridge, with the peasant army still in waiting. Theye straight to Danial and unload the information they found.

    "We found Browntown, your highness! It is about 3.1 miles (5 km) from the bridge!" the lead scout said.

    "Did you see anyone guarding it? Any soldiers present, and if so, how many?" he questioned. Another knight stepped forward to answer.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Yes, your highness! We spot about 3000 peasant infantry split into three groups along with about a hundred cavalry to their sides. From what we saw, they were about to depart the city! They might reach us in a few hours or so!"

    "What did they look like?"

    "Most of the knights had runic armor on, while the infantry looked rather normal. We suspect it isprised of a bunch of locals. No sign of reinforcements."

    Danial ces his hot hand on his chin and immediately retracts it as it started to burn him. Although it was reinforced, the town wasn''t as reinforced as it was. It appeared to be the perfect time to strike them before any more reinforcements can arrive.

    After a few minutes of him, internally debating. he made the decision to immediately march on the city and take over it. He waited for a while till he got the right amount of soldiers he needed to do the job, and appointed a random night to oversee the bridge crossing.

    He gathered about 5,000 infantrymen and separated them into two units, all given a potion of strength and endurance. Each unit was expected to have 2,500 men. There are about 100 on each row while containing 25 columns of men. The two units were to engage the cavalry and defeat it by holding the line. He expected to achieve this with the pure grit of the Hoverdam''s soldiers'' spirit, and a few strength potions they brought along the way.

    Meanwhile, about 100 knights will be separated into 2 units. Forming an arrowhead shape, they will move around and attack the peasant army from the sides with high speed, and attempt a breakthrough, though they might not be needing any potions for their task.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® With the group all set, Danial marched forward with his troops, wanting to gain some glory for Hoverdam, and himself. They marched for 2 hours until they encountered the enemy. By this point, the enemy appeared to be ready.

    The two sides stared at each other until one side blew a horn. With that, the enemy started charging at them. Danial personally leads his army to battle, as one should. The enemy knights start charging the infantry, with their runes activated.

    Despite their weapons boosting their strength, the infantry held and started to pick off the knights. They first stabbed their horses with their spears. Some immediately fall to the ground and be vulnerable. In the midst of the chaos, both sides manage to kill each other effectively.

    The enemy peasant infantry, which was much further away, felt a bit suspicious. They looked around to see where Danial''s cavalry was, only to realizete that they were approaching from the sides. The men tried to quickly maneuver in order to resist the attack, but it was toote. The knights, with full force, mowed through the enemy infantry like it was nothing. They then withdraw and attack from a different position.

    Amongst the chaos, bodies start falling to the ground. Danial, who was on top of his horse, tried to find themander of the enemy unit. At this point, he had ranked several kills. He looked around, amongst the battlefield, where men fought to the end.

    Just then, he senses a spearing in his direction. He moves out of the way for it to miss. In a split second, as if it was instant, he cuts the spear off with his longsword. Danial then turns to the attacker. He wore a green mana-stone runic armor, meaning a high leveled knight. With his attention at his focused, the two men fight.

    The sword fight was chaotic and fast, onlysting for 2 minutes. The two men shed while their horses ran around with each other. The two swords shed with each other extremely fast, with the one who misses dying in defeat. With Danial''s speed, skill, and increased strength due to his magical power, he managed to overpower and kill the enemy.

    With the enemymander dead, Danial screamed at the top of his lungs, pronouncing his death. With him gone, the soldiers lose the will to fight and surrender to Danial. The first battle of the war, does to the north.

 Chapter 103 Problems Arise In Supplies

    ?Meanwhile, in the city of Hoverdam, the OSAC group trio of Oswald, Jac, and Alister met up at Oswald''s house so that they all could sit next to each other while staring down a stone mason who went by the name Decan Hurst. As expected on a hot day like today, they all wore long-sleeved shirts, with a tie around them, and ck pants along with some new pair of leather shoes.

    Oswald possessed a red tie, while Jac went with an expensive purple tie. Alister on the other hand went with a calm blue. While they did have different colored ties, they all owned the same colored suit, a dark navy blue. Very expensive, but it made them look rather professional.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® They had their suits tailored for many reasons. One was to appeal to the Prince so that when their next meeting take ce, he would feelplimented. The second reason was the hot weather that rages during the summer.

    Decan, on the other hand, was wearing a normal tunic, with a pair of breeches and a pair of calfskin boots. He did not have much money to waste on such fancy suits, not yet at least.

    "Your outfit looks very fashionable gentlemen," heplimented first.

    "Thank you. Now, I assume you have the blueprint we havemissioned?" Jac questions Decan.

    "Yes, Mr. Jac. I do. My team worked along with a few craftsmen with the knowledge of the steam engine and other textile machinery to make it work." Decan reaches into his leather satchel bag he brought along with him for this meeting. He takes out arge roll piece of beige paper. He unravels it and turns it around for the trio to see.

    The beige paperys out a simple blueprint of the building. On the right side of the building, features a sort of stable, with spaces for caravans toe in and deliver the necessary items to be processed, in this case, cotton.

    Next to the stable room, connected to the lower half of the stable, was where the spinning mules hung around. Connected and powered by steam engines, these machines would make quick work of the cotton by turning it into threads.

    Above the room containing the spinning mule, is where the power loom is located. Also powered by steam engines, these machines quickly turn the threads to fabric efficiently. As the power loom room is located next to it is a smaller packaging room, where the fabric would be packaged to be ced inside the caravans.

    "We did our best to incorporate all your requests while designing the building. We estimate it has a maximum capacity of about 40 people. About 20 in the mule room, 14 at the loom, and 6 in the packaging room.

    The machines are located on the sides of each room so that the middle could be a hallway where people can easily bring in the cotton supplies and hand them out to the workers, and then bring the threads over to the loom room quickly.

    The building can also be easily expanded in terms of floors or space. We installed areas for pipes to be installed so the steam can safely leave the building, and the rooms are connected the way it was requested.

    So... gentlemen. What do you all think?" Decan asked. The group looked at it further before giving anyment.

    "Hmm... It looks good. Say, do you happen to have any sketches of how the building might look like?" Alister asks.

    "Ah, yes. I do." he goes down to his bag again, and hands out the sketches. They feature the buildings from the exterior front and side, while also having some on the interior.

    The architecture followed the Arteco Design Movement, which was extremely simr to Art Deco. The particr building followed the sleek, geometric styling, and cubist characteristics of the architecture. The windows, like many others, were made of wood.

    "Amazing. It looks good," Alistermented.

    "Thank you, Mr. Alister, Mr. Oswald. What do you think Mr. Jac?" Jac examined the sketches a bit further thanmenting.

    "...Good. I like it." Decan smiles.

    "So... gentlemen. What do you think?" he questions again.

    "You and your team have done well Mr. Decan. Now what we need is to construct the building itself. I assume your firm also offers construction services?"

    "Yes. Although we can take some of our time to hire team members and construct the building, we will need a bit of money upfront."

    "How much are you assuming?"

    "Normally, I would charge about 75 silver for a building of this caliber. However, if we manage to receive, say a material for a cheaper price, I might be able to bring it down. I assume you all currently control the cement factory, correct?" Decan asked.

    The trio was surprised that he learned of their ownership, but not shocked. I mean, it is a business deal after all. Information regarding both sides is key to gaining the advantage. Jac, being the negotiator, asked his price.

    "If you lower the price of your cement by... about 40%, I can easily decrease it to 36 silver coins. How does that sound, eye?" Jac thought of it for a minute, before responding.

    "How many tons of cement do you need?"

    "Hmm... about... 900 tons of cement? Maybe more."

    He whispered to his partner''s eye on his proposal, before putting it forward to Decan.

    The two were dismayed a little but trusted in Jac''s judgment. With them giving the green light, Jac gave his offer.

    "We will give the cement for free, but you will have to reduce it to 18 silver coins. How does that sound?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "27 silver coins, and it''s a deal."

    "How about 24?" Jac counter offered. Decan thought of it before responding.

    "Alright. Agreed," he replies. The two men shook their hands on it. Just then, there was a knock on the door. A maid enters their room and informs them that Mr. Hugo Higgins had arrived to see them.

    "Well, it appears this is where our meeting ends. Say, when shall construction begin?" Decan asks.

    "We will inform you at the adequate time," Jac replied. With that, Decan left the room, allowing Hugo to enter. He had worn a short-sleeved cotton tunic, acorn gray breeches, and calfskin shoes. Hugo appeared to breathe heavily as if he had run for his life. His whole body and clothing were drenched in sweat from the heat.

    "Mr. Higgins! What brings you here?" Oswald asks.

    "Big trouble gentlemen. May I sit down?" Hugo requests while pointing at the empty chair that used to be upied by Decan.

    "Of course! Sit down," Oswald replied. Hugo walks over and upies the seat. From his pocket, he takes out a napkin to wipe off the sweat from his face.

    "Hot day, huh?"

    "Well yes, but that is the least of our worries, gentlemen," Hugomented.

    "I see. What appears to be the problem?" Jac questioned Hugo.

    "The cotton supply, gentlemen. A messenger arrived today informing me that all shipments from the south to the north had been blocked!" he said.

    "Ah. The war."

    "What?" Hugo queries.

    "Well, there has been a... conflict ignited by the north and south kingdoms. This would mean that we might not see any imports from the south anytime soon." Hugo had a horrified look on his face.

    "But... but how will I ever be able to make my products now?" he asks.

    "Simple, we switched to an alternative for the time being. Ain''t that right gentlemen?" Jac directed at the others, who smiled and nodded ordingly.

    "Alright... but where will I get these supplies?" he asks.

    "Hmm... Oswald?" Jac turned to Oswald.

    "I know a man who knows a lot of sheepherders in the east. I could try to contact him to get us some wool. Their main trade partner was stationed primarily in the south, so we can assume that the supply chain had been cut off."

    "Ah, so with the recent void in their demand, we can scoop in and take over their entire supplies. It would provide us with a brilliant opportunity," Alistermented

    "What?"

    "You mainly worked with cotton, correct?" Alister queried

    "Yes?"

    "Well, if you managed to get the hand of wool we would have two fabrics to work with. The factory we havemissioned features two lines of assembly. Although originally, we nned to have both these run cotton, we can make sure that one runs cotton while the other is wool.

    By the time the war would be over, we would have the factory built. That means we could finally buy up more cotton supplies, and produce cotton fabrics, along with wool fabrics at the same time. We will be able to produce them cheaply and be able to outsell ourpetitors. Do you understand?"

    "Um... yes, sir. I do."

    "Good. Now, do you have any remaining cotton supplies left to work with? Can you continue producing?"

    "Yes, I could for about 2 weeks at the most."

    "Perfect! By the time you run out, we would have the wooling to rece it. You have to worry about!"

    "I see. Alright then. Thank you, gentlemen. I will make my leave now." Hugo thanked the men and left the room.

 Chapter 104 The Musketeers March On

    ?The sun rested on the top of the sky as Carson stood on top of the deck of the wooden sailship, along with the rest of hisrades, resting his hands on the wooden safeguards on the side, admiring the beauty of the scenery, while others were trying their best to hold in their vomit.

    It had been a whole day since Carson and the rest of the Musketeers had to board a ship to quickly get to the western side of the border, where they hope to catch the invading army. They were tond in the small city of Henson, where the men will refill their bellies and get some well-deserved rest.

    From there onwards, the soldiers were expected to march for days on end if they have to, to catch the invading northern army. Thanks to the help of her spies, Queen Rose managed to figure out that the northern kingdoms were going tounch an attack through the west. It was much easier to do so for them, and they could make their way down quickly.

    In response, she decided to deploy all 42,000 of her new soldiers, along with knight cavalry as support, to fight and reim back the stolennd, especially several key cities located near the northwest border such as Ebole, Sydney, and Browntown.

    Once they manage to take these cities again, Phase Two of their n can initiate. From there, they willunch their invasion to the north. The strategy there would be to use quickly march across thend, moving day and night, to encircle, trap and capture the enemy kings. With the help of their guns, powerful knights, and the queen herself, they could surely aplish such a goal.

    Once that ispleted, the invasion from the east will begin. This is prompting her allies, who are mostly stationed on the east side of the continent, willunch their attack. Although they won''t have guns, they should be able to preupy them till Rose marches her army and encircles them. While all this is happening, a revolt will ur, which would add more fuel to the fire.

    With the new leaders in charge, she can negotiate with them to her terms, which would be good enough to keep them in line, while harsh enough so that they won''t be able to revolt against her. An economic alliance would be crafted, enabling the incentive to stay loyal.

    The huge vessel was about 130 feet (40 meters) long and was said to be able to hold 500 managing to hold 551 tons (500 metric tons). Each ship held about 800 musketeer soldiers, along with 50 knights and their horses. Aside from that, the ship contained all the equipment such as weapons, ammunition, tents, food, and water needed for the arduous journey. In the front and behind, not too far away from them, are more sailboats containing the same amount of people.

    In terms of sleeping stations, the knights gotfortable beds in their separate quarters, the musketeers were forced to all sleep together inrge rooms, with too few beds. Most slept on the floor, with even some sleeping on the deck.

    These few ships carried the whole brigade Carson belonged to. Theirmander was the famous and experienced Leroy Herway. An old retired knight who got brought back to self amanding role.

    With a great bald head, a thick mustache, and a pair of hazel-brown eyes, he was ready to lead. Chosen by her royal highness Rose Valline herself. Despite his old age, he managed to prove to himself that he was capable of learning and adapting very quickly, impressing everyone, even the queen.

    The man wore his signature gray uniform, which many wore when not supposed to enterbat. Although, since he is taking a moremanding role, he was prompted by the army to wear it, to give a sense of authority, and a morale boost among the troops.

    Herrold was right next to Carson, who was admiring the view with him. The two pointed at the things they see, including some very intimidating demons. Thankfully, they didn''t appear to know how to win.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Man... this ce is beautiful," Carsonmented.

    "I know. I envy those who get to see this every day. Though it might not be the best ce to live," Herroldmented.

    "Hey, you think we could one day own a plot ofnd like this?"

    "What, like... thisnd?"

    "Yea?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Nonsense. It will probably never happen in our lifetime."

    "I know, I know. It''s just... a man can dream, can he?"

    Just then, a masculine voice shouted at the soldiers on the deck. This grabbed the attention of everyone, who immediately turned their heads to see what it was all about.

    "Men! Prepare yourself! We are approaching our destination! Soon, you will all be marching across thend, day and night, to stop the terror from making its way down to ournd anymore!" themander yelled from the top.

    "Huh. That quick? Thought it would have taken a few more days."

    "Well, whatever man. At least we can get something to eat again. I am feeling a little hungry."

    With that said, Carson saw the ports of what appeared to be a small city and pointed them to Herrold. This is where they would hopefully resupply anything they would need. The wind mages sitting on top of the deck finally started easing up a bit, allowing the boat the slow down. The crewmen then dropped down the anchor to slow the boat even further.

    From the port itself, small wooden rowboats came to help the captain dock the ship properly, without breaking the expensive vessel. Once the ship was docked, and the bridges connected, themander selected a few men to form a line and made their way down professionally from the boat, while the others would help bring the cargo down with them.

    Carson, who was paired up with a knight, helped lift the boxes of swords and bring them down to the caravans, which were attached to horses belonging to the city. Once everything was packed, the men headed their way down to the restaurants, where they were given food to eat by the locals, as it was an order from the city monarch.

    The food tasted great, rtive to the cooking at home. They had a diverse diet, including bread, carrots, beans, cheese, and fish, along with a ss of milk. With their stomachs all filled up, the sweaty soldiers were ready to march across thend once again.

    Themander got them all onto positions. The soldiers all form 15 columns and 30 rows, forming 450 soldiers in each block of soldiers. In total, there were about 2,700 musketeers present, along with 1,800 pikemen, all stationed in the other row of a block. In total, there were around 10 blocks of these soldiers.

    In the front and rear, were the knights on top of their horses. Each side featured 85 knights, 170 knights in total. They were to guard the front and rear, in case something happened. In between the soldier blocks, were the caravans holding their food, tent, water, ammunition, and other supplies.

    At the very front, was themander himself. Riding on top of his majestic white stallion. With a great longsword in his hand, he used his voice to order his troops. With a few instructions, the men start marching forward.

    As the day progressed, the man marched on for hours, before taking a proper break. Like the ones in Danial''s army, they felt a burning sensation of pain through their legs. It was their first time for walking so long.

    They kept on walking till the night when a few knights got in between the soldier blocks to provide a source of light. Once it finally reached two hours before midnight, is when they stopped again. At this point, they have managed to march 24 miles (38.6 km). However, instead of getting to take a break, the musketeers had to work hard in setting up tents and a temporary defensive line, to make sure that the enemy won''t ambush them during the dark.

    They were separated into different teams and given the necessary equipment to do so. Carson and Herrold brought in plenty of wood from the trees, while the others helped set up the tents, wooden walls, and towers. By the time they were done, it was already midnight, and their surroundings had slowly gotten darker to pitch ck.

    A few knights, who had taken their time to rest, were put on guard duty to make sure to be on the lookout for any enemy scot and such, while the musketeers get to sleep soundly. Carson, who got a thin stack of hay to sleep, felt relieved. After days of sleeping on the floor, and hours of marching, his brain rewarded him with a sensational hit of dopamine, he had never felt before.

 Chapter 105 Suspicions Arise

    ?Arjun, wearing a white cloak, sat in his office looking at the report. It had been nearly a week since the spy squealed about their coborative efforts. As a result, the remaining knights, who were supposed to be defending the city from any demonic attacks were now upied with finding any men guilty of suspicious activities. It wasn''t all bad, however, as they had the help of the new police force.

    Regardless, no matter what, he is going to have to be more cautious. Any information that needs to be given now was handed through an expensive white envelope, glued shut so that only the recipient would read it. As an extra projection, they used a strong small purple ribbon to tie it around in a roll. Purple dye was very expensive, and they doubt anyone would have the funds to afford it.

    So far, he had managed to identify and put to death 2 maids and 3 knights so far with this method. Currently, they have 3 more suspects being interrogated. Suspects who were close to the previous culprits. However, upon further questioning, they hinted at the fact that there was a lot more present in the castle. Either that or they were bluffing to spook him.

    Just then, he remembered to hand over a letter and the report to Kant, as he requested. He had been busy designing and making new types of devices to help improve his flintlock musket. The design was for a device that ''helped make grooves inside the barrel''.

    Other than the letter, there was a report on immigration. Apparently, the report states that more wealthy artisans, merchants, and stone masons have been moving into the city, who im they wanted to take advantage of the new institutions that have popped up in thest two months.

    Although it is usible, Arjun suspected it was due to the war going on in the south, and that they would like to stay far away from it as possible. Regardless, he got up from his seat and walks out of his room to the hallway. From there, he journeys across the pce, over to his door.

    Just as he was about to ce his hand on the knob, from behind, he can hear the voice of Cora. She was just making her leave, but not before dismissing herself.

    "I will be on my way, master," she said. Arjun immediately retracts and hides in a corner, waiting for her to leave.

    "Master?" he whispers to himself. Soon, Cora opens the door and leaves the room. Arjun, feeling as if he had learned some big secret, pondered what it could mean. Usually, she would refer to him as "Prince Kant", which is far different from master. The word master was used at a more professional level, while the name followed up by the title was a bit more personal.

    ''What are the chances that Cora could be one?'' he thought. It was a possibility, however, he cannot bepletely sure. At first nce, she looks to be the person least likely to be part of Salvator Humat, regarding her past history.

    But then, he remembers. One of the coborators of Salvator Humat was one of her friends. In that case, the chance is one of them would skyrocket. It was the reason that when he heard she got caught, he did suspect Cora a little.

    As he thinks further, as if a light bulb switched on his head, he remembers the day when Kant pitched the flintlock musket for the first time. Kant mentioned that one was most vulnerable when one thought they were safe. Could that mean she had revealed herself, and now using him as a sort of hostage?

    Arjun looked at the tightly sealed letter. He realizes that this could have been the perfect opportunity for them to send him messages that only he could read. Deciding that it was for the best for him, Arjun turned back, straight for his office.

    Arriving back at his office, he ced the envelope down and searched his drawer. He found a file, regarding the information regarding the suspects and the guilty he had been provided. From his examination, they all worked as a sort of personal, or close to a personal position of one member of the government and the royal family.

    He checked her file containing her decade-long history of working here, as well as her background. Soon, he starts finding discrepancies regarding her past. He starts writing them down on a piece of paper, before summoning one of his most trusted knights, Leon.

    "You requested my presence, sir?" he asked.

    "Yes. I want you to investigate Cora. The prince''s maid. I have reason to believe that she might be part of the Salvatore Humat organization," he exined to Leon, who listened in very carefully.

    "Alright sir, but what about the experiments? The order?"

    "Do not worry about that. I will consult it with the prince and find a suitable recement, is that good?"

    "Hmm... alright then."

    "Good. You may take your leave now."

    With that, Leon left the room. Arjun turned to face the letter, wondering what was inside it. Considering he has more envelopes just like it, he decided to carefully tear it open and read the letter.

    Nothing noteworthy seemed present. Arjun made sure to write it down, just in case there was some hidden meaning to decode, ced the letter into a new envelope, and brought it over to Kant.

    ...

    On his desk, multiple books were opened for Kant to read clearly. In front of him was his typewriter, with a beige paper inserted. He appeared to be typing something, using the information stored in the books. As it was a hot day, Kant was sweating a little, even after taking off his suit.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Just then, there was a knock on the door. After putting a smile on his face, he let the one on the other side enter the room. Arjun, who looked rather calm and collected, entered the room. He held a stack of papers, as well as a white envelope tied around a purple ribbon.

    "Good morning, sire. Working on a piece of legition?" Arjun asked.

    "Yes. Now, can you hand me my letter and report?" Kant requested. Arjun willingly gives over the report and the envelope. Kant, after holding and looking at the envelope, puts it down and reads the report first.

    The report details one''s upation, where one came from, how long one intended to stay, and other important details Kant needed to know.

    "520 merchants! That is good. Better than the 120st time. 350 stone masons... 140 weavers... 170 tailors... 240 smiths..." Kant continued to read the report, and he saw that most of them are from near the area closest to the line that separates the north from the south, with the leasting from close by.

    "2,500 people in total. Nice." Kant decides to ce the report in abeled file he took from the drawer, then keep it inside a cab.

    He walks back to his chair, sits down, and examines the envelope. Kant''s smile has faded, reced with a cold face. He takes off the ribbon and tries to feel the envelope letter before opening it up. Hepared the letter to the envelope. He noticed that the envelope was less rolled than the letter, meaning someone had opened it, and based on the appearance of the roll, it was opened VERY recently.

    Arjun, who is still standing there, finally sat down. His heart beats a little faster seeing Kant observe the letter and the envelope. Kant then moved on to reading the letter, detailing that the rifled flintlock musket is ready, thanks to a simple device Kant invented and gifted the smith.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "All appears to be in order," Kant said. Arjun let out a deep breath. Kant puts the letter and envelope down, and turns his attention to Arjun.

    "Is there anything for you to say, minister?" he asked.

    "Yes, sire. I have to inform you that Knight Leon De Vandel won''t be there to test your rifle with you. Mind choosing a different one?"

    "What happened to Knight Leon?"

    "I had given him an important assignment to do. It would be a while until he would be able to join you again."

    "I see... That is fine. I was meaning to try it out myself."

    "Excuse me, sire?"

    "Try it out myself. I mean, I am designing a weapon for my own self-defense after all."

    "Ah yes. Of course. Say, sire, when does that other riflee in?"

    "I estimate it shoulde in about 2 to 3 days in time. Along with the other barrel of gunpowder and paper cartridges."

    "I see. Alright then. That is all I have to say."

    "Good. You may leave the room now. By the way, make sure you tell Cora to get a cup of coffee. I forgot to ask her about it."

    "Ah, of course... sire." Arjun stood up from his chair and then left the room. Kant looked at the envelope and the letter again. It was clear to him that someone opened it beforehand, as the new envelope was much tter than the letter.

    Kant suspected Arjun to be the culprit, considering he has possession of a bunch of white envelopes and was thest one he knew of holding them. The retraction of Leon further increased his suspicion of him as well, as the one behind the door. Although Kant wasn''t certain, it was likely that it was him behind that door. As a result, Kant made an assumption that it was him, and that his ears did not deceive him. In this regard, it is better to be safe than sorry.

    He picks up a nk piece of paper and starts writing something on it. Cora soon enters the room, holding a tray with ceramics on top. The teapot was spouting steam off its spout, while the cup was filled with air.

    As Cora leaned down to give him his coffee, he showed her the piece of paper he had. It read ''Be careful. The minister may be watching.''

 Chapter 106 Army On The Hill, Looking Down Below

    ?Danial and his army had managed to march another 60 miles (97 km) deeper into enemy territory. By this point, they have managed to capture and plunder many cities and viges of their resources to keep his fast paste onward, while maintaining minimal casualties. They had faced some hard battles, forming them to use a lot more of their magic, but they did manage to refill up on their mana reserves rather quickly with the use of crystals.

    From his point, there were only slightly less than 540 miles (870 km) left till he manages to reach Villina, en route to Bakersvill. At this rate, he should be able to reach the city in about a month and a half time. His soldiers, who had been walking for 4 hours at this point, appeared to desire a rest badly, along with their horses and mules. One brave soul decided to step up for the whole group, asking Danial whether they could rest.

    "Your highness, may we stop here for a moment? For all our feet feels if they are about to fall apart," he said. Thanks to the fruits of this man''s effort, Danial chose to reward them with what they desired.

    "Halt!" he said. The entire army stopped marching immediately hearing his orders.

    "We shall rest here for now!" Everyone who wasn''t on top of a horse breathed a huge sigh of relief. They stopped and sat down on the ground, allowing their legs to get a good rest. Danial turned to his scouts and gave them the map.

    "I want you all to scout the area, and see if there are any enemies nearby," he instructed. The knights nodded and rode across thendscape as a quad of 4. 25 minutester, they all safely returned, gathering all the information they could.

    "ENEMY SPOTTED! THEY ARE ON THE HILL! 2 MILES (3.2 km) TO THE SOUTH!" the knight shouted for Danial''s ears to pick up. He turned around and asked the knights a bunch of other questions regarding them.

    "Did they see you all?"

    "Negative sire," The knight responded confidently.

    "Are there any defenses? Fortifications? Anything?" Danial continued to question.

    "They seem to be nearly finished setting it up, your highness. We saw a wooden structure, along with a moat surrounding it. There were also theserge metal barrelsying down on the side as well. They appear to be well, fortified."

    "What about their size? How many of them did you all see?"

    "We saw about a couple thousand strange soldiers in blue, your highness." The answer sparked curiosity within the king.

    "Blue?" he asked, wanting the knight to borate.

    "Yes, your highness. I remember them wearing a blue long-sleeved tunic, along with beige pants and a metal helmet on their heads."

    "I see. Must be a uniform then. What did they hold? What were their weapons?"

    "Some of them had these long pikes, while others were holding a much shorter stick with no spear end. There were also some unlit torches as well."

    "That is it? Do they not have spears? Swords? Shields?"

    "As far as we could have seen, no your highness." Danial became a little confused at their answer. Could it be a trap? What was Rose nning? There was a moment of silence as he tried toe up with another question.

    "Are there any others enemy units lingering around?"

    "No your highness. It is just them."

    Danial processed the information given to him to make a decision. Although he didn''t fully understand why their peasant infantry didn''t have the proper equipment such as spears, swords, bows, and shields. Regardless, he smelt an opportunity to take advantage of.

    "Men! Drink up your potions! We are going to enter another glorious battle!"

    ...<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    A few hours earlier...

    It was a bright morning today. Carson''s regiment (brigade), had marched on for a day and a half now, marching 44 miles north to catch up with the enemy. If their calctions are correct, they should be en route to Bakersvill behind them, where the enemy would want to resupply. Commander Leroy, after spotting the hill, decided to station his troops there, and build a small fortification.

    The move ced the brigade in an advantageous position. They would have better visibility while being able to defend themselves, firing down on the enemy with their guns and cannons and forcing them back to the north.

    The only slightplication is bringing the caravans up the hill. With the mules and horses tied or walking for hours on end, the soldiers had to help with bringing the caravans on top with no potions. It wasn''t all bad news though, as the knights, who would have rather sat back, were ordered to help them out. With reluctance, they agreed.

    With all their strength, they managed to help bring the caravans and their heavy metal cannons up the small hill. The soldiers were then instructed to build a small set of fortifications around the perimeter for the uing battle. Carson and Herrold, along with a few others, were both given a shovel to use and ordered to dig a trench around the area.

    Though they felt as if their hands, legs, and whole body give up, with their undeterred persistence and discipline, they managed to pull it off. Once it was finished, a knight took the opportunity to fill the shallow 3-foot-deep trench around in the water.

    They were then called on to help build up fortifications around the area. They put up pikes, barricades, and such to prevent the enemy froming close to the ce easily. In total, it about three hours to set up the wooden fort.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom With the fort built, some soldiers were given their guns to clean and like, others given pikes to train and standby, with a few given tools to do specific jobs, while the others had other tasks more mundane things handed to them; Carrying around barrels of food or gunpowder, clean and load the cannons, and such.

    Carson walked over to a wooden bench, sat down, and started to clean and admire his gun. The weapon, which one could consider a matchlock musket, had a long 57-inch barrel, with a .64 caliber on it. Though it is said to be lethal at 175 yards (160m), they were supposed to fire them in volleys, considering that its uracy iscking due to the smoothbore rifle.

    Once Carson was done cleaning his weapon, he started to load it up. Using a paper cartridge, which contained an adequate amount of propent and the metal projectile inside. He bites the end of his mouth and pours in the gunpowder and the metal ball inside the barrel. Using a stick, he makes sure it is in ce.

    "Ain''t she a beauty?" Carson asked Herrold, who was sitting right next to him.

    "Very much so, my friend. Man, never in a million years I thought I would have been here of all ces," Herrold replied. Carson sat straighter on the bench, and turn to meet his friend in the eyes.

    "I know. Aren''t you a little scared though?" he asks.

    "Scared? Yes, I guess. But also excited. Like, I never... felt something like this before..." Herrold describes as Carson nods along.

    "Yea... Yea... Same here. We''d be the first in our families to join a battle, won''t we? Imagine the glory..."

    "We would. Though I do hope I could make it out alive, and in one piece. You know, to live and stuff."

    "Well yea, of course. I don''t think either of us wants to reach the heavens just yet..." Before Carson could finish his sentence, their conversation was disturbed by the screams of a soldier, shouting

    "ENEMY SPOTTED! A LARGE ARMY IS APPROACHING US!" he said.

    "Oh, shit..." Carson and Herrold bothmented.  Their training immediately kicks in, and the two run off to take their position as if it was an instinct. The pikemen, the ones who held the long spears, took a quick sip of a strength potion before getting into position. The musketeers move the hammer into half-cock position and point it down at the approaching army.

    From the distance, he can see blocks of infantry marching on with the cavalry on the sides. A shot of adrenaline pumps through their veins as the enemy marched closer and closer, preparing them for the battle that is toe.

    Carson took a deep breath in, and let it out. He focused his eyes on his sight, which was the thing at the top end of the barrel.

    "Here we go, Carson. Here we go..."

 Chapter 107 The Battle Of The Hill

    ?Danial, after marching 60 miles (97 km) south, still had managed to keep 16,000 peasant infantry, and 1,152 knights by his side. These men, following their victories, were fully confident in their ability to fight and take down their opponents, like they didst time.

    Danial had separated his armies into 8 groups, surrounding the northern half of the hill, while cing 144 of his knights in front of the 8 groups, forming an arrow. The n was to charge up the hill and take advantage of theirck of knights present.

    Danial wanted to exploit theirck of knights, byunching his knights first to quickly approach and cause chaos, while the peasant infantry marched behind. As the knights approached, he had a good sense that would their archers take down the knights before they could get close to them, so he had the knights with the more defensive runic armor as the tips of each arrowhead.

    Danial looked onward with his spyss, counting the soldiers that came into view. A few minutester, after a lot of sweat dropped and 3,000 heads counted, a smile emerged on his face as he was now sure that he had the numerical advantage, which he did.

    Danial grabbed a blowhorn and started to blow it with air. The horn produced an ominous sound that echoed throughout the battlefield. The soldiers, after hearing the horn stop, started charging the hill with him.

    ...

    Meanwhile, on the other side of the aisle, the musketeer soldiers enter battle for the first time in their lives, all scared, yet eager for what is toe. Their musket fuses were lit, while their cannons were ready to be fired. Commander Leroy, using his spyss, counted the number of soldiers on the enemy side.

    He was sweating a little less than Danial but was a lot more nervous seeing the enemy army. Sure, they may have superior firepower,ing from their guns and cannons, but they were severely outnumbered by the enemy.

    Just then, in the distance, the sound of Danial''s horn reached their eyes, sending a little shiver down every newmoner soldier present. Their armies started to march forward, with the cavalry running at a fast paste.

    "On my mark artillery men! Fire when I order to!" he said. The men holding the lit torches and fuses were now on standby, waiting for Leroy''s orders. All of them put in the fuse but held out on the torch. Leroy held back till they were in the line of the cannon''s firing range.

    "FIRE!" he screamed. The soldiers lit the fuse and covered their ears. As the fuse ignited the gunpowder, the cannon made arge explosion sound that nearly deafened them all. Huge amounts of smoke covered their faces, prompting many to cough. The round cannonball went flying out at high speeds and eventually hit the ground with arge thud.

    Huge amounts of dirt flow everywhere on the enemy grounds, killing a few knights. However, due to the cannon''s inuracy, most of them missed their shot.

    "RELOAD!" he said. Many started to clean the barrel using a sponge attached to a stick. They had to make sure that the residue left inside the barrel had to be cleaned before taking another shot. Then,rge amounts of gunpowder were poured in, followed by another cannonball.

    "ADJUST, 10¡ã DOWN!" STEADY!"

    "FIRE!" the fuse was lit again. Another cannon ball fired at the enemy''s face. This time, it took out a few dozen of em thanks to a lucky shot.

    "MUSKETEERS! READY YOUR WEAPONS!" Leroy shouted at the musketeers. They, who were mostly watching, now had their chance to shine. They pulled back the hammer into full-cock position, waiting for theirmander to issue the order.

    "FIRE!" The soldiers simultaneously pulled the trigger, causing a loud cracking sound to form. A volley of metal bullets wasunched at the iing knights, who were at that point weakened a little by the earlier cannon ball struck.

    "LINE A, SWITCH WITH LINE B!" Hearing his orders, Carson withdrew from his position and was reced by Herrold, who was just behind him. As Carson took the time to reload his musket, Herrold waited till Leroy''s instructions.

    "LINE B! READY YOUR MUSKETS! STEADY!" they all pulled back the hammer.

    "FIRE!" another volley dissented down on the knights. Some of their shields broke, causing the projectile to hit their horses. The animals lose their bnce, causing them to fall along with their masters. If the bullets didn''t get to them, the sudden stopping surely would.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "LINE B, SWITCH WITH LINE A!" Carson walked forward, with a reloaded gun, and aimed it at the rest of the iing knights.

    "FIRE!"

    ...

    Danial sees the huge smoke clouds at the enemy lines, followed by echoes of an explosion covering the entire battlefield. Some knights appeared to be taken down by somerge projective that their shield couldn''t defend against, while others got dropped off from their horses. His heart started to beat a little faster, seeing his troops fall. Somended on his shield as well, with his only saving grace being his immense magical power, boosted by the runic armor he was wearing.

    However, despite the circumstances, they managed to stand strong, avoid the barricades, and get closer to the enemy. It was when that Danial saw, they ce those long pikes, down, swaying the knights away from going in for the kill, including himself.

    Some knights try to go through the pikes using an erged shield but were quickly killed due to the pikes prating it rather easily. What is worse, the ones who retreated, got more metal projectilesing their way, weakening and killing them.

    They try to go around, where there would be fewer soldiers g uarding their position. Yet, their efforts were in vain'' as they just ended up getting shot down. Seeing the futility of their attacks, the knights decided to retreat.

    This left the peasant soldiers at a disadvantage. Clustered very close to each other, the cannon balls rained down on them, blowing up many soldiers into a pile of corpses with broken bones. Even closer, and they might have to face the terror of their smaller firearms.

    The bowman, who managed to get close enough, stopped and aimed with their bow. On the count of 3, they fired a volley of arrows at the sky, en route to hitting the enemy. Moments before any of the arrows hit, a protective blue shield appeared on their heads, stopping the arrows in their tracks.

    Another 3 volleys of arrows were fired before there were shot at with their cannons. This time, some managed to crack through the shields and hit their opponents. Once the cannons did start firing, they all collectively retreated as well.

    Danial, seeing the futility of his offense, decided to blow his horn. His soldiers heard his call and actively ran back to his side, to get out of range of the cannons. As they were doing so, more projectiles started firing down.

    One projectile managed to break through his magical shield and hit him in the head. However, thanks to his helmet, and the bullet slowing down, all it did was hit him in the head hard. Other than that, he managed to leave unscathed. His soldiers weren''t as lucky.

    ...

    Seeing that the enemy retreat back, Leroy ordered them to fire as many bullets as they can. There were technically in lethal range and would stand to benefit from more kills. The soldiers, who were disciplined to do what they were told, fired upon them. Although it was technically a war crime tomit such actions, Rose Valine gave hermanders, especially Leroy, that they should do whatever it takes to win.

    The soldiers were all breathing heavily as their adrenaline shot forced them to focus on survival above all else. The knights, with a few exceptions, were just sitting back and watching what was going on.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom Soon, the enemy disappeared out of sight, allowing them toy their guns down and stand up. Leroy, seeing the battle is over, ordered the medics to get over there and heal up their soldiers. The medics, who wore white cloth, and rode on top of some caravans, came over with a basket filled with potions.

    They had previously washed their hands with soap, as per their instructions by Rose Valine. They had washed their wounds, getting rid of any dirt or debris, before casting a spell to heal them up. For the ones who clearly couldn''t make it, they simply counted them as death and left them there, telling them they did a good job.

    Carson stands up and looks onward at the battlefield. The once greennd space that was a beauty to the eye, was now littered with dirt, blood, and the corpses of men. Herrold and the rest of the musketeers looked onward at the sight, reacting with a stoic face at first, but then a reaction of disgust and guilt.

 Chapter 108 The Aftermath

    ?"What are our casualties?" Leroy asked the medics, who took the task of counting them.

    "Commander, I regret to tell you that we have lost 6 men due to the arrow volley fired, with about 36 injured," they said in a sad tone. Externally, Leroy had a stoic face when receiving the news.

    "I understand. You can go," he replied, nodding. Hiding his mouth, he let out a smile upon hearing the casualty count. He simply couldn''t believe how few men he lost to the battle. A battle where he expected to lose a lot more.

    He turns to his soldiers and gives them more orders to follow. There were to take some wooden nks, assemble a sort of makeshift bridge to cross over, and start counting the bodies of the enemy.

    This job was handed to the former woodworkers, who had the most experience in the field. In a matter of a few minutes after receiving the materials, they managed to build a stable bridge that could hold up to 5 people at a time.

    The wooden bridge was thenid down over the shallow moat. Carson, holding his matchlock rifle, crosses over and walks among the dead bodies. With his fingers, he starts counting the dead bodies, along with the rest of the soldiers.

    Carson, after his shock and adrenaline goes down, finally started breaking into tears. An immense burden of guilt hung over him, as he realizes the full weight he needs to carry in killing a human, let alone an army. Herrold and hisrades also felt the same, whose guilt started to consume them. The colonel, seeing their emotions start taking over them, called out for them to form a line.

    "Today, a great battle took ce. A battle that cost the lives of many. Though it might seem like a strategy for such a loss of life, remember, your duty here protected the innocent civilians of Bakersvill!

    Your actions today had managed to prevent a greater tragedy. These people..." he pointed at them with his hand.

    "...these heretics would have their men killed, their women raped, and their food was stolen. It is only because of YOU..." he points at the soldiers.

    "... they managed to see another day! All because of your extreme discipline, and the great actions you have taken today, you managed to save thousands of innocent lives! Be proud my men! Don''t shed your precious tears over "

    His speech lifted the burden on the soldiers, at least a little bit. With that, they continued to count the bodies left on the battlefield.

    ...

    Danial leads his army back to safety and quickly set up tents to heal the wounded. The medics, without washing their hands, try and fail to heal the many people that got wounded during the battle. After they finished setting up the camp, Danial selected someone to count how many men they have lost.

    The sun was near to set. He waited in his tent till the knight finished counting for two hours now, sitting on a wooden chair that was assembled for him. His hands held his head up, nervous at the losses congregated.

    A few knights enter the tent and bow down to greet the king. Danial stood up and approached the knights.

    "What are our casualties?" asked Danial from his knights. The knights, who were all sweating inside their suits of armor, took a deep breath before answering.

    "Your majesty, we regret to inform you that about 38 knights are missing, suspected dead, as well as 1,872 peasant infantrymen. A further 3,745 casualties are present, with 125 of them being the knights, and the rest belonging to the infantry unit, which is 3,620."

    "How many of them are dead?"

    "ording to the medics, they say that around 52 knights will die, while 2,172 peasant infantry might not survive. They don''t have enough potions or mana to heal them all."

    Danial stood still as he listened to those numbers. The battle, which he thought would give a huge advantage to the north''s war effort, was stopped in its tracks thanks to whatever weapons the enemy had taken hold of.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He then went walked out of his tent and over to where the people themselves resided to be healed.  He asked every one of them to describe what it was like, and what had happened on the battlefield.

    One by one, they started to describe their experiences. They described the horrors they faced on the battlefield, where small projectiles killed off theirrades in an instant, with a sound of thunder following.

    Therge metal weapons were the ones that struck the most fear. Though it was very inurate and didn''t manage to hit a collum of soldiers more than thrice, the fear it struck the soldiers remained, preventing them from walking further.

    For the knights, their mana reserves were drained by those small projectilesing in at high speeds. Thebination of their fire, with the strength of the pikemen, thought of to be assisted by potions, managed to kill some of them.

    With that information gathered, Danial walked back to his tent to think things over. He felt his pride hurt greatly because of his defeat in battle, yet felt guilt for sending men to their deaths. Yet he managed to control with a level head and weighed his options.

    He couldunch a counter-attack, and try to take the enemy position, but that would result in a lot of casualties, men he might needter. He could also do a retreat, back into Browntown to get more supplies, heal, and fortify.

    The third and final option could be to retreat back to the north while sending messengers to inform his friends and themanders about the situation.

    "My friends..." a sudden question popped into his head. What if they all encountered those soldiers? What if they weren''t the only ones there? What if she had sent enough to cover the entire west?

    This would be a huge problem for them. Now, Danial had to make a choice. Should he count on Corel and Salvatore to retreat if they encounter the same problem? He thought about it for a second, and determine the chances, considering how he reacted, put the odds at around 10%.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom In retrospect, they should have discussed this beforehand as it would take days at the fastest to be able tomunicate with them. Danial may have a good guess of where everyone is, but it is not certain.

    Danial stood up and looked at the sun. It was just a mere hour away from setting and beginning the night. A knight walked up behind him and asked what his decision is. Danial thinks for a minute, turns around, and speaks.

    "We will retreat back to Browntown. In the meantime, give me some paper, a bottle of ink, and a quill. I want to send a messenger pigeon to the cities of Calvier and Kellon, for Corel and Salvatore to read."

    ...

    *Bang!*

    With rubber bongs plugged into his ears, Kant shoots through the rifled musket that he wielded. He had practiced with it for about the entire day now, wanting to reduce his recoil and to practice with the weapon.

    As soon as he received the rifled metal barrel, he took it upon himself to disassemble and reassemble the gun. It helped him to memorize how the weapon worked, allowing him to improve the weapon further in the future.

    The metal projectile hits the target at about 109 yards (100m). Although not at the center, it was a hit. Kant puts down the rifle and smiles. He then writes the results of his experiment down, and then walks away from the field, carrying the gun and clipboard.

    He makes his way to his room where he grabs a book. In it, there was a list that he had made. One of them, which read "make a gun", had their boxes already ticked off with ck ink. He grabs a quill and ticks off the second box, which reads ''make a rifled barrel''. With that, he moved down to the third box.

    "Make a percussion cap lock." it read. He hides the list back in his drawer and takes out a ck piece of paper. With a pencil and eraser in hand, he starts drawing up something. Soon, Cora enters the room, bringing him the coffee he wanted.

    "Cora, tell Arjun toe to my office. I need him to arrange a meeting with an alchemist."

 Chapter 109 The Sewing Machine

    ?The sun shines again on the city of Hoverdam. Marco, wearing a reed-flower green dyed hemp tunic, with red hot-poker hemp leggings and a pair of calfskin shoes, walked alongside his mother Mia, who wore a reed-flower green gown and atle-leaf gray scarf on her head she used as a hat.

    The two walked around the streets. Since the day was just getting started, people started to open up and set up their businesses. Marco''s eyes did start spotting new products every other day, especially in terms of clothing.

    As they walked along the street, Marco looks upon the newly built chimneys with curiosity. Ever since he starteding over to get to school, these chimneys started to puff out smoke like never before, with the chimney itself appearing to be built using some kind of special mortar that hardens quickly. Some buildings, mainly failing businesses, were being torn down to build new ces, using the same weird mortar.

    "Can you tell me where we are going, ma?" Marco asked his mother. Mia pointed to the basket of old clothes filled inside.

    "We are going to a friend of mine, to get these clothes fixed and sown. Your father had been a very clumsy man, who managed to rip his best pair!"

    "Alright then. If you say so."

    "Say... Where is this guy located? Is it far?" Marco asked next.

    "Over in Grover street, south-side. So no, I think not," Mia replied.

    "Grover street? Then why not go through the right?"

    "Huh?" Mia asked, a little confused by her son''sment.

    "Through the right corner, we wille up in a few minutes. The road leads to an alley that connects to Grover Street. It was built once this old building got taken down."

    "How do you know that?" Mia questioned.

    "Ie here every other day. In my free time, I walk around with my friend Vice near the school building to get to know the ce. He tells me a lot about this ce. It''s not like I sit around there all day."

    "Oh, is that so? Alright then." And with that, Mia took Marco''s advice and followed her son. On the way, he showed her the marvelous building that he studied. A piece of architecture that impressed the woman. Soon, they made their way to a well-lit alley, walked across it, and came to their destination quickly.

    Mia looked around the streets, trying to remember where it was. Just then her eye managed to spot a peculiar sign down the street and smiled. She pointed in the opposite direction and started walking.

    "This way," she said. Marco followed along with her. He followed his mother till she stopped to look at a building. It was made of wood, while the sides of the stone.

    "This is it." The two walked right in, The ce was filled with fabrics of all kinds, whether it be hemp, wool, or cotton. On the side, there was this machine that the tailors used to work on. They used this hand crank to move the needle up and down, sewing the fabrics smoothly. While Marco looked amused, Mia was shocked by the existence of the machinery.

    Just then, the owner came back from downstairs. He sees the two present and wees them warmly. He was arge man, with a bald head, short brown hair on the sides, and a pair of sses on his eyes.

    "Mia! It is so good to see you!" He said while smiling.

    "It is good to see you too Mr. Soustere. Say, did you recently shave your beard? You look different without it."

    "Well yes. She kept on pestering me. Anyways, what can I do for you?" he asked while rubbing his hands.

    "Oh well, it is just that I need these old clothes to be sewed back up again. That is all." Mia gave the old clothes over to Soustere. He examined the product and chuckled a little.

    "Man, this is old. Are you sure you don''t want anything new from here? I could get you a discount."

    "Oh, thank you but... I don''t we could really afford it."

    "About... 46 copper," she stated.

    "46? I can get you a new pair of clothing with that! Provided you take the discount that is. I can get you something made of cotton, or wool! I mean look!" He walked over to the white fabrics chilling on a wooden roll.

    "This cotton from HugoFabrics is very soft and delicate, and veryfortable to wear! Better than hemp clothing. And only for about 42 copper pieces, you can get one too!"

    "Ah... I see. But still, we need to use that money to buy groceries... Can''t go home without it," Mia politely declined. Mr. Sourstere was understanding and decided to nod and ept her final answer.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Is that so? Well, alright then. Just give me a minute..." he went through a back door and came back with a spool of hemp, made of wood. He ces it down and asks for some money beforehand to get it done.

    "It will be 4 copper pieces," he said. Mia took out her leather pouch and grabbed 4 dull copper coins from it. She then handed them over to Mr. Sourstere, who kept them inside a locked drawer.

    "Well, this should take a few minutes. Thanks to the new sewing machines we bought."

    "Oh, is that what it is called?"

    "Yes. It is. Would you like to see it?"

    "I would," Marco added, a little curious as to how they worked.

    "Marco!"

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "No! No! It is fine. Your body is curious, that is all. Come, let me show you." Marco followed Mr. Sourstere, with Mia behind the two. Sourstere led them to a lone sewing machine on the table.

    The machine was made of metal and wood, with the arm being mostly made of metal. Its most prominent visible feature is the hand crank and the needle, with a hole inside it. On the bed of the sewing machine, about where the needle is positioned, had his metal te with holes.

    Sourstere put on the hemp threads on the spool pin. He grabbed one end of the thread and tied it around some other pins and hooks before trying the insert the thread through the needle hole. He used a needle threader, which was made out of a metal wire, to put the hemp thread through.

    He then grabbed the hand crank and started to rotate it. As if the machine worked like magic, the needle started to up and down, automatically sewing up any holes in the cloth.

    "ording to my friend, what happens is that when the needle pushes a thread through the material, the shuttle hook is inside the machine, which is under the part where the iron te called the throat te, its hook rotates around a bobbin filled with thread.

    At the same time, it grabs the threading in from the top and winds the two threads together, making a stitch. The needle thenes back up andes back down to do the same thing again. Impressive, right? Helps us a lot around the workshop." Marco and Mia stared at the machine as it did wonders. The tears were quickly fixed back up, far faster than with a hand.

    "Where did you get this?" Marco asked.

    "I got it frommissioning a bunch of craftsmen. My friend was the one to inform me of its existence. Apparently, it is an invention that came from Prince Kant''s head."

    "Where did he learn of it?"

    "That would be the patent registration office. It is a bit further up in Middletown. You should be able to recognize it. It is very close to the corporate registrar."

    "Corporate registrar?"

    "Think of it as a merchant''s new tool to ensure they won''t lose all their money. More rich bastards areing along to this city to take advantage of it. though, it does have its benefits."

    "Like what?"

    "Like those fabrics. Those rich bastards are buying up a lot of these machines in order to make a profit. I myself am thinking of doing the same thing..."

    "Does that mean who won''t be running the shop anymore?" Mia asked.

    "Oh, don''t worry about that! I will probably still be here. They are going to need my knowledge to operate those damn devices."

    "Oh thank the lord. Phew."

    After a few minutes, Mr. Sourstere soon fixes up Richard''s clothes and hands them over to Mia. After that, the two went over to shopping for some food, and other essentials. While on the journey, Marco thought of what he said.

    ''Patent Registration, huh?; he thought.

    ''Interesting. I got to know more about that.''

 Chapter 110 Mercury Fulminate (1)

    ?It took Kant a day after testing the rifled musket toe up with a proper percussion cap lock system to be fitted and rece the flintlock system as if he going to waste time building a whole new rifle.

    A percussion cap is a single-use ignition device that would allow it to fire in any weather. It was one of Kant''s top priorities, for once the percussion cap is invented, it would allow for moreplex guns to be built in the future.

    Kant got Arjun to get Paul to set up a meeting with Alchemist Heinz Duesenberg and his assistant partner, Mira. Although Duesenberg and Mira knew the chemicalpounds they would be using, they didn''t really know what they were making, or what he wanted them to make.

    As a result, Kant decided to stroll along and help them. It was a way to get to know them and form a picture of what kind of technology he would be dealing with and relying on. Duesenberg, on the other hand, wanted the opportunity to work with Kant Maybale, ever since he managed to deliver on hisst request, gunpowder.

    Though Kant Maybale (Or Howard Bright in this regard) was a mechanical engineer, he still had a good understanding of high school chemistry. Besides, he already had made mercury fulminate in his previous life, thanks to a certain TV Show with blue rocks.

    Kant arrives at their ce of work in a carriage, dressed in his ck suit. Their home, which was also where they worked, appeared to be made out of stone, with the roofs and floors made out of wood, with the windows featuring some ss. Kant was led to Heinz Duesenberg''s room by a man, where they found him standing next to a strawberry-blond-haired woman with green eyes, Mira.

    "It is a pleasure to meet you, sire." He bowed down to show respect, along with Mira.

    "Likewise, Mr. Heinz Duesenberg, Miss Mira. I am d to be here," Kant replied back with a friendly and polite tone. He raised his hand, wanting to shake Heinz''s hand. There was an awkward silence before Duesenberg got the cue, and shook his hand. He handed him to Mira, who shook it immediately.

    "Now, I am assuming you prepared the ssware and elements we need?" Kant asked Duesenberg.

    "Yes, your highness. It is right there on the table." He used his finger on the wooden table, holding the ssware and elements contained in a ss jar, sealed tight with a rubber lid. He walks over to examine them and smiles.

    "Good. This is what we need. Before we start, may I request some gloves and safety sses?" Duesenberg looked at Mira, who immediately went into storage and grabbed what Kant wanted, and handed it over.

    "Thank you, Miss Mira," he politely thanked, before putting the safety equipment on.

    "Excuse me, sire. I apologize if I sound rude, but what are we making... exactly?"

    "Well, Mr. Heinz. We will be making mercury fulminate. It is a primary explosive that is highly sensitive to heat, friction, and shock."

    "Is that so? Well, do you perhaps know how to make it?"

    "Yes, I do. That is why I am here." Kant grabs a measuring tube and a ss veil of nitric acid. He tries to measure 10 ml of nitric acid but was soon stopped as Duesenberg feared that he might get in trouble if the prince gets hurt.

    "Maybe I should handle it, sire? You can just... instruct me on what to do, while my assistant Mira will bring in the things we need." Kant turns around to face him, meeting him in the eyes.

    "Hmm... Alright." he hands over the veil containing a yellow fuming liquid and the measuring tube.

    "First, we pour 10ml of concentrated nitric acid into a beaker. Then, we add 1 ml of mercury to that beaker. I rather pour the mercury while outside, considering it might produce nitrogen dioxide gas, which we wouldn''t want to inhale."

    "Would a fume hood work fine?" Duesenberg asks.

    "Works just fine," Kant replies.

    "I see... Mira, can you get the measure and get the mercury?"

    "Yes sir, on it!" Mira went over and grabbed the small bottle containing liquid mercury. She opens the ss bottle and uses a pipette to get 1 ml of mercury. Mira then walks over to Duesenberg, who had already measured and poured the nitric acid into the beaker.

    "Should I, sire?"

    "Yes, put it in." With that, Mira drops the mercury into the beaker and closed the ss door. Inside, they can see a reaction taking ce, all while it released nitrogen dioxide gas. The ss beaker was asionally swirled around by Mira for it to fully react.

    "While we wait for that to react fully, we should set up the other part."

    "I see sire, what do we need?"

    "We need a round bottom sk, held on by a retort stand arm. Inside, we pour 15 ml of  concentrated ethanol."

    "Does sire know how to operate a retort stand?" he asked.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Yes, I have used one before."

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Ah. Perfect! Then shall I go measure the ethanol?"

    "Alright. Sure." Kant replied. With that, Duesenberg went over to measure the ethanol in a different measuring tube, while Kant set up the stand. Soon, Duesenberg carries over 15 ml of ethanol to Kant.

    "Should I pour it inside, sire?"

    "No. Not here. We should ce it inside the fume hood. In case it produces some kind of gas again."

    "Alright, sire..." Duesenberg''s head turns to Mira, who was still swirling the beaker.

    "Mira! Is it done?" Duesenberg asks.

    "Yes sir! It is done! Should I bring it over?"

    "No, don''t. We are bringing over the retort stand over there," he said. While Kant was given the measuring tube, halfway filled with ethanol, Duesenberg brings it over, and ce it inside the fume hood. Kant pours the ethanol inside the round-bottom sk and motivates Mira to pour the liquidpound inside the sk as well.

    "But sire! What if something bad happens?" Mira asks, a little afraid.

    "Unlikely. We most likely would have to heat up the mixture inside for it to start reacting. Besides, if you are unwilling to cooperate, then hand it over to me, or Mr. Duesenberg here."

    "Alright sire." she gives the beaker to Duesenberg, who ends up being the one to pour it inside the ss sk. As soon as thepound touches with the concentrated ethanol, glutamate, and GABA are instantly released into Heinz and Mira''s brains, being disappointed at the fact that nothing is happening.

    "As I said, it was unlikely a reaction could happen on its own." Kant picks up a beaker and hands it over to Mira.

    "I heard you are the one capable of magic. Would you mind casting a spell that would fill this beaker in hot water? Halfway is fine." Mira takes the beaker and looks at it, before refocusing her eyes on Kant.

    "Of course, sire." She points her left index finger and casts a spell. Soon, steaming hot water pours out of her fingertips, filling it up halfway, as Kant had requested. Once she was done, she hands over the beaker to Kant.

    "Here you go, sire." Before he could pick it up, Duesenberg grabs the beaker away from Mira.

    "Allow me, sire."

    "Alright then. Just hold it under the sk. Make sure that the water is touching." Duesenberg did as he was told. After a few minutes, the reaction betweenpounds starts reacting, producing copious amounts of white fumes. Duesenberg takes the hot beaker off and closed the ss door. The white fumes blow out of the sk, while some precipitate is left at the bottom of the sk.

    Eventually, the reaction started to slow down, producing less white fumes and making the sk clear again. What was left is a grayish precipitate at bottom of the sk, including a solution that contains mostly nitric acid, water, and ethanol.

    "Is that it, sire?" Mira asks.

    "No. We are going to have to stabilize it first. We are going to have to get rid of the nitric acid inside."

    "How do we do that?"

    "I assume we will have to wash the crystals. That would be the next logical step to getting rid of anything unnecessary." Duesenberg turns to Kant.

    "What do you think, sire?"

    "I think I agree with you, Mr. Heinz. Miss Mira, would you mind adding 25 ml of water inside?"

    "Oh, of course!" Mira grabs a measuring tube and pours it inside. Kant, grabbed a beaker, and a ss funnel. and to his surprise, filter paper, he took the ss sk and poured the solution through it. While the gray precipitate stayed, the solution went past it, reaching the breaker. The precipitate was then poured back into the sk, and given to Mira.

    "I would like to make sure that it is thoughtfully washed. Would you mind pouring in more water, Miss Mira? I would prefer it to be cold." Mira did not object.

 Chapter 111 Mercury Fulminate (2)

    ?The precipitate was washed 3 times in total with cold water before they tested it. They poured some of it into a ss veil, while another into a thick te of stone. The three looked at the fulminate, before looking at each other.

    "Now what we need to do is to test it," Kantmented.

    "Well sire, should I cast a fire spell?" Mira asked the prince.

    "Negative. I want to test its reaction to friction first. We can do the heat testter," Kant replied. Mira sighed at his answer.

    "I understand sire. But who would want to volunteer?" Mira asked.

    "I can do it," Kant suggests.

    "Sire?"

    "Yes. It is not a problem for me to test my invention," Kant answered.

    "I do not think that is wise of you, sire. Because we are dealing with an explosivepound, it would be a better option to pick me instead," Duesenberg replied.

    "Are you sure?" Kant questioned.

    "Yes! I am positive." Duesenberg assures.

    "Hm... alright. You might want to grab a hammer." Duesenberg walked over to a chest in the corner and opened it. There, he grabs an iron hammer and walks back to the stone te. Holding the hammer with both hands, he decided to do a countdown.

    "3... 2... 1" the hammer swooshes down and strikes the fulminate with high force. Yet, there was no explosion. No *boom* sound throwing him back a little. Mira and Duesenberg were both disappointed, with the results.

    Their respect for Kant dropped, considering the failure of the oue. Kant remained cooled, walked up to the stone te, and examined the fulminate. While he observed the product, Heinz asked Kant a question.

    "Well, now what sire?" he asked. He stayed silent, still observing the product. He touched the precipitate while wearing the gloves.

    "The precipitate is wet," Kantmented after seeing moisture on his glove.

    "I am sorry sire?" Duesenberg asked, slipping back into his friendly persona.

    "The precipitate is wet. We will have to wait till it is dry to correctly test it," Kant reyed with a smile, still in his friendly polite tone.

    "I see... Alright then. We shall wait till it dries." A few mercury fulminates were put on a piece of paper and kept outside for it to dry. Thanks to the particr hot day, the precipitate dried fast and was ready to be tested again.

    "Alright, Mr. Heinz. Make sure you hit it with the same amount of force asst time. Do you understand?"

    "Yes sire, I do." Duesenberg held the hammer with both his hands again, and swag at the fulminate with about the same amount of force.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom This time, a small explosion urred, spewing out little smoke and producing a small bang. Upon seeing the explosion on his own, was shocked by the sess of the test. Kant, on the other hand, smiled for a second. Kant turned to Mira, meeting them in the eyes.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Miss Mira, would you mind recording the first and second results on a piece of paper? We are going to have to do a few more tests." Mira smiled back and nodded.

    "As you wish, sire." A few more tests were done for about 3 hours. As the results show if the mercury fulminate is drier, the more sensitive it bes to friction, heat, and shock. With that information discovered, the rest of the mercury fulminate was put inside a ss veil filled with water, to make sure that it won''t explode while carried around.

    "Well, the experiment was a sess. Your highness has managed to create another... uniquepound once again," she said with a smile.

    "It appears so, and it was thanks to both of you, that I managed to achieve impable results. I hope we can work again sometime again," Kant replied. Her respect for Kant went up, while her views on Duesenberg went down a little, thanks to that insult he whispered in her ear.

    Duesenberg stayed silent. He just continued to stare at the ss filled with mercury fulminate in his hand. He slowly puts it down and turns to Kant.

    "Well sire, I am pretty impressed with your alchemical knowledge and prowess to produce something like this. I would like to ask how did you manage to do it?" Duesenberg asks.

    "It is just basic chemistry, Mr. Duesenberg. Nothing special." Kant replied with a smile. Duesenberg was a little confused.

    "Chemistry?"

    "Yes. Chemistry is a product of science and the scientific method."

    "I am sorry sire, but I am not so familiar with what you are describing."

    "The scientific method is a method of procedure consisting of observation, measurement, and experiment, and the formtion, testing, and modification of hypotheses. A way of understanding the world around us.

    Chemistry is... different from alchemy, which is based on a more... mystic view of the world. I was able to find this out thanks to a few log observations, tests, and experiments done by the many alchemists that came beforehand. Using that information, I derived a few theories and forms to enact experiments on. This... was one of them."

    "Hm... Alright, sire," Duesenberg replies, epting the answer.

    "Miss Mira, would you mind leaving the room for a moment? There is something I would like to discuss with Mr. Heinz privately."

    "As you wish, sire." Mira quickly left the room, leaving Kant and Duesenberg all alone.

    "Now, Mr. Duesenberg, I would like you to produce me about 10 bottles, which is about 100 grams of mercury fulminate, and deliver them to the pce. For your efforts, I am willing to pay you 1 gold coin.

    It should be able to cover the costs of this experiment, as well as the production of the mercury fulminate while leaving you with 78 silver coins. Do we have a deal?" Kant questions. Heinz, who took a little time to cool off and think about it, decided to ept the offer.

    "Excellent. Shall we shake hands on it?" Kant asks while lending his hand. Duesenberg takes one look at it, before turning his head back to Kant. His hand quickly reaches Kant''s, and the two men shake.

    With that, Kant opens the door, says his goodbyes to Mira who was standing behind the door, and leaves. Heinz breathes a sigh of relief. His respect imed back and surpassed his previous levels. He turns to face the mercury fulminate and thinks of what Kant had told him.

    "Chemistry... huh?" he said to himself. Just then, he remembered what Arjun told him in the letter. He called in Mira and instructed her to bring a piece of paper, an ink bottle, and a quill to write a letter about Kant, as he requested.

 Chapter 112 An Escape Attempt (1)

    ?It was a fine day on the 8th of Nummum, 5018. Danial had sessfully retreated back to Browntown, where his soldiers healed back up, potions were brewed and refilled, and messengers were sent out to the others. He had instructed his soldiers to start gathering all the supplies they need and take a quick rest because soon they will be moving out again.

    Knights, who had learned the art of making potions, whether it be from the academy or their parents, started to steal and use the essential tools and ingredients to brew up some potions. Peasant soldiers, armed with their spears and bows, intimidated the local poption to hand over more vital food and water to them.

    Two days ago, he went into battle with a brigade of a few thousand soldiers, with about 16,000 peasant infantry, and 1,152 knights. However, after the battle had concluded, he had about 13,500 peasant infantrymen left, as well as 1,050 knights remaining. All while the enemy had less than 4,000 soldiersbined.

    The southern army had a new weapon, and he was certain that his friends also faced its wrath. What he ns to do, is to regroup, and restrategize with his friends on how to counter the enemy. Danial sits in the lord''s small home, which was only half the size of a football field. It was made out of stone wa painted with daisy white, floors tiled with polished marble, roofs made of wood, and windows of crystal clear ss.

    Danial, who was wearing some normal clothes after taking a nice morning bath, cleared out any sweat and smell he gained from 2 days of not bathing were looking at arge map on the desk. Side the map, there were a few bottles of beer he drank from his left hand while cooling off his head with a magical ice pack in his right hand.

    The map portrayed Browntown at the center while Tyrol was at the northern top corner. He took a look at them to n for an orderly retreat back to Tyrol. There were multiple routes he could follow, all with their advantages and disadvantages.

    He could take his original route, by marching through the paved roads to get back to Tryol, with minimal loss of men, or he can get back faster by passing through a few forests and possible demon hotspots, losing more men, but getting there faster.

    He weighed the options and the experience he had with the enemy. Considering their weapons of thunder would be able to take out many men, and due to the fact that they might also have to carry thoserge metal barrels, Danial chose to take the less risky, slower path by marching through the road.

    Assuming that the enemy marches slower due to carrying the metal barrels around, the fact he will need as many men as he possibly could have, and the pressure of getting there with as many men as they could be higher than getting there as fast as he could.

    As he finalized his escape n, the was a loud banging on the door. Fuming at whoever was bothering him, shouted at them to leave. However, the man behind the door interrupted as he tried to lecture them.

    "An enemy brigade has been spotted about 3 miles to the southeast, while another is spotted at the southwest! They are headed straight for us, your majesty!" His mouth suddenly stopped speaking,

    ''Them? Here already? How long has it been? I thought they would be moving at a much slower pace than this!" he thought. Danial quickly ran up to the door and asked the knight behind it how long have they been at Browntown.

    "For about 3 hours, sir! Since we came in the morning. Many are trying to catch up on some sleep. You told us to get some rest before heading out again, as well as resupply our troops," the knight replied.

    "How long will they take to get here?"

    "I don''t know, your highness! If I had to guess, about 1 hour and 15 minutes if they marched at our speed, your highness!" he replied.

    "Alright... wait here," Danial instructed. He went back to the map, wanting to find an alternative route, to find a better bridge to cross. Despite searching for a good 5 minutes, he found none. Considering he had so little time, he will have to sacrifice a few men to allow most of them to escape.

    He went back to the knight, who was still standing at the front door. Danial instructed him to bring in a few senior knights, and 3 unit leaders of peasant soldiers. The knight bowed and ran over to get as quickly as he can.

    It took another 5 minutes to get them here, but they all arrived soon enough. With a good 10 minutes already wasted, he informed them of the n.

    "10,000 soldiers and 1,000 knights will retreat back to Tyrol.  The remaining 6,000 peasant soldiers and 50 knights will be sent over to distract and slow down the approaching army.

    The knights will attack the armies from their nk, taking out as many of them as they can. The 6,000 peasant soldiers were to remain and defend the city, forcing them toy siege and give us some time to retreat.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    If you all think that they might be sessful in capturing the city, then make sure to burn the city to the ground. We do NOT want them to resupply them. Do you all understand?"

    The knights and unitmanders looked at each other. They knew what it meant. They, along with their soldiers, were to sacrifice themselves so that most of them could escape, and in theirst act of defeat, they were to burn the homes of thousands, who had been tricked into the heretic queen''s ways. The room enter a period of silence, with none of them wanting to speak up, and just nodded.

    "I will that as a yes."

    ...

    The musketeers, with their guns, lined up with their shoulders, pointing their guns up, marched in an orderly fashion drenched in their sweat. Their legs were starting to sting, and their feet felt numb as they had all been marching on the cobblestone roads all day and all night, to catch up and destroy the enemy.

    They were said to be meeting up with the 1st brigade, which wasmanded by Queen Rose herself! The two brigadesmunicated via messengers on horseback, running at about 40 miles an hour to quickly deliver and bring back messages, which took about 12 minutes at best to deliver and bring back a message.

    The n states that the 1st brigade will march towards the bridge and defend it, while the 3rd brigade will take the city itself. This move would hope to corner the king, where he would be captured or killed.

    As the men marched along, with some whistling along as they go, Carson picks up a strange sound, to his right. He turns his eye around, to see a few figures on horseback, headed their way, with a small dirt cloud behind them. As they got closer, he realized who they were; enemy cavalry.

    "ENEMY CAVALRY! TO THE RIGHT OF US!" he shouted. The men instantly got alerted and stopped marching. They turned to their right and aimed their guns after lighting them up. A few shots were fired, but they were all blocked by their shields.

    Fireballs,rge and hot, went right toward the tips of their pikes, burning them. Then, with the knights'' own spears, they stab a few soldiers before retreating. Some of them cast a spell, aimed at the caravan holding a cannon. The weapon, along with the caravan, blew up into a fiery ze, destroying it altogether. With that, as soon as they hade, the knights had already left.

    Carson, who was fortunate enough to dodge the spear attack, survived, while Herrold had his left arm given a fresh wound, which could lead to death if not treated. Medics drop down and quickly treat the wounded soldiers. While most survive, many of them perish, as their wounds get to them.

    The soldiers kept on firing on them before they disappeared into the forest. A hit and run. Pretty effective tactic. Carson counted the bodies that were on the floor and reported them to Colonel Leroy, who was at the front.

    "Private Carson! What happened back there? I heard the enemy did a hit and run?"

    "Yes sir! That is correct sir. I came here to report the body count." Carson replied.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Well then? What are our casualties? How many did we lose?" he asked.

    "We lost 16 people, sir."

    "I see." Leroy turned to a tall, buff knight next to him and instructed her.

    "Take a few knights and guard our nks. I do not want to lose any more soldiers. We are going to need as many of them as we can." His head then turns to the messenger and informs him to deliver a message to the 1st brigade, about the enemy attacks.

    "We might have to move faster."

 Chapter 113 An Escape Attempt (2)

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom ?Back at Browntown, the messenger knights went across the entire town, informing Danial''s army to go towards Browntown''s square. The soldiers were informed that King Danial was giving a speech on the balcony, just before leaving the city.

    The Browntown Square, which was surrounded by the only other stone buildings in the city, was where King Danial was put back in his clean runic armor except for his helmet. His hair was wellbed with oils avable in the small home of the lord, and his head healed thanks to a newly brewed potion.

    He took in a deep breath, and let it out. Building up his voice and persona, to boost the troop''s morale. Once he was ready, he walked right up to the balcony of the building. A loud cheer erupted in the town square as the soldiers see their handsome, masculine king once more. They all wonder what his speech will be.

    Danial raised both of his hands, epting the praise thrown at him, before losing his left hand. The soldiers, after witnessing Danial holding his right hand, started to calm down and stay silent. With the town entering a state of silence, Danial could finally speak.

    "Throughout the past few days, we had fought for our lord and savior, to save the peoples of the south. We fought many battles and won almost all of them.

    ALMOST! As 2 days ago, we suffered a terrible attack from the enemy''s new weapons. Weapons handed to them by the devils! Our men were mowed down, while they hid behind the safety of their fort, like cowards!

    Now, they are marching towards the city of Browntown as we speak. My loyal subjects, it is my deepest regret, that I will have to let some men stay, to fight their army, to not let them take this city.

    We have lost many friends, many allies, many brothers, many fathers, and many sons along the way. Yet, fear not! They may be up above the heavens, watching us, cheering us to defeat the monster that is tearing society and humanity apart!

    We may have lost the battle, but we have not lost the war! We will fight till the very end! Even if it means sacrificing all our lives for it! Anyone, who fights to the death, will reach up to the heavens, where they will be granted eternal peace in the afterlife.

    We will fight till the end! For our brothers! Our sisters! Our mothers! Our Fathers! Our Wives! Our Family! Our Friends! And for God!"

    The crowd erupted in cheer as Danial finished his short speech. Time was of the essence, after all. They started chanting "Long live his Highness! Long Live God!". Danial turned back and headed back inside the building. He picked up his helmet and puts it on.

    His forehead gets covered in something. He quickly takes it off and looks in the mirror. It appears to be his blood. Probablying from his head injury. Danial casts a spell that summed a bit of water. He washes the blood off his forehead, as well as his helmet, before putting it back on.

    ...

    Rose Valine was wearing a suit of runic armor, powered by a purple stone. Behind her, was the first brigade,prising musketeers, pikemen, knights, medics, and others. There have been a few hit-and-runs by the enemy, but they have managed to quickly deal with it.

    Though she had to admit it, Rose smiled when she heard that they were resorting to such tactics. It was a sign that Danial knew he was in peril.

    Rose looks at her map to see where they were. She usedndmarks around to pinpoint her exact location before they would be able to arrive there. Time was of the essence, and she did not want Danial to escape her ws.

    She then picked up her spyss and ced it on her eye. She hoped that they were close enough to get a visual. Lucky for her, she was. In the distance, she saw the river which blocked Danial from leaving. A bit to the side, she spots the bridge.

    However, what she couldn''t find is Danial''s army. She knew he was in the vicinity, considering his knights were harassing the brigade, but he was not to be seen. Unless... he had already left? It was certainly possible. Just then, they heard the sounds of a lone horseing over their way. It appears to be a messenger, carrying some heavy news.

    "Your majesty! We have approached the vicinity of Browntown! The third brigade has entered battle with the army!" he said.

    "How many were there?" Rose asked the messenger.

    "We counted about a couple thousand peasant infantry, as well as about a quarter hundred knights!"

    "25 knights?" she questions, a little shocked at the low numbers.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Yes, your highness. Is there something wrong?"

    Rose sat on her horse, thinking of what it meant. She figured it was some force meant to slow them down, to make sure that they wouldn''t catch up to him.

    "How long did it take for you toe here?"

    "Uh... about 6 minutes your majesty. I came here as fast as I could."

    "Hm... Good. Tell Colonel Leroy to keep on engaging the enemy. After they are defeated, head straight for the bridge. Do I make myself clear?"

    "Yes, your highness!"

    "Good. Now go. Go as fast as you can." The messengers leave. Rose turns her head to the back.

    "Men! Ready up! We are going to march faster than before! We will be engaging the enemy from the north!" she said. Rose then turned to a knight and instructed him with the following.

    "Take a few knights over and slow them down. Perform hit and runs, cast fireballs, or even explosions. Do whatever it takes to slow them down." she instructed. The knight nodded, selected a few knights from the front, and ran off to the distance at high speeds.

    ...

    Danial and his army had marched in an orderly fashion out of the city to the paved road. With their bellies refilled up with the citizen''s food, and their thirst vanquished after drinking a good jug of water and beer, the 11,000 troops marched on with high spirits.

    It was going well. The army was supposed to be arriving at the bridge in about 30 minutes. That was until, suddenly, a cavalry consisting of enemy runic knightses down and attacks the convoy of peasant soldiers. With only a few knights in the vicinity, many of them die due to being stabbed through their bodies with pointy metal spears.

    Just as soon as they came in, they left. The knights who possessed violet mana-stone cores in their suits of runic armor, cast explosive spells that left lots of damage, both in terms of equipment, men, and even the road they marched on. Soon, the news reaches the front end of the army, where Danial rode on top of his horse.

    "Hit and run attacks?" he asks to reiterate.

    "Yes, your highness! They also cast some powerful explosive magics well! We have lost about 95 men so far!"

    "I see..." Danial thinks of his options. He would like to keep as many men as he could, but a rearrangement now would mean that they would have to slow down. It took a few more hit-and-runs and slowdowns before he eventually made a decision.

    "Go to the side of the army and protect our nks. We do not want to lose these people. I will defend the front along with a few myself. Do you all understand?" he told the front 4 rows of knights.

    "Yes, your highness!" The knights replied. Using the leash on their horses, they moved away from the front of the march, to the side. This way, the peasant infantry would have a better chance of surviving and repealing any hit-and-runs. Although this also meant that they would have to slow down, Danial would rather risk getting there slower, than have a lot of his men killed.

    He felt his heartbeat increase as he got closer and closer to the bridge, wondering whether the enemy had already gotten to the bridge. He takes out the map and looks to see where he was. Noticing that he was very close, Danial picked up his spyss and looked around.

    There, surrounded by the stone bridge that would allow them to escape, was infested with the enemy brigade, consisting of probably a few thousand men, knights, and a possible monarch. Although, Danial could not tell from his current position, as he was very far away.

    Facing the fact that, in the end, he came to terms with that battle was not inevitable, and it was his decision on how he should y it forward, determines the lives of his soldiers, and the lives of millions of people toe.

 Chapter 114 The Second Battle Of Browntown

    ?Danial, sitting on the top of his horse, looks at theyout of the enemy army. They appear to be formed in a half-circle pattern. There were hemp bags of sand, pilled up to form a sort of wall that the enemy troops could use to take cover, with those metal cannons residing behind them.

    As for defenses, he saw that soldiers were putting up barricades, and pikes all over, forcing his troops to move a certain way. There were also some knights on horseback present, ready to charge.

    With the arrangement of their army figured out, he now has to find a way to counter it. He reminds himself of the previous battle that took ce with the strange soldiers with their stranger weapons. Memories visualizing the battle with a few inuracies present. Such is the fragility of human memory.

    ''If I remember correctly, they fired their weapons in a tight group, close together. It fired fast metal ball projectiles that dealt damage at high speeds. There were also metal barrels. They fired arger ball of metal at high speeds.

    Although it was inurate, it was certainly powerful. Add to that, once my knights get close enough, they would put down their pikes to chase them off.'' he thought to himself. With that information in mind, Danial came up with a new n.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® Danial dropped off his horse and called out for some people. Many knights and peasant infantry leaders came up to King Danial, eager to listen to what he had to say.

    "Alright everyone, listen up. Considering that they fire those metal projectiles, instead of going in tight packs, we all spread out and attacked. That way, their projectiles will have a less likelihood of hitting. If say a knight cavalry charge urs, reform back into a tight position, and handle them.

    "Got that? Are there any objections?"

    "I do, your highness." one said.

    "What is it?"

    "It would be difficult to reform into tight packs once a cavalry charge is in ce. For us peasants at least. I am not sure whether we have the discipline, training, ormunication skills to pull it off." the man voiced.

    "That is a good point, however in our current situation, this is the only viable option we have to deal with their wicked weapons. Is that clear to you?"

    "Yes, your highness."

    "Good. Now, as for the knights. I advise you to use your shields only when you see a sparking over from the enemy. That is an indication that he had fired their weapons. Got it?"

    "Got it, your highness."

    "Now, once you get close enough, I want you all to cast a magical spell to make a kill. Whether it be a fireball, an ice pir, or an explosion, it doesn''t matter. Alright?"

    "Alright, your highness."

    "Good. Now go tell the troops to be ready for battle. We have a long daying up." Themanders did as they were told.

    ...

    Rose Valine looked through her spyss. She can see the enemy approaching her position. However, instead ofing in with tight formations, they appear to have made the decision to spread out. She assumed that this was Danial''s doing, who had learned from his past mistakes.

    "Ready the cannons! Fire on mymand! Rifleman! Prepare your rifles!" she shouted. The men loaded in a battery and ced a fuse, ready to fire at a given notice. Rose waited till they came closer. She had the cannons aligned in a peculiar way so that it hits a certain spot.

    "Rifleman Line A, fire!" she shouted. The men pulled the trigger and fired their bullets. At that moment, the enemy put up their shields. Some managed to sessfully block it, while others failed miserably. Some hit their horses, while most of them missed.

    The next line of musketeerse into position, as a procedure of their volley fire system. With her orders, they fired on the iing soldiers. This continued on for a good minute, where only the rifleman fired on their position.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Suddenly, Rose held out her hand. Without uttering a word, she cast a spell. The t ground on the battlefield, started to make tall, thick dirt walls, forcing the enemy to pass through narrow halls where they were susceptible to gunfire.

    "Cannonmen! Fire!" shemanded. With that, the fuse lit up. As many men started to pour in, the cannon fired, turning hundreds into swiss cheese. The riflemen, seeing their opportunity, fired upon them in an instant. They then switched back with the others, who fired a few more shots.

    In the distance, Rose can see Danial approaching on horseback, covered in a powerful magical shield. He did not appear to be stopping. She smirked at the view and turned to a knight.

    "You... Bring me my special weapon," she said. The knight went over to grab a wooden box and handed it over to the queen.

    ...

    Seeing the massive amounts of Danial knew who he was facing. It was her; Rose Tipe Valine the I. No other monarch has this much magical power to move tons of dirt in an instant. Even before losing a good chunk of his mana reserves, Danial was no match for Rose Valine, by himself that is.

    Yet, this was his only chance. If his army were to have the slightest chance of winning, he would have to face this heretic. After chugging a potion of strength and endurance from his bottle, the man charged ahead, straight at his enemy. He had a few strong knights behind him, all helping Danial maintain his shield.

    Rose appears to start casting dozens of spells, as the ground around him started to explode in fury. Dirt spewed everywhere, forming arge cloud, while little cracks on his shield formed. She appears to be using an explosion spell, a draining spell that one could not perform without a runic suit of armor to amplify its magic.

    Followed by the explosions, came bolts of thunder sent his way. Yet, his shield did not yield. The further he went, the more intense the attacks became. His surroundings start to get obstructed with a gray cloud of dirt, ash, and fire thanks to her attacks.

    His shields were about to reach their breaking point, yet he still held on. He remembers his children, his wife, his friends, and his family. Mana started to flow into his right arm, where he held his spear. Once he gets close, he was to throw it straight at her face.

    Soon the explosions, thunder, and fire stopped, and the smoke cleared out. He lifted his hand to throw his spear. He was ready to throw it toward Rose''s face.

    *Bang*

    A bullet went straight towards him, aimed at his head. The bullet once again broke his shield and hit his forehead. This time, it was a lethal hit. The man was pushed straight out of his horse, onto the ground. The sudden stopping of eleration broke every bone in his body and ruptured his organs.

    The many on the ground, nearly unconscious with blood going out of his brain. The sun that hovered on top of the sky, blinded his eye. As the great kingy there, dying, his life shed before his eyes. From the day he was born, when he met Malinda, the day his parents died, to his children''s birth

    "I... I am so sorry my children. I have failed you. I have failed you all..." he muttered with thest of his strength. It all slowly faded into ck. The beautiful world around him, the one that he spent 43 years lives, started to slip from his grasp.

    ...

    The sound of Rose''s special gun, made of silver, firing echoed throughout the entire battlefield. The same gun was gifted to her by the smiths when they arrived. The soldiers, seeing their king dead on the ground, surrendered to the enemy, after losing all their morale.

    Arge hole was dug by the soldiers, where the bodies of the dead were to be tossed, especially Danial, who got to rest with his soldiers.

    With the army defeated, Rose marched on the city of Browntown, where the 3rd brigade was sieging the city.

    "Soldiers of Hoverdam! Your king has perished! There is nobody left for you to fight for! Surrender now or Perish under our might!x she proimed.

    A few minutes of silence went by, without anything remotely noteworthy urring. Then, behind the walls, clouds of smoke formed.

    Rose immediately understood what it, was and quickly shot up a stream of water into the air, creating an artificial rain. She then blew open the front gates, allowing them to enter. A fierce, yet short fight urred within the city, resulting in the total victory of Rose Valine.

 Chapter 115 Suspicions Increase

    ?Arjun stood by his window, using his spyss, looking down at the grass fields below. He sees the prince in his ck suit, aiming and firing his ''caplock'' musket. Though he did not know how it worked, as he was assigned to do some work for him, he was curious.

    He turns around and walks up to his desk. There, on the desktop, was an envelope containing a letter from Alchemist Heinz Duesenberg. He picks it up and reads what he had to say. Apparently, they ''reinvented a new chemical'' called ''mercury fulminate''. An explosivepound highly sensitive to shock, friction, and heat.

    Though the letter was filled with praise for his genius, and a decent reason for how he managed to invent it. Arjun started to question the whole ordeal. Ever since he started to suspect Cora, Arjun had a sneaking suspicion about Kant himself. How DID he know about all this stuff? How DID he know how to invent these things? It could be genius, sure, but there was the feeling that something else was going on.

    Arjun however, did not have enough information. He did not receive his position until about 2 years ago when Kant was a sort of a shut-in. The two almost never interacted until a few months ago. So, he decided to bring in a trustworthy knight, who might have all the information that he needs about Kant.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom Just then, there was a knock on the door. Arjun coughed twice, sat on his chair, and maintained a straight and confident posture before letting the man enter. The doorknob opened, revealing a man with short messy hair, with a few wrinkles on his forehead. He was wearing a long-sleeved silver uniform.

    "You called for me, sir?" he asked, holding his unamused and serious face.

    "Yes, Knight Silvester Silverstone. Sit down." Silvester closes the door, walks up to the wooden chair, and sits down with his back rested.

    "You have worked with his highness for about... how long now?"

    "...About 16 years in total, when I turned 20. I had some experience as a private adventurer for some time. Why you do ask?"

    "Nothing in particr. I just wanted to ask you a question... have you interacted with Prince Kant in his younger days."

    "I have...yes..." Silvester replies while nodding.

    "Is there something that you want to know about him?"

    "I do indeed. Yes. You see, Prince Kant has been... bringing all these inventions all this time and... don''t you think that it is odd?"

    "What do you mean?"

    "You know, how this... child. This random child manages to bring in all these new inventions that no normal human being could possibly even think of. Have you never suspected something was wrong?" Arjun asked Silvester.

    Silvester leans his head back and thinks of an eptable answer. Kant is their key to taking over the kingdom, and he could not have Arjun suspect a thing. He works with Salvator Humat after all.

    "Hmm... I did in the beginning yes..."

    "Go on..."

    "Well, as far as I can remember... the boy mostly was reading books at around 3 or 4 years old..."

    "Can you borate on that? What kind of books?" Arjun asked.

    "I can''t remember, but they were sure not for kids. They were something those old schrs read. He sometimes read them to learn, while other times, he read them to help him sleep."

    "I see... Carry on then."

    "Anyways, whatever it was, it clearly was, he said it helped him make his first big invention. By that point, he was making some small things. Impressive for a child, but that was about it.

    It happened around... 5,008, when he was five years old. It was this... two-wheeled open carriage he called a bicycle. It is not thatplex. Just use some kind of chains and pedals to make it go forward.

    It was when we started to question where he got the knowledge because from what we could tell, there wasn''t much there, to begin with. Eventually, he started to make more and more of that... we saw it as a part of life. Her highness told everyone it was his gift."

    "Can you draw this.. bicycle for me?" Arjun asked while handing a piece of beige paper, and a quill.

    "I can draw a sketch."

    "Alright then. Please do." Silvester took the quill and a piece of paper. There, he drew tworge circles, connected by a few lines, before presenting them to the minister. He took at it, rather unamused himself, and questioned further.

    "Do you know what happened to it?"

    "Yes. I think it is locked in a shed in the field, letting it gain rust along with a few other bicycles. We still haven''t found the key. To be fair, it is pretty small for him to use it in any meaningful way anymore."

    "Are there any other inventions?"

    "Yes. Plenty. He made some novel toys, a few strangepounds, like that ck powder. But instead, he used it to make some nice fireworks to light up on his birthday. I can''t list them here because that would take too long."

    "But then why did he stop? Why did he just... suddenly give up then?"

    "His only friend died in 5,014 due to the gue. It was a big reason why he kept on making those things. He just... stayed in his room from that point onward." Arjun leaned in forward.

    "Friend?"

    "Yes. I can''t remember the name though. He always went to that prince''s city in the summer. He was very different back then..."

    "Like how different..."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "The near opposite of what we have now..."

    "Very interesting. Now, if I told you, that he had made a...pletely new chemical... would you think that is possible?"

    "How do know that he found one?"

    "A letter from the alchemist. I personally requested him to write one once their meeting was over," Arjun said while holding his hands together.

    "So... what do you think?" Silvester looks up again and thinks.

    "It is possible," he says, before looking back down and re-establishing eye contact.

    "Why is that?"

    "The prince has got some skills and a curiosity for learning. It is possible that he read up a bit on alchemy books inside the library and even read up some experiments to a conclusion. Believe me, sir. I have seen it in action a few times."

    "Hm... alright then. Now... I got a few new requests to make. Can you follow through?"

    "What is that?"

    "Considering how long you have been working for his majesty, I trust you can... look after the prince?"

    "Espionage?"

    "...well yes. I would like to be his... bodyguard again, but even closer this time. Be a sort of mediator, get things done, and report everything you see back to me. See what is going on and such. Can you do that for me?"

    "I am going to need some guys with me then. I won''t be able to do it alone."

    "Alright then. Take anyone you need. Is there anything else?"

    "How much more will you be willing to pay?" Silvester asks.

    "50 silver a month more."

    "1 gold more," Silvester replied. Arjun sighed, yet felt relieved. The higher price was like a reassurance, that Ajurn could trust Silvester to do the right thing.

    "Well... alright then. Shall I send someone to inform him about the changes?"

    "No need. I will tell him myself once he gets back to his room."

    "Perfect! Oh! But what about the exnation..."

    "I will handle that. Make up an excuse without giving him too much to suspect."

    "Good. Oh, and by the way, can you ask the librarian to check what kind of books he read? I want to see them for myself."

    "Alright, sir. You got it."

    ...

    Kant finally ran out of mercury fulminate caps. With the next batching in tomorrow, all he would have to do is to wait. With that, he ced his gun inside a wooden case, held it by the handle, and went back inside the pce.

    He had gotten the hang of the weapon he fired. His uracy was increasing by the day. Now, it was time to move on to the next weapon, one which is more portable that he can conceal inside his suit, and can reliably fire multiple bullets quickly.

    When he came to his room, he found Silvester sitting in his chair. He had met him before. He was there when he and Salvator Humat made contact. Kant, after looking around the halls, closed the door shut.

    "What is the situation?" Kant asks. Silvester, assuming no one is listening, spilled the beans.

    "The minister is suspecting you, sire. He found out about the fulminate thanks to a letter and now wants some answers. He assigned me to check with the librarian. What books do you think the list would have?" Silvester asks.

    Kant went on to name a few alchemy books. Books upon the best theories of how it worked, and some logged observations of many alchemists throughout the ages. Silvester, who received the list that would invoke the least suspicion, got up and tried to leave.

    Before he could open the door, Kant stopped him in his tracks. He took a long stick, opened his drawer, and unlocked a secretpartment under the desk. From there, he took two pieces of paper and handed them to Silvester.

    "Get Paul the smith to build what is inside the first paper, hand it over to the Petersons to assemble it, and package it in a small wooden box, before bringing the weapon back to me. Do you understand?"

    "Alright, sire. I do. What about the second one?"

    "Hand that over to a... tailor or a leather worker. It is more of a holster. Got it?"

    "Alright. Got it, sire."

 Chapter 116 The News Spreads.

    ?Corel marches his beaten army into Tyrol. He, like Danial, had suffered immense defeat against Rose''s musketeer forces. As they march in the streets, the people, who were busy with their own lives, turned around to take a look.

    They saw their clothes and armor riddled with holes, with the peasant infantry covered in dirt and mud, all slowly marching with their heads pointed to the ground, as if they suffered disgrace. The knights, who usually looked high and mighty, appeared gloomy and depressed.

    Whispers started to roam around the entire city of its curious citizens. What had happened that caused such a defeat, and where was the previous king, who took off from the city? The army stops at the town square and dismembers so that everyone could go eat, sleep, or take a bath.

    Corel went inside the pce and got out of his runic suit of armor. He took a quick bath and swapped into some formal purple robes. Once he is dressed up, he roamed around the halls, asking around the servants, until he found the room where he found Salvatore present.

    He appeared to drink himself to death, as the nice wooden table had a tall wine-ss cup on top, next to 2rge bottles of wine, with one of them empty, and the other half full. Corel enters the room, grabbing Salvatore''s attention.

    "Mind if I have some?" Corel asked. Salvator turned around to see a sweaty Corel, tired and gloomy as him.

    "Be my guest," Salvatore replied in a slightly drunk tone. He got the maid to deliver another ss, with another bottle. Corel took the bottle himself and poured the wine into his tall wine ss. He then sat down and drank a bit from the cup.

    "Mmmm... 120 years?"

    "134."

    "Ah. I see. So... you faced those things as well?"

    "Yes. Those... weird weapons. I am not sure what the hell they were, but they sure were powerful."

    "You got any idea to counteract them?"

    "No clue. I am waiting for Danial. He hasn''t seem to have arrived yet. Speaking of which, where the hell is that stupid bastard? I wonder where he is..." Salvatore replied, slightly drunk.

    "He is not here?"

    "If he was, I would have been drinking myself with him."

    Corel looked at his ss of wine and shook it around, causing the wine to make a tornado inside. Just then, a realization hit him. His eyebrows raised, and he nearly dropped his ss. He keeps it down and turns to Salvatore once again.

    "Salvatore, did you happen to face Rose Valine?"

    "No, did you?"

    "No. Do you think that maybe..."

    "Maybe what?" Salvatore asked, with his voice slightly louder. He took another jug from his wine ss

    "That he might have been caught?" Salvatore immediately stopped drinking from his cup. He ced the ss down and thought hard about it. He then turned to face Corel in the eyes, and eyes his eyebrows in realization.

    "Oh... shit. You might be right. What do we do?"

    "Well, I think the first thing we should send a message to Malinda and our wives about the situation. The carrier pigeons should work fine."

    "Alright. Alright. Maid? MAID!" Salvatore screamed. A maid quickly came inside the room after hearing his slightly drunk screams.

    "Bring us a stack of paper sheets and... and a quill! Got it?"

    "Yes, your highness. I will be on my way," she replied. With that, the maid left the room. Corel looked at Salvatore.

    "Say, I think it would be best if I was to write the letters," Corel suggested.

    "Why so?" Salvatore asked. His eyes were getting a little heavier.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Because you are half-drunk, you bastard. We don''t want to mess this up."

    "Alright... Alright... I hear you." The room entered a period of silence as the two continued to wait for the maid to arrive. It was just then that the half-drunk Salvatore remembered.

    "Say, what about Hoverdam?" he asked Corel.

    "What about Hoverdam?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Shouldn''t we send a letter to the minister there?" he suggested. Corel turned his head to maintain eye contact.

    "Oh, would you look at that? You CAN think straight." Corel replied while touching his shoulder, forming a slight smile.

    "But yes, we should. Good call my friend. I nearly forgot."

    The maid eventually brings in them the sheets of paper, the quill, and the bottle of ink. Corel, after taking one piece of paper, started writing down a letter to inform them of the difficulties they face, the new weapons the enemy possesses, and that Danial is missing.

    Once they finished, they attached it to a pigeon and sent them off. The letters eventually made their way to respective recipients, especially Malinda, who received the letters about 2 dayster. Malinda was busy training alongside Kristina in her runic suit of armor.

    A maid came over to deliver the message. Wanting to focus on her training, she ordered the maid to read it out loud. However, as the letter spilled out the disturbing contents, Malinda requested the maid to hand the letter to read it herself.

    Malinda read the letter quietly, focusing mainly on the first part; the one that detailed her husband''s disappearance and the probability that he could have been captured by the enemy. She then walked up to Kristina and told her to read it.

    "His majesty is missing?" Kristina asks.

    "Yes. I am afraid so. He sent a letter to Corel and Salvatore to meet at Tyrol, but he himself hasn''t shown up. They fear that he might have been caught," Malinda replied in a worry some tone. Kristina read the letter herself, focusing mainly on the enemy''s weapon.

    "They are using a firearm," Kristinamented coldly. Malinda looked up from the ground to Kristina, her face all confused.

    "I beg your pardon?" Kristina turned to face the queen.

    "Your majesty, I think I know what weapon they are using," Kristina ims. Malinda''s eyebrows raise in surprise.

    "You do? How do you know?" Malinda questions, wiping off some little tears on her face.

    "ording to the description in this letter, I think we might be dealing with a gun or firearm. Prince Kant invented onest month, and demonstrated its capacity."

    "Was that the weapon you informed me about in a previous letter?"

    "Yes, your highness. Their weapon uses this... powder. They probably light it up in some way. In Prince Kant''s case, it was the use of flint. There could be a simr system to their firearms.

    Therge metal barrels might as well be just a bigger gun, operating under the same principles," Kristina exined while Malinda listened in carefully.

    "I see... Did he tell anyway to counter it?" Malinda questions Kristina.

    "Let me think..." Kristina replied. She had her hands holding her chin. As she recollected the events of what happened, she remembers a few things.

    "I got it!" she suddenly speaks with a snap.

    "From what I know, there are two weaknesses of firearms, at least in his prototype. First, they cannot operate once the weapon is moist. A powerful water spell that rains over the enemy could disable them.

    Because of the moisture, the powder cannot be properly activated, and so the projectile, or the bullet, cannot be fired."

    "And the second one?"

    "From what I remember, this weakness would apply if the gun barrel is ''rifled'' or not. Considering that the letter states they fight in packed formations, firing timed volleys, I assume that their guns are smoothbore.

    Smoothbore weapons are highly inurate. So the best way to counter that is to spread out as much as we could. This way, even if they do fire, they would be hitting fewer targets overall, and we would have a higher chance of victory." Kristina replied.

    "That... that is good! Quick, we must write a letter informing them at once. Who knows when they will strike!"

    "Yes, your majesty. We should."

    ...

    Meanwhile, as Kristina and Malinda went off to write a letter, Rose ces her spyss on her eye. She focused on getting a good view of the city below, surrounded by a circr wall. Although there may have been some dys, she had managed to march forward, taking any city she confronted easily.

    With the 1st brigade to the south of the city, with the 3rd and 4th brigades to the east and west, she nned on taking the city. From there, she was to encircle and capture the other two kings with ease, allowing her to initiate the second phase of her n. That is to send the signal to take over the main cities.

    She turned to the messengers that arrived from the 3rd and 4th brigades. They informed her that the siege could begin once she gives the signal. Feeling she should at least let them surrender, she sent over a messenger, informing them about her proposal, and what would happen if they refuse.

 Chapter 117 Falling Apart

    ?The messenger arrives at the gates of the city. After a short exchange between the knights guarding the ce and the messenger himself, they allow him to enter without with sword by his side, in case he tries to do something funny. Corel and Salvatore were soon informed of the messenger''s arrival, who by that point her putting on their suits of armor, ready to fight to the death if they have to.

    "A messenger? From the enemy?" Corel asked the maid, who was the one in charge of informing them.

    "Yes, your highness. An enemy messenger has arrived to deliver a message from Queen Rose Valine. He is currently waiting in the dining room."

    Salvatore and Corel, who by this point were wearing their suits of armor, walked over to the dining room. There, they found the messenger, who was d in iron, just sitting there, patiently waiting.

    Corel and Salvatore sat on the chairs right in front of the messenger. They were all slightly shaking inside. The messenger was a little afraid that the kings might keep him hostage in his moment of vulnerability, while the kings were afraid of the messager''s message to the kings. The two had both seen their armies have surrounded the city, and that there was no escape.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "So... what message did Rose tell you to bring to us?" Corel asked.

    "Well, your highness. Her Highness, Rose Valine, is asking for your unconditional surrender of the kingdoms of Desmon, and Nexert."

    "Alright. Say if we ept this proposal. What happens to us?" Salvatore questions.

    "A few things. You will be required to denounce your title as king of the respective states, BUT you will be seeded by one of your sons. You also have to denounce the church as ''an evil institution that is a threat to human life''."

    "Anything else?" Corel asked.

    "You are not allowed to visit your sons while they are enrolled in the academy.

    You must move to a home of Queen Rose Valine''s choice, where there will be restrictions ced upon you." The messenger continued. He listed a few more requirements, before shutting his trap.

    "I sincerely suggest that you two take the surrender, just like the ruler of Tyrol did just a few minutes before. Her highness is very kind, and I am sure that she wouldn''t do anything horrible." the messenger said.

    "And what if we disagree?" Salvatore asked.

    "Then you may face death like his highness, Danial Icurus Maybale the III." The room was silent once more. Though the two kings managed to keep a stoic face, internally, they were devastated by the news of their dear friend''s death.

    "Could you give us a moment? Just wait in the other room..." Corel said. The messenger got up, bowed, and left the room.

    "Oh god..." Salvatore said.

    "I know. I know. I just... I just can''t believe it..."

    "So what should we do? We never expected them toe here this quickly! And Danial''s dead too. What the fuck should we do?"

    "Wel... We could just surrender..." Corel suggested. Salvatore mmed the desk with both his hands with rage.

    "Are you out of your mind? What would god think of us? Our friend died to protect his holiness, and this is how you repay him?" Salvatore said.

    "Listen, Salvatore. I know that Danial may have died, but that is NOT a good excuse to let ourselves get killed and OUR children, OUR families in danger.

    We both have seen what she can do. We know that she managed to kill Danial. Do you really think that we have a chance at this point?

    As soon as everyone hears about his death, what do you think they are going to do? You think they are going to keep blindly fighting, or are going to surrender as soon as they know. I think the answer is obvious." Corel suggested. Salvatore maintained an intimidating face against Corel, angry at his proposal.

    "Then you better just take it," he replied. Corel simply nodded. He walked out of the room, but before closing the door, he said one thing.

    "Goodbye, my friend," he said. Corel came up to the messenger and told him that he epted his proposal, while Salvatore did not.

    "Your highness might want to remove that suit of armor. I do not think her highness would ept youing over inside a tool of war." The messenger said.

    "Alright. I will."

    ...

    Cannons fire theirrge metal balls at the city walls. Panic ensues among the poption inside the city as they hear the thunders of Rose''s weapons. The knights who dare go to the top of the city walls to defend themselves found themselves under fire from the musketeers.

    Corel, who had his hands chained with bracelets and a ck gem on it, prohibiting him from performing magic, watched in horror and awe how their weapons worked. The great metal barrels they called ''cannons'' fired heavy metal balls at the walls. It was Rose Valine''s order that he should get to watch the show with her. That way, he can see, with his own two eyes, the great choice that he made with Rose.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Beautiful, isn''t it?" Rose asked Corel.

    "Huh? Oh... uh... yes.'' Corel replied, nervously.

    "It took me months to bring them here, train an army, and turn them all into soldiers, all under your very noses." Rose turns her head to face Corel, who was sweating like hell by this point.

    "22 months... I wonder how managed to miss that," she said before chuckling. Corel stayed silent, trying to gain the courage to ask a question.

    "My children... are they alright?"

    "Hm....? Or yes. Very..." she got closer to him.

    "You know, me and them... they are all good friends of mine.Very obedient bunch too."

    "Huh?" Corel asked, a little confused. He had no idea was Rose was jabbering about, but he didn''t have to wait long.

    "Well, you see. Your children brought me your letters, telling them about your n... Just like good students do!"

    It was when Corel realized what she meant. That was the reason why they got caught. Rose had brainwashed his children to obey hermand.

    "You... you..."

    "Now, now... Corel. You don''t want to make me angry, would you now?" Corel immediately stopped, realizing his position. If he speaks out anything, he would be putting his children and family in danger.

    After a few barrages, the walls start topletely fall apart, allowing the knights and the musketeers to enter the city. A huge fight urs where entire streets started to be clouded in smoke brought by the gunpowder.

    Queen rose herself and decided to go enter the battlefield. Before she could go over, Corel pleaded with her, for one more request. To spare his friend''s life. Though she didn''t make any promises, she reassured him that she was not done with him just yet.

    She hopped on her horse and fought her way deeper into the city. Thanks to her vast mana reserves, along with the runic armor amplifying her powers, she managed to breeze through till she came up to the pce.

    It was there that she met face-to-face with Salvatore, who appeared to be exhausted after fighting through the hordes of bullets and knights thrown his way. Once Salvatore noticed the presence of Rose, he threw all he got at her.

    There was a short magical duel between the two. Salvatore, using the remaining of his mana reverses, fires multiple spells such as fireballs, lighting, and even explosions to try and weaken her. They, however, werepletely futile against Rose, who still had her full strength.

    Using a fireball spell, she heated up his suit, nearly frying him inside, before cooling it down with ice magic. Then, after using some physical enhancers, she beat up the exhausted man till he fell unconscious. With that, the short siege concluded, resulting in Rose''s victory.

    ...

    A dayter, in the city of Hoverdam, Arjun sat in his office with an alchemist, going through the books that Kant had supposedly read that allowed him to make mercury fulminate. He had be even more suspicious of him over the past few days, and that he could be coborating with Salvator Humat.

    Despite Arjun''s attempts to understand what was going on, even with the help of the alchemist by his side, they could not figure out how he managed toe to that conclusion. The chance of him inventing it due to the logs seemed far less likely, and more due to something different.

    Their focus was then broken by the knock on the door. Feeling frustrated, Arjun asked who it was. The door opened, revealing Silvester Silverstone.

    "Ah, Silvester. Is there anything that you need to tell me?" Arjun asked with a smile on his face,pletely shifting away from his annoyed tone.

    "I got a letter for you, sir," he replied. He tosses an envelope to Arjun, who quickly grabs a hold of it.

    "Who is it from?"

    "Don''t know. Apparently, it is from his highness Corel Grendleberg and Salvatore Dellone," he replied. Arjun, upon hearing that it came from the two kings, immediately opened it. He read the letter out quietly, before cing it in his pocket and getting up from his desk.

    "Silvester, I need you toe with me."

    "Where to, sir?"

    "To Kant''s room. He got some exining to do."

 Chapter 118 Secrets Revealed

    ?On the wooden desktop, clean of any item was held on top beforehand and was temporarily removed so that Kant could look at the detailed map of the city presented on the desktop. It featured every tiny detail that you can imagine. This particr map was very new, considering Kant had requested to do so, as he wanted it to feature the new buildings that have been added.

    On the map, he can see the school building located in Middletown, as well as the factory which was much further away, near the outskirts of the ce. There was also said to be a n to build a textile factory near the area, funded by the OSAC group to take advantage of the cheapnd there.

    Now recently, people have beenining to the city knight hall that the newly mechanized workshops have been producing more waste. Though thankfully, the existing city sewage system was able to handle the extra waste, it did present a problem. There were alsoints about the smog produced by the factories, which the locals imed made an irritating smell.

    Though they were a few problems, it got him thinking. If the current sewage system already has a problem in maintaining the current increase in waste from small workshops using the steam engine, how bad would it be when there are giant factories present, which might produce the same amount of waste a workshop would deliver?

    Hence, that is why Kant decided to draw up an industrial zone, to separate where the people lived and where they worked. The first industrial zone would be located within the rural area where the first cement factory is present. This area would then be connected to an area called ''lower-east Middletown'', where a sizable, yet economically struggling poption lives.

    The area had been struggling for quite some time, with an estimated poption of 15,000 people. Kant wants to connect these potential workers to the industrial zone via public transport like steam trolleys, with wrought iron rails lined over. Once the sewage system has expanded to cover this area, and to handle more waste overall, it would begin to function.

    To incentivize businesses to move there, he could give them sizable tax benefits, as well as restrictions on building factories in areas not considered to be industrial zones, to cripple the motivation to scale up to a factory.

    Considering that there was already a factory present, with another on the way, it seemed to be perfect. He just had to make the zoningws, expand the sewage system, and build a waste disposal facility to adequately remove waste, and he would be done.

    Just then, there was a knock on the door. Kant, after rolling up the map and cing it inside the drawer, allowed whoever was on the other side to enter. Arjun, followed by Silverstone, entered the room.

    "Ah, Arjun. What brings you here?" Kant asks politely. Arjun did not look too pleased. He handed the letter over to Kant to read.

    "You got some exining to do," Arjun said. Silvester was holding his hands on his de to his right, ready to draw it out. Kant took the letter and read it quietly. Though he may appear calm, he was shocked to his bone at the fact Rose possessed firearms.

    After staring at the letter, reading it over and over again, he ced the letter down and looked at Arjun, who was visibly fuming.

    "Hmm... I understand why you think that I could be coborating with the opposing faction, but I guarantee you, I have nothing to do with it."

    "I am not so sure about that, sire," Arjun replied.

    "Well, what evidence do you have? It wouldn''t be wise to convict someone of something they did not do," Kant asked.

    "The inventions."

    "Hmm? What do you mean by that?"

    "I mean your inventions. Specifically Mercury Fulminate. I tried to find out how you managed to find out how you even came to such a conclusion. Yet, even after several days of trying, I just could not put my finger on it."

    "Well..." Kant tried to lie, but he was interrupted by Arjun once again.

    "Then there was that... Bessemer process. Do you honestly expect me to believe that someone like you, who never stepped inside a steel mill? NO! You... you obviously have some sort of outside help, and I know just who!

    You got them from the south. They were the ones who fed you that information. Because there is no way in hell that some... teenage boy would be able toe up with suchplicated devices!" Arjun ranted. Kant waited till he stopped.

    "Alright then. Are you sure?" Kant asked.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "What?"

    "Are you sure you want to know?" Kant questioned.

    "Yes. I do."

    Kant was silent. His eyes tilted towards Silverster, and then back towards Arjun. He opened his drawer, grabbed a key chain with multiple keys, and stood up.

    "Well, you are going to have to follow me," Kant requested. Arjun turned to Silvester, who nodded in approval. Kant took his ck suit from the hang, put it out, and walked out of the room with Arjun and Silvester. They roamed among the hallways and made their way down therge pce and to the field.

    "Where are we going, sire?" Silvester finally asks.

    "To the storage shed, where I kept all my old stuff," Kant replied. Kant opened the door to the shed, and let the men enter first. The shed, being a little dark with no windows to allow light to enter, cast a spell to light the room.

    As the light lit up, he saw many strange devices, metal or not. The room, which had been presumably left for a long time, was rather clean. Arjun turned back to Kant, who closed the door.

    "Ie here once in a while to clean this ce. Sometimes clouds of dust collect all over the ce, and I have to often use a mask to help me not cough," he said.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "But that does not matter. What you want to know, is the truth, am I right?"

    "Yes. I feel like we already established that fact." Kant started to walk around the room as he exined what was happening.

    "About 3 months ago, I was approached by Salvator Humat to cooperate with them to take power over the city when it was necessary. They believed that I could help uplift and help people to have better lives.

    They imed they believed that I was the perfect candidate for such. Although I epted the deal, I did suspect something was going on in the background they were reluctant to tell me. It was a need-to-know basis.

    However, I suspected that it had something to do with the war..."

    "You knew?" Arjun and Silvester asked.

    "Of course, I knew. I figured out your bluff thanks to the maid, and even found the sides of the conflict. Regardless, I think it has something to do with the south. Instate me as a sort of puppet. Ain''t I right, Silvester?"

    "Yes. That is correct," he replied. Arjun turned to face Silvester, shocked and afraid. He just realized he found himself outnumbered by  Salvator Humat coborators.

    "Silvester! How could you?"

    "I am sorry sir, but that is true."

    "But... aren''t you someone who wields magic? How could you possibly support them!?!" Arjun said. He felt as if he had been betrayed, stabbed in the back by some loyalpanion. Silvester, hearing his question, answered.

    "We don''t really care whether you have magic or not. What we really care about are ours is and we want leaders that respect us again as human beings and start taking their jobs seriously.

    My good friends and family all died thanks to their ipetence and uninterest. They med their failure on us. They med the gue on us, that we were some kind of vermin that is being eradicated from the realm for not being believers. It was why I joined them in the first ce." he said rather calmly.

    "Speaking of which, considering that his highness has... disappeared, we will be moving on to the next part of the n," Silvester said.

    "What n?" Arjun asked.

    "It involves the agreement to make a peace deal. Where the war will end and..." Silverstone looks at Kant.

    "...Were we will be making Prince Kant into the next King." Silvester tells Arjun.

    "That is ABSURD! HIM?" Arjun asks while pointing his finger at Kant.

    "HE BETRAYED HIS OWN FAMILY! DO YOU EXPECT HIM TO BE A LOYAL LEADER TO YOU? TO ANYONE?" Kant slowly walks away from the two, and behind a wall.

    "Yes. I do. Unlike Danial, he tries to help us. He is trying to make us prosper through his own ways. Although he may not have magic, it won''t matter in the future.

    I am giving you a choice. You can either stay faithful to a captured king and risk being executed, or you can join ours and live the rest of your life as a good minister. So what do you say." Arjun stayed quiet.

    Kant came walking forward to his original position, with his hands behind his back.

    "I think it would be best if you ept it, Arjun. For your sake, at least. Maybe shake on it." Kant suggested in his deep, monotone voice. Arjun lifts his right hand, looks at it, and reaches it out to Silvester while looking him in the face, smiling.

    Silvester smiled back and grabbed his hand. Mana soon flowed through Arjun''s arms, giving him more strength. He immediately tries to crush Silverstone''s hand while using his free hand to take his sword.

    *Bang* *Bang* *Bang*

    The light spell goes out immediately. The gunshots enter Arjun''s head, causing his mana to evaporate. He loosens his grip and falls down to the floor on his left side. Silvester casts a light spell, immediately allowing him to view the minister''s body. Blood was pouring out of his head, covering his entire face.

    Silvester bes distraught at the sight and breaks away from his unamused face to one of shock and difort at what he just saw and heard. He turned his head to face Kant.

    "Wha..." his mouth shuts as he sees Kant. He was holding a percussion cap ck powder revolver, simr to an 1860 Colt army Revolver, in his right hand. The same one Silverstone had helped to make. Yet, he bes even more distraught by him. Kant''s face portrayed no emotion, just a re at Arjun''s body. Kant then sighed and turned to Silverstone.

    "Is your hand alright?"

 Chapter 119 Voting For Peace

    ?"Wha... what?" Silvester asked. A few dozen of questions popped up in his head as he was extremely distraught and shocked at what just happened. Kant, keeping a stoic, emotionless face, looked at him in the eyes and repeated himself.

    "I asked you, how is your hand? Does it hurt? Do you need a potion?" he asked politely.

    "I... I... I feel fine sire. I just... what..."

    "Calm down Silvester. Take a deep breath," Kant advised. Silverstone obeyed and took a few deep breaths. Soon, he managed to calm down, though, not enough to put on his unamused face again, a side-effect of witnessing a murder.

    "You alright?" Kant asked politely.

    "I am fine sire, I just... what... what did you do?" Silverstone asked, after finally gaining someposure.

    "He refused the offer, obviously. I told him it was the best for him. He tried to attack you, which put the n and our lives in jeopardy, so I decided to end him, quickly on the spot. I nted this loaded gun in secret in case the situation came to it, which it did."

    "I see that. But how?"

    "What do you mean?"

    "I mean... how did you do it? You just... killed a man... a living person. You are no warrior and yet... you show no emotion..." Silvester pointed out, regaining more of hisposure. It was not normal ability for a human to be able to murder another being.

    "Simple. It had to be done," Kant replied, maintaining his stoic face.

    "What?" Silverstone asked.

    "As I said, it had to be done. He was about to begin a ruckus, that could lead to the downfall of the whole operation. If it meant that, what is one life going to cost?"

    "But then... who is going to be the next minister? Who is going to support your ascension?" asked Silvester. Kant lifted his right hand and touched both of Silvester''s shoulders while saying,

    "By the power vested in me, I assign you the duties of the assistant minister for 20 days. Is that good?"

    "I... I guess so."

    "Alright, good. Now, before we head back over to the pce, we got something to get rid of first," Kant informs Silverstone. Their heads both turn to face the dead corpse of the previous minister.

    "Grab a shovel. We will grab the body outside through the back door." Kant said. The two men dragged his body outside, behind the shed so no one could see, digs a 6-foot grave into the ground with the help of Silvester''s magical strength-enhancing capabilities, and tossed the body inside. Once the body was well hidden, Kant turned to Silvester.

    "Go and summon the smaller knightmanders. I will follow youter." Kant requested. Silvester immediately epted his answer.

    "Alright, sire." With that, he walked away. Kant then took a deep breath in, and then out, the same as he advised Silvester. Though he may have regained the memories of Howard Orwell Bright, does not mean that he is Howard Orwell Bright.

    "Calm down Howard. Calm down. He is being restored. He is being restored. He is being restored..." he muttered to himself. It was the stoic''s way of coping. Though he felt great guilt, given to a person for an act of murder, he did not yield. Although he may have to carry the mountain of guilt, Kant knew it would simply pass on the more he grows.

    Without a single tear dropped for Arjun, Kant decided it was time to reload and holster the gun. He quickly grabbed 3 paper cartridges and loaded up the gun. He then grabbed the small percussion caps avable inside a small box residing in his pocker and put them on the nipples of the revolving barrel. He then ced the gun inside the holster, which was set it up on his shoulder underneath his suit, before walking over to the pce.

    ...<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The smaller knightmanding leaders, and a few small ministers all gather up on a long rectangr wooden table. They were all wearing their clothed uniforms, instead of their armored suits. The area was guarded by other knights, all belonging to Salvator Humat. Most of the knights guarding the ce also were with Salvator Humat.

    On the left far end was Silvester Silverstone, who regained his unamused and stoicposure back again. The room was silent and tense, all waiting for Kant toe and deliver the news. Soon, there was a knock on the door, and Kant made his entrance.

    The men all stood up and greeted the prince with a good morning.

    "Good morning everyone. Sit down." the men obeyed.

    "Now, I have to inform you all that minister Arjun Boyle would not be joining us. As a result, I am appointing Knight Silvester Silverstone for the duties of assistant minister for 20 days, which includes the vote. Do you all understand?"

    The men all around nodded. One man raised his answer.

    "All questions will be asked after I debrief you on the situation," Kant replied. The man held his hand down.

    "Now, ording to this letter we have received from Tyrol, the enemy had managed to defeat our armies, and have repealed the invasion thanks to a new weapon called a firearm. I am sure you have all heard of it?" they nodded. How could they not? They have seen him using it multiple times.

    "I also regret to inform you all that his highness, King Danial Icurus Maybale, has been reported missing. Although it is still not confirmed yet, we can assume that he had been captured, at best.

    With our armies defeated, it is certain that they will march toward the city of Hoverdam, endangering the people''s lives."

    The room was silent, waiting patiently for what Kant had to say.

    "With this grim situation, it is no longer in the interest of the Kingdom of Hoverdam to continue fighting the war. In a matter of a few months, maybe even just one month more, we will be facing the demonic wave.

    Therefore, I am proposing to end the war and start negotiations with the opposing faction, as it would be in the interest of both parties moving forward. Do any of you have any objections?" Surprisingly, nobody raised their hands. They seemed rather fine with his arrangement.

    "No objections?" Kant asked again, keeping his cold face intact. He wanted to make sure that they were all on board. Still, there was total silence. Kant reasoned that Silverstone told them what had happened to Arjun, considering they seemed too afraid to speak.

    "No? Good. Now, moving on to the next line of business. Considering that his highness has disappeared, I propose that my powers be extended until it is confirmed that the king is well.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® Are there any objections?" One again. Silence.

    "Alright then. Then those who would cast a vote to the dual proposal, raise your hands." Everyone in the room immediately submitted in favor of the proposal rather quickly.

    "Well, it is decided. We shall send a letter via pigeon today."

    With that, Kant got up and went over to his room to start writing a letter. The knights were all soon informed of the situation. Though some protested, they were all outnumbered as the majority of the knights that remained were Pro-Salvator Humat.

    With that, a few more executions and arrests took ce, and the letter to start negotiations for peace was sent. Over the next couple of days, more and more kingdoms of the north either surrendered or capitted.

    Malinda Maybale, who had tried her best to resist, found herself surrounded and captured. The war, it appears, has finallye to an end. Onlysting for a mere 13 days before it started. A rather swift war, to say the least.

    A meeting was soon scheduled between Rose Tippo Valine, the queen of the kingdom of Vallina, with the newly appointed King of Hoverdam, King Kant Icurus Maybale. These two people will meet, and negotiate the future of Hoverdam, and the future of the continent.

 Chapter 120 Peace Proposal

    ?15th of Nummum, 5018

    2 days prior, Rose''s army had entered the city without much resistance. With the confirmation of King Danial''s death, all had lost their will to fight. The soldiers, despite being their enemy, treated the poption rather nicely. As a result, Kant, who was voted to be the king, managed to observe their muskets closer. He noticed that they used a matchlock system.

    Kant Maybale, wearing his modern ck suit, with a long white shirt, and a ck tie, was found sitting in a lone room, with 1 table and two chairs. He sat on the end where he faced the door, waiting for her to arrive.

    Prior to the meeting, Kant had meet met up with many people, including the OSAC group, on a few things that they would not want to lose from the meeting, like any increased taxes on the kingdom, which they feared woulde from their pockets. Although Kant did say they he could try, don''t expect much considering they were losers of the war.

    Just the door suddenly opens. Rose, wearing a white royal gown, enters the room. Kant Maybale respectively stands up and bows to Rose Valline to show a sign of respect. The two sit back down and begin the negotiations.

    "It is a pleasure to meet you, your imperial majesty," Kant greets with a smile.

    "I have heard many great things about you as well, your majesty. I heard you were quite the inventor."

    "Thank you, your imperial majesty."

    "Regardless, let''s get to business, shall we?" Rose snapped her fingers. The door opened again. This time, a soldier enters the room and delivers a piece of paper to Rose. She unrolls it and hands the paper over to Kant to read.

    The proposal requires a cap on Hoverdam''s military of 250 knights along with 7,750 peasant infantry soldiers/musketeers as a military force and security forces.  It also requires Kant to denounce the powers of the church and god as legitimate entities. It prohibits the production of firearms in any form or matter.

    It also states that the kingdom of Hoverdam is obligated to help pay back debts collected by the Kingdom Of Vallina that it used to finance the war. Prince Edward, Princess Lisa, and Princess Sofia continue studying and living in the academy, with no visits to Hoverdam until they reach the age of 20 years old, and it states that Malinda Maybale should be relocated to a ce of Rose Valine''s choosing. She will not be allowed any visitors unless Rose Valine approves it.

    After Kant read the proposal, he sets in down and looks back at Rose. She was clearly analyzing his face, wanting his reaction out of it. As a result, Kant kept his stoic persona on his face.

    "Your imperial majesty, I would like to propose some changes to the proposal that would benefit both you and myself," Kant said.

    "Go on."

    "First is regarding the first statement of a cap on the security forces. I n to expand the city to ensure that I could pay back your debts. This would require me to have arger security force to catch... say smaller criminals or frauds.

    I think you should seriously consider removing that aspect of the proposal while keeping the cap on the military," Kant proposed.

    "How fast do you expect to grow?"

    "That depends. I am aiming for about 15% annually."

    "That is pretty ambitious," Rosemented after hearing the figure.

    "Of course, but it is not impossible. Besides, the faster it could grow, the more revenue I could deliver, meaning you would have an easier time repaying your debts," Kant replied. Rose thought about his request.

    "I ept. Do you have any more?"

    "I do. Yes. Considering that there will be a demonic wave in a few months'' time, and your best firearms consist of matchlock weapons which are incredibly unreliable when in contact with moist. I am sure that you were given a hard time capturing Malinda, am I right?"

    "Yes, that is correct."

    "Well, your imperial majesty. We over here at Hoverdam, have already invented superior alternatives that are resistant to such weaknesses. If you would allow us to produce a limited quantity, you will have more powerful and reliable weapons, while keeping them at a more affordable price.

    As far as we know, the only other smiths that are knowledgeable and capable enough to produce firearms are situated at Vallina. Given their expertise, they will form some guilds, and charge incredibly high prices rtive to the cost.

    If you would Hoverdam to produce and enter the market, we could help spur innovation, and produce the weapons at a faster rate, while also keeping pricepetitive, as a result, lots of money in your treasury won''t be wasted, and a lot of lives spared."

    Rose had to admit that his request sounded VERY appealing. It took a long time for the gunsmiths to produce the muskets. while also charging the price. Although the risks of a rebellion from Hoverdam increase, she would like to have another yer to counteract the smiths in her city.

    "What are these alternatives?" Rose asked.

    "Percussion cap technology. We use a percussion cap, filled with a sensitive chemical, to ignite the ck powder in the barrel. We have a smoothbore musket version, as well as a rifled revolver version."

    "Revolver?" she asked. Kant called out for Silverstone. Just then, he brought them a small wooden box and handed it over to Rose. She opened it and found a small gun, with 6 rolls in a rotating cylinder.

    "That is what I call a revolver. It is a much smaller, weaker, yet more portable version of a musket. It can fire 6 continuous shots at a time and would be useful as a secondary weapon for your soldiers, your imperial majesty."

    "Hmm... very impressive. Very nice. Though, won''t it be very inurate?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Although the range is a lot smaller, we have managed to keep the bullet flying at a straight trajectory by rifling the barrel. The groves inside rotate the bullet, keeping it steady."

    "I see. Would you be able to rifle any... musket barrels?"

    "We could, but it is rtively more expensive. It would be useful for more civilian purposes, but for an army, it is too expensive to be practical."

    "Hmm... I see."

    "So... Does your imperial majesty ept?"

    "Yes... I will give in on the condition that any excess weapons will be scrapped for other uses."

    "By all means, I ept that fact. Now, the third change is in terms of religion. I fear that the current arrangement willplicate things."

    "What do you mean?"

    "You see, your imperial majesty. Unlike Vallina, my people are a VERY religious bunch. This was due to the exodus of 14''. Where lots of old preachers came over here. It would be very hard to convince them IF we push them too fast."

    "What do you propose then?"

    "I propose that I denounce the church for now, and then move on to god. It would be much easier to do slowly transition, and would be much more effective."

    "How would you get them to denounce the church if you can''t do the same for god?"

    "Simple. I will argue that God himself has... delegitimized the church. That they can interpret God''s work for themselves by reading his own words themselves."

    "Can''t most people read?"

    "For now, but I n on building more schools that would allow them to read. I will have a literate poption, while the church bes irrelevant in the city," Kant politely argued. Rose nodded in approval.

    "I can''t argue with that. Alright then. That request is also granted. Is there anything else?"

    "Mmm... yes, although it is more of a guarantee that I would like to be added."

    "Go on."

    "I would my corporations allowed to conduct businesses in other kingdoms, without them facing any unfair taxes or restrictions. Think of it as a more diplomatic and friendlier way for us to gather resources without the use of force.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom It would help my kingdom grow back, it would make it easier for me to produce things like those firearms at apetitive rate, and I would be able to pay off the debts a lot faster," Kant suggested. Rose wasn''t sure what a corporation was, but she had an idea it was some merchant''s new tool.

    "On the condition that the kingdom of Hoverdam pays more in tribute."

    "How much more?"

    "About 2% more." Rose requested. Kant pretended to think about it, before finally epting her offer.

    "Well, I think that is about it. I got nothing else."

    "Nothing?"

    "No."

    "What about your mother?"

    "What about her?"

    "I mean, are you not requesting me to allow you to visit her?" Rose asked. Kant thought about it.

    "...No. I got everything I need. I fear that any more additions to it will lead to more problems than it is worth."

    "Very well then. I will have this treaty updated so you can sign itter."

 Chapter 121 Hiring A New Minister

    ?With Arjun''s death at Kant''s own hands, he had to choose a new assistant minister to rece him, as Silverstone would not do. Silvester, as Kant put him, would be better off in a different area of expertise, which Kant already had an idea of.

    For a new assistant minister, he would need someone loyal, who will listen to his orders, and act appropriately. However, he would need someone confident, and will politely voice their advice to Kant if needed. Being surrounded by yesmen would be very dangerous, although he is sure that he will get a degree of that type because their lives depend on it.

    With that information, Silverstonees up with a few candidates who match the criteria and may be interested in working with the pce. There were many applications, most of which were rejected to boil down to a few. Once their papers were gathered, they were filed and ced on Kant''s desk to read.

    The new king flipped through the pages of the files. There were no pictures in it depicting their faces, considering photographs or cameras haven''t been invented yet. The papers contained information regarding their name, date of birth, address, areas of previous employment, a few rmendation letters from other employers, and a self-description of themselves. There was also an area filled with information that imed to spew their ws, but all of them were good characteristics to boost their appeal further.

    Kant goes through a bunch of files until hees across a few that he deems eptable. One by one, he interviews each and every one of them. One of them caught his eye in particr, n Walker Fleck. A 38-year-old man who is revered by his colleagues and employers for his flexibility, confidence, and experience.

    He was apparently born to a knight family, in the city of Vallina. However, he had traveled around the continent, working with many people as their assistants. Although he didn''t stay for long, they had all given him a pretty good rating.

    Kant waited in his office, maintaining a rxed position, reading n Fleck''s file further. As he continued reading his file, there was a knock on the door. Kant, upon hearing the noise, closed the file, ced it on the desk next to the book and pencil, and allowed the candidate to enter.

    The man, who was about 5''10, which is about 1 inch shorter than Kant, entered the room. He had ck hair, a little long andbed with oils. He also possessed amber-brown eyes on his oval-shaped face. But best of all was his attire.

    Unlike the other candidates, he came in wearing an acorn gray suit made of wool, with underneath a long-sleeved white shirt, and an acorn gray tie. His legs were covered in wool paths, matching the color of the suit, along with a pair of ck leather shoes to go along with it. On his hand, he carried around a calfskin briefcase, one simr to what Kant had brought to the Petersons. Although Kant can tell it might have been rtively cheap, he was impressed nheless.

    As soon he entered the room, n bowed in front of his majesty. Kant got up from his chair and extended his hand. n Fleck, noticing the gesture, grabbed it immediately. The two men shook while greeting each other politely. In an instant, Kant knew that he definitely had connections to some people he had previously met and influenced.

    "Good morning your majesty. I hope I am notte?" he asked with a smile.

    "No, Mr. Fleck. You are just in time. Sit down." The two men took their seats and started the interview.

    "Now Mr. Fleck. Your application tells me that you have worked with many people before?"

    "That is correct your majesty. I had the great opportunity to work with many people in many cities around the continent, in a great variety of high-pressure situations. I guarantee you, no other man could take."

    "Is that so? I assume that you have excellentmunication skills."

    "I do consider myself to be highly proficient inmunication. I learned how to speak in different dialects and even separatenguages if ites to it. Although the chances are small, it will be very important.

    For intense, back in 12'', I worked in a small coastal city. The city by that point was nearing bankruptcy to its debts. I had managed to keep it afloat thanks to my small role in the finances.

    Its problem was that it was a bit reliable on what I call a cash crop called tobo. Now, considering how profitable the endeavor was, the lord ordered his farmers to grow more of it to grow the city''s revenue.

    Now at the time, profits DID increase, and they increased by a lot. However, when its neighbors started to notice, they ALSO started growing and selling tobo to make a profit while undercutting their neighbors, which also included the city.

    With that, revenue fell and all hell nearly broke loose. Now, at the time, I was looking for a different job at the time, so I joined up there. Thanks to my role in finances, I managed to keep the city afloat while searching for someone else to buy the tobo.

    There was a merchant from the southern continent that wanted to meet up with the lord of the city to purchase cotton from us. Unforutanly, our trantor was sick at the time, so I came in to effectivelymunicate and established a good trade deal between the two parties."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "That is impressive. I am sure you face a lot of stress while working in that situation?" Kant asked.

    "Considering that the entire city was in danger of going bankrupt, disrupting the lives of thousands and my own life, very. However, despite the tense nature of the situation, I managed to keep myself calm and do the task effectively."

    Kant wrote down what he just said, and moved on to the next question. So far, he has a pretty good impression of the man.

    "Now, considering the nature of this job, you will be given ssified documents. The previous minister, who will not be named, had spied on ssified letters beforehand that he himself was not allowed to read. Can I entrust that responsibility unto you?"

    "I have had lots of people hand me personal and professional letters carrying great consequences. No matter what it was, whether it was from just a kid to another kid, or from the leader of the city itself, I always did what needed to be done.

    If your majesty is worried that the letter could be read by someone else, we coulde up with countermeasures to identify and capture anyone who is brave enough to do so. That way, your majesty would not have to worry about any information leak."

    "Can you give me an example?" Kant asked. n Fleck reached out to his briefcase and opened a hiddenpartment inside the bag for Kant to see. He took out an envelope and handed it over to Kant to open.

    "Here is a secret letter from the OSAC group, your majesty. They told me it was some kind of message that they only want your majesty to hear, so to make sure they gave it to me," he imed Kant shook the letter in hand. Although it was little, he definitely felt some kind of powder in there.

    "Flour?"

    "I don''t know your majesty. They did not tell me." n replied. Kant, wanting to read the letter, put on his gloves tore off a corner tip of the envelope, and poured the flour out of the envelope. Afterward, he opened the letter and read it quietly. From the way it was structured, to the handwriting itself, Kant could confirm it belonged to Oswald.

    The message itself, however, was more of a congrattions letter by the group about ascending the throne. Despite that, n appeared to have brought it over without daring to open it up.

    "Very good, n. Very good. Now, on to the next question..." Kant continued to ask a few more questions. Did he have any experience coordinating events, his experience with basic administrative tasks, what he thinks are the most important qualities for a sessful ministry assistant, and so on?

    n replied with a detailed answer, with a personal story of how he managed to ovee any difficulties. His qualities rather impressed Kant, to the point he wondered why nobody else had snatched him up. Feeling curious, he decided to ask why, but in a rather indirect way.

    "Mr. n Fleck, for all the great aplishments that you have done, is there a sort of weakness that you may possess?" Kant asked.

    "Well, if there is anything, I think it might be my proficiency in magic. Although I do have an impressive mana pool, I didn''t practice as much as I could have."

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Is that so? Well, I would like to inform you that this position would not require the use of magic."

    "Alright, your majesty. I will uh... keep that in mind," n replied with a smile.

    "Well, I think that is all for now. I am sure that there are others that I have to interview. You will be informed in about 1 to 3 days if you are chosen. Is that alright with you?"

    "Yes, your majesty. I am." With that, the two men stood up once again. n bowed before leaving the office.

    1 dayter. He got hired.

 Chapter 122 First Industrialization Program

    ?After receiving the message, n made sure to wake up and dress up early in the morning. With his new job in ce, he hoped to live here for a few years. After wearing his acorn gray suit, he was ready to go.

    n had rented a ce in the downtown area. Although it was very expensive, the amount of pay he would receive would be nothing. He made sure to go down to the bathhouse in the morning before heading straight over to the castle.

    Once he arrived at the gates, he was told that his majesty would be waiting for him in Kant''s office, where he would be given his first task. Internally, he felt a little excited about what he was tasked to do. Externally, he kept calm and headed over to his office.

    When n walked into Kant''s office, he first bowed down and then asked what he was needed for.

    "I came as fast as I could, your majesty. Is there anything you need from me?" n asked. Kant whose head was focused on the map on the desk turned to face n.

    "I do, Minister Fleck. Sit down." n obeyed. He walked up to the chair and assumed a straight, serious posture.

    "Now, before I get to business, there are a few rules I want you to follow absolutely. It won''t take too long. Just a few seconds."

    "Alright, your majesty. What are there rules?"

    "There are only 2. The first rule is to address me as ''sir'' after you have addressed me as majesty.

    The other rule is to never ask me how I know how to make things. Alright? If you ever wonder why just tell yourself that it is not important. And if anyone asks from you, reply with ''I don''t know.'', you understand that?"

    "I fully understand sir." Kant smiled.

    "Good. Because thest minister asked and well... he is not here anymore, is he?" n, looking at Kant''s age, thought that he simply fired the man. He would have never believed that Kant had killed the man with his own two hands because he posed problems. Regardless, he would not want to do the same mistake as his predecessor.

    "Now, Minister Fleck, for your first task, I require you to prepare and organize an event for a speech I will be delivering. How long do you think it will take for you to make preparations?" Kant questions.

    "Hmm... I think I would only need about 3 days. You sir can deliver your speech on the 22nd. I hope that is adequate enough time?" n asked.

    "ording to the treaty I have signed, I will have to denounce the church by the end of next month, so the 22nd is fine by me." Kant coughed a little, before moving on.

    "Now, considering a speech will be delivered denouncing the church, I will have to propose an alternative to which the people can read the texts of god. That is why I need you to trante the scripture so that the people themselves would have the chance to read it.

    Once you tranted the scripture, I want you to use the printing presses to make as many books as you need to, as we are going to need a lot of them. If there are any excesses, then hand them over to a shop to sell."

    "Yes sir. I already have an idea of what I need to do. In fact, I know just the guy I need to talk to. I promise you, sir, that I can get you what you need."

    "Good. Now, I want you to turn your attention to the city map. Do you see these highlighted areas? In red and blue?" n turned to look at the map.

    "Yes sir. I do."

    "Good. Now, the red areas are where I want schools to be built, while the areas in blue are where I want libraries to be built. As you can see, most of them are in Middletown," Kant pointed out.

    "Now, considering that the people would want to be able to read the scripture for themselves, as it is the word of god, we are going to need to build a lot of schools for them to learn, and public libraries for them to read.

    I would rmend you use thepany DML Designs. Make sure the libraries and schools have the Arteco Architectural style applied to them. Once a library ispleted, make sure it is stuffed with scripture first, and other bookster. Is that clear?"

    "Yes sir. It is."

    "Now, on to the main n. Do you see this area that I have drawn on the map?" Kant asked. n''s head face down. On the outskirts of the city, to the east side of the fringes, he saw an area separated by a line, with the name "Industrial Zone" in the middle.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Yes, I see it. What is it?"

    "It is a new district I want to be built. It is a part of my Industrialization program. I hope to expand the sewage facility so that steam-powered factories could take route. These sewages would take in the waste the factories would produce, and direct them to a waste disposal center or a purifier, which also would be expanded, where it would be treated before dumping into the river." Kant said while pointing at the area with his pencil. He soon ces it down and looks at n again.

    "Now, Minister n, what do you think?" Kant asked.

    "Well sir, I think I know a few individuals that be able to build and expand the sewage system. I could assemble a team and get them to design the new sewage system. I can then fund some other stone masons to dig and build the thing. They could use that cement product that has been going around.

    In terms of the waste disposal treatment, we could get some retired knights around. The ones that survived the war. Those men are out of a job and their skills, most urately, the spells of purification, incineration, and so on, woulde in handy. All they would have to do is to read a few books, and they would be ready."

    "Very good. So, when do you think you can form the group?"

    "Realistically, I could assemble a team in 1 to 2 days. I will have to talk to them and see how long it would take to build it. If ites to it, I will get the use of those retired knights as additional manpower. How long would you like it to take, sir?" n asked in the end.

    "Um... I would like the sewage system to be built by the end of the month?" Kant replied with a little bit of uncertainty in his voice.

    "Alright then sir, I will see what I can do," n replied. Kant smiled once again, impressed at n''s thinking. With that, he moved on to the next step.

    "Now, I want to connect the industrial zone with ''lower-east Middletown'' using a steam tram. Basically, it is a carriage-like machine that runs on steam power. It is connected to a rail line, dragging more carriages with it. It just goes back and forth into and out of the area, so that people can travel there easily.

    Now, the steam tram is just a concept, so I will also need a bunch of craftsmen to help me make one. Then, I would be able to build the rail lines ordingly, to bring people in and out of the area."

    "I can arrange a bunch of craftsmen toe to help build a prototype. We could even put apany on top of that to limit the amount of money we could lose. However, considering that sir is aiming to make a new invention, I do think there is an alternative."

    "Go on."

    "Well sir, why not build a few houses near where they work? You won''t have to invest in making the steam tram, as sir calls it, and it could be done a lot faster."

    "I did think through that alternative, but there are few things I am aplishing by inventing the tram."

    n kept quiet, waiting for his response.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "The first is that I am going to need it down the line when I will expand the city further. Having a public transit method will be key to the development of the city. The second is that it will provide me with a stepping stone to making a train.

    A train is basically a tram that can travel at a fast rate while delivering a heavy payload. This could mean resources from other cities or people who would want to travel back and forth," Kant replied.

    "Was that answer satisfactory?"

    "Yes, sir. I understand now," n replied while nodding.

    "Good. Now, that is it for the first industrialization n. I would like you to get these things done as fast as possible."

    "I understand sir."

    "Good. Now, considering it is your first day on the job, let''s go meet everyone else. " Kant replied. n and Kant both got off their chairs and walked out of the room. From there, Kant introduced the staff of the pce to n.

 Chapter 123 King Kants Speech

    ?n had worked hard to make sure that everything was perfect. He set up the area where Kant would speak above, as well as informing every single citizen of the date the speech was about to take. To make sure that they would all be able to make it, a few businesses had to temporarily have to close to make room for arge number of people that would visit.

    The speech took hold on the 22nd of Nummum in the morning, as n had promised Howard he would do so. The people gathered around in the town square and in the streets of the downtown, looking upon the balcony of the pce, where Kant was to present himself.

    There was a debate earlier on whether he should wear his royal attire or his modern suit. In the end, he chose royal attire, as it was deemed too early to deliver a speech in his modern suit. Maybe some other time.

    From the outside, Kant heard the chatter of the people downstairs, all wondering what he is going to speak about. Just before he went outside, Kant made sure that he looked good for the speech, to make sure he convinces as many people as he can.

    After checking a bit in the mirror and reciting his written speech, Kant walked up to the balcony. Just before he was allowed to get there, he was halted. First, the trumpeters went outside and yed a small tune, informing the people that he has arrived. Once the announcer officially confirms it, Kant was able to walk up to the balcony.

    As soon as they saw him, they cheered his arrival. They saw him wear the ck renaissance suit, with the half cape and the golden yellow linings. He looked as if he was true royalty. Kant let them cheer on for a minute before raising his hand, causing the cheers to slowly fade into silence.

    Kant waited for a bit in total silence. It was when the crowds start looking around, is when he started to speak.

    "The past few years have been a great tragedy for the people of Hoverdam. Ever since the start of this decade, we lost many people who were dear to us; whether it be our mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, or friends, everyone here has a tragic tale of at least one lost family member.

    Now, with the end of the war, and the destruction of the church, many are lost and confused about whates next. Some of you may judge the validity of god and the church. Some of you may not believe in them anymore. Some of you might hold on to the notion."

    Another, but smaller period of silence, allowing the people to process it.

    "A few thousand years ago, when the demons started to ravage ournd, it is believed that god came down to earth and awarded humanity the great crystal of Eroan, a mystical device tooplex for our mortal minds to understand that would choose a representative from the earth, to act as an ambassador for the lord.

    For a long time in our history, it has been the absolute truth, that god is represented by the pope, selected by the sacred crystal. That has been the absolute truth until... it wasn''t. A few days ago, it had been brought to my attention that the previous pope hadmitted heinous crimes while being the head of the church, and the ambassador to god. Crimes include rape, corruption, bribery, extortion, racketeering, pedophilia, and so on. A stain on the church, and humanity itself."

    The people collectively gasp after being enlightened about the crimes. A few whispers traveled through the crowds.

    "Following his crimes, god finally decided to punish us with gue, war, and poverty for all. It led to the deaths of many across the continent, and the deaths of the evil-doers that used to roam around the continent.."

    Another silence, but only for a few seconds.

    "My fellow citizens, I would like to proim the church''s sin, as its cause for its great defeat! As part of god''s n! The gues, and death that we all had to suffer, it was all their fault. No longer they are the ones representatives of the lord. Not anymore. Though the church is no more, god is still with us!

    The gue, the war, all of it was to eliminate the tumors that corrupted humanity, as well as mentally strengthen us, and prepare us for the future! With the tumor gone, and the corrupt leaders gone, we arrive at a new chapter of humanity!

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® Ask yourself this, does God really need a giant crystal tomunicate with us? To hear us? God is an omnipotent being that exists beyond the realm of time. He does not need a crystal tomunicate with us. He is with every one of us, even if you don''t realize it. God can never die, as long as have faith!

    It is the end of an era. The era in which only a few people were chosen by god to represent him in the mortal realm. We, ourselves, have now be worthy to interpret the word of god as our own. Like when a farmer teaches his son the basics of cultivation. We are his children, after all."

    Another period of silence. The people down below start to whisper among themselves.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "However, you may ask yourself, how will I be able to interpret god''s words, if I cannot read? Well, my citizens, it is not YOUR responsibility to learn to read, to write, to ascend and reconnect with god, and it will be MY responsibility, to help you all to learn.

    My fellow citizens, I am here to pledge you all, to build multiple ces of learning called schools, along with ces of reading called libraries, where you all will be able to walk right in and borrow a bible from the bookshelf to be read for yourself.

    In the following years, you all will get to experience a great change that will happen throughout your entire life. The world that we live in will die out and fizzle, and in the process. There will be hardships, and they will be more suffering, but despite those setbacks, our goal is far greater. A new world, a better world, one for which our descendants will thank us.

    So let us all walk on this path to our future. We will face challenges, and we will face hardships, but with our indestructible determination and spirit, we will make it through the ruff waves of uncertainty, and to a brave new world!"

    With that, a thunder of cheers burst. The trumpets started blowing in his honor. From down below, a chant can be heard from down below.

    "Long live King Kant, Long live God!"

    Kant had to admit, it put a smile on his face. With that, he reenters the room and meets up with n and Kristina.

    "That was a wonderful speech, your majesty. Don''t you think so, Knight Commander Kristina?" n asked.

    "Oh... yes. Definitely," Kristina replied. Kant turned to Kristina, and then toward n.

    "n, could you give us a moment? I need to talk to Kristina privately. I will meet you again at my office," Kant requested. n nodded at Kant''s request.

    "Oh, of course, sir! dly. Boys? Out with me." After the trumpeters close the balcony doors, the men all leave the room. Kant''s smile immediately fades, forming a cold and stoic persona as he turns to Kristina.

    "Now, Kristina. I want you to remember 2 rules while you work under me. That is to never speak up about Arjun, ever. As if he had never existed. If someone you know asks you, tell them that they went abroad after the war ended.

    The second rule is to never ask questions about how I know my stuff. Don''t ask it from me, or ask that anybody understood. If anyone asks you, you tell them that you don''t know. Got it?" Kant asked. Kristina was a little frighted, but there was this feeling, this bit of courage left inside to ask a ballsy question.

    "And what I didn''t?"

    "Well, I guess it would be best to think about your children," Kant suggested.

    "My children?" Kristina asked.

    "Yes. One elder daughter and one younger son. Wouldn''t want them to know that mommy joined daddy, now would they?" Kant kept a serious face. A shiver went down her spine as now Kristina REALLY suspected that Kant had done something diabolical. But considering all her courage drained out, she decided toply.

    "Yes. Alright sir," she responds. Kant immediately forms a smile, to lighten up the mood.

    "That is good. Now, get back to your office. I am sure that there are plenty of tasks for you toplete there," Kant replied. Kristina nodded and quickly walks out of the room. Kant, after wiping the sweat off his face from a total, quickly left after.

 Chapter 124 Commissioning A Sewage System Expansion

    ?In a fancy white room, there was arge wooden table, surrounded by chairs on all sides, and a chandelier at the top. upying most of the chairs, were people of varying experiences as stone masons. The best the city had to offer. There were more, of course, but a lot of others were busy with other projects.

    These stone masons were gathered here to discuss ns to help build and expand the existing sewer system of the city, built since the city itself was first founded. To the city of Hoverdam, there was a great deal of importance to keep the sewage well maintained and functioning, considering the city itself had a fondness for cleanliness, with the average city-dweller bathing at least every three days.

    Ideally, a sewage system uses gravity to transport the wastewater to an existing wastewater treatment center, or what the inhabitants of this world call a ''purifier''. This technology is found in manyrge cities all over the continent and had been well-maintained for as long as it existed.

    There was even a separate administration to take care of and make sure it remained functional. Although, the king never really interacted with them, and instead preferred to have their voices heard through the ministers. Such are the duties of the minister. This meeting was able to be assembled thanks to the help of n Fleck, the new minister.

    The stone masons waited for someone else toe, eying up the special chair at the right end of the room. As they waited, they chattered about their life, work, and family. Some of them even passed a few jokes between them.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® After the knock, the door opens, revealing a 5''11 man with silver hair and jet-ck eyes on the other side, wearing his sort-of signature ck suit above his long-sleeved white shirt. Around his neck, was a long ck tie, with a square knot ck tie. His legs were covered in ck pants, and his feet were shielded with a pair of high-quality ck leather shoes.

    On his left hand, he carried a leather briefcase, the same one he used to carry blueprints of the printing press to the Peterson twins. The men inside the room all stand up, turns to face the king, and bow down, greeting him as he entered the room. Kant makes his way to his chair and gets everyone to sit down. Kant opened the briefcase, took a bunch of rolled paper from it, and ced them on the desk.

    "Good Morning everyone. I would like to thank everyone foring here today to discuss the expansion of the sewage system of Hoverdam, to extend it to a region that will be currently named and addressed as ''Industrial District 1''.

    The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the general needs the sewage system has to aplish, like the carrying capacity of the sewage system, the time it needs to be built, the materials and machinery that are allowed to be used, the manpower needed, and so on." he spoke with his deep, and monotone voice.

    "Now, I would like to pass these rolls of paper onto each individual here. It contains a map of the area I want to develop. This is help give you all an idea of what you are developing, and the adequate amount of resources needed toplete the task in an appropriate manner."

    Kant behind handing the rolls of paper to the men to the left and right. The ones who received it first past it on to the person to their left, till everyone to their left had one. They all then unrolled and looked at the area that Kant was talking about.

    ''Industrial District 1'' epassed an area of 1 mile2 (2.6km2), connected to the lower east side of Middletown. Even though the area was rtively poorerpared to the rest of the city, their sewers were still well maintained. As a result, it would be a rtively easy endeavor to expand it from there.

    "These sewers need to carry waste water safely to the wastewater disposal center in a quick and efficient matter, where they will be treated, purified, and returned back to the river. There also needs to be some measures taken to make sure nothing that could clog up the sewers enters the river.

    I would like the sewer system to bepleted as soon as possible, with the earliest eptable date being the 30th of Nummum, with the 8th of Pecunia being thest. Considering that it is an extension and not something you all have to build from the ground up, it should be fine.

    To help build the sewer system a lot faster, the use of cement is authorized. Considering that I want the industrial district up and running by next month. These are the basic requirements that you are all tasked with fulfilling. If sessful in cooperating and building the sewage system in time, you will all be rewarded with 2 gold coins, each."

    The men all sat straight up, hearing the payday that they can bring home if they so choose to ept.

    "Now, if you have any questions, you can ask me now." The men swung their hands in the area, wanting to speak their minds. Kant pointed to one person, allowing him to speak.

    "Your majesty, how much manpower will we have and who will be the one to pay for them?"

    "I would. I am the onemissioning the expansion of the sewer, I am more than happy to take the risk. As for your second question, I will provide as many men as you need."

    "Oh, is that so? Well, sir, I would like to inform you that we might need about 90 people digging up all day if we want to reach the deadline, but that is just for the tunneling."

    "Would employing some retired knights help?" Kant asked.

    "Um... if they can use their strength properly, sure."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "How many do you think you will need?"

    "About... 20? They should be able to work longer while getting the task done at a simr period."

    "I can employ 30 to it. Would that be fast enough?" Kant asks. The stone mason thinks.

    "If sir wants toplete the task as fast as possible, I rmend 35 knights for the task. It will be the most efficient while being cost-efficient," he replied. Kant looks around the rest, asking them if they all agree. The men all nodded.

    "Alright then. I will have 35 knights assigned to digging the tunnels. What about the bricyers, cement makers, and so on?"

    "I think... about 125 people? Normal is fine. It wouldn''t be that big of a job. Not as intensive as tunneling. Although, strength would help to carry over the bricks."

    "We can use knights one again. Will you all be building once the tunnel is dug, or will construction begin while you dig the tunnels?"

    "We construct while we dig the tunnels. That way, if there is some kind of storm, say a rain, we wouldn''t have to dig the tunnels all over again."

    "I understand. Would an additional 10 knights would be enough to go along with the 125 people?"

    "Yes sir. It would."

    "Good. Now, does anyone else have a different question?" A few more swung their hands up again. However, this time a few decided not to. It appears that their question was already answered. Kant chose another mason, and let him talk.

    "How much cement will sir be able to supply us?" he asked. A good question, considering that

    "That depends. How much cement will you all be using per day? The cement factories owned by the OSAC group produce about 450 tons of cement a day. I am sure that I will be able to buy up all the cement you would need."

    "Well sir, we are going to have to make a n first."

    "Then inform me when the blueprint is ready. Any more questions, anyone?" This time, one lone man raised his hand. Kant pointed at him, allowing him to speak.

    "Are we allowed to incorporate steam engine machinery to our advantage?" the man asked.

    "Of course. What do have in mind?"

    "I think I would like to employ a sort of pump. The area in which ''Industrial District 1'' is located is an area with a lower elevation. This would mean that it would give us trouble to get the sewage to the existing treatment n.

    I suggest that we use a pump, powered by one of those steam engines! With it, we will be able to expand the sewage system over the entire ind, and not just have to confine it to the north of the ind, or waste money on building apletely separate sewage system and purifier!"

    "That is an interesting idea. I will have some craftsmen sent your way to build the machines you desire. Now, can I assume that all your questions are answered?" the men nod in agreement.

    "Good. Now, I think it would be time you all get to work."

 Chapter 125 Manipulating The Maybales

    ?Rose soon arrived back in the city of Vallina, victorious and prideful. Cheers erupted in the city as what they perceived as an overwhelming victory against the north and the heretic church. A grand celebration was arranged in order to mark the day of their victory, in which Rose immediately gave a speech above the balcony.

    She announced the death and the defeat of her enemies, as well as an inspirational speech about how they would move on into the future. It was rather simr to Kant''s speech, with the minor exception that it denounced both god and the church.

    As she spoke on top of the balcony, there were a few people listening in. Mainly the Maybale siblings. Lisa and Sofia were crying their eyes out on someone''s shoulder when they heard the announcement that their father was killed, while Edward tried to hold them in. Lisa tried on her brother''s while Sofia cried on Friedrich''s shoulder.

    Soon, after the speech was over, the three siblings were called up to visit Rose Valline herself. The children, once they heard it, became a little frightened. What was she about to do with them? Was she going to expel them, torture them? Their panicking brains made up dozens of scenarios that would lead to pain and suffering.

    Once they were told it was to have a rather friendly chat, and that no harm was meant to take ce, the three decided to finally visit. Not that they had a choice in the matter, just that they went to meet the now Imperial Queen. The siblings were to meet up with the queen at the principal''s office, as so that they won''t need to leave the Academy. Three chairs were arranged so that Edward, Lisa, and Sofia are able to sit down and have a face-to-face talk with the queen.

    Edward stood right in front of the floor of the office, with his siblings behind him. After swallowing his spit, Edward bravely knocked on the door.

    "Come in." a faint feminine sound from behind. With that, Edward opened the door and walked inside. The twin sisters followed behind. As they walked into the room, the three children bowed and respectfully greeted the queen.

    "Ah, I have been expecting you three here. Come. Sit down on the chair." The children obeyed and took their seats. They all kept their mouth shut, waiting for the queen to talk first.

    "I am pleased about your academic performance. It is truly an honor to have such three brilliant students here." The siblings were a little confused by thepliment, but regardless, they politely thanked her.

    "Alright. Now, due to a treaty that your brother has signed, there will be a few changes made regarding your life here. I just wanted to make sure that you all are well-informed regarding the situation." The siblings all gulped, preparing for the worst.

    "First, is that you will be required to stay in the academy until the age of 20. No visits to Hoverdam are allowed." Their jaws dropped in shock.

    "Now, before you, all panic, do not worry. I will provide you with the best meals that a royal could own. Besides, your mother, Malinda Maybale, has been moved over to Vallina..." the children breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that their mother was alive.

    "You can visit her at a set time with my permission only. Keep in mind, the time you get is limited, and you will need to ask my permission every time you desire to visit her." She said. The smiles of the children, slowly faded away, upon hearing the news.

    "Excuse me, your imperial majesty. What would we need to do in order to visit our mother?" Lisa asks. Rose turns her head to face her.

    "It is simple. You simply make sure you all are at the top of your sses, no matter what they are. Considering you will be staying these few months at the academy, there will be a few new sses. Complete those as well, and your chances increase." Rose replied.

    "Your imperial majesty, does it have to be all three of us?"

    "Yes. All of you must exceed in order to visit your mother." Edward and Lisa both turned their heads slightly to eye Sofia, the one who was synonymous with not paying attention in ss.

    "We understand, your imperial majesty. Is that all?"

    "Yes. That is all. Just don''t be worried about the situation. Besides, your brother had the chance to renegotiate." Thatst line caught Edward''s attention. Their brother had a chance to negotiate? What could that mean?

    "Your imperial majesty, could you please exin to me what you meant?" Edward asked. The two sisters appeared to be too focused on each other at the moment.

    "Oh dly. When I visited Hoverdam to sign a peace treaty with him, he negotiated and sessfully convinced me to change a few requirements written in the treaty.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He had the chance to negotiate a new condition to have you all be able to visit your mother more frequently or allow a few visits to the city of Hoverdam, but he didn''t.

    The reason being, as he puts it, he got everything that he wanted, and didn''t want to lose anything else." she said. The room entered a period of silence.

    "Now, I think you all should head back to your dorms. I won''t want to waste your time any longer."

    "Alright. Thank you, your imperial majesty. Have a nice day." they all said in unison, and left the room. They all met up in a single dorm room, where they won''t be disturbed by anyone. Lisa turned to Sofia, grabbing her by the shoulders

    "Did you hear that Sofia? If we are going to be able to have the chance of visiting our mother, then YOU better start taking your studies seriously!" she yelled at Sofia while shaking her.

    "I have heard the queen had already spoken of, Lisa. So please do stop shaking me like that!" Sofia replied.

    Edward was sitting on a chair, wondering in his thoughts. He kept on reciting thest few words that the queen spoke, about her brother''s negotiations. What did she mean? Did he have the option to negotiate to allow his siblings to visit their mother?

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® If that is the case, what else could he have done? Could he have negotiated to allow their mother toe back to Hoverdam? Could he have allowed them to revisit Hoverdam again? Could he have done something to at least allow them to visit their mother at any time?

    "He could have done something..." he muttered. Lisa and Sofia, hearing their brother speak, turned to face him.

    "What was that brother Edward?" Lisa asked. Edward''s head turns up to face his siblings and then stands up.

    "It''s Kant! He... he could have done something!" Edward proposed. The vague dialog confused them a little further.

    "What are you suggesting, dearest brother?" Sofia questioned. Edward was a little frustrated, seeing the two being so naive.

    "The queen told us that he had a chance to negotiate with her in the peace treaty. That would mean that he negotiated with the queen. That means he could have done something! He could have got mother back to Hoverdam! He could have allowed us to visit her at any time!

    But he didn''t do that. He doesn''t seem to care! Did you two not listen?" Edward yelled. It was when the two sisters got what he went for. The realization that their brother''s apathy towards his own family, nearly broke their heart.

    ...

    Malinda was dressed in a blue gown, looking outside the window, with her children on her mind. She wondered whether Edward, Lisa, Sofia, and Kant were all okay. She looked down at her hands. Her wrists were covered in strong steel bracelets, with a ck gem on them, blocking all her magical powers. One of her fingers, in which she used to wear her wedding ring, had been cut off.

    She had been moved to a rather small vi near the pce, surrounded by guards all around. She was not allowed to leave, not even unto the gardens. She was to stay there, for as long as Rose required it. Within the rooms, items from Hoverdam had been brought over, to constantly remind her of her loss.

    The door suddenly opens, and a messengeres inside. He delivers a piece of paper and leaves the room. Wondering what it is, she opened it, and read it quietly. The paper detailed the conversation that Rose and Kant had. Detailing the negotiations that took ce.

    As she read it, her heart broke after she finished reading it. Although she could guess why he did it, she felt downhearted, seeing that he did not even bother trying to at least allow her other children to visit her. Regardless, she had hopes that Kant was up to something. Hopefully, to free them all of the heretic queen.

 Chapter 126 Problem With Farmers

    ?It took two days for the stone mason to form a proper blueprint for the sewer system that Kant had requested. Like other sewage systems, it will follow a branch-like pattern, with a few main tunnels, connected to smaller tunnels. With that, they calcted the number of materials they would need and sent a letter to the respective manufacturers.

    Over thest month, a few firms were popping up in the city, especially construction materialpanies, who were betting their fortunes on the city growing in the next few years, thanks to the policies Kant had undertaken a few months back. With that, it brought a good supply of materials and equipment to be used.

    Constructed started in the early morning of the 26th of Nummum, 5018. Using caravans,rge quantities of cement, bricks, andbor traveled to the construction site. As promised, 35 knights, all wearing brand new, but cheap cotton clothing. They reluctantly swallowed their pride, took up a shovel, and started digging where they want them to.

    While the knights dug the tunnels, many others were working on making the cement. Using water, sand, and cement powder, they were able to make the mortar pretty quickly, and startying bricks. Like before, thebor itself is specialized. While some made the cement, others brought the cement over to the others so that they cany down the bricks.

    As the knights dug, a few farmers came over to see what was happening. Seeing that they were building some kind of structure, one brave soul went over to ask what they were building. Upon hearing that they were building a sewer system, everyone residing in the area was terrified that they were to lose their homes and their livelihoods.

    With that in mind, a few set out to visit the new King, to voice their concerns about what could happen to them. Their mission was to stop the construction of the sewer system, as they felt it was their duty to protect their livelihoods, homes, andmunity.

    ...

    It had been 4 full hours since the sun rose. Kant sat in his office, with dozens of books on his desk, and a typewriter at the front. He was busy typing and continuing to make a new form of legition, one that will impact Industrial District 1 and attract businesses to invest their money, in building up factories there. As he was working, he was interrupted by a knock on his door.

    "Come in." The door opens, revealing n Fleck. He bows down, and walks right into the room, taking his seat.

    "Your majesty, we may have overlooked a few things regarding the industrialization program."

    "What is it, minister n?"

    "Well sir, although thend you chose to build Industrial District 1 may have been sparsely popted and brought little economic value, there are still some small farms located in the area, and the farmers are concerned that this would disrupt and destroy their lives," n exined.

    "Did theye here to tell me that?" Kant asked.

    "Yes, but I stopped them before they could do so. I mean, nobody is allowed to just show up to the pce and demand to talk to their king."

    "Hm... I see. Yes, I might have overlooked that part..."

    "So what should we do sir? I mean, we could stop, OR... we can just... send them away."

    "Yes. That was what I was thinking."

    "Really?" n asked.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Yes, but in the way that you think..." Kant quickly replied, seeing that he was getting the wrong idea.

    "Well, considering that I want the city to drastically expand in terms of economic output, size, and poption, this is a problem that would need a long-term answer. The expansion would mean that we will have more reluctant farmers on their hands, demanding we stop any expansion, and we would have less food to feed the poption.

    We are able to feed the current poption now with the farms covering the southern part of the ind. However, since we are nning on expanding the city, i.e using up the entire real estate of the ind, we will need a new area to produce food."

    "...Yes... That is a great point, sir. Do you have anything in mind that could fix that, sir?" n asked.

    "Yes. I do. The other side."

    "But isn''t the other side dangerous? I mean, it is close to the forest, and the chances of demons attacking the poption there are pretty high. I am not sure that they will ept that, willingly, at least."

    "Dangerous, rtively to living on the ind, minister."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I am sorry, I don''t fully understand that, sir," n said with a confused tone.

    "The ind has a natural barrier, minister, being the river that makes it an ind. This meant that it was quite difficult for demons to swim past it, making the ind a demon-free zone for people to safely live.

    This also meant that we were able to keep a smaller knight force to kill off any iing threats, allowing the city to have more money, and spend it on other areas of maintaining the city, like the sewer system.

    However, this also brought a disadvantage. It meant that our citizens were less well-trained than our opponents. The only reason that we were able to march that far into the south was that we were rich enough to buy the potions.

    This is because it was also time-consuming to properly wield and use a weapon, with the strengthrgely being determined by whether you were well-fed or not. It was also not practical to use a potion every time they encountered a small demon."

    "So... what is the solution?" Kant closed the books and ced the typewriter down. He then pulled out his revolver and ces it on the table. n turns his head to look at it. It was in half-cock position, preventing it from firing.

    "This..." Kant pointed at it."

    "This is the solution." n continued to look at it further. He reaches out his hand and stops.

    "May I?" n asks permission from Kant, not wanting to threaten him.

    "As long as you don''t touch the hammer or the trigger." With that, n picked it up and examined the weapon further.

    "Wait sir, I think I know what that is. Is that what you call a firearm?" n questions Kant.

    "Very good. Yes. This is what you can call a ck powder percussion cap revolver. It can fire 6 consecutive shots without reloading. It deals with a great amount of firepower while being easy to learn and use.

    Combine this with a percussion cap rifle, they should be good to go. If they encounter some small demon, they should be fine with the revolver. If by a small chance, they get to encounter a stronger demon, then their longer rifles should do the trick."

    "I think you need toe up with a better name, sir," he said, half-jokingly. Kant however, took it a little more seriously.

    "Is that so? How about PCR-18? It is an acronym for Percussion Cap Revolver, with the year it was invented next to it."

    "That works." n hands the weapon back to Kant, who holsters it back into his suit.

    "What we can do is to give them a few of these revolvers, as well as some percussion cap weapons, and hand them over somend for them to do what they want. Presumably, considering the skillset they possess, they will start their own farms again.

    With the city having a major demand for food, these farmers should have a mary incentive to stay and sell their produce to the city. Besides, the months of the demon areing. I don''t think anyone would be keen to iste themselves from society just yet."

    "That is an excellent idea, sir. I rmend building a registration for that. This way, you can adequately distribute thend to the people who actually have the skills, while keeping track of thatnd, mind you, AND it would give us an opportunity to restrict the number of people who could ess firearms.

    I mean, it won''t be a good idea to hand the civilian poption a weapon that could kill anyone that easily, now should we? If they want to defend against criminals, that is what the police are there for. Add to the fact that we are in a pretty urban city, they should be able to quickly respond." n added in the end.

    Kant had mixed feelings about urban poptions owning firearms. On one hand, he was a gun-loving American. But on the other hand, he is a king of a medieval-ish kingdom. Although he can definitely see its use cases in cities, he didn''t want the poption to possess weapons to revolt against him, not yet at least. Besides, in the majority of cases, police officers should work fine in the cities.

    "Well, I guess that is it then?" Kant asked.

    "Oh yes. Certainly sir. Should I go inform them of the decision?" n questioned.

    "Of course." With that, n stood up from his chair, bowed down, and left the room. Kant picked back his typewriter and continue on with the bill he was typing.

 Chapter 127 The Steam Tram

    ?On the grass ground of the pce fields, two rail lines of wrought iron were nailed on top of wooden nks, situating on top of lots of rough, sharp-edged stones the king likes to call ''track bast''. On the side, was a mountain of coal, with buckets and shovels lying around to help bring them near.

    Next to the coal, were wooden nks and wooden crates,beled and filled with all sorts of crude metal parts. On some of the crates, a small box filled with tools was present. There were also buckets filled to the brim with water.

    The equipment here is about to be used to assemble and create something magnificent, something this primitive world had never seen before, and something that could change this world, forever.

    The craftsman followed the king to the pce grounds, toe over and look at what he had ordered to be built. Although the sun may have tried to stop their attempt by scorching the earth, the possibility of earning a single gold coin was too much to pass up.

    A few days prior, Kant had given the minister, n Fleck, a few instructions. The first was to deliver some blueprints of some strange gears and devices to be built by smiths, and delivered over to the pce grounds.

    Secondly, he got another bunch of stone masons, cksmiths, and some peasants, toe to build and assemble the tracksid on the field. The third was to invite various craftsmen from all over the city, to help him with the new invention.

    The men all soon arrive near the crates, where Kant turned around to face the men to give a little speech, to specify what they were going to be doing. Kant ordered the craftsmen to break the line and gather around to hear.

    "Gentlemen, I thank you all for being here today, to help me create the world''s first train, which for the purposes of today, will be called a tram. The purpose of the tram is to carry a group of people from one destination to another in a quick and efficient manner.

    Now, the tram we will make will be utilizing a steam engine to power the machine. The piston will turn a flywheel. The flywheel itself will be connected to much smaller wheels on the tracks, allowing it to move.

    On the back, there will be a coupler to connect two or morepartments together, allowing many people to ride across the tram to the area quickly, without needing to waste energy and time walking," Kant exined as the craftsmen listened in carefully. The idea that a moving vehicle amazed them.

    "Now, if you have any questions, please ask them now. I will be happy to answer. All you have to do is raise your hand." A few of them raised their hands. Kant chose one person and allowed them to speak.

    "Sir, what would the difference be between a tram and a train? Is there a vast difference between the two?" one of them asked.

    "Well, you can think of a train as a muchrger, moreplicated, and more powerful version of a tram, and one that not only carries people but cargo as well. A train also needs a different system to allow it to move," Kant replied, and then moved on to the next one. He pointed at Samuel Peterson, who appeared as if he won''t be able to hold it any longer.

    "Excuse me sir, but is it really true we are going to be building a steam-powered transportation machine? Because I am very confused about why your majesty allowed these... metal lines, to be built," asked Samuel Peterson, the twin with the beard.

    "Well, Mr. Samuel, these are what I call rail lines. Our transportation machine will be using the rail lines to move. This is because it provides a dependable surface for their wheels to roll upon, and it is much more efficient than trying to move across the ground. This particr track is 20 meters long. I hope that satisfies your question?"

    "Yes sir, it does. Thank you. Anyone else?" Nobody else raised their hands, all satisfied with the answers given to them.

    "All right. Now that I have cleared out any confusion, we can start the construction of the device. Now, help me unbox these crates."

    With Kant''s clear instructions, the craftsmen each grabbed one crate and opened it up. Parts, such as wheels, rods, and other small parts required to build a train, which Kant specified as a tram showed up.

    Kant, with the help of Victor and Samuel Peterson, took one crate from the stack, ced it on the ground, and opened it up. What was inside was revealed to be a particrly new steam engine, with 4 cylinders attached to it. It was about the size of a two-seater sofa.

    "This is a HeklorKloch 4CC45 Engine. It is a 4-pistonpound engine with an estimated horsepower of 30, which is about 2 horses. Imissioned this engine to be built with a small new innovation integrated into the engine that makes it the perfect candidate for the job," Kant imed.

    "What are they, sir?" Victor asked, being the curious man that he is.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "This engine employs a Walschaerts Valve Gear. It is a mechanism that controls the timing and movement of the valves in a steam engine, which increases the efficiency and horsepower of the engine. This engine has a second set of rods and links that controls the timing of steam injection and exhaust from the cylinders.

    Now, I am not going to go into detail about how it works, but in simple terms, the Walschaerts valve gear uses abination of levers and rods to control the flow of steam into and out of each cylinder. This engine has two sets of valve gears, one for each cylinder.

    The high-pressure cylinder is operated by the first set of valve gears, which controls the flow of steam into and out of the cylinder at the correct time. Once the steam has passed through the high-pressure cylinder, it moves to the low-pressure cylinder. You got it so far?"

    "Yes sir."

    "Good. Now, the second set of valve gears controls the flow of steam into and out of the low-pressure cylinder. This valve gear is connected to the first set of valve gears, and the movement of the entric is adjusted to ensure that the steam enters and exits the low-pressure cylinder at the correct time.

    Now, to make it go in reverse, the entric on the crankshaft must be rotated by 180 degrees, which changes the timing of the valve gear. This can be achieved by using this lever." Kant pointed to the metal lever visible on the engine.

    "This lever allows the entric to be rotated by hand. Once the entric has been rotated, the valve gear will operate in reverse, allowing the steam to flow in the opposite direction through the cylinders. With that, the engine goes into reverse. That is the first reason why I chose this."

    "And the second, sir?"

    "The second reason is that this engine has a condenser built into it. In the way that apound steam engine worked, it resulted in lower pressure and temperature of the exhaust steam, making it less effective for generating power.

    By using a condenser, the exhaust steam can be condensed back into the water, which creates a vacuum in the system. This vacuum helps to draw the steam through the engine more efficiently, which can increase the power output of the engine.

    As a side benefit, it can also help to reduce water consumption, as the water that is condensed can be reused in the boiler." Kant exined.

    With that, the men started to work on building a steam tram. They started by assembling the steam engine part of the tram, the part which allowed the whole vehicle to move. Wooden nks were nailed to make arge base in which the men could stand, and the machinery ced.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® The base was fitted with the wheels first, allowing it to be stationed on the tracks. They were then ced in the steam engine, which was located at the top part of the base. They then added a mechanical brake, which used attached to a lever that can be pressed against the wheel of the tram, before the steam engine flywheel was connected to the wheels via rods and links, all metal.  To add some finishing touches, the craftsmen then screwed in a few exhaust extensions.

    With that, they were technically finished! Sure, the tram looks rather exposed, with it only being a wooden tform with metal wheels and an exposed steam engine with arge exhaust port that looked like a chimney. Kant filled a bucket with charcoal and water and hopped onto the tform. The tform was a little wobbly, but not too much to be a concern.

    "Alright, gentlemen. We have finished building our first prototype. Now, it is time we test it to see whether it works."

    Kant filled up the water tanks, ced the coal inside the boiler, and checked to see if everything was in the correct setting before lighting the coal on fire. After making sure that it was all fine, Kant took out a matchbox from his pocket, lit up a fuse, and threw it inside. The charcoal ignited into mes as Kant closed the door. The water in the boiler started to heat up and release steam.

    The tram started to move. As it slowly moved forward, the tform wobbled even further. It swang a little left to right as it moved along the train tracks. Soon, it reached a speed that could be considered faster than walking distance. Although Kant was sure that it could definitely go faster, the small length of the railway forced him to stop.

    When the tram came near the end, Kant pulled the brakes, forcing the tram toe to a halt. He then pulled the lever, and let go of the brakes. Soon, the tram started to thrust backward. He soon pulled the brakes again, slowing the tram down, before he put out the fire lit up by the coal, and waited for the engine toe to a full stop.

    "Well gentlemen, I consider this an absolute sess!" Kant proimed. They went on to build another tform, to get out how much weight it can truly carry, before stopping the tests altogether.

 Chapter 128 The Purifiers (WARNING)

    ?WARNING: This chapter might gross out a few people. This chapter depicts an aspect of life that many people will find disgusting.

    ...

    From all over the city, through the dark stone tunnels built underneath the city, gallons of wastewater mixed in with solid waste gather at the bottom of a stone pool, unable to move further down to the next tunnel because of a mechanical lid, blocking any flow. The workers were bribed to work inside a stone building reeking of vomit, dirt, urine, and shit.

    The workers were all uniformed in leather attire, from top to bottom, to prevent any wastewater from even touching their smooth skin. The uniform consisted of boots, pants, a belt, a long-sleeved top, gloves, and even a hoodie and a mask.

    Recently, there have been some announcements. Thanks to the industrialization program,rge amounts of money went into expanding the existing facilities, to be able to handle more waste. Using the power of cement, they were to buildrger pools, smoother mechanisms, and more efficient ways of transportation.

    As soon as the workers arrive inside the building, many immediately vomited upon picking up the foul stench that roams across the halls. No wonder nobody bothers to build in these areas. The smell brings the value of any property down in an instant.

    They were utterly shocked when they saw the normal workers going about their day in this condition. It was almost as if they have developed a tolerance for working in this kind of ce. It was necessary to make the job bearable.

    Regardless, the men all got to work, upgrading one facility at a time. A few tunnels have been closed, to allow smooth construction. While some facilities are under construction, others had visitorsing over.

    Retired knights were deemed not strong or loyal enough to be left in the army. Instead of wearing their usual uniform or suits of armor, they came in wearing modest hemp clothes and calf-skin boots, to save up some money.

    Like the construction workers, the retired knights were not able to handle the smell. Many however managed to hold their vomit till a bucket arrived, where they call collectively puked up in there. Once all the food they had digested came out the front end, they were given a tour of the ce.

    "Man, this ce stinks. Why do you all bother to work here?" one of them asked. The worker, while continuing to walk, spoke.

    "The pay is good. Besides, my job and work are what keeps the city from smelling like this. A few of us suffer for the benefit of themon good, so to speak."

    They continued to walk down till the guide stops. He then pointed out what the people around were doing. He first pointed at a man behind a ss window, with a few levers to operate, and then points to a stone pool, being filled up with waste."

    "An operator, after determining whether a stone square pool is filled up, pulls a lever. This activates aplicated mechanical system, closing one of the tunnels shut with a lid, cutting any more flow of wastewater to the pool. It was when workers jump down to collect any unwanted garbage using shovels ands and dumped them into buckets.

    Specifically, they look out for any collected solid waste such as feces, unused yarn, unused fabric, wooden nks, and so on. Anything that is solid, and won''t pass through the purification process of the wastewater.

    Once a bucket is filled up, a persones by, lifts it and ces it on a roble tform, and takes it to a different section of the building." The guide then continued to walk down the bridge, where the others followed.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® They arrived at a room, one with tables of buckets, with people in gloves, touching and cing the solid waste in different sections.

    "Here, the solid waste is differentiated into the correct category and ced into different wooden buckets. These new buckets are carried over to another section of the room. This solid waste is then destroyed with the help of magic, and magical tools used to empower the magical workers working there.

    Tools such as a runic gauntlet fitted with mana stones, increase your magical abilities significantly. Although the equipment is very expensive, especially when fitting them onto hundreds of people, the pce considers it a good use of money."

    The guide then leads them down the stairs, to a floor where the pool of wastewater resides. There were more tunnels with ss to the side and some strange equipment. The workers themselves had some runic gauntlets.

    "Once a pool is cleared out, the operator rings the bell, alerting the workers down below, and then rings the bell again to inform them that the wastewater ising. Then he pulls the second lever, opening up a tunnel underneath the pool.

    The dirty wastewater starts to travel through a tunnel, soon to pass one of the only surviving mana-tech in existence. A sort ofrge ring epassing the walls that activate once magical workers supply it with mana."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The ring itself was made using primary mana stones and manacite. The interior of the ring is made up of a giant ring-like mana stone, carefully cut out of arge mana stone chunk.  Runic writing is added to it, giving it the instructions to perform the spell when activated. It is covered in ayer of manacite metal, to cover the letters and allow the device to function, and power it.

    To activate the ring, the workers with the gauntlets simply grab the handle and flow mana through the ring. To make sure that the ringsst as long as they could, they are instructed to power it once they hear the bell."

    The knights were in awe, surprised that such a device exists. Many start to ask questions, which the guide happily answered.

    "The ring is invented by a genius long ago. It works like any runic weapon would. You have codes of instructions cut inside the mana stone ring, and power it up. The only downside is that it is very hard to build. Although..."

    "Although what?"

    "...It wasn''t always like this. Back then, millennia ago, humans had managed to create rings for only a fraction of the price. However, as time went on, it became ever more expensive to do so.

    The current theory suggests that humans back in the day had arger variety of magical spells they could have used, as the ancient instructions indicate. However, over time, people lost the ability to cast rare types of magic.

    Nobody knows why humanity can no longer cast these ancient spells. They are still written in old books, kept preserved by many historians and librarians, and left for anyone to read and try to learn these powerful spells, but nothing! It was one of the greatest mysteries of all time guing humanity." the guide added, wanting to tell anyone that piece of information he had recently learned.

    "Anyways, the ring projects a form of barrier, where the water that passes through it bes fresh and clean. These are then flown out a clean tunnel, into the Pixie river, where no harm is done, and the river remains unpolluted, kept clean and beautiful."

    The former knights, who had disregard for anyone whose upation wasn''t but a magical fighter, gained a lot of respect for the workers once they heard saw how much waste they were getting rid of.

    Once the tour was done, they headed over to the office of the manager, to discuss payment. The manager, who was rather a stiff boss, working inside a sealed room in order to not take the stench, exined.

    "A magical purifier worker''s starting pay was around 4 silver coins and 150 copper coins a month, or about 1 gold coin annually." the retired knights, not sure if that is high or low rtive to others, decided to give aparison.

    "Aparison? Well, if you want that,pared to a normal worker, who cannot wield magic, you all would make 44% more than their sry, and those men are able to afford basic luxuries. You all should be good to go."

    "How long do we have to work?" another asked.

    "Well, you will all be working 12 hours a day, from sunrise to sunset. Some of you might be appointed to work the night shift, which would be from sunset to sunrise."

    "Is there a separate room so we can eat our food? I can imagine eating while the stench is present." asked another. The others nodded in agreement. They all were relieved one of them asked.

    "Yes. We do have a room like that. There is even a bathhouse, where you all must take a short shower before you can enter and start eating your food. It is part of our work culture at this point. Happened because some moron dumped toxic potions into the drain."

    "How long will the showerst?"

    "About 5 minutes. It is on a timer. You just get in, use a light amount of soap, and get out."

    "Where does the watere from?"

    "The treated water. Some of them are filled up with buckets so that the workers can shower." A few more questions were asked around and given eptable replies. After all, was said and done, the retired knights agreed to work there.

 Chapter 129 Scientific Institute

    ?It was the 30th of Nummum, 5018, two days after the test of the tram. Kant was found in his office, reading the typed words on the sheets of paper. It was a charter for a new branch of government, one that kept in tap the amount of taxes one would owe.

    Just before he could finish reading it twice and over, there was a subtle knock on the door. Kant sat in a more straight and serious position, away from his rxed pose. He put down the files into the drawer, before allowing them in.

    "Come in," he permits. n Fleck walks right inside Kant''s office, holding a bunch of files stuffed with reports After bowing his head and sitting on the chair, he coughed twice before rying the information of the reports to Kant.

    "Good news, your highness. I just received the reports on the progress of the projects being undertaken thanks to the Industrialization Program. Would you mind if I read it out to you?"

    "Not at all."

    "Alright then. Now, ording to the report, the sewer system of ''Industrial district 1'' is set to bepleted on the 12th of Pecunia, if they build at the current rate. Simrly, we would have finished building all the schools and libraries around the same time, after 18 days of non-stop construction.

    In terms of the trantion of the Bible, I am pleased to announce that we currently have about 175 books, with another 340 on the way. Our trantion team estimates that we should be able to finish 745 by the end of next month.

    Now, when ites to that tram car construction, I have received a letter from the craftsman that they have managed to make 1 tram carpartment fitted with a steam engine. They say that although they are facing slight problems, they will be able to deliver all 48 tram carpartments on the 1st of Nativitas."

    "That is good. We can start construction of the roads and tram tracks sooner then."

    "That was exactly what I was thinking sir. Now, one more thing. I want to inform you that I have received another letter, from thepany DML Designs. They im that you, sir,missioned them to make a blueprint of a massive building. How would you like for me to respond sir?"

    "Inform them toe over to the pce to present the blueprint. I want to see it for myself before approving it."

    "Of course sir. And what that, it is all I have for now. I guess I shall be on my way?" n asked, almost getting up from the seat.

    "No. Sit down, n. I am going to need you to listen to me."

    "Oh! I apologize for my rudeness..." n sits back on the chair and ces the files down.

    "So sir, what is this all about?" he questioned.

    "First, you are going to need a piece of background information first. With the construction of the libraries, I hope to not only fill them with Bibles, but other types of educational books regarding science, whether it be alchemy, mechanics, mathematics, and so on.

    I wanted a literate poption, but also an educated poption, to help me invent moreplicated mechanical systems, and to research different fields. I cannot do things myself. I need more people to work with me.

    To achieve that goal, I want to teach these subjects to people through ces of learning, like schools. However, although the return on investment may be high, it will take at least 15 years to 20 years to do so, which we don''t have the time for. Do you understand so far?"

    "I do sir. You want an educated poption, but you need them quickly. So what is your solution to it?"

    "The solution is very simple. We provide them with the information they need through books ced in the library, and get them to self-study and learn. We can start with simple books, to get them to understand the basics. Only from there, we hand them out moreplicated pieces of literary works on the subject."

    "That is a very good idea, though I already see a bit of a problem. How to choose which ones should go on the shelves and which ones don''t? I mean, there are many theories to how things work, don''t they?"

    "That is exactly what I want to address with the building?"

    "The building?"

    "Well, not particrly, but more about what the building homes... Excuse me." Kant got up from his chair and walked over to the cab. There, he grabs a file beforeing back and sitting on his chair again.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He hands it over for n to read. He picks it up and opens the file, revealing what appears to be a charter. On the top of the first page, it reads ''Charter for the Hoverdam Institution of Scientific Advancement and Research''.

    "I have been working on this project ever since the month of Asinus. The main job of the Hoverdam Institution of Scientific Advancement and Research is to mainly conduct and fund scientific experiments, to be recorded, retested, debated, and confirmed.

    Its secondary job is to decide which theories should be included in books that people will use to study. It will be important that we put out the correct information, at least for what we know them to be."

    Kant leaned in.

    "Now, can I assume that minister n never really had an interest in science, did you?" n smiled.

    "No sir, I didn''t."

    "Well, I will exin it to you, because it is important that you understand. Science is a technology. A technology to uncover, verify and refine our knowledge. The scientific method allows us to do is to make our knowledge, gradually more correct.

    To conduct science is rtively easy. First is to observe the world around us. Next is to ask a question about what we see. Then, we can construct a hypothesis that could answer the question. The text stage is about thinking of a way to test the hypothesis, so we can go to the next step, which is to run experiments to see if the hypothesis was correct.

    After the experiments are done, we can draw and conclusion from the experiments, which allows us to nextmunicate the results. From there, we refine, alter or reject the hypothesis, and move all the way back to stage 1.

    Now, there are limitations to science. There are some things that we might get wrong because either we are too technologically primitive, or there is something we cannot see, or we might have overlooked some things. Now, keep that in mind, as I exin for the HISAR works.

    A scientist coulde up to the HISAR building, and ask for funding for an experiment. Now, there are two methods of being funded. Either through private individuals or from us. Regardless of the subject, once funding is received, they are free to do their experiments, and hand in the results of the tests.

    If it is deemed that it is a subject matter receiving lots of sess, more money will be funneled to conductrger tests to see if it will hold. This will hopefully lead to more tests and research, allowing them to see whether their hypothesis was correct from the conclusions drawn.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® From there, it is up to the other scientists to do a peer review process, where they test and experiment with the hypothesis by conducting the same experiments. The hypothesis that has the most support will be the one implemented in beginner textbooks.

    With that, the people will be able to learn, giving us more experts, who will conduct more research, more science, and eventually correct themselves of their past mistakes," Kant exined.

    What Kant didn''t tell him is that he hoped to... direct them into discovering many crucial principles to allow him to build and create new technologies. This would cause less suspicion among everyone, and allow him to gain a huge advantage.

    "I see. So with the discovery of these new principles, we will be able to... perhaps say invent new technologies? I mean, look at the steam engine."

    "That is correct, minister. Technologies that we might have not even dreamed of. There could be principles that the world runs on that we don''t know. With arger pool of people researching, we might be able to discover these things at a faster rate than before. It will improve the people''s lives while giving our kingdom an advantage."

    "Hmm... anyways, I presume that is all sir?"

    "Yes. That is all."

    "Alright, sir. I will make sure to send the letter, and also find some good real estate to build it, and even find some schrs who would be interested toe by. Would you want it to be built in a densely popted area or...?"

    "I think it would be best if we build it in a new area. I don''t want it to be integrated into the downtown, or have to destroy valuable real estate for it."

    "Alright, sir. I will get to it." with that, n left the room. Kant, after seeing that he is truly gone, picked up the paper he ced in the drawer, and started to read it once again.

 Chapter 130 Declaration Of The Aceaton Empire

    ?Meanwhile, all the way over at the city of Vallina, leaders from all over the southe across thend inrge wooden ships, onto the dock, where carriages were waiting for them. Once they hope inside, they get to be ridden off to Rose Valline''srge pce.

    Once the north was defeated, they were all invited to the city of Vallina to be at a pivotal moment in human history. A few princes and princesses were present too, a little variety of their siblings who had taken the throne for themselves.

    On the way, they can get to see the surroundings, and the beautiful city itself. They had visited the area beforehand when they were younger. The most stickingndmark, the one building that defined the city, was the grand cathedral, where the pope used to live. One of them, curious enough to see what had happened to it since took one look outside to see the towers being disassembledpletely.

    The carriage soon arrived at the second tallest structure of the city, Rose Valline''s pce itself. They were escorted by soldiers, wielding those strange weapons they call muskets. After wandering through the maze that it was, they finally were brought to arge dark oak door.

    The guards fully opened the doors, revealing therge luxurious ballroom behind, with polished marble tiles, white walls, longrge ss windows, tall red curtains, and great ss chandeliers. The tables covered in a long white tablecloth were filled with luxurious food and drinks for anyone to enjoy.

    The people who were already present looked to be a few elite knights, more musketeers soldiers, and the royal guests who were invited. The ambiance sound was one of people''s chatter, as it would be in a ballroom.

    The royals were all suited with mourous clothing and attire, from colors ranging from blue, red, green ck, white, or yellow, threaded with either white or ck, depending on what looked the best. Their skirts and suits were detailed with threaded patterns, of flowers, trees, ancient pces, and so on.

    Most of their conversations were rather dry, with it mainly being a dick-measuring contest, whether who had the more powerful and skilled wives, husbands, and children out of them all. What was most fascinating and striking about these individuals, is their age. Most of them were under the age of 40, with only a few in their early 30s.

    These were the children of the great kings that used to rule the south right up to when Rose came into power. The old wise southern kings had all perished during the gue, leaving their kingdoms to their children. Unlike their forefathers, they were much more naive andpliant than the previous kings.

    This generation of leaders grew up in the 4,990s, during the times of the session crisis. As a result, they were raised and incentivized to be more cooperative, and less warlike than their parents and grandparents.

    This left her with an opportunity, to manipte, and take advantage of them. To instill a form of persona, and a sense of conformity to the wiser, older queen. The ones who were smart enough to resist, randomly disappeared off the face of the, leaving someone mentally weaker to run their kingdoms. Thispliant generation of kings fully submitted once they heard the news that the northwestern army was repelled by Rose''s soldiers.

    Rose was behind the door, rereading the speech that she had prepared. The woman was dressed in an exotic white and red royal gown, with arge overskirt and a tiara on her head. Once she felt she had remembered it, she handed it off to a maid, who stormed off and knocked on the door.

    The door suddenly opens, and Rose, the queen who was 6ft tall with her heels,es inside. The room goes quiet, with everyone''s attention now diverted toward her. She enters the room, grabbed a wine ss filled with purple wine, and walked to the center of the room. Everyone''s eyes were fixated on her, patiently waiting for her to speak.

    "Today, we are here to celebrate a pivotal moment in history. A moment that our descendants will look back upon, to be the greatest day in humanity. On the 16th of Nummum, 5018, Hoverdam signed the peace pact in defeat, epting the main conditions presented, thereby ending the war.

    Thest city, on the other end of the continent, surrendered and denounced the church, and eventually god himself. We have won, we have eliminated the disease that is the church.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    However, troubling times are ahead. In a matter of months, maybe the next or the one after, we will be facing another demonic wave that will tear through the entire continent once again. The lives of our people, our families, and our friends are in great danger.

    There will be more battles ahead. Battles that we all must prepare for. Battles that need to gain nothing short of victory. Battles that we must fight with honor and price.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® In order to survive the demonic wave, I propose we finally unite the southern part of Acetaton, into the Aceaton empire. To form onerge state, so we all can focus on our real enemy. The next enemy. The demons themselves.

    Your positions will not be hurt. I will not be giving away yournd to others. You will still rule over your kingdoms, just under my directmand. You have all witnessed by power, so it is your choice to make your move."

    A few whispers flew around the room. The kings and queens all quietly exchanged what they thought of the deal, which received a rather mixed reaction. Although they were hesitant, they clearly remember what happened to the others who dared to oppose her.

    They all turned to the soldiers, who looked as if they had their guns ready to fire. With no choice, they all made up their collective minds and decided to agree.

    "All in favor say aye," Rose said.

    "Aye." they all respond, immediately. Rose''s face formed a smile, knowing that they have all epted her request.

    "Wonderfull. Tonight, we shall have a toast, for our new empire, for a better humanity, and a better future!" Just then, on the stage, musicians appeared and stood where they belong. After taking a deep breath, the conductor started to instruct the musicians, and a ssical tune started to y.

    They soon got to sign a piece of paper, detailing the ways in which the empire worked. In simple terms, it was like a version of the Holy Roman Empire back in our world, without the border gore, and a much more powerful empress.

    The deration was then announced to the public, at first in the city of Vallina, but then to other cities and towns. While the people of Vallina were ecstatic, the peasants of the other cities couldn''t care less. As long as it didn''t affect the way they live, they didn''t mind. Kant also to get a wing of the deration, but just like the peasants, he couldn''t care much as he was busy with his work.

    Meanwhile, Salvator Humat, which had already cooperated with Rose Valline, was holding individual meetings to determine whether it should continue its existence. With the church destroyed, and the old kingdoms fallen, they had nothing left to do.

    In the end, the group voted to remain active, now focused on different missions to help the citizens and their kingdoms. There was still some work to be done, to make sure that the content is safe from another arrogant king rising, and to make sure, that the people could live a better life. Althoughmunication between the groups operating in other cities became very limited, they all still kept in touch.

 Chapter 131 Firearms Production Plans

    ?It was the first day of the second month of summer. As usual, it was a zing hot day, forcing Kant took to take off his suit and hang it on the new coat rack he got. As he was sitting down on his chair, with a pencil in hand, he drew on arge sheet of beige paper. He was focused onpleting a blueprint of a few new machines he wants to be built as soon as possible.

    These new machines were intended to help quickly manufacture firearms, as well as the propent and fulminate, at a fast rate. Currently, if he wanted a gun, he would have to ask a smith to make the metal parts, while a woodworker made the wooden parts. Then he has to send them over to a craftsman to get them assembled before they could reach back to him.

    During this process, there is a high chance of errors and dys, slowing it all down. Trypounding this by trying to produce more guns, say a thousand, the production issues will be exacerbated. As a result, he wants to build a workshop in one area, in a streamlined process to allow him to produce as many guns as he needs.

    From there on, he could move up from there. Currently, he wants to produce PCR-18s, as well as FLM-18s, which are flintlock muskets. He didn''t think it would be necessary to produce the percussion cap muskets, as the flintlocks could easily be updated to use the technology. Once he starts producing these weapons, he wanted the police and for army to be able to adopt them as quickly as he can.

    He had been designing these ns for a long time. Ever since he made his first flintlock rifle.

    He soon finishes the blueprint of one of the many devices he needs. Kant then calls in a maid. He tells her to inform Minister n Fleck toe to his office as quickly as he could. The maid bows and leaves the room. Only a few minutester, he heard the echoes of footsteps before there was a knock on his door. Minister n soon enters the room and bows.

    "Pardon me, your majesty. I am sorry if I amte, sir. Was there anything you need of me?" n asks the king.

    "No, you are notte, and yes, I do need you. Sit down." n walks over to his chair and sits down in a straight pose. Just as he sits down, Kant gets up from his chair and walks over to his cab. He opens its drawers and grabs a stack of files, before presenting them to the minister.

    "What you are currently witnessing, are the blueprints of several types of machinery that I need built and used in any future firearms factory.

    With the demonsing across the horizon, we have an opportunity to make a vast about of money through firearm sales. Other than the money, we also have to hand these weapons over to those farmers so they can defend themselves.

    In order for that to happen, we are going to need a production line churning out flintlocks and revolvers, being the FLM-18 and PCR-18.

    The flintlock would be considered the cheapest, as it also requires a piece of flint and gunpowder to fire. Considering the other side only has matchlocks, which need a lit fuse to operate, the flintlocks should have the advantage.

    The revolver, PCR-18, would cater to the market for people who need a secondary weapon. Considering it is on a market of its own with no alternative, we should have a monopoly on that market segment for now."

    "What about the PCM-18?"

    "I don''t think it would be necessary. The flintlocks could be upgraded to use the percussion caps."

    "Ah. I see," he replied. Minister n then opens up the files and examines each and every one of them. Each file contains the blueprints of a single machine, on each side, inside and out. Each part itself had names to it and had smaller blueprints of that to exin how they are made.

    On the bottom left, sealed inside a line box, there were details of the materials used, the way it is powered, the dimensions of it, and so on. It was all a bit too technical for n to understand. However, he knew that these machines were important.

    "I assume that sir wants me to get these constructed to be fitted into a new building?"

    "Not necessarily a new building. I was thinking of starting a small and temporary workshop to see if the machines work and function properly. If I were to build a factory, I would need it to function fluently, with minimal issues.

    Starting out with a small workshop, with only limited machinery and one line of production, would allow us to project how many more firearms we can make, while also perfecting it, leaving no inefficiencies and costs behind."

    "Is that so sir? Well, I can find somece that would be suitable. What would be the criteria for such a building?" n asked as he takes out a little book and pencil to write down.

    "I would like the room to have space for 12 meters worth of equipment. Although, I would like to add that I won''t require the production line to be a straight line. Though, it would be the best." Fleck writes it down on his paper with his cursive handwriting.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Is there anything else that sir expects out of it?"

    "Other than the fact that I would like the building to be located in an area with good infrastructure, no. That is about it in regards to the location."

    "I see. What else do you need me to do?"

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "I need you to find me some suppliers for the materials needed for the gunpowder and mercury fulminate. For the weapons to operate, we will obviously need the proper propent. Gunpowder is made out of sulfur, charcoal, and saltpeter, which others might call caliche ore. For the mercury fulminate, I will need suppliers for mercury and ethanol."

    "Excuse me, sir. Pardon my rudeness, but if I remember correctly, you need something called... Nitric acid to make it?" n appears to have done his research.

    Do not worry about nitric acid. That can be obtained through fractional destination. I have had Alchemist Duesenberg exin that to me.

    I also need you to find some workers for the job. Hire one person to operate each machine, along with 2 more to operate the steam engine. Speaking of which, the steam engine itself must at least have 15 horsepower."

    Minister Fleck continues to write down his requests. After it is done, he ces the little book back into his pocket, underneath the suit.

    "Alright sir, now before I leave, I would like to ask one more question."

    "Go ahead."

    "When would you want all your requests to ur?" n asks.

    "I am not sure. Can you give me a guess as to how long you think it would take?" Kant replied with a question. It would have been foolish to demand ridiculous to require the tasks to be one in an impossibly short time frame.

    "Um... I think I should have the building ready by the 12th. I am not so sure about the machines though. That I might have to check with the craftsman to get an urate answer," n truthfully replied.

    "I see. Well then, I will give you 2 weeks. Make sure you get the craftsman to first make the machinery for the FLM-18. That will be the easiest and cheapest to produce. We can move on to the revolverter, which needs more sets of machinery and the mercury fulminate to be produced."

    "I understand sir. May I take my leave?"

    "Yes, you may. But before you go, make sure to get thest month''s immigration report ready. I want to know how many people entered this city."

    "Oh, that you do not have to worry sir. I have alreadypleted it," n imed.

    "You have?"

    "Yes. From what I can tell, we have seen about 4,540 people enter the city, increasing the poption of the city from about 196,000 back to over 200,000," n answered. Hoverdam''s poption took a hit as they lost many people to the war.

    "Is that so? Well, can you bring me the report to my desk then? I would like to take a look at it."

    "As you wish, sir."

 Chapter 132 HISAR Building Blueprint

    ?It was a very sunny day, in the middle of summer. On the paved road, Decan, Melor, and Lenin walked on the paved roads of the downtown area. The men were wearing suits, heavily inspired by Kant''s own ck suit, originally intended to appease the OSAC group and the king, who had taken a new liking to the fashion.

    They were made primarily out of cotton, thanks to the HugoFabricspany churning out lots of cheap cotton fabrics. All of their suits were ck in color, matching the color of their pants, with their ties matching to be acorn-gray, and their shoes being a pair of brown leather shoes.

    For over 2 months, Decan, Melor, and Lenin have experimenting and designing the Hoversam Institute of Scientific Advancement and Research. Using kind of the same principles it promotes, the men experimented with Kant''s ideas of using a material called ''concrete'' and reinforced concrete. Though they did use wrought iron instead of steel, they noted its increased strength.

    They managed to go so thanks to the near-endless supply of contractsing over to them. Though theirpetitors are starting to notice, and even attempting to copy their style. Regardless, they intend on using theirpetitive advantage and cement themselves as a major yer in the business.

    They managed toplete the design about 4 days ago, thereby sending a letter to the pce to inform the King of itspletion. They receive a letter back 2 dayster, informing them that his majesty wants to meet up with them on the 3rd of Pecunia. Not wanting to waste this opportunity, they decide to clear anything out for the day and went to the meeting.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® As they walked in unison, with Decan holding a briefcase, the people''s heads turned as they see this distinctive new fashion popping up. At this point, they have so far been seen to be a sign of one''s wealth, and personal connection to the king. There was a rumor going around that it was him that started the trend. Regardless, it was slowly gaining interest among the public.

    The men arrived at the pce gates, where two knights were seen guarding the entrance. He restricted ess for the men to let them enter. It was when they handed over the letter, which clearly states their invitation, still decided to send someone up to ask if there truly was anyone who intended toe here.

    A butler soon arrived, told the guard off, and escorted them to the meeting room. The room had a long table, with 4 chairs in total. One chair sat facing toward the wall, while the other three were next to each other, facing away from the wall.

    "Please wait till his majesty arrives. He was not expecting you gentlemen toe a little early."

    "No worries. When will he finish?" Melor asked.

    "He will be here in 15 minutes on the dot. Would you all like some tea if you prefer?" the butler asked. They all whispered to each other and agreed.

    "Sure. Can we all have some in tea, along with a cup of sugar for us to add?" Decon asked.

    "Of course. I will be quick." With that, the butler left the room, allowing the men to look around. The room was painted with daisy white paint, with the floor tiled out of polished tiles that were a little hot thanks to the summer heat.

    Soon, the butler deliver them three cups made of polished white ceramic, a teapot, and a small metal container with a lid and three spoons next to it. The butler poured in their tea, before leaving the room. As they wait, they drink their tea. As soon as they were done, the door receives a knock, before a man enters.

    The three put the tray aside, stands up, and bow. Then, they all share handshakes. Melor and Lenin introduce themselves for the first time to the king. Kantes around and sits on the lone chair. He keeps his hands on the desk, holding them together before he began to speak.

    "Good morning gentlemen. I hope you all feel refreshed from the tea you just had."

    "We sure did, your majesty," Decan remarked, who was sitting on the middle chair.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Good. Now, let''s get to business, shall we?"

    "Of course." Decan opened the briefcase and presented the following blueprints, all detaining every inch, every room within the proposed facility. The building appeared to have 4 stories in total, with the first story being 5 meters (16.4 feet) tall, with the other stories being 4 meters tall (13.1 feet), giving the building a total height of 17 meters (55.7 feet).

    The building itself looked to be rectangr in shape, with a rectangr hole in the center. The dimensions of the building are about 26.25 meters in length, and 17 meters in width, giving each story an internal floorspace of 407.5 square meters, after taking out the section dedicated to nature. After discounting the area for internal walls and such, this gives the building a total internal floor area of 1,428 square meters, which is about 1/5 the area of a football field.

    To ensure that anyone from one side of the room can get to another area, there are a total of 6 staircases for anyone to easily find and move. 4 of the staircases were in the middle corners of the building, while the other 2 were located at the midway point from one stair from the north, to another at the south.

    The building utilizes the Arteco Architectural style, which closely resembles the ssical Moderne Art Deco Style in the old world. The main materials listed to be used in the building are cement, bricks, concrete, reinforced concrete, and wood. For the windows, it utilizes ss, instead of using wooden windows.

    "Just as you requested, we decked the whole building with everything you wanted. We have about half a dozen libraries to store all the information you need. We also incorporated a great number of rooms to be suited to conduct experiments under simr conditions.

    Though, he has consideredbeling the areas that would be best suited for the tasks. We have marked the libraries,boratories, and such. We have also experimented with the material that sir suggested, being concrete and reinforced concrete.

    We have determined that it was strong enough to be able to support the build, along with another 3 more stories. Although, we did use wrought iron instead of steel, so we assume that it could be stronger," Decan exined.

    "So... what do you think sir?" Lenin asked. Kant analyzes the blueprints further. They have made not just 1 type of room, but several, with each of them having its strengths and weaknesses. Some rooms were said to have wooden floors, while others were designed towards incorporating tiled floors.

    "This is an impable design. Well done." he rolls up the blueprints and keeps them to the side. He then held his hands together while they rested on the desk.

    "Now, do you have an idea of the costs and time it would take to construct the building?" Kant asked.

    "The building could take up as much as 330,000 bricks for the internal walls throughout all 4 stories. If we also ount for the exterior walls, it would also add up to 280,000 bricks. As for the roofs of each building, we could see about nearly 500,000 bricks. Add to that the amount of cement, concrete, and steel that needs to be utilized, it could be in the 5 figures.

    Although it is possible to build it in a few months, the project could be dyed if an adequate amount of materials won''t be brought. With the current projects going around, I do not think that we do not have the capacity to build the headquarters unless, of course, you are willing to pay significantly more for the materials, and wait for years till we see itspletion." Melor exined while making a slight smirk.

    He was always very skeptical of Kant''s abilities as king, Could this 16-year-old teenager REALLY be up to the task of managing a powerful trading kingdom? As a result, he wanted to see what Kant could do and waited for his response.

    "You do not have to worry about the materials, Mr. Melor. I have a n underway to increase the production of the necessary materials that you all desire. In the meantime, I suggest you all wait. Maybe perfect the design or see if there are any failure points."

    "Alright, we will sir."

 Chapter 133 Garrison Arrives

    ?In a rtively small city located near the border to the north, a crowd of people, most of who worked at the docks, watched as arge ship entered the harbor. Once it is docked, men wearing long-sleeved blue uniforms with beige breeches and calfskin boots walk down the bridge. Some held their muskets while others carried wooden crates to put them into the caravans.

    Other than the musketeers, there were the knights, all d in their runic suits of armor which gives them immense power over normal users. As they drop down, one of them, an average-looking man wearing some old and dirty hemp clothes, counted the men present in his head.

    He counted 65 soldiers, and 10 knights, all from the city of Vallina. He and the rest of the men suspected it was a garrison force. However, it might take a lot more to properly garrison the city.

    What was most concerning though, were the others. He managed to count 215 other people leaving the ship, not fitting the category of a musketeer or knight. They clearly looked to be peasants, but they wore those beige pants that the soldiers were wearing. The man suspected it was an identifier, for them to know who is and isn''t with them.

    Eventually, 3 of the soldiers, all holding their muskets with a lit fuse, approached the group and told them to scram. The men, knowing the power the weapons wield, are all left without resistance. One of them, the man who had counted, instead of going back to do his work at the docks, immediately went a bit further away, to ry the information he gathered to another average-looking man.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Thank you for the information. You can go back to work. I will take it from here." he replied. With that, the man disappeared into the shadows, while the guy who counted went about his day as if nothing had happened.

    ...

    Carson, along with his friend Herrold, finally arrived in the small city they were assigned to. ording to the queen, they were to protect their citizens from harm and maintain order. The announcement of the garrison was made just after the deration of the Aceaton Empire. Of the 40,000 soldiers that were left alive after the war, about 32,000 of them were chosen for a new task.

    Their task was simple. The first was to garrison the areas that might pose the most resistance. The second was to recruit and train peasants from other cities, as 32,000 people might not be enough to cover half a continent.

    Rose''s idea was to take peasants from the urban cities, split them up, and concentrate them in the army. For every 1 musketeer who came from anywhere across the continent, there were to be 1.25 musketeers from the city of Vallina. This allowed the garrison force to only consist of 32,000 soldiers, to 57,600 soldiers.

    Of course, she didn''t have enough gunpowder or guns to train all the soldiers, but she didn''t have to. For the month, she could have them disciplined, to be made into the perfect soldier, while her smiths in the city, as well as Hoverdam, expand their production capabilities. Until then, she will make sure to stockpile them.

    To get the soldiers to ept, Rose promised them to hand over a plot ofnd anywhere they want. The men who fought in the war to take down the north were also promised that they would receive a bigger piece ofnd.

    Once Carson and Herrold both heard of the opportunity, they were rather excited. During the war, they were amazed by the beauty nature had to offer, and even wished to own a plot ofnd in an area like this. Now, it was bing a reality. A lot of others had simr reactions, although many were reluctant to leave their homes.  Regardless, they eventually epted and boarded the ships on the 4th of Pecunia.

    Carson and Herrold soon both walked down the stairs, holding their matchlocks by their arms. Carson took a deep breath of fresh air and looked at the beautiful forest on the other side of the river. They felt bliss looking at thendscape, rather than the cold stone buildings of the city.

    Once all the cargo was unloaded, the soldiers started to march through the city, guarding the caravans. Although the main city roads were paved with cobblestone, there was still a lot of greenery around. The buildings were made primarily of wood, with hay roofs on top, with stone buildings being a rare sight.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    If there was something that was truly unique about the city, it was the smell. Like the city of Vallina, there was the stench of human excrement, urine, and rotting animal entrails, mixed in with a little smoke from woodfires, the baking bread, and the grilling of meat obtained from hunting. However, the smell of feces and urine was stronger and continued to get stronger as they entered the downtown.

    "Damn, is it going to smell like this all the time?" Carson muttered, who had experienced a disadvantage a city like this offered.

    "Don''t know. Let''s hope not." Herrold replied. The army soon approached a gate, made out of metal bars, painted ck. It was behind arge wall, protecting what appears to be a few buildings inside. On each corner of the wall, there was a tall tower with an area for someone to station; guard towers. On each corner of the wall, there was a tall tower with an area for someone to station; guard towers.

    The gate soon opened, and the soldiers marched inside. Inside the area, the smell had mostly disappeared. The men all thanked the walls, which protected the area. There were three buildings present in total, 2 stationed vertically on the left and right, with the first one on the opposing end of the gate, built horizontally.

    The buildings were tall, with each possessing 5 stories. They were all made of gray stone bricks, wooden roofs and windows, and probably nked floors. On the roofs, there was a chimney in the middle of the roof. Between the bricks, Carson can see some kind of grayish stone, holding them together. In the middle of it all, there was a nice grass field, with a small tree in the center.

    The soldiers soon stopped marching and turned to face theirmander in an orderly fashion. The garrison force was led by none other than Leroy Herway. Although he was supposed to be stationed in arger city, upon seeing the strategic location of the area, and the generally good road connections to his other forces on the map, he asked permission to be stationed here.

    "Listen up men! From now on, this is where you will all be sleeping, eating, and training from now on. On your left is where you will all be sleeping. There are enough beds for all 275 of you. The knights will sleep on the top floor, while the musketeers get to upy the 4th and 3rd floors. As for the rest of you, you get to the rest of the beds.

    At your front, is where you will be eating. It is where the cafeteria is located, where you all will gather around and eat the food handed out to you, made by local chefs we have hired. You will eat it, and you will like it!

    To your right, is where you will store your weapons ammunition, and gunpowder. Make sure you empty your barrels of its bullets and gunpowder before you ce your guns down. We do not want the building to explode."

    Leroy continued on exining what else there was to the base, especially where they excreted any bodily waste. As a part of the instructions, they were given a new routine. The men were to get up every morning of every day, at sunrise, and get to bed at sunset.

    They appointed 4 men to be on guard duty, before sending them to the left barracks after they were ced their guns in the armory. Inside, they found wooden beds with hay mattresses and pillows, all 20 inches apart. On the foot end of the bed, there was a chest the soldiers use to put their clothes in.

    Caron and Herrold managed to get a bed right next to each other on the fourth floor, with a window by their side. They can both look out the window and see the rather pleasant rural city. A view the soldiers could never get tired of. Carson, after taking off his shirt and boots,y on his bed. Making the most of his free time given to him, before they head back to training.

    He thinks back to the past, where he used to be an average man living in the city, now a ''veteran'' soldier who had managed to rack up a few kills. Although he may feel guilt in killing, there was a sense of pride, believing that he did the right thing.

 Chapter 134 Roads And Tracks

    ?It was a wonderful warm morning in the city of Hoverdam. As the sewage expansion is beginning to near itspletion, the pce had managed to redeploy a few workers into the construction of the main roads, tram tracks, and tram stations to be utilized soon. This is to connect Lower-East Middletown to Industrial District 1 and allow the free movement of people.

    The workers consisted of a few retired knights andborers, with a wide variety of materials being utilized, consisting of gravel, sand, cement, and bricks. The men also were bringing in a variety of tools to get their jobs done in an effective manner. These materials,bor, and equipment were all brought in a convoy of caravans. It soon stopped at the area of construction, with them dropping down to the ground.

    One of them was a man going by the name of William, one with a ratherrge beard, holding a rolled map. He has been tasked with supervising the construction of a main road. He unrolled the map, which depicted how and where the roads, tracks, and tram stations should be built. The roads consisted of a straight line, forming grid patterns, with the fields of grass being where the factories should be built.

    There were two types of roads being built. The main road and the normal road. The main road had tracks in the middle, allowing steam trams to move around and transport people off to stations, epassing a width of 2.5 meters.

    The rest of the main road, which is designated to everyone else, being people, animals, carriages, and caravans,prised an area of 6 meters total, with them being split in two, separated by the tram zone.

    The normal roads were just main roads, being 6 meters in width. It was where all the usual went. The type of road they were there to build, was a brick road. Although it was considered rtively expensivepared to the alternatives, Kant chose tomission a brick road as it provided a smooth and durable road that could handle heavy traffic.

    Considering that potentially thousands of men and caravans would be traveling in and out, sometimes carrying dangerous materials, it was best Kant yed it safe. Besides, the tax revenue generated will outweigh the amount spent on it.

    William gathered the workers around, to allow them to be split into two groups. Group 1 consisted of normal people, without any spec of mana inside them. The second group of people consisted of retired knights drafted for the job. With their enhanced strengths through magic, they would be perfect for heavy lifting and tiring work.

    "Alright everyone, listen up! There are a few steps that you need to know when trying to build a road. The first step is to prepare the site. We are required to make sure that the road goes straight, and the foundation is leveled." He turned to the first group and educated them on their tasks.

    "You are all to grab your hammers, wooden sticks, and rope from the crates. While some of you hammer the wooden sticks to the ground, the others will connect the small pikes with the rope. We need to make sure that the road we will be building would be straight.". He then turned to the second group. Being former knights, they stood straighter than the first group.

    "I need you all to get the materials and equipment out. Do NOT open the cement bags just yet. You will open them until I tell you to."

    "Now, do you all understand?"

    "Yes sir," they replied.

    "Good. Now get to work. We don''t want to stay in the heat for too long." The men soon got to work. Theborers start hammering the pikes on the ground and connecting them with rope, while the magical workers were given something else to do. The pikes were ced on two sides so that the width of the road would be simr.

    Theborers went on for a while, making sure that it was a smooth straight line. Straight as they could get it at least. It took them an hour, with many readjustments, measuring, and so on. Once theypleted, they rushed back and informed William.

    "Good. Group 2! Start clearing out the roadway. Use your shovels to dig a foot-and-a-half-deep trench," the man instructed. The workers grabbed their shovels and started to dig. As they tore through the ground, their strength enhanced thanks to their mana reserves.

    "Everyone else, continue to prepare the gravel. We will need itter." about 2 and a half hourster, some of the workers with the shovel came back, covered in sweat informing the supervisor that the task had been done. William, seeing how tired they were, gave them a break and instructed the other workers to level the trench.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    They grabbed some hoes, shovels, and pickaxes, as well as a bubble measure, made mostly out of wood and ss, to do the job. Leveling the shallow trenches was more tedious than they would have expected, but regardless, they finished the job 30 minutes before midday and informed the supervisor.

    "Good. Gather around everyone! It is time for step 2!" he eximed. Soon, the workers gathered around, all covered in sweat, with some visibly breathing.

    "The next step is to fill up the trenches with gravel, and make sure that it is leveled! From then on only, we can pave the road and build the tracks." After being assigned their tasks, they got back to work. Some brought in the barrels of gravel needed while others dumped it into the trench.

    They continuously received more gravel from iing caravans, who provided all the materials they need. This went on till the entire trench was nearly filled with gravel. It was only then that they leveled this gravel again, to ensure a smooth road was built. The supervisor gathered them around and told them their next task.

    "Well done everyone. Now, what we now need to do is toy the bricks. The first group will beying the bricks, while the second group will be bringing them over to the first. Got that?"

    "Yes, sir."

    "Alright. Now, attention first group! You will need to beying the bricks in a herringbone pattern. The arrow the pattern makes needs to point back up. Inform me when you havepleted it.. Do you understand?"

    "Yes, sir."

    "Good. Now get back to work folks! I am sure you all don''t to be out here in the sun any longer!" he said. The workers, using their bare hands, brought over andid the bricks on the road. The bricks, gray in color, wereid by the men for hours, covering a distance of 1.2 KM (0.75 miles). Once there were only a few meters left to lie, they educated the instructor on the progress.

    "Good. Now get the group to take that bubble level measurer, and see if the bricks are all leveled," he ordered. The supervisor then went on to group 2 and instructed them with the following.

    "Start making the cement. We will be needing to use all that we got here. Half of you will be responsible to bring the materials, while the other will make it.". As group one leveled theid brick road, the second group made the cement using 3 parts of sand, stirred it up, and ready to be used.

    Group Two was then assigned to bed the road with the cement mortar. As they ced in on. the mortar slipped and forced into the joints between the bricks. This helped to create a strong, interlocking surface.

    All while this was going on, the rail lines were aligned andyered on top of the cement bedding and bolted into ce with metal tes and bolts. The cement bedding helped to anchor the rails securely to the road surface and prevent them from shifting or moving under the weight of a passing tram.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom Once that was done, the surface was finished with ayer of mortar, to fill in any gaps present and to create a smooth, even surface using trowels and floats. With that, the road waspleted, along with the rail lines.

    The workers gathered around, all exhausted from working for about 9 hours so far, with a few breaks here and there. William, upon seeing how tired the men were, gave them a 20-minute break. They all soon spread out, going under the shade to get some rest.

    Once they had their break, they started to pave more roads, with some more peopleing in the build the tram stations. It would take weeks from there to fullyplete the road and tramwork, but that was not the only problem. The problem is convening merchants toe to settle here.

 Chapter 135 The Internal Revenue Service Department

    ?The office was in a state ofplete silence, with the only noise made being the mechanical clicks from the typewriter as Kant continued to type on the piece of paper. To his right of the typewriter, there was a stack of papers, facing down to the left, punched and ced on the file. To his left, there was an open book, which he repeatedly looked at and read before continuing on typing.

    n Fleck soon knocks on the door. After he gets Kant''s consent, he enters the room. On his hands, was a stack of nk paper that Kant had ordered him to bring. He sets them down on the table and turns around to walk out of the room. Just before he was able to leave, Kant calls for him.

    "Excuse me, minister Fleck, could you sit down for a while? Just wait a minute." Kant asks. n turns around and smiles at the king.

    "Of course, sir." He takes off his acorn-gray wool suit and ces it on the coat rack, next to Kant''s ck suit, before sitting down. Kant types for a good minute before he stops and takes out the paper before cing it on the file as well. He then flips it over to the right, returning to the first page of his writings. Seeing that he appeared to havepleted what he was typing, n Fleck asks a question.

    "What is it that you want to speak to me about, sir?"

    "Well, it is about a new method of taxation regarding Industrial District 1. Instead of taxing the businesses and factories the normal way, which is to ask either money or products from them, I would like to introduce a new way to tax them."

    "Ok, sir. I am all ears," n replied as he sat straighter in his chair.

    "You see, instead of implementing ie taxes, customs duties, poll taxes, or excise taxes and such, I suggest we implement only and value tax. Under the neww, the tax owed by an individual or entity is based on the rental value of thend they own or use.

    To calcte thend value tax owed, the first step is to determine the rental value of thend by taking into ount factors such as location, ess to transportation, the quality of thend, and so on. Considering that Industrial District 1 has be a more developednd, it will be considered more valuable.

    Once the value of thend has been determined, thend value tax rate is applied. Now, we want the rate to a level that is sufficient to collect the full economic rent of thend, but not so high that it discourages investment because it is the point of Industrial District 1.

    The revaluation will take ce every 6 months for 2 times a year. The months are Bellum in the first quarter and Folina in the third quarter."

    "I see, sir. Would you mind exining why you would only impose and value tax?"

    "Land Taxes were observed to be the most efficient forms of taxation as they showed the least amount of distortions in the economy. At least ording to the 14 books I found regarding the subject.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® Another advantage would be that it incentivizes the efficient use ofnd. We have limited space on this ind where the city sits. So we need to make sure that all the space is used adequately and efficiently." Kant exined as n Fleck carefully listens. Once Kant finishes, he leans back on his chair.

    "So, Minister Fleck, what do you think?" Kant questions the minister, wanting his opinion.

    "Hm... I am not sure. I have this question bugging my mind. Will this be the ONLY tax you would want to implement, strictly to Industrial District 1?"

    "Well no. There will be other taxes, but they will be drastically reduced for businesses to settle their factories in the area. While it might start in Industrial District 1, I hope to expand it to other parts of the city and kingdom."

    "Is there a specific reason for that?"

    "Well, ording to this schr named Kelly Geroge..." he opens his drawer and picks up a book residing in it. He flips a few pages and started reading the text out loud for n.

    "...by allowing cities that specialize in producing a product to sell it off to a city in need, it can focus on doing what it can do best..." Kant closes the book.

    "By reducing these taxes, I can import the materials I need to the city, which can be shipped off to the factories, where they will turn it into something useful. For example, they turn cotton into a shirt as cheaply as possible.

    This product can then be exported andpete in other cities, even if there are some taxes involved, and will allow governments to acquire more funds overall. So... what do you think?"

    "You are asking for my opinion, sir?"

    "Yes, I am."

    "I see. Well, sir, I think you should keep the current taxes mostly intact. Maybe decrease a little bit, say by 10% of the current tax? Say, if the tax is 50%, it will drop to 45%. It will still be cheaper to import it, but there will be a safeguard in case things go bad."

    "I see. Thank you for the input."

    "You are wee, sir. Say, what is the tax rate that you want to apply?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Currently, I am thinking of applying a 30% rate, which isparatively better than what everyone else is offering," Kant suggested.

    "30%... Excuse me, sir, I have a suggestion. May I speak?" n questioned.

    "Yes. Go on."

    "Alright. Instead of going with 30%, I rmend you go with 65%. Currently, the lowest on any other continent is about 75% in terms ofnd taxes. ording to the way you set up the tax, and the buildings that will be present there, it will still be cheaper that will still attract the merchants you are looking for.

    Once the merchants have settled there, you can decrease the amount of tax. As merchants are attracted andnd develops its value increase. Since the value increase, you can decrease the tax rate and still make more. This will also allow you topete with other kingdoms that would try to mimic your policy."

    "Hmm... I guess that will work. Thank you for the idea."

    "You are wee, sir. Is that everything you wanted to discuss?"

    "Actually no, there is one more thing I have been meaning I have been nning."

    "What is it?"

    "It is about expanding the government staff members and adding new departments to handle certain tasks."

    "Oh... is that so? Well sir, is there any particr department you would want to expand?"

    "I am thinking of introducing a formal department specialized in and responsible for enforcing our taxws and collecting taxes. Considering that specialization and division ofbor appear to have increased efficiency, I think it would also be best to try applying it to the government structure," Kant suggested. n''s face tried to hold in his smile.

    "I see where you are getting at. Yes, that is a very good idea, sir. If we do specialize, we could increase the amount of taxes collected, and it will make our job of enforcing the new taxation method a lot easier.

    Say, sir. Could you mind going into further detail on how this department works? I need the information to be able to hire the correct people for the job," n asks, a little excited.

    "Alright then. The new department is currently named the Internal Revenue Service Department, or I.R.S. for short. They are meant to do a few things. The first is to collect taxes from individuals and businesses. The second is to enforce the taxws by investigating cases of tax evasion, fraud, and other vitions.

    The third and final responsibility of the internal revenue service department is to assist taxpayers who might have some confusion regarding the concerns of their taxes and to resolve any disputes with the agency.

    The agency will have ountants to ensure that taxpayers areplying with taxws. It will also have interpreters, or what I like to call tax specialists, to interpret and enforce taxws.

    There will need to be some attorneys for the agency to fight in court, and it will also need administrative staff members to provide support services to the agency. For example, human resources, budgeting, public rtions, and such.

    Finally, there will be what I call agents. These people will be the ones investigating any potential vition of the taxw implemented." Kant then grabs the file on the desk and passes it on to n.

    "If you want more details, I suggest you read that charter. I worked for a few weeks on perfecting it."

    "I will sir, thank you."

    "When do you think you will be able to implement the new agency?" Kant asks.

    "It will take a while, but I can guarantee you that I will have the department set up and running smoothly in about 2 to 3 weeks?"

    "That is good. Well, that is all I had to discuss with you. You are free to leave now."

    "Alright, sir. Again, thank you." n replies. He gets up from his chair, bows down, and leaves the room.

 Chapter 136 FLM-18 Firearm Production Process.

    ?Kant sat on the back of the carriage, being protected by knights at the front and back. Next to him sat Minister n Fleck. They were going through the city, to a small building that n had found for the small firearms workshop. The ride was a little ufortable, with the two feelings little vibration as the carriage got dragged along.

    Kant looks outside the window, to see a few buildings have brick and cement chimneys puffing out smoke. The buildings themselves were all made out of wooden nks and wooden roofs, with barely any stone present. From the looks of it, many skilled people areing all over the continent to take advantage of the reforms and technologies Kant had introduced.

    "Are you sure the machines are ready?" Kant questions the minister.

    "Yes sir, I am positive," n Fleck replied with a confident tone.

    The carriage soon came to a stop, and the two men got out, with n holding a ck briefcase. The two men got off at a particrly old big building. It was sold off to the pce as the previous owner had no use for the ce. Considering it was rtively close to a road that Lower-East Middletown, where the workers came from, it was the perfect ce for the job.

    The men entered the building through the front right door. Inside, there were men and machinery found inside, with steam engines connected to the machinery. Their exhausts have been connected to pipes that led to the chimney of the building, where the smoke can puff out safely.

    The machines themselves were arranged in a linear pattern, starting from the right end, where n and Kant came from, and ending at the left end of the building. There with three horizontal lines each on the right end, while there was a vertical line on the left end, where the muskets were to be assembled using the necessary parts they needed.

    On the right wall, there were plenty of materials, such as wood, iron, and coal. On the left end table, wooden boxes filled with flint, nails, and springs could be found. The workers themselves were wearing leather aprons on top of their normal clothes, as well as leather gloves to protect their hands. As soon as the two entered, the room quickly fade into silence as they see their king with his minister, standing in front of them.

    "This is it, sir. What do you think?" n Fleck asks. Kant slowly walks around the ce and examines everything before giving his judgment. He talked with the men, interacted with the machines, and tested the pipe''s strength, before he headed back to the minister, to voice his thoughts.

    "You have done a great job. Well done, minister Fleck." Kant then turned to the workers, who had gathered around.

    "You are here today, toplete an important mission. In just one month from now, or maybe even less, the demonic wave will hit the realm and could cause the death of many around the world, including your own families.

    However, there is hope. With the same weapons the south had used to beat back our armies, we will use the same weapon to defeat the demons. To do that, we need to produce enough firearms to arm every man, woman, and child if necessary.

    We are here today, to attempt to mass-produce firearms at a cheap rate, in order to allow humanity to properly fight back. Though the work will be exhausting, you will be working for the betterment of mankind, and bepensated fairly for it," he said.

    "Now... let''s get to work." Kant separated the workers and organized them into their respective areas to do their tasks efficiently. Group 1 was meant to bring coal and any tools over to them, while groups 2, 3, and 4 were in charge of making the specialized parts. Group 5 was the one that had the job of taking the parts and assembling them into a gun.

    "The FLM-18, which is the name of the weapon we will be making, consists of three main parts; the barrel, the trigger system, and the stock. The first line is where you all will be making the barrels, while the second line is where the trigger system will be made, with the third allocated for the stock."

    Kant then started to instruct how to make theseponents. He first started out with the barrel. Kant orders group 1 to take a wrought iron nk and heat it up in the furnace, with a few workers using forge bellows. Once the metal was heated up, Kantmands them to activate the rolling mills.

    "Feed the iron nk to the rolling mill. It will create the next part that we will need." The workers obeyed.

    The heated iron nk was then fed to the rolling mill, which consisted of a series ofrge, heavy rollers, powered by steam engines. As it passed through the moving rollers, the nk waspressed and shaped into a hot iron barrel nk, which is cylindrical in shape.

    To avoid getting their hands burned, the workers used tongs with wooden handles to pass down the nk to the next worker.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Good job. Now pass it down to the next person, to your right." Not wanting to hold a hot metal rod on their tongs, they happilyplied. The one on the right was in charge of operating a special steam-poweredthe, called a boring bar. The boring bar allowed the bore to be much more precise and consistent, just as it was made to be.

    "Turn on the boring bar, and use it to create a hole through the center of the cylinder," Kant inquired. The worker did as he was told. Once the bore was drilled into the cylinder, he was told to heat it again, before dumping it into a bath of cool water, allowing the metal to harden and strengthen.

    After a good minute of keeping it in the bath, Kant, after putting on some gloves, picked it up with his own hands and examined it closely. Once he was done inspecting it, his face made a little smile.

    "So far, so good. Well done," hemented, before throwing the barrel into a wooden box. He walked up to the workers and gave them another order.

    "Now, I need you all to do that again, understood?" he asked. The workers nodded. Kant gave them a smile and moved on to the next line. Kant got the workers to grab a sheet of wrought iron, and ce it on the table.

    "Use your power shears, and cut the necessary parts..." Kant said as he takes out a rolled piece of paper, and presents it to the worker. Once the worker understand, he immediately started cutting up stocks, the trigger, the sear, the tumbler, the mainspring, and the frizzen spring. He would then pass it to the next worker, to his left. Kant reached into his pocket and took out another piece of paper, and presented it to the man.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Alright. Here is a diagram of the stockponents you have received. I need you to mill and drill theseponents. We need to make sure that the pivot holes, screw holes, and other holes for pins and springs are being ced inside. Got it?"

    "Yes, your majesty." The man started his milling machine, also powered by the steam engine, and started making the holes in the spots marked on the diagram. Once it was done, it was handed over to the next person. Just like the barrel, theponents were heated and dumped in a liquid bath, before cing them into a wooden box.

    Kant handed him the blueprint, which visually exined where everything needed to go. With that, the worker understood and got to work. Once he is done with assembling the lock mechanism, he ced it into another wooden box. With the 1st and 2nd linesplete, Kant moved on to the third line.

    The wood was sawn off a log using a steam-powered circr saw. Once it was cut, it was handed over to the next worker, who would use athe to shape the stock into its basic form, with the worker holding the hand-held chisels added in more detail.

    The stock would then be inletted to ept the other metalponents of the gun, such as the trigger guard, the barrel, and the lock mechanism. It was done by hand using chisels and gouges, with a little aid from the steam-powered milling machine. Once it waspleted, it was ced in the create.

    From there, the final worker was then tasked to assemble the gun. After listening to Kant''s instructions, he used the variousponents that had just been made, as well as the smallerponents like nails, springs, and flint, before he fully assembled the gun. Once it was finished, Kant was given the weapon to be inspected.

    "Gentlemen, please... stop the engines, and gather around," Kant ordered. The workers immediately came back to him, a little nervous about what he had to say.

    "Gentlemen, after inspecting the weapon that has been presented to me, I conclude..." The men all held their hands while taking deep breaths.

    "...that you have all done a magnificent job. Well done." There was a wave of smiles across their faces, d that they were able to please the king. With that, Kant instructed Minister Fleck to open his briefcase. Inside the case, was an hourss, a clipboard, and a pencil with an eraser on the back end of it.

    "Now that you know how to make an FLM-18, I will be requiring you all to start producing one as fast as you possibly can. With this, I can measure the number of rifles we will be able to produce and adjust ordingly. Do I make myself clear?" he asked in a calm tone.

    "Yes, your majesty!"

    "Good. Now... go get to work. You all have a long day ahead."

 Chapter 137 [Bonus ] Lisa Apologizes

    ?Lisa was sitting at a table all alone in the library, surrounded and sealed from any outsiders by the tall thick wooden bookshelves that surround her. Not that there were that many of them there anyways. The children of the northern kings soon found out that, in the treaty that Rose and the Northern Kings signed, they were denied meeting up with their children, meaning they were not allowed to go back home until they can be fully integrated into the Aceaton Empire.

    As a result, a lot of the students in the academy were nowhere to be seen, with most of them residing on the grounds, ying and chatting. On Lisa''s hands, was a clean ck book, the same one given to her by Professor Campbell. Her eyes were fixated on the text, which detailed every wrongful action the angelisist church had ever done throughout its long andplicated history. The further she read, the more her hatred grew.

    "Good morning, Princess Lisa. Are you enjoying the book so far?". Her attention immediately changed away from the book to the man standing in front of her. The tall man, with curly hair, and dark brown eyes on his diamond-shaped face. Lisa, immediately recognizing his face, stood up and smiled.

    "Good morning Professor Campbell! Yes, I am enjoying the book so far. I am very thankful that you gave it to me." Campbell smiled.

    "That is wonderful Lisa. Say, tell me. What have you learned so far?" he asked. Lisa started by reiterating what she had read in the book, in vivid detail that even surprised Campbell. Yet, he felt a little proud, seeing that she was absorbing the material so quickly.

    "... and that is about it, sir."

    "Wow. Well done, Lisa. You are getting the hang of it!"

    "Thank you, professor Campbell." He smiled, seeing that she appeared to be happy.

    "Say, Princess Lisa. May I ask you a question?"

    "Of course! What is it, Professor Campbell?"

    "You see, I have noticed that you and Sofia haven''t been getting along, and I am afraid that this would cause a rift between you two. Would you mind telling me what is happening?"

    "Oh... that... Well, Professor. It is just that... there is this somebody that I didn''t like that she is meeting up with."

    "Really? Who is this mysterious person? Is the person a bad influence?"

    "I... don''t want to him his name, but..." Campbell picked up the term ''him''. He immediately identified this person as a boy.

    "So it is a boy? Is there anything wrong with him?" Campbell interrupted. Lisa, after hearing the professor speak, felt a little stupid for using that term.

    "Well... he is fine. I have managed to work with him on a project and found out that he is a really sweet person..."

    "Is it Prince Friedrich? The boy I assigned you to be a partner with?"

    "Yes. Him. It is just that... I might have had a skewed perception of him beforehand. It led to some arguments between us. I want to apologize to her but... I feel a bit awkward doing so," Lisa exined.

    Campbell, who had listened carefully, pulled in a wooden chair and sits down. Using his hand, he prompts Lisa to sit down with him.

    "You know, Princess Lisa. You and I are both alike. We both take academics seriously. Both read many books on simr subjects. We both have to face people that are far less... academic than us. Don''t you agree?" Lisa nodded.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Well, one day. A long time ago. I had a sibling. Like yours. Now, we weren''t twins. I was about 2 years older. We had a pretty good rtionship between us, until one day, there was a... conflict, that bridged us apart.

    Now, ever since then, I realized that I was in the wrong. However, I took a long... long time to build some courage to speak to him about it. However, by that point, even if I managed to apologize, it would have been toote..."

    "What happened, sir?" Lisa questions, a little intrigued.

    "Oh, you don''t want to hear about it. What you need to know is that I acted toote to apologize to my sibling, and I wouldn''t bear on standby, watching it happen to my favorite student." Campbell took a deep breath.

    "Now, Princess Lisa, I want you to listen very closely. I want you, to go back to your sister, wherever she is, and go apologize to her. Maybe even start a conversation, and repair that special bond you two share together. Trust me. It will be worth it." Campbell said.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "And what if it goes wrong?"

    "Then at least you knew that you tried. Won''t that be better?"

    Upon hearing the wisdom that the professor provided, Lisa nodded and closed the book. She stood up, ced the book inside the satchel bag, and turned to the professor once again.

    "Alright. Thank you, professor. I will head to her see right now." Lisa bowed to the professor and leaves the library.

    ...

    Sofia was all alone in her garden, tending to her flowers. Ever since Friedrich left once the war had ended, she had been rather alone, with nobody to talk to. Of course, if her other friends were present, she would be sticking up a few conversations right now. However, even the ones who remained, unfortunately, had some tasks assigned to them.

    As she tends to the flowers, she eyes the patch of white tulips, with the singr ck tulip. She stares at the flowers before she continues to move on.

    She soon finishes tending to her flowers and goes on to grab hedge sheers. Sofia had spotted new abnormalities in her sleek hedge statues. She starts cutting and cleaning it up. As she was cutting the hedge, her ears picks up the sound the creek made by the gate.

    She immediately dropped what she was doing, and headed straight towards the gate to find out who it was. Her mind came up with several people, all of which were her friends. Along the way, she brushed off any dirt on her gardening clothes.

    As she turns around, Sofia sees Lisa wearing her ck gown, closing the gate. Her enthusiasm wears off and starts to feel a little awkward. Lisa turns around and sees Sofia standing in front of her. The two stare at each other in silence, waiting for the other to start speaking.

    "Hi, Lisa. What brings my dearest sister here?" Sofia spoke first. She was always the one good at initiating talk. Lisa''s head turned down a little.

    "Hi... Sofia. I... uh... came here to talk. Would you mind?"

    "Oh of course! Just follow me." Sofia brought Lisa towards a clean wooden bench, painted white. The two sit down and face each other.

    "So. What is the topic which we will discuss?"

    "I... uh... I came here to apologize," Lisa said. It caught Sofia off guard by a little.

    "Oh! About what?"

    "Well, you see. I have been wrong about... you know..."

    "Friedrich?"

    "Yes... him. I would like to apologize to you for... trying to stop you from talking to people that you like. I have recognized my selfishness might have caused you stress and harm." Lisa replied. She then turned her head up.

    "Will you forgive me?" Sofia, after thinking it through, made a little smile.

    "All is forgiven. Want a hug to go along with it?" Sofia asked while extending her arms. Lisa epts and hugs her sister back.

    ...

    From the distance, hidden in the watchtower, Campbell looks onward from his spyss and sees the two sisters hug each other. A smile on his face as he ces it down. She walks down the tower to the academy, and the library once again. He gets a sheet of paper, a bottle of ink, and a quill, and walks over to the table. After cing the sheet of paper on the table, he writes down ''It is done.'' in ck before handing it to a messenger and delivering it to the queen.

 Chapter 138 Tracks, Stations, And Trams (1)

    ?The sun rose once again on the city of Hoverdam. In the distance, along the cobblestone road, a group of men, all holding strong pickaxes, were breaking down the road. Upon hearing the noise, the people residing in their wooden-nked homes looked outside their windows and observe them

    Unlike the citizens of the area, these guys were much more toned in their physique, signaling to them that these men were no ordinary men, with the only good guess being retired knights, working for the pce.

    But what was even weirder were the holes themselves. Instead of some normal holes, they broke it in a way to make a sort of rectangr shape. Once a rectangr-ish hole was made, other, more skinner workers, holding hand-held chisels, started working on each individual hole, turning it into a rectangle. Once they appear to be done, they used a bubble leveler and made sure it was leveled, before moving on to the next one.

    They move on through the entire main road, prompting the people to start to question what in god''s name they were doing. After a few minutes, one of them soon gathers enough curiosity and courage to walk out of their home and ask the men what they were doing.

    He had short ck hair with hazel brown eyes on his square-shaped face. He wore a reed-flower green hemp shirt,tle leaf brown pants, and a pair of old calfskin boots that had been passed down to him by his father. He approach the sweating workers, who had been working hard for about an hour and a half.

    "Hey, excuse me, who is the one in charge here?" he asked politely. The workers simply pointed to a man holding a map and giving out instructions. John soon walked up to the man and greeted him.

    "Excuse me, sir...?" he asked the supervisor, grabbing the man''s attention. He was wearing a white-cotton tunic, with ck breaches and boots, and the beard of his oval-shaped face appeared to be shaven off.

    "Yes?"

    "Um... Hi. My name is John. John ck. I just came to ask you a question. But before that, would you mind telling me your name?"

    "My name is William. What is this question you want to ask me?"

    "It is just that I have been looking and got a little curious. What are you all doing? Your men are destroying the roads we use to walk around. But not just any holes, but rectangr holes. So..." he said as he pped his hands.

    "... I was wondering where you would mind exining it to me?" John ck politely questions.

    "We are currently undergoing a construction project. These holes are for the sleepers," William replied. John got evermore confused, as he didn''t understand what it meant.

    "Sleepers?"

    "Sleepers. They support the tram tracks. Do you know what a tram is?"

    "...No Mr. William. I don''t," John honestly replied. His confusion has started topound as Williams throws him these terms that he doesn''t understand.

    "Well, I guess they are going to announce itter, so I might as well tell you here. These tracks are built here so that a... carriage-like vehicle can move across thend, going from this part of the city to the newly built Industrial District 1."

    "A carriage-like vehicle? If that is the case, why not just build it to go along the road?"

    "Because this carriage that we are speaking of is much heavier and much faster than a normal carriage."

    "If it is heavier, how is it powered?"

    "A steam engine."

    "What is a steam engine?"

    "Think of it as a metal horse that allows things to move. Soon enough, you will see one pass through here once the construction project is done."

    "But... why are you building it here?"

    "For you all. It is for you all to use."

    "Why would that be?"

    "You are all looking for work, right? This area has been stagnating for a long time since the gue hit, correct?"

    "Yes. We are. Why do you ask?"

    "Because in Industrial District 1, there are said to be new ces for you to work. Now, considering that it is far away from anyone over here to walk, his majesty has decided to fund the construction of this tram track.

    This way, you will be able to get to your new ce of work ande home quickly before the sun sets. Now, do you understand?" William asks John.

    "Yes. I do. Thank you," John replied as he nodded.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "You are wee." With that, John went back to his house while William went on to continue instructing the workers on what to do next. They continued making the rectangr holes until they arrived at another construction project, a tram station.

    Like everywhere else, there were people looking on with curiosity. The station was made out of gray stone bricks, cement, and a bit of reinforced concrete for structural support. The station not only had a tform, but also a few other neat additions. It had arge sundial, which told the time for anyone who wanted to know when the next tram ising. The station also had installed some wooden benches for people to sit on and wait for a tram toe by.

    The workers continued to build the holes inside the station, next to the tform, all the way to the back of it. Once they have made all the holes that they needed, they gathered around the supervisor William, waiting for their next task.

    "Alright. We have made it. Now, Group 1, go get the cement and pour it into the holes. There should be some here we can borrow. As for group 2, go and grab the concrete sleepers. They have it prepared for us to use. As for group 3, get the bubble leveler and make sure it is even. We don''t want the tram to trip over and hurt anybody. Otherwise, the pce may have our heads."

    The workers, after taking the cement, pour it inside the rectangle holes. Once it was all the way filled, a reinforced concrete sleeper is installed inside the hole. The third group then makes sure that the concrete sleeper is leveled, before pushing it in.

    They do this until they make it all way back to the new road, where they had started. Once they have finished, they inspected each and every one of the sleepers and fixed the ones that were slightly off, before cing the rail lines on.

    The rail lines were connected to each other and nted throughout the entire track, all the way until they made it back to the station. The rails wereid in the trenches of the sleepers, with their edges lined up, aligned, leveled, and then bolted in ce to form a continuous track. By this point, the station was nearing itspletion and was being mortared and painted red.

    With the construction finished, William and the other instructors gathered the workers at the starting point of the construction. The workers all formed a half arch in front of William, allowing everyone to hear what he has to say.

    "You have all done a wonderful job today. Without you all, we wouldn''t have been able toplete this marvelous project that had been undertaken. For groups 2 and 3, you can all go home. However, for group 1, you are ought to stay.

    Under the order of King Kant Icurus Maybale I, you are to help with the assembling of the Steam Trams. The craftsman will be arriving shortly. Do you have any questions?" A few raised their hands. William picked one and allowed him to speak.

    "When will they be here, exactly?" he asked.

    "They should be here in about an hour. Till then, enjoy yourselves." Once William finished speaking, the workers did what was told of them. Some of them went around, exploring the ce and spending some money on food.

    Soon, a convoy of caravans was seen strolling down the road. Assuming that it was the artisans, with woodworkers, William called back all the workers. With the workers gathered around, they waited till the convoy stops. From the front caravan, the craftsman, which included the Peterson Twins, jumps out and shakes hands with William.

    "Thank you for waiting for us. I hope we are notte?" asked Samuel Peterson, as he shook hands with William.

    "No. You are just in time. Now, how can we help you, gentlemen?"

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Oh, just let the men carry the heavyponents. We will do the rest." William soon instructed the men to take theponents out of the caravan. This included wood and metal materials, a HeklorKloch 4CC45 engine, wrought iron wheels, and a variety ofponents.

    The craftsman, with the help of the woodworkers, first assembled the frame. Once the overallyout of the frame wasplete, the wheels were fixed onto the frame along with the axles and bearings.

    With the help of the workers, this was then lifted and ced on a set of tram tracks, that William and his workers helped build along with the new brick roads. With the frame fullypleted, they fitted in the engine, the break, and the rest of the importantponents, with some final touches added to the frame to make it look nicer.

    "And that is it! We havepleted the firstpartment. Now, all we need to do is to make the others," Samuel told William. The tram was rather simple in its design. Made mostly out of wood, with open windows. There was no paint job on the tram, leaving a rather in-looking carriage at best, which looked to be made mostly out of wood and iron.

    "Mr. Samuel, don''t you think that you should test out it before you move on to the others?" he suggested.

    "We don''t have the coal or the water," Samuel replied. However, William had a n.

    "The retired knights could provide it. They have magical abilities, remember? We can use a water spell to conjure the water, and a heat spell to apply heat to it!"

    "Hmm... I guess. Hey, can you give me and the other artisans a minute? We need to discuss this."

    "Why of course! Go ahead."

    Samuel soon gathered the artisans and proposed Williams''s idea. They all discuss and argue over the matter. In the end, the majority of them decided that testing it out now would be the best.

    "Alright then. Who is going to be the tester?"

    Victor, who was the most enthusiastic about the project, immediately raised his hand.

    "I will! I would really want to go," he suggested.

    "Alright. Anyone else?" Nobody raised their voices.

    "Alright then. It is settled."

 Chapter 139 Tracks, Stations, And Trams (2)

    ?John ck soon walked back to his home, where he still lived with his mother, despite being 24 years old. Though, it was not because of his fault. Most of his family members, including his wife, children, and father all passed away, leaving the two of them behind alone.

    "Did you ask them what they were doing?" his mother asked. She was a middle-aged woman, with wrinkles on her forehead, sitting in a rxed position on her wooden rocking chair, a gift from her husband.

    "Yes, mother. Those men are building something. Under the orders of the new king, Kant Maybale the first," John replied. The mother immediately got curious.

    "The King! My my, it must be very important then. What are they building?" his mother questions him further like he questioned William.

    "Something called a tram track. It is like this metal line connected to each other."

    "Oh. Well, what are these rails for."

    "It is for something called a tram. The man, William I think was his name, told me that it was this carriage thing that people can ride on. It is pulled by some kind of weird magical device. That is all I know."

    "Ah... I see," she said, a little disappointed.

    The two went on about their day. John sometimes looked outside, seeing those same men go through the hassle of constructing this weird piece of equipment throughout the entire road. As the two were having lunch together, the topic was brought up again.

    "Wonder if what that guy said were true..." John had brought up. John''s mother looked up from the food and looked at her son.

    "I am sorry. What did you say, my child?"

    "I asked the guy in charge of constructing that weird project. He told me that there might be work south. I was wondering whether I should go down there and search for work."

    "How long would you have to walk?" his mother asks.

    "Hm... Who knows. I might get a job nearby. I might get one from afar. Regardless mother, I can''t keep on working odd jobs to get by."

    "I see. What about your legs? Won''t they get hurt?"

    "Like my father said, a small price to pay. But who knows! That carriage thing might even work. I mean, I have heard some great things about the king. Maybe he knows what he is doing."

    As they were about to finish their lunch, there was a knock on the door. John, after washing his hands in the water bowl, got up from his seat to see who it was. It was one of his neighbors. He appeared to have taken a decent walk beforeing over to his door.

    "Hey, John. How are you?"

    "I am good. What brings you here?" John asks.

    "Well, there is a crowd gathering at the end of the track. Those workers are making something big. You want toe to see?"

    "...Well..."

    "I would!" the mother interrupted.

    "I would like to see it!"

    "Well, that is great Mrs. ck! So, John. What do you say?" the neighbor asks him again. After much thought and a little bit of curiosity sparking back, John epts his neighbor''s request. He and his mother soon followed him for a few minutes, leaving the city and approaching what William called "Industrial District 1."

    ...

    Victor, carrying a few pieces of nk wood, got on to the train with one of the workers, a retired knight. While Victor started to set everything up, the worker looked around thepartment with curiosity. He looked outside and saw a crowd gathering around.

    "Mr. Victor. Are you sure that this machine will work?" asked the knight.

    "Why, of course! We saw the first prototype work with no problems! Don''t worry about it." Victor replied. He removed the cap and requested the worker.

    "Say, can you please fill the boiler with water? We will need it, as the steam engine won''t be able to run without the steam." The worker agreed. He pointed his finger into the bottleneck and muttered a spell.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Viens eau." Soon, cold water starts pouring inside the boiler. He continued to fill it up until Victor ordered him to stop. After turning off the spell and taking out his hand, Victor closed the cap. Victor then opened the fence and threw the nks inside.

    "Now what you need to do is to light these nks on fire. This will allow the water in the boiler to start to boil," Victor exined.

    "And that will work? Will that start the tram?"

    "Yes, although we are going to have to wait for a minute. You see, the tram only moves when the piston moves. For that to happen, we need to wait for the water to warm."

    "... or I can quickly warm up the water and make it boil by itself."

    "You can do that?"

    "I know a spell, sir." The worker exined. Victor made a smile.

    "Well, that is great! Though, I think you should heat up the bottom of the boiler. Don''t do it too much, as the metal might melt. Just make sure that the thermometer won''t go past this line..." Victor said as he points to the inbuilt thermometer.

    "Alright, sir." Victor opens the furnace and lets the worker concentrate on heating the bottom part of the boiler. As he casts his magic, they both can hear the water start to bubble inside. After a few minutes, following the sound of the boiling water, the mechanical parts of the engine start to move.

    It was slow at first, but it started to gain speed. From the outside, huge amounts of smoke can be seen leaving through the exhaust chimney of the tram. The tram starts to vibrate a little, as the engine picks up power. The tram soon starts to elerate, at a slow pace at first. Noticeable, but slow.

    As it starts to move, it wobbles a little. The worker got a little excited and started to ask questions, kind of like a little child asking a question from their parents.

    "Are we moving? Are we moving?"

    "Yes, we are," Victor replied. He then threw in a bunch of nks and ordered the worker to light them on fire as well. The knight obeyed and continued to concentrate on heating up the boiler. This went on for a few minutes until Victor instructed him to stop.

    "Why is that, sir?" he asks.

    "Because I don''t want to rob you of this unique experience. Stand back up my boy." The knight, who had been kneeling all this time, soon stood up. His eyes, which were concentrated on the crude furnace, now looked upon thendscape which quickly went past by.

    Almost instinctively, he looked out of the window and faced the ground. As the wind blew in his head, he saw the ground move past him.

    "We are moving! We are actually moving!" he shouts out loud, all fired up by the wonder of the machine.

    ...

    The crowd''s collective jaws drop in disbelief as they see therge mechanical machine start to pick up speed. John, who had previously doubted the feasibility of such technology, was awestruck by the device. They see it start to pick up speed and leave far into the horizon.

    "Did you see that John? It moved! It actually moved! How the hell were they able to do that?" his neighbor told him.

    "A steam engine." John identally replied, causing the neighbor to give him a confused look.

    "What?"

    "A steam engine. It uses a steam engine to move. I talked to the guy who was making those rail things. He told me it uses a steam engine."

    "What is a steam engine."

    "A mechanical horse, apparently," John replied.

    "Really? Damn. The things they are making. What do you think, Mrs. ck?" he asked Mrs. ck, who was just silent, utterly speechless at what she was seeing. She was a little paralyzed, a bit intimidated and frightened by the alien device. Soon the tram started to be visible again,ing back in reverse.

    As it came back, John thought about what he was told by William. Apparently, there were going to be jobs in the area that the tram went to. John turned to his mother, breaking her out of her bubble of fear.

    "I think it is about time I get a proper job."

 Chapter 140 Officer Firearm Training

    ?The beautiful night sky, which waspletely conquered by the stars, was fading as the sun was minutes away froming up. Siphon, wearing his ck police uniform, arrived at a wooden door inside a building. Using his left hand, he knocks on the door.

    After a minute of getting no response, he knocked on the wooden door again, but harder. As he knocked on the door, he said.

    "Hello? Ridge? Are you in there?"

    Just then, the knob of the door handle turns, revealing a woman with very messy brown hair, with a feminine face that appeared nearly awake. She was wearing atle leaf brown hemp gown, used as a substitute nightgown, although she wouldn''t have to wait very long. The woman looked very irritated by the constant knocking on her home''s door.

    "Good morning Mrs. Myers. Is Ridge here? I was passing this road and saw that I was close to your house, and thought I might as welle to pick him up." Siphon asked, full of energy.

    "Good morning. Yes. He is getting ready. Siphon, isn''t it?" she questioned. Her voice was a little slow, with less energy attached to it. Guess she got woken up earlier than she would have wanted.

    "Yes! I am! Did Ridge speak about me?"

    "Yes... he did. A few times. He told me about how what a good friend you were." The woman''sment made Siphon smile, d that Ridge thought of him as a good friend.

    "Thank you. Um... How long do you think it will take for him to get ready? I worry that I havee a little earlier than normal."

    "Just a few more minutes. He should be about as energetic as you are when he gets here."

    "Ah. Perfect!" A slight moment of silence enters before Mrs. Ridge decides to ask a question, to keep this conversation going.

    "Say, Mr. Siphon, where do live in this part of town?"

    "I just live 20 minutes from here, near the fruit store with a pineapple encased in a ss box. Why do you ask?"

    "Nothing... it is just that I find it strange that you woke up an hour earlier."

    "Oh! That! Well... I might have to bed earlier than expected. That is why."

    "Well, that sure clears things up. Say, I got another question, do you mind if I ask another?"

    "Go ahead."

    "My husband told me that he needed to get to work earlier than usual. Why is that?" the woman asks. Siphon sort of expected Mrs. Ridge to ask that question. In response, he replied with a statement he was taught in training.

    "Unfortunately, the information is ssified and cannot be revealed to a civilian, even if the civilian in question has ties to the police in one form or another. I hope you aren''t mad about that."

    "Oh, no worries. If that is what your superiors say, then I don''t think I should ask any further into the matter." Just then, wearing his ck police uniform, and slightlybed chair, Ridge came over to the door.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Alright. Let''s go, Siphon." Ridge said. He soon kissed his wife goodbye and walked along the streets with Ridge. As they walked, they looked up at the sky, admiring the beauty that the star-filled sky possessed. Knowing that it will soon fade in a few minutes, the men looked at it as long as they possibly could.

    By the time they got to the knight hall, the sun had already risen. After filling in, they were allowed to walk over to the pce grounds. Siphon and Ridge spotted a bunch of wooden tables, all lined up next to each other. On the tables themselves, there was a single rectangr wooden box, all throughout the tables. In front of the tables, were circr wooden targets, with a red and white striped paint job on them, intended to be used to practice their aim.

    Besides the tables, there were a few barrels on the ground near the tables, all lined up perfectly, as if there is meant to be two people standing next to it, taking whatever was inside the barrel, into use.

    There were a few other policemen present, but not enough to start the exercise. As a result, they had to wait for a few hours. By the time all of the officers had arrived, the sun was 3 hours till it would reach the middle of the sky.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Till then, Siphon, Ridge, and the other officers chatted amongst each other, telling tales of their time as a police officer of Hoverdam so far. While most of their experiences were mundane, they made sure to tell the tale in a way to cause the most excitement. It was all going well until, from the corner of his ice-blue eye, he spots the door open, and 2 knights heading their way.

    "Everyone. They are here." Ridge informs the officers. They soon form a line, ready to greet their instructors. The closer the instructors walked, the more they could recognize them. From what Ridge could tell, their instructors were to be Kristina Robin, the knightmander, as well as a knight called Leon De Vandel.

    Kristina was wearing her usual uniform of a long-sleeved white shirt, a long purple skirt, and a pair of leather shoes, with ck stockings. Leon, the man who was a little shorter than Kristina herself, was wearing a uniform simr to that of Kristina, except that he wore blue pants instead. The two soon made it over to the officers and greeted themselves.

    "Good morning everyone. I hope you all have had a good sleep today?"

    "Ma''am, Yes Ma''am!"

    "Good. Because today, you will all be learning to safely operate the FLM-18. As you all know, due to the restrictions imposed in the treaty, his majesty has decided to issue 75 FLM-18s to each local police headquarters in the city to act as a suitable substitute for theck of manpower in terms of knights.

    The ones who are deemed to be worthy of operating the FLM-18 will be handed to them their own firearm to carry around, called the PCR-18. This weapon, unlike the FLM-18, is much smaller and can fire continuous 6 shots. Prove your worth, and we will make sure you will receive one."

    The officers, upon hearing the news, get pumped for what is about toe. They stood up straighter than usual, taking the training even more seriously than before. Kristina extended her hand to point at Leon, who was holding a clipboard and a pencil on his hands.

    "Your instructor for today is Knight Leon De Vandel, who has great experience in using the weapon beforehand and had taken his day off to teach you the basics of operating the weapon. Do you all understand?"

    "Ma''am, Yes Ma''am!"

    "Good. Now make sure you listen to him closely. He will be recording your performance and handing it over to me to look through." her head then turns to Leon.

    "Knight Leon, take it from here," she orders. With that Kristina leaves the men all alone, allowing them to start training. Leon soon instructed the men to open the crates. Inside contained two rubber bongs, a small cup, and the FLM-18 firearm itself.

    "Alright everyone, listen up! First, make sure that the musket is unloaded. This weapon had the power to defeat the knights. Point it in a safe direction, away from anyone, and pull out the ramrod inside." he instructed.

    Ridge took out the ramrod, which was this long stick used to charge the weapon. He ces it down on the table and checks to see if there is a projectile inserted. There appears to be none in this one.

    "Now that you have made sure that the weapon is unloaded, the first step is to prime the pan. Pour a small amount of ck powder into the priming pan. Use your cup for the job. You should only need a quarter."

    It was then that the men opened the wooden barrel. The barrel appears to have a wall in the middle splitting the gunpowder from the metal balls into a quarter of the container. Ridge and Siphon, who shared the same barrel, took the amount rmended by Leon and pours it into the pan.

    "Once you have primed the pan, now what you need to do is to charge the barrel. You will only need to fill up the cup with the right amount. Once you pour the gunpowder, use the ramrod to stick it inside."

    Ridge followed along. Hepletely filled up his thin metal cup, removed any excess, and poured it inside the barrel. Using the ramrod, he made sure that it was all the way in the barrel. Afterward, once Leon instructed to ce the ball, he continued to do so.

    Once the gun had been fully loaded, Leon instructed the men on how to properly wield the weapon. They were instructed to take aim at their target, pulled the lever down from half-cock to full-cock, and pull the trigger on themander''s turn.

    "Fire!" As the order was given, dozens of explosions propelled the projectiles inside the gun barrel into the direction of the targets. As they fired, the men experienced recoil from the firearms for the first time ever.

    A slight adrenaline rush went through the officers, as they felt the sheer power given off by the musket. Leon, went over to examine the targets and record their uracy. Once he finished, he headed back to the officers, to inform them of the situation.

    "I have to say, for your first attempts, I am impressed. However, there is still a long way to go until you are able to properly wield the weapon. For your next training session, we will be practicing how to properly use firearms. Afterward, we will be training to reduce your recoil."

 Chapter 141 Planning A Steel Mill

    ?Kant was in his office with a pencil in hand, drawing up another design for a new kind of machine. He can still hear faint sounds of thunder from the FLM-18s being fired down below on the grounds. Although the FLM-18 production line is up and running, there were still a few things that need to be done.

    Currently, he can produce smoothbore flintlock muskets with minimal error and difficulty. However, when it came to the rifling of the FLM-18 or any other musket for that matter, they were many difficulties faced. The problem was that he needed the machinery to keep a consistent speed, before being drilled into the cylinder nk of a potential gun barrel. It was already hard enough for a talented smith, it would be near impossible for a newbie.

    The rifling process was considered to be a prerequisite in order tomence the production of the PCR-18, which was the hand-held revolver that face barely anypetition, a rifled FLM-18 for civilian and military use, and any future iterations of a firearm. Though he may have all the time to perfect it, he would rather have a production line ready before the arrival of the demonic wave.

    As he was working on the blueprints, Kant''s ear picked up a knock on the door. Kant immediately stopped drawing, rolled the paper up, and ced it inside his drawer. He then put the thick wooden pencil back into the cup, before allowing whoever was on the other side entry.

    "Come in," he permits.

    The door opens, revealing minister n Fleck, carrying a file filled with beige papers. He first bows down, and greets Kant with a good morning, before he closes the door and walks over to sit on the empty chair. He then hands over the files to the king, who takes them to start reading them.

    "I brought the files for the suppliers of iron ore that you requested, sir. All of them are incorporated in the city of Hoverdam and have started their operations abroad. Just choose one and I will make sure to contact them."

    Kant examines the papers. It details the mining corporation, the location it is settled in, the poption of said location, the kingdom it inhabits, and so on. Most of them were in the east, on the northern side of the continent. However, there was onepany that caught his eye.

    It was apany that went by the name "Tyler Iron Corporation", which owns arge mine in the small town of Keliath, which was located just 30 miles down south of the city of Hoverdam. It has an estimated poption of 3,100 and is fitted and centered around mining materials thanks to its rich mineral deposits.

    With these numbers, the whole town manages to mine and produces about 15 tons of iron each week, with the TIC somehow mining and producing half that, an impressive record. Kant figures that they have been using some patented devices like st furnaces and steam-powered pumps to pump water out.

    "What about this one? Can you tell me more about them?" Kant asked the minister, pointing out TIC.

    "Ah, the Tyler Iron Corporation. From what I read, it was founded by a miner named ''Horner B . Tyler'', who owns arge mine in the city. He had the help of a local merchant, who incorporated thepany justst month.

    It has received funding from some local merchants from the city, as well as a few merchants from Hoverdam. There are also written records of themmissioning some advanced machinery avable on the patient registrar such as the steam pump, the st furnace, and a winding drum to increase efficiency and output," n exined while Kant listened.

    "For a newpany, they have done remarkably well! Do you want me to send them a letter, sir?" n inquires. Kant sits there and ponders for a minute, before answering.

    "Yes. Send a letter to their headquarters. I want as much iron ore as they could deliver. I am going to need it for the steel mill."

    "Alright, sir. Now, before I go, can you fill me in on this... steel mill n? I feel like I am sort of... missing a page, and I would think it would be best that you rified."

    "Oh right, of course, I forgot that you weren''t there for that discussion. I apologize for that.

    Currently, I am trying to set up a steel mill for the city, to start producing arge quantity of steel at a fast rate involving a new process called the Bessemer process.

    I want to use this steel to help industrialize the city and the kingdom, connect the other towns closer together, and introduce new technologies.

    We can introduce more powerful steam engines, and build new types of devices that we couldn''t have imagined existing before.

    For process goes like this. Take this weak metal called pig iron, heat it up into its molten state, and then blow a ton of air into it.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    From this process, you get steel. That is about it. Of course, there are some moreplicated steps involved, but that is the basis of it," Kant exined.

    n had a lot more questions to ask but decided not to. He remembered the rules that he has to follow while engaging with the king; ''Do not ask how I know''. Instead, he asked a question to get this n in motion.

    "I see. Do you need me tomission a blueprint for the mill, sir? I have a few firms lined up if you want one." n asks. Kant stands up and heads over to his cupboard, grabs a file from the cab, and came back to his desk. He gave the file to n, before sitting back down.

    The file details the blueprints of the possible steel mill, as well as a description of the rooms within thepound. The building itself was in the shape of a rectangle, with many rooms and specific types of equipment present inside them all to perform a specialized task. The iron ore, whiches in its crushed form, goes through the screening room.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® In the screening room, the iron ore is taken through a process of separating the different-sized particles within the crushed iron ore. This is done through the use of three machines powered by a steam engine; the trommel, the shaking screen, and the jiggling machine.

    Once the screening process is done, the iron is moved to the roasting room to remove any impurities. For the job, a reverberatory furnace is used for the job. As iron ore is spread out on the hearth and heated from above, the heat causes the impurities in the iron ore to oxidize, or react with oxygen, and form a g, which is removed.

    The resulting product made using the reverberatory furnace is then mixed with carbon and put through a st furnace, creating what is called ''pig iron''. Once the pig iron is ready, it will be transported to the next room for the blowing process.

    The pig iron is thrown into the furnace where the air is blown into the furnace using a set of pipes called tuyeres. So as the pig iron is in its molten state, the oxygen in the air reacts with the carbon, removing it from the molten iron, and turning it into steel.

    The blowing process stops once a set amount of time has passed. The molten metal is then poured into adle and transported to the next room to be put into the secondary furnace for further refining, which is a process called "secondary refining" to improve the quality and purity of the steel.

    Once the steel has been fully refined, it is brought over to the next room to be cast into various shapes and sizes using molds. The steel can be cast into bars, rods, sheets, or other shapes depending on the intended use.

    Before it is shipped off to its intended destination, it would be subjugated through various treatments such as heat treatment, surface treatment, and cutting to size. It is then brought into the final room, where it gets loaded onto a caravan to be shipped off.

    n finally finished examining the blueprint and closes the file. He ces it on the desktop, turning his head to face Kant, who was sitting in a rather rxed position. Seeing that n was finished, he leaned in, holding his hands together, while resting his elbows on the table.

    "That is the blueprint a couple of stonemasons and I had made over thest few months, just waiting to present it to a firm to start construction. So... what do you think?"

    "I think it looks great, sir. Yes... this would definitely work! I will make sure to reserve us somend to build the mill. Would you want me to get a firm to start building it once everything is prepared?"

    "Yes. I would like to start building as soon as possible."

    "Alright sir, I will get to it."

    "Good. Now, before you go, can I ask you a question, minister?"

    "What is it, sir?"

    "Can you find me information about any new firms specialized in the manufacturing of construction materials like bricks? I would like to know what we are dealing with before moving forward with construction."

    "Alright, sir. I will check into it."

 Chapter 142 Johns Route To Work

    ?As the sun started to rise from the horizon, the light rays hit the sundial on top of the tram station, signaling the start of the day. A young man, wearing his cleanest attire, which consisted of an acorn-gray hemp tunic, withtle-leaf beige pants, and a pair of old calfskin shoes, sat on a wooden bench inside of the 3rdpartment, waiting for it to start.

    A few days prior, he had gone job hunting in the new ''Industrial District 1'', where lots of ''factories'' featuring giant, iprehensible machines were used to do tasks a thousand men could dream of. He had negotiated a payment of 80 copper coins a month in exchange for hisbor, which will be more than enough for him and his mother to survive.

    The steam-powered tram had received a paint job in thest few days. It was mainly colored red, with arge white stripe circling through the entirepartment, with the windows having a thinner white outline surrounding them.

    From the inside of the tram, there were 2 benches on the side, covering the entire walls except for where they got in. Above the bench, was a neat shelf to put one''s belongings in, so they won''t have to carry them all the way through the city.

    There were a bunch more people inside, all of who have imed the seats. The rest of them who came just now were forced to stand up. Many of them decided it would be best to sit on the benches on the tform, waiting for the conductor to arrive.

    John looked outside the train, and to the sundial. Below the sundial, there were a few words inscribed on it. Words that he couldn''t read, due to hisck of literacy education. Although he may be able to read some of the words, he cannot fill in the few gaps enough to make sense of them.

    As John ck was looking outside, he saw a man in an acorn-gray uniform approach and entered the enginepartment. A few minutes pass by, and he can already see a bit of smokeing out of the chimney. Soon, a bell rang, alerting everyone that the tram was about to start.

    People got up from their bench seats and start packing inside the trampartment. Soon, the empty middle space was now filled with people, all pumped up for their new jobs. A few minutester, the bell rings again. John turns to the sundial. As soon as the ray hit the 6:30 mark, the conductor screamed.

    "All aboard!" at that moment, he felt the train vibrate harder, and wobble a little. He looked down at the tform and saw that the tram was starting to move, albeit slowly.

    It picked up speed the longer they went on. Soon, they reached a cool 15mph (24km/h), which was about 5 times faster than a human could walk. John upied himself with the scenery outside. He managed to first take a glimpse of his neighborhood and town. As the tram went pass by, people on the roads waved at the passengers with smiles on their faces. To return the gratitude, like a collective mind, the passengers waved back.

    Soon, the tram leaves the town and enters ''Industrial District 1''. It felt all so... surreal, being able to get from one ce to another in such a short amount of time. Although the ride may be a little wobbly, with thepartment moving from side to side, the people all rather enjoyed it.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® ''Was this how they felt when riding their carriages?'' John thinks to himself. John, due to his social status, never had been on a carriage, let alone even ridden one. Though he may not be able to prove it was what it felt like, he neither can disprove it either. To him, he felt a sense of pride in riding on this metal beast, even if it was a little intimidating.

    The tram soon approached its first destination. Remembering that he had to stop at a specific station, he took out a card he received when first came to the station. The card itself featured a number, indicating the station that he needs to get off from. When he realized that the numbers match, he immediately got off the tram and headed down.

    John makes his way to the smooth brick road and walked around the grid industrial sector. A lot of the buildings, inhabiting a strange liner, and sleek architecture, all had a chimney on top, meant to puff out smog into the air.

    John eventually reached his destination. It was a 1 story-tall white building, with arge square gate to allow caravans to enter and exit the building as they pleased. From what he heard, it was meant to be a textile factory, where they produce fabrics of some kind.

    After taking a deep breath, he headed inside the factory and looked around. The room featured giant steam engines, on all corners of the room, with pipes reaching up to the roof. Surrounding these giant engines, were smaller pieces of machinery, called ''spinning mules''.

    Beside the mules, there were conveyer belts meant to transport the materials to the other room with ease. Although John did agree that they looked a little frightening, he knew that they could not harm him in any way, at least in ways that he could expect.

    Other than the enormouslyrge machines, the room was filled with people like him, all chatting around, looking at the ce in amazement, shock, and a little bit of fear. Thanks to their closed conversations, the room was filled with ambient noise from a crowded area.

    "Hello! Excuse me! Is there someone I can speak to?" John asked around, feeling a little lost. If he remembers correctly, he has to ask his superior to take him to his post. Soon enough, a man with short brown hair, with coca-brown eyes on his middle-aged face approached him. He was wearing a ck suit approached him, holding a chipboard in his hands, and a pencil in his right ear.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Hello there. My name is Hector Salone. I am the supervisor here. How may I help you today?" the man questions John politely. He recognize the supervisor''s attire to be simr to what the ''owner'' of the ce had worn, reassuring him that this man had some authority.

    "I came here for a job," John replied.

    "Youe here for a job? I am sorry, but we currently do not need any new workers as we have hired everyone we can," The supervisor answered, clearly mistaking him for someone who was looking for a job.

    "Oh! No, no! I already got the job. I came here to work."

    "I see. My apologies. So, will you please provide me with your name?" the man asks.

    "My name is John ck, sir." Upon hearing his name, he checks the pages of the clipboard, hoping to find it there.

    "John ck... John ck... Ah! There it is!" he exims as he points his finger at the paper.

    "It says here that you applied to work as a power loom operator?" the man asks.

    "Yes, sir. That is correct."

    "Alright then. Please follow me." The man started to walk further into the building. They got to the end of the room, where John spots a door. The supervisor opens it and guides him to his station. This new room featured tworge steam engines, surrounded by more crude machinery, this time some power looms.

    "Alright. Now, you might already know this, but I am going to reiterate it to make sure that you understand. First, make sure you prepare the power loom BEFORE you start to use it.

    Make sure you thread the warp through the heddles and reed, tie it to the cloth beam, and check to see if the shuttle needs to be loaded with the weft thread and if the tension needs to be set correctly. You will be receiving the cotton yarn or other materials through the conveyor belts.

    Once you have made sure that you have prepared the loom, you can pull the lever over here..." Hector points at a lever near the power loom... "so that the power of the steam engine can reach the power loom.

    Once the machine starts, you are to operate the loom by moving the shuttle back and forth across the loom by pulling a cord or lever. While you are operating the loom, you need to monitor the loom constantly to make sure that everything goes smoothly.

    Once you are certain that the weaving isplete, you are going to have to cut the warp threads and remove the woven fabric from the cloth beam. Make sure you push the lever back up, to disconnect it from the steam engine.

    Now, do you understand, Mr. John ck?"

    "Yes sir, I do."

    "Good. Now, get to work, alright? I heard the boss will being down to check on the operations." With that, the supervisor left John at his station. Jack was left all alone, at his station, ready to start his work day.

 Chapter 143 Textile Production.

    ?In the wooden carriage being slowly driven by 2 majestic white horses, 4 men wearing wool suits, satfortably on the soft chairs of the carriage, windows open. The three of them were headed down to look around if things were going well, and to get Hugo''s assessment of the factory and the work being done.

    Although he supported the idea, as it would lead to lower costs, he was afraid of the quality issues the factory could face, using unskilled workers for the job. As a result, they decided to head down to the factory, to see whether his concerns were warranted.

    Oswald, Jac, and Alister were in a rxed position, reading a little book, Hugo looked outside, ecstatic by what he sees. Just a few minutes ago, he just spotted what appears to be arge red dragon, moving through the streets, at a rapid rate, spewing smoke out of its top. By this point, they were still in Lower-East Middletown and had gotten up very early to get to the industrial district.

    Like a little kid, Hugo had a million questions running through his mind and wanted some serious answers. He looked around the carriage, to the other three men. Two of them, Jac and Oswald, appeared to be reading a little book, while Alister had dozed off into his own world.

    "Um... Mr. Alister? Mr. Alister?" Alister immediately turned his head to face Hugo.

    "Yes, Mr. Hugo?"

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "What do you reckon that thing is?" Hugo pointed outside to the red steam tram zooming through.

    "I think that is what his majesty refers to as a tram. It is this mechanical machine powered by a steam engine to transport people from Lower-East Middletown to Industrial District 1," Alister exins to the best of his abilities, while Hugo listened in carefully.

    "Is that so? No wonder. I wonder if those things have other applications," Hugo remarked as he continue to stare at the tram car steaming away. His remark stuck with Alister, who started thinking of the various use cases other than transporting people.

    Of course, the other uses were obvious, being transporting materials and such. However, the more he thought further, he had an idea. But to make sure that it could work, he looked out of the carriage and down at the roads featuring the rails, and then back to the tram.

    "Say, Oswald. Can you do me a favor once we get back?" Alister asks. Oswald looks away from his book to look at Alister.

    "What is it, Alister?"

    "Can you arrange a meeting to meet his majesty? I think I got an idea to reduce costs of potentially every factory that surrounds this district, and maybe even the city," Alister imed.

    "I mean... sure. As long as it means we make more money."

    The carriage soon stops right outside the textile factory. The men all get off the carriage and check the time. ''8:15'' it pointed, just a few minutes away from the first batch of materials to arrive. With the time figured out, the men walk right into the factory, where Hector the supervisor was waiting for their arrival.

    "Wee, sir! How may I help you all today?"

    "We are here for the assessment. Is everything ready?" Jack questions the manager.

    "Of course! You are all just in time for the production to start! We are just waiting for the first shipment." he exims. Hugo walks around the ce, looking at all the giant crude machinery that surrounded him. He walks closer and examines each and every one of them, beforeing back.

    "I must say, the artisans have done a great job in making the machines. When are the materialsing?" Hugo asked Hector.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I am d that you like them, Mr. Hugo. As for the materials, they should be arriving in about a few minutes. Until then, we should wait outside, to allow you all to see if the work being done here meets standards," Hector said.

    "Alright then, let''s go," Jac said. The men walked back to the caravan stables and stood on top of the bridge. Soon enough, a few caravans enter the stable and park their carts near the tforms. The workers, all wearing hemp clothes,e over and carry the white cotton over to the conveyer belts, where they are transported inside.

    They watched as they unload all the cotton inside the conveyer belts, before moving back inside. There the workers picked up the cotton and loaded it onto spools, which are then ced onto a carriage, which is a moving tform that goes back and forth. The carriage is connected to a series of rollers that stretch and twist the fibers into yarn.

    On the spinning mule itself, there were a set of mechanicalponents that allowed the operator to control the speed and tension of the yarn as it is being spun. This meant she could make a variety of yarn if he wanted to.

    Once the yarn has been spun, it is wound onto a spool, which will be ced on the conveyor belt to be sent off to the next room. Everyone in the room, even the workers, watched in awe as the cotton fibers are quickly converted into a yarn ball without breaking a sweat.

    "Now, gentlemen, let me bring you over to the next room, where this yarn is turned into fabric. Follow me." The men soon followed Hector into the next room, where the power looms operated. There were more workers, taking the yarn off the belts, and putting it inside the power loom, preparing it.

    Once they havepleted preparing the loom, they pull the lever, allowing power to transmit through the steam engine to the loom. The machine, as if it was magic, quickly turns this yarn into fabric. Once the operator determines that it is done, he pulls the lever, cuts the fabric, and ces it on the conveyer belt before continuing.

    "As you can see, the production of the fabrics is extremely quick. As you can see, the workers are working very hard to make sure nothing is wrong." Hugo examined the machines and looks at how many they are producing. To his surprise, the men were able to match the abilities of a normal weaver, while working for far less.

    "Now gentlemen, let us go to the final room, where the fabrics will be packaged," Hector said. The men, after sticking around, left the ce to the final room. The final room had a bunch of tables, a lot of boxes, and a bunch of men working.

    The men take the newly woven fabrics brought over by the belt, and fold them into a neat square before cing them inside a wooden crate. Once a crate is filled up with fabrics, the men carry them into an empty caravan, where they are shipped off.

    However, they are not shipped off directly to the port or their location. Instead, they are taken to a building located downtown, where most of the literate poption is consolidated. They take out any fabrics that are meant to be for Hoverdam, properly package them correctly, and then send them off.

    As for the overseas requests, which is the factory''s vast market, theybel the crates and add in the proper quantity inside, before loading them back into the caravan, which will be headed over to the docks.

    The men continued to hang around and inspect the workers and products. Hugo made sure to examine the fabrics being made. Although they have seen plentymit a few mistakes, the operation ran rather smoothly.

    "So, Mr. Hugo. What is your assessment of the ce? Are we producing the fabric at the proper ce or...?" Oswald asks. Hugo, after seeing through the entire process, stops and thanks.

    "From what I have seen around here, those men appear to be working at the pace of a normal weaver, but the fabrics..."

    "What about the fabrics?"

    "They are great! This is what I would expect a weaver with a few years of experience to create. In my assessment, I strongly believe that the decision to move the factory is indeed better than the alternative."

 Chapter 144 Package From Hoverdam.

    ?It was another hot day on the docks, with the only sounds present being the river flowing by, a bunch of horses carrying caravans toe and collect cargo, and the footsteps and chatter of the people working there.

    However, unlike any other normal day, soldiers, wearing their blue uniforms and carrying their matchlock rifles were stationed at the dock, apparently waiting for the shipment from Hoverdam to arrive. From what they were told, a shipment of guns was headed over to the city, all belonging to the Aceaton Imperial Army.

    Ever since the FLM-18 production line was set up, a letter was sent to Vallina of itspletion. As a result, the queen ordered Kant to help arm her soldiers as quickly as they can, for a price that it. And hence, the queen had reserved an order for 2000 rifles to arrive by the end of this month, which was only 12 days away, to all garrisons guarding the borders to the north, with another 15,000 guns by the end of the year.

    The soldiers were to make sure that the workers, which consisted of a few local dock workers, don''t steal any of the 150 muskets being sent their way, and safely load them into the caravans they brought along. Along with the firearms, there were also expected to be 5 barrels of gunpowder and a barrel of metal projectiles.

    They were then tasked to escort the caravan back to the barracks, where soldiers will be able to train with their new weapons. The FLM-18s, as they called it, was to be given to the veterans of the war, while the previous matchlocks were to be handed down to the rookies.

    Soon, one of them spots anotherrge boating in from the north, and informs the man in charge. To make sure that it was the correct boat, he took a spyss from a satchel bag and examined the g, representing where it came from. The navy blue g of the ship contained a ck circle in the middle, with the center of it possessing a vertical rectangle, illustrating an old coin.

    Behind the coin, there were two odd swords behind, meant to represent some mythical weapons used by the monarchs of Hoverdam to kill demons. The soldier puts down the spyss and turns to his fellowrades and workers.

    "Get ready everyone. The guns areing," the soldier proimed. Upon hearing the news, the workers did a few stretches, to help them carry the crates down, the soldiers, taking out a matchbox, lit the fuse of their guns.

    As the sailboat docks in port, the soldiers whispered to each other, wondering how this new weapon would work, and which one of them specifically would get to use it. The thought of getting their hands on a newer, better weapon than the rest exited them.

    The sailboat soon docks in the port, and the bridge is ced. The peasant workers walk up the bridge and enter the cargo hold. There, they spot rectangr wooden crates, with a gun painted on top of them in ck paint. Assuming that it was what they were looking for, they started to lift the crates, and bring them out of the ship.

    They ce them on the wooden tables and open them up with the help of a crowbar. Inside the crates, the workers found a lot of hay and hay dust in between the guns. The hay acted as sort of a protective packaging material, cushioning and absorbing shock experienced while on the way.

    Other than the hay, the guns were covered inside a hemp bag, meant to prevent anything that could jam the gun from entering. This was mainly protection from the hay dust. The soldiermander, upon seeing that the guns were inside a hemp bag, issued amand.

    "Give me one of them. I want to see what this weapon looks like."

    The workers happilyplied and handed out one. While they started counting, themander opens up the bag and looks at the musket. The fine wood stock, coupled with the polished wrought iron of the weapon, turned out to be a beauty in his eye.

    "Now this..." he presents it to his soldiers.

    "This is beautiful," hements before throwing the weapon back at the worker. However, unbeknownst to him and the soldiers, the worker secretly examines the weapon for a hot minute, before putting it back into the bag. His associates, who see what he was going, keep their mouths shut. Once they were finished counting, the peasant workers yelled the number of guns in each crate.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "We count 25 guns in this crate, sir!"

    "Same here, sir! 25 muskets!" The workers all agree that each crate possesses 25 guns, meaning 150 guns in total. With that information in mind, themander issues another order.

    "Good. Now go get the barrels of gunpowder, and see if they are filled." The workersplied and went back inside the ship, and brings the barrels. As they bring the barrels, themander gets a long pointy stick, to check if they are filled.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® Once the barrels are all brought over and open, themander walks up to the barrels and pokes them into the barrel, and then swivels them around. He does this for every barrel, before giving ament.

    "All of them are full! Looks like those people are trustworthy after all!" hements. He then orders the workers to put the lids back on and load them up into the cargo hold. Once again, a worker, with the help of others, scrapes a little bit of gunpowder off them, filling it up in a little help bag, before closing the barrel.

    They then bring the final barrels, containing the metal projectiles, and load them up into the lone caravan. The barrels of gunpowder and bullets went in first, with the wooden crates with the FLM-18s on top of them. Once the caravan is loaded up, themander tips the men a few copper coins, before leaving the docks with the cargo.

    Once the soldiers leave their line of sight, the workers leave the docks and to a nearbypound where a hooded figure waited for them. It was the same spot that he waited inst time, ever since the arrival of the garrison force.

    "You all got something for me?" the hooded figure asks. The men then present the ck powder to the hooded figure.

    "That is all we manage to get. Is that enough?"

    "Hm... it is good. Now tell me, what about the gun?" the hooded figure asks.

    "It was like one of those that the soldiers carried, but different. It had this... piece of flint stuck on a hammer. I think that is meant to his this... ce on there to cause a spark to fire. At least, that is what I am guessing," a worker replied. The hooded figure then looks at the others.

    "What about where the gun came from? Did anyone manage to hear that?"

    "Yes! We did. It came from a ce called Hoverdam. We are not sure whether that is a city or kingdom though."

    "Hoverdam... hm... Alright then. Thank you for the information. This will be very helpful to our cause." The workers smiled.

    "d we can help," they replied. With that, the hooded figure hands them a few coins for the trouble, before leaving into the darkness.

 Chapter 145 Tyler Iron Corporation

    ?Huge amounts of smoke can be seen leaving through the chimneys connected to the exhaust. Large amounts of rocks were dumped into arge mechanical machine, destroying and pulverizing it into smaller pieces. The air around, which used to be so clean, so fresh, was a little smoggy.

    Standing tall with his long legs resting on his desk, was a moderately fat bald man with green eyes on a circr face, who puffed tobo using a smoke pipe in his mouth. His name? Horner; Horner B Tyler. He wore a modern ck cotton suit, tailored and brought over to him from Hoverdam. However, his suit, to match his personality, he had a charcoal-ck suit with stripes, as well as a bright red tie and some polished ck leather shoes to go with the attire.

    He bought the suits just a week prior, after making a few visits to Hoverdam, and seeing people wearing the clothes. To them, the suit was a representation that you were close to the king in some way or another and had be an esteemed symbol of wealth.

    You see, unlike the other miners, he was lucky to have connections to a merchant named Tyler Miller. Tyler Miller and Horner were best buds when they met as children because they shared a name. They did everything together, and as the years go by, their friendships strengthened.

    With this connection, he not only managed to incorporate the Tyler Iron Company, but alsomission some machines to be brought over to the city, and drastically increase efficiency. These are steam-powered pumps, steam-powered drills, steam-powered conveyor belts, steam-powered smelting furnaces, and steam-powered crushers.

    The steam-powered pumps pulled water out of the mines, which often flooded and prevented miners from going deeper. The steam-powered drills allowed more iron to be extracted from the ground in a shorter period of time. The steam-powered conveyor belts help transport ore and other materials over longer distances and at higher volumes. The steam-powered smelting furnaces could processrger amounts of iron ore at higher temperatures.

    Recently, he had some more machinery brought over from Hoverdam, the steam-powered shovel. Invented to help the construction of the sewers, which ended up being only helped to construct the roads in the end, will now be used to excavaterge amounts of soil and rock to ess more iron deposits.

    As he smoked his pipe, he read the papers that he held with his hands. They were reports, reports of how much iron they had mined and soldst week. As he read the report, he made a wide smile. Justst week, he installed a few new pieces of equipment to help him produce more iron than ever before and increased the production of iron from 7.5 tons to 10 tons alone!

    ording to projections, he should be able to produce 12.25 tons of iron this week, provided that he doesn''t do any more expansions like with the workforce or purchasing new mines and or equipment.

    Thinking of which, he just remembered. Horner walks back to the carriage and opens up a briefcase. Inside, were papers, detailing offers for more mines. Currently, the TIC owned the Ironvein mine in the mining town of Keliath. He has got a few offers from a few sellers, wanting to sell off the Steelstrike mine and Ironscale mine located in the south, near Horner''s own Ironvein mine.

    These specific mines were closer to the port, meaning lower costs of transportation. However, the price that they are willing to offer seems a little too high. Besides, adding up the costs of fitting this new mine with all the new machinery is going to add more, far out of their budget for now. Just then, there were two taps on his shoulder. Horner immediately turns around to see a messenger.

    "A letter? For me?" he asks with his deep voice.

    The messenger hands him a letter. Before he tips the man, he examines the letter closely. On the front, he spots the red royal seal of Hoverdam, clear as day. Horner''s slightly irritated face turned serious. His heart starts to beat rapidly as he carefully opens the envelope to read it to himself.

    "Stay here. I will need you," Hornermands before he starts reading.

    ''Greetings Mr. Horner B Tyler & Mr. Tyler Miller,

    We have heard about yourpany for a while now and have decided to do business with you. With how much iron you are producing and expected to produce in the future, we wanted to know whether you can deliver about 15 tons of iron over to the city of Hoverdam a week starting from the 13th of Nativitas.

    We are willing to pay 7.6% over the market price, which should you a neat profit along the way. Please respond immediately as you can. If you are sessful in delivering the quota, we hope to form a prosperous partnership in the future.

    Sincerely,

    Minister n ''Walker'' Fleck''

    Horner, upon hearing that the pce itself wants to do business with him, calms himself down and even starts tough in excitement. From his point of view, he had just gained a valuable customer. One with very deep pockets.

    He puts the letter in his pocket, takes a pencil, and paper from his briefcase, and writes another letter down, this time to his dear friend Tyler. Once he finishes, he hands over the letter to the messenger, along with a silver coin as a tip.

    "Bring that letter over to Mr. Tyler Miller. Make sure he receives the letter today. Understood?"

    "Yes, sir. I understand."

    ...

    A match forces itself through the matchbox side, igniting a fire on the match. Horner then lists up Tyler Miller''s smoke pipe, before moving on to his own. Tyler was a rather short man rtive to Horner. However, he was also much thinner and fitter than Horner. He had a full set of ck hair, with ocean blue eyes on his more square-shaped face.

    Like Horner, he wore a suit tailored from Hoverdam. Unlike Horner''s, his suit was navy blue, while wearing a charcoal ck tie underneath a white shirt. Along with his average height and professional look, he was the one who took care of the business side of things, while Horner took care of production.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    By this point, it had entered the night, meaning the meeting room was lit up with the help of a few torches. There was arge long table present, with many seats to sit on. Currently, only two of them were upied; Tyler and Horner. Horner takes a puff of his smoke and then asks Tyler a question.

    "So... what do you think?"

    "Hard to say. Although it presents us with a great opportunity, I am not sure whether we will be able to deliver on that promise."

    "What do you mean?"

    "Think about it, Horner. The King so far as we know has..." he presented his right hand closed while holding his pipe on his left...

    "Make some kind of crazy invention." he raises his index finger.

    "Build a sort of production center for said invention." he raises his middle finger.

    "And sells it off to other cities for a higher price." he finally raises his ring finger. The hand then lightly falls to the table, allowing Tyler to continue.

    "I think he ising up with some sort of machine, or process, to turn our iron into something more valuable. Maybe at a faster rate."

    "Do you think it is possible?" Horner asks.

    "You saw Hoverdam didn''t you? Just at the beginning of this year, we couldn''t have dreamed of having those steam engines working for us. No. There must be something else. I am willing to believe that there will be a drastic increase in quotas of iron that we wouldn''t want to miss."

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® Tyler then sits in a more serious and straight position, maintaining eye contact with Horner.

    "What we are presented here, is an opportunity."

    "Well, of course, it is. What else it could be?"

    "No, no, Horner. You don''t get it. The reason he chose us, is not because we produce the most amount of iron or sell it the cheapest. No, he chose us because he wants someone that can scale up their production.

    We have managed to do so. We have managed to produce half this town''s iron in under a month. He is hoping we can do that again. What we need to do, is to capitalize on the opportunity, and start scaling up way more," Tyler exims.

    Horner takes a deep breath, surprised at what his friend had to say. He thinks it through, and replies.

    "Well, if you say so. But where can we get the money to scale up that quickly? I mean... I don''t think we should risk getting another loan..."

    "I don''t think we need to. We can just ask for more funding from the merchants."

    "You think they will yield?" Tyler leaned forward.

    "Buddy, when a corporation gets a contract from the royal pce itself, that is not something they are going to look away from. Trust me, we will have the money in no time.

    While I am at it, find out how much we can start to produce by then. We might need those projections to present to his majesty."

    "I understand. So... meeting adjourned?"

    "Meeting adjourned."

 Chapter 146 The HAF And DEF

    ?The sun shines once again on the city of Hoverdam. In the quiet, pce kitchen, chef Benvolio crosses out ''25'' on the calendar. He then orders his chefs to make the king his ck coffee, the way he wants it.

    They first roast the coffee beans in an open me until they turn dark brown and begin to crackle. The roasted beans are then poured into a pestle, where it is grounded to a coarse powder using a mortar. While one chef crushed the powder, another chef filled the coffee pot with cold water and ced it in a fire for it to boil.

    Once the coffee powder was ready, Benvolio poured it into the pot and firmly stirred it inside the boiling water. They let the coffee brew for a few minutes, before removing the pot from the fire. They let it settle for 2 minutes, then pour it into the cup. They then ce it on the saucer, where the rest of his food is.

    The food is then delivered to the dining table, where Kant sits alone in his ck suit, patiently waiting. Using his silverware, he quickly eats his breakfast, and drinks his bitter ck coffee with ease, containing 200mg of coffee, keeping him awake for the rest of the day till midnight. Once he finishes, he gets up, wipes his mouth, and walks over to his office, where he had the rest of the coffee delivered in the pot, like usual.

    He sits down on his swivel chair, expecting a knock on his door in about 3 minutes. While he waits, he takes out a book and starts reading it through. It was a book regarding structures, military structures, and how they used to work. Soon enough, he makes it. n bows to Kant, before sitting down on the chair.

    "Good morning minister. Do you have the letters I need?" Kant questions. n opens up his briefcase and hands over half a dozen envelopes to Kant. He opens them one by one, neatly cutting the entrance using a small sharp knife hidden in his drawer. Kant carefully reads through every one of them, before keeping them back down.

    Arrange the meeting with the OSAC group on the 28th. I would like to visit the brick factory on the 27th. I want to make sure that they can produce the quantities needed before moving on ahead with construction."

    "If you say so, sir. Is there anything else you would like to ask?"

    "Two. First, when do you think a response from the T.I.C. will arrive?"

    "I am not sure, sir. However, what I can say is that they might have revived the letter on the 24th. So depending on how fast they can respond, the earliest that we may get one back is on the 27th or 28th."

    "Very well. Now, the second question. Can you summon Knight Silverstone and Knight Commander Kristina? There is a matter that we need to discuss?"

    "Is it about the new branches, sir?"

    "Yes. It is."

    "Alright. I will get them." n stands up and leaves the room. In the meantime, Kant gets a maid to bring over one more chair for them, so that the 4 of them could have a productive conversation. Once the wooden chairs have been brought over, Kant gets the files from his cab to present to the two.

    He first grabbed a red file, ced it on the desk, and checked to see if it was the right one. Once he confirms that it is the correct file containing the correct charter, he takes out the blue file residing just behind it and neatly ces it on top of each other. Kant then sits down, adjusts his tie, and waits.

    Soon enough, there was a knock on the door. Kant consents and Kristina, Silverstone, and n walks right into the room. They all bowed in front of him and sits on the chair. Kristina and Silverstone took the two chairs next to each other, while n sat on the chair to the left of Kant''s desk.

    "So... what brings us here, sir?" Silverstone questions first, followed by Kristina, who was a little ufortable with Kant.

    "Yes, what is it that you want from us?" she asked.

    "I have made a decision to reform the current military structure of the kingdom, and it is about time that you two hear about it." The two sat straighter in their chairs upon hearing the news.

    "A new branch of government will be formed, named the Hoverdam Armed Forces, with itsmander-in-chief being... me. However, considering my other responsibilities, I will need someone to oversee the entire military and advise me on military matters.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Now, considering I am trying to find a good Secretary of Defense, I am temporarily assigning the role to you, Silvester Silverstone. Do you understand?"

    "Yes sir, I do," Silverstone replied. As the conversation continued, Kristina''s heart starts to beat a little faster, wondering if this is where she gets the boot.

    "Good. Now, I want you to take this file, and read it. It will exin every detail of how the new military will operate." Silverstone took the blue file and opened it. There, it details every bit of information he needed; chain ofmand, branches of service, units, training & education, support services, and so on.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® You can read that in your own time. I have the original with me. Do you have any questions?"

    "Yes sir. I do. If you are reforming the military, why did you pick me to be the secretary and not Knight Commander Kristina Robin here? Won''t she be a better pick?" Silverstone questioned. Kristina listened in carefully, wondering what Kant had to say.

    "Knight Kristina will be transferred to a different branch. Think of the new reforms as an attempt to specialize all our skills. Is there anything else?" Silvester thinks for a moment and then nods sideways.

    "Nope."

    "Good. You and Minister n here will be working together to hire the proper staff and start the branch. You are free to go." With that, Silverstone gets up from his chair and leaves his office. This leaves Kristina, Kant, and n left. Kristina took a deep breath and asked Kant her question.

    "So sir. What about me?"

    "You will be the head of the new branch called the ''Demon Extermination Force''. You and your knights have proven to be very efficient in managing to capture and terminate any demon that you all encounter.

    Considering that a demonic wave is projected to hit the continent soon, I thought it might be wise to have the knights specialize in that specific task, only." Kant then hands over the red file, which she immediately opens.

    "The DEF works about the same way as you all had previously operated, with a few changes. Now, when a requestes in alerting a demon nearby, there is no reward offer from the people. No gold to bribe the knights to go.

    Instead, a proper team is assembled to take care of the threat. If they manage to sessfully terminate the target, without causing too many losses, they will be guaranteed a reward, funded by the government. The amount ofpensation is specified in the charter.

    Your job is to oversee the operations, hire the proper staff members, and so on. You are also to report back to me about the situation regarding the demons. Any questions?"

    "Will my pay be affected?" Kristina asks, a little worried.

    "Not in the slightest. Your current pay is deemed to be eptable, and your talents are remarkable. It would not be a wise decision to let you go," Kant responded. This put Kristina at ease, feeling that she wasn''t going to face the worst of the worst after all.

    "Alright, sir. If that is all there is, may I take my leave?"

    "Of course. Just remember, you will be working with Minister n. So be nice. Alright."

    "Of course sir." With that, Kristina leaves the room. n, seeing that both of them had left, asked Kant for permission to leave, and then left. Kant was once again all alone in his office. Just before he started to work again, he took a sip of his bitter ck coffee, and got back to work.

 Chapter 147 Getting A Gun (1)

    ?As the sun rise from the horizon, it covered the city of Hoverdam with its rays of yellow light. A farmer, going by the name of Kyle Moneymaker, got his face hit with the sun''s light beam, forcing him to wake up from his pleasant dreams of living as a royal prince, and ruling over a kingdom.

    Kyle Moneymaker was an ordinary farmer, with medium-long ck hair, and deep brown eyes on his average oval face. He lives in a wooden house with his wife and three kids. Contrary to his name, he was what someone would consider poor, at least for now.

    As he is forced to move out of the ce he had called home all his life, the king had decided to award him a plot ofnd on the other side of the pixie river, away from the ind, where he can do whatever he wanted as long as it was nothing illegal.

    Kant had decided to give him, and many other farmers like him, a plot ofnd to incentivize them to stay connected with the main city of Hoverdam, where they can grow excess food and sell it off to the city, which would allow it to sustain a growing number of civilians.

    In less than a week, he was going to be taking a boat to the other side of the river with his wife and kids, to where his own plot ofnd was. From what he knows, he will be shown around and told whatnd is his, and whatnd is not, to avoid conflict and confusion between his neighbors.

    However, before he does so, he needs to get one thing from the city before he makes his great journey to the other side. A revolutionary new weapon that had allowed any normal farmer like him to wield unprecedented firepower; a firearm.

    Being the owner of thend far away from the city, also meant that he was going to have to protect himself and his family from any threats they encounter as it would take them a long time for the city to respond. Though it struck fear in many farmers to live so dangerously, it also inspired a sense of adventure and wonder, one in which that they had longed to experience in their youth.

    Upon waking up that morning, Kyle''s nose found the air around him to be strange. It was rather dense, with a very smoky and sulfurous odor. Curious to know why he got off the bed and looked out of the window to see if this was the case outside his home.

    It was then that he figured out why the air was so strange today. On therge stone buildings that have been popping up over the month, their longrge chimneys can be seen spewing outrge amounts of grey smog into the environment, making the air around him dirty.

    "Bah... those pesky merchants and their... chimneys. Wonder what the fuck they are doing in there. Well, it is going to be their problem anyways..." he mutters to himself.

    He soon cleans his teeth and makes his way to the dining room where he has his breakfast, freshly prepared by his dear wife. After he is done, he changes into his cleanest clothes, which were a reed flower green hemp tunic, acorn gray breeches, and calfskin shoes, ces the necessary paperwork in his pocket, and heads outside.

    Instead of walking the entire way there, Kyle decides to take the tram to the city. From what he heard, it will be faster and cheaper to do so. Kyle makes his way to the station, gets a card to where he needs to go, and waits out for the tram, along with a few farmers, by sitting on the wooden benches.

    The tram soon arrives at the station and makes a stop. As soon as the door opens, allowing a dozen or more people to leave the tram, he gets up and stares at the giant alien machine. As it stands right in front of him, Kyle hesitated to board. Although he has seen the tram move from afar, there was still suspicion around the machine, as if it was some kind of new demon infesting thend.

    Regardless, knowing what he has to do, he takes a deep breath and walks inside the tram. Kyle takes a seat near the window and holds on to the seat for dear life. After a few minutes, he hears a bell ring and feels the tram move. As the tram moves through the rails, wobbling around, Kyle wonders if this thing was going to fall apart and kill him in an instant. However, as time progress, he gets a little morefortable with the ride, even taking some time to look out the window and enjoy the scenery.

    The tram soon makes it to its destination, in Lower-East Middletown. He gets off the station there and walks another 25 minutes to the west of the city. Kyle soon arrives at a refurbished wooden building, with hay roofs and arge sign featuring a small gun. He takes out the card he was handed a few days ago andpares the two symbols. Noticing that the symbols were simr, he enters the ce.

    From his brown eye, he sees a few receptionists separated by a wooden nk wall and some iron bars, talking to a bunch of farmers individually. The men appear to be giving a piece of paper, answer a bunch of questions, and then being handed another piece of paper, before leaving thepound.

    "Next!" one of them says. Seeing that a spot opens, Kyle walks up to the receptionist, who appeared to be a young man bored out of his mind.

    "Hello sir, how may I help you today?" he asks in an unenthusiastic tone. Kyle takes out the papers and hands them over to the man.

    "Good morning. I am here to pick up my weapon. I am a farmer who was given a plot ofnd on the other side of the river," Kyle exined.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Hm... I see. What is your name?" The man asks as he takes the paper and reads it through silently.

    "Kyle. Kyle Zent Moneymaker," Kyle replies.

    "Hm... I see.? The man takes a file out and scans through it using his finger. The paper appears to have arge table, filled with names and numbers which Kyle didn''t fully understand. Then, he suddenly stops, saying, "Ah... there it is," before looking at Kyle.

    "Kyle Zent Moneymaker. Age 30. Lives in ''Industrial District 1''. Soon to move out. Is that information correct?" the man asks. Kyle nods in agreement.

    "Yes. That is correct," Kyle answers.

    "Alright then. Give me a minute." The man takes out a piece of rectangr paper and starts writing something down on it with a quill with ck ink. Once he is finished, he stamps a seal on the paper before handing it to Kyle.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Make your way 20 minutes south from here, where you will encounter a shooting range. You will be given your rifle to train and use. Once you havepleted the basic course, you will be given a location where you can buy more ammunition and gunpowder to operate the weapon.

    However, whatever you do, make sure you don''t lose that paper until you get back home. You are going to need it to safely get and use a gun. You got that?" the young man asks. Kyle nodded.

    "Yes. I understand. Though, I have a question. How do I know if Ie to the right ce?" Kyle asks, not wanting to mess up getting the only weapon that could protect him on the other side.

    "Just listen to see if you can hear miniature explosions. Besides, there should be a knight guarding the entrance, so you should be good."

    "I see. Thank you."

    "Good. Next!" the receptionist yelled. With that, Kyle takes the rectangr beige paper and leaves the building. He turns southward and walked straight ahead. He soon leaves the city, and into the more rural area. In the distance, he can hear the sounds of what he thinks to be ps of thunder, in the middle of a sunny day.

    The sounds seem toe from the other side of the wooden wall. The entrance to which appeared to be guarded by a tall knight, holding arge sharp sword, ready to cut down anyone who dares enter the shooting range. Taking a deep breath, Kyle appeaches the knight.

    "You there! What brings you here?" The knight asks Kyle, who gets a little spooked.

    "I am here to get my gun, sir knight!" he responds.

    "Do you have the slip?" Kyle hands him the paper he received. After the knight examines the paper, he hands it back to Kyle, before moving out of the way.

    "You may go inside," he says. Kyle thanked the knight and makes his way in.

 Chapter 148 Getting A Gun (2)

    ?As Kyle walks past the knight, he finds himself waiting in a long queue of farmers. The area in which where the farmers get to use the weapon is separated by a wooden fence, about 5 feet tall. The fence, however, allowed them to give a good visual of what was happening on the inside of the shooting range.

    After Kyle gets a good view, he looks around to see what he should anticipate. The shooting featured circr wooden targets, all lined up at various distances for the farmers to shoot at. Some of the targets were even tied to a rope, swinging from side to side, imitating a moving target trying to dodge.

    The farmers currently training were seen behind a table, next to men wearing hemp hats to help them resist this sunny day. The farmers held, what Kyle thought to be a rather long wooden stick. They pour a ck powder inside, taken from the wooden barrel to the left of them, followed by the insertion of a stick, before taking that out and putting a small metal ball inside it. They then aimed the weapon at the targets and pulled the trigger at themand of their instructor.

    Almost immediately, another p of thunder is heard, withrge amounts of smoke leaving through the stick. Once the dust cloud clears, Kyle can see with his own eyes that the targets had been hit with some kind of projectile.

    "Alright. You seem to have gotten the hang of it. Now, reload and fire it again." a man wearing a hemp hat instructed. The farmers take another few shots at the targets before clearing them out, and ready to leave. As those farmers leave, the queue started to move up before it stops again.

    This process repeated until Kyle got into the shooting range. He had to hand a man inside a wooden box with iron bars his slip, before being allowed entry. It was when he came up to an instructor, who had put a smile on his face.

    "Good morning gentlemen. May I ask what your name is?"

    "My name is Kyle Moneymaker, sir."

    "Kyle Moneymaker? That is a very unique name! Believe me, most of these guys have simr-sounding names. It is hard to remember all of them," the instructormented while chuckling. He then takes out a rifle from the crate and hands it over to Kyle.

    "This... is an FLM-18RC, made to be used for civilian purposes such as defending yourself, and your family from demons, or just for in old hunting! Whatever it is, you will like it."

    The instructor handed the weapon to Kyle, who takes some time to examine it. It was made of wood and polished wrought iron, with the letters ''FLM-18RC'' engraved into the stock. The barrel itself was long, about 1 and a half arms long, and it contained a small hole at the front end. The rifle itself had a leather string, that would allow Kyle to carry the weapon wherever he wanted to go.

    "Is there a difference between this and the other versions?" Kyle asked, a little curious about the other versions of the weapon.

    "Well yes. The FLM-18RC is a .4 caliber weapon with a rifled barrel, whereas a normal FLM-18 is a weapon with a .7 caliber smoothbore barrel. There is a rifled version, but they are still trying to find a way to mass-produce it."

    "I am sorry sir, but I do not understand the terminology. Can you please borate?"

    "Of course! What do you want to know? Caliber? Smoothbore or Rifled?"

    "Possibly both?" Kyle asked. The man kept on smiling.

    "Alright then. Now, listen very carefully." Kyle leaned in.

    "In simple terms, caliber is just the diameter of the borehole of the barrel. Considering that you are using this to protect yourself and your farm, there won''t be any reason to have a high caliber.

    By that point, you might be able to prate the armor of a hard-working knight. You know what I am saying?"

    "Yes sir. What about the... smoothbores and stuff?"

    "Smoothbore refers to theck of grooves inside the metal barrel. In the rifled gun, there are grooves inside that cause the projectile to spin as it leaves the gun. This will increase the uracy of the weapon, and allow you to hit the intended target.

    Considering that you will be working alone, the pce has decided to issue rifled versions to civilians only, because, with smoothbores, you won''t get the uracy you will need while working alone."

    "I see, sir. Can we start?"

    "Yes, we can." The instructor then goes on to exin what he needs to know; how the gun works, what he needs to load the gun, what the correct proportions are, and so on. Once the weapon was safely loaded, he was given a pair of rubber bongs.

    "You should put these two on for ear protection. You heard how much noise these weapons make. Don''t want to lose your hearing now, would you?" Kyle takes the rubber bongs and looks at them. Before he puts them on, the instructor gives him onest piece of information.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Aim for the nearest target. Before you will the trigger, make sure that the gun is fully cocked. Once you have fired, you can take off the rubber bongs."

    With that, he puts on the rubber bongs and presses the stock end to his chest. Kyle aims down the barrel and takes sight of the nearest target, and focuses on it. He lowers the hammer to full-cock position and fires.

    Click. Bang!

    The gun fires, creating arge cloud of smoke and a loud bang. Once the dust cloud clears, he can see that he managed to hit the target, with only a few centimeters apart from a bull''s eye. Kyle takes the rubber bongs off and looks over to his instructor.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "How did I do?" The instructor had his hand holding his head while looking at the target.

    "Hm... not bad for a first attempt. Let''s do another one. Try hitting the target behind it." he instructed. Kyle loaded up his gun, put on his bongs, and fired once again. This went on until hended a hit on the swinging target, where the instructor told him that that is about it.

    "Alright. That is it! That is all that you need to learn. Now all you got to do is just buy a cleaning kit, a bag of projectiles, and gunpowder, and you should be ready to go!"

    "Right... say sir. Where can I buy... the things that you told me?"

    "Oh right! You have to buy it from the, so far, only 2 approved stores in the city. Just look for a building with a long rifle as a sign, like the one you are holding. There should be one at the end of Grover street, alright?"

    "Right... sir. I understand."

    "Good! Now, you are free to go." with that, Kyle leaves the stables, carrying a firearm in his hand. He used the string to strap it onto his shoulder and enter the city again. Almost immediately, the people stayed clear of him, with the police even asking if he has a permit to carry. Considering that he had the slip, he waspletely fine and even asked where a firearms dealer was.

    He eventually made it to his location. Kyle walks through the door, causing the little bell to ring on the way inside. The store owner, seeing that Kyle was carrying a gun, proceeded with caution. Although he knew that he most likely received those weapons today, he wanted to be careful.

    "May I see your permit, please?" he asks. Kyle hands him the piece of paper, allowing him to examine it. The shopkeeper leans down and uses a magnifying ss to look at it closely.

    "Hm... seems to be legit." he hands back the piece of paper and stands straight.

    "Well, how can I help you today Mr. Kyle Moneymaker?"

    "I would like to buy a cleaning kit, please."

    "You got the money with you?"

    "I got 2 silver coins I saved." The shop owner smiled.

    "That is more than enough. Just wait here for me," he said. The man went to the back, came back with the desired goods, and ced them on the counter. The ''Cleaning Kit'' featured multiple items, including a cleaning rod along with a cleaning jag, cleaning patches, and a bore brush. He was also given wooden bottles filled with cleaning solvents, lubricant, and a small brush.

    The cleaning kit came in a box for him to store everything he needed, even the bottles themselves. What there wasn''t space though, was a ce for his firearm. From what he knows, concealed carry was not permitted due to it posing risks to the citizens of the city.

    "How much is this stuff?"

    "About 210 copper coins. If you want, I can add in some gunpowder and bullets and round it up to 300." The shopowner suggested. Kyle takes out one silver coin and ces it on the counter. The shopowner happily takes the money and ces it inside a drawer.

    "Enjoy your weapon, sir!"

    "Thank you." With that, Kyles leaves the store, heading back home.

 Chapter 149 Meeting In A Cabin

    ?As the sun rise over the horizon, the little white bird sleeping inside its nest woke up. It hopped out of its cage, and immediately flew to the sky, to search for food for the day. It flew over a waterfall, and a small river, and flew away from the forest and to a small rural town.

    As it descended downwards to the human settlement, a bullet struck through its wing, causing it to fall to the ground. With the bullet pulverizing and paralyzing its wing, causing lots of blood to leak to the ground, it remained there, waiting for someone to catch it and do as they desired.

    "That is one hell of a shot, sir. You actually managed to get that bird!" a soldier remarked as Leroy looks onward at his FLM-18R rifle, specially made for him. Leroy had been using his weapon for some good old hunting, and just couldn''t resist when he saw such a small and vulnerable target. He smiled, being proud of having such good aim, before moving on to train his soldiers to use their weapons.

    As for the bird, itnded far outside the barracks, on a grass patch. It was picked up by a hooded figure, which felt pity and anger for the bird. He was horrified by the fact that those damn soldiers had little to no regard for life, animal or human. What was worse, was that the white bird was considered to be a spiritual animal, representing hope for the people.

    "There, there, little one. You are lucky not to lose your head," the hooded figure spoke out to the bird. He first made sure to wash its would with a water spell first, before healing the bird''s wing using a healing spell.

    Almost immediately, it took back up into the sky and flew away. Though it developed a deep sense of trauma when visiting the city again, the animal was thankful for the human''spassion. The hooded figure, who smiled thinking that he had done something good today, moved back on the road and get on the caravan again.

    "Hey, make sure you don''t jump out like that again. I don''t want to have to wait for one person."

    "Sorry about that." the man apologize. The caravan went on to head out of the downtown and to the outskirts of the city, where he was dropped off. From there, he started walking further away from the rural town, and into the forest nearby.

    As he prated deep into the forest, the trees appear to grow taller and thicker, with their leaves blocking the sunlight, and allowing the environment around him to go darker and darker. The hooded man, worried he may have lost himself, opened a map and looked around forndmarks.

    After a few minutes of searching, he finds a small rock arranged in a zigzag pattern. This was no strange natural phenomenon, but a simple manmade structure. With his location pinned down, he continued walking a few steps before somethinges into view.

    There was an ordinary wooden shed with 2 stories, and about asrge as 5 simple bedrooms, located in open grasnd, with no trees to block out the sun. Besides the small shed, was a small farm filled with a variety of crops, featuring wheat, carrots, pumpkins, and other goods. Next to the farm, were a fewrger wooden structures, featuring animals such as chickens, pigs, horses, and cattle.

    The hooded man walks up to the small shed and knocks on their door. On the door, a small window was opened, allowing a pair of dark brown eyes to stare back at the hooded man, who took off his hood, revealing an average man with freckles on his face. The eyes continued to stare at him before the man on the other side spoke.

    "What do you want?" the owner asks."May I see the stars once again?" the hooded man replies. The owner immediately closes the peephole door and allows the hooded man inside. The owner appeared to be a rather young man himself, looking to be in his mid-20s. He came here 2 years ago, away from his home in the deep south, to settle here and live a life of istion with a few of his friends.

    "I hope you all deal with your business here soon because I can''t allow you all to set up here forever." the owner reminds the hooded man.

    "Don''t worry. We won''t take long. Where are the others?" The owner pointed his finger upwards.

    "Upstairs. They are in the first room you can encounter. It is the room where one would usually eat."

    "I understand. Thank you and your friends for your kindness."

    "Alright. Alright. Just go." The hooded man soon walked up the stairs and entered the first room. There, he saw that there were more hooded men, sitting around the table.

    "Ah. We have been waiting for you. Sit down." The hooded man takes his stance. These other men were all from other small towns, located rtively closeby to the cabin. Communication is slow, and it took a few days to keep in contact and arrange this meeting.

    "Gentlemen, it is an honor to meet you all. As you all know, the lords and the kings of ournd had been seduced by the Empress of the Aceaton Empire, Rose Tippo Valline, into obeying her everymand.

    She has destroyed and disrupted our way of life which we have been practicing for millennia. Thousands of men, women, and children had all been put to death by those devilish soldiers and their strange weapons.

    We have all gathered here, for amon goal; to oppose the tyrannical empress and her soldiers, and their attempt to undermine and crush our way of life! No matter what, we should all stay strong, and keep our spirits high!"

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® The men around started to p for that little speech segment. Once the pping eventually faded into silence, the man continued.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Now, from what we all know, can we all agree that the people of our respective towns do not favor the empress? Please raise your hand if this is the case." All the men in the room raised their hands. Though they were not sure that everyone hated her, there was arge chunk of people who do seem to agree.

    "Good. That would mean that we should not have had a hard time gathering information about the Empress and her cronies. Does anyone want to go first?" the man asked. One of them, the only one with the freckles raised his hand.

    "Go on. What is it?"

    "I have managed to get some information about the weapons that they are using," he imed. Everyone in the room now listened carefully, wanting to know as much as they could about these weapons.

    "They use this ck powder to shoot a small metal ball at high speeds. From what I know, they are powerful enough to tear through iron armor, the ones that our noble knights wore."

    "Is that so? Did you manage to get some of this ck powder?" one of them asked. In response, he pulled out a small bag from his cloak pocket, and set it on the table. He then opened it up and revealed it to the men.

    "I managed to pay a few men to gather that ck powder. I still have lots left over at home. The people of my town appear to be very cooperative. I am not sure if I can gather more, but I will try." The men all examined the ck powder. Some even separated a few and lit them up, causing a small smoke cloud to form.

    "cough, cough. Well, it certainly seems to be the real deal. Where did this ck powdere from?"

    "I am not sure. From what I know, the ship that carried the weapons and gunpowder came in from the north. It could be from anywhere."

    "What was the ship''s g like?" one of the asked.

    "What do you mean?" Another asked.

    "I am a vexillologist. I have the very rare job of studying gs. If you describe the g Mr..."

    "...Carlo." the one with the freckles spoke.

    "...Mr. Carlo, I will be able to pinpoint the kingdom."

    "Alright then. From what I remember, it was a navy blue g with a ck circle and two swords behind it. Is that information sufficient enough?" Carlo asked.

    "Yes... It is Mr. Carlo. From what you described, I deduce that the shipment came from the Kingdom of Hoverdam. I believe that they were the ones who denounced the church, only."

    "Hm... is that so?"

    "Yes. We got a couple of our people fleeing their towns to Hoverdam. Although the amount is not a lot, as there are concerns that the king there might not be able to protect his own citizens."

    "Sure, but it is also the only kingdom that is the most... friendly to our cause, considering god and all."

    "Actually, I have to disagree. From what I heard in letters from a bunch of good friends I know, the ce is going through... a rapid change. They are reports of a professionalw enforcement agency, so I am not sure that we should head over there for our next meeting."

    An argument soon res up in the room, all discussing whether should relocate their operations in the kingdom somewhere. In the end, apromise was made. They were to send some people in, and write back what they have seen before they make a decision.

 Chapter 150 The Demonic Wave

    ?3rd of Nativitas, 5018. It was a bright sunny day in a lush green forest, beautiful and peaceful as ever before. The clear blue river in the middle of the forest provided the animals inhabiting it with a good source of fresh water. From pray to predators, including demons, all were required to drink from the river to survive, and any animal would.

    Coming over to the same river, was a monkey that resided in the forest. It hade along with his troop pals, who after feasting on a dozen bananas, needed to drink a bit of water to moisturize their throat and allow the food to make it to their bellies as easily as possible.

    They approach the water''s edge and sit on their haunches. Using their cupped hands, they scoop up the water and quench their thirst. Before they all can fully replenish their thirst, one of them rms the rest of the troops of a predatoring their way.

    Almost immediately, the monkey troops ran away from the river back into the forest, and onto a tree branch, where they can be safe and have a good vantage point. They were not done drinking yet and decided that it was best to wait. From what they can see, a bunch of singefurs; monkey demons, sangliers; boar demons, and a bunch of other demonized animals working together, all upying the river.

    They didn''t seem to drink the fresh flowing water. They just kept staring at the river with nk expressions, patiently waiting. The monkeys, despite their animal brain, got curious as to why there were doing so. As they continued to watch, neither of them realized what was going above their heads.

    Slowly, the once-clear sky started to dim, as dark clouds gathered around to block out the sunlight from thend. Once it was much darker than before, small pockets of purple appeared to open up in the sky, dropping off these little alien creatures, with a variety of colors such as white, blue, green, yellow, and violet.

    The creatures dropped down to the ground, the trees, and the river itself. As soon as they did, many of the demonic animals that stood by the river jumped in and swan over to go collect and rescue the creatures and bring them back tond, risking their own ''lives'' in the process.

    As the monkeys were distracted, being held back by their curiosity about what these demons were doing, one of the alien creaturesnded on the tree on which they hung. It was made mostly out of blue slime, with a blue mana core inside it. It silently made its way down, and jumped on the back of a monkey, clinging on to it, and enveloping it inside the slime.

    The other troops, upon seeing their friend, immediately fled. However, it did not take long for more of these strange slimes to catch them all. The blue slimy creature started merging itself with the primitive, changing its physique, growing horns, gaining more muscle, and strengthening its senses.

    Once the process was one, it opened its eyes, revealing them glowing and oozing blue. The mana core itself ced itself on its forehead, near his brain to help control it, making the primate its puppet. As it finishes merging and corrupting the poor animal, it sent out a sort of wave for the other demons to pick up. More portals start opening up in the sky, dropping even more of these strange creatures.

    ...

    "Damn, is there going to be rain today? It sure got cloudy real quick," a knight remarked, noticing the world around him dimming. He was with another knight and a bunch of herbalists who came over to pick up some healing herbs.

    Considering that the demonic wave could hit at any moment, people were advised to stock up on everything, from food to water and even medical herbs, essential in the creation of magical potions that will help tost out the wave.

    To make sure that the herbalists were safe, these two were assigned to guard them against any iing demon. Armed with a very sharp spear, a wooden shield, and a suit of runic te armor made of iron, they were more than enough to counter a horde of weak demons.

    "If that is the case, we might have to head back to the caravan quickly. Though, I haven''t managed to fill my basket yet," one of the herbalists suggested. The knights reassured him that it was fine.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "No, take your time. We might need those herbs sooner rather thanter," one of the knights replied. The herbalist simply nodded and continued to pick up the supplies from the ground. As they did so, the two sat down on a rock, waiting for them to finish.

    Just then, the two of the knights had this feeling of uneasiness, causing them both to breathe a little heavily. The herbalists all noticed his sudden state of exhaustion, causing them to question whether this is a good idea.

    "You alright there, sir knight? You don''t appear to be well." a herbalist asks. The knight removed his helmet and ced it on the ground. They could see that he was profoundly sweating, even as the environment around them got colder.

    "I am fine. There is this... feeling of uneasiness..."

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Uneasiness?"

    "Yes... I usually happen when..." the knight then remembers his training, and what usually causes his specific type of uneasiness. Considering it was the month of the demons, there was a chance that this feeling was a warning, that they had arrived.

    "Just... one minute..."

    The knight closed his brown eyes and focused around himself. Just then, he mutters a spell. In his mind, a mental map of every creature within a 25-meter radius pumped up with mana in their blood forms inside of their heads. As they waited, they notice that the number of creatures just appear to keep on increasing,pounding every minute.

    "Everyone, I want you all to head back to the caravan. Stop what you are doing, and follow me back, alright?" the knight instructed.

    "Is there something the matter?", one of the herbalists questioned the knight. The rest all just whispered to each other.

    "We have both sensed that there are a high number of demons in his area. It is not safe for any of you to remain here. If you all want to be with your families, I advise you to follow us back to the caravan," the knight replied.

    "But sir knight! I thought that this area did not have any demons?"

    "It does now. Now, do you all wish to risk your lives for a bunch of nts, or do you all want to head back home to your families?" the knight reiterated. Although the description used by the knight was rather insulting, they did not need fully convincing to get back to the caravan.

    The knights made sure to escort the men all back to the caravan, and had it sprint off back into the town nearby. While one of them went over to protect it, the other was left behind, wanting to investigate further. Before he ventured deep into the forest, the man took a deep breath, and walked right in.

 Chapter 151 Pigeon Carrier Towers

    ?A man, holding a toasted cheese and chicken sandwich, stood on a balcony on top of a great stone tower, looking onward at the outside world. It was a beautiful sunny day today, with the people of the town down below going along their day. He can see them selling their wares, putting up clothes to dry, dragging caravans with their horses or cows, cutting down logs to make firewood, and so on.

    He had the appearance of the average man, short ck hair, dark brown eyes, an oval face shape, and was about 5ft 8 inches tall. What was unique about him, was his attire and job. He wore a cotton white cloak, with ck breeches, leather boots, and a pair of leather gloves with a rune attached, amplifying his magical power.

    His job was very simple; A pigeon carrier operator. You see, over a thousand years ago, the kingdoms of the Aceaton continent had a problem. They wanted tomunicate with each other as quickly as they can while delivering as much information as they can. This would allow them to respond to threats, like a demonic wave, rather quickly.

    As a result, the kingdoms of the Aceaton continent, in an effort of cooperation that had never been seen before, built the towers. The n was adopted when a scientific breakthrough in magic urred; mind control. From what they know, using a veryplicated spell, and a lot of willpower, a person canmand another being to do its bidding.

    There were some conditions, however. Firstly, the intelligence of the being that is controlling the one that isn''t, must be significantly smarter. They found out that, due to humans having simr levels of intelligence, mind control was rather ineffective. The best they could do is to move a slight muscle in the finger.

    Secondly, the more intelligent a being is, the more mana is needed to control them. An ordinary magical user fitted with runic gloves that amplify their magical power is easily able to control a small animal, like a bird or a squirrel, rather easily. However, trying to control a human, even with mana-amplifying gauntlets, is a very difficult and fruitless endeavor that even a monarch cannot do. Currently, the only one theoretically capable of doing so is the Empress of the Aceaton Empire, Rose Tippo Valline herself.

    Third and finally, the guilt that one has to bear when controlling a living being''s mind is too much for ordinary people to handle. As a result, pigeon carrier operators have gone through extensive training to allow them to work effectively.

    This coupled with the anti-aging spell, which prolongs the health span and lifespan of birds by up to 15%, allows new birds to have more time to be trained, while the old ones can be used for far longer.

    As the man continued to eat his sandwich, he felt the hot sunny environment around him start to cool down. Although at first, it was weing, as most men in the towers and town had been profoundly sweating, sometimes even seen to faint due to a heat stroke.

    He starts to notice that the once bright day was beginning to darken as the clouds gather around in the sky. The townfolks below, who were all going around their day, went back inside their homes, with some of them picking up the wet clothes they left outside to dry.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® However, the further it went on, the more ufortably cold it got, and the man''s suspicion rise. Before he could dwell further on his thoughts, to construct a proper exnation as to why, the door behind him opened, followed by a voice calling out his name.

    "Joshua! Get back down here! Your break is up!" the supervisor called out.

    "Alright, sir. I will be there in a minute. I need to finish my sandwich," Joshua replied. The supervisor nodded, closed the door then headed back to his office. Joshua immediately stuffed the sandwich in his mouth, bit all he can, and swallowed in it one swoop, before making his way back inside.

    Inside the loud towers, was arge map of the Aceaton Continent, with all the pigeon towers marked on it. There were also cages, a lot of iron cages, stacked on top of each other holding 1 pigeon hostage. On their necks was a cor with a tag attached, to indicate which tower they came from.

    Joshua rejoined his colleagues and went back to work. On top of a desk, there were a bunch of letters, allying around, waiting to be sent off to the proper city. Joshua read the address of the letter and pinpointed it on a map.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    If the letter is intended to be sent over that covers two or more towers, Joshua simply picked the closest tower to the tower that was intended for it to go, where it can be delivered. From there, the operators from that tower send it to the correct tower. To make the job a lot easier, he picked a pigeon that originally came from that tower.

    It appeared to be in a state of distress, likely due to the spell finally wearing off. As it rattled and ruffled inside its cage, screaming to be let out of this artificial prison, Joshua after cing the letter inside a container, cast a spell.

    "Queles dieuxme pardonnent, pendantquejemetscegrave p¨¦ch¨¦. S''il te ?t, tu dois rester avec moijusqu''¨¤ceque je t''ordonne de rentrerchez toiet tuseras ¨¤ nouveauemmen¨¦ ¨¤ mort." he muttered, as he pointed his index finger at the bird.

    The pigeon, which was moving all around the cage, wanting to escape, immediately calmed down. Joshua then opened the cage and took the bird into his arms. He kept the bird on his shoulder as he attached the container to its strong leather cor.

    He then walked over to a window and tossed it out. The bird then flew away into the air, using its muscle memory to head back to its original tower. In a matter of hours, the bird will arrive to its destination, and be instructed where to go next.

    While he and his fellow coworkers worked on delivering the letters to the correct towers, others worked on checking to see if the letters were meant to go to their own town or general area. They checked to see if the address on the envelope matched the town''s or any nearby urban settlement''s name.

    Once it is identified to be the case, it is ced inside a tube, that went straight down to the bottom of the tower, where messengers could pick it up and deliver it to their correct destination. If the letter was supposed to be for a different urban area near the town, then it is ced in a different tube. This tube leads to a different room where letters are packed into crates and shipped off to their desired location.

    Suddenly, as Joshua was busy working with his coworkers, a messengeres through the door and screams at the men.

    "STOP WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING! SEND THESE MESSAGES TO ALL PIGEON TOWERS NOW!" he yelled, as he handed over envelopes to all the men. The sound eventually reached the supervisor''s office, making hime down to see what was going on.

    "What the hell are you here for? Get out of here and stop disturbing the operators. Who even let you in?"

    "No time, sir! We need to send these messengers to every city right now! This is an order by the town lord!" the man imed.

    "The town lord? Why did he authorize that? What is so important that needs to be spread around?"

    "Demons, sir! Demons! The demonic wave is here! A knight has spotted demons corrupting the animals of the forest and came back to warn us!" the man replied. Immediately, Joshua and the rest understood why the day got cloudy real quick, and why the messenger was in great distress. The supervisor, upon hearing the news, turned to the operators.

    "You heard him? Drop whatever you are doing and send those messages now!"

 Chapter 152 News Reaches Hoverdam

    ?Kant crosses out "4th" on his calendar with a quill, making the 5th day of the new month. He then went back to sit on hisfortable ck leather swivel chair, that he had bought on the 1st. Since he released some patents on all his smaller inventions, there were nowpanies selling them off in the market.

    Items such as mechanical umbres, typewriters, pencils, pencil sharpers, paperclips, can openers, and such. These new items were being manufactured in a ratherrge factory, separated into multiple areas to allow them to have enough space while producing them at a low cost. Considering the rtively low space area offered by Industrial District 1, it was the only way that they could take advantage of the tax incentives.

    On Kant''s renaissance office table was a pile of books, all regarding the subject matter of the demons. Ever since the new month rolled around, his interest in these weird beasts has peaked. As a result, he took a few books from the royal library and started to read them, of what they looked like, how they acted, how the kingdoms of the past reacted, and so on.

    The more he read about them, the more suspicious he became of these creatures. The books imed that the demons came through a series of small portals in a concentrated area. Out of these portals,es a slime-like creature, with a mana core inside it.

    These creatures then jump on an unsuspecting victims, go inside their bodies, and take full control over them, and use it to help the other demons survive. The mana stone is then imprinted near the area of an animal''s brain and then starts controlling it. These beasts acted as a sort of hivemind,municating with each other in a strange new way that the people of the times just could notprehend.

    From the records of people that got infected with these demons, but still managed to retain their sentience, they described ''weird sounds'' and ''letters'' entering their heads through the crystal on their foreheads. These ''sounds'' and ''letters'' were then tranted into words, which resulted in the creation of the runguage, and the subsequent invention of runic weaponry.

    As he was reading through the books, there was a knock on his door. Assuming that it was n Fleck and the files that he wanted, he closed the book, ced it on the table, takes a sip of coffee from his cup, and have him enter the room.

    "Good morning your majesty. I hope I didn''t interrupt you with your reading?" he asked after he stands back from his bow.

    "No. You did not. Sit down." n walks up to the chair and takes his ce. He then opens a file and starts reading the summary out to Kant.

    "In thest month, it has been reported that 4,534 people have entered the city. From our current estimates, the city''s poption has grown to 204,500 people or about 2.25%. If this projection continues, we might have about 225,000 people, providing that things won''t go wrong."

    n then hands over the file to Kant, to allow him to go further into detail. The papers in the files went further into detail about what types of upations these people entered. Kant analyzed the file, before cing it on the table.

    "Next file please?"

    "The next is to regard the steel mill. It started construction on the 29th of Pecunia,st month, and is said to be finished on the 12th of Nativitas this month thanks to the increase in manpower, cement, and concrete used for the site.

    Considering the shipment of the iron, we are said to be receiving 50 tons of iron per week, starting from the 13th. Most of thepanies bringing over this quantity areprised of TIC, which ounts for about 50%, followed by DURDIN Iron Group, supplying 20%, with the other 30% being made up of many smaller mines."

    n then handed over the file to Kant. DURDIN Group was a sort of merger and operated in the city of Keliath, the same one that the TIC worked in.

    It was founded to protect the original founders from the rise of the TIC. Thanks to merchant capital, which flocked in as a sort of cheaper alternative to TIC, it had managed to rapidly expand its scale, although not to the degree that the TIC did.

    Currently, the TIC had the first mover''s advantage, which is attributed to quickly expanding the scale of production a month before the DURDIN group was even got founded. From an outsider''s perspective, these two rivals were ready to fight head-to-head, to see who wille out on top.

    "What about the progress of the schools? The students?"

    "Thankfully, we appear to have some fast learners. There are said to be around 8 people who managed toplete the test. They have shown that they can easily read, AND write. The individual''s names are written on this file here. They will be let go on the 10th."

    Kant opens up the file. On the list, there were indeed 4 names written on it. These names were Noah Johnson, Ethan Davis, Lucas Carter, Mason Patel, Isaac Kim, Alexander Wong, Marco Dietrichson, and Vice Grotti. Kant closes the file and ces it on the table.

    "How many do you think we will have in about 1 more month?"

    "I am not sure sir, but I can be certain that it will be a lot more than 8."

    "What about the construction of the schools?" Kant debriefed.

    "There have been about 5 schools already constructed, with the final school should be finishing construction on the 8th. All of the schools should be operational by the 9th," n retorted.

    "And the libraries?"

    "Same goes for the libraries sir, although they will all be opened by the 7th. I am pretty sure that there will be one open tomorrow. We have also managed to get a sizable inventory of bibles, and stock them all inside them."

    "That is good. Is that all?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Well sir, yes, I think that is..." before he could finish that sentence, the door received a rather aggressive knocking. Kant consented for them toe in. A messenger, who appeared to be profusely sweating, and breathing heavily, handed Kant a letter, before leaving his office.

    Kant neatly opened the envelope and read the letter''s contents. It described the arrival of the demonic wave, near a small town inside the Aceaton Empire, in between Peckerson and Nexert. Kant''s expression while reading the letter was nk, and unreadable.

    He then leaned back on his chair, handed the letter over to the assistant minister, and starts to think further about the event. As n reads the letter, twice and over, his eyes widen, and his mouth opens a little.

    "The demonic wave? Here, now?" he speaks, with a slight tone of shock that can be picked up on. Kant simply needed to his question.

    "Apparently so. From what it says, it spawned inside the borders of the Aceaton Empire itself two days ago..." Kant muttered as he sat straighter in his chair, with his face turned towards the minister.

    "I consider this piece of news to be very fortunate for us. Don''t you think so, minister?"

    "I... uh... well... yea. I mean, considering that there will be more enemies to fight, there might be an increase in demand for our flintlock weaponry."

    "Oh, but there is a lot more. From what I have read from these books..." Kant points to the tower of books on his desk,

    "...the kingdoms, or in this case the empire as well, tend to spend a lot of money. Not just on weapons, but materials, clothing, food, and all that.

    Considering that the demonic wave started further ind of the Aceaton Empire, you can guarantee that they are willing to spend a lot of money.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom We can use this opportunity, to gain an advantage. There will be a surplus of materials in need to fight the demands. If we provide them with what they need, or even a better alternative, we will be able to integrate and exert influence on their economies

    Take steel for instance. Considering the steel mill starts operating on the 13th, it would give us about 8 days for us to make a few deals with the Aceaton empire to start selling a ton of our steel, for instance.

    Steel has a lot of purposes, especially in forging armor and weapons. We present steel at a cheaper price while supplying them with arge quantity, they will be flocking to refit their knights'' weapons and armor with the stuff.

    This leaves thepetition out of money, and out of work, eliminating them from being a threat. Now, they are going to have to get their supplies from us. Whether it be for repairs or forging more weapons, we will be the only viable partner they can buy.

    This can be the case for other industries, like textiles or firearms manufacturing. It would grant our kingdom a lot of influence within their economy, which could potentially be used to influence the decisions of the Aceaton Empire itself.

    The empress may be powerful, but she will still need them to run her empire properly. If she makes some kind of decision that is not the best for us, we will have our ''new friends'' to help us out. Do I make myself clear?"

    "Yes sir, you did."

    "Good. Now if I remember correctly, ording to the procedure, we need to first inform the head of defense or the one given the job of terminating any demons. In this case, you are ought to inform the head of the DEF."

    "Do not worry about that sir. I will take care of that."

    "Alright then. I guess we are also going to have to make an announcement soon. When do you think we should be able to do so?" Kant asked.

    "I can get a few knights to spread the word. We need to make sure that they get the message quickly as possible. Is that fine?"

    "It is eptable for now. Now, all that we need to do now is to wait for the letter from the empress to get more information on the situation and send in any reinforcements if they want some.

    In the meantime, I shall write some letters of my own, to inform the other towns of our kingdom, warning them about the event. Once I am done, you are given the job of sending them over. I think that is about it." Kant replied.

    "You are free to go. I assume you know what to do?"

    "Yes, sir. Inform the DEF, Get a bunch of messengers out to inform the people, and send letters you will prepare. Is that right?"

    "Yes. You may now leave." n gets up from his chair, bows down, and leaves the room. As soon as n leaves, Kant draws in his typewriter, took a few sheets of paper, and started typing a few letters.

 Chapter 153 Moving Out

    ?Kyle and his family were preparing to leave their home. A few days prior, the family had taken the clothes from their closet, folded them neatly, and ced it into a wooden chest. While the girls were excellent at their job in terms of cooking and packing clothes, thanks to their experience, the boys who tried to help often messed it up and had to hand it over to the women to handle it.

    Instead, they helped their father, who took their farmer tools and ced them inside a wooden box. Although there was not a lot to take, it was all that they had. Once everything was in ce, and the house was cleared out, they had all gone to bed.

    As the night sky started to slowly fade away as the sun was an hour and a half away froming up, Kyle managed to wake up, along with his wife. They got to wake up their children to get ready before the caravan once they arrive.

    They made sure to clean their teeth, eat their breakfast, and put on their best attire for the asion. As soon as they were finished, the caravan he hired with some of his savings, had stopped by outside his home. Kyle and his 2 boys got to loading it with the wooden boxes filled with their clothes, valuables, and gun.

    "Alright, everyone. Hop in!" Kyle instructed as soon as he finished packing up the caravans. While his family got on the caravan, he went back to his house and walked inside. He took a look good at it, remembering all the memories he had made in his ce. He had lived in this ce ever since he was a child.

    Kyle couldn''t believe that he was about to leave this ce, to be destroyed to build those weird buildings. He was born in this house, his parents were born in this house, as well as his own children. He felt a little sickness strike his stomach as if he doesn''t want to go.

    "Hurry up honey! We will bete!" his wife called out to him. Upon hearing her, he says onest goodbye, locks the door and heads back to the caravan.

    "Where to, sir?"

    "The nearest port. Take the shortest route." Kyle instructed. With that, the caravan started moving, followed by the one behind. They move through Industrial District 1, looking onward at therge stone buildings that surround them.

    They have noticed that there are more railway tracks on the ground, far more than before. There appear to be some new buildings, buildings that looked to be tram stations, but do not look as if it was intended for civilian use.

    The family soon arrives at the port. The sailboat they were meant to board was rather small, inparison to the other ships present. Made mostly of wood, with its ability to thrust being the sail, it should be able to get the families to the other side within 30 minutes or less. There were a bunch of other families present, all busy loading up the sailboat with their cargo. Kyle soon drops down and gets his boys to help to load in their stuff.

    As he was doing so, a man wearing a navy suit and a straight navy blue tie, holding a clipboard in his hand, appeared in front of him. He asked whether he was a farmer who used to live in the, now ''Industrial District 1''. Kyle, being the honest man, said yes.

    "What is your name, sir?"

    "Kyle. Kyle Moneymaker." The man checks his clipboard for the name, using his finger to go through every one of them on the list.

    "Kyle Moneymaker... Kyle Moneymaker... Ah, here you are!" he points out.

    "I assume you remember to bring your keys? We will need it to bring over any furniture and farm animals that you may possess." Kyle reaches into his pocket and showed the keys off. The man extended his hand, signaling him to hand it over. Without resistance, Kyleplied. The man puts the key into his pants pocket.

    He then makes his way into his breast pocket and takes out a piece of paper and a pencil. On the paper, he writes something down, before handing over the piece of paper to Kyle. He then writes something down on his own clipboard, before instructing Kyle on what he needs to do.

    "When you get to the other side, make sure to hand that to the guide. He will tell you what cabin is yours, and the keys to it. Alright?"

    "Alright, sir. Thank you." Kyle replied. The man smiled and left him alone. Kyle takes a look at the paper. There was a number written on it in the middle, with something written down below with a pencil, presumably his name. Once he looks at it, he ces it in his pocket and gets back to loading his and his family''s stuff.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Another hour passes by. The sun now peaks its head over the horizon, covering thend with its yellow light. The families, for whom all had arrived in time, pack inside therge sailship. With everyone finally here, the ship pulls up the anchor and sets sail to the other side.

    They soon arrive at the small port, meant for ships its size. They soon dock and get off through the bridge. As soon as Kyle got off the ship, he took a whiff of the air that surrounds him. Unlike the smelly air of the Industrial District that gued his family while he lived there, he got to smell fresh clean air once more.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Everyone, can I please have your attention?" Kyle looked to see who it was. It was another man who had a clipboard in his hands, simr to the guy before. Unlike the previous one, this one was wearing a reed flower green tunic,tle leaf breeches, and calfskin boots.

    "I will be your guide for today. Please hand over the paper you received on the other side?" he asked. The families soon came over and handed the paper to him.

    "Alright. Thank you, everyone. Now, I want you all to load up your stuff on the rear end of the caravan convoy. Do not worry about your possessions. Their crates are markers so we can identify which one belongs to who," the guide instructs.

    Soon enough, the men start to load up the caravans with their boxes. The caravan convoy consisted of up to 25 caravans, with the ones at the rear intended for their luggage, while the ones in front meant to carry the farmers. Once the caravans were all loaded, the families got on.

    While the men got on the first five caravans, their wives and their children got on to the remaining caravans. Once all 100 farmers were safely inside andfortably seated, the convoy begins their journey.

    The road taken consisted mainly of a dirt path on a t grasnd. In the distance, to the east, they can see arge ominous forest enacting as a safe zone for any predators toe, watch and coordinate an attack to hunt any settlers in the area. However, with the power of the FLM-18RC on their hands, the men were all brave enough, or felt safe enough, toe to risk their lives for a chance of owning theirnd.

    On each side of the dirt paths, was a wooden fence, indicating where their plot ofnd is located. Inside each plot ofnd, they can see a wooden cabin near where the gates. The caravans stop at the gates and call out the plot ofnd to the owner.

    Once the name was called out, a man drops off a cart, along with his family members. The guide then hands them over a key and helps them to get their luggage. Once they have everything they need, they move in, just like that.

    This continued on until they reached Moneymaker''s plot ofnd, which was situated near the forest, and the coast, near the river. By that point, it was the middle of the day, and they were thest family remaining at that point. On the way, they were told where the wells of the area were, and where they can get safe water to drink.

    "Kyle Moneymaker? This is it." the guild told him. He gets off the caravan along with his family. They then take their luggage with them and walked over to the gate. The family walks on the dirt path and reaches the front door. From the outside, the cabin appears to consist of two stories, being mostly made of wooden nks and logs.

    Kyle unlocked the door and headed inside. There appears to be a firece, connected to the chimney. It was made out of stone, stuck together with cement. He was rather thankful for its inclusion, otherwise, his family might freeze in the winter.

    As they explore the cabin more, they were surprised by all the amenities built in. They managed to count two bedrooms, one for Kyle and his wife, and the other for his three children. There was also a sizable dining room, a kitchen, and a bathroom. The home itself was devoid of furniture, with nowhere left to sit or eat.

    Kyle walks out of the house and looks around the plot ofnd he owes. From what he was told, the pce had granted him and area of 1 mile2, a ratherrge area for a farm. The grass itself, which was about 4 inches tall, appeared and felt rather fertile, perfect for crops to grow.

    "Honey, how is it? What do you think?" his wife asked, who followed him out. Kyle stayed silent for a minute, before responding.

    "This... this ce is rather nice. I can work with this." Kylemented.

 Chapter 154 Marcos Business Idea

    ?Marco Dietrichson walks right out of the school along with his best friend, Vice Grotti. They had been friends since the first day they had met, inside the school building. The two had made a lot of memories so far, eating out in restaurants sometimes, visiting their homes, and even helping each other to learn faster than the rest of the ss.

    As they walk out into the streets, Marco looks back at the school, straight at the letters engraved into the building, the same one he had been going to for thest three months. Since he can now read, he might as well give the sign of the school a shot.

    "Luvastreet Public School. I guess that name works," he spoke smoothly. Marco then turned his head to Vice, who was also looking at the sign.

    "What do you think Vice? Do you think the name is good?" he questions. Vice, without skipping a beat, replies.

    "It is just a name, Marco. I don''t think they put that much thought into it. Besides, if it works, it works."

    "Hmm... I guess. Say... would you like to talk a walk around the streets. Get some leg exercise and just... talk. You know," Marco suggested.

    "Hm... Yea, sure. I mean, it is not like I have anything else," Vice responded. The two start walking among the busy streets of Hoverdam, which had gone through a few changes. The two walk past new stone buildings, tram stations, and track lines, as they talk with each other.

    The two walked until they stopped to take a break when they ran out of stories to tell each other. With that, Marco and Vice decided to part ways, promising each other to keep in touch. Vice had already shown around his house, as well as Marco. They both know where to find the other.

    As Marco was walking back home, wanting to get on a tram station, he takes a wrong turn and spots a rather strange-looking building, going along with the new architectural style of Arteco that had been popping up. He walked closer to the building and examined it.

    The library, featuring two 5-meter-tall stories, was built in the shape of an H. The walls had these thick pirs of sleek and linear columns on the outside that looked like it was holding up the two floors. Other than the columns, the building featured crystal clear ss windows, made all the way over in Industrial District 1.

    The windows themselves weren''t meant to be added to the original n. However, with the invention and patent of the sheet ss drawing machine, factories were set up to take advantage of this new invention, and to make arge profit. Now, many buildings were undergoing renovations, to incorporate some ss windows, as an attempt to pretend that one was far wealthier than the rest.

    In front of the door, was a staircase made out of gray brick stones, held together with cement, covered in mortar to hide it. On the top of the building, was a short and wide triangle, with the words "Public Library" written on it in yellow letters.

    "Hmm... I wonder..." Marco thinks. His head got a genius idea but was not sure whether it would work. Taking a deep breath, he decides to enter the library. Inside, the building was much more impressive andparatively more beautiful in Marco''s eyes.

    The floor, made out of wooden nks, was polished and clean, without a single speck of dirt or dust. The walls were covered in wooden bookshelves, fitted throughout the entirepound., to the point that one could mistake for them enacting as the walls of the building. The interior was lit up with the help ofnterns, all over the building.

    In terms of seating, there were many wooden chairs present, fitted with cushioning that allowed one to stay for long periods of time, reading any book that was fitted on the shelves. On top of the side of the bookshelves themselves, was a metal sign, educating what books one could find. Though all of them werebeled, only one section was stocked; the religion section.

    Before he was able to walk inside the building, a woman stopped him using her long wooden stick. She wore a long-sleeved white shirt, a long blue skirt to cover her legs, wearing a pair of white socks, but no shoes. Marco looked at the woman, who pointed at the sign next to a shoe rack.

    "Do I need to read that for you, young man?" the woman asked.

    "Oh! Pardon me, ma''am. I didn''t notice the sign. I will take them off now." he replied. The woman''s eyebrow raised.

    "So you can read?"

    "Yes. I passed the test. I can read."

    "Which school? Because from what I know, there are a lot of schools in this city." The woman further questioned, a little suspicious of Marco.

    "Luvastreet Public School. I joined my first ss of the 7th of Possum. I am one of those early birds if you will."

    "I see. If that is indeed the truth, do you mind if I test you on your abilities?"

    "Go ahead, ma''am," Marco replies, as he takes off his shoes and keeps them on the rack. He pointed her stick at one of the signs.

    "Then what does that say?"

    "Religion."

    "And that?"

    "Mechanics"

    "And that?"

    "Biology." Marco effortlessly answered. The woman was impressed, and let Marco inside the building.

    "I apologize for my rudeness. I was not expecting someone of... your caliber to be already able to learn so quickly."

    "Apology epted. Say, would you mind telling me what is avable for me to read? I would love to be able to expand my knowledge," Marco asked calmly.

    "Well, currently we do not have that many books avable. In order for books to be stocked inside the building, we need confirmation from the HISAR to do so. Currently, since their headquarters is still in the nning stages, I am not sure how long will it take.

    What we currently have now, is only the tranted scripture of the bible. His majesty made sure to fill this ce with the bible at least." the woman answered. Marco walked up to the bookshelf and grabbed one off it. He then skims it through, thinking for a minute, before he turns back to the woman.

    "May I borrow this book, ma''am?"

    ...

    Vice was walking right back to his home. Although he may have been distracted by the wonders around them, he soon manages to head back home. However, what he could have never guessed, standing in front of his home, is Marco Dietrichson.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Marco, what are you doing here?" he asked.

    "Vice, I just got an idea that you might want to hear. May Ie inside?"

    "Yes, of course! Come in." The two went inside and headed to his room. Once they made it safely inside, hidden away from the people outside, they sat on the floor and begin to talk.

    "So... what is it that you wanted to talk about?" Vice asked.

    "I was thinking... whether you would be interested in a business opportunity. A way to make some money?" Vice''s curiosity increased. Wanting to learn more, he leaned in.

    "Go on," Vice replied. He held his hands together and kept his head on them.

    "Alright. First I need to establish a fact. We are the only people in this part of the city, who can read and write, correct?"

    "Yes, us and a few others, I think. What do you suggest?"

    "Well, I think we should use our talent, and start reading books aloud to... anyone who wants to listen. We rent out a space, get people toe, and then listen."

    "I mean... sure. But I don''t think we will attract that many people. What do you n on reading aloud."

    "The Bible," Marco calmly suggested.

    "The Bible?!?" Vice replied with a shocked face.

    "Yes, I was thinking that we could start reading the bible out loud for them, collecting money from people for listening.

    Think about it. We probably won''t have any realpetitors for a month at least, AND our customer base would be everyone who wants to hear the word of god, which is... everyone! It is a solid n! Don''t you think so?"

    "Um... I am not so sure about that..."

    "Why not?"

    "Well, don''t you think that people will find it... immoral?" Vice asked.

    "They won''t if we frame it in a specific way," Marco replied while using the okay sign with his hand.

    "Can you borate on that?"

    "Of course. The way the church took money from its followers was through donations. What I am thinking is that we do the same."

    "But won''t that make you a preacher? Won''t you get arrested for it?"

    "You would think, but no. Because I am not a preacher. Instead, I will be framing myself as an ''upstanding citizen who reads out the Bible for people to hear''.

    The donations ''allow me to continue reading the word of god in these hard times''. Because remember, the demonic wave is here. Remember the announcement?"

    "I guess, but what do you want me to do?"

    "I want you to be the... advertiser. Here is what I am thinking. I am thinking of renting a space for one day. You go around and tell people that I am reading out the bible for free and that they can attend.

    At the end of my reading session, I will tell them to donate money to me so that I ''can continue to read you the bible for free.''"

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "How much will it cost though?"

    "Simple. One room that is enough to fill about 100 people would cost about 15 copper coins a day. I made sure to check. That would mean that out of 100 people, all we need is for 15 to donate just 1 copper coin or just 3 people to donate 5 copper coins.

    The starting cost is low. If we make a profit, we can split the money. If we don''t, well, we can just stop it there. We will have almost nothing to lose, and everything to gain. So... what do you say?" Marco questions.

    Vice thinks about the deal through. Sure, he would like to make some money, which would allow him to pursue his passion, but he wasn''t very sure about it.

    "Can I ask one question?"

    "Go ahead."

    "Why me? Why should I be the advertiser?" Vice asked.

    "Because you, unlike me, are a local. They are more likely to listen to you than they are to listen to me. If you were the one to tell them, they are far more likely toe, and far more likely to donate. You understand?"

    "I see. That does make sense..." Vice thinks for a minute again, beforeing to a decision. He takes in a deep breath and extends his hand.

    "Alright. You convinced me. I am in."

 Chapter 155 Void Weapons?

    ?Kristina walks along the halls of the pce, carrying a few files to be turned over to Kant. Since the arrival of the demonic wave, Rose Valline has requested Hoverdam to send a few of their elite ''knights'' to helpbat, contain, and terminate powerful demons that have been spotted in the area.

    What they hope to do, is to take out as many of the powerful demons as they can at first, so that they won''t have to deal with themter. Demons tend to do surprise raids on towns and cities, which they can avoid by taking out high-ranking demons.

    Being the head of the Demon Extermination Force, Kristina Robins had to work alongside Kant Maybale and n Fleck to implement the Demon Extermination Forse as Kant had intended in the charter. While the overall rank structure hasn''t changed much, there have been some massive changes in other areas.

    The way the DEF worked was far closer to how the Hoverdam Police Force worked. A bunch of officers trained in how to deal with their targets, in this case, demons, and handle them ordingly. They are to take requests from the knight hall, which is now called the DEF headquarters, in order to earn more money and experience, allowing them to climb the ranks.

    They were also given some new uniforms to wear, which Kristina was not exempted from. Instead of her usual long-sleeved silver uniform with a long purple skirt, she was handed a new uniform to wear. It consisted of a ck suit with silver ents and a silver emblem, a crisp white shirt, and a ck bow tie for the top.

    Covering her bottom consisted of a ck skirt that covered her knees, ck stockings, and some ck shoes. Although she was given the choice to wear pants, Kristina rather preferred to wear a skirt.

    The other agents were fitted with simr attire. It mainly consisted of a ck suit with multicolored ents and emblems, hinting at your ranking in the DEF. While men were ordered to wear straight ties, women were told to wear bow ties instead. This is their professional uniform, the one they wear for appearances.

    As for theirbat uniform, they are still fitted with the old wrought iron suits of armor, with a few possessing runic armor they managed to gain from the war. Although the weapons were still in good condition, Kristina thought that her new agency could use an upgrade.

    She soon arrives at his doorstep. Upon taking a deep breath, she clears off any dust from her new uniform to look sharp and knocks on the door. Although she was there to just deliver the file, she desired to talk with Kant about something.

    "Come in." she hears a deep, monotone voice speak from the other side. Kristina opens the door and went inside. Once she closed the door behind her, she bows down and greets Kant good morning.

    "Good morning your majesty."

    "Good morning to you as well, General Director Kristina. What brings you here?"

    "I havee here to deliver the file that you requested. However, I would like to talk to you about a few improvements the DEF can go through. Is that alright with you?"

    "Of course. Take a seat," Kant replies. Kristina takes her seat on the wooden chair. She then hands over the file to Kant, who started to read it through. ording to the file, Hoverdam has been requested for about 30 knights, or agents, to be sent over to various cities around the area.

    Before their deployment, The DEF had made sure to arm them with the necessary equipment, including swords, bows, spears, shields, potions, and even FLM-18Rs, before sending them off.

    As of yesterday, about 25 agents have already reached their destination, with another 5 more on their way today. There was then a list of all the cities that they were sent off to, as well as the number. Once he is done reading, he ces it on the side of the table and turns to Kristina.

    "Thank you for handing over the file. Now, I believe that there is something you wanted to talk about?"

    "Yes sir. I was wondering whether the DEF could get stocked with new weapons."

    "Hmm... Why is that?"

    "Well, from what I know, with the new machines that you have brought to the city, I feel that the Demon Extermination Force could be fitted with much more effective weapons than before, which would allow them to be able to fight more effectively in a time when demons are infesting the continent.

    You see, sir, most of our Agents normally use weapons and armor made of wrought iron, as it was the most effective material without being too expensive. Considering that you are building a steel mill, it could be possible to upgrade to steel armor, which is stronger and lighter than wrought iron.

    It would allow the agents to be more flexible, stronger, and safer while fighting the demons. They all mostly consist of elite knights, which I guarantee you, sir, are one of the most powerful soldiers you can find in our city," Kristina argued.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Kant''s left hand rubbed his chin as he listened to Kristina talk. Once she finished, Kant asked another question.

    "I will look into it. Is there anything else that you wish to speak of?"

    "Yes sir. It is in regard to the void weapons."

    "I beg your pardon, Mrs. Robin, I am not sure what you mean by void weapons. Could you please exin?" Kant asked.

    "Of course sir. Void weapons, also known as ''anti-mana'' weapons, are a type of runic technology where a special ck crystal known as an ''anti-mana crystal'' or ''void crystal'' is fitted to a socket to give said weapon or armor anti-mana properties.

    The concept of how void weapons is very simple. As demons are creatures that are partially or fully made of mana when the de of a void weapones into contact with a demon, it cancels out a lot of its mana, making it weaker, and more vulnerable.

    A demon with less mana is a creature that is far less strong, and far less regenerative than a normal one. This logic has also been seen to work with humans who possess mana. But that is not all.

    There is also void armor, which is, as sir can guess, armor that has anti-magic properties. Void armor is a type of armor that can cancel out any magical attack that is thrown in its way. Although, we mainly use it in its shield form, as people normally cannot use their magical abilities while wearing the armor."

    "Hm... I see. What is the catch?"

    "The catch is that building a void weapon is an incredibly difficult and strenuous task. Void crystals are very toughpared to other materials, and are about as rare as gold.

    Once the crystal has been found, it now much be properly cut in order to fit it into the socket properly. As the crystal is measured to be on the tougher side, kind of like a diamond, this could lead to many chances of failure, which just add to the cost of producing one void weapon."

    Kristina took in a deep breath, before continuing.

    "However, considering that we now have new technologies and machines at our disposal, I was wondering whether we could build a workshop for a void weapon, to start producing a few of them and equipping all our agents with one.

    Considering that this would be your area of expertise, sir, do you think that it is possible?" Kristina questioned.

    Kant leaned back on his chair, and start to think it through. Although building a device specialized in the process is technically feasible, he was not familiar enough with what Kristina was suggesting to make any guess.

    "Hm... I am not sure. I will need to inspect one of these void crystals before I can proceed. Would you mind telling the assistant minister to bring some to me, as well as books regarding the subject? I would like to know as much I can before proceeding."

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Alright, sir. I can do that."

    "Good. Now, I assume that is all?"

    "Yes sir, that is all. May I take my leave?"

    "You shall Director General Kristina. You shall."

 Chapter 156 Visiting Hoverdam

    ?Arge wooden sailboat sails upstream, against the tides of the river. A man wearing arge acorn-gray hemp cloakes up the stairs to the deck of the ship. He then walks over to the left side, takes out his spyss, and looks in his general direction. He continues to move around his spyss until he spots and focuses on the city in the distance.

    You see, this man was here on a mission; to evaluate the city of Hoverdam, to see whether the kingdom is as friendly as they said. If it is not to be the case, then they can look somewhere else. But if it is indeed true, then they can be certain that their kingdom would be much safer.

    As the sailboat approached the city, the man spotted something odd about it. There seems to be a faint touch of smog, surrounding the entire city. It was rather odd and sparked the curiosity of the hooded fe. A few more minutes pass, and he can see therge chimneys of a lot of strange buildings, puffing out tons of smoke.

    The others on the ship,prised of poor artisans, merchants, and more, noticed the strange aura around the city and started to gather around. Whispers flew threw the air and in o their ears, specting what was going on.

    The ship soon arrives at the port, and the men are allowed to go down the bridge. The first thing that everyone noticed when entering the city, was the smell of the slightly dense air around them. Their noses picked up a sulfurous, smoky smell, while their eyes spots a slight yellow and ck gas all around them, making it slightly difficult to breathe.

    Regardless, the hooded man starts walking down the city, from the downtown to the outskirts, before returning. In downtown, he first notices the presence of this weird fashion among men. He sometimes took glimpses of men in sleek suits, with straight ties to go along with it. From what he can tell, it was most prominent around wealthy merchants, who had a lot of money.

    But that was not all. There were these other men, holding wooden sticks, wearing a ck uniform, walking, and looking around. If there were any criminals in the area, they saw these mene in and effortlessly tackle them down. From what he assumes, these men were those civilianw enforcers that he heard.

    The second thing was the buildings themselves, especially the windows. Back at home, the windows usually often featured wooden frames with iron bars with no ss. Here, in the city of Hoverdam, the sight of a ss window was much moremon, with many buildings featuring ss windows.

    To make sure that what he was seeing was, in fact, ss, he walked up to the building window and tapped on it. As his finger touched the transparent object, it was very clear that it was indeed, crystal clear ss.

    He started to wonder how these people were able to afford such luxuries. ssmaking itself was a very expensive and time-consuming business, with only wealthy merchants, knights, and royalty being able to afford them.

    As he continued to walk down the road, he soon notices that there were two metal bars built into the main road, connected to other metal bars, making a seamless line of rail that runs throughout the city. Finding this feature rather peculiar, he asks one of the locals for some answers.

    "Excuse me, sir, could I ask you a question?" The local turns around and notices the hooded man. Thinking that he wore that because of this hot day, he thought nothing of it.

    "Yes, what is it?"

    "May I ask you the purpose of these metal bars? I have noticed that they run throughout the city," he questions the local while pointing his finger at the metal bars.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "That? Those are the tram tracks. It is more the tram to move."

    "Tram tracks?"

    "Yes. Are you perhaps new around here?" the local asks.

    "Yes. I just came here today, and I was wondering what this is all about." The local chuckles.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Ah, don''t worry. These are all new additions to this city anyway. Basically, a tram is like this giant carriage that moves on these tracks. It uses something called an ''engine'' to move along the lines.

    The tram is used by many people around the city to get around quickly because walking would take too long," he said. His exnation bewildered the hooded man. Arge carriage? Moving along these metal bars? He found it very hard to believe.

    "I see. Say, could you mind pointing me where I can see one of these carriages?" he asks. The local leans to the side and smiles.

    "Well, you appear to be in luck. There is oneing over here right now!" the local pointed out with his finger. The two moved out of the way and observed the tram move effortlessly. The hooded man''s jaw dropped upon seeing the red beast moving along the city, carrying passengers along the way.

    "It''s moving! How is it moving?"

    "Like I told you, they use an engine. Do you see that gasing out of it? That is said to be the exhaust. Those engines are fitted throughout the entire city." he replies. As soon as the tram makes a turn and disappears further into the city, the hooded man turns and asked the local one more question.

    "Where can I board one?"

    "You can board one in a station. There is one nearby. Down the road and to the left. It is a building with arge sundial on top." the man replied. The hooded man thanked the local and went on his way.

    The hooded man soon approaches the station that the local was talking about. The tram station featured a building nearby, where some people lined up to gather something. It appeared to be some sort of map, where all the tram stations are located, and what tram stations they are in.

    There were also areas with benches, given shade from the sun, waiting for the next tram. Next to the benches, was arge map of where all the tram stations are, making it easier for them to know where they are.

    The hooded man gets a map and sits on the bench. As he waits, he looks onward at the sundial, waiting for the tram toe. The tram soon arrives after waiting for 30 minutes. Once the previous set of passengers drops off, he enters the tram and takes a seat.

    As the tram moves around, all while wobbling a little, the hooded man looks onward, outside the tram. As he moves inside this marvel of engineering, he spots more strange buildings, incorporating weird architectural styles, featuring sleek and bold geometric forms, with a linear appearance, stylized with geometric ornamentation.

    He soon gets off the tram and starts walking around the city more. As he was walking around, admiring the city and questioning the locals, he just remembers the mission that he was assigned, to see whether the government was friendly enough.

    Just then, as he was walking through the streets, he sees people gathering around a building, with the sounds of someone preaching can be heard. The hooded man immediately walked over and sees a boy with blonde hair, reading the bible off to an audience.

    The hooded man looks outside and sees two police officers pass by. The two looks onward at the building, talk to each other, and then just continue walking down the road. From what it looks like, don''t seem to mind that he was doing so and let it slide.

    The hooded man listened until the speech was over. It was then that the boy asked for donations, to allow him to continue reading the book to his audience. Many of the hundred people came over and filled up the jars with copper coins, before leaving the building. The hooded man, upon seeing this event, smiled. He walks up to the donation jar, drops a few coins, and leaves the building, never to be seen again.

 Chapter 157 The Steel Mill (1)

    ?It was a calm, quiet morning on the 13th of Navitas, 5018. The sun had just started to rise, projecting and covering its yellow light onto the rapidly industrializing city of Hoverdam. Kant Maybale was found sitting uneasily inside the carriage, wearing a white suit with a shirt and a ck tie.

    He was busy reading a book, an adventure novel, to distract him from the outside world, and the fact that he had to ride in these primitive horse-drawn vehicles, on his way to the new steel mill that he hadmissioned to be built.

    Steel was a very important material to master. It would allow the city to build stronger andrger buildings, make more powerful steam engines, produces stronger armor, and build new mechanical devices which were previously impossible to build.

    The carriage was being guarded by a few police officers wielding FLM-18s, and a few DEF agents. As they rode along the smooth brick roads, Kant realized that he needed an agency tasked to protect him at all costs, like the Secret Service back in his own world.

    Regardless, he can get to work on that as soon as he gets back. Right now, he wanted to see with his own two eyes how much iron he can quickly convert into steel, and the proper time it takes to remove the adequate amount of carbon, to make the steel as strong as he can.

    The carriage soon came to a stop, and the door opens up. Kant ces the book to his side and gets off the carriage. It was a 12-meter tall building with multiple long chimneys present. The building was built in a way to allow for easy expansion and had track lines that went inside the building so that some cargo trams can deliverrge quantities of the iron to the mill.

    Kant walked inside the building, where he found it barren of workers but filled with machinery. Understandable, considering the sun is just rising. Kant starts to walk around the rooms, examining everything. He noticed that every room was connected with a conveyer belt, used to transport the materials within the factory before being loaded and shipped out to the correct destination.

    Other than the conveyer belt, there was also the presence of steam-powered machinery that was crucial to prepare and producing the steel. After a long walk, Kantes back to the beginning and walks outside.

    "Is there anything missing, your majesty?" one of the DEF agents asked.

    "No. Everything is just fine. Now, we just have to wait," Kant replied. Just like that, they all waited for the workers to arrive, one by one. Upon arrival, they all bowed down to Kant, before waiting for everyone else. Soon, after about a few hundred people arrived, they all got inside and started working on the steel mill.

    They were all wearing a specific type of uniform, issued to them under the orders of the young king. It consisted of a heavy cotton shirt with long sleeves and a high cor to protect the neck from sparks and hot metal.

    For the bottom half of their body, they were given pants made of heavy wool, some brown heavy leather boots, an apron, and a hat to protect themselves from any dangers they may face while working in the mill.

    Kant wanted to make sure that they knew he cared about his people. To make sure that they would have a high image of him, and to avoid any public rtions disaster, he went though the extra step., to save face and make the government seempetent and trustworthy.

    The workers were then assigned to their rooms, which were mostly separated by a white line on the floor. They were all taught how to use the machinery yesterday evening, just after the building was fully constructed and fitted with the machines. Though they might not be experienced, they already knew what to do.

    Caravans and cargo trams soon started to line up and travel inside the building through the open gates. The raw iron and other materials were dumped onto the conveyer belts, where it was dragged into the screening room. Kant, with a DEF agent wearing white clothing, walked inside the mill.

    The screening room was very noisy, filled out with mechanical sounds of the trommel and the shaking screens. The workers, the ones who operated the machines, often had to shout tomunicate with each other through the loud noise. The room itself started to be dusty, and a little hot.

    As the environment these group of workers had these dust particles running around, they were given some protection to allow their lungs to keep on properly functioning in the future, and to not develop any respiratoryplications.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® The iron is first put through the trommel, which consists of a cylindrical drum, mounted on a central axle. The drum is made up of a series of sieves that allow the iron or any other material, to pass through based on its size. Once the iron has passed through the drum, they are separated into different sizes based on the size of the sieves.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Once the iron has passed through the trommel, they are taken to the shaking screens. The shaking screen consists of sieves arranged in a vertical stack. The screens themselves are made up of parallel wires that are spaced apart to allow materials of a certain size to pass through.

    As the name suggests, once it starts operation, the frame of the machine starts to vibrate at a fast rate. While the frame vibrates, the iron that is continued to be separated is fed onto the top screen. The smaller ones pass through the openings in the screen, collected in a conveyer below, while therger ones are collected at the bottom.

    Once the materials are screened and properly separated, they are brought over to the st furnaces. As the iron the mill received is not pig iron, they have to convert it into pig iron themselves.

    The two of them walk over to the next room where they found it to be dominated by these tall, cylindrical furnaces, heated with the help of coal-powered steam engines. While the furnaces are charged with iron, coke, and limestone, the steam engine is given the power to activate the bellows, which transfer air into the st furnace, increasing the temperature.

    As the air is blown into the furnace, itbines with the coke to create a reducing atmosphere. The iron ore reduces oxygen and forms pig iron. The limestone is there to help remove impurities from the pig iron and form g.

    As the st furnaces started to operate, the room heated up more than it did in the screening room. By this point, the workers, the agent, and Kant himself started to profoundly sweat. The DEF agent turned to Kant and asked him a question.

    "Was this why you instructed them to wear white clothing, sir?" he asked.

    "Yes. Yes, it was," Kant replied before he took a sip from his water bottle.

    The two waited for about 2 hours in the hot loud room, about as loud as a dozen chainsaws being fired at the same time. Thankfully, Kant made sure to issue ear muffs, to allow the workers and himself to keep their hearing. Once the pig iron was made, it was transferred over to the converter room through heat-resistantdles and pots, with the help of steam-powered cranes.

    Once the pots were filled up with pig iron, it was brought over to the converter room, where the Bessemer process takes ce. The converter room was fitted with this egg-shaped vessel made of iron and lined with refractory bricks. It was also where the cranese from, to help lift the pig iron.

    "Ready to pour it when you are!" the crane operator shouted.

    "Just a minute! We will be there!" the others replied. They went on to grab long metal rods or tongs, and get into position.

    "Ready! Pour the pig iron in!"

    The operator pulled a lever, causing the pot to pour the dense, molten metal into the mouth of the converter. The other workers, holding their metal rods, guided the flow of the molten pig iron into the mouth, to avoid any spills or sshes that could cause injury and damage equipment.

    Once the pig iron has been poured, the preheated converter is then tilted so that its mouth faces downward. A st of air is blown into the vessel using steam-powered machinery, fitted with a mechanical clock to measure the time.

    As the air is sted inside, the reaction starts to take ce, and the room starts to rise in temperature. The carbon dioxide that is created inside the converter is vented out through the tall chimney, and into the atmosphere.

    To ensure that the reaction proceeds efficiently, the converter is tilted back and forth. This process takes on for a couple of dozen minutes before it is stopped. Once the air is finished blowing inside, the time they took is recorded, to help conduct the strength tests in the future.

 Chapter 158 The Steel Mill (2)

    ?A worker holding a clipboard in his hands puts his thumps up, signaling to the operator to stop the blower. Once the blower stops blowing air into the converter, the machine is tilted again to pour the liquid steel out into a container called adle, where it is transported to the next room for the next stage of processing; the rolling room.

    Kant and the agent cross the line and looks around. They see that the rolling room was fitted with rolling machines, powered by steam engines. These rollers were simr to the ones present in the FLM-18 workshop, but in contrast to those rollers, the ones present in the steel mill were farrger and more powerful.

    Just like thest few rooms, the ce was smoldering hot, with the sounds of mechanical gears grinding and steam engines operating all around them. Before the steel can be put through the rolling mill to be turned into sheets or other various shapes that one desires, it is first brought over to a furnace, where the steel can be heated to a specific temperature, allowing it to be shaped and rolled more easily.

    After the steel is heated to the proper temperature, it is then transported from the furnace to the rolling mill using the conveyor belts. As it is brought over, the rolling mills activate and take in the steel. Using the controls on the rolling mill, the workers can turn it into any shape they want. The operator, who was in control of the rolling mill, shouted at his superior.

    "What shape does it need to be?!?" he screamed over the loud mechanical noise generated by the machine. The other worker looked at his chipboard, and turned a page, before responding.

    "We need it in cylindrical shapes! The diameter needs to be about 0.5 inches (12.7 mm) and a length of 2 inches (50.8 mm)!" he shouted back. Upon hearing this, he gave a thumbs-up and started working the steel to make it into the proper shape.

    After the rolling machine turns the steel into multiple small cylinders, it is brought over to the finishing room, to add some final touches. There were many pieces of steam-powered machinery in the finishing room. This includes drilling machines, grinding machines, polishing machines, annealing furnaces, and pickling tanks, all powered by coal-fuelled steam engines.

    The drilling machine was to create holes of varying sizes in steel shapes. The grinding machines were there to smooth the surface of the steel, which improves its appearance and removes any irregrities. Polishing machines, as their name would suggest, polishes the steel surface to improve its appearance. The annealing furnace is there to make it softer and more malleable, while the pickling tanks were there to remove impurities from the surface of the steel.

    As our cylindrical steel came out a little rough, with a few impurities on top of it, it had to be grinded and pickled. It took a few minutes, to fully do so, but once they were done, they were ced on the conveyer belt, and sent off to the next room, to be packaged and shipped.

    The cylinders were all put into wooden crates, allbeled the time they took inside the converter, the finishing processes it went through, and so on. This was added to make sure that they can differentiate between metals that went through different processes to be made, to know which way would work best in a given situation.

    After the steel was packed inside the wooden crates, they were loaded onto the caravans and cargo trams. They kept on doing this till they run out of material, which took about the entire working day, whichsts for about 8 hours. The steel mill had managed to convert about 10 tons of iron into steel, and that was due to the apparent shortage of iron, and the inexperience of the workers.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® As the sun was about 2 hours away from setting, Kant walked outside the steel mill before the workers backed things up. The police officers and agents all noticed that both of them were drenched in sweat. While Kant got to the carriage, the agent hopped on his horse. With that, the convoy started to move again, this time to a building located in middletown.

    As they went along the road, one curious DEF agent looked onward at the DEF agent beside her. The man white the white uniform took a sip from his bottle, before keeping them on his belt. With her thirst for knowledge killing her she asked the agent in white a small, simple question.

    "Hey... uh... Jason?" she asked. Jason, the DEF agent in white, turned to the female agent next to him.

    "Yes?" he replied.

    "Was it that hot in there? You and his majesty came out sweating like hell!" she questioned not so subtly.

    "Oh very much. If anyone else went inside there, you all would have fainted from a heat stroke. As a side effect, you might also wake up to find out you have gone deaf." Jasonmented.

    "So that ce was loud huh? And all that to think to make some steel. Do you think the end product will be worth it, that his majesty would be able to pull it off?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Oh very. I mean, look around you. This whole god-damn ce has transformed because of him."

    "Yeah, I guess that is true. Well, we will just have to wait and see!" The convoy soon arrives at the building they were supposed to head to. It was the same building where Kant had made his first prototype of cement. Kant got off the carriage and walked inside.

    Inside the building, featured a steam-powered hydraulic press. The hydraulic press works by using a piston that is driven by hydraulic pressure to apply force to an object, in this case, a steel cylinder. The hydraulic pump generates pressure by forcing hydraulic fluid into the hydraulic cylinder, pushing the piston forward, and creating a force that can be used to apply tension to the item being tested.

    There were also the creates filled with steel cylinders, ready to be tested. Kant got his assistants there to start the steam engine, while the others prepared to examine and write down the results. Other than the crates, there were three people inside, all there to help Kant run some tests.

    "Good afternoon... oh! Um? Are you alright, your majesty? You appear to have sweated a lot!" the researchers asked, upon seeing the king in his state.

    "I am fine. It is just the steel mill. It was very hot in there."

    "Ah... I see. Well, we apologize for our rudeness, sir."

    "Apology epted. Now, let''s get to work. I want to head back as soon as I can."" He then takes one of the cylinders and specifies the production details.

    "Cylinder 1. Time in Converter: 20 minutes. Finishes: Grinding and Pickling."

    He then ces it onto the hydraulic press and activated the machine. As the force increases, the steel would start to stretch, with the amount of deformation being measured using special gauges. They would continue until the steel fractured, at which point the maximum load that the sample could withstand would be recorded on a table, and drawn on a clipboard.

    The tensile strength of the steel was then calcted based on the maximum load and the cross-sectional area of the cylinder. They made sure to do the test on steel with the same conditions multiple times, before moving on to the next. They also made sure to calcte other properties of the steel, such as the yield strength or ductility, using other gauges and tools.

    After they had used up all the samples, they would create a new table, detailing all the types of steel they had been able to make in the steel mill. This table was to allow anyone to see the properties of each way of making steel so that they can order the proper one to use in their products.

    They made sure topare it to the steel made by the previous method. From what they see, the new process not only allows them to make a lot of steel at a faster rate but also ensures that the strength of said steel exceeds the one before. The steel mill appears to be a sess.

    Kant looked out the window. He sees that it was getting dark outside. As the day wasing to a close, and the night about to begin, he turned around to face the researchers. They all stood straight and formed a line.

    "Alright, we have done a magnificent job. Now, I would like for you all to make copies of this table, and send it over to get arger version of it made. I will ensure topensate you for the cost of the materials. Can you all do that for me?"

    "We can, sir."

    "Excellent. Now, as it is getting towards nighttime, it is best that we all head back home. I hereby conclude the test," Kant replied. He soon got on the carriage, and went back to the pce, dying to take a bath.

 Chapter 159 Demonic Ambush

    ?''coo-OO-oo, oo, oo.'' the mourning doves sang their tune, intent to be heard throughout the forest as their morning started. It went well with the sounds of the leaves ruffling thanks to the warm breeze, and the tune of the other birds, making a natural melody by mother nature.

    On the dirt pathway carved through the forest, three caravans slowly traveled along, being pulled by two majestic white horses each. Inside the first and third caravans, were a few musketeers, wielding powerful FLM-18 muskets they received from the city of Hoverdam, and a few knights with wrought iron te armor, fitted with runes.

    The second caravan, right in the middle of the convey, was filled up with ingredients to produce a significant amount of medicine and potions, which would help in the fight against the increased demonic presence, being ridden by 5 herbalists, two elders, and 3 rookies. While normally, this caravan might not need any escort, due to the empress''s orders, and the fear of the herbalists themselves, they were prompted to guard them.

    They were journeying down the dirt road, to enter deeper into the forest, to gather a lot of rare herbs that still remain there. Considering most of the same ingredients were snitched away in a panic at the beginning of the month, the town now had to risk entering deeper to get the herbs they want.

    As the caravan rode along the road, Carson, Herrold, and the other musketeers looked outside and admired the beauty of their surroundings. Using their hands and mouths, theymunicated beautiful animals and nts to the others.

    "Hey, Herrold. What do think about that birdie? It has those ck and orange feathers on it!"

    "Oh yeah, it does! I wonder what they are called?"

    "It is called a Baltimore Oriole." one of the knights replied. She was part of the locals here, who had lived in the small rural town for all her childhood. She had medium-long ck hair reaching up to her shoulder, a pair of amber eyes, and a sweet smile. As a weapon, she carried a good old bow, with a bunch of arrows in her bag.

    "Ah! So that is what it is called. Thank you, Knight Serena " Herrold replied.

    "No problem. You should consider yourself lucky to be able to see them. Considering they will be migrating back south soon," Serena added.

    "Really? Why is that?" Carson asked, curious to know why.

    "Well... this is thest month of their breeding season, which is primarily in the summer months. They head back south to back to their wintering grounds. They should start their migration back from this month onwards."

    "Ah. I see. Thank you for the information. I did not know about that," Carson replied.

    "You are wee," she replied with her charming smile. The caravans soon arrive at their destination, which was located somewhere inside the forests. The herbalists drop down, as well as the others.

    The soldiers load up their weapons with gunpowder and a bullet, ready to fire at anything that moves. Meanwhile, the knights made sure that there were no demons around so that the herbalists can collect their ingredients in peace.

    They cast a spell, checking the general area to see if there were any potential demons present. Surprisingly, there seem to be none, for now.

    "The area is clear. We should be safe to collect the herbs. Just don''t go too far out of the caravan. It is too dangerous to do so. Does everyone understand?"

    The soldiers and the herbalists nodded and went on to do their job. While the soldiers protected the herbalists, they went on to pick up the herbs that wereying on the grass carpet of the earth. There appeared to be a plentiful amount there, just waiting to be collected.

    The knights made their way over to the outer edge of the perimeter, making sure that there weren''t any demonic beings around further deep into the forest, hiding from their senses. They acted as the first wall of defense against the demons, as the musketeers were seen as limited in their abilities.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® As they sensed their surroundings, a few of them picked a powerful beast to the north of them, headed in their direction. Upon seeing the enormous amount of mana it possessed within it, a few knights quickly move up to take down the beast, while the others went closer to the caravan center, to make sure that nothing gets in.

    They inform the soldiers and the herbalists that a powerful mana being has been spotted on the north side of their position. As a result, the soldiers moved to the north of the herbalists, ready to fire at whatever was going toe their way IF the knights failed to stop it.

    ...

    Serena, along with the rest of her knight palls, dashed over to intercept the beast that wasing their way. The knights were all well equipped with runic weapons, spears, and swords. Senera, in her position of the archer, stared back and took a good vantage point, to allow her to take down the beast with ease.

    From their senses, they can tell that the beast was just a few feet in front of them, hiding in the bushes. Serena takes out an arrow from her back and loads it on her bow. She then waits for the beast toe out, to take a perfect shout at its forehead.

    Just then, arge wolf, about the size of an adult lion, jumped right in front of them. Its brown fur, which it had used for camouge, had now turned silver gray, with yellow oozing out of its eye. It had grown two long sharp horns on its head, while its forehead is attached to the yellow mana crystal controlling the beast.

    "Be careful everyone! The D¨¦monloup looks to be strong!" The D¨¦monloup gives out a loud roar, to intimidate the knights into surrendering. Obviously, it didn''t work, and the knights maneuvered to surround the beast.

    "Alright everyone, attack!" a knight ordered. The 4 knights charged at the beast, all at the same time. The d¨¦monloup quickly discharged an electrical shield, shocking the knights with a thousand of electricity; an unexpected move!

    Serena immediately fired upon the beast, aiming at its crystal. The beast stopped the electric shield and cast a shield spell to block it. It then used this moment to dash away from the knights, who were still regenerating from the shock of a thousand volts going through their bodies.

    Senera quickly pursues the d¨¦monloup and fires another arrow at it. Though it did hit, the shield that surrounded the beast did not prate through. As it got closer to the herbalist, Serena cast magical spells to destroy the shield, so that she can take a proper shot.

    Explosions and fires rocked throughout the forest, as her attempts of destoIt soon managed to destroy it fail. She quickly runs out of mana and energy, allowing the d¨¦monloup to outrun Senera, leaving her to pray to the other knights to defeat the demons.

    ...

    Carson had formed a line with his fellow soldiers, waiting around. The other knights, who were meant to cover their perimeter, had sensed a powerful beast to their southwest and decided to go tackle it ordingly. This left the 14 musketeers to defend the herbalists all alone.

    As a result, the soldiers decided to split up. 7 of them covered their general southwest, while Carson, Herrold, and 5 other soldiers covered their general north. As they waited around, they heard the sounds of loud explosionsing from the north. When they look to see what was going on, they can see smokeing up into the air, inside the forest.

    "You think a tough battle is going on?" one of the soldiers asked. As the sounds of the explosions get closer and closer, Carson thought otherwise.

    "Everyone, get in formation! Something ising from the northside," Carson ordered, being the first one to hear the sound. The men got into a straight line made up of 7 people, with Carson being in the middle. After packing together, and aiming their guns in the general direction they the sounds, they patiently waited.

    The explosions got louder and louder, with the smoke clouds bingrger andrger. Their hearts start to beat rapidly, as they assume the worst had happened. But then, it stops. Everything goes quiet, and the men are forced to question what had just happened.

    "False rm?" one suggested. Out from the forest, was a giant d¨¦monloup, with a shield cast around it. It observed the soldiers firmly, before licking its mouth, as a sort of intimidation tactic to suggest that it was hungry.

    "Nope," Herrold replied. Carson observed the beast and looked at what it was surrounded by. The demon appeared to have this sort of transparent shield, with a yellow hue. It allowed the soldiers to take a good look at the beast, before raising their guns.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "All right everyone. Do you know your training? Aim for the forehead. I will fire after everyone else had. You all got that?" they nodded. The man aimed down their barrels and cocked their guns.

    The d¨¦monloup starts running straight towards them. As it got closer, the first shoulder took his shot.

    click. Bang!

    The bullet swooshed over and hit the shield. However, it had failed to prate, and the beast kept oning.

    click. Bang!

    The second musketeer fired his shot, hitting almost the exact spot that the one prior had hit. Yet, the beast stood tall and kept one running.

    click. Bang!

    Another hit, but it failed. The beast was starting to get nervous.

    click. Bang!

    Miss! The beast gains a lot more confidence and starts sprinting its way over.

    click. Bang!

    Hit! Yet, it was a bit off! The pressure appears to be mounting, and the soldiers shivering.

    click. Bang!

    The bullet managed to hit the cracked spot of the shield, yet still failed to prate. The beast was halfway there. It was all up to Carson now. He aimed directly at the beast''s forehead and waited till it got a little closer. Upon taking a deep breath, he muttered to himself.

    "Here we go, Carson. Here we go..."

    click. Bang!

    The bullet wooshed over to the shield, finally prating it. It shatters the shield like ss and collides with the yellow mana stone it held on its forehead. The beasts immediately trip and fall on its face, rolling straight under the soldiers'' feet, beforeing to a full stop.

    Soon, the knightse to gather around and see the close call that the musketeers just had. Upon seeing the d¨¦monloup dead, they were given lots of praise, for being able to stop the beast dead in its tracks. However, there were still some questions floating around their minds.

    "Say, I have been wondering. What happened back there with this... d¨¦monloup? Y''all seem to er... not able to contain it."

    "It used a lighting spell!"

    "A lightning spell?"

    "Yes! It just... came out of nowhere! We just didn''t expect them to do that but then... it just did!" the knight replied.

    "I see. Well, do you guys need any potions? Any medicine?"

    "No... we are fine..." the knights replied.

    "So... the d¨¦monloup encountered you all first?" Serena asked. Carson turned his attention towards her.

    "Hmm? Oh! Er... Yes! It did? Why do you ask?"

    "Because aren''t the other knights supposed to take care of it? Where on earth did they go?"

    "They had to go southwest because they sensed another beast. They should be done with it soon."

    "Another beast?"

    ''Yes. Why did you ask?" Serena went to her thoughts for a minute, before turning to her teammates.

    "Everyone, listen up. I think we should report this incident as a nned ambush"

    "A nned ambush?"

    "Yes. I think the demons were trying to capture the musketeers and the herbalists. They might want to turn you all into amesperdues, to their mind-controlled demons."

    "But... isn''t an ambush rare? I mean... how the hell would they even know our exact location?" Just then, a morning dove flew right above them, singing its tune, causing them to look at the sky. The birds were circling the group like they were little eagles.

    Carson took out his spyss and took a look at those birds. From there, he can clearly see that they have those sparking white mana crystals on their forehead, flying through the sky.

    "I think we have our answer, folks," Carsonmented as he handed over the spyss for everyone else to see.

 Chapter 160 Another Letter

    ?It was another busy day in the mining city of Keliath. The air of the streets, once filled with such fresh clean air, was now mixed with an unhealthy amount of coal and sulfur, produced by the hundreds of chimneys pointed towards the sky, puffing out smog like there was no tomorrow.

    From the inside of their corporate headquarters, Horner B Tyler looked onward at the port from afar via his spyss. He can see that there were more shipments to the DURDIN group, their biggest active rival in the city.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® Horner and Tyler both suspected that they were the reason it was founded. Ever since they announced that they had managed to get a contract from the royal family themselves, it scared the previously squabbling miner owners to join up together, find a merchant, and find the DURDIN group.

    From there, they took out a few loans from the banks in the city of Hoverdam and a few investors to get the manpower and equipment needed to fund their new operation. From the looks of it, it had worked, considering they had attracted the attention of the pce, granting them a contract.

    "What do you think is in those boxes? Any Guess?" Tyler Miller asks Horner, who is right next to him, looking out of the window. Horner takes a while to examine the boxes themselves and where they were headed before he answered. He was conducting a form of espionage against his rivals.

    "From the looks and shapes of it. a few more conveyer belts, drills, pumps, and a bunch of other stuff. These fuckers areing up too fast," Hornermented, feeling irritated that they were getting their stuff BEFORE the TIC is.

    "I guess this was how they felt about us, didn''t they?" Tyler replied. Horner chuckles a little and turns to face Tyler.

    "I guess so," he replies before concentrating on the shipment again.

    "Any luck on expanding towards the south?" Horner questions Tyler as he watches them. Tyler thinks about it for a minute as well, before replying.

    "I had a few contractors lined up who were willing to take up some of our extra iron, but..."

    "But what?"

    "Well... you can say that the DURDIN group appears to have a few more powerful allies than we could have expected. They had managed to get ahold of them and sell them off before we could."

    "Darn... well, is there anyone else you think we can sell off our iron to?"

    "There are three more cities, and I am trying hard as I can to get a hold of them before the DURDIN group does. Considering that theye from an area where the demonic wave has shown up, I bet to think that they will be willing to pay a higher price."

    Just then, as the men were watching. There was a knock on the door. After giving their consent, a messenger enters the room, carrying an envelope to deliver to the two men. He hands them over the envelope, gets a tip in return, and leaves to deliver other messages.

    Tyler, being the one who was given the message, opened up the envelope and read the letter inside. As he silently read out its contents, he makes a smile. He then turns to Horner and hands them.

    "Greetings Mr. Horner B Tyler & Mr. Tyler Miller,

    We are pleased to inform you that we have received the adequate amount of iron as stated in our previous contract of 25 tons of iron, split into 7 days this week, for now. You have been able to satisfy our requests, and we thank you for that.

    The Government of Hoverdam had examined and acknowledged that yourpany, which you both started very recently, can produce arge number of materials, and scale up production when the opportunity arises.

    As a result, the government of Hoverdam has decided to continue conducting business with yourpany, to introduce another, more long-term contract that we hope to ce into effect this month.

    We will be sending a government agent to discuss business with you. He is expected to arrive on the morning of the 18th of Nativitas, at the port.

    He will ask you both questions about your corporation that would allow us to make a proper long-term contract that we can initiate. You both will be allowed to read the contract and make any essential changes you think is necessary.

    We hope to receive word back from you both soon!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Sincerely,

    Minister n ''Walker'' Fleck"

    As Horner finishes reading the letter, he ces it down on the table and looks at Tyler. The men were both smiling at each other, upon hearing the news.

    "Well, it looks like you were right after all! His majesty chose us because we can scale up production quickly. Though, considering that DURDIN also might have got a letter, we will need to be quick," Horner remarks.

    "Oh, don''t worry about the preparations. I will handle it. I already have prepared a n in ce just in case this might have happened."

    "You did? Since when?"

    "Since we got the letter. We both knew it was short-term, and I had some free time. So I did. The only question is, will you be able to make a report in..." Tyler looks at the calendar hanging on the wall.

    "... 3 days?" Tyler asks.

    "Oh, I don''t think that is necessary. I already received the report. It is in my briefcase," Horner replied.

    "Oh! You do? Well, can I see it?" Tyler asks.

    "Sure. Just one minute." He walked up to the other end of the table, which had his ck leather briefcase. He push open the locks and opened them up. Inside the briefcase, contained a stack of documents separated into files, waiting to be read.

    Horner skims through the files to find the file that he needs. Once he finds it, he makes sure that it was the correct file before walking back to Tyler.

    "From what is written here, currently we managed to produce about 25 tons of ironst week thanks to the additions of the new equipment we bought from the funds.

    However, as they are getting more experience after working with the machines, we might be able to produce 40 tons of iron this week, and 65 tons by next week, with our current equipment."

    "So? 65 tons a week then?" Tyler asked while raising his hand to grab the file.

    "No. Though we may be producing more iron, we are still waiting for the rest of the equipment to employ in our mining operation.

    Though I am not sure why they are taking so long, they should be on the 17th of this month, two days from now. Considering that it will take us about 3 more days to employ, the number could be drastically higher.

    From my estimates, If we manage to get it up and running by this week, we might be able to produce 85 tons of iron next week, and 140 tons a week after! Keep in mind, these are just figures, and the number could be lower or higher in reality."

    Horner then hands the papers to Tyler, who examines them closely. On the paper itself, was a neat table drawn with a pencil, presenting all the information that they needed.

    "Hmm! Wonderful. Well, just make sure to keep that file safe. While I get the preparations ready."

    "Alright then. Hey, should I continue on them or..." Horner asks while pointing at the window.

    "I don''t it will be necessary," Tyler replied.

 Chapter 161 Void Weapons Presentation

    ?A bunch of maids and servants were found moving wooden tables around inside a long room, surrounded by painted stone-brick walls, withrge windows, and a polished nked wooden floor. They all connected them, like a piece of a puzzle, before covering them all with a lot of white tablecloths, making what appeared to be one giant table with lots of white tablecloths over it.

    Once they were finished, the maids and servants were instructed to leave, as a bunch of DEF agents, wearing their tailored suits with their ents and pinned emblems, walked inside. Theye in holding wooden crates, containing void equipment and void crystals inside.

    The agents opened them up, carefully picked out the weapons, and ced them on the table. As for the crystals, they used a metal tong to avoid touching them with their bare hands and ce them on a small red cushion pillow.

    These particr items were rather strange. They had this smooth Vantack texture to the manacite infused with the crystal. This feature was seen across all the weapons, except the void crystals themselves, which have a pitch-ck ss texture to them. The difference in color may be small, but it made it obvious next to the other objects.

    These weapons were there to be disyed and demonstrated to the king, so he can examine them and then evaluate whether he can or should start a workshop around them or not. The demonstration on some demons themselves will take ce outside, where they have brought a bunch to be their test subjects.

    Once they were finished, many of them carried the wooden crates out of the room, while a few others waited inside, being tasked to exin to the king how each void weapon worked. The rest of them either left or waited outside, protecting the room. Although they may be part of the DEF, they had to assume these roles until the HAF gets fully trained and equipped.

    They made sure that they all looked sharp and clean, ready to present themselves to the king. The DEF agents wore tailored ck suits, ck shirts, or skirts, with the only other colors being their ents, presented mainly on their ties, indicating their rank.

    The ranking itself follows the color order of the mana stones. A white tie means that have 0 to 6 months of experience. Green ents mean that you have about 6 months to 24 months of experience, while blue means that an agent has more than 24 months of experience.

    Yellow ents would indicate one has more than 48 months of experience, while violet ents signal over 48 months of experience while holding 1 recognized achievement under their belts, awarded to them by themander.

    The room itself was filled with DEF agents ranking violet, the best there was. These men and women were all given these weapons to use at some point in their careers. As a result, they thought it would be best to have them present it.

    Now that the preparations wereplete, it was just a matter of time till his majesty, Kant Maybale,es down the hallway.

    ...

    Kant was found busy in his room, typing away on a piece of paper to add it to the stack of paper right then to him. He then stops, and thinks for a minute, before continuing to type away at the charter. Once he had reached the end, he takes the paper off his typewriter, turns it around, and continues to type.

    As the king was busy typing away on the piece of paper, he was interrupted by a knock on the door. Kant stops typing, and stares at the door for a minute, before deciding to call it for today. He took out the paper and ced it underneath the file.

    Kant then gives his consent for the stranger on the other side to walk in through the door. Minister n Fleck and DEF General Director Kristina Robins, walk inside the room and bow before their king.

    "Good morning your majesty. We came to inform you that the preparations have beenpleted," he informs the king.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "The Void Crystals?" Kant asks.

    "Yes, sir."

    "Alright then. What about the demonstration? Has that been set up?"

    "Yes, your majesty. I made sure to bring in the most experienced DEF agents with the weapons to demonstrate their abilities to you," Kristina replies. Kant then gets up from his chair, picks up his ck suit, and put it on.

    "Alright then. Let''s go." The trio then walks out of the room, down the maze of hallways inside the pce, before making their way down to the former knight hall, now called the DEF Headquarters, and to a long room protected by two DEF agents.

    They bow upon seeing Kant and open the door for him. The room, which was filled with a little chatter for the DEF to pass time, suddenly goes silent as they see their king right in front of them.

    Kant then walks up to the first exhibition on the table, a Void Spear. The spear looked to be made of a long polished wooden stick, with a manacite de at the top end. The socket containing the void crystal was at the neck, connected to the de and allowing it to possess a ton of void energy.

    Kant turned to the DEF agent who was right next to it, who despite being much older than him, was just 1 inch shorter than Kant himself.

    "Is this yours?" he asks in his deep and monotone voice.

    "No... your majesty. It belongs to you. I just happen to be the one to use it," the agent replied.

    "How many times have you used it?"

    "A lot. I think I used it to take down a few powerful beasts. Without it, I might have been dead those years ago. I can say the same for everyone else here, except the shield. We have all used it at one point."

    "I see," Kant remarks before his head turns to face the spear. He picks it up and examines the weapon, looking at it from all sides.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Do you use this like a normal spear? Or is there some kind of special technique I am unaware of?" Kant questions the agent.

    "No sir. We just use it like a normal spear. Once the de of the spear is inside a demon, it drains a lot of its mana, which is what is behind its great strength and regenerative abilities.

    As the void weapon drains its mana, it bes significantly weaker, allowing us to finish the job quickly, and without causing any excess deaths," the agent exins. Kant ces the weapon down, thanks the agent for the information, and moves on to the next weapon.

    Hees up to an axe, with two des on each side, with a crystal socket on the neck. Like the spear, its handle was made out of a polished wooden stick. Kant picked up the axe, examined it, and turned to the agent next to him to ask a few questions.

    "What can you tell me about this axe? How do you use it?"

    "Well, your majesty. A void axe is mainly used for cutting. Mainly a demon''s protective shield or flesh."

    "Flesh?"

    "Yes. Since we have found out that their flesh and skin are infused with mana, which is the same principle that is giving their strength, it has been made weaker to the effects of the void-axe," the agent exins while Kant listens.

    "Alright. Thank you." Kant replies before moving on to the next weapon, which turns out to be a bow.

    Unlike the other weapons he had seen so far, the bow had no des, no parts particrly made out of manacite. Instead, it appeared to be the arrows upon which it fired, as they had the sharp and pointy arrowhead made out of manacite.

    The bow itself looked to be aposite bow. It had a sleek and elongated shape with a deep belly and sharp tips made of snow-white horns. The yew stave, which forms the core of the bow, has a dark amber hue color with a smooth finish, while the elm backing on the back of the bow provided a beige tone color to contrast the amber hue.

    The socket itself, which Kant presumed would power the arrowheads, was just above the arrow rest. It was connected via a few wires, which powered up the arrowheads. The arrow rest was separated from the wielder''s hand, with a grip ced underneath, where they will keep their hands while using the bow.

    "How would you use this weapon?" Kant asks as he picks up the bow and arrow.

    "Well, your majesty. When you put an arrow onto the arrow rest, as long as it is touching the manacite wires, it will charge up the arrowhead. Once the arrowhead is Vantack in color, you can take aim, and fire it at the demon.

    As the arrowhead is charged with void energy, it is able to prate the skin or magical shields of even high-ranking demons with ease," the female agent exined, the first one to do so.

    "I see. thank you." he then ces it down and moves on. He then inspects the shield, which ording to the agent, dispels any magical attacks, before finallying up to the crystal itself.

    "Is that it?" Kant asks while eying the crystal.

    "Yes sir. That is it. That is the void crystal that powers the weapons that you have witnessed earlier." Kristina replied.

    "I see. How hard is it?"

    "Slightly less hard than a diamond. They were very hard to cut." Kristina replied. Kant decides to pick up the crystal to examine it closer.

    As Kant''s fingers touched the void crystal, it immediately turned Vantack along with the rest, surprising everyone in the room. Kant himself felt a little strange, feeling a lot more energetic than usual. Upon seeing the change, he turned to Kristina.

    "Are they supposed to do this?" he asks.

    "I don''t know sir, this is the first time I..." Kristina stops, looking nkly at Kant''s face. Then, it was the minister, followed by everyone else. Feeling a little confused, Kant asked a question.

    "Is everything alright?" Kant asks.

    "Sir... your eyes..." the minister talks up but doesn''t have the courage to speak.

    "What about them?"

    "They have gone ck! Like... pitch ck!" Kristina replies, finishing the minister''s sentence.

 Chapter 162 Health Inspection

    ?Kant found himself still inside the long presentation room, lying down on the table looking up at the stone ceiling of the room. The void weapons and crystals were immediately taken out of the room, and Kant was prompted to lie down on the table, which now acted as a makeshift hospital bed.

    He had to remove his suit, shirt, tie, and undershirt, to allow the physicians to properly examine him. It ended up exposing the rather healthy body that he had maintained throughout his 16 years of existence. Though there wasn''t any 6-pack present, he can be considered to be very healthy.

    The entire room that Kant was located in was now surrounded by DEF agents, enacting as security guards. Nobody is allowed to go in, nor they are allowed to leave. Kant had to patiently wait for the physicians to arrive, where they will check on him and make sure that he was alright.

    Kristina and n also waited for them to arrive, standing straight with their eyes focused on the door. Soon, the long-anticipated knock came. The door opened, allowing a few men wearing cloaks and carrying books and satchel bags toe inside.

    They first walked up to the minister and director and shook their hands. The man in front had a giant white beard, that stretched all the way down to the floor, like an old wizard. Behind him were his younger disciples, all trained physicians.

    "Greetings minister n Fleck and Director Kristina Robin. We came as fast as we could upon hearing what had happened. How is his majesty''s condition?" one of the physicians asked.

    "Well, his majesty appears to be alright but looks can be deceiving. Can you please check on him? We are going to be needing him in these hard times," Kristina asked.

    "Oh of course! We shall!" the physician replied.

    The physicians then strode over to Kant, who found himself surrounded by the physicians, all observing him to make sure he is alright, evaluating his health.

    "Good morning, your majesty. How was your day today?" the physician asked. Kant''s ventack eyes moved to meet the eyes of the physician.

    "Good morning doctor. Yes, it was alright. May I ask your name?" Kant replied calmly.

    "Why of course! It is Doctor Frederick Shipman. Now, I want you to stay still. We are going to be examining you. Just pretend that we are not here. Alright?"

    "Hm... Alright." Kant kept on looking at the ceiling while the physicians examined him. They noticed that he looked to be in fine health, all except his eyes. From the information they have on him, they immediately turned from jet-ck to vantack upon touching the void crystal.

    After a surface examination, they checked to see if his vitals were in order. They checked his pulse with his hand, and they his breathing by turning him around and cing their ear on his back. At that point, Kant wished he had invented a vital medical instrument that would have prevented this whole asion.

    Any observations that had been made were written down in their books using a wooden pencil. So far, he is looking to be in perfect health. Once they finished, they moved on to the questioning.

    "Alright. You appear to look fine. Now, we are going to ask you a few questions, and I want you to answer them with rity. Did I make myself clear?"

    "Yes, doctor, you did."

    "Excellent! Now, first question. How long did you touch the void crystal for?" Frederick questions Kant. One of the physicians immediately turns a page and writes down his question.

    "I held the crystal for about a minute. From the looks of it, the ces I had touched it have... smoothened out," Kant replied. Another physician wrote down Kant''s answer to Frederick''s question.

    "Ok, not for too long then. That is good. So, how do feel? Are you feeling any symptoms, such as pain or weakness?"

    "Weakness? No. I feel fine. More than fine."

    "Can you borate?"

    "I feel more energetic, more awake than before."

    "Energetic?"

    "Yes. When I first touched the Void Crystal, I felt this surge of energy go through me, as if I drank about 12 cups of coffee in an instant, without the bitter taste," Kant borated.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Are you still as energetic as before?"

    "Hm... sort of. It has dissipated, but only a little." Kant replied.

    "Alright then. Moving on. Are you experiencing any unusual sensations?"

    "Like what exactly?"

    "Like tingling, numbness, or dizziness? You feel any of that?"

    "I most certainly do not. I feel better than ever."

    "Better than ever, I see. Have you noticed any changes in your vision or hearing? Has it gone better?"

    "No. It is the same as before." Kant replied.

    This conversation went back and forth as the physician ask an endless amount of questions to which Kant replied patiently and calmly. The others were focused on writing down the questions and answers in the book, before walking back to the minister and general director of the DEF.

    "What is his condition?" the minister asks.

    "We cannot say. He doesn''t seem to experience any pain or sickness. I am not sure that there is anything that needs to be done," Frederick the physician replied earnestly.

    "But isn''t a void crystal dangerous to people who have mana reserves? Although we know the king does not have any, that we know of at least, he is the child of two powerful people who both possessed magic."

    "From what we know, a void crystal is harmless to people without magic, so we can assume it is the same for the king.

    The only way the crystal has affected him in any significant way that we know of is his eye color. Other than that, he seems to be perfectly healthy."

    "Alright. That is good. Although, is there a cure for his eye color change?" the minister asks.

    "Well... we could try bloodletting..." The moment that Frederick spoke out the word, Kant raised his voice to speak out.

    "Excuse me, but I humbly deny that request. I do not desire to risk death to change my eye color back to normal," Kant proimed. He had already gotten up from the table and put back on his clothes.

    "Well, if his majesty is refusing the bloodletting treatment, I can only rmend a single health potion. However, I think it would be best if we wait it out."

    "Wait it out?" the minister asks.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Yes. Just wait and see if there are any long-term side effects. I cane back to examine him in a week if that is alright with you all." The minister and Director turned to Kant, who had just finished dressing back up.

    "Yes, this is eptable," Kant replied. With that, it was settled. The physician was let go, the demonstration was dyed until further notice, and Kant went back to his room, ready to start working again.

    As he was starting back up again, he noticed that there was a small cut present on his finger. Kant opened up his drawer and look out a small ss veil containing a health potion. He takes out the pipette and put a few drops on his finger.

    However, as he watches, the health potion does not seem to be working. Strange. He then looks at the potion itself and takes out another drop, but before he can apply more on his small wound, he had noticed it had already disappeared.

 Chapter 163 Getting A Loan

    ?The sound of water residing in the river steamed upwards into the ocean calmly could be heard throughout all the farms located near the beach. As the sun was rising back up from the horizon, marking the beginning of a new day, the people of Hoverdam start to wake up from their deep slumber.

    Kyle, who slept right next to his wife on his wooden bed with its hay mattress, woke up in his farmer clothes, ready to start his day. He quickly off the bed, and went over to get dressed in the nicest clothes that he can find.

    Considering the ce he was going to, he went and made sure to buy a pair of new clothes. From the closet, he picked out a white shirt, a brown beige suit with a matching color pair of pants, and a ck tie, along with his calfskin shoes and a fedora hat.

    Kyle made his way down to the dinner table, where his wife had prepared his breakfast. On the wooden te, he got a eat some bread, and eggs, along with fish, vegetables, and cheese. Once he finished his meal, he kissed his wife and children goodbye and walked towards the small port, where a ferry will bring him over to the city.

    As he walked over to the docks, he looked on at the other farmers. Like himself, they have managed to set up a few things. As the farmers were starting from scratch, they had to start off with preparing thend. Any obstacles, such as rocks, bushes, or trees were removed, and thend was plowed to loosen up the soil.

    With thend plowed, the next step was to nt the seeds. They intended on following the 4-field crop rotation technique that had surfaced recently, where they nted grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits. After they are harvested, they were to be ''rotated'' and nted again.

    However, before they went on to nt the seeds, the farmers need a few things. First, they need fertilizer. Not just any fertilizer, however, but something called ''Lumer''s fertilizer''. Invented by a wizard that went by the name ''Lumer Gain'', it was this purplish substance that spurred the growth of crops, allowing farms to significantly increase the yield and growth rate of their crops.

    The farmers intended of using ''Lumer''s fertilizer'' to help grow their crops insanely quickly before the winter months would arrive. However, ''Lumer''s fertilizer'' was a very expensive fertilizer, and not many farmers are able to afford it, so they will need to provide a lot of money to buy enough of the supply for them to cover their entire farm, just this once.

    That was not the end of their problems. They also needed some new tools to help them nt the seeds, harvest the crops, and to set up irrigation systems to properly grow and take hold of their crops. With the advent of steam-powered machinery, they all smelled an opportunity to exploit these cold, heartless machines.

    As a result, Kyle, along with a lot of other farmers, decided to go take a loan from the bank, to help him purchase the equipment needed for him to sessfully kickstart his farm, to make some money.

    Kyle boarded up the ship and waited for the ferry to begin. He waited with a few other men, all wearing modern suits, headed to the same destination that Kyle was going to. Once the sundial hit the mark, the anchor was pulled up, and the boat cross the other side.

    Once Kyle had safely crossed the river, he walked over to a tram station and waited for one toe. There were a few others, some wearing the old hemp clothes, while others wearing newer cotton clothes, all waiting. Once the tram arrived, Kyle hopped on and waited till he reached downtown.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® The downtown was a rather marvelous ce in Kyle''s eyes. It was an area where the roads were clean and odorless, with the only spell being the baked goods of shops, the flowers present nearby, and now, the freshest air the city has to offer.

    He drops the tram and starts walking around the city once again. He asked a few of the locals where the bank was before he finally arrived. The bank was a 3 story building, made with an imperial architectural style. It was one of the old banks, being built 300 years ago. It used to serve extremely wealthy clients, providing them with a ce to keep their money.

    It was only very recently that it started to provide loans. The first in the city to do so. It was followed up by a few other banks in the area, who wanted to expand into this market segment. With the industrialization of the city, there was now a higher demand for loans than ever before.

    Kyle, upon taking a deep breath, walked inside. He was blown away by the checkered tile floor,prised of ck and white marble stone, polished to the point it shined. The building itself was well-lit thanks to the use of therge windows and torches being held thanks to the stone brick walls, painted daisy white.

    After admiring the building for a hot minute, he walked up to the polished wooden counter, where ady wearing a normal white cotton shirt and a ck bow tie was present on the other side. She looked up at Kyle, unamused, and asked him a question.

    "Good morning, sir. How may I help you today?" she asked.

    "Hello. I am here to apply for a loan?"

    "Long or short?"

    "I... I am sorry?"

    "A long-term loan is a loan thatsts for over a year, while a short-term loan is a loan thatsts for less than one year," she exined.

    "Ah! In that case, short-term," he replies.

    "What is your name sir?" she questions again.

    "Kyle. Kyle Moneymaker." she writes it down.

    "Wait for me here sir, I will be right back with you." she leaves the receptionist''s desk for a minute beforeing back. She then hands Kyle, empty-handed.

    "Go to the room down the hall and to the left. You canmunicate with one of our bankers here as to why you will need the loan," she replied.

    "Alright. Thank you miss." Kyle replied.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "You''re wee." Kyle then walked down the hall, and to the left. There, he found a doorway, with a man in a white shirt and a blue tie standing next to it, shouting his name. Kyle walked up to the man and greeted him. He was then told to walk inside and sit down.

    "The banker will be here in a minute," he replies, before leaving the room and closing the door. Kyle found himself in a fancy room yet again, with its white walls, checkered marble floors, andrge ss windows.

    He sat on a cushioned wooden chair, which was very unusual for him. In front of him, was a polished wooden desk, with a cup holding pens in it, and a swivel chair behind it. As Kyle gotfortable with himself, he can hear the door swing open again.

    A tall man, wearing a gray suit, with 4 buttons on it, and a red and ck striped tie entered the room. He had a smooth bald head, a pair ofrge brown eyes, and a button nose. Kyle immediately stood up to greet the man. He lend out his hand, which both men shook.

    "Good morning Mr. Kyle Moneymaker. I hope I am notte?" he asked in his deep voice.

    "Oh no, you are not. I just came here myself."

    "Wonderfull. Sit down," the man pointed to Kyle''s chair. Once both the men were seated, they began to talk business.

    "Now, I heard that you wanted a loan. What do you want the loan for?"

    "Well, I have been given a plot ofnd by his majesty, and I wanted to start my own farm. I will need some equipment and materials to get it started." Kyle replied. The man raised her eyebrow.

    "Do you even know how to start a farm, sir?" he asked. Kyle felt that she did not trust him in the slightest.

    "Well... I am a farmer." Kyle replied.

    "You are? For how long?"

    "Since I was the age of 10. I have about 20 years of experience in the field."

    "I see. How did you manage to get the farnd then? Where is it located?"

    "I lived in the area where it used to be the industrial district. Aspensation for evicting me from my old home, his majesty has me a plot ofnd on the other side of the river."

    "The other side? Isn''t that dangerous? Won''t your crops be attacked by a bunch of demons?" he continued to ask.

    "Well, my farm is located closer to the river and further away from the forest, where the demonse from. Mymunity is also armed with FLM-18RCs, which are kind of like those guns the Vallian soldiers brought in."

    "I see. Mr. Kyle Moneymaker, considering the farm in which you are speaking of was granted to you just a few months back, are you sure that your crops will be able to grow just in time to justify taking out this loan?"

    "Certainly! I intend to a fertilizer called ''Lumer''s fertilizer''. It is this magical fertilizer that can be used to grow food quickly. It was supplied by the pce itself during times when famines urred so that we could have grown enough food quicker."

    "Is that so? Well, are there other things that you want to buy with the money?"

    "I do. I want to buy a seed drill, a harvester, a threshing machine, a water pump, a grain mill, some tools, and a steam engine. I will also be buying more gunpowder and bullets to protect my farm.

    Some of the items above can be powered by an animal, like the seed drill and harvester, while others like the threshing machine and water pump could use the steam engine." Kyle exined. The man went on to ask a few more questions before he finally came to the terms of the loan.

    "Now, Mr. Moneymaker. Although I am willing to guarantee you a loan to buy the equipment you need, I will require you to agree to the following two conditions.

    The first condition is that you pay back the loan on the 4th of Initium, next year. This should give you a whole month''s worth of time to sell off all your products to the city.

    The second condition is that you pay the loan back in full, along with the 15% interest that will be rued in the following months.

    So... do you agree?" the man asked. Kyle thinks about the offer for a while, before lending out his hand.

    "It is a deal, Mr. Morgan," he replies. The two shake hands, and sign a contact.

 Chapter 164 Hoverdam Armed Forces Equipment

    ?The room was in a state of total silence. Kant was found sitting on his swivel chair, holding a small sharp knife in his right hand, while looking at the palm of his left hand with his vantack eyes. On the table were an hourss, a book, a pencil, and a small ss veil filled to the brim with a health potion, while the other was a half-empty health potion ss.

    Kant took the knife and sliced the palm of his hand open yet again. There was a burning sensation as he had cut his hand with the life. He ces the weapon down before applying some health potion to the self-inflicted wound. Once the potion was on top of the wound, he flipped the hourss and stared at the wound.

    He continued to stare at it till the hourss runs out. Once it does, he shifts his attention to the hourss, turning it around, and observing it. Once the timer on the hourss runs out, he turns to look at the palm of his hand, where he will find the wound to have vanished.

    Once he was done, he wrote down the results of the experiment in his book. He then cleaned off the bits of blood sticking onto its polished de, applying some sanitizer on it to kill any bacteria, before moving on to try it again.

    It had been 5 days since he had started doing this small experiment on himself. His curiosity about what was happening with his body had peaked, and now, he was willing to do anything to find out what was happening. He had done hundreds of tests so far, maintaining the same test conditions, to ount for any errors.

    As he was continuing on with his experiment, there was a knock on the door. Kant cleaned his knife and hid the hourss, knife, veils of healing potions, and the book under his desk, before walking over to unlock the door.

    "Good morning, your majesty, I hope you are feeling well?"

    "Good morning to you as well Minister n. Yes, I am feeling fine today," Kant replied. n walks right up to the chair and takes a seat. He presents Kant with the information held within the files that he had brought into the room, the ones that Kant had ordered.

    "As a result of the sess of the Bessemer process and the sheer efficiency which it had presented, we have sent a government agent to discuss increasing the scale of production.

    From what I hear from the agent, the TIC has agreed to start shipping on the 28th of next week, sending in 10 tons of iron per day for the next week, while sending in 15 tons per day the week after.

    The TIC also promises tomit more manpower to increase the production of iron and to serve our city before any outsiders. They are projecting to send in 250 tons of steel in a day by the end of the year." n then presents Kant with the files.

    "We might have to consider some expansions," na remarked. Kant started to read the files, to digest the additional details of the matter.

    "Hmm... very good. What about our current supply of steel? Where did that go off to?"

    "As you requested sir, I made sure to keep 15 tons of steel. They will be used to reequip DEF agents with new weapons and armor that might have sustained damage over a long period of time.

    Regarding the rest of the steel, I have sold them off to other economic agents, inside and outside the kingdom of Hoverdam.

    From what I know, the steel went into the hands of firms who desired to experiment with the material with their steam engines or any machinery powered by a steam engine.

    The steel that went outside of the kingdom went into making weapons and armor for their knights to fight demons." n hands him another file. Kant reads it and puts it to the side.

    "What about the... firearms factory? Did that undergo expansion?"

    "Yes sir. It did. We made sure to fit more space to allow more production. We are now able to produce PCR-18s on a more mass scale.

    Though, from the ns that you sir have presented me, there is this little space that would not be enough to add an additional production line of FLM-18s or PCR-18s. I assume you have ns for that spot, sir?"

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Yes. I do. Is that all?"

    "And... that is about it, sir. Is there anything else you want to know?" n asked the king.

    "Mmm... no. That is about it. However, there is something else," Kant replied.

    "What is it, sir?" n asks.

    "I want you to bring Silvester Silverstone here. There is something I need to talk to him about." Kant replied.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Right away sir." n gets up from his chair and leaves the room. Kant quickly walks up to the cab, takes out a file, andes to sit back down in his chair. He then waits for Silverstone to arrive.

    Another knock can be heard on the door. Kant allows the man toe inside, who proceeds to open it. Silverstone was wearing a slim-fitting forest green suit with brass buttons on it. He wore a matching color of pants, ck leather shoes, and a golden yellow tie to match the brass buttons.

    "Is there something you wanted to speak with me about, your majesty?"

    "Yes. Sit down." Kant instructed. Silverstone walked up to the chair and took a seat. He sat straight and kept eye contact with the king.

    "Now, if I remember correctly, you asked me about the specific details of the uniform and equipment your soldiers would carry, correct?" Kant asked.

    "Yes sir, I did," Silverstone answered. Kant handed him a simple red file for him to read. Silverstone took a look at it, before looking back at Kant.

    "That is the file containing the detail of the soldier''s uniform. It should have everything that you need inside it," Kant imed.

    "I see. May I open it now?"

    "Be my guest."

    Silverstone opened it and was greeted by a detailed drawing of a uniform on the front page. Itprised a long-sleeved shirt with a neck cor and sleeves, pants, a leather belt, a pair of boots and gloves, and a helmet with a metal visor. On top of the shirt, covering the chest, was steel ting that protects the upper torso and upper arms.

    On the other pages of the file, were the smaller details written in different sections, describing the materials used and the reasoning for them. The uniform is made of thick, high-quality wool, with reinforced stitching around the chest and back, featuring a 12mm steel ting with a slightly curved shape, painted ck.

    The uniform itself was mainly forest green in color, with ck ents on the cor, cuffs, pockets, gloves, boots, buttons, tes, and helmet. It also featured multiple pockets andpartments, including a dedicated space for gunpowder and ammunition, positioned around the waist and chest. There were also adjustable straps and fittings around the waist and shoulders.

    Wool was used for a few reasons. Firstly, wool is a natural instor and can help to regte body temperature and keep soldiers warm in cold and damp conditions. Secondly, it was a durable material resistant to wear and tear, perfect for military situations. Finally, it is a natural fire retardant, which means that it is less likely to catch fire or melt in the event of an explosion or fire.

    As for the color scheme, forest green dye was chosen for the uniform to allow the soldiers to camouge better with their environment. This could give the Kingdom of Hoverdam a slight advantage when facing enemy troops.

    The ting and helmet were painted in a few coatings of ck paint, to prevent rust. As steel is a metal, it is susceptible to rust, making it weaker. Therefore, it was only logical to paint it in multiple coatings. The curves of the ting were to conform to the body''s contours.

    The visor of the helmet protects a soldier''s eyes, nose, and mouth from flying debris and musket balls inbat situations. It also shields the face from rain, sunburn, windburn, and other weather-rted injuries.

    "What do you think about it, Secrecerty Silverstone? I designed it myself," Kant asked. Silverstone read through the file, before closing it and turning his attention to Kant.

    "This... yes sir. That is right sir. However, what about the other file? The one about their equipment?" he asks. Kant presents him with the second file. The second file details the equipment a soldier was to carry.

    They were to be given their musket, with an attachable bay and bay scabbard, a revolver as a secondary weapon, a dagger, and a powdered sk. The specific musket given to the soldiers, for now, would be an FLM-18R, to allow them to practice their aim.

    "I want you to work with minister n, and fit our troops with the uniforms and equipment I have written down there. Once it is done, you can start to train them using those FLM-18s," Kant suggests.

    "Alright, sir. I understand."

    "Good. Do you have any questions?"

    "No, sir. I do not."

    "Alright then, you may leave." Silverstone got up from his room and left. After he made sure nobody was there, he went to lock the door and continue experimenting.

 Chapter 165 Kants Ability.

    ?It was a warm afternoon. Light entered the room through therge windows of the master bedroom, with its white curtains out of the way. Kant had moved into the master bedroom quite recently. He hadn''t made any noticeable changes. Maybe a change in his wardrobe, bringing over some of his stuff from his room, but that was about it.

    Kant himselfy down on the king-sized bed, with only his long ck pants, leather belt, and socks on. His Vantack eyes hadpletely dissipated, returning back to his normal jet-ck eye color. The change started rapidly, just two days before. Kant had made sure to check a mirror every once in a while to know.

    He was surrounded by the same physicians that examined himst time. They had all surrounded him, examining every inch of his body, while writing what they think in their little brown books. Frederick, the elder physician that inspected himst week, instructed the others that it was time. This time, however, it was only them and Kant himself.

    "Alright, sir. Thank you for your corporation. Now, I am going to ask a question, and you are going to answer me. Alright?" he asked the king, who nodded.

    "Alright. Go ahead, doctor."

    "Alright. Now sir, can you tell me about your experience? Had anything troubled you in thest week?" he asked.

    "No. For the most part, it was about the same. Although, I did have some trouble about 2 days before," Kant responded. This caught their attention, seeing it as a possibility that it could be a symptom.

    "What happened on that day?"

    "I had what you can call an energy crash of some sort. My energy levels just dropped, and I couldn''t do anything that day. I felt sleepy and tired, I am not sure what caused it," Kant answered truthfully.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "I see. Alright." he turned to see whether they had finished writing. Once they were done, he moved on.

    "Have you noticed any changes in your appetite, sleep, or mood recently?"

    "I eat about the same things. In terms of my sleep, I usually sleep from 11 PM to 7 AM. However, I have started to sometimes wake up in the middle of the night.

    In terms of mood, I cannot say. I like to think I have managed to stay calm as usual. Though you might want to ask the others."

    "Alright. Next question. Have you experienced any pain or difort, particrly in your chest, abdomen, or head?"

    "No. None at all. It was just another usual day. No headaches. No pain. Of course, if I still feel pain when I stub my toe or cause harm to myself. That counts, but other than that, no."

    "I see. Now, the final question. Are there any other symptoms or concerns you have noticed that you would like to share?" Frederick asked the king. Kant remained silent, thinking about what he is going to say, and how they might read to it.

    His eyes were locked on the ceiling,pletely focused on it. The room started to be filled with silence, as Kant kept on thinking.

    "Your majesty?" Frederick asked. Kant''s eyes turned to meet Frederick''s own.

    "Sorry. I was just thinking. To answer your question, yes, I have. However, I do not consider them to be negative in any regard. I am not sure what to really think about them," Kant retorted. The physicians were a little confused by his answer. What was he trying to say?

    "What does that mean, sir? Could you please borate?"

    "Of course. I think that there is a high probability that the Void crystal has unlocked my power."

    "Really? Your power? What is it?" Frederick asked, a little curious, but also worried that it could be a cause of the stone''s side effects.

    "I think I might have some sort of anti-magical abilities or void abilities. At least, that is the conclusion that I cane up with," Kant answered.

    Almost everyone in the room was rather skeptical of his im. Void abilities? Was that even possible? Still, it was better to hear the king out. Maybe he might have a good reason for why he thinks so.

    "Why do you think that, sir?"

    "Well, I have done some tests on myself."

    "Tests?"

    "Yes. I took an hourss, a healing potion, and a knife. A made a small cut on my palm, put drops of healing potion on the wound, and focused on the wound till the hourss ran out.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Then I would turn the hourss upside down, and focus on it. Once it runs out, I look at my cut to see if it has healed already.

    From my experimentations, I discovered that as long as I was concentrating on the wound, the healing potion didn''t work. However, when I concentrated on the hourss, it healed just fine.

    I even tried drinking it, and the test was the same. When I focused on the wound, it didn''t heal. When I focused on the hourss, it did heal. From my observations, test results, and data collected, I came to that conclusion," Kant exined.

    "You cut yourself, sir?"

    "Only a little. Not too much. I didn''t want to cause a serious injury."

    "I see..." Frederick replied.

    Frederick then thought about Kant''s exnation for a minute and thought it made a lot of sense. However, there might still be a chance that he might not be in the best state of mind, considering he went on to injure himself. So, to make sure that Kant was speaking with his rational mind, Frederick questioned the theory further.

    "That is a very interesting hypothesis, sir. However, if that is the case, why couldn''t you use your abilities beforehand? Shouldn''t they have detected your void reserves?" he asked.

    "No. There was a reason why I didn''t have any anti-mana reserves in the beginning. For someone to fill up their mana reserves, they need to draw mana from somewhere. Normally, people took in mana from the air around them, or through mana crystals.

    I assume that these principles were the same to me. Considering I was isted away from any source of Void energy because of its rarity, I could not fill up my reserves.

    Anti-mana, or void energy, cannot be found in the air, It is only been found in rare crystals buried deep underground, for as long as we know. That is the best hypothesis I cane up with with my limited piece of information,"

    Frederick slightly smiled at his response. He appeared to have done some research on the topic and seemed to be in a clear state of mind. With that, he asks onest question.

    "That is a good exnation. Say, sir, how do you feel that you finally found out the answer?" he asks. Kanty in silence again, before responding. Kant''s eyes moved to the ceiling before he began to talk.

    "I have always asked myself a question. Why? Why wasn''t I born with magic? It was a question that everyone had asked.

    They were all confused about how two of the most potent mana users came together to make a kid that does not have any powers. Some people thought it was partly due to the other birthplications, and that my mother couldn''t give birth to a powerful child, like Reena.

    However, that could not have been the case. Because if so, Edward, Sofia, and Lisa wouldn''t have been born. Their existence refutes that hypothesis. No, there was something else, and I couldn''t figure out what.

    But now, I know. Just like that, I got an answer to what I was looking for. Though, instead of satisfying my curiosity, it just fueled it even more. I have a lot more questions about myself than before, and I need to know the answers to them.

    With this discovery,es potential. Now I am not sure what the boundaries of this ability are, and how it fully works. The only way to know for certain is to conduct more research, more tests, and collect data."

    Kant''s head then turned towards Frederick. His eyes maintain eye contact with the man again.

    "However, to conduct more experiments, I will need to interact with the void crystals again, and inrger doses. Considering that this matter could have dramatic consequences on my life and health, I would like to know your opinion on the matter."

    "My opinion?"

    "Yes. From the reports I have gathered, this is the first time in history that a human possessed weird abilities since all those millennia ago. This means I am traveling in uncharted waters, which could mean danger.

    So what do you think doctor? Do you think I should continue to learn about myself? About this power I have? It could save my life one day, or it could end it. Do you think that it would be safe to do so, or is too risky to be done?" Kant questioned Frederick.

    He thought about it for a minute. He looks through the books, the observations they made, and the answers they got, beforeing to a verdict.

    "Well sir, from what I have gathered, there doesn''t seem to be any harm so far. I rmend taking it in small doses, to allow your body to handle its power slowly."

    "Hm... Alright. Thank you, Doctor."

 Chapter 166 Another Meeting In The Cabin

    ?The sun had just moved into the middle of the sky, marking it midday. Located inside a dense forest was a freshly built wooden cabin, where the next meeting of the hooded men took ce. It was quickly built to hold a square table with wooden chairs surrounding it. They weren''t allowed to use the isted cabin fromst time and had to build one of their own.

    They cut a few trees down in the forest, use them as logs, and built one in a matter of days. They then used the remaining wood to make a few chairs and arge table. Granted, it wasn''t as smooth orfortable as a regr table, but it worked as a temporary base for now.

    The chairs were all seated with rather ordinary men, who all wore a tunic for the top, some pants, and a pair of calfskin shoes. On top of their ordinary clothing, they all more ominous beige cloaks made of cotton and imported from the city of Hoverdam.

    These men were patiently waiting for one more man to arrive, who is said to have taken a good time exploring the city of Hoverdam beforeing back. From the letter he gave them, he should be here by now. As they waited, they covered with each other, talking about their daily lives, their family, or their upation.

    As they conversed with each other, another hooded man approached the cabin and knocked on the door. From the other side, he can hear the man instructing him to give the password to enter the cabin.

    "May I see the stars once again?" he replied. The door immediately opened, and the man entered the cabin. The room entered a moment of silence, as the hooded man sat down on his chair. With all the members gathered around, it was time to start the meeting.

    One of the men took in a deep breath and got up from their seat. He then looks at everyone in the room and begins to speak.

    "Greetings, everyone. I am d that you all have managed to make it to today''s meeting. We will pick up from where we left off.

    Last time, we agreed to send one of our own to investigate the kingdom of Hoverdam and asses their kingdom to see whether the government is friendly enough for us to move there.

    We have sent this man here, who will go by the alias Rico from here on out. Rico, can you please tell us about your experience in the kingdom of Hoverdam? What was it like? Do you think it is safe?" the man told, before sitting back down.

    Rico stood up from his chair and gathered up his words.

    "Before I give my assessment of the kingdom itself, I think it would be best to educate you all on the unique state that the kingdom is currently in. I believe this would be helpful for the correct judgment.

    I arrived in the city of Hoverdam on the 11th of Navitas on a sailboat. I docked at the port located downtown. When I got into the city, I noticed that the air have a slightly sulfurous and smoggy vor to it.

    Regardless, when I traveled the city further, I continue to notice a lot more unique features I could not find in any other city. First was the presence of ss in many of the downtown buildings.

    Upon further investigation, I found out that these materials were being produced in high quantities inside of what they call a ''factory'' usingrge andplicated mechanical systems that appear to be powered by a device known as the ''steam engine''.

    This steam engine has been applied to many sectors of the economy of Hoverdam and within the cities and the towns next to it. It has undergone massive economic changes that I believe allow them to have an economic advantagepared to the rest of the continent.

    For example, take the cloaks that you all are wearing right now. It is primarily made of cotton, which the city had to manage to import and turn into a cheap cloak that can be sold to many people, within their city, and to the rest of the continent. It is also, however, the reason for the decreased air quality of Hoverdam, which is an unfortunate side effect.

    The kingdom of Hoverdam also has undergone a transportation boom, as the roads of the cities can be found with metal tracks, that allow big moving vehicles to transport people all around the city. I can easily move from the downtown to the outskirts in about an hour. With that, I believe that is all you need to know about the current state of Hoverdam," Rico exined.

    "Alright, that is good to know, but what about the... friendliness of the government? Do you think they will persecute any religious activity?" one of them asked.

    "Well, that is what I was about to get into. From what I have witnessed, as long as you do not identify with the Angelisist church, and so along with the mainstream version of what is allowed, they will not punish any religious activities."

    "Mainstream version? What does that mean?"

    "Well, sir, their version of the correct way to god now relies on a book that people must read. As a result, many are hoping to enroll in ces of learning called ''schools'' where they can learn to read and write."

    "A book?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "They call it the bible. Now, as most people in the city are only partially literate, the ones who can read take the bible and read it out for a group of people to hear. Once the session is over, they will ask for donations for them to continue."

    "But only the pope is allowed to interpret the word of god! But worst of all, that sinner is profiting off the word of god! What kind of sphemy is that? Yet those people tolerate it?" one of them argued. He was one of the hard-liners at the meeting.

    "But that is much better than restricting the word of god altogether! Besides, won''t it be easier to convert them back to the right path than from starting over?" another argued.

    "Well, what did you expect? You all expected the bishops to be around? Besides, we are looking for the kingdom that is the most friendly!" another argued, mocking the others. The room almost entered into an argument before one of them stood up and yelled.

    "SILENCE!" he spoke with his deep voice of authority, silencing the others all down like children. He then turns to Rico.

    "Did any knights arrest this man? Was he allowed to preach the word of god in one way or another?" he asked.

    "Well, to answer your question, yes. Although for civilianw enforcement, they use a different group of people called the police. They wear these ck uniforms and carry a baton.

    On my first they, two of them looked on into the building and definitely heard that he was preaching from the bible, but left. This pattern seems to have continued.

    The ones in charge of enforcing thew don''t seem to mind that particr way of practicing religion." Rico replied.

    "With this, I hope that you can make an informed decision on the matter. If you have any questions, please ask me." With that, Rico sat down and stayed silent. The original announcer stood up and started to speak again.

    "Well, thank you, Rico. You have done well. Now, it is time wee to an informed decision. In my opinion, although I might not agree with the way in which religion is practiced, it is still the best method to allow the word of god to continue.

    Now, as the Kingdom of Hoverdam is obviously much friendlier than any other kingdom on the continent, I do not think that it would be wise to pass up on the opportunity. What do you all think?" he asked.

    The cabin then erupted into a fierce, yet short, argument about what they were to do. In the end, it was decided to move into the kingdom and find a base to operate from there.

    "Alright! Now that a decision has been made, is there anything else that one would like to add to this meeting before continuing?" he asked. One of them raised a hand, attracting the eyes of everyone to him.

    "Yes?" the man who raised his hand stood up.

    "About that donation thing. I think it would be best if we start to copy the man''s strategy," he suggested. While some were obviously repulsed by the idea, others listened in.

    "Continue?"

    "Look, from what Rico said, what if he gather a bunch of ex-bishops and priests, and get them to read out the word of god? This would allow us to gain funds to help pursue our mission," he suggested.

    "But won''t they get arrested?"

    "If they act as priests. Instead, like Rico said, they will act as ''civilians trying to spread the word of god'', with only this time, we won''t bemitting a sin." he borated. The others thought about the idea, and all overwhelmingly supported it.

    "Well, I guess that is it. We shall move into the kingdom of Hoverdam, and operate from there!"

 Chapter 167 Griffin Attack (1)

    ?The cold breeze ruffled the leaves of the trees, as the birds chirped along. The gentle and lush full forest was full of life and beauty, with animals wandering around, living their calm and peaceful lives.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® Walking along the dirt pathway were a few musketeers, along with a few knights, on their way to take down dangerous beasts reported in the area. However, as the severity of the task at hand was high, the knight team had asked for a musketeer force toe with them, to help them out with the task and to improve the image of the soldiers.

    While the knights wore their runic-ted armor, with Serena holding a bow, the musketeers still had their uniforms, but with a breastte on. They were all carrying FLM-18 muskets, with a leather belt to keep them on their backs.

    In light of the incident a few days back, where a bunch of demons manage to outsmart their knights in an attempt to attack their herbalists, Carson had been promoted from private to sergeant for his excellent performance and leadership in taking down the demon. He had been given his own squad of 8 tomand and help the knights clear out any new demon that would arise.

    As a symbol of his higher authority, he had been given an enigma and a PCR-18 for his effort. The PCR-18 was a weapon imported from the city of Hoverdam, as a request made by the empress of the Aceaton empire, Rose Tippo Valline, to the kingdom of Hoverdam led by King Kant Icurus Maybale.

    She wanted to test out this new weapon by giving it to a fewpetent soldiers in her empire, before handing it over to the rest of her army. Kant, wanting to exploit this possible new market, agreed, which led Sergeant Carson to get his hands on one.

    As they walked on the dirt path, the musketeers from the city of Vallina pointed to the animals and trees of the forest while the knight politely gave them an answer to the best of their knowledge.

    "I got to tell you, knight Serena. I wished that I was born here instead of in the city. Ain''t that right men?" Carson asked his troops, who all nodded. They all seem to agree.

    "Really? Do you all not like it in the city?" Serena asked, a little curious.

    "Not me, no. I feel like it is a little too crowded for me, and the scenery is much less grandeur unless you are living in a rich area, in my opinion."

    "I see. Does everyone have this sentiment, Sergeant Carson? Or are you just a majority or minority?"

    "Well no. There are still a lot of men who prefer the city. Though I think it attributes to homesickness. Plus, they don''t have any connections here. Just give them some time. They will get to enjoy this ce as we do," Carson replied.

    "Alright then," she replies. The two continue to lead the way in silence as the other knights and musketeers talk with each other. After a few minutes, Serena breaks the silence.

    "Say, can I ask you a few questions about the city? I am kind of interested in how you all used to live there," she asked.

    "Sure thing. Go ahead knight Serena."

    "Thank you. Now, I heard that in the city, they have these ces where people gather around and look at other people pretending to be someone else. Is it true?" Senera questions.

    "You mean theaters?"

    "Yes! Theaters! Does it happen? Is it entertaining?" she asked. Carson thinks about it for a minute.

    "Well yes. Now that I think about it, you guys don''t seem to have any theaters here, right?"

    "Yes, that is why I am asking. Have you attended one of them?"

    "I have as a kid. They often y their stories on these wooden stages. A y often happens every day on the stage, and all that someone needs to do is to pay up to enter. It is pretty fun to watch, although it will cost you."

    "How much does it cost?"

    "Don''t know. I haven''t been to a theater in a while. What I have been to are sporting events. They got these stables up, and have a track. Then they race their horses to see which one of them is the fastest."

    "I see. Well, I hope to one day go to the city and watch one of these ''ys''. Though, I am not sure when I can."

    "Why is that?" Carson asks. Just as he asked that question, a roar can be hearding from their northwest. A roar so fierce, that the leaves on the trees were blown away by the deafening sound, and the birds spooked away to safety.

    It was now silent, yet tense. In the distance, they can all hear the small growling of the beast nearby. Carson looked at his men and instructed them to ready their guns, while Serena got the knights to charge up their weapons.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Here we go, everyone. Here we go

    The squad, fully prepared, slowly approached the sounds, deviating from the dirt path they followed. As they travel through the thick forest, they used the trees as cover. Their eyes scanned around for any demonic birds, before making their way further in.

    The group soon surrounds the beast that had caused the loud noise. It appeared to be a lion, undergoing a corrupting transformation. A yellow mana crystal was seen forming on its forehead, while two pointy horns grew on its head. Its brown fur, which it used to camouge to its surroundings, turned ck and gray.

    Carson turned to Serena, who nodded her head. He cocked his musket and aimed at the beast, before pulling the trigger.

    click. Bang!

    A thundering sound of the gunpowder exploding was sent out into the entire forest. A round metal ball fired at high speeds at the demon,nding on its forehead. The crystal shattered into a million pieces before the lion fell on its side to the ground. Although the beast mayy dead, they can still hear a growling.

    "That sound, it is still there!" one of themmented.

    "You think that there are more?" another replied.

    "Well, if there are, then they are still undergoing their transformation. The sooner we get em'', the faster we can leave this forest." Carsonmented.

    "Alright everyone,e into formation. We should all stick together." Carson orders. They then head further into the forest, trying to find and kill the demons. Once they spot a demon, they quickly aimed and fired at it. They had managed to get 3 more of these demonic lions, as well as a bunch of others before the growling stopped.

    "Is that it? Is it over?" one of the musketeers asked. They were all breathing heavily, fully pumped up with adrenaline. Carson turned to Serena.

    "Knight Serena, can you scan the area to see if there are any more demons around?" he asked.

    "Right!" she replied. The woman closed her eyes and cast the spell. She then opens her eyes and tells everyone the results.

    "We are surrounded, and they are headed our way," she informs. A cold shiver goes down everyone''s spine, as they realize the grave situation they were in.

    "Everyone, get into formation. Form a ring and use the trees as cover." Carson order. The musketeers formed a court of rings, with the knights inside, They then kept their eyes on anything that moves, with their guns and spears prepared.

    A few lions jump out of the bushes and run straight at the squad. A few musketeers aim and shoot down the beasts. The ones that miss, or get caught by the beasts'' shield, are taken down thanks to the knight''s charged arrows and spears.

    A dozen volleys of bullets and arrows were fired, and the spears be covered in blood, and corpses of dead demonic lions start mounting up. A sort of ring made out of these corpses forms around the men, as they had ughtered a couple of dozen demonic lions.

    "Is that it? Is it over now?" one of them asked. Before Carson could reply, they heard one more beast, approaching the group. Though it appeared to be another demonic lion, this one had a violet mana stone attached to its forehead.

    "Not now. Not yet." Carson replied. While the musketeers started loading their guns, the knights formed a wall in front of them.

    "Should we charge at it?" one of the knights asked.

    "No! Remember what happenedst time? We should proceed with caution." Serena replied. The knight took aim at the beast and held it steady. It appeared to be standing there waiting. From her senses, she can immediately feel another presence.

    Her eyes took just one second to look up, to see a glimpse of a great white eagle, corrupted by a violet crystal, flying above the sky just diving in. Itnded on top of the demonic lion with the violet mana crystal and started to merge with each other.

    The two beings came together and formed an amalgamation of lion and eagle. Its head and front legs melted away its flesh, allowing new body parts to form and take its ce.

    "It''s merging! Take it down quickly!" The musketeers fired a volley at the beast, only for it to be stopped by the beast''s shield. The transformation finishes, leaving a merge of a demonic lion and eagle behind; a Griffen, or at least, an uncanny imitation of it.

 Chapter 168 Griffin Attack (2)

    ?ording to olden tales written millennia ago, a griffin was a majestic beast that signified courage, leadership, and strength to the people of its time. In its original depiction, a griffin was described to have,rge white feathers, orange front legs, and soft light-blue fur.

    Many stories were crafted by many different authors of many generations, depicting this exalted and munificent beast saving the lives of thousands, acting on the hero''s side of any story the authors of their time had written. Of course, this creature did not really exist, only in the collective minds of humans through tales and fantasies.

    However, when the demons arrived in Eden, everything changed. It corrupted the men and women of the past and took a good gander at their ideas. Within a few hundred years, it had formed a sort of beast of its own, imitating and adding to the original product. What had be fantasy, had be reality with a lot of uncanny and malicious twists stuffed in.

    What stands before the squad of musketeers and knights, was a monster born out of their ancestor''s imagination. It had ck fur and dark gray feathers on its wings, with its beak and front legs, were a violet purple, matching the mana stone on its forehead. On its beak were razor-sharp teeth.

    The group can be seen sweating and shivering a little, all at least a little scared for what was in front of them. The cracks of the shield, made by the bullets traveling at fast speeds, started to regenerate. The musketeers load up their guns and make their way to the front, now acting as a wall for the knights. Carson, while still keeping his musket and eyes on the beast, asked Serena.

    "You got any ideas, Knight Serena?" he asked. Before she can respond, the griffin screeched at them, and flew up into the air in an instant, leaving a strong gust of wind. It then locked on one of them and dived back in.

    "EVERYONE, SCATTER!" Carson screamed. The musketeers and knights fled the area, hiding behind the wooden trees as cover. The griffin dived in and went back up without hitting the ground. With the group now separated, Carson shouted his instruction.

    "Regroup! Heat southward and regroup!" he ordered. The musketeers and knights fled the scene and got back together with everyone else. Well, almost everyone.

    "We have two missing! Knight Serena and Knight Goldberg. Where are they? They were with you, right?" Carson asked.

    "Um... sir? They told us that they will be the distraction, while wee up with a n." one of the musketeers replied. Carson cursed under his breath.

    "Fuck! Ok, Ok. Calm down, Carson. Calm down. Take a deep breath..." he muttered to himself. After taking in a few deep breaths, he was back to a level head, at least as close as he can get.

    "Alright. First, I need to know everything about that Griffin. You..." Carson pointed at the knights.

    "Do you know anything about this beast?" he asked

    "Well, Sergeant Carson. A griffin is mostly a physical attack and defense kind of beast. It uses its mana reserves to give it a strong boost and defense increase. From what we know, it doesn''t have any magical spells, like fireballs, that it can use."

    "Alright. That is good. How much power will it take to break its shield?" he asks.

    "Well, from what we saw, it had a violet mana crystal, so we will need a huge amount of force to break it. Though, I am not sure if the firearms will be enough to do it. Besides, from what we saw, it was able to regenerate it."

    "Yes. That is a problem. Do you think there is any way around it?" Carson asked. The knights thought about it before one of them replied.

    "Well, from what we know, A griffin would need to focus on that area to regenerate it, making the other parts of its shield more vulnerable. We could use that to our advantage." one of them suggested.

    "Yes! That! Anything else?" he asked. The knights went on to exin everything they knew of the griffin. After listening to all the details of the Griffin that they know, Carson formed a n.

    "Alright, here is what we are going to do. We, musketeers, will distract the beast and focus on a point on its shield. You all will remain in position above the trees and patiently wait for it toe.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Once it is in range, you knights attack from the stop and destroy the shield. From there, you are all free to kill the beast. Is that good for you all?" Carson asks. The knights whisper to one another, before agreeing.

    ...

    Serena and Golberg, a blonde man with ocean-blue eyes with an oval face, were using up their entire reserves to distract the beast away from the others. The two hoped that Carson and the others will be able to formte a solid n to deal with it.

    As they move from tree to tree, being pursued by the griffin in the sky, they can see arge smokeing from the distance. Assuming that it was a signal from the others, they decided to move into the area.

    As the griffin dived in and out of the forest, trying to catch the two knights, it felt that a small projectile hit its shield. It looked down, and saw a bunch of men on the ground, pointing its weird wooden stick at it.

    The griffin, upon spotting the men surrounded by smoke, the creature changed its focus and made its way down to its new target. Serena, upon seeing that the griffin had changed its target, and hearing the sounds of gunshots in the distance, quickly rushed over to their location.

    ...

    Carson had managed to load up another shot to his FLM-18 musket, before finding another round. It just barely managed to hit the spot where he was aiming for. Knowing that it was thest shot from his musket he can take, the man pulled out his PCR-18 revolver and shot at the shield again.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.

    Carson fanned the revolver. The other musketeers, after firing their third shot, left the area to safety to reload their weapons, in case the knights fail to kill the beast. Carson stayed, willing to sacrifice himself in order to kill this demon.

    He managed to fire off one more shot before trying to make it to safety, but it was toote. As the griffin got closer to Carson, it screeched out in anger and reached out to Carson with its w-like hands. Knowing that he has one more shot left, he turned around and fired it on the cracked zone, before using his left arm as a shield.

    Though it did not break the shield, it allowed the other knights to jump right in for the kill. With their runic weapons charged up, they collectively struck the beast''s shield, breaking it apart. The point of the spear then prated deep into the griffin, puncturing the vital organs that it needs to survive, with thest one slicing its head off.

    The griffinnded on the ground with a loud thud. A huge dirt cloud forms as the beast suddenlyes to a stop. Serena soon arrives at the scene and finds Carson. He was found alive,ying on the grass bed with his left arm shed by the griffin''s ws. They immediately went on to treat his wound, by washing it first, before pouring a healing potion over the wound.

    "Are you alright, Sergeant Carson?"

    "Yes. I am alright. Is it dead?" he asked.

    "Yes. It is dead." Serena replies.

    ...

    A lone man, covered in a cloak, was sitting on a rock in the middle of a forest, far away from the griffin. He had his ck-w-like hands holding up his head, just staying still, eyes closed. From his mana stone, he received information about what was going on through the beast''s eyes, before it goes dark.

    "Hm... They have some new weapons, I see," he muttered.

 Chapter 169 Plans For Tests, Interviews, And Locomotives

    ?The air around him cooled down a little as the month progressed. It was nearing the end of the summer and the beginning of autumn, which was only a few days away. Kant''s hands were upied by a sharp wooden pencil, moving along the rules of a wooden ruler on top of the A3 sheet of paper, making a blueprint of arge steam-powered machine.

    It had a few metal wheels on each side, connected to each other with a rod. The was also arge steel cylinder with a tall and wide exhaust at the front of it, puffed smoke, imitating those factories in Industrial District 1. On the back end, there was a ce where a few men could stay, controlling therge vehicle.

    With the steel mill set up, he now had the necessary materials to start designing and reinventing one of the most revolutionary devices of his old world; the steam lotive. It allowed the mass movement of people and goods from one location to another, which will be a key factor in developing Kant''s kingdom further.

    As he kept on drawing the blueprint, his ears picks up someone knocking on his door. Kant stopped drawing on the paper with his pencil, rolled up the diagram, ced it in the drawer, and permitted the man on the other side to enter. n Fleck walked inside the room, carrying a few files with him.

    "Good morning your majesty! I hope I wasn''t interrupting anything important?" n asked the king.

    "No, not at all. Sit down, minister." n walked right up to the chair and satfortably. Kant, keeping eye contact with the minister, questioned him.

    "What brings you here, minister n?" Kant asks.

    ''Well sir, I have organized everything that you have requested of me and I came here to deliver the news myself.

    The first is about the void crystals. I got a few supplies, who agreed to send in 50 grams of void crystal.

    Though it was very expensive, costing about 5 gold coins. We should be receiving the crystals by the 3rd of Folia, next month."

    "That is good. What about the preparations for the tests?"

    "Done as well. I have managed to find a few volunteers that fit your criteria and range of skills. We should be able to do the tests on the 7th of the next month.

    I have also reserved an area where you can safely conduct them in a proper manner, along with a few researchers experienced with adequate equipment they have been provided to study and record the results," n exined.

    "That is wonderful. Is there anything else?" n hands over the files that he has been carrying. Kant opens them up, to find a detailed profile of a bunch of war-hardened men.

    "I got a couple of excellent contenders that could fill the secretary of defense position. Their qualifications are in the files there.

    From what I know, these men are said to be extremely flexible, able to learn and adapt to different conditions in war and technology, a good track record of working well under multiple leaders, AND is loyal to anyone offering a good sry.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® They are, without a doubt, the best contenders to fill the role of Secretary of Defence, although they would act well as the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Service Secretaries, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Military Service Chiefs, Field Commanders, or any other areas you would want them in."

    As n finished exining, Kant focused on the men present in the files. It presented people from different parts of the northern half of the continent, all of whom have fought and battled against Rose.

    "You seem to have found a lot of remarkable people," Kantmented.

    "If you are struggling to choose one, I do have a rmendation of a man personally, but I don''t think you would like to hear from me, sir. Unless you want to, that is."

    "It is fine. Who do you want to rmend?" Kant questions.

    "Well, there is a man named Richard Armstrong. He is 46 years old and he got his start in the 90s session crisis. He had managed to rank up quickly at that time.

    He is this big and respected guy who had to retire because of his belief in the church. Thankfully, he wasn''t executed to keep rtions with his respective kingdom, which looked up to him as a hero.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    He yed a big part in "the swift continental war", being one of the onlymanders who employed effective tactics against Rose Valline''s musketeer soldiers. I think he would be an ideal candidate."

    Kant was silent. He read through Richard Armstrong''s profile, which references him to be a 6''6 giant, towering above other men. The more he read about him, the more impressed he became with his qualifications.

    "Hm... I see. Can you send out a letter? I would like to speak to him."

    "I will, sir. Is there anything else that you wanted me to do?" n asks.

    "I do, yes. Just give me a minute."

    Kant ces the files to the side and pulls the drawer. He then takes out the rolled-up blueprint and presents it to n. He then gets up from his chair, grabs more files, and hands them over to n. While therger A3 blueprint presented the whole device, the smaller files contained the smallerponents of the device.

    "Ever since the steel mill had started, I have been working on a new invention that I hope will revolutionize transportation, and expand the kingdom of Hoverdam''s reach and economic power.

    Before the mill, I had no way of acquiring the adequate amount of materials needed to build this device, especially without steel. I am sure you know about what a steam tram is, minister n?"

    "Yes sir, I do. Is what you sir, are presenting like a bigger version of that?"

    "Yes. I call it a steam-powered lotive. You can call it a train or lotive if you prefer. It works on the same principles as the tram, but it is much faster and has a higher carrying capacity than a tram.

    I intend of building these lotives and rail lines to connect and integrate the other urban settlement residing inside the kingdom''s borders, to allow for more ease of moment within the kingdom.

    Once the kingdom itself is connected, I desire to expand the rail lines outward, connect and integrate other kingdoms into the city of Hoverdam, sell more of the kingdom''s products to other cities, and import more materials to the kingdom to allow further expansion of industry."

    n looked at the blueprints and was rather fascinated by the drawings. At this point, he no longer began to feel surprised at the disy of Kant''s immense mechanical engineering knowledge.

    "This is a veryplicated device. I assume you desire me to send some letters to a few firms and get them to work together to build the machine drawn on paper?" n asks.

    "That is correct, minister. For this mechanical device to work, I would need to employ many engineers specialized in a variety of fields, toe together to make eachponent of the device.

    For this to happen properly, I think it would be best if they work off at the same location, so that they canmunicate better and make design changes faster. Once the parts are built, they will then have to be assembled and then tested for any failures. Are you getting any of this?"

    "Yes sir. I need to send out the letters to the firms, detailing what you just said, and get them to work on developing the necessary mechanicalponent in a disclosed building.

    I will also make sure to reserve a location to test the device. Howrge would you like this location to be?" n asked.

    "About as twice as the steam tram, for a longer test line. Do you think you can find a spot?" Kant asked. n thought of it hard, wondering where he could find a ce like what Kant had described. Suddenly out of nowhere, a candle was lit in his brain.

    "I got it, sir! You can do the tests in an area located on the outskirts. We can use the cargo trams to deliver the heavy parts to the area quickly and assemble the device there. Will that work for you, sir?" n suggested.

    "That will work just fine," Kant answers.

 Chapter 170 Farmers Vs Demons (1)

    ?It was the final day of the summer, one day before autumn starts, causing the leaves to turn from a lush green to a warm orange before falling down to the ground. Consequentially, it was also the time when the demand for "Lumer''s fertilizer" increases significantly, as farmers from the city buy a lot of it to pour it over their crops.

    As a lot of farmers in his area is also starting their farm, Kyle expects the prices to be even higher than normal. Thankfully, he managed to secure 2,00 barrels of it as soon as he got the loan from the bank.

    Although it won''t be enough to cover his enough for the entire field, as he would need 50 barrels more, it should help with saving some money. He had also bought up the steam-powered machinery and brought them over to his plot ofnd.

    With the help of his two boys and a few HeklorKloch technicians, he was setting up these machines to start operating in the near future. There were also a bunch of other workers, who were busy putting up steel pipes on the fields, connected to the steam engine.

    The boys were on the field, helping the technicians and workers to line up the pipes and connect them in ce. While they were at it, they exchanged a few jokes with each other, all having a good time while they worked.

    Kyle was found inside a tall wooden cabin he built himself, to protect the expensive machine from the weather. While the main structure was held up by bricks pasted onto each other with cement, the walls and roof that protected the machine were made of wooden nks.

    Along with Kyle, was a HeklorKloch technician, wearing a short sleeve acorn gray shirt embedded corporate emblem on his shirt pocket, pants, brown calfskin shoes, and a leather belt. He had brought a toolbox, to help him set up the machine.

    "Sir, can I have my screwdriver?" asked the technician. Kyle headed him a wrought iron rod with a line tip on the top edge, with a handle made of wood. Once Kyle hands it over, the technician starts to screw a nail in ce.

    The two continue to set up the steam engine. They assembled it together part by part, as requested by Kyle, who wanted to know how the steam pump worked on a fundamental level. Once the steam pump had been set up, the technician walks out of the cabin and instructs the other technicians on the outside.

    "We are done! Connect the pipes to the main pipe over there!" he shouted, pointing to the pipe exposed on the outside, beforeing back in. In the meantime, Kyle examined the strange machine.

    The pump was an imposing machine, towering over Kyle as it stood over ten feet tall. It had arge boiler sitting at its base, surrounded by a web of pipes and valves, all made out of wrought iron. Next to the boiler, Kyle examined the massive flywheel, connected to a series of belts and gears which power the pump mechanism.

    As he looked onward at the machine, the technician walked up to Kyle and spoke, grabbing his attention.

    "Alright, sir, the steam pump itself is fully set up. Now I am going to instruct you how this machine works so that you will be able to operate it by yourself."

    The technician went on to exin to Kyle how the machine worked, how he can operate the machine, what the gauges tell him, how to fix any minor issues, and so on. Kyle made sure to listen to every detail of what he said, even asking him to reiterate any parts that he got confused about.

    "... and that is about it. Do you have any questions sir?" the technician asks Kyle.

    "No. You exined it perfectly. Thank you."

    "Very well sir. Now, could you lead me the way to where you would want the threshing machine to be installed? It is kind of easy to get lost in arge ce like this."

    Before Kyle can answer, his brain forces him to turn his attention to the shouting urring outside.

    "Um... can you please give me a minute? It won''t take long."

    "Of course!" the technician replied. Kyle came outside the cabin and dashed over to where the sound wasing from.

    "Demons! Demons! Coming from the forest!" a masculine voice shouted. Kyle had managed to reach the front gate. From what he can see, a man wearing hemp attire,riding on top of a majestic ck horse.

    The horse just stops outside the gate and turns to Kyle, allowing him to analyze the stranger''s face more. He had deep brown eyes, with a round bald head, and a thick mustache. He wore a long-sleeved hemp tunic, dyed reed flower green, a belt holding up his brown pants, and a pair of calfskin boots. On his back, was an FLM-18RC rifle, the same weapon that Kyle used.

    "Hop on, Partner! We don''t have much time!" he insinuated.

    "Hop on? Why? What is going on?"

    "Demons! Partner! We have spotted some demonsing from the south of the forest! A lot of them! They are making their way through the forest and we need help! Can you help us?" the man on the ck horse asked Kyle.

    "Of course, I can! Just give me a minute to get my gun. Alright?"

    "Oh right! Of course! Alright, partner. Be quick!" Kyle rushed back into the steam pump cabin, where the technician was.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Hey, there has been a sudden event urring around that requires my presence. I want you to tell your men and my boys to wait inside my cabin.

    I will be back soon to instruct you where to put the threshing machine. Until then, just take a well-deserved break. Understood?"

    "Alright, then sir. I will."

    Kyle then left the cabin where the steam pump was and entered his home cabin through the back door. He made his way to his bedroom and took his FLM-18RC, a pouch filled with bullets, and a powdered sk filled with gunpowder he hid in a wooden chest. He first loaded up the weapon, and head out of the cabin.

    On his way to the door, his wife stopped him. She had spotted him rushing inside the house while cleaning the dining room.

    "What is wrong honey? Why are you taking your gun?" She asked. Kyle turned his head and told her the truth.

    "There were a bunch of demons spotted. I am going to help them to take care of them."

    "Alright. Be careful honey," she replied, before allowing Kyle to leave the cabin. He then walked right up to the man, holding his gun.

    "Alight. Let''s go."

    Kyle rode on top of the stranger''s horse, across the dirt roads of the area, all the way over to a bunch of other farmers, all holding their guns to them. While some were pointing at the forest, others were talking to each other discussing what to do.

    When one of them spotted the two men riding on top of their horses, one of them smiled and waved. He had short ck hair, with bottle green eyes on a diamond-shaped face, wearing simr attire to the man riding the ck horse was wearing.

    "Oliver, you made it! Who is this gentleman that you managed to bring?" the man asked.

    "Well, Martin. This is uh..." Oliver spoke, realizing he had not asked Kyle''s name. Thankfully for Oliver, before he could embarrass himself, Kyle jumped in to finish his sentence.

    "Kyle. Kyle Moneymaker. d I could be here."

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Moneymaker! That is a fascinating name. I don''t suppose that you happen to be rich, do you?" he asked in a joking manner. Kyle just smiled and replied.

    "No. Not yet at least," he replied. Martin, seeing that they have managed to get over a dozen people toe, shouted amand.

    "Alright, everyone! Please gather around me! I have a strategy on how we can defeat the demons!" he says. The farmers all gather around, keeping Martin at the center.

    "Here is what we are going to do. We are all going to be pairing with 3, defending one part of the line. From each pair, only one should shoot at a time. So while one is reloading their weapon, the other could fire at another one quickly. Does everyone understand?"

    The men nod in unison.

    "Good. Because remember everyone. We don''t know how strong these creatures are. We might have to use a few bullets to take one of them down. All we have to do is wait till those DEF agents arrive. Got it?"

    The men nod in unisonagain.

    "Good. Now go!" he said.

    Kyle was partnered up with Oliver and Martin. They all dashed over to their position and waited for the demons to arrive. A sort of dotted thin line formed across thendscape, acting as a barrier to the farms behind the men.

    They pointed their guns at the trees. Through the gaps, they can only see darkness, and a few glowing eyes looking upon them.

    "Are you nervous Moneymaker?" Oliver asked.

    "I am, but I am also a little excited!" Kyle replied truthfully.

 Chapter 171 Farmers Vs Demons (2)

    ?Kyle was aiming down the barrel of his gun, pointing at the walls of trees thatprised the forest, ready to shoot. In the meantime, Oliver looked through a spyss to see whether he can spot any demons iing, while Martin just kept his eye on demonsing in from the sides.

    The men were all slightly sweating from the heat, staying perfectly still as their hearts beat rapidly. From what they know, these were the months of the demons, so they expected a sort of wave toe hit them.

    "Do you see any over there?" Kyle asked the other two.

    "Um... I don''t think... Oh, wait!" Oliver pointed his finger at the forest.

    "Yes! There! Coming in just to your right!" he proimed. Kyle slightly turned to the right, only stopping after seeing some kind of white gas oozing in the dark. Kyle pointed his gun at the creature and started at it.

    "Shit... Look at that thing..." Martin remarked. It was the first time they have seen a demon in their lives, mainly because they all were safe and settled on the ind. Now, one of them was staring right at them.

    Suddenly, it jumps out of the dark forest and starts running toward them, revealing itself to be a demonic boar, with a white mana crystal on its forehead. Kyle takes his aim, waits for it to get closer, and fires his rifle.

    click. Bang!

    The metal ball wooshed across thendscape and hit the head of the demon. It immediately falls down on the ground, rolling over and making arge dirt cloud, beforeing to a stop. As the brown dirt cloud settles, they can see that the beast was not moving.

    "Is it dead?" Martin asked.

    "Don''t know. It doesn''t seem to be moving. What do you think Moneymaker?" Oliver asked. Kyle was too busy reloading his gun to be listening. It was only when they tap his shoulder that they got his attention.

    "Moneymaker?"

    "Yes?"

    "What do you think? Do you think it is dead?" Martin asked while pointing to the beast that Kyle had killed.

    "Does it matter? I mean, it stopped. That works for me. Besides, aren''t those things supposed to regenerate if it isn''t?" he suggested. The men all carefully looked at the demon for a few minutes, waiting to see if it moves.

    "...It doesn''t seem to be alive," Kyle remarked.

    "Can someone go check?"

    "No way partner! What if more of them demons approach us?" Oliver replied, feeling a little frightened.

    "Well, there doesn''t appear to be any approaching. It might be safe. You all mind if I go take a look?" Kyle suggested.

    "Alright. Sure Moneymaker," Martin replied.

    "Alright. Make sure to watch over me." Kyle replied, before heading out. Having his gun loaded, decided to slowly walk up to the corpse of the hideous and disgusting beast, bleeding out on the ground.

    Kyle looked around as he pointed his gun at it. He sees no signs of breathing or movement from the creature. The mana crystal itself seems to be broken into pieces, and the demonic boar''s eyes were no longer oozing. With this information in mind, he turns back and gives a thumbs-up.

    "This one is dead!" he proimed. Martin and Oliver both gave a sigh of relief, thankful that the demon was killed so quickly.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Well. That makes sure to put out to rest. I sure hope we encounter those bastards so far," Martin hoped. Oliver, although looked relieved, became a little confused.

    "Damn, that was much easier than I''d thought. Thank god..." Oliver remarked.

    Before they could calm down, Martin spots another demon, looking at them. He immediately freaks out and points toward them.

    "Both of y''all! Look! Another one!" he points to the forest. This time, it appears to be a small demonic wolf, with a green crystal on its head; indicating that it is slightly more powerful. Taking no chances, it immediately ran up towards the pair, as it was instructed to do so.

    Oliver and Martin immediately took their shots, hitting the wolf in the leg and body. However, it started to use magic quickly regenerate quickly, to start running toward them once again.

    "Oh, dear lord! Partner, you better be able to reload your weapon quickly! Otherwise, we are all would be fresh meat!" Oliver pressured Kyle. The wolf had at that point, fully recovered. It started dashing toward the men.

    As it came closer, it growled and roared at the men, intimidating them. It had opened its mouth, revealing its razor-sharp teeth, and drooling mouth.

    "PARTNER?!?" Oliver screamed. Just as the wolf jumped,

    Kyle reloaded his gun and aimed it at the demon. Just as the demon was right in front of them, he pulled the trigger, firing a round straight through its head. Blood stters all over the ground and the beast is stopped just below their feet.

    Kyle''s shot had managed to do the trick. The brain was met with the power of a high-speed metal projectile, instantly killing it off. Oliver and Martin gave out a huge sigh of relief and congratted Kyle for his shot.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "That was a good shot there Moneymaker! Have you been practicing?" Martin asked. They were impressed by Kyle''s uracy. Kyle smiles it off and just nods in agreement.

    "Just a little bit, but thank you. I couldn''t have done it without you two. If you haven''t stopped the beast, I am pretty sure that we would all be dead," Kyle replied humbly.

    The men start to reload their guns, cing the gunpowder and bullets down the barrel, before poking them all the way in with their rods. After Kyle reloads his weapon, he turns to his pals.

    "Hey, can I have it?" Kyle asks the two men.

    "Have what partner?" Oliver asks. Kyle points to the wolf demon that they had just killed.

    "The demon wolf? What does it have to offer you, Moneymaker?" Martin asked.

    "I want to nab that crystal on its head. I might be able to sell it for a couple of coins in the city," he remarked.

    "Well, what are you waiting for then? You shouldn''t keep on waiting for your reward, now should you? Go! Go get it!" Martin encouraged. Kyle smiles.

    "Thanks."

    Kyle gets on his knees and takes the crystal. He uses both his hands to rip off the green mana crystal from the creature''s forehead. It was in the shape of a very ruff round ball, with double the radius of a 1-cent coin. It had this glowing emerald-green hue to it, like some kind of special jewel. Kyle ces the mana crystal in his pocket and gets back up.

    "You got the crystal?" Martin asks

    "Yes. I did." Kyle replies.

    "That is good. Say, how much is a mana crystal worth?" Martin questions, curious as to how much money would Kyle get.

    "Think it depends on the color. The white ones are really cheap, you can get something for green and blue, but what we should really be looking out for, are the yellow and violet ones. Those things cost a fortune," Kyle educates the two.

    "That is really interesting, fellow partner! Say, we should go head out someday, and gather some crystals. Don''t ya think?" Oliver suggests.

    "Not sure about that. Violet and Yellow Mana crystals are very hard to get. I heard that it even takes a skilled knight to get one, and that was if they were lucky."

    "Hey! Keep your eyes open everyone. There might be another demon approaching us any minute now," Martin instructs. They keep on watch once again, trying to see if there are any demons around.

    3 dozen minutes pass, and there is no sign of any demon wave. At that point, the three were starting to wonder why. They were told that there was a wave iing, but so far, they have only seen and killed a few.

    "Say, do you guys think that they might being in from a different area?" Oliver suggested.

    "Don''t think so. From what I heard, a demon wave was going to being in there through the forest." Martin replied. Kyle, who started questioning where he got his information from, asked Martin a question.

    "Say, who was the person that told me there was a demon attack?" asked Kyle.

    "Don''t know. I heard it from someone else. He imed that someone saw them approaching when he went out to get some berries in the forest." Martin exined.

    "Berries? Who the hell goes to the forest to get berries?" he asked.

    ...

    A lone figure wearing an acorn gray robe walked deeper into the forest, sweating and breathing heavily. He was rather tired, after exhausting a lot of his power. He walks straight past the demons, who all just ignore him.

    "Bah... Those pesky humans. Always giving us trouble with their minds. Why couldn''t they be like the rest of them," he mutters to himself.

    He makes his way to a rock and takes a seat. After maintaining a rxed position, he puts his hands on his forehead. For the next few minutes, he sits there in silence, just waiting.

    "Hmm... I see," he mutters before entering another period of tranquility.

    "Good. Very Good. Yes. You have done an excellent job." he mutters. He then takes his hands off and looks up toward the sky.

    ''Those weapons... they will certainly be a pain. Oh well, not that it will matter anyway. There will be here soon...'' he thinks before smirking.

    ''...and personally, I just can''t wait.''

 Chapter 172 Problems & Solutions (1)

    ?Kant was sitting on his swivel chair inside his office, just waiting around. He was seen wearing his long-sleeved white shirt, his ck tie, ck pants, and a pair of ck leather shoes. He had his hair cut recently, with the left side of his hairbed down and a little back, while the right side of his hairbed back.*

    He had his hand holding up his head, while his right hand rested on the desktop. His jet-ck eyes were looking straight at the door, keeping a long face, just patiently waiting for the minister to arrive. As he waited, he thinks back to the decision he had made, and all the regrets he had made.

    He starts to remember all the stupid things he had done, both in this world and in his past. These memories yed back in his head, over and over again, just torturing him and reminding him of the unchangeable past that he hadmitted to. He cringed at all of it.

    Knock. Knock. Knock.

    Kant''s ear picks up the sound of the door being knocked, instantly snapping him out of his hell. He sat back on his chair, and dusted off his clothes, before handing his permission. n walked right inside the room and bowed down.

    "Good morning your majesty. I have brought in the files," he speaks as he raises his left hand, holding a ck leather briefcase.

    "That is good. Sit down." nplied and sat down.

    "May I see the crystals?" Kant asks. n keeps the briefcase on the table and opens it up. He then takes out a polished wooden chest, takes it out of the case, and ces it on the table. n then keeps the briefcase down and opens up the chest.

    The inside of the box was filled with ss containers with a rubber bong lid. The containers were all cuboid in shape, about 1/3 as tall as a regr test tube, and contained a diamond-shaped crystal of about half a gram of crystal in weight.

    "Here they are, sir. All 50 grams of void crystal are present. It might have been dyed by two days, but they are here."

    Kant picks up one of them and examines them, before putting them back into the chest, and closing it up.

    "Will the dy affect the testing date?"

    "I don''t think so, sir. I think you should be fine," n replied.

    "Where will the tests be conducted? Did you find a suitable room?"

    "Yes, I have. I have found a room in the DEF headquarters. It should be good enough to conduct the tests. I have also made sure to fit the room with everything that you sir, have ordered."

    "That is good. Make sure to keep this chest somewhere safe until the tests shall begin."

    "Alright, sir. I understand. Kant takes a deep breath and lets it out quickly.

    "Now... What about those interviewees? How have they responded?" Kant questions n.

    "Yes. I have sent a letter to the men about a job position in the military. Many have responded that they are keen on attending the interview."

    "And Armstrong? What about him? Is he one of those respondents?" Kant queried further.

    "Fortunately, yes. Even Richard Armstrong seems to be interested. He said that he will be able to make it to the city by the 15th of this month, just 10 days from now. The others would be able to make it muchter, from the 20th to the 25th range."

    Kant smiled upon hearing the news.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Wonderfull. Now, what about the poption report? Did you happen to bring it here as well?"

    "Yes sir, I did. Just give me a second..."

    n picks up his briefcase again and hands over a file. It was a file on poption statistics. ording to the files, the city has managed to grow by 8,180 people, tallying the city''s poption to about 212,700.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® A lot of these people were moving into Lower-East Middletown, as it appears that they want to take advantage of the jobs being created in Industrial District 1. However, with the tram stations set up, they were setting to other areas as well.

    However, there are some statistics that Kant found very peculiar. The report, while it said about 9,500 people entered the city in thest month, and about 89 of them left, with the remaining difference being the reported deaths. Most of the people that have left seem to be a part of smaller businesses, engaging in industries like textile, steelworks, and such.

    "There appear to be some people leaving the city. What do you think, minister n? Do you know why?" Kant questioned the minister, curious to know what he has to say. He already had a guess of what the problem might be, but wanted the minister to think.

    "Yes sir, I think I do. I am sure it has something to do with the increasingpetition from those factories. This ce is a big market after all," n remarked.

    "Very good minister. Yes... I think that is most likely the cause. I wonder..."

    "Wonder what sir?"

    Kant went into deep thinking and started to get worried a little. He could see that something was going on behind his back, but he didn''t know what. He knew that the policies that

    "Can you send someone to investigate the state of... smaller enterprises? I wish to know their state of health."

    "Alright, sir. I will."

    "Good. Now, can I have the housing report? I wish to see it as well." Kant ordered. n took out from his briefcase again and handed over a red file.

    About a month ago, Kant had instructed n to get the data on the price increases of homes in the city, so that he canpare them with past figures. The dramatic increase in a city''s poptiones with a lot of problems. One of which is the dramatic increase in the demand for homes across the city.

    From what the reports have suggested, home prices in Middletown and the Downtown have increased by 12% in a span of 3 months. Kant became rather rmed, as increasing home prices could bar people from settling in, and cause an economic slowdown.

    It would bar and limit the number of people entering the city as they would not be able to afford the homes of the city, which in an era of rtive poverty, will be a major problem that will hinder the city if nothing is to be done about it.

    For the ones that doe to the city, they will be much more economically poor, as arge chunk of their paycheck would have gone to paying for their rent or mortgage, leading to people buying fewer things, meaning fewer taxes for Kant to use, causing an economic slowdown.

    After Kant finishes reading the file, he ces it down on the desk and gets up from his chair. From his file cab, he grabs a few gray files and takes back his seat. He then turned to n and maintains eye contact with him.

    "n, I got a few tasks for you to do."

    ...

    *picture is given on paragraphment. Ignore the background. If the picture is not there, then I might have faced some difficulties uploading it.

 Chapter 173 Problems & Solutions (2)

    ?Kant was leaning towards n on his chair, maintaining a serious pose and keeping eye contact with n. He was holding a bunch of gray files in his hands, wanting to present them to n one by one, after giving some context.

    "With our current growth rate, I foresee a multitude of problems and shortages that could cause us a lot of trouble in the future. These include rising home prices, water shortages, and health

    Therefore, I have decided to take the initiative and set up systems and introduce solutions to mitigate the problems that we will be facing. Do you understand what I am saying?" n nodded at Kant''s question.

    "Yes sir. I do."

    "Good. Now, I already have prepared the files for these solutions. I had been working on them for some time, and I want you to implement them."

    "Alright, sir. Can I have the first one?" n asked.

    Kant opens his first gray file, takes the beige papers out of it, and hands it over to n. He takes a look at the paper and reads the first page. The title itself, which was written in bold calligraphic letters, tells n that this was a charter for a new department of government.

    "That is the charter for the new ''Department of Housing''. Their main job is to evaluate urban areas, determine whether the area, or any nearby area, needs development, and build new homes in those areas that do. Though, they do have other jobs as well, which you can read up on the charter.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® They are out to keep track of the housing prices, rent, and mortgages of the city, along with immigration to the city, and where these immigrants primarily settle. Once they have gathered this data, they are to work with firms to new homes.

    With the building of these new homes,es an increase in supply. It will cause a decrease in price, making it affordable enough to allow any immigrants, the vast majority of which are rtively poor, to be able to settle and integrate into the city.

    Your task is to set up this new department and find a bunch of people to staff and operate the department with efficiency. Is that understood?"

    "Yes sir. I fully understand."

    "Good. Now, that is just one part of the solution to the housing shortage. The other is here." Kant opens up the second file. He ces it on his desk, signs it, and hands it over to n.

    "That is the new taxation bill I want you to get to the IRS. Get them to enforce it, starting from the next quarter onwards."

    n looked at the bill that Kant had signed. It appeared to be the Land value tax that Kant had previously imposed on Industrial District 1. The idea is to taxnd, to make the most use of saidnd.

    This taxation method hopes to decrease the price ofnd, to decrease spectors buying and holding up properties hoping that they will go up in value, and do nothing with it. Kant wants to make sure that every bit ofnd goes to use.

    This will allow more affordable housing, allowing more people and businesses to move in. This will lead to more economic activity, with more firms producing, and more people working and buying up their goods.

    "Hm... Alright, sir. I will get to it. What about the... water shortage?" n asks.

    "The water shortage is a problem as, well, we need water to live. We need it to drink, wash, cook, and grow food.

    However, as the poption increases, the demand also increases. To make sure we keep up with this demand, we need to find a new source of water that we can use to give back to the people."

    "I see sir. So what should we do?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Simple. We use the purifiers."

    "The purifiers?" n asked.

    "Yes. They are dumping a lot of fresh water into the river, aren''t they?

    Instead of wasting that water, I think it would be best for the city if we spend more money refitting those ces to carry out water to the water pubs. That will solve a majority of our problems."

    "I see sir. I assume you want to use those steam pumps?"

    "Exactly. Get a few firms to work on this project. Make one of them focused on redirecting the purifier pipes to a different room, where another firm would be working on building a steam pump.

    While those two firms are building and setting up the purifiers, get another firm to build up a pipework throughout the city and connect the purifiers to the pipes. Once that is finished, we can have someone in charge of taking care of that," Kant replied.

    "Got it, sir. You want me to set up the new department, get the IRS to implement the new taxation method, and invest funds into setting up the purifiers and water pubs. Is there anything else for me to do?" n queries.

    "Yes. There is one more thing, and that is in regards to the hospitals of the city."

    "The hospitals?" n asks.

    "Yes. From the reports that you have handed me, I have found them to be in an uneptable state. Unsanitary space for patients, ack of good healers and doctors, ack of proper equipment and medicines, and so on.

    I would like to make some drastic changes to increase the effectiveness of the hospitals and make more use of them. It is in this file right here."

    Kant hands him thest gray file. After n ces the other documents inside the briefcase, he reads through the papers to see what was up. The fileprised a few documentsying out the specifics of what a public hospital is out to do.

    It is to increase the sries of healers and doctors, buy more medical equipment to treat patients, such as beds, potions, herbs, and surgical tools, and they are to hire janitors to clean up the ce.

    It also specifies new rules for doctors and healers to follow. They are to make sure to wash their hands with soap before entering and leaving the building, and treating a patient. They are to also wash their tools before they use them to treat other patients, and so on and so forth. They are also to expand their current facilities, to amodate more people than before.

    "As more people enter the city, there will be a rise in visits to the hospital. This could lead to overcrowding, and could possibly kill a lot of people. With the expansions, I hope to mitigate some of that. Do you understand?"

    "Yes, sir. When do I need to get all of these implemented?"

    "Hm... I would like to have them all operational by the start of next year. Is that a good enough time frame?" Kant asks. n thinks for a minute, before replying.

    "Yes sir. More than enough."

 Chapter 174 Void Ability Tests (1)

    ?It was a bright sunny morning that day. The leaves were already started to fade away from their lush green, to a warm orange instead, as the days be shorter they continue into the fall.

    The warm white room was upied by a few men in white coats, all holding clipboards in their hands, talking to each other about whatever topic interested them. On the table, were a bunch of health potions, a ck wooden chest, and some other items.

    Other than the researchers, there was one individual; A DEF agent. He was wearing his uniform; a ck suit with violet ents, including a violet tie. These men had all volunteered to help discover the extent of Kant''s abilities.

    Some were there because of the money, while others were there because it sparked their interest. The concept of someone having anti-magical void abilities was a concept only in fiction through ys and literature, often depicting such a character as the antagonist to the magical hero.

    Today, their test was there to confirm a hypothesis that Kant hade up with in his experiments, discover any other abilities that a void user like Kant could possess, and the current limits of his reserves.

    The room was a little loud, filled with chatter andughter until the door swing opened, causing them all to turn to see who it was. A man, about 5''11.5 tall, wearing a slim long-sleeved ck suit, with a white shirt underneath, and a ck tie around his neck, entered the room. He had silver hair and jet-ck eyes, all features present on his sleek face.

    Everyone in the room stands up straight and shuts their mouth. Kant walks up to the table and examines everything. It appeared that everything was in ce for the test to begin.

    "Was Ite?" Kant asks.

    "No, your majesty. You came just in time. We have prepared everything that you ask us to!" one of the researchers says.

    "Alright. Now, I assume you all know what the purpose of today is?"

    "Yes sir. We are here to answer a few questions. The first is regarding whether there was a difference in void energy consumption in the method by which mana is taken. The methods are; taking mana by drinking, or applying it on a wound itself."

    "That is good. Let us begin," he said. He opens the chest and takes out one of the containers.

    "0.5 grams of void crystal. Test 1," he speaks. The researchers write it down. Kant opens up the ss container and pours the crystal into his other palm. He then keeps the container down and crushes it. His eyes immediately turn vantack, and his body gains a huge surge of energy, but not as before. He then takes the knife and cuts the palm of his left hand.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "First test. Applying a healing potion to the wound itself." he proimed. Once the researchers came over to Kant and applied 5 ml of it to the palm of his hand.

    While Kant concentrated on his foot, the researchers examined him. While some of them check the hand, where they saw the wound disappear, others stared into his eyes.

    "Do you feel your energy levels remaining the same, sir?" one of them asks.

    "About the same. I feel I have used up a little." Kant replied. They wrote down his statement and the results on the clipboard and continued their study. They repeated the test several times until Kant''s eyes return to their normal jet-ck coloring. They had to do this 60 times before his original eye color came back.

    Kant had his palm washed and dried before moving on to the next test. This time, he was to drink 5ml of the health potion instead of applying it to the wound, to see if there is any difference.

    Kant takes another void crystal the same way he didst time, just crushing it in his hand. After that, he made a little cut on his palm before drinking up the potion. Although the wound did not disappear, his Vantack eyes certainly did. The researchers noticed a stronger change back to his normal eye color than before.

    "Did you feel anything, sir?" they ask.

    "Yes. I felt as if I had lost some energy," he noted. The researchers write it down. They continue the experiment until Kant loses the vantack eyes, and the wound is healed up. Once they are done, they draw up their results into some tables and graphs, to visualize the data.

    From the data, they found something very peculiar. When the healing potion was applied on to the wound directly, it could about 60 times to use up all 0.5g of mana inside the void crystal. However, when the void user took in the health potion inside his body, he only had to drink 5ml 12 times, before all his void energy dissipated.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The conclusion of the study confirmed Kant''s hypothesis. Yes, there was a significant difference in void energy consumption. However, the results of the test sparked a new question in everyone''s minds. Why? Why was this urring? Why was drinking the health potion taking more void energy away than just spilling on the wound directly?

    "What do you think sir? Do you have any hypothesis for this urrence?" one of the researchers asked, pointing to Kant. They were all curious to know what he thinks. Kant observed the data in the tables, presented, before answering.

    "Here is my hypothesis. When I consume the health potion, the void energy in my body uses up a lot more of that energy to cancel out all the mana present in that sample, as I havee in contact with a lot more void energy than before.

    Whereas in the case of applying the 5ml of health potion directly onto the wound, only a fraction of them came in contact and needed to dissipate.

    As we saw earlier, when we pour 5ml of the health potion onto the wound, there was still some left on my hand before I washed it. As the remaining health potion would be mana that hasn''te into contact with my stored anti-mana, it took a long length for it to run out. I suspect that is the cause," Kant proimed.

    The researchers, upon thinking of it, all agreed. So far, it is the one that had made the most sense, although they will have to do some experiments on them at ater date to see whether this is true.

    "Agent Leon? You are up next. Come here." Kant ordered. With the first series of tests concluded, they moved on to the next set of tests; the other abilities that Kant could possess as a void user, especially with a mana user.

    This includes whether or not Kant could; weaken a mana user by passing through anti-mana onto them, whether he could nullify a spell that could harm him, and whether a mana user can detect a void user.

    They conducted the first test to answer the first question; whether a void user can weaken a mana user by passing through anti-mana onto them. They did this test by simply holding their hands together, while Kant try to pass anti-mana through the hand.

    The two made sure to wash their hands first, to get rid of any ''germs'' as Kant puts it. Once they washed their hands, Kant took 0.5 grams of crystal, before he held the Agent''s hands.

    "Do you feel anything, Agent?" asked one of the researchers.

    "I do. I feel something. I feel that my hand is slightly weaker. Only a tiny bit." he responded. They waited till Kant used up all his void energy, which was indicated by his eyes.

    The DEF agent was then ordered to perform a task using both his hands, to see if there was any difference in strength or magical power. As he cast spells and lifted weights, the researchers recorded the data, before visualizing them on a table. They thenpared them to the feats done before the tests. From what they see, they did not see any noticeable difference between the two arms.

    "Hm... does that mean that void users won''t be able to weaken an opponent?" one of the researchers suggested.

    "Not necessarily. It would just mean that his majesty did not use enough Void energy to make a difference, especially onto a powerful magic user like our volunteer." another spoke back.

    "Well, to know for certain, we must conduct even more research. We shall take two more tests using 0.5 grams of crystal, before moving on to 1 gram of crystal each." Kant suggested.

    With that, the researchers conducted the tests once again, got the agent to test their strengths, and record the data. This time there was a noticeable difference between before and after the tests. However, the differences are minimal.

    "Hm... it appears that it does make them weaker. Only slightly," Kant remarked.

    "It appears so, sir." The researcher replied. Kant stared at the results before he spoke again.

    "Do you think that the previous tests had any effect on our current results?" Kant asks.

    "What do you mean, sir?"

 Chapter 175 Void Ability Tests (2)

    ?"What do you mean, sir?" the researcher asked Kant.

    "Since the test subject here has absorbed not just the void energy that I passed on to him now, but also the void energy I passed on beforehand, we might have to take that into ount in our data.

    It would mean that we would need more void energy to weaken him, and it brings up multiple questions which we do not have the answers for. So I suggest, you take those previous doses into ount," Kant exined to the researchers, while they all listened carefully.

    "I see. So you think that it might have affected the results?" one of them questioned.

    "Certainly. We will have to do more research on the subject if we want to be sure, but that is for another day.

    What is important for us now is that the tests have shown to confirm our hypothesis; that a void user can transfer void energy to another being and affect a mana user''s abilities somewhat.

    The more void energy transferred, the weaker the mana user is to be. Whether or not the process is exponential, I cannot tell." Kant takes a deep breath.

    "Regardless, with that, I think we can move on to the next series of tests. So get things ready," Kant ordered.

    "Alright, sir. So shall we do the reserve tests next time?" asked the researcher.

    "We ran out of our supplies already?" Kant asked.

    "Yes sir. After the previous tests, we have run out. We only have 1 gram of Void crystal remaining." the researcher informed Kant.

    "Hm... I see. Well, in that case, I shall make sure to prepare more crystals in the future. Till then, we can we shall do the indirect void transfer test." Kant replied.

    He then grabbed one of the two remaining containers, opened it up, and absorb its energy. Kant turns and walks up to the DEF agent, who stood straighter upon making eye contact with Kant.

    "Remember, if you start to feel anything, you tell it to the researchers. Alright?" Kant instructed the agent.

    "Alright, sir," he replied while nodding.

    "Good. Test 1. Indirect Void transfer. Timer. 5 minutes. Focus, left arm," Kant muttered before raising his right hand and focusing on the agent''s right hand. He focused hard, the same way that he did before.

    "Are you feeling anything, Agent? Do you feel something funny with your right hand?"

    "No, researcher. I do not. I feel rather normal. I do not feel any weaknessing to my hand, or my body whatsoever," the agent replied truthfully. This went on for 5 minutes when the hourss ran out of time. Kant''s eyes were still vantack, meaning he might have not lost any void energy.

    "So I guess that means no indirect transfers?" proposed one of the researchers.

    "For now. Though it is the most eptable answer as of now with our current data and experiment, there might be a few factors that we may have been unounted for." Kant brought up. Everyone turned to look at him.

    "What do you mean, sir?"

    "I mean to say that there might be a few factors that could be affecting the results of the test. For example, we might not be using enough void energy for a proper transfer, as it might be getting caught in the air.

    Or maybe the mana in the air could be blocking the void energy from transferring together, and the only way void energy can pass onto a mana user is by directly touching it, as it is the only viable path.

    We would need to do more tests to confirm it. However, as you all know, we can''t. For now," Kant exined. The researchers just nodded and continued.

    "Anyways, thanks to these results, we should be able to start the next two series of tests. I call it the Void Shield Test, so get ready everyone," Kant instructed.

    The void shield test was to test out whether Kant can focus on one part of his body and block the effects of a spell. The DEF agent was to cast a simple heat spell onto the palm of Kant''s hand, while Kant focused on his hand, where the heat was being applied.

    They will do two more tests. One test is for a physical direct transfer, and another for an indirect transfer from a distance. Their current hypothesis is that there should be a difference between a direct transfer and an indirect transfer. They will see if that hypothesis is correct.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Are you alright with this, sir?" the agent asks as Kant lends him his hand. He wanted reassurance from the king.

    "Yes, I am. You do not have to worry. I know what I have signed up for, and I will not hold anything ountable to you. All you have to do is just go on with your spell. Alright?"

    "Alright. I understand sir," he replied.

    "Good. Now, Test 1. Timer, 5 minutes. Spell transfer, directly. Agent, Begin."

    The agent pointed and touched the palm of Kant''s hand and cast a simple heat spell, where the agent applied a moderate amount of heat to his palm with his mana. All while, Kant focused on the area where the heat was being applied.

    From the researchers'' perspective, they notice that Kant''s vantack eyes slowly fade away as the agent applied a bit of mana to his hand. Other than the eyes, they notice that Kant showed no signs of pain, either from his face or hand.

    "Do you feel anything, sir? Any form of heat on your hand?" one of them asked, as usual. Kant, without keeping eye contact away from his hand, answered.

    "No. I feel rather fine... oh wait..." Kant added in the end. It grabbed their attention.

    "Yes, I am starting to feel something. Oh yes. It is exponentially increasing."

    "The heat?"

    "Yes, and the pain."

    "Should I stop now, sir?" asked the agent, who didn''t want to harm Kant, and subsequentially harm his family.

    "Not until my eyes return to normal. The researchers should tell you when to stop," Kant replied. Upon hearing his instructions, the Agent continued. By this point, the hourss had been only half filled.

    "Alright Agent, you can stop now," the researcher ordered. The agent immediately stops casting his spell, and Kant had his hand only partially burned.

    "Does it hurt, sir?"

    "Mmm... A little. It should be fine. I can just apply a bit of health potion on it." Kant lends out his hand, ordering a bit of health potion. Once researchers handed him the bottle, where he does to drop a bit of it on his wound. The burned mark heals instantly, and they can move on.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® Their conclusion of the test is that, yes, void energy can be used to cancel out a spell being cast on a void user physically. With that out of the way, it was time to start the next and final test for the day. Kant made sure to take hisst crystal for the day and got ready.

    "Test 1. Indirect transfer of mana. Timer. 5 Minutes. Begin."

    The agent points at Kant''s hand again, his time from a distance. This time, the vantack faded much more slowly than before. Soon, the hourss past the 2-minute 30-second mark, confirming the hypothesis, for now.

    Once the test finishes, the researchers pile up their data and visualize it for everyone to see. This time, the graph was much smaller, with only a few columns and rows. They wrote it down on a piece of paper and handed it out to Kant.

    From what the report said, the direct physical transfer by hand was much more effective and less time-consuming than the indirect transfer at range. Although there were a bunch of new questions that needed to be answered, it was satisfactory for Kant.

    Kant turned to the researchers and agent, having them all line up in front of him. Once everyone was there, he started to speak.

    "I thank you all foring today to help me in my quest to discover the strange and unique abilities I have been bestowed upon by god. You will all receive adequate payment for the work you have done today.

    There will be more experiments in the future, and you will all be notified when they will take ce in advance. If some of you wish to not attend that day or to stop attending at all, just please send a letter regarding the matter to the Assistant Minister, n ''Walker'' Fleck.

    With that, you are all allowed to leave the room. Please make sure to take your belongings on the way out."

    With that, the tests were over. The researchers and agent all got whatever was theirs, and left the room. Soon, a bunch of maids came over to the room and cleaned it up. Kant made sure to have n get more of those crystals, to continue experimenting and discovering what his potential is, and where his limits are.

 Chapter 176 Workings Of A Locomotive

    ?Kant looked outside the window of his carriage. He sees that the city has undergone a great transformation. The once-fresh air has been reced by a slight fog, with the architecture of the old slowly rotting away, reced by the new Architectural style of Arteco, using materials such as steel, cement, and concrete, allowing for greater heights.

    He also started to spot a lot of "for sale" signs being hung up on some buildings. ces that appear to be going out of business thanks to the increasedpetition of the corporations. Some of them were being visited by men in brown, most likely government agents from the department of housing, to buy up thend and turn it into housing.

    As he rode along the carriage, he thinks of the situation that he is in. Kant had managed to get multiple firms to work together under a new corporation, called the ''SteamLotive Company''. Though they did not own the patent, as it was Kant himself that did, they will use this entity to design and build a train.

    The firms consisted of mainly steam enginepanies, like HeklorKloch, SteamerPile, and Duser Steam Engines. They were all rather eager to send in lots of talent to the firm to learn about this wonderful mechanical machine so that they can learn to build one for themselves.

    The carriage soon stops in front of a 5-story reddish-brown building, with ss windows with white curtains on the sides. Kant soon dropped off the carriage and walked inside the building. On the inside, he found a polished wooden nk floor and a few candlenterns on top.

    The entire building appeared to be refurbished with tons of specialized equipment, for designing, building, and testing the train parts. The building was filled with ''mechanical engineers'', ''draftsmen'', and ''project managers'' all of who used to work forrge firms like HeklorKlotch, Duser Steam engines, and Steamerpile. They were all wearing long-sleeved shirts, with contrasting ties, ck pants, and brown shoes.

    The entire building, which used to be filled with the sounds of artisans chattering, turned silent as Kant entered. He had someone go and order the workers upstairs toe down and line up. Once they were all there, Kant began to speak.

    "Hello everyone. I simply came by here to help out with the creation of the steam-powered lotive, or a train, by exining to each one of you how it works.

    I believe that it is important to implement amon framework inside all your heads, for how this machine operates, as it could help clear out any confusion you may have, so you won''t make any mistakes that could cause problems down the line.

    I will also be here to help answer any questions that may pop up in your head. This will clear out any confusion you all might have around this marvelous project that we are undertaking, to connect humanity closer together, " Kant proimed.

    "Now, if you please point out to a ckboard, I can promptly share my knowledge with you all," Kant asked.

    One of them raised their hand and led him upstairs. There, he saw more tables, with cabs, bookshelves, y modeling benches, and so on. They were there to allow the workers to get a scale of what they would be working with, and whether parts could theoretically fit other parts.

    Eventually, Kant was led to a ckboard, and settled in a well lite room, with a bunch of tables, chairs, and furniture in the way. To make sure that everyone had room, the tables were all rearranged so that the crowd of engineers can listen.

    "Alright. Thank you." Kant picked up a white chalk and started drawing on the board while the others watched. Kant goes on to draw a simple blueprint of a steam engine train, before turning to the crowd of designers.

    "As you all know, a steam engine lotive is a machine that moves thanks to the power of a steam engine, meaning that it works on the same principles as a normal steam engine would.

    Now, on the left side of the diagram, is the steam lotive itself, where the boiler, the sand dome, and the cab are located. Connected to the steam engine itself, is the tender box, which holds the fuel and water inside for the steam lotive to use.

    The coal is used to run a fire inside the engine, inside what is known as the firebox. The firebox itself is apartment located at the rear of the lotive''s boiler. To ess the firebox, there is a mechanism called a fire door that is used to open and close the firebox.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom A fire door is a door that is designed to prevent the spread of fire and smoke within an area, in this case, the cab where the drivers will be seated. This is because the smoke is intended to go out through the smokestack, which we will get toter.

    The firebox sucks up air from underneath the train to keep the fire from starving, because remember, the air is a vitalponent in keeping a fire going. The solid fuel sits on top of the grates; a metal grid is located at the bottom of the firebox. It allows air inside and ash to fall.

    The ash itself falls downs down into the ashpan, which is anotherpartment just located below the firebox and the grates. The firebox allows heat and smoke to escape the chamber to these things called firetubes, running the length of the boiler.

    The boiler itself wraps around the firebox and firetubes, thus heating the water inside to boiling point, and creating steam. As more water evaporates, steam builds up inside the boiler, creating pressure. Inside the steam dome, steam can find its way out of the boiler towards the cylinders here.

    The amount of steam that is allowed to enter the cylinders is controlled by the regtor valve, which can be opened and closed by the driver using a throttle inside the cab of the steam engine. Now, in the case that the boiler could explode as too much pressure would be stored inside the boiler builds up, a safety valve can be opened to relieve pressure.

    Now, keep in mind that there are two sets of cylinders on a steam engine lotive, one on each side of the machine. On each set of cylinders, are two cylinders,ing to form a reciprocating piston engine setup. Inside therger cylinder, are a piston and a driving rod, connected to the driving wheel.

    Above this cylinder, holding the piston is the sliding valve, which allows fresh steam to enter, and used steam to exhaust out from the piston cylinder. This way the piston is pushed once from both sides toplete one rotation, creating that reciprocating motion, which is used to run the drivewheel.

    Once the steam has left the piston cylinder, it moved through a tube to the smokebox, where it will join any smokeing out of the firebox to escape out the chimney. For the lotive to stop, the driver applies the mechanical brakes, found in the steam tram, toe to a stop. This is the basics of how a steam engine lotive works." Kant exined.

    Once Kant finished exining the way the lotive is supposed to work, he turns to the workers themselves. They all had that look of curiosity among them, listening to him exin how it works.

    "Now, the keyponents of the steam lotive that you have to design are the boiler, the engine itself, the wheels and axels, the brakes, and the fuel and water supply. These are the mainponents of how the steam engine will allow the lotive to function.

    The boiler is the heart of the steam engine lotive. It is responsible for producing steam to power the engine. The design of the boiler needs to take into ount factors such as the size and shape of the lotive, the type of fuel used, and the desired operating pressure and temperature.

    The engine converts the energy from steam into mechanical energy that is used to drive the lotive''s wheels, so you will need to find the perfect size for the engine to function. Now, remember, the higher the horsepower, the more the train could carry.

    The wheels and axles allow the lotive to move along the track, which is the whole point of the device. The factors that should be taken into consideration are the weight of the lotive, the speed it will travel, and the type of track it will operate on.

    The brakes are what allow the lotive to stop. The design of the brakes needs to take into ount the size and weight of the lotive. And finally, the design of the fuel and water supply. The design needs to ensure that there is sufficient fuel and water on board for the lotive to operate over its intended distance without needing to refuel or refill."

    "Now, do any of you have any questions?" he asked. Several hands flew up in the air, all having their own question regarding the matter.

 Chapter 177 Questions Answered.

    ?Kant was forced to choose from the variety of people in the crowd. He pointed out his finger and said "You there. Come in front." a man, wearing a clean ck shirt and a yellow tiees forward.

    "What is your question?" Kant asked.

    "Well, your majesty. I am a mechanical engineer working on this project, and I think I will be speaking for everyone here when I ask this question.

    First of all, can I ask multiple questions? Because I think we all have many simr questions in mind." he asks.

    "Multiple questions are fine," Kant replied.

    "Alright. Thank you, sir. Now, my first real question is whether you can specify what the lotive will be primarily made out of.

    I think it would be beneficial for us to know what we will have to design your products with as different materials have different will lead to different power outputs and such," the engineer asked.

    Upon hearing what he said, a lot of them nodded in agreement. It appears that this one had popped up into their mind. They all now waited for Kant to give a solid and clear response, which he delivered.

    "Well, I intend the lotive to be made primarily out of steel. I chose steel because it will allow theponents to be stronger, to allow them to have more power, while the train itself will be lighter," he answered.

    The was a little confusion among the mechanical engineers, who wondered why he would choose such an expensive material to build his mechanical machine. Kant, seeing the confusion among their faces, asked a question himself.

    "Is there something wrong? Do you all not have experienced working with steel?" the workers nodded in disagreement.

    "No. No. Sir. It is just that... you said steel? Isn''t that expensive, sir?" he asked. Kant, upon understanding what the confusion was about, just smiled.

    "Ah. That was what you were confused about. Well, not really. Not anymore that is. Thanks to a steel mill I have set up a month ago, I have been able to receive arge quantity of steel. I hope that answered your question and cleared out any confusion." Kant answered.

    "It did. Thank you, sir."

    The man coughed a little, before moving on.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Now, my next question is about the horsepower of the vehicle. I am sure that you want it to be able to carry a lot of stuff around at a fast distance. Since the horsepower directly affects how much it could carry, how much do you want?" he asked.

    Kant thinks about it for a minute and does a few calctions in his head. Considering the size of his kingdom, he would want the train to be able to reach his destination in under a day at least.

    "Well, with our current knowledge, skills, and materials, I expect we should be able to reach about 100 horsepower at the maximum. Although, anything more than that would be weed if it is not traded in for reliability or safety," Kant replied.

    "Alright. Third question. What speeds would you want the train to be able to achieve with how many carriages locked onto it?"

    "Hm... if the steam engine lotive can carry around 150-200 tons at the max speed of around 20-30 miles per hour, I will be happy with that. Besides, this will be our first real attempt, isn''t it? It won''t have to be crazy." Kant replied.

    "I see sir. Do you expect 100 horsepower would be enough to do that?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I do think so, yes. I have done some calctions on the matter, and came up with that figure, although I am willing to ept the possibility that I could have made an error," Kant acknowledged.

    "Do you have any questions remaining?"

    "Yes sir. Only about 3 left from me. Shall I go on or am I asking too much?" the man asked, getting a little uneasy at the fact he might have annoyed the king in some way. Kant brushed it off with a smile and replied...

    "Oh no. It is fine. One cannot ask too many questions when ites to engineering. Please, go ahead." With his answer and expression reassuring the engineer, he coughed twice before asking.

    "Alright. So... What tracks are we going to be working with?" he questioned.

    "What do mean? Can you please borate on what you meant?"

    "Well, I am asking what kind of tracks we will be working with. How wide will they be? What will they be made out of? That kind of thing," the engineer borated.

    "Ah. In that case, the tracks would be around 4 feet 8.5 inches wide. The rail lines will be made out of steel, just like the lotive will. As I expect there to be a high amount of traffic and demand, it is best to use the strongest material avable in mass quantities." Kant answered.

    "Alright. What about any other essories? Would we have to incorporate gauges as we did with the final product of the steam tram?"

    "Not for now. What I want to be built first is a working prototype of a steam engine lotive. essories like gauges, whistles, and such cer.

    Only once we achieve satisfactory results, are when we move on to how to add in those additional, yet useful,ponents into the lotive," Kant exined.

    "Now, I believe you have one more final question?"

    "Yes sir. When would you want this prototype to be built? I think it would help us to know how long you are willing to wait before you get any results," the mechanical engineer asked.

    Upon hearing the final question, Kant''s mind drifted into thought. When did he want the steam engine lotive to be built? From what he knows, it was the 10th of Folia, with there being only about 4 months left till the year ends, including this one.

    The more time he gives, the better the prototype could turn out theoretically, however, give them too much time, there might not be a result until the deadline as they would suffer under procrastination. With this information in mind, Kant hade up with a time frame and spoke out.

    "I expect a fully working prototype by the end of the year," Kant answered.

    "I hope that is enough for you all?" he asked. They nodded.

    "Yes sir. It is."

    "Good. Now, does anyone else have any more questions?" he asked. None of them appear to raise a hand. With that, Kant said his goodbyes, wished them good luck, and left the building back to the pce.

 Chapter 178 Competition Rises

    ?It was a warm afternoon today. Marco had just finished off one more reading of the Bible, before packing up his dozens of coins donated to him in a briefcase and storming off back to Vice''s house.

    Marco found Vice in his room, slowly taking out 10 coins at a time inside the ss jars, counting them up, and cing them inside onto a wooden chest in an orderly fashion. The two have been running their sessful little operation for about a little over a month now, operating every day of the week.

    "Hello Vice, how has the counting been going for you?" Marco asks. Vice stops counting for a minute to turn around to face Marco.

    "Never better Marco. I never would have thought counting money would be this fun!" Vice replied truthfully. Marco smiled at his response.

    "Well, I got some more jars filled with money here. I hope you have time for 4 more." Marco then ced the briefcase on the bed and opened it up. They then took out 4 ss jars and ced them on the table, next to the other ss jars.

    "Say, do you need any help with that? I can chip in if you need me," Marco asked.

    "Of course! Help yourself!" Vice replied, epting the helping hand.

    The two started to take the coins one by one and ce them inside a few wooden chests. These wooden chests were specially made to hold coins in them, without having them make the jiggling sound coins make when they move around, making the duo a hot target for every criminal in a 15-meter radius.

    ''1,510... 1,520, 1,530... I counted 1,533 over here! what about you?" Vice asked Marco.

    "I got around counted 585 here. That would mean we have made..."

    "2,118 coins so far... If I am right." Vice filled in. Being the man given the job of counting, his mental calctor was allowed to grow in effectiveness. A precious time saver for Vice.

    "That sounds about right... So what does that leave us?" Marco asked Vice.

    "Well, considering that about 500 copper coins equate to a silver coin, this batch should give us 2 silver coins and 118 copper coins so far. Add that amount to thest 3 weeks and we have already made..." Vice went silent.

    "How much Vice? How much did we make?" Marco asked. Vice''s head turns to meet Marco''s eyes.

    "12 silver coins and 90 copper coins."

    "All in?" Marco asked. Arge smile forms across Vice''s face. He starts to chuckle inughter.

    "Each," he mutters. The single word ushers in excitement for Marco, for even he, didn''t know he could have made that much money in such a short amount of time.

    "YES! HELL YEA! See! I told you it was profitable. That is amazing! How much is that in total?" Marco asked, a little curious.

    "24 silver coins and 180 copper coins. That is about the total amount we have made after subtracting from all our costs," Vice replies.

    "Do you know what I think Marco, I think we two go somewhere special! I never thought I would have been able to make THIS much amount of money," Vice confessed.

    "I mean... I don''t want to rush it. I am thinking of saving the money for something else."

    "Ah! I see. Well, that is your choice, Marco. I guess the only thing left to do now is to go deposit these in the bank?" Vice remarked.

    "Yes, I guess so Vice. Say, want to help me pack them?" Marco asked.

    "Sure! I am happy to help!" The two started to pack the wooden chests inside of two ck leather briefcases. They then changed into a suit and tie, to make sure to look formal when visiting a bank. They have seen the others wear one into the building and thought it was some sort of necessity.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Marco got dressed in a yellow suit, with a ck shirt and a matching yellow, while Vice wore a bright red suit, with a white shirt and a ck tie. Once the two were suited up, they walked out of the room and left for the bank.

    Since almost all the good banks were located Downtown, they were to take a tram over there. As they walk down the smooth paved road, their ears pick up the sounds of a man, speaking in a simr fashion that Marco had just a day ago.

    This grabbed the duo''s curiosity, who walked over to see what was up. There was a crowd gathering around inside a building, while someone on a stage, wearing a white shirt with a light blue tie, brown pants, and brown calfskin shoes, read out about the bible to the crowd that had gathered. Marco and Vice, after listening in for a few minutes, left the scene.

    "Looks like someone is copying us," Vice remarked. Marco nodded in agreement.

    "Agreed. I mean, I expected some of them to pop up. Just not this early," Marco replied.

    The two continued to walk down to the station, which wasn''t all that far away. However, as they were enclosed at the station, they heard another one! The two made sure to check again, and what do you know, they found another man, wearing the same clothes, muttering the same things that the other guy had said.

    The two didn''t stick around for long, however. They soon walked over to the station and waited for a tram. The two sat alone on a lone bench, just waiting for a tram toe. Considering barely anyone else was around, the two started to cover with each other again.

    "Damn it. It appears that someone had caught on to our business," Vicemented.

    "I know. It appears that we got ourselves some seriouspetition on our hands. Though, I wonder why they are all wearing the same outfit." Marco pointed out. The question got Vice into thinking why.

    "Who knows? Maybe it is some personal branding? It could be a way to distinguish themselves from us? Maybe it is to look more... professional among the crowds. Who knows?" Vice suggested.

    "Maybe they are all working together, maybe?"

    "You think so?"

    "Probably, I don''t know. I was just guessing off with the uniforms," Marco replied.

    "Well, whatever it is, I don''t think we should be worrying about that now. What we should be worrying about, is whether they will eat into our pie."

    "Oh, they definitely will. Though, I think I have a few ideas on how to prevent that."

    "You do? Already?" Vice asked, a little surprised that an idea already popped up into Marco''s head so quickly.

    "Yes. I do. I was thinking we can improve the... customer experience."

    "Customer experience? Like what?" Vice asked.

    "Well, you know how those people are forced to stand as there are no chairs to sit on?"

    "Yes?"

    "Well, what I am thinking is we conduct the business in a bigger ce and fill the room with chairs so that people can sit and listen. Since most of them will stay for hours, I am sure that they would be d to have such a service," Marco suggested.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "That is pretty good. Anything?" Vice asked.

    "Oh, I got plenty," Marco replied. He went on to spill his ideas to Vice, who listened in very carefully.

 Chapter 179 Interviewing Richard Armstrong (1)

    ?The sun rose once again to the city of Hoverdam. The sunlight rays passed through the ss window and into Kant''s face, fully waking him up. He had a big day today, and he needs to get ready.

    Kant goes over his morning routine as usual, brushing his teeth, taking a cold morning shower, and wearing his normal attire consisting of his ck suit, pants, shoes, and tie, along with his white shirt, before eating up his breakfast consisting of a bnced diet, as well as his bitter cups of coffee that he drinks into his gullet.

    Once he is done, he heads straight to his office, where he crosses out the ''14th'' date of the month with a sharp pencil. He then takes his seat and waits until the intervieweees along knocking on his door.

    From what Kant has been informed, Richard Armstrong entered the city of Hoverdam on the 12th of Folia, just three days ago. He informed him that he wanted to take a tour of the city before heading over to Kant''s office, which Kant respected. He should be heading over here right about now.

    As he waited, he took a look at the other files on his desk, starting with the first one. From what it says, the construction of the Hoverdam Institute of Scientific Advancement and Research had just started construction two days ago. All the supplies such as cement, steel, bricks, and ss were being brought over in time.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom Knock Knock Knock

    Kant can hear heavy arms knocking on the door. After cing any unnecessary files inside the drawer, he permits the man on the other side to enter. The door swings open, and a tall, muscr man walks to enter the room, leaning down a bit.

    He had a great bald triangr head, with a ck goatee and a pair of square sses in front of his deep brown eyes. He came in wearing his knight uniform, which consisted of a long-sleeved silver shirt with brass buttons, pants, and ck shoes. On his shoulders were a pair of gold epaulets, integrated into the shirt. As soon as he entered the room, he bows down in front of Kant and greets him good morning.

    "Good Morning your majesty. I hope I am notte?" he asks in his deep voice.

    "No... you are just in time Knight Richard Armstrong. Please, sit down." Kant pointed to his seat all while smiling. Armstrong stood up and took his seat.

    "I got to admit, your majesty, you got a rather interesting ce running here. Never before I have been surprised by such interesting technologies and developments in any other city,"

    "Why thank you. I guess you can attribute that to the rapid technological advancement that had been urring in the city. Now, let''s put that to the side, and begin the interview, shall we?"

    "I guess we shall," Armstrong replied, all while keeping a straight face. Kant picked up the gray fileying on the desktop and opened it up. He read through its pages before asking the first few questions.

    "Now, Knight Richard Armstrong, can you describe your previous experience in defense and military strategy?" Kant asked his first question.

    "I had started my leadership position in the 4,990s during the session crisis. At first, I took charge of smaller units, but as I climbed the ranks, Imanded a sizable force myself and even became one of the most trusted strategists among my superiors.

    However, I do not think you wish to hear that. You wish to hear more of my present achievements, whether you can see if I have faced or handled the development of the firearm into the continent. So I think it would be best to talk about that.

    During the war, Imanded a 47-knight cavalry force, along with 8,600 peasant infantry units. By that point, I have heard of the enemy using these strange weapons they called muskets.

    When I first fought off with the weapons, I, unfortunately, made a massive blunder, by using the old techniques on the enemy. As a result, I suffered many casualties and death.

    However, that taught me a lot about the enemy and the way they use their weapon. They fired in volleys, one line after the other. I also saw that they fired in tight packs, and assumed that it was due to their weapons being rather inurate.

    So, to test this theory, I sent out a limited knight cavalry force at them, one tightly packed, and one spread out. Their orders were to go halfway, and thene back before their shields broke.

    From that little trial run, I found out that my assumption was correct, and I had learned some vital information regarding the enemy''s weapons. I set up a strategy to take care of them.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    While it was made clear that we might not be able to defeat them in their current state, I had nned on slowing them down, and fighting a war of attrition until the demonic wave would havee.

    I had split my forces into two units. The first was a cavalry unit. They were two scattered around and attack the marching musketeer soldiers, whilst the peasant infantry set up traps along the road, while also taking away any food and water they could find in the forest.

    I had pursued this strategy, all the way until I voluntarily surrendered when I heard the news that the city of Tyrol had fallen. By that point, there was no reason to continue fighting, and I justified to myself that their energies and lives would be better off fighting the demons," Armstrong answered, while Kant listened in closely.

    "Hmm... I see." Kant wrote down something in the file with his pencil, before moving on to the next question.

    "Alright, Knight Armstrong. Next question. How familiar are you with the current politicalndscape of the continent, especially regarding my kingdom, along with the others."

    "I would like to believe that I have managed to catch on to a few things. From what I see, Rose Valine is increasing her grasp on the continent, by forming the Aceaton Empire and unifying half of the continent, and integrating the northern states using geography and the treaty.

    The empire has just started to send musketeer troops to more rural towns within their empire, near the borders to the northern states, to integrate them well into the empire as a whole.

    As for the northern states, she tries to integrate the northern city-states, by recing their older rulers with much more inexperienced and more mild children and being a big market they can sell to.

    Things like food, metals, and such had been mined and shipped off to their kingdom, which can be turned into whatever they needed. All except for this kingdom, the kingdom of Hoverdam.

    You are starting to be more like the workshop of the continent. On my way to this city, I made several stops in other cities, to look around. There, I started to spot something I found rather peculiar.

    Clothes made out of cotton, wool, and canvas, were popr among the locals for their cheap prices. Imported items such as knives, spoons, forks, and peelers, being sold in the market forpetitive prices.

    I wasn''t sure where these items wereing from until I came here. They were alling from this very city, being built in those giant workshops, transported cheaply over to the ports with those metal carriages, and shipped across the entire continent to be sold in other markets, in the other northern kingdoms that are distributing manpower to other parts of the economy like agriculture and such.

    This kingdom of yours is bing the continent''s workshop, where people can buy almost anything for cheap. Though it may sound neat, it could mean you might find yourselfing into trouble with other kingdoms, afraid that you may be too powerful, especially the Aceaton Empire itself."

    "Hm... fascinating." Kant wrote down something in the files again, before moving on.

    "Next question. Can you provide an example of a sessful military operation that you have led in the past?"

    "In 4996 I.C., I was in charge of nning arge operation to take over the city of Tyrol. Back then, the city was under the rule of the brother of the previous king, who imed he was the legitimate ruler of Tyrol.

    Needless to say, my boss back then, the previous King of Tyrol, had none of it. He gathered his most trusted advisors, myself included, toe up with the n.

    It was there that I proposed to bait the king outside of the security of his castle walls, quickly encircle his forces, and take him down right there. We had to do an extensive disinformation campaign, tons of training among the knights, and equip the peasant infantry with new equipment.

    Needless to say, when the operation was conducted, that king was overthrown and executed, allowing for the previous king to rise to the throne until even he got ousted." Armstrong replied.

 Chapter 180 Interviewing Richard Armstrong (2)

    ?Kant writes down something on the file again. Richard bes a little anxious about what he is writing about. Kant, after he is done, locks eye contact with Armstrong''s deep brown eyes once again.

    "This interview is going well so far. Now, the next question. Can you describe a situation where you had to make a difficult strategic decision under pressure?" Kant asked next. Armstrong takes a deep breath.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "There was one battle. The leadingmander was killed, and I was put in charge. Our initial n had backfired, and we were outnumbered in terms of numbers."

    "So what did you do?"

    "I had to quickly reassess the situation ande up with a new n. Imitted to a strategic retreat butmitted a few forces to bully the enemy army into tiring out their forces. I kept it up throughout the entire day, forcing them to be awake.

    Meanwhile, I had my forces healed up, and given a well rest, before Iunch a counterattack a dayter."

    "How did it go?"

    "It went rather well. We were able to execute the counterattack quite effectively. We suffered some casualties, but they were significantly lower than they would have been if we had continued with our original n," Armstrong replied.

    Kant started to write down the files again.

    "Hm... Alright. Now, can you describe your approach to building and maintaining alliances with other kingdoms?"

    "I take a strategic approach to it. In the 90s, I learned that it''s important to carefully evaluate the potential risks and benefits of an alliance, as a bad ally could hinder one.

    I consider factors such as the history of past interactions with the potential ally, their reputation for honesty and reliability, and their overall strategic alignment with our kingdom''s goals and interests.

    It was how the northern kingdoms can form a coalition in the 90s to help each other out to ascend to power, and it was how they managed to get everyone to dere war on the south," Armstrong replied. Kant nods his head and writes down the file.

    "Alright. Now here is a good one. Can you exin your philosophy on the use of military force and when it is appropriate to takend from other kingdoms?"

    "I view it as a political tool and an act a kingdom participates in, either willingly or unwillingly. We invadend to secure something politically essential to us, whether it be resources or security in some matter.

    However, I also consider military force to be an expensive act a state can enact. It costs manpower, which is a vital resource that a kingdom could have, especially in your regard, as the introduction of machinery appears to have increased the value of each individual.

    Regardless, in the case of diplomatic breakdowns, or aplete sh in the interest of the state to another state, an evaluation of the short-term, and long-term risks and rewards would be taken into consideration.

    Only when I deem the rewards to outweigh the risks presented, it is only then that I would deem it beneficial to use military force, and advise you ordingly." Kant smiled at his response and wrote something down on the file.

    "Very good. Yes. Now, can you describe your experience working with intelligence gatherers?"

    "I have worked closely with the spymasters of my previous employers very carefully, to evaluate information and identify potential risks to my former kingdom and troops. We have used numerous methods in gathering intel."

    "Could you describe these methods for me?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "We mainly use official spies to get information. They use a variety of techniques to hide and listen in on anything. We also pay normal people a ratherrge sum of money to spill anything valuable if necessary. Although, thetter option is much more risky and costly."

    "How do you evaluate the credibility and reliability of information obtained?" Kant asked next.

    "Back in my original kingdom, they had a strict vetting process for all information obtained. We used a variety of methods to evaluate the credibility and reliability of the information, such as cross-checking information against other sources, verifying the uracy of the information, and assessing the motivations of the source providing the information."

    "Can you give an example of a situation where you sessfully gathered and analyzed intelligence to prevent a potential threat?"

    "Yes, there was a situation in the 90s where we received information from a ''civilian'' that they were going to do a pincer move on our army. We were able to corroborate this information thanks to our spies and managed to put up measures to foil their attack." Armstong replied.

    "Hmm... Good." As usual, Kant writes on his file again, before moving on.

    "How do you evaluate the performance of your troops and ensure that they are well-trained and well-equipped?"

    "One of my top priorities as a defense minister would be to ensure that our troops are highly capable and ready to carry out their duties.

    To evaluate their performance, I can use abination of regr training exercises, performance reviews, and feedback mechanisms.

    I can also closely monitor our soldiers'' performance during military operations to identify any weaknesses or shorings that need to be addressed."

    "And how do you address any weaknesses or shorings in troop performance?"

    "In that case, I like to take a targeted approach to train and support. Back in my old kingdom, if we identify that a certain unit is struggling with a particr type of operation, we''ll provide additional training and resources to help them improve.

    "That sounds like a thorough approach. How do you foster a culture of excellence and continuous improvement within the military?"

    "I can encourage the practice of ''learning from their mistakes and striving to do better'' for their duties. I can also recognize and reward exceptional performance, mainly through mary rewards. Although, I do have some other ways to incentivize them."

    "Hm... I see." Kant writes down in the file. Kant asks a few more questions before he stops asking any more questions. He then takes a look at the file, and skims it a bit, before turning back to Armstrong.

    "I thank you foring here today. I will inform you of the results in a few days. I have already granted you a free ce of stay in the meantime."

    "When can I get to hear back?" Armstrong asks. Kant thinks for a minute.

    "How about... the 21st?" he replies to Armstrong''s question. Armstrong thinks about it for a minute before replying.

    "Fine by me, your majesty." With that, the interview ended, and Armstrong was allowed to leave.

 Chapter 181 Ezekiel The Engineer

    ?The sun was about to rise and shine again in the city of Hoverdan. A man, with short ck hair, and green eyes with gold flecks, woke up early in the morning. He found himself in his bed with a hay mattress, all alone, still wearing his pajamas.

    "Ezekiel, honey, breakfast is ready!" he heard a feminine voice call out to him, belonging to his wife. He ate up the delicious food his wife had made him, which consisted of a variety of foods to keep him healthy, things they can afford that is.

    Once he was done eating, he got dressed in his ck long-sleeved shirt and yellow tie. It was the uniform he was told to wear by his corporate bosses at HeklorKloch. Once he had packed his briefcase, he kissed his wife goodbye and walked downstairs to his home.

    Before he left the house once again, he took a good look at the nearly empty floor, filled with boxes, tables, and chairs. That was about it. It was his old workshop where he had worked alongside his father, while his mother cooked both of them their food upstairs.

    Ever since they died 4 years ago, he had been forced to assume the position. However, in recent months, he had to close down the workshop thanks to ack of money flowing into his business, being reced by thoserger firms, with tons of capital and workers on their hands to do his job.

    Regardless, after he took a minute to look at the ce, he left for good. He walks down the paved cobblestone road, through the slight smog air of the city, to a nearby tram station, which will take him to the office where he worked on the steam lotive.

    Hees up to the bench and takes a seat in the shade. Ezekiel looks up at the sundial and sees that the tram would being around 10 minutes from now. Considering the time he has to wait, he decided to open up his bag and take out a book that he had carried in the bag.

    The book was rather big and thick, possessing about 500 pages. Its cover was made out of the same beige paper that the rest of the papers it had used. The book was given to him by his firm, to read and study to learn about steam engines.

    It took a while to make this book. The firm had to do some science for themselves, to discover how to make ever more efficient steam engines. They did this by inviting researchers abroad, mainly from the city of Vallina, with a heavy bag of silver.

    "Um... excuse me..." a stranger asked. Ezekiel turns his eyes away from the book to look up and left. His eyes see a man, wearing simr attire to him. The stranger wore a white shirt with a light blue tie and beige pants.

    "Are you perhaps part of the SELT Project?" he asked.

    "Well, yes. I am. Why do you ask?" Ezekiel questions back.

    "It is just that I recognized you. You were the one to ask his majesty the questions, right?" he questions further.

    "You were there?" Ezekiel asked, now certain that he was part of the SELT Project.

    "Of course! It was the first day. I could not have missed it. Those were some good questions you asked. I had popped up in my head myself." The man smiles and lends out his hands for a handshake.

    "Oh! I am so sorry, I forgot to introduce you to myself. Hi, I am Jerry Smitz. I am a Mechanical Engineer at SteamerPile. I think we will be working together for a while, so we might as well get along," he said.

    Ezekiel, after looking at his hand, grabbed it and firmly shook it.

    "I am Ezekiel Berserk. HeklorKloch." Ezekiel replied.

    "Say... can I sit down next to you?" Jerry asked.

    "Sure. I don''t see why not." Ezekiel replied. He put the book back in the briefcase, not wanting an employee of anotherpany to seepany secrets.

    "So... how did you start?" he asks.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Huh?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "You know, how did you start? In yourpany that is."

    "Well... I just got this job about 2 and a half months ago. My workshop had to close down because I wasn''t making enough money, and had to go look for a job.

    One day, when I was walking along the road, I saw an advert for a job listing for HeklorKloch. They were looking for some artisans to be a part of the group.

    Considering I had years of experience in the field, and I was rtively young. I got hired over there. I was mainly told to design small steam engines and eventually grew into makingrger ones.

    Though they gave me the title of ''Mechanical Engineer'', I like to prefer to think of myself more as a ''Steam Engine Designer''. It was what I was taught and did in the firm, and they are the only things I have experience in designing. Well, other than a few other primitive devices.

    There are others at the firm who specialize in other things. Don, for instance, is the guy who makes those air-tight doors for the steam engines. He is another ''Mechanical Engineer'' that works at the firm."

    "I have to agree. I wonder why they gave us such a name for our jobs. I remember it wasn''t always like that," he said, not really expecting an answer.

    "The same reason as mine, I believe. It is because it makes us both sound more qualified than we actually are." Ezekiel answered. He then looks up and smiles.

    "Not that I am notining though. At least it gives me something to brag about when visiting family," he replied. Jerry chuckles at his remark.

    "Hm... Same here. Although, I joined my firm because it was started by my uncle, and he wanted to use my skills," Jerry told his coworker.

    "You must be pretty good then. How much experience have you had been an artisan?"

    "About 8. I started out when I was around 14. How about you? You think you can beat that?"

    "If you want to know, I started when I was 10. So I have about 12 years of experience." Ezekiel boasted.

    "Really? How many steam engines have you designed?" Jerry asks.

    "How many have you?" Ezekiel asked back.

    "Fine, I will go first. I have made about 9 so far. Thetest one I had managed to reach 19 horsepower, though I had to use expensive steel to make that. So... how many did you make?"

    "I have designed around 15 so far. Mytest one runs on 32 horsepower, although there are some reliability issues."

    "Damn! That is a lot! How the hell did you guys manage to do that?" he asks. Ezekiel simply puts his finger on his mouth and replies...

    "That is a secret..." Just then, the tram arrives at the station.

    "Ah, look! Our ride is here," Ezekiel remarked. The two men get up and board the vehicle, off to the next station where they can arrive at the office.

 Chapter 182 Rescue Mission

    ?Carson walks through the front door to the small stone building, known as the knight hall. Following behind him, was Herrold, his old friend. The two sergeants were wearing simr attire, both in charge of leading a small squad.

    His friend, Herrold, had recently got promoted. You see, thanks to his own lists of aplishments, and Carson''s rmendation to the Colone, he managed to be assigned 6 soldiers tomand, a sleek new uniform, a pay raise, and a PCR-18.

    The musketeer forces have been gaining traction around these parts. Many locals are now starting to ept these soldiers as a part of their daily lives. Carson in particr was bing a little local hero among the masses.

    They walk up to the receptionist, a long-blonde-haired woman with sparkling aqua-blue eyes, wearing a nd white uniform. She was sitting on the chair, holding her head with her hand, bored out of her mind. When she sees the soldiers approaching her, she reluctantly stood up and greeted the two of them.

    "Good morning, Sargent Carson, sir." she greets Carson. Her head then turns to Herrold, Carson''s old friend.

    "Good morning, Sargent Herrold. How may I help you two today?" she asks the two, still keeping an apathetic tone to her voice and face.

    "We were instructed by the Colonel toe here and see if there are a few knights who would need our help. Do you have some for us?" Carson asks the receptionist. The woman tilts her head and thinks for a minute.

    "Hmm... I don''t think so. A majority of the tasks today are done. Though there is a lot that is taken in the process of being done, I don''t think any of those knights would need help."

    "Really? There is nothing?" Herrold asks. The receptionistdy thinks for a minute, again.

    "Hmm... nope. Can''t get one off the top of my... oh wait. I think there is. Just give me a minute," She replies. The receptionist opens up the drawer and takes out a stack of papers. She then starts to skim through them, until she arrives at the correct one.

    "Ah, here it is. A 12-knight expedition was sent over to a nearby cave mine. There have been reports of demons extracting and mining a lot of materials out of there, which has the lord concerned.

    Reports also hinted at the fact that there might be a powerful beast lurking inside the mines, there to protect the smaller beasts from mining." she said out loud, before handing it over to Carson.

    "However, that was about 4 hours ago, in the morning. They should have been back here by now, but they haven''t. In situations like this, we are going to need someone to check up on them. Is that good enough for you two gentlemen?" she asks.

    "Yes. That is good enough. Where can I find the mine?" Carson asks. The receptionist hands Carson a rolled piece of paper. Carson unrolled the paper, and found arge and detailed map, leading to the mine.

    "There. I think that should be good for you two. It is a 40-minute walk, so it will take a while to get there," she speaks. Carson examines the map, before rolling it back up.

    "This works for us. Thank you."

    "You are wee, sirs," she replies. The two then walk out of there and get to their troops.

    "Is there anyone for us to do, sir?" Carson looks at the soldier and shows them the papers.

    "Apparently there is. A mine mission has gone wrong, presumably. We are going to go head over there, and see if they are all alright," Carson replies to their question.

    "It will be a 40-minute walk from here. Although considering the situation, we might have to bring in some supplies with us. A lot of it," Herrold remarked.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Does that mean we will have to walk, carrying them to the location, sir?"

    "No. I don''t think we will," Carson remarked.

    ...

    Sitting at the front of the caravan, was Carson and Herrold, being pulled by two horses, one ck and the other gray. While Carson held the ropes to the horses, Herrold held out his 6-shooter PCR-18 revolver. On the rear of the caravan were the soldiers, all equipped with their FLM-18 muskets.

    The caravan was journeying on a dirt path, in the middle of the forest. While Carson was busy driving, the others were holding their muskets to the side, ready to fire at anything that dares moves an inch.

    "How much longer, Carson?" Herrold questioned Carson. He was getting impatient. Carson looked at the map first, and then at the surrounding terrain before giving a response. He looks forndmarks, to see where they are.

    "I am not... oh! There is that sign on the tree! Yes, we are about 5 minutes away from the entrance," Carson replied confidently. He then turns his head to the back of the caravan, looking on at the boxes sitting in the middle.

    "Is everything still there?" he asks. They had brought some extra supplies along, just in case they need them. They have brought healing potions, strength potions, gunpowder, bullets, food, and water with them for themselves, and any injured knight that needs it.

    "All there, sir! We haven''t touched a thing!" they reply. Carson gives them a smile.

    "That is good. Keep yourselves aware, everyone. We are arriving."

    The caravan soon arrived at the entrance of the caravan, where Carson stopped. The men all drop off and got themselves prepared. Carson and Herrold walked over to the mouth of the entrance, which appeared to just lead to pitch-ck darkness.

    "Looks like we are going to be needing some torches, are we?" Carson remarked.

    "Yes, we do. Did we bring any?" Herrold asks. Carson gives him a weird look.

    "What do you mean? Of course, I did! It would be stupid not to," Carson answered. He then walked back to the caravan and opened up a wooden chest. Carson picks up two torches, which were wooden sticks with a white cloth wrapped around the top end. He hands the two over to Herrold to hold.

    From his pocket, he picks out a matchbox he bought in the marketce. He lights up one match and lights the torches on fire. Herrold then hands one of them over, after Carson took his revolver from his holster.

    "Alright everyone, make sure to get whatever you need. Three of you stay and take care of any demons thate this way, while the rest of us will head inside. Alright?"

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Alright, sir. Understood."

    "Good. Everyone else? Let''s go. Make sure to follow us. You won''t wanna get lost here," Caron ordered.

 Chapter 183 An Injured Knight

    ?Carson and Herrold both led the way while the private soldiers stayed behind them. They were all wielding their guns, pointing them toward the endless darkness. On the side of the walls, they notice that were are unlit torches, all just hanging around, waiting to be lit.

    They walk over to examine them closely and see that they were all burned a bit, but not enough for them to diffuse. Carson and Herrold start lighting them up again, brightening the caves and increasing their visibility.

    As the rooms got lighter, The soldiers were spooked upon seeing the rotting corpses of demonic monkeys, the singefurs, all over the ce. The musketeers all observed them to be holding pickaxes, with broken gems on their foreheads. In the middle of the rooms, were cast iron rails, resting on wooden nk sleepers.

    On the rails, themselves were minecarts, filled to the brim with metal ores and coal, just mixed up, ready to be carried away to the cave entrance.

    "What do you think, Herrold? You think they were the miners?"

    "Absolutely, and I think the knights had already taken care of them."

    "Good grief. I didn''t want to waste my bullets on these things. Let''s go further in."

    The men continued on until they stopped upon seeing tiny glowing mana stones of white and green, just hanging on the roof. Though it was a pretty sight to behold, the soldiers immediately knew what it was.

    "You think what I am thinking, Herrold?"

    "Yes. Demons. Thankfully just a few," Herrold replied. Carson turns his head back to the soldiers, maintaining eye contact with them.

    "Everyone, get your guns ready. If one of them makes it past us, shoot it down, got it?" Carson instructed.

    "Yes sir," they reply. With the soldiers covering them, Carson and Herrold aimed at the crystals, and start shooting them down. As they pull the trigger, a metal ball is fired straight it their heads, killing them instantly, and making them fall.

    The gunshots echo throughout the cave, angering the beasts. They start to dash straight toward the soldiers, wanting to bite off their flesh. Thankfully, there were only a few of them currently present, allowing Carson and Herrold to pick them off.

    Once the first wave was over, they start to reload their weapons. Just as they were done, more demonic bats start swooshing them in higher and higher numbers. Ites to the point that the soldiers at the back had to start firing.

    The waves kept increasing and increasing until suddenly, they stopped. By this point, the ground was covered with the corpses of demonic bats, oozing off the disgusting smell of their rotting corpses.

    "UH! That''s disgusting! How many did we kill here?" Carson says.

    "I got about 24 bats, while you about 23, I think. The rest of the 13 were killed by the guys with the muskets." Herrold replied.

    "You counted while fighting?" Carson asked.

    "I did. Although, I think we may need to head back. I am almost out of powder, caps, and bullets."

    "You are right. Let''s go."

    Just as they were about to turn back, they heard the screams of knights for help,ing deeper into the cave. It was followed by a slight roar, most likelying from a powerful beast. Knowing full well they might be injured, they stopped themselves for a minute to think about their next move.

    "What do you think that is?" Carson ask.

    "It sounds like the screams of some man. Most possibly a knight. I assume they might be fighting some powerful demon," Herrold replies.

    "I guess we should go then. See if they are still alive."

    "I do not rmend that my friend," Herrold argues.

    "Why not?" Carson questions.

    "We are low on ammo, remember? I think it is best if we go back and resupply. If we encounter more demons, then it would not end well for us," Herrold ims.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "But wasn''t there a swarm of demonic bats there before? From what we know, we probably cleared out a lot of them. Besides, the demon might be weakened by them. This would be the perfect time to pounce!" Carson argues back.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "That is certainly possible, but I don''t think the risk is worth it. Besides, it will only take a few minutes. They survived for this long. What is another more minute to those skilled soldiers?" Herrold replies.

    Before the two of them can argue any further, they heard footsteps making their way closer to them. They pointed their guns, fully loaded and ready to fire.

    "Wait! Don''t shoot!" he said. They didn''t lower their weapons until the person came to the light, revealing himself to be a knight. However, there was something wrong with him. His runic armor was heavily damaged and scratched, almost as if it had sustained powerful blows.

    "Thank go... goodness! Thank goodness you are all here! We need help, serious help!" he begged. He limped closer to the soldiers. Carson pointed at him while looking at his troops. They lowered their guns and helped the man.

    They hand him a health potion, which they use to heal him back up to a better state.

    "Thank you for clearing out those bats. I don''t think I could have made it without your guy''s help," he said.

    "You are wee. Anyways, can you tell us what is going on? What was that roar we heard?" Carson asked.

    "It was a minotaur. We were ambushed by two minotaurs They both attacked our group while we were clearing out the mines of those filthy demons. We managed to get one of the minotaurs down, but the other is still going strong."

    "How long have you been fighting that thing?"

    "I don''t know. It feels like it had been an eternity. We really need help from you all as quickly as we can get!" he begs the knight. Carson and Herrold both look at each other and then toward the knight.

    "How long do you think you all can hold out?"

    "I don''t know. Maybe a few more minutes? I am not entirely sure," he replies.

    "Alright then. Do you think that they should be able to hold on for at least 15 minutes at most?"

    "I... I think so! Yes! We can! But it is not without any more deaths. We have already lost one..." he replies as a few drops of tears start dropping down his face. Carson and Herrold both look at each other,ing to a decision.

    "I got 19 more rounds left in my pocket. How many do you all have?"

    "About 43, sir."

    "What about the powder."

    "The can is still half-full sir. We should be fine for now," they reply. Carson then turns towards Herrold.

    "Alright Herrold, I think I have a n.

    A bunch of my guys and I will go in and give support to the knights, while you and your team head back, resupply, and bring the health and strength potions over.

    Once you have healed up the knights, we can all band together and take it down. Is that good with you?" Carson asks.

    Herrold stands there, maintaining eye contact with Carsion, thinking about it for a minute. He knows he does not have enough time, and that he needs to act quickly.

    "Although I do not approve of this n, It does seem that it is the best option we may have right now." Herrold hands Carson over his bullets, gunpowder, percussion cap, and revolver.

    "Use it well, my friend. I will meet back with you soon."

 Chapter 184 The Minotaur

    ?Carson epts Herrold''s revolver, holding it in his right hand while keeping his own revolver holstered. Now fully supplied with gunpowder, percussion caps, and bullets, he travels further into the cave, leading the way as he held the torch that provided light.

    They light up the torches on the side of the walls, allowing the ones behind to catch up. Their ears start to pick up the sounds of metal shing together. Along the way, they take down some of the few remaining creatures that stayed behind, before entering the area in which the knights and beast fought.

    The soldiers entered the room and looked at where they were going to fight. The area was lit by a giant fire on the ceiling. The dirty stone floor was with the corpses of singefurs, demonic bats, and onerger corpse of a minotaur, stripped of its armor and weapon, and its head decapitated.

    In the center of the room, surrounded by knights, was the remaining Minotaur itself. The Minotaur was another beast spawned out of the minds of the ancients. From its tales, it was a beast that was treated with love andpanionship. However, as it grew older, it became a threat to society, as its animalistic brain took over.

    It was made out of 2 muscr horse legs, the chest, and arms of a muscr man, with 3 fingers on each hand, and a bull''s head with huge horns and a violet mana crystal on the forehead. It stood 10 feet tall, and its skin and fur were brown in color. On both its hands, it held giant axes, one thate from its fallenrade.

    Covering its body, head to toe, was a set of iron and chainmail armor. Carson and the soldiers can see that a lot of the armor had already been damaged, thanks to the efforts of the knights.

    "EVERYONE! SPREAD AROUND THE BEAST AND FIRE! WE ARE HERE TO WEAKEN THE BEAST TO RELIEVE THE KNIGHTS!" Carson ordered. The soldiers understood and moved to form a circle, keeping a good distance from the others and the minotaur itself.

    Carson keeps the lit torch inside a hole and takes out his other gun. The exhausted and injured knights, upon seeing the musketeers arrive, leave the scene. After Carson aims his gun at its face, he starts to pull the trigger and fires his shots. The soldiers, upon hearing the shots, took aim and fired as well.

    The bullet manages to prate the iron armor and enter the body of the beast, However, thanks to its extraordinary healing abilities, it managed to regenerate as quickly. It then starts to chase down Carson, who was the one managing to fire the most amount of shots.

    It ran towards him with bloodlust. Carson starts to run to the side while firing a few more shots. The minotaur, despite being muchrger, manages to catch up and swings both his axes at Carson.

    Thwack! Thug!

    The axe nearly slices Carson''s head off. Thankfully, he ducked and dodged the attack, and managed to run a great distance. The other troops, now piled up into one group, aimed at the Minotaur and fired upon the beast.

    This move turned the beast''s attention to the other soldiers. Seeing that they have piled up, it started running towards them. The soldiers immediately separated, forcing the minotaur to force on one of the soldiers.

    The soldier, upon seeing the giant creature headed towards him, trips and fall down to the ground. Dust flies over, and the man screams in fear. The beast raised his axes, ready to strike him down.

    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

    The shots from the dual-wielded revolversnded on the demon''s back and arms. It distracted the beast long enough to make it turn around to Carson once again. Carson, upon making eye contact with the beast, started to taunt it.

    "Come on you ugly bastard! Can''t you manage to take down at least one of us?"

    The minotaur was visibly fuming at hisment and started to charge toward him. It gave out a mighty roar, before swinging its axes at Carson. This continued for a few minutes, and the minotaur was distracted, weakened, and taunted by the soldiers.

    Meanwhile, Herrold arrives with his soldiers, carrying potions, food, and water alongside them. They tend to the exhausted and injured, who were able to catch a break after hours of fighting.

    They hand them the potions, allowing them to heal back up to full health, and regain their strength. They were then given food and water, to quench the thirst and hunger that have umted in the battle.

    After they have been treated, Herrold confronts them. They were all told to turn their attention to Herrold, who stood straight and strong.

    "Is everyone replenished? Did everyone get their food, water, and potions?" he asks. The knights nodded.

    "Good. Now, I assume that you are all in a condition to fight? We still have to take that thing down." The knight all look at each other, holding long faces in silence. Herrold noticed what it was; reluctance and hesitancy.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® These knights, after fighting for a long time, had had their morale demolished. All that they desire the most right now, is to head back home safely. Herrold however, could not ept that and decided to give a speech to boost their morale.

    "Men! Listen to me! You have all fought so hard, and got so far! You have all managed, after working together, to take down a powerful beast all by yourself!

    That is one less demon that could terrify your fellow citizens! One less threat to our family and friends. One step closer to attaining victory over the demons.

    Knights! This is not the time to back down! The beast has grown sloppier and weaker! This is our chance to take it down once and for all!

    Don''t you want to see it eliminated? To make sure that it won''t hurt anyone else ever again? If so, then you shall stand and fight! Just like your ancestors have, and just like how your descendants will too!" he shouts. The knights, after all looking at each other, finally agreed to stand up. After doing a few stretches, their all entered the area where the demon resided.

    By this point, the demon had be far weaker. Its swings had slowed, and it was seen breathing heavily. Although it had managed to regenerate, the bullet stuck inside its body had made it harder to move.

    The knights took this opportunity and strike back with vigor. With their spears, swords, and bows, they all pounced on the beast together. A few aimed at its hands, and quickly disarmed it of itsrge axes. The others aimed toward its chest and heart, where it was most vulnerable. Another group cast fireballs, scorching water, and earth attacks at it, while a final few simply waited for the right time to strike.

    The Minotaur screamed in agony, as it slowly suffered under the knight''s brutal attacks. As soon as it lowers its guard, the knights with the swords swoop in, cutting its head off with a clean slice.

    ...

    It had been a few minutes since the battle was over. The soldiers, upon carefully taking off therge violet stone on its forward, brought it over to the caravan, where it can be sent back to the rural town.

    There were many questions surrounding why such a powerful beast was here, protecting his area from any human that daree inside and explore. Carson, Herrold, along with knights and 2 soldiers, wandered further into the cave.

    "The minotaurs were guarding this tunnel?" Carson asked one of the knights.

    "Yes, sir. They were protecting this area. It used to be filled with singefurs, but they came over to help the Minotaur to fight us, so I don''t think that there are any left here."

    "What the hell are they mining for?" asked Herrold.

    "We don''t know sir. There is only one way to find out," the knight replied. The group travels further into the mine, lighting up torches and looking around. On the ground were more rails, held up on the wooden nk sleepers. Pickaxes were seen scattered around the ce, and not a single minecart was to be seen.

    Carson, upon looking at the stone walls, spots something interesting hanging around the walls. A small ck crystal just mined enough to be picked up from the stone walls with his hands.

    "What do you think this is?" Carson asks while picking up the ck crystal.

    "Don''t know. Looks cool though," Herrold replies. The knight, upon seeing the crystal, stays silent.

    "What is the matter? Is there anything wrong?" Carson asks the knight.

    "Sir... I think I know why it was there," the knight responds. This immediately catches the attention of the two, who now be curious.

    "Really? Why?" Herrold asks. The knight points to the crystal.

    "That crystal... that is a void crystal."

 Chapter 185 Design Problems

    ?Ezekiel walks through the front door and heads up the stairs of the building he works in. He raises his left hand and yells "Good morning" to all his coworkers as he goes. Hees to his workstation: a table with a stack of beige paper, drawers filled with pencils, quills, ink bottles, rulers, a box of chisel and tools, and such. On his left, there was another table, for a ce where he can cut and mold a y model into what he desires.

    Ezekiel ces down the briefcase and opens up the drawer. Inside, he takes out therge rolled beige paper and unrolls it. The paper details a sketch of the steam engine lotive, drawn by His Majesty, Kant Maybale himself. This sketch, however, was much more detailed than the one drawn on the board.

    Ezekiel was tasked by his project managers with designing the reciprocating piston engine setup, something that he has a lot more experience with. Ever since day one on the SELT project, he had been working on it for a while, drawing up an incredibly detailed drawing of all theponents and mechanisms within the cylinders.

    After taking one more look at the overall machine, he takes out his rolled-up blueprint from his briefcase, unrolls it, and gets to work. He also takes out the book, to help him along the way.

    With his trusty pencil, ruler, and eraser by his side, he continues to work on it. He had noticed he had made several mistakes and quickly got on to fixing them first. Once he was done taking out the mistakes, he started to work on them once again.

    As he was working, one of the engineers carrying a rolled piece of paper stopped right in front of his desk, and turn to talk.

    "Hey, Ezekiel. We will start drawing therger blueprint in about 2 hours. Think you can finish it in time?" his coworker questioned.

    "Yes. Don''t worry about it," Ezekiel replies with a smile.

    "Alright then. Good luck. I will see you upstairs," he replies, before walking away. After around 1 hour and 50 minutes, Ezekiel finally finishes with the blueprint. After some finishing touches, he gets up from his workstation and climbs up the stairs to the next floor.

    There, he enters arge room, with arge wooden table in the middle, with arge piece of paper about the size of 4 A1 papersbined. The room itself was upied by ''Mechanical Engineers'' such as Ezekiel himself, and a few draftsmen who will be the ones drawing up the thing the engineers will present.

    "Ezekiel! You made it! How was the piston engine? Did it give you any trouble?" asked one of his coworkers.

    "No... it did not," Ezekiel replied.

    "That is wonderful. Now all we got to do, is wait till the otherse."

    10 minutes pass by without a hitch. However, the room gets much more cramped as a few more people enter at thest minute. Once it was time, the project manager took out his clipboard and called the names of the engineers present.

    "Jerry Smitz?"

    "Present."

    "Ezekiel Berserk?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Present."

    This went on until thest name was called out. After confirming that everyone was present in the room, they start to get to work. The engineers start to hand out the blueprints to the draftsman,

    The first engineer to hand in his blueprint was the engineer tasked with designing the framework of the lotive, as it was where everything else would be going on there. The framework included the cabin, the area for the base on the train, the area to fit the boiler and piston, and so on.

    Once the framework was drawn up, they went with the firebox next. It was the moment when the draftsmen had to draw down the firebox into the blueprint, that they first start running into problems. The firebox was considered to be small, rtive to the size of the framework.

    "Mr. Cole, I would like to point out that your firebox is too small."

    "What do you mean?"

    "Well, I mean to say that the firebox does not fully unitize the space given to it by the framework. I think you will have to fix the measurements up."

    "Ah. I see the problem here. Yes, I will get to fix it."

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "So does that mean that we cannot continue?"

    "Not necessarily. We can still ce in a hypothetical alternative. One that best fits the unable space, and continue on to see whether there are otherponents that are in need of correction," one of the engineers spoke out.

    With that, they continued on with the next fewponents, to see if there was anything that needed fixing. The next part of the train was brought in, the boiler blueprints. With the rather detailed blueprint in hand, the draftsman started drawing and incorporating it on therge paper.

    It was then that they found out the boiler had its own problems as well. It was measured up to be, theoretically, a little bitrger for it to fit. This problem was found in the otherponents of the train, which all turned out to be too small or too big, rtive to the otherponents.

    It was when the engineers entered another discussion, about the exact proportions of the steam engine. In order to fit the framework, they discussed the exact proportions and measurements, ande to one agreement. They used the ckboard within the wall to discuss their ideas andmunicate with each other more effectively.

    A decision was then made. The rookie project managers, seeing the work that had to be gone go wrong, gave the engineers another week to finish the job. From there on out, the engineers learn tomunicate with each other, to ensure each part fits the other parts of the machine. That way, minimalplications would rise.

    With that, the engineers were let go. Ezekiel went back to his workstation and started to redesign the cylinderponent that he was tasked with designing and incorporating to the lotive.

 Chapter 186 Defense Minister Armstrong

    ?The sun started rising once again in the city of Hoverdam. Its bright yellow right ways sh Richard''s face, waking him up rather quickly. Armstrong jumped out of bed and quickly prepared himself. It is a very big day for him today, and he needs to be there on time.

    Yesterday, on the 21st of Folia, 5018, Armstong got a letter with the royal seal attached, informing him that he had been hired for the position of ''Secretary of Defense'' for the kingdom of Hoverdam.

    He was toe to the pce on the 24nd of Folia, where he would be given a tour of his office, his staff members, and his troops. Wanting to make a good impression in case he had managed to get the job, he had ordered a suit to be tailored, specifically made for him. He got into a navy blue suit, with a yellow tie, navy blue pants, a white shirt, and a yellow tie.

    Once he gets dressed up, he leaves the room he had rented from the tavern, and heads downstairs and to the streets of the downtown area. As the pce was rather nearby, he did not need to take a tram there.

    Before he makes it over to the pce, he stops to eat up his breakfast in an exquisite restaurant, where a lot of delicious goods were freshly made with the skills of master chefs. Once he finishes eating like a prince, sitting on a stylish chair, with his food served on a ceramic te, he leaves for the pce.

    Armstrong soon arrives at therge pce gates, being guarded by DEF agents, wearing te armor. From what he heard, they were there to fill in until the HAF got fully trained before they assumed their role.

    "Halt! What is your business here?" asked one of the agents with a stern face. Armstrong takes out the letter and hands it over.

    "I am the new secretary of defense. I came here to that tour his majesty Kant wants to give me before I assume my role," he replies. The agent quickly inspects the letter, before looking back at Richard.

    "You may enter the building. Please make sure to follow the maid to the waiting room," he replied.

    "Alright. Thank you." With that, Armstong entered the grounds and enter through the main door, where a maid was waiting for him. The maid leads him over to the waiting room, where he was instructed to stay there till Kant arrives.

    "Is there anything I can get you?" she asks.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "No, actually. But thank you," Armstrong replied. The maid leaves the room, leaving Armstrong all alone.

    The room starts to fill with a deafening silence. As he sits down in thevish pce room, he lowers his head and stares at the cold marble floor. In his mind, he starts to remember what his father had told him, about how he should be. The memories, all that urred in the past, start to rey in his head.

    "No. This is not the time to think about that. Calm down, Richard. Calm down," he muttered to himself. He takes a few deep breaths, closes his eyes, and leans on thefortable sofa until Kant arrives.

    "Ah. Much better."

    "Knight Armstrong?" he hears a deep, monotone voice speak in front of him. He immediately opens his eyes and sees Kant Maybale standing in front of him. He quickly got up and greeted the king.

    "Your Highness! When did youe here?"

    "Just a few minutes ago. I had waited outside and even knocked on the door. However, I did not hear a response. So after about 2 minutes, I decided to enter regardless."

    "I see, your majesty. I apologize for my behavior."

    "No worries. Anyways, shall we start the tour?" Kant asks.

    "Yes, your majesty. Lead the way." Kant then starts to give a tour of the pce, the people that worked there, his personal maid, and his own office that he will be working in. It was a rathervish room, with a marble floor, and white walls, like the King''s office.

    His office featured a wooden desk, with afortable swivel chair, made of high-quality leather that he can rotate around in. The curtains, in a shocking coincidence, matched Armstrong''s favorite color, yellow.

    After he was given a tour of his office, he was introduced to the new staff members whom he will be working with. It allprised of the other people that Kant had interviewed. This included the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Chief Management Officer, General Counsel of the Department of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Joint Chiefs of Staff members, and many more.

    They all shook each other''s hands and introduced themselves. Thanks to Armstrong''s towering height, his general appearance, and his experience, he had managed to garner arge amount of respect around his minister, despite meeting for the first time ever.

    "It is a pleasure to meet you all. I hope to be working with you all in the future," he speaks. Once he was done speaking and socializing with them, he was led into a different room, where a tailor was waiting for him, to get his measurements.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "What is the meaning of this, your majesty?" he asks.

    "Well, Knight Armstrong. We will be handing you a uniform when youe to work. Just like the rest of our staff members," Kant replied.

    "Can I see the uniform?"

    "Of course! It is right there," Kant pointed to a forest green suit, with a yellow tie, brass buttons, and brown shoes.

    "What do you think, Knight Armstrong?" Kant asks.

    "Your majesty, can I ask for some... changes to be made to the uniform."

    "Absolutely, as long as it doesn''t change the overall design. What would you like to change?"

    "Can you please add some epaulets on that suit? I would much prefer to have it, as it would be more suiting for me."

    "Consider it done," Kant replied. Once the tailor had finished taking the measurements, Armstrong was led into Kant''s room, where he was briefed about the rules that he would have to follow.

    "Now, Knight Armstrong. There are a few rules that you must follow while working under me. It is important that you must know these rules, as it could lead toplications in the future."

    "I see, your majesty. What are these rules?"

    "There are three rules.

    Rule number 1. You will address me as ''Sir'' after you have addressed me as ''your majesty''.

    Rule number 2. Never ask how I make things. As you work here, you will be seeing me draw upplicated mechanical devices that you may not fully understand how they work. So, I prefer that you do not question me on how I know.

    Rule number 3. I will be addressing you as Secretary of Defense, instead of ''Knight'' in formal meetings from now on. In areas other than formal meetings, I will address you as ''Knight'', if you desire." Kant told Armstong, while he listened carefully.

    "Do you understand these rules?" Kant asks.

    "Yes, sir."

    "Good. Now, do you have any questions?"

    "I do, sir."

    "What is it?"

    "Can you change my job title name? Can you change it to ''Defense Minister'' instead?"

    "That can be arranged. Though, in that case, I will be addressing you as minister. Is that fine with you?" Kant asks. Armstrong opens his mouth but does not speak. He thinks for a minute before replying.

    "No sir. I do not." Armstrong replied.

 Chapter 187 A Day Of Mrs. Myers

    ?Ridge woke up early in the morning to the sound of sizzling noises just next room. Wondering what it was, he got out of his bed and walked over. His wife, a wonderful woman with brown hair and brown eyes, wearing a reed-flower green cotton gown, and a white apron, cooked on top of a steel pan.

    She had managed to convince her husband to buy a brand new set of metal equipment, things she can use to help whip up some delicious meals. Upon hearing the creek of the door opening, Mrs. Myers turned her head to face the man she hasmitted her life to with a smile.

    "Good morning honey. Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes," she said. Ridge, upon seeing her happy ce, smiled back. He quickly went back to his room and changed into his police officer uniform.

    Once he was done, he came back and sat down on the table, ready to eat up. He had been treated to some meat, cheese, porridge, and some fancy bread, all prepared by his wife, who was a great cook.

    "Anything remarkable happened yesterday?" she asks.

    "Hm... oh yes. They have authorized me to inform you of what I have been doing at over the pce."

    "Hm...? Inform me? About what?"

    "You know how I had to wake up early in the morning every day to get to the pce?" Mrs. Myers thinks for a minute, before understanding what Ridge meant.

    "Ah yes. I know. What was it about?" Mrs. Myers asked. She had been curious about what they have been doing over there.

    "We have been practicing how to use firearms. The best one was to get a special PCR-18 revolver for them."

    "A... a what?" she asked her husband.

    "It is like a smaller version of those guns those soldiers had," Ridge replied.

    "Oh? And who got this special weapon?" Ridge pointed his thumb toward him and smiles.

    "Me. I will be receiving it today," Ridge replied.

    "Really? That is wonderful."

    "Thanks."

    A little moment of silence between the two. Mrs. Myers had something in her mind, that she wanted to speak to her husband.

    "So... do you think that we might be able to move out of this ce sometimeter?" she asks.

    "What do you mean?"

    "Well... we have been living for a long time and... since you got a new job, I think it would be best for us to find somece else. Don''t you agree?" Mrs. Myers insinuated. Ridge takes a moment to think.

    "...I guess so. Yes. Though, though I am going to have to start saving up before we get one." Ridge replied. Mrs. Myers smiled at his answer.

    "I agree. We should take our time with the matter."

    The two soon finish up their breakfast. Ridge, after wiping his mouth with a cloth, gave his wife a goodbye kiss and left for work. This left Mrs. Myers all alone, who had a whole house to tend to. Thankfully, it was rather a small ce, so she should be able to finish up with it quickly.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    She takes the broom and starts sweeping the floor, piling up all the umted dust on the floor into one corner to be thrown in a bin. The woman then took down the cobwebs on the sides of the walls, in the corners, under the bed, and inside the closet. As that was done, she got to make the bed that the two of them slept in.

    After a long day of work, she then made it over the ceramic pot, the one that contained the water they used to drink, and opened it up. Surprisingly, it appears that their water is running dry, with only a few cups of water remaining.

    "Oh, dear. It appears I will have to go get some water," she spoke to herself. With that, Mrs. Myers took off her apron, picked up a wooden bucket, and left her house. She locked the door and hit the key under a flowerpot, as usual. The mat would have been too obvious.

    She walks down the paved roads over to the well, only to find it empty, drained of all its resources. Mrs. Myers now starts to panic, as her source of fresh water appeared to have dried up. However, God appeared to be on her side today.

    "Sally? Sally, is that you?" asked a local in a feminine voice. Mrs. Myers turned around, to find an old friend waving at her. My. Myers smiled and waved back at the woman.

    "Oh! Ste! How has it been?" Mrs. Myers replied. The friend walked up to her, holding a bucket full of water.

    "It has been a while! How have you been?" she asked.

    "Never been better! We are finally getting our finances in order." Mrs. Myers replied. Ste, her friend, smiled.

    "That is wonderful. Say, what are you doing here?"

    "Oh! Well, I came here to get some water. However, it turns out that that the well had dried out," Mrs. Myers exined.

    "Oh! That is right! Well, it is because of those damn outsiders! Coming over here, taking our homes and food. So selfish!" Mrs. Myers ufortable smiled, and changed the subject.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Say, Ste, where did you get that water? Is it purified or...?"

    ''Oh! This? I got it from a water pub."

    "The water pub?"

    "Yes! They have installed some fancy new things. You pull a lever, and water just... flows out of it! Like magic?"

    "Really?"

    "Yes! Though, we are going to have to boil the water first before we can drink it, at least ording to them."

    "I see. Thank you for telling me. I would have probably run over the entire city trying to find a well with water without you." Ste smiled back.

    "Anytime, Sally. Say, we should meet up once in a while. Do you think you have time?"

    "Um... maybe sometime next week?" Ste smiled.

    "Alright. I will be waiting." With that, the two depart. Mrs. Myers arrives at the water pub, an old gothic building waiting white, with a rather short line. She quickly walks inside, fills up her bucket with water, and leave.

    Mrs. Myers soon arrive back at her home, safe and sound. She takes out her steel kettle, starts up a fire, and boils the water before pouring it into the ceramic pot.

 Chapter 188 The New Angelisist Movement

    ?While Mrs. Myers was in Middletown, doing her housewife work, Carlo was at the center of downtown, wearing his cotton cloak, walking over the paved roads of the Downtown area of Hoverdam.

    He had been told to look around the city, to get to familiarize himself with his new home. He, and the other members of his organization. He had traveled to all corners of the city, with the Downtown being hisst stop before he meets up with his buddies in a designated location.

    During his tour of the wealthy city, he noticed a few things. First, the quality of air decreased as he travel further ind into the city, with the area with the smoggiest and dirtiest air of them all being the ''Industrial District 1''.

    The second was the rise of this new architectural and fashion style of ''Arteco''. The third and final difference was the increasing appearance of convenience items in the markets, at a cheap price.

    Growl

    His stomach yelled. Carlo was starting to feel a little hungry. As he had quite a few coins to spare, while also craving something fancy, he decided to eat something from Downtown for a change. He had heard that the ces here were going through a culinary revolution of their own.

    Carlo walked inside a fancy bakery, which featured polished wooden floors, with painted white walls. The air inside of the building turns away from a sulfurous, smoggy smell, to one of the freshly baked goods on the counters, reaching his nose.

    He walks up to the counter, and orders a few goods that he would eat right then and there. The baker handed him a clean wooden te, with the food items that Carlo had demanded. He then paid for the food and walked over to a table and eat.

    He found his te upied by a ''croissant'', toasted bread with jam, and a ss of water. From what Carlo heard, the ''croissant'' and plenty of food items within the bakery came from the pce itself. Many people, especially Carlo himself, wondered who was inside those walls, making these weird, yet delicious food items.

    Once he was finished eating, he got up and left the bakery. He then walked over to a tram station, where he waited till a tram arrive, ready to take him to his destination. The tram quickly arrives and he hops on. It delivers him to another tram station, where he gets off.

    He then walks over to a 5 story building, where he is supposed to be meeting with his fellow colleagues. He entered the building and walks up to the top floor. There, he had to knock on the door and speak the password before being let in.

    Inside, there were many people, all wearing the cloaks that they had spent their hard-earned money on. They were all sitting around wooden chairs, with their hands on top of the wooden desk.

    "Was Ite?" Carlo asked.

    "No. You are just in time. The boss is about to get ready. Go take a seat," the guard replied. Carlo listened to the man and sat on a chair. He then waited for the meeting to start.

    "Attention everyone! Attention!" the man on the lone front end of the table speaks.

    "Now, I will speak out your names, before we shall start this meeting. I shall speak out your names. Code names, to be exact. Rico?"

    "Present."

    "Gerry?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Present."

    "Carlo?"

    "Present." This continued on for a while, until it was confirmed at all the members invited to the meeting had arrived.

    "Alright. Now that we know everyone is here, I would like to start this meeting with a question directed at you all. Have you all been adjusting to your new lives?" The men all nod in unison.

    "Wonderful! Now, I need you all to tell me where you all currently live. This way I can send messengers for any uing meetings to your homes. You shall write it down on the piece of paper I will pass around."

    The leader then proceeded to hand over the paper. As he said, the men all wrote it down on the paper, before passing it on to others. Eventually, after everyone had written down their names, as well as the ce they live, they handed it back to the leader.

    "Alright. With that out of the way, we shall move on to the next part," The leader coughed first, before starting to speak again.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "As you all know, gentlemen. Due to the great travesty that is the First Continental War, the Angelisist Church has found itself destroyed, with its remaining disciples either killed or entered hiding.

    We are here, to start a long journey, to fix this great mistake, and to save humanity! We shall slowly convert the people back to our side, dethrone the heretic queen, and reinstate the pope once more!

    We shall start today, by converting the people of this very city to our cause. We shall then expand to the rest of the kingdom, and then to the entire continent." The man takes a deep breath.

    "I proim this to be the founding of the New Angelisist Movement. A way in which we can all organize ourselves to fight for our cause." A wave of apuse erupted inside the room as he finished. As soon as the ps died down, he continued.

    "The purpose of every member of this group, out to try and convert as many people as you possibly can to our cause.

    We shall spread the message of this new movement to the people of this city, by making friends, and family. We shall offermunity, andpanionship to them. All while, eliminating anyone who dares stand in our way."

    The men p once again.

    "Thanks to the funds we have received from the preachers, we will not have to worry about any financial trouble and be free to conduct our mission.

    I advise you, gentlemen, to only ask for money from the movement only in case you need it. We will need all the money we can get, and I would not like it to be spent on worthless items present in the markets. Now, do you all have any questions?"

    The room was silent. It appears that everyone had nothing in mind that they wanted the leader to rify. With that, the meeting finished, and the members were allowed to leave.

 Chapter 189 Laying Off Silverstone

    ?30th of Folia, 5018.

    It was a bright morning that day, Kant was found sitting on his chair, examining a list of names on the long piece of beige paper he held with his left hand. A lot of them, including Cora''s, were crossed with ck ink, while the others remained intact. There were still a lot more things that needed to be done before he can get them over with.

    He then ced the list down and picked up another one. This one had a different bunch of names of people that Kant had never met in his life but was rmended by his trusted staff members and ministers. He went over to the first name, picked up his life, and started reading through it.

    As soon as Kant got into power, he had been busyying off and restaffing many people who worked within the pce and government, with people much more loyal and more trustworthy. He had finished up with the military and minister, and now, he had a couple of agencies left that he needed to find and staff.

    As he was working on the files, he hears a knock on his door. Kant immediately stops reading the file and ces it on the table. He keeps them inside the drawer and the sides, cleaning up the desk, before permitting the man on the other side to enter.

    Silverstone, wearing a dark navy blue suit, enters the room. He had bought the wear for this special asion, as it started to be seen as the outfit you would wear for formal and business meetings.

    "Ah. Silvester Silverstone. You arrived. Come, sit down," Silverstone obeyed. He pulled the chair over and sat down.

    "Is there something you wanted to speak with me about, your majesty?"

    "Yes. Now, I am sure that you are aware of our new ''Defense minister''?" Kant asks Silverstone. He leans back on his chair.

    "I have met up with him. I do think that you have made a good decision, sir. However, I am not sure whether he would be... trustworthy enough."

    "That does not matter in this situation. Now, I think it would be best to discuss here what will happen to you, regarding your future employment in the pce," Kant spoke.

    Silverstone started to sweat a little, as he was nervous that something was happening. He had seen many peoplee and go, but in recent times, he had seen a lot of his pals, who used to work with a particr group, leave.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Well yes, I do think that it would be the best. So sir, what will happen to me?"

    "Well, I could try to enroll you in the Demon Extermination Force, however, I think you should try a well-deserved break from your career in the pce."

    "I am sorry sir?" Silverstone asked. His heart started to beat faster, feeling as if he knew what was going to happen.

    "Currently, there are no vacancies I need filling. Therefore, I best think that it would be best for this employment contract to finally end. As a thank you for the services that you provided for the kingdom for a long time, I will be happy to pay out a pension."

    "What is the pension amount?"

    "4 silver coins. However, it will be suspended if you decide to enter the workforce again. You will receive it after you have fully retired."

    Silvester sat there, processing the information that Kant had delivered him. It was made obvious that Kant wanted him to leave, with certain conditions.

    Considering that 4 Silver coins were not enough to cover his lifestyle it meant that Kant wanted him to find a job elsewhere.

    However, knowing the things that he knew, and the things that he saw, Silverstone had a few questions in mind

    "What about the uh..." Silverstone asked. Kant immediately picked up what he was saying, and was quick to reply.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I advise you not to disclose any sensitive information regarding what you have seen. I fear it will cause a lot more problems in the future.

    Besides, in the employment contract that you have signed with the previous king, it is made illegal for you, or anyone, to spill out any information on any sensitive matters that the pce does not want to be leaked unless they have approval.

    This includes information about general whereabouts, security details, and any actions the royal family partakes in. As doing so gives us the ability to put out an arrest warrant for you."

    Silverstone sat there and thought for a minute. From what he heard, Kant had given out the world''s most polite threat to his face. Not that he can do anything about it.

    "So... is that it? Will I not be able to work with the pce or government anymore?"

    "I do not think you can, directly. However, I believe there are other firms avable we can use to cooperate indirectly."

    "Such as?"

    "Mercerney firms. They had been popping up in the city when I had to reduce the number of knights, as stated in the treaty.

    I am sure that, with your skills and experience, you should be able to find a job there. I will even be happy to provide a rmendation letter to any future employer of your choice." Kant said.

    Silverstone was silent once again. He was seen rubbing his forehead, as he got a little emotional, seeing that he would have to leave this ce that he worked in for such a long time.

    He had made a lot of friends and memories here. Although he did not desire to depart, he knew that he had no choice. Silverstone put up a stoic face and asked Kant one more question.

    "Was this what you offered everyone else?"

    "Well yes. I had to make sure that they found employment elsewhere. They have a good number of decades ahead of them."

    "What about Cora, sir?" Silverstone asked.

    "What about her?"

    "You let go of her as well. How is she doing?"

    "From what I know, she is enacting as a maid for a wealthy merchant in the city. I had even handed over a rmendation letter to her employer myself," he replied. With this information, Silverstone thought about it for a minute, before replying.

    "When will I be leaving?"

    "In about 2 weeks. Until then, you will be free to find somewhere else to work, if you desire. As I said, I will dly provide a rmendation letter if necessary."

    "Alright, sir. May I level now?"

    "Yes. Yes, you may." Kant replied. Silverstone got up from his chair, bowed down, and left Kant''s office.

 Chapter 190 A New Discovery.

    ?3rd of Sunt, 5018.

    Walking down the cold marble hall, were Kant''s ck leather shoes, across the halls of the pce, en route to the room where he, and a bunch of researchers, with the help of a DEF agent, researched Kant''s mysterious powers.

    Last time, the experiment had to be cut short as they had run out of void crystals to continue testing. Kant had got n to order more void crystals than before. This time, Kant had secured 50 grams of Void crystals. Although he only has 10 grams of void crystal to work with now, he will receive the other 40 gramster.

    Due to this shortage, they were not going to be doing a reserved test, again. This was a problem for everyone involved, as a reserved test might be one of the most important things anyone can do. The reason why is to see whether Kant''s Void Abilities work somewhat like how mana works on a normal person.

    At birth, it is said that one has an assigned mana reserve, which they would inherit from their parents. Arger mana reserve grants the user the ability to summon more powerful magic or use magic for far longer. This is what separates a king, who had the highest mana reserves, from a low-ranking knight, who most likely has a much lower mana reserve.

    However, there are a few caveats to the situation. A person who may have been born with a high mana reserve might lose a lot if they do not expose themselves to a source of it. This could mean that Kant''s Void Reserves could have been destroyed thanks to theck of exposure to Void Energy.

    There is still hope. For mana reserves, with dedication and training, one could slowly increase their tolerance, and allow them to be stronger. It will take some time. Whether this logic applies to void energy, remains to be seen.

    In the end, it was decided that they would ''do the reserve test on the way''. As they increase the dosage while they conduct more tests, Kant was granted to hit his limit someday. Kant soon arrived at the front door of the room. After he brushes off any dust from his shirt, he enters the room, upied by researchers and the DEF agent. They all stand up and bow down to greet Kant.

    "Good morning your majesty," they all greeted in unison. Kant smiled and greeted back.

    "Good morning everyone. I hope that you all prepared everything?"

    The group of researchers all moved away their bodies to the walls of the room, allowing Kant to look at the desk more clearly. Everything was neatly in order, with the wooden case holding the crystals present.

    Other than the wooden case, there were also a handful of other items ced on the desk, waiting to be used in the experiment. First, there was 1 of each mana crystal, from white to green, then blue. After blue came yellow, and finally, violet.

    Just below these small void crystals, was a normal-looking dagger, with its de and handle made out of manacite, both connected together. Upon seeing the setup, Kant was pleased with the researchers.

    "Everything has been prepared, I see. Well then, I guess the only thing remaining to do is to start our research."

    Kant walked up to the wooden box and picked up a crystal. He then turned to the researchers, holding it with his thumb and index finger.

    "Before we conduct the tests, I would like to reiterate what we will be doing. Considering that void energy crystal, fused with manacite, is able to create a void de, we will test to see if this holds true for when I, a void user, do the same.

    Do I make myself clear?" The researchers nod in agreement.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Alright then. We shall start now." Kant took a deep breath.

    "Test 1. 0.5 grams of crystal. Start" Kant took out the void crystal and crushed it in his hand. He absorbs the energy of the void crystal, turning his eyes to Vantack. Kant then picks up the manacite sword and sees if anything happens.

    "Are you focusing Void energy through the dagger, sir?" one of them asked.

    "No. I do not. I am currently focusing on my other hand. Tick the box," Kant instructed. He then ces the dagger down.

    "Have you finished?"

    "Yes sir. You can pick up the dagger again."

    "Alright then. Test 2. Concentrate Void Energy on Dagger. Start" Kant picks up the dagger again. This time, the de turns slightly ck. It was not the result they were expecting, as they expected a much darker color. However, it still fascinated everyone regardless.

    In Kant''s mind, he wondered if he could use this to make a special gun, wherewith his void energy, he can charge up manacite bullets with void energy to deal extra damage to a mana user.

    "Hm... it appears that I may not be cing enough Void energy on the de for it to turnpletely Vantack just yet."

    "It appears so, sir. Should we take in another, or shall we move on to the crystals?" the researcher asks. Kant thinks about it for a minute, before responding.

    "I would like to take in another crystal before continuing."

    "As you wish, sir. Although, can you please test to see if you can drain the void energy off?" asked one of the researchers. Kant, upon hearing his request, silently epted. He focused his energy on his other hand, leading the de to turn back to normal.

    "Done," Kant replied, before cing the dagger on the table. He took another crystal in, before continuing. Each time, the de got darker and darker, at an exponential rate. Kant''s skin also changed. It grew slightly paler and paler each time he took 2.5 grams of crystal.

    "Test 10. 5 grams of void crystal. Start." He moved his hand to pick up the dagger, only for it to turn jet-ck, almost instantaneously.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Sir, are you currently concentrating on the dagger?" asked one of the researchers. He was supposed to be concentrating his void energy on his other hand so that it won''t immediately light up with void energy.

    "No. I am not." Kant replied. His answer sparked a new question among the researchers; why? Why was this happening? What had changed?

 Chapter 191 Possible Answers.

    ?As soon as Kant held up the dagger, its de turned jet-ck in color, stunning everyone. From what they had seen before, it wouldn''t have turned unless Kant had wanted it to flow to the dagger. With this, Kant gets an idea.

    He keeps the manacite dagger down on the table. The manacite de''s jet-ck color immediately dissipates, returning it to its regr old color, indistinguishable from any other danger one could find.

    He then picks it up, turning the de back to jet-ck, before keeping it down. He does this multiple times over, for the researchers to see and observe. Observations are made, and things are written down on the clipboards.

    "From my observations, it appears that the dagger only turns jet-ck if I hold it," Kant remarked.

    "Are you concentrating on the dagger, sir?" one of the researchers questioned Kant.

    "No. I am not," Kant answered.

    "Can you try focusing on the de, and then put it down?" he asked. A good request.

    "Hmm... Alright." Kant picked up the de again. This time, Kant focused on the de first, before cing it down. Although once he ces the de down and takes his hand off, the de still remains ck.

    The researchers write this observation down while Kant just looks at the de. He then focuses away from the de to something else. He then turns back his head to face the de, only to see that the metal was still jet-ck in color.

    "What is the matter, sir?"

    "It appears I cannot remove the void energy off the dagger without contact. Although..." Kant picks up the de and focuses on his free arm. He then ces the weapon back on the table.

    "I can do it directly," he finishes his sentence. The researchers took note of that and wrote it down on their clipboards. They then turned to observe Kant himself, to see whether he had seen any changes in his body. So far, they had found none, with the exception of his pale skin.

    With their observations,es a new question. Why? Why was this happening? What changed? Kant thought about it for a minute, but couldn''te up with any reason as to why. He med this on hisck of knowledge of how Void energy worked, or how magic really worked, considering he never had to use it in his life.

    "Does anyone here have a good hypothesis on why this is urring? Please raise your hand if you might have one," Kant asked.

    His Vantack eyes scanned the entire room, yet, not a single hand was seen raised above their heads, meaning nobody had any idea what it was. Kant was about to give up, until suddenly, he spots it!

    One hand rises above the rest! It separated the wielder of the hand, allowing him to be distinguished from the other researchers, who all wore a simr line of clothing. Kant points at him and asks what he thinks.

    "You sir. What is your hypothesis?" Kant asks.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Well, your majesty, I think Void energy works in a simr way to how mana generally works, when ites to the body that is. This might be a case of your body not knowing how to deal with your current levels of void energy.

    As you all know, when someone is born with mana reserves, they need general exposure to growing that mana reserve to their full potential. The younger it is, the better. Since you have just started out to discover these mysterious powers, it was guaranteed that you would run into this problem.

    From what I observe, the body might be halfway to reaching your reserve and would like to use tools, in this case, the manacite dagger, to hold in more void energy. It also is trying to present symptoms, to make sure that you won''t ''overflow'' with void energy, as it could imply a lot of health risks.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® This is simr to how mana works. To ensure that the over won''t overload their body with too much mana, the body had made sure to signs of early warning symptoms to get a user to stop taking in more mana.

    Early warning symptoms could be involuntary reflexes of muscles,rge emotional swings, an increased desire to use magic, headaches, and dizziness, with the first and minor symptom being the paleness of one''s skin.

    So far, the only symptom that you may be reaching your reserve limit, is the paleness of your skin. This could mean that you are halfway close to reaching your limit. Whether or not you want to take in more void energy, is up to you." the researcher exined.

    Kant listened in closely. He thought about the researcher''s hypothesis. To Kant, it seems like the best hypothesis for what is going on with him right now.

    "Alright then, but how do I make it stop?"

    "Stop what, sir?"

    "The void energy transferring to a manacite de. Is there any proven way to stop it?" Kant asked.

    "Oh! That! Well, I am not sure sir. Normally, mana doesn''t flow through manacite when touched by anyone with a filled mana pool. This might be a feature exclusive to void energy itself." he suggested.

    "I see. Well, I guess we will have to perform more tests. However, I do not think that we have the time for today, is that right?"

    "Yes, sir. We do not. I think it is best we move on to the crystals. To see whether they can be damaged by a manacite de, powered with void energy," The researcher replied. Kant walked up to the crystals while holding his dagger.

    Before he ced the dagger on the crystal, he turned to the researchers.

    "Test 1. White crystal." he then tries to cut the crystal in half, which turned out to be a sess. He then moved on to the next one, the green one, and see if it worked.

    "Test 2. Green Crystal." He then tries cutting through it as well, only to end in failure. He was not strong enough, just yet.

 Chapter 192 Wooden Modelling

    ?5th of Sunt, 5018.

    It was a bright, beautiful morning that day. Ezekiel had made sure to get up earlier than usual to leave for work, as today was a very special day for him, and his coworkers. It was the day when he is going to be presenting his blueprint of the cylinder to the draftsman, to construct arger blueprint of the Steam Engine Lotive.

    Just the day before yesterday, thest few Mechanical Engineers finallypleted the blueprints for their assignedponents by the project manager. They have all been working closely together,municating and ensuring that there are no design ws within eachponent.

    The project managers, upon hearing the news, decided that the Engineers should present their blueprints today. They were informed about that decision yesterday. Ezekiel quickly arrived at the building and climbed up the stairs to the room they had used to draw up the blueprintst time. There were a few people around, all waiting for the others.

    "Where is everyone?" Ezekiel asked.

    "They will be here in a minute." One of the engineers replied. True to his words, the entire room soon got crowded with mechanical engineers and draftsmen. Once the project manager counted and confirmed everyone else was there, they got to work on making therger blueprint.

    The Mechanical engineers, one by one, gave the blueprints to the draftsman. Using their exquisite drawing skills, they drew up a blueprint of the whole steam engine lotive. They first drew the framework, before moving on to the firebox, which was connected to the boiler.

    The cylinders were soon drawn up in the blueprint, just before the wheels and axles. After all the mainponents were drawn in, the other additionalponents, like the fire door, were added to the blueprint as well. Once they were finished, they double-checked the blueprint to see if there were any ws.

    "You guys see any problems?" One of the draftsmen asked. One mechanical engineer points his finger at the blueprint.

    "There is one minor mistake here. It is supposed to be 25 inches in diameter, not 2.5," he pointed out. After about 25 minutes of staring at the detailed blueprint, fixing up and mistakes they found, it was dered that therger blueprint has beenpleted.

    "All right everyone, can you all please turn your attention to me?" the project manager instructed. Once they were all looking at him, he continued.

    "Alright. Thank you. Now, as the blueprint has finally been finished, we can move on to the next step.

    Using the blueprints you have as a guide, I need you all to build a 1:4 scale of theponents. It is required you use wood as the main material to build this model. You will understand why in a few seconds.

    Once you have all constructed the model parts, we can move on to using them in the construction of a smaller model train with all theponents. This way, we can identify any more mistakes within the blueprint, or theponents themselves, before moving on to making arger model of the train.

    I need to have all these wooden modelponents ready by the 19th of this month, 2 weeks from now. It should give you all plenty of time to make the properponent. If you believe that you had managed toplete it beforehand, please let me know, because we might be able to conduct the build quicker."

    "So... do you all have any questions?" the project manager asks. Quite a few of them raised their hands. The project manager, after scanning the room, picks one of them to ask their question.

    "Will we be provided with the wood, or do we have to buy one ourselves?" he asked.

    "No. We will provide you with the necessary materials and tools for the job. It is best if thepany chooses the materials and tools themselves in order to minimize any inconsistencies within each part," the manager answered.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Any more questions?" Again, some people raised their hands once again.

    "I only know how to model well with y, as well as a few others! What are we supposed to do?" another questioned.

    "If that is the case, then I will need to you fill out a form so that we can assign you a trusted worker to help you all out with the modeling.

    If you want the form, you should ask James, the other project manager, about it. He will happily hand you a form, which you need to fill in.

    Once you have finished filling it in, you should give the form back to me. You will then receive a helping hand in 1 to 3 days. Is that answer satisfactory?"

    "Yes, sir."

    "Good. Is there anything else I need to clear up?" One had his hand raised in response. The manger pointed to him.

    "Yes?"

    "Where do we need to go to get the wood, and when will we receive it?"

    "That has already been arranged. You shall receive the material you will work with, today."

    "So, any more questions? Anyone?" he asked. However, none seem to be raising their hand.

    "No? Alright then. Get to work." the project manager announced.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® With that, the engineers and draftsman walked out of the room and back to their desks. Ezekiel went back to his desk, sat on his chair, and waited. A few minutes pass, and he receives arge chunk of wood to work with.

    "Welp, I guess I should start now," Ezekiel muttered to himself.

    Ezekiel ced the blueprint on his free desk and took a look at them closely. He thought of the way he will approach it first. Once he had an idea, he opened up his drawer and grabbed a ruler, and a pencil.

    He starts to draw on the block of wood, forming a sort of outline. Once he is finished, he takes out a small saw and starts removing the unnecessary parts from the block. As hemits to his task, the others start to do the same. The room start to get filled with the sounds of the former artisans, working and cutting wood, to build a small model of the train.

 Chapter 193 A Bigger Room

    ?6th of Sunt, 5018.

    Marco and Vice, wearing ordinary clothes, follow a long-bearded man through therge front door. They find themselves in arge room, with a stage on the other end, and over a hundred chairs surrounding it.

    The ce was rather dark and dusty, until the bearded man opens up the curtains, allowing light to enter. It allowed them to see the hidden cobwebs, just lying around on the corners of the room, and underneath the chairs.

    "From the criteria you presented to me, this is the best ce I can offer you two. It has a lot of chairs and space. A stage where you can do whatever. And ites at a cheap, 1 silver coin a month if that is eptable to you two," the man informs Marco and Vice.

    "So... what do you think?" he asks the two. Marco looks around the room, before turning to the owner.

    "Could you give us a moment? We would like to inspect the area before we make a decision," Marco asks.

    "Sure. Just make sure you don''t take too long," the bearded man replies. He takes his leave through the front door, leaving the two of them alone.

    "Welp. This ce is a shithole, don''t you think Marco?" Vice asked. Marco was too busy, inspecting the chairs. He wiggled a few around and found some that were observed to be unstable, while the others were stiff as hell.

    Marco looked onward and examined the chairs that were unstable. Some of them had their nailsing off, with a few missing some nails, while the others had their glue unsticking. He then walked up the stage, to find it creaking a little. Upon further inspection, he found out that only a few spots creaked, and could be easily fixed. Once he fully inspected the ce, he came back to Vice.

    "We will have to get a hammer, nails, and some glue in order to fix the chairs. As for the cobwebs and dust, we might need some cleaning supplies..." Marco turned to Vice, who was making a weird face.

    "What is the matter, is there something wrong, Vice?" Marco asked as if he was oblivious to the state of the ce.

    "Marco, are you sure you want to get this ce? I mean, look at it!" Vice raises his hands.

    "It sucks ass!" Vice pointed out. He then started to rant about the atrocious condition the ce is in, all while Marco silently listened.

    "It is all dusty and unclean! It could take us an entire day or two to clean this ce up! And that is just what I observed at first nce! If I wanted to, I can find a dozen more reasons why we shouldn''t move here!" Vice argued.

    "Instead, why don''t we go somewhere else? What do you see about this ce that I don''t?" Vice asked.

    "Two things. The first reason is that it is really cheap, with only 1 silver coin a month! A ce asrge as this, with around 712 chairs can cost about 1 silver coin a week!

    This ce provides the exact same amount of space, with the addition of chairs, for only 1 silver coin a month. The only other additional cost may be any repairs and cleanup we might have to make.

    The second reason is that it is near a tram stop. That would mean that people, from arger area, cane from arger area, toe and listen to me reading out the bible. We will have an easier time filling the ce up from other areas," Marco argued back.

    "Would it really be that worthwhile though? I mean, we would only be leasing the ce out, and it could take us days for us to set up the ce. Within those days, we could be out there, making some more money by preaching in a smaller ce, which is another opportunity cost that we must consider.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Besides, once it is over, he could as well kick us out after we are done with the lease. We would be giving the man freebor, fixing up the property for him, and increasing his property value," Vice countered.

    Marco stood there, listening to Vice''s counterargument. He then cooks up a counter-counter argument and presents it to Vice.

    "Well, my dear friend. I believe that fixing up this ce and cleaning up this entire room, would be much cheaper than renting out a clean ce.

    You must consider the scenario. In about 3 to 4 months, our customers would be able to read for themselves, and would no longer require our services. There is a limited time window that we must exploit.

    If we are to gain the most amount of money, we will have to rent out the cheapest ce, with the location that can yield us the most upants. In the long term, we might be able to make more money, than we can in the short term.

    And in this ce? We get to pay out the least amount of money while racking in the most amount of dough. Sure, it may take some time, but in the end, it will be all worth it!" Marco replies in a smooth and calm tone, all while keeping a straight posture.

    Vice thinks about it for a minute. He takes an inspection of the room himself before hees back to Marco.

    "How about this? We shall calcte the amount of money and time it takes for us to fix this ce before we lease it. Is that good for you?" Vice asks. Marco smiles.

    "That is good enough for me. Although, I have one more condition to add."

    "What is it?"

    "If I am right, could you bring me a ck suit from the rentals? You can exchange my red rental for it." Marco added with a smug on his face.

    "Alright, deal."

    ...

    10th of Sunt, 5018.

    A crowd was gathering around therge room, taking their seats. From their eyes, they entered a rather clean building, with study wooden chairs they can sitfortably in. Marco was backstage, wearing a white shirt and a ck tie, waiting for Vice. He looked at his sundial, and see he was runningte.

    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Come on, where is this guy?" he mutters to himself. Suddenly, the backdoor busts open, and Vice runs in. He hands Marco a ck suit.

    "Sorry for taking so long. It took some time for me to trade in that yellow suit of yours for this ck one at the rentals."

    "Well, whatever. Because it is about time already." Marco puts on the suit, and heads upstage with the bible. He walked onto the silent wooden stage, nced at the audience, and began reading aloud in therge, clean room.

 Chapter 194 Marco Makes Some Money.

    ?On the 7th and 8th of Sunt, Marco and Vice were busy cleaning and fixing up the mess of the ce they had leased out. They fixed up the chairs and made them studier. They cleaned the room so nobody would get sick. They cleared out the cobwebs to make it look more appealing.

    It cost the two a bit. They had to spend an entire silver coin on supplies and equipment. However, once it was all done, all they had to do then was to prepare. On the 9th of Sunt, Vice, being the advertiser he is, got to spreading the word among the people of Hoverdam.

    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® Marco, meanwhile, finalized the deal with the owner. The lease willst for up to the end of Amare, with the money paid upfront. However, this means that the bearded owner cannot take back the property from them. He made sure to guarantee this with an additional silver coin.

    ...

    10th of Sunt, 5018.

    The day has finallye. Marco, holding the bible in hand, walks up to the stage, wearing the suit he had Vice bring in exchange for his rented yellow suit. He looks onward at therge crowd that had gathered and taken their seat. It appears the entire room had been upied, and the people just waiting for Marco to start.

    He first walks up to the podium that he had leased out. He gave an opening speech, weing the audience.

    "Hello everyone! Wee! I am d you all made it! I hope you find yourselvesfortable in your chairs.

    Thanks to your generous donations, we have managed to hold the readings in a bigger room, to make sure that you can all remainfortable while listening to the verses of the Bible." Marco spoke out. He sprinkled in a few lies as he spoke, to win the favor of the audience.

    "Now, without further ado, I shall start the reading!" Marco stepped down from the podium and sat on the wooden chair. He then took out the book and started to read loudly, for everyone else to hear.

    ...

    Vice waited for a minute and looked at the seating arrangement. He had noticed that the seatings were separated so that only 5 people sat close to each other in each row. It was a decision that came to the mind of Marco, who told Vice it was a good idea.

    He looked onward at the round tray that he held. He can understand why this was the case. Not wasting any more time, he went in. He chose a random row and handed over the tray to a listener.

    "Please, would you mind donating a few coins and passing it to the next person? It helps us to continue holding these events for you all, in afortable ce like this," he told the stranger.

    The stranger looked at the te and then nodded. He ced 4 coins on the te and passed it onward. He repeated the same thing and got the guy next to him to donate money. This went on until thest person, who donated some money and handed it back to Vice, who was waiting.

    "Thank you. We both appreciate it," Vice replied. He then goes backstage, and ced the coins inside a special chest, made to hold out coins. He managed to count 21 coins so far, with each donor giving 4.2 coins.

    Once he ced the coins in the chest, he took the te again and went over to ask another row for more money. He did this all the way until he had sessfully managed to get a donation from everyone in the audience.

    ...

    The day passes by, and the sun was starting to set. The audience gets up from their seats and starts leaving the room, back to the streets, after listening in and hearing Marco read the bible.

    The two meet backstage, where Marco proceeds to swallow down lots of water in his throat. His voice waspletely exhausted after having to read through the book. He then takes off his suit and looks at Vice.

    "So? How did things go? You managed to get some money from our audience?" Marco asked. His voice was a little creaky. However, thanks to his previous experience, it was not as bad as before.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Yes. I did. I made sure to pass on that damn wooden te to every goddamn man and woman. From what I can gather, I made out 23 coins for each row," Vice replied.

    "So? How much were we able to make in the end?" Marco asked, dying to know. Vice turns his head up and thinks for a minute.

    "From what I have counted, we have managed to make about..." he then turns his head down to meet Marco''s eyes.

    "... 2,990 copper coins. That is a total of 5 silver coins and 490 copper coins," Vice replied, before smiling.

    "What?" Marco asked again, not able to process the information.

    "5 silver coins and 490 copper coins! That is about 2 silver coins and 245 copper coins for each of us two."

    "That... That is wonderful Vice! I mean, we still would have to subtract from the lease and the other costs, but that is... that is a lot! We will be able to cover the cost we took off in no time!"

    "That is right."

    "Say, did you run into any other problems? Something that I need to be aware of?" Marco questioned Vice.

    "Actually yes. I do. There was a bunch of police that came around and questioned what we were doing. They suspected that we were running a church of some kind, and nearly stopped the whole thing."

    "Well, what did you tell them then?"

    "I told them that we were ''Upstanding citizens who, with our recently acquired skills, wanted to read out the bible for the people in these dark times''. Thankfully, they believed it and went their way."

    Marco chuckled a little at Vice''s reply.

    "Thank god. Anyways, I guess what we should do now is to bring these over to the bank?"

    "Yes. I think we shall."

    ...

    Two suspicious-looking men, wearing ordinary clothes, observed as Marco and Vice got on a tram, leaving for the bank. Once they were out of sight, they walked up to the window and looked inward. There, they saw the grand setup they had made for themselves.

    "We are going to have to alert the bosses. This could mean trouble for our ns."

    "I agree. We shall!" the other replied. They then came back to the road and to the tram station, which will bring them over to their bosses'' home, to inform him of what Marco and Vice had been up to.

 Chapter 195 Island Of Memories

    ?12th of Sunt, 5018

    The warm breeze rustle and take down the weak orange leaves of the forest, down to the ground. Next to the forest, was the start of a giant blueke that housed arge degree of life within it, and was a source of fresh water for anyone who lives nearby.

    Within this giantke, there was a small ind that can see seen at the edge of this forest. Theke was enacted as a barrier for anyone, demon or human, to cross through it and take hold there. Not that anyone bothered anyway. It didn''t have the proper resources to maintain amunity. Yet, it still had visitors. Or, more urately, one visitor.

    From within the forestes out a feminine figure. She had wavy ck hair, and brown eyes, wearing a royal white gown. She was as beautiful as she was powerful. Behind her, was a man, with short brown hair and brown eyes, carrying a satchel bag.

    "Your imperial majesty, what are we doing here? What does this have to do with..." the man eximed. The woman turned her head to look at the man, making him stop speaking.

    "Do not worry, Minister Nathan. This won''t take long. Besides, I have something to do here,"

    "Can''t you do that in thefort of your own home, your imperial majesty?" Nathan asked Rose, who by that point turned to face the ind once again.

    "No. I cannot."

    She extends her hand and casts a spell. Theke''s vast water, transforms into solid ice, extending out all the way to the ind. Once she feels that the ice bridge had beenpleted, she turns to Nathan.

    "Let us walk on this bridge, shall we?" With that, the two started walking. Even if Nathan wore heavy leather shoes, he could still feel the cold paining through to his feet. However, he keeps it to himself, as he sees Rose walking along, appearing to feel nothing.

    The two both arrive at the ind, holding a forest and flower gardens like the other side. The trees were all orange, with the leaves slowly falling down due to the small, warm breeze.

    "Your imperial majesty, what is this ce?" Nathan asks.

    "You will get your answer soon, Minister," Rose replied. Her eyes scanned the area, stopping until she found what she was looking for; a dirt path.

    "Follow me, minister," Rose asks. Nathan obliges and follows the empress through the path. The dirt path was utterly littered with reddish-brown and orange leaves, all that fell from the trees. Rose, with a whip of her magic, swept them away with the wind.

    They follow the path until they saw a small stone pce, build with bricks, and painted white, residing on top of the hill, looking down below at the dirt path. Fascinated, Nathan asks Rose another question.

    "Your imperial majesty, what is that? Why is it up there? Who built it?" he asked while pointing his index finger to the castle. They were pretty good questions, considering someone had ordered this ce to be built.

    "You will find out soon, Minister," Rose replied. They continue walking on the dirt path until theye across a garden. The ce was a mess. Leaves were littered everywhere. The flowers had bits of their petals falling apart, and the birds have shat on the paved roads.

    "Minister, would you please help me with this?" Rose asked.

    "Oh! Of course your imperial majesty! What would you require me to do?" Nathan asks.

    "Just clean up this mess real quick. Use your magic to clear out the bird dump."

    "As you wish, your imperial majesty." Nathan cast a spell that washes away the bird dump with ease. Meanwhile Rose takes care of the leaves and the flowers. They walk through the garden, cleaning everything up in their way until they reached a metal gate.

    "Let us continue on this path," Rose instructs. The two now take off the dirt path, onto a wooden path. They cross the gate and arrive upon a set of stairs, that lead all the way up to the hill.

    "Your imperial majesty, where will this lead to?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "To the pce, you saw up on the hill. Now, let us go. It won''t take too long," Rose imed. After climbing up ten thousand steps, they had made it to the pce. It was much grander, and more beautiful up close than from afar. It incorporated gothic architecture, with sculptures of a younger Rose and a young man.

    In front of the pce, was a fountain, no longer functioning as it did not pour out blue water down to the small green pond it held. Rose walks up to the fountain, and purifies the dirty green water, to a crystal clear.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom Nathan looked at the crystal clear pond and observed it. He notice there was something underneath the dense water. Something shiny and metallic. Before he could investigate further, Rose called out his name, instructing him to follow her.

    Rose walked up to the door and opened it. Inside, the ce was much grandeur, with marble tiles, and well-maintained white walls. Although it was made homes to some animals, such as spiders, roaches, and snakes, Rose took care of all of them, before heading up the stairs, followed by Nathan.

    As she walks through the halls and stairs, her brain gets flooded with memories of a much simpler time, when she had it all. She was so happy until those bastards showed up.

    They walk up all the way to the 5th and final floor, where Rose opened the door to the balcony. From there, the two can see the city of Vallina from a distance, with its gigantic imperial pce, and the smaller buildings that surround it.

    "Do you know where we are, Minister Nathan?" Rose questioned Nathan.

    "No, your imperial majesty. I do not. Where are we?"

    "This ce was a little secret. When I was much younger, he had this ce built for me, as a birthday present.

    We often came here on every 10th of Sunt, when we first met. To go away from everyone else and their problems, so that we can be alone. To talk, to dance, and to sing together.

    It was beautiful, and I was in total bliss. It was all perfect until..." her fists clenched at the thought. She took a deep breath before she continued.

    "Until they came. They had taken everything away from me. My father, my siblings. My lover... Everything..." Rose turned to face the minister.

    "Do you not believe, that they should not go unpunished, minister?"

    "I... I guess so..."''

    "Good. Now do you understand why I did it?" she asks.

    "I... I guess so... but..."

    "But what, minister? Do you dare object to me?" she asks, all while staring at Nathan. He was silent for a minute, before responding.

    "No, your imperial majesty. I do not." Rose made a smile upon hearing him.

    "Good! Now, would you please hand over the ring please?" she asks. Nathan reached for his bag and grabbed a bloody ring. Rose held out it in her hand, examining it, before throwing it into the fountain pond. It drops down into the pond, gathering together with the other rings that it held within the small pond of water.

    Rose smiles once the ring sinks into the pond. She puts up a smile and mutters to herself.

    "Justice... It feels too good..."

 Chapter 196 Leaving Town For A While

    ?14th of Sunt, 5018.

    The bright yellow sun was at the top of the sky, looking down at the small rural town. Carson, followed by his troops holding guns, walked through the paved roads, waving and smiling at the locals. The locals replied warmly, recognizing him, waving and smiling back.

    "Hey, K! That is a nice gown you got there!" Carsonplimented.

    "Thank you, Major Carson!"

    "Hey! Antonio! I hope to see you on my birthday! I would love to hear use your flute!"

    "Sure, Major Carson!" Antonio replied, before continuing to y his flute.

    "Hey! Harmonica! It is good to see you and your brother have recovered!"

    "Thank you, Major Carson. We wouldn''t be here if it wasn''t for you! We are truly grateful!" they replied.

    He had be somewhat of a local hero after the Minotaur incident. Not only a few good void crystals were being gathered, but also a lot of knights managed toe back home safely thanks to his efforts. Many reunited with their wives, husbands, and children, and the people were grateful for it.

    Carson and his team of sergeants and privates had just finished up a mission. They had to take care of a pack of demonic boars threatening the town. They had managed to take care of the demons pretty easily.

    Carson and the troops came up to the gate of the barracks. Seeing that it was them, they opened up the gate, allowing the troops to pass through.

    "Another great mission, Major Carson?"

    "It sure was, private!" Carson replied. He walked backpack to the barracks and went straight for the bed, along with everyone else. It was a very hectic day, and Carson felt as if he deserved a little nap, to catch up on some sleep he had been missing out. The others went over to the cafeteria, to talk with theirrades.

    Just as he was about to doze off, the sound of a low-pitched voice grabbed his attention. It appeared to be a private, who just stood there, beside the table.

    "What do you want, Private?" Carson asked.

    "Major Carson, The lieutenant colonel wants to see you." The private replied. Carson''s eyes widen, as the phrase enters his ears, and gets processed by his brain.

    "Oh... I see." Carson gets off his bed and turns to the man. He appeared to be standing straight, and keeping eye contact with Carson, as a sign of respect he has for the man.

    "Where is the colonel, currently?" Carson questioned the private, politely.

    "He should be in his room, right in this building," the private replied.

    "I see. Thank you." Carson turned around and walked over to his door. He made sure to give it a firm knock and wait for his approval, before heading inside.

    "Come in." he heard. Carson turned the doorknob and opened the door. There, he saw the lieutenant colonel, sitting on a chair, looking outside the window.

    "You called for me, sir?" Carson asked. Leroy turned his head to meet Carson''s eyes. As soon as he noticed it was him, he immediately got up.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Ah, Major Carson! You came by pretty quickly! I was just enjoying the view."

    "I see, sir. So... what did you call me here for?" Leroy walked over to his bed and grabbed a torn envelope off the sheets. He then hands the letter over to Carson. Carson took the envelope and searched inside. There turned out to be a letter, straight from the capital.

    "They had managed to find out some mysterious ancient jungle in the middle of the forest, supposedly built with the help of demonic humans.

    The ce appeared to be abandoned, and now Vallina wants the ce searched. They believe that the ce might hold some information that could be useful to defeat the demons," Leroy debriefed.

    "Due to the discovery, the pce has formed an expedition of archeologists and demonologists to search the ce, in and out. They require protection, and that is where youe in.

    You see, the pce had decided to send in a few of their knights, as well as some musketeer troops. Now, the pce is going to be giving a couple of privates. All you have to do is to choose 3 Sargents to go along with you on the journey."

    "Do you have any questions?" Leroy asked Carson.

    "Yes, sir."

    "Well, what is it?"

    "Why was I chosen? Wouldn''t any other people have the same, or even better qualifications as me?" Carson asked.

    "Well, there certainly are. However, considering your recent entanglement with that minotaur, the fact that you fought in that specific environment, made you perfect for the job. Her empress chose you, herself! Go be grateful, Major Carson!" Leroy imed.

    Although Carson kept a stoic face, he felt a giant ego boost upon hearing that the Imperial Queen herself had chosen him for the job. For that, he felt great gratitude and honor.

    "I see. So, how do I pick?" Carson asked.

    "Just go ask someone and see if theying. Once you have confirmed, report back to me."

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Alright, sir. When will we be departing for the area? You haven''t specified that information for me," Carson asked.

    "You will be departing tomorrow. The team is said to be investigating the area on the 21st of this month. So be quick." Leroy replied.

    "I see. I will report back to you as quickly as I can."

    "Alright. As I said, be quick Major." Carson leaves the room and searches the other barracks. There, he chose three people. That being Herrold, and two other sergeants that had just assumed the rank. They had all faced the minotaur back a few days ago. Carson felt as if he should take the ones that he needs.

    He asked them to see if they cane. Thankfully, all three agreed to join, for their own various reasons. Herrold, despite being more cautious, was rather excited to go. Exploring an abandoned demon fortress was not something that not many can im they have done.

    With that, they started to prepare. Carson made sure to inform Serena of the news, before he started getting prepared.

 Chapter 197 Intelligence Agency

    ?17th of Sunt, 5018.

    Kant was found sitting in his room, typing away on the typewriter. His office was filled with absolute silence, with the only exceptions being the breaths he take, the sounds of the birds singing and chipping outside, and the mechanical clicks of the typewriter, as he worked on writing a charter for another agency that he intends of using.

    He had finally cleared out the government of its former Salvator Humat agents, who he viewed as more of a liability at this point, rather than an asset. Now, he can move on to the next step, and rest assured that Rose Valline won''t find out.

    He had been working on an agency, one that is designed to protect the sensitive information and valuable technology his kingdom has, while also gathering information from the other kingdoms, and performing any operations that will sabotage their attempts at industrialization without him.

    He had been working on this charter ever since he was finally free from their grasp, who can no longer be able to potentially hand out information to Rose without permission. As he was working on the charter, he hears a knock on his door.

    "Who is it?" Kant asked.

    "It is us, your majesty! It is only me and Defense Minister Armstrong! We havee here at your request!" he hears n''s voice reply. Feeling sure that it was then, he allowed them to enter.

    "Good morning, sir. Is there a reason you summoned us?" n asked.

    "Yes. Sit down," Kant ordered. The two men sat down on the chairs, after closing the door.

    "Your majesty, would you mind spilling the details? Why have we both been summoned?" Armstrong asks. Kant is silent. He walks to the door, looks around the halls, before closing and locking the door,

    "Can I trust you two?" he asks with his normal deep and monotone voice. The two ministers find it odd that Kant had asked them the question.

    "Why yes, of course, sir! You are the one paying us our sries, and you were the one who chose us," n replied.

    "I agree with Minister n," Armstrong replied.

    "Good. Now, as for the reason I called you two here..." Kant walks back to his chair and sits down. He then looks at both of them.

    "I need help in finding someone for me," he told the two ministers.

    "Finding someone?" Armstrong questioned.

    "Yes. More specifically, I need to fill in a spot for a future agency that I intend to find, which will be vital for the safety and security of Hoverdam," Kant replied. The two nod, as they start to understand what he was implying.

    "Oh! You want us to give rmendations. I got it, sir. What kind of agency you are starting now?"

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "An intelligence agency," Kant replied bluntly.

    "Could you please borate, sir?" Armstrong asked.

    "Of course. Now with those pesky ex-Salvator Humat agents out of the government, I feel safe in forming this intelligence agency. I have alreadye up with a name; the Central Intelligence Agency.

    As the same suggests, it is a spy agency, directly given the task of spying on other kingdoms, to gather intelligence, and hand it over to policymakers and key decision makers in the government like ministers and me," Kant exined.

    "I need you two to give me some people that would be perfect for upying the role of Directors or Ministers of the agencies. Do you two have anyone you two know?" Kant questioned.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "We could. However, I think we would need more information on how it works. Could you please borate on that sir? Can you exin to us both how the agency works?" n asked.

    "Sure. The Central Intelligence Agency is an intelligence agency responsible for providing national security intelligence to heads of government, including ministers, directors, and the king.

    The agency operates under the "Director of Intelligence" and is responsible for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating intelligence information to key decision-makers, such as ourselves.

    Their primary mission is to gather and analyze intelligence information that will help us understand and respond to threats to the kingdom of Hoverdam.

    Their secondary mission is to protect valuable technologies from leaking out to other kingdoms that could pose a risk to our kingdom.

    The agency can also engage in covert action, which involves carrying out secret operations to achieve strategic objectives. For example, to conduct counterintelligence, assess economic, and regional security, and so on.

    The CIA is organized into four main directorates: the Directorate of Intelligence, the Directorate of Operations, the Directorate of Science and Technology, and the Directorate of Support.

    Each directorate is responsible for a specific area of the agency''s operations, such as intelligence analysis, covert operations, technology development, or administrative support.

    The Directorate of Intelligence is mainly for intelligence work on foreign kingdoms. The Directorate of Operations is for the covert operations I just mentioned.

    The Directorate of Science and Technology is responsible for protecting our technology, and the Directorate of Support is to provide logistical support for the other agencies, to conduct their work efficiently." Kant debriefed.

    "I hope that exnation is sufficient enough for both of you. Do you require me to borate further?" Kant asks.

    "No, no, sir. It is fine. We got everything we needed. However, we might need some more time to think of someone who would be able to lead us to an important organization. Would you mind giving us some characteristics?"

    "I want someone who is loyal, while also being good at his job. Can you find one for me?"

    "Of course, sir! We can! Though, we might need you to be a little more specific than that." n replied. Kant went over to his desk and grabbed a paper. He then handed it over to both of them.

    "That is a list of qualities I desire. Find the best man there is. I do not mind paying him an extensive sry."

    "I see sir. We will get back to you as soon as we can." n replied.

    "Isn''t that right, Armstong?"

    "Yes, we shall," Armstrong replied.

    "Good. I will give you till the end of the year to find a good candidate. I must have one before the construction of the HISAR building isplete. Do I make myself clear?"

    "Yes sir. You do," Armstrong replied.

    "Good. You two may leave the office. I will finish up with this and ce it on a file." With that, the ministers got up from the room, unlocked the door, and left. Kant moved the typewriter closer to him and continued typing.

 Chapter 198 The Wooden Train Model.

    ?19th Of Sunt, 5018.

    Ezekiel woke up early in the morning, as usual. He got off his bed and got dressed up for work. Once he had had his breakfast, he packed his back with the necessary things he need, before heading off to the office by entering the tram.

    As he entered the train, he thought of everything that had happened. He had been working extra hard all day, for the past few weeks, to build a small model part for the train, and then see if hisponent fitted with the others.

    There have been many failures. Whether it be imperfections, small measurement mistakes, or any other, each and every one of them costed hours of Ezekiel''s life to fix it up. In the end, he managed to make the perfect model.

    The tram soon stops, allowing him to leave. He walks over to his office, and to his workstation. There, he grabs the wooden model of the cylinderponent that he was assigned and looks at it.

    Theponent Ezekiel had to make was the two sets of cylinders on each side of the train, along with the piston and small valves inside the thing. It was as if he was constructing an actual cylinder, with every tinyponent inside, with wood and glue, with the help of metal tools.

    "Ezekiel. They are waiting for us. Let''s go," One of his co-workers interrupted, as he was examining the cylinders.

    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Oh yes. Of course," he got up from his chair and followed the man to the room where the draftsman had worked on drawing on the blueprint. This time, the blueprint was hung up on the wall, ced so that anyone could see, while the table upied the split metal parts, glue, iron nails, and hammers.

    "Am Ite?" Ezekiel asked the project manager.

    "No. Your name?"

    "Ezekiel. Ezekiel Beserk, sir." The project manager looks through the list of names with the help of his finger and then stops.

    "Ezekiel. You are thest one. We are starting now." The project manager replied. He snapped his fingers to grab everyone''s attention. It was effective, considering everyone turned their heads to the manager upon hearing the loud snaps made by his fingers.

    "Alright everyone, listen up. Now, as you have allpleted your wooden models, it is time that you all assemble them to make a full 1:4 model of the steam engine train.

    You are all required to use the tools that we have provided on the table while following the instructions on the blueprint hung up on the wall.

    If you have spotted any errors or design ws, please inform me of such errors so that I can write them down on my clipboard for you all."

    "Do any of you have any questions?" the manager asks. The room was in a state of silence, with nobody bothering to raise their hands. Taking it as a sign everything was clear, he got them to start working.

    They started adding theirponents to the framework, which was rather well-made. Ezekiel can even see that there were 2 tiny men inside, as well as some gauges. They first fixed the firebox in ce, which fit rather perfectly. They attached it with glue, and nails, before moving on to the next part.

    Unlike the blueprint, the Mechanical engineers attached the wheels before the boiler. They decided they wanted to go by which one was easier and more convenient to ce long term. They attacked the wheels with nails.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    After all the wheels were in ce, they moved on to the boiler, which took both glue and nails to get the job done. After the boiler was the smokestack, followed by the two sets of cylinders on the side. They made sure to connect the two together properly to the boiler and smokestack, before connecting the valves on the wheels.

    Just like that, the model wasplete. The project manager was soon informed and came over to inspect it. The model was ratherrge, almost taking up the entire table. It had many details incorporated into it, giving it a realistic feeling.

    "Did any of you find mistakes that need to be fixed?" asked the project manager.

    "No, sir. Nothing at all," they replied.

    "Well good. That would mean that we can move on to the next step." the manager remarked. He made those familiar snapping sounds once again, getting the attention of the engineers.

    "Everyone, I want you all to submit your blueprints to Carlin, thest guy who was here. We will be sending them over to trusted firms, to construct the actual parts of the steam engine, and bring some of the majorponents here.

    You are all to test theponents, of their strength and power, before we move on to the final stage, assembly, and the tests. We need to make sure that the boiler would be able to withstand high pressures, the cylinders the required horsepower, the firebox high enough temperatures, and the otherponents present in the machine.

    If the parts do not meet the required standards, then you will need to investigate what is causing the problem, before moving on. Only once theponent meets the set requirements, is it allowed to be sent over to be assembled." The project manager debriefed.

    "Do any of you have any questions?" he asked. Quite a few raised their hands. He picked out one of them and got them to ask their question.

    "When will the parts be constructed?" one of the engineers asked.

    "I am not sure about that. I will have to ask the firms for that one. Next question?"

    "What tools are we allowed to use?"

    "Whatever gets the job done. Inform Carlin about the tool you need. He will have someone get it for you. Any other questions?" he asked.

    "Do we get to have a break while they are working on the project?"

    "That remains to be seen. I will inform everyone of that when I get adequate information about theponents. Until then, you should all go check to see what tools you might need. Next?" This time, all had their hands down. The project manager assumed everything was made clear.

    "Alright then. You may all now leave the room," he said aloud. The engineers, after all forming a line, left one by one, with Ezekiel being thest to go. Before he left, he turned back to ce at the wooden model of the train once more, before heading downstairs. He got to prepare for that test, to see if his cylinder can output enough horsepower.

 Chapter 199 The Abandoned Fortress (1)

    ?21st of Sunt, 5018.

    Cock-a-Doodle-Doo!

    The sound of the rooster crowing woke up Carson, Herrold, and the other musketeers in the tavern, whofortablyy on their hay beds. They were extremely tired after the journey and wanted to make sure they caught up on some sleep. The boat was not afortable ce to sleep, as it rocked around from side to side, making them fall off their beds.

    They got off the bed and headed straight for a bath. Carson and Herrold made sure to take a cold bath, to wake up every sense of their body in preparation for what wasing ahead. It appears that the others thought the same as well, as they had done the exact same thing.

    It was not just the musketeers, but also the knights and demonologists. Everyone was excited to some degree to explore that strange ce and wanted to make sure they were fully awake. After the bath, they made sure to fill up their bellies full of nutritious food, that would give them a boost of energy throughout the day.

    Once they were finished, they packed up their things, carried them in a leather bag, and waited for the demonologist to arrive. The demonologists, despite being a little shorter and slimmer than the musketeers, appear to be heavy eaters.

    "Alright. I don''t think we did not get to properly introduce ourselves, so let us do it now," Carson spoke up. He turned around to face the musketeers while standing straight.

    "Good morning Privates! I am Major Carson Williams. As you all know, I will be your major for the duration of this expedition," Carson told the other troops.

    "Tell me, what are your names?" he asked. If he was to be instructing them, he would need to familiarize himself with them. The foreign musketeers went on to recite their names, as well as where they were originally stationed, and their aplishments. From what Carson saw, they were well-behaved musketeers.

    "I am pleased to meet you all! I hope we can all work together and defend the demonologists from any harm," he replied with a charming smile. Carson then went on to introduce the other two properly, just in case they didn''t know. As he was in the middle of doing so, Carson heard a masculine voice, interrupting him.

    "Excuse me, Major Carson!" Carson his head around, to see an average man, with a brown mustache, wearing sses, boots, and a beige outfit, consisting of shorts, a long-sleeved shirt, and a hat.

    Following closely behind, are more demonologists, wearing simr attire to the strange man that called out his name, as well as a few knights, wearing runic armor. There are about 5, to be exact. All male, all putting up a mean face.

    "Ah! Mr. Jonus Hull. I see that you are livelier than ever," Carson remarked. He had met up with the man beforehand when he first arrived. Though, when he did, Carson was half asleep, and the man was slightly drunk.

    Jonus Hull was the leader of the expedition. He and his team had been assigned to look into the newly discovered structure, to unlock of its secrets, as they have done many times before.

    "Yes, I am! I made sure to fill up my belly will all the food I can ingest! We are going to need a lot of energy, you know?" he remarked. Carson put up a smile and nodded.

    "I guess so. Well, we should get going now. Say, how far is the site? What method are we going to be traveling to the area?" Carson questioned Jonus.

    "The pce had given me some money. So I decided to rent out some caravans. The ce is a little far from here. About 2 hours in walking distance. It was the reason that nobody found that ce yet. I will tell you the rest of the details."

    "Alright then. Do you know where the caravans are?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Of course I do! Just follow me! They are not that far."

    Jonus started to walk on the streets of the small town, followed by his assistants, then the knights, and finally the musketeers. They made their way to a caravan station, where they get their caravans pulled by horses.

    Jonus, Herrold, the leader of the knights, and Carson, all travel in one caravan with the luggage, while the others traveled in different caravans. While Jonus drove the first caravan, the knights drove the others, holding the other demonologists and musketeers. As they went by, the musketeers had their guns out, ready to shoot at anything that came running at them.

    "Alright. We have left the town. Can you spill us the details of this demonic structure? When was it found? Why is it there?" asked the leader of the knights.

    He went by the name Esther Ho. He was a scary-looking dude with short ck hair and a burned scar on his face. His primary weapon was the spear, although he did carry a sword just in case.

    "dly, Knight Esther. You see, we found this ce about a week and a half ago, on the... 12th of this month, deep inside the forest.

    We suspect that it was built by demons, humanoid demons, around 200 to 300 years ago, although we cannot be certain."

    "What is the abandoned ce used for?" Carson asked.

    "Don''t know," Jonus replied truthfully. A re of anger just lit inside Esther.

    "What do you mean you don''t know? Aren''t you a demonologist? It is your job to know!" he replied.

    "Let me rephrase it for you then, Knight Esther. I am currently not aware of its true intentions, and I need to explore the area roughly before I can make a judgment."

    "Do you have a guess at least, Mr. Jonus?" Carson politely asked the demonologist.

    "There are a lot of things. Maybe it is a ce where they just hung out. Maybe it is a failed attempt at opening a strong portal that wouldst. Maybe it contains a secret weapon. Who knows?" he replied. There was a silence between the three until Jonus spoke up again.

    "...However, I do think there is something odd about the ce. "

    "Odd? What do you mean?" Carson asked, his interest sparked. Jonus turned his head to face Carson, making direct eye contact.

    "I suspect something is inside. Something that the demons do not want us humans to find out."

 Chapter 200 The Abandoned Fortress (2)

    ?"borate, Jonus," Esther asks in amanding tone.

    "Sure. Do you know why we requested help from the capital itself?" Jonus replied with another question. His answer irritates Esther, but he tries to answer it back in a calm manner.

    "Well, for protection. Is it not obvious?" Esther replies, with a slight tone of anger present. Enough for Carson and Jonus to notice.

    "Yes, but we can get protection by just asking around some local knights and musketeers. It is what we usually do. However, in this case, it is very different," Jonus answers.

    "How so?" Carson questions Jonas, curious as to why or how it is different this time.

    "Well, when we first investigated the area, we listened around to see if we can hear any creatures inside.

    Thanks to the general structure of the ce, you can hear a lot of echoes of the creatures that are down there.

    It is how many of us demonologists determine how many people we should bring to protect us," Jonus exined.

    "And...?" Carson asked.

    "Well, when we investigated this specific ce, we heard a lot of strange noisesing from within the ce.

    There were these... howling noises. A noise not usually made by any demonic beast, or demon, that we know of.

    We assumed that we will be facingpletely new beasts or demons when we eventually explore that ce. In this case, we thought it would be for the best if we get some top knights and musketeers to help us out.

    We sent off a letter to the capital, exining the situation. We asked them to provide us with the best security forces they can give us, and that is what they gave us... you all," Jonus exined. There was a moment of silence, before Esther, the knight leader, started to voice his opinion.

    "You called upon the capital for the best knights of the Aceaton Empire have to offer just because you suspected that the ce MIGHT hold some fanatical beings that may pose a threat?

    What if it was just the wind? What if they are extremely weak? Have you not considered that? Do to really think that somece that those demons have abandoned long ago, will contain anything useful?" Esther ranted.

    "You don''t seem to understand Knight Esther. This ce has been abandoned long ago. As early as 18 years ago. Usually, abandoned ces like it contain and hosts only some weak beasts and demons because they don''t have anywhere else they can shelter themselves.

    That is the reason why I think that there might be something there, something that those demons don''t want us to find out, because of their presence. I am certain that it was not the wind, or anything else.

    They also contain a lot of information about them, their history, their ns, and how they view the world. If we ever want to beat them, we will need to know everything we can about them." Jonus replied.

    "Is that so? Well then, I will take your word for it then. I just hope that this entire mission won''t be a waste of my precious time," Esthermented.

    "When will be arriving, Mr. Jonus?" Carson asks.

    "We should be arriving in about 30 minutes," Jonus replied.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The entire trip from that point was silent, as nobody bothered to start up a conversation, at least in the cart that Jonus, Carson, and Esther were in. The ones following behind it were filled with talk andughter, as they joked with each other.

    As they rode along on the caravan, which traveled on the dirt road, Carson took some time to look around the beautiful forest he had found himself in, hosting all sorts of animal life within. Many of the leaves had already turned orange, and fallen down to the path below. It was rather a unique experience.

    On their journey to the abandoned fortress, Carson noticed that they had not spotted a single demonic beast going around. Upon making the observation, he brings it to his attention.

    "Hey, have you all noticed that he hasn''t encountered any demons while we travel?"

    "Hm... Oh yes. Now that you mention it, Major Carson, we haven''t. I wonder why."

    "Well, those demons probably are just scared of our presence! They may be hungry monsters, but they are cowards. Cowardly enough not to face us and our powerful spears," Esthermented.

    "I don''t think..." Jonus started to speak up but was immediately interrupted by Esther.

    "Just keep driving, Jonus." With that, Jonus did not bother speaking up again, a little irritated by Esther. The group soon arrives at the abandoned ce that Jonus had been talking about.

    It appeared to be a fortress, built purely out of gray stone bricks. On the outside, its walls were covered in vines and leaves, with parts of the stone bricks falling apart as the nts around the area consume it. Above the doorway, which was made out of wood, was the face of a humanoid demon, with a mana stone in the middle.

    "This is the ce, everyone."

    "How do we get in?" Carson asks.

    "Just open the door. They appeared to not have bothered installing locks on it," Jonus replies.

    Esther walks up to the door and kicks it open with his legs. Inside, what they see is a long hall, leading to a dark, empty void. Carson turns around to his musketeers and orders them to grab the torches. Once they light them up, they all walk inside the abandoned fortress.

    As the group walks further inside, lighting up any torches they can find, all they can hear are their footsteps, echoing throughout thepound.

    "What did you say, Jonus?" Esther questions him. He turns his face to look at him.

    "You told us that there were... ''beasts that we have never faced before''. Well, where are they? I don''t see any one of them here, do I?"

    "Calm down, Knight Esther. They are most likely further within. It is normal for them to settle deeper inside."

    "Oh really? Well then, where are they? Shouldn''t we be..." Before he can finish his sentence, they hear uncanny howling noises, echoing through the halls of the fortress. It was as if the ce was haunted by the damned souls of the dead. Carson cocks his gun and aims it toward the darkness.

    "Is that it, Mr. Jonus? What that what you heard when you investigated this ce?" Carson asks.

    "Yes, Major Carson. That was it."

 Chapter 201 Mysterious Creature

    ?Everyone was on high alert upon hearing the howling noises that echoed throughout the halls. Its creepy aura sent a shiver down their spines, striking a little fear into their hearts. Carson orders his musketeers to form into position, making two lines.

    One line is focused on the rear, to protect the demonologists and the knights from anything that may have sneaked behind them, while the front was focused on supporting the knights, who are at the front.

    They all slowly walked deeper and deeper into thepound, through the narrow halls, all hyperfocused on their dark and blinding environment, with the only light present being the few torches that were lit behind them. The demonologist focus on the walls themselves, to see if there are any inscriptions written on them. Unsurprisingly, there were none.

    They made their way to arge room, spacious enough that they all didn''t feel ustrophobic anymore. Carson walks up to Esther and asks him a question.

    "Excuse me, Knight Esther?" Carson asks the knightmander.

    "What is it?"

    "This ce is too dark for our torches. I think it would be a good idea to cast a... light spell of some kind so that the demonologist can examine the room more clearly," Carson rmended.

    "I will..."Esther suddenly stops talking. Carson immediately senses that something is wrong and looks to the side, to see what Esther sees. There, he can see a pair of glowing red eyes, staring down at them all.

    "What the hell is that?" Carson asked while pointing his revolver at the pair of eyes.

    "Looks like a pair of eyes; evil malicious eyes." Esther tightens his grip on his spear and his own eyes focus on the creature, hiding in the veil of darkness.

    "We better kill it before it kills us!" The creature screams at Esther, upon hearing him threatening its life. The creature dashes at him at high speed, ready to harm him. Carson, aimed his gun at the creature, ready to shoot.

    "Don''t shoot it! It is mine!" Esther proims. Carson walks back, not wanting to argue with the knight at this time. Esther charged at the creature, so he can stab it. The creature jumps at him, and Esther takes his chance.

    Swoosh!

    Estherunches his spear at the creature, hoping to tear through its head. Although it appeared as if he managed to get its face, he didn''t feel anything making contact with the spear tip. The creature, ignoring the sharp metal point, just goes straight inside his body.

    "Knight Esther! Are you all right?" one of the knights asks Esther, who saw the whole thing unfold with the other knights, musketeers, and demonologists.

    Esther then senses a great, unbearable pain throughout his body, causing him to scream in agony. His hands let go of his spear, and he falls back to the ground. Everyone started to gather around the man, to see what was wrong with him.

    He was visibly twitching and shaking in pain and fear. His face and body had started to glow red in color. His eyes, which were a normal brown, started to turn ck in color, with the irises reced with dark cyan in color. Just as they thought there was no end to his screams, he suddenly stops.

    His body stops violently shaking, while his eyes slowly closed off. His breathing rate returned back to normal, and the fortress was filled with a deafening silence once again. The others had looked at Esther with horror, shocked to function properly as soldiers.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    They had just witnessed an Alien creature, just go inside the body of a powerful knight, andpletely immobilized him from being a threat. That and the fact that the spear didn''t harm it, made everyone shiver a little in fear.

    "Did you all see that? That... That creature! It just went straight into him!" one of the demonologists yells out, finally losing theirposure as their brain processed what had just happened.

    "Oh god! We shouldn''t havee here in the first ce! We are all going to die!" said another demonologist. One by one, they all start to panic, fearing what happened to Esther, will happen to them.

    "Alright, Calm down everyone! Calm down! There is no use in panicking!" Carson told the demonologists. With the help of the knights and Herrold, they managed to calm them down. With the demonologists silent, Herrold starts to speak.

    "Alright. Now that everyone has calmed down, we can discuss our next move. Now, considering that Knight Esther is still incapacitated, I think we should take Knight Esther outside of this fortress and treat him there.

    We can''t have him here any longer, as those... things might return. We have no idea how to deal with them just yet."

    "Herrold is right. We better get him out of here. We can treat him properly there, and once he has got up, we can alle up with a tactic to counter those creatures," Carson replied.

    "What if he won''t make it till then? Don''t you think it would be better to treat him here?" one suggested. Carson turned to the man, who turns out to be a demonologist.

    "Well, we won''t be able to treat this man here properly regardless. The lighting condition here is too poor. Our best course is to bring him outside, and hopes he makes it till then," Carson replied. He then grabbed Esther''s left arm and looked at the other knights.

    "Can you all please help me carry him outside?" he asked the knights, who he knew was stronger. They happilyplied and picked them up. They then started walking back to the entrance of the building, being led by Herrold.

    As they were walking back, Herrold can hear the howling, echoing across the narrow halls of the Fortress. However, instead ofing from behind, he felt like they wereing from the front.

    "Is there something the matter, Herrold?" Carson asked, who was in the middle of the line, as the front and back were being protected by musketeers. Herrold was silent, his eyes hard at work scanning the front.

    "There is something there!" Herrold replied. Another pair of ck eyes opened up, right in front of him.

    "There are some behind as well, sir! What do we do?" Herrold hears from the rear. He took out his revolver and aimed at the creature, and tires to shoot the creature. But before he can pull the trigger, he hears a voice.

    "Wait." the group hears someone speak. It spoke in a more raspy, low-pitch voice. They look around at each other, very confused as to who just spoke.

    "Let Us Down. Now." the voice spoke again. They turn their heads to Esther, who appeared to have awoken from his slumber. However, there was something different. His skin was bright red, and his eye color is a dark cyan.

 Chapter 202 Exploring The Fortress

    ?"I Won''t Hurt You. Let Me Down." Esther, or his mind-control body posing as the Vallian Knight, asked them politely. The knights all turned their heads to face Carson for an order. Considering he was the next inmand on the list of chain ofmand, and feeling as if he should be the one to call the shots. Carson turns his head to focus his vision on the back and then to the front.

    Considering they have been surrounded by these strange creatures, and the fact that they didn''t have a mana crystal on their forehead which pointed to the fact that they might not be demons, Carson felt as if there is no other option left for them, and gave them the order to put him down.

    "Thank You For Your Cooperation. Do Not Worry. Your Comrade Will Not Come To Harm. I Will Settle This Dispute Between Us Shortly," it promised.

    The possessed Esther then walked away from the group, and to the strange creatures themselves. Though the knights wanted to stop him, Carson ordered them to let him go. He wanted to see what they can do.

    "Do you think they will harm Knight Esther?" one of the knights asked Carson.

    "Maybe. Just keep your weapons in hand. Just in case they try something." Carson replied. The men all watched Esther, who had now stood right in front of the creature, just standing near the edge of the dark void.

    He then starts to speak an unintelligiblenguage to the creatures. It sounded as if he was whispering to them in his low-pitched noise. The knights, felt as if they could understand it, but just... didn''t. It was a weird feeling.

    Possessed Esther: "Do Not Be Afraid. They Are Not Your Enemies."

    Creature: "How Can You Be So Sure?"

    Possessed Esther: "I See No Bad Intentions In Their Mind. Best We Appear Friendly."

    Creature: "Why Are They Here?"

    Possessed Esther: "They Came To Search This ce. They Hate Them Like Us."

    Creature: "Are They From The Outside?"

    Possessed Esther: "Yes. They Are."

    Creature: "Why Do They Have It?"

    Possessed Esther: "They Have Managed To Ovee Them. They Had Managed To Separate From Them. They Are Not Them, At All."

    Creature: "What Should We Do?"

    Possessed Esther: "Just Stay Away From Their Sight. Look Out For Me In A Distance."

    The conversation goes on for a while before the creatures disappear, much to everyone''s surprise. The possessed Esther then turns back to the group and approaches them. Though some wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible, Carson ordered them to stay, not wanting this expedition to go to waste, and to hear out the creature.

    "They Will Leave You All Alone. You Are All Safe," The creature possessing Esther assured. Though it tried tofort the expedition team, they were still a little ufortable, seeing one of their own being possessed by the creature.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Would You Like Me To Guide You Through These Walls?" It asked next. Carson, seeing no reason not to trust it as it had made those things disappear as it promised, decided to ept its offer.

    "Sure. Please do," Carson replies.

    "I Will First Need You All To Lower Your Weapons First. I Promised Them That You All Would Lower Your Weapons And That You Will Not Harm Them." It asks Carson. There was a moment of silence, as Carson thinks this decision through.

    "Lower your weapons everyone, but keep them with you," Carson ordered. The humans lowered their weapons and were on guard and cautious, just in case they decide to jump on them.

    "Thank You For Your Cooperation. Now, Follow Me." It said. It turns around in the other direction, and head further inward the tomb. The humans, after getting a light spell activated, followed behind.

    It guided the expedition team through the entireplex, to every room, to allow the demonologists to investigate and record every inch of drawings and writings the demons may have left behind. It even showed areas that were well hidden a first nce, allowing them to ess more information.

    Jonus wrote and drew down the things that he had found, with the help of his assistants. It took a few dozen minutes, before moving on to the next. He soon finds his first bookpletely filled in a matter of hours, forcing him to use his other book.

    The group soon arrives at arge room, with arge picture on all sides of the walls. The picture on the front wall, featuredrge white, red, and blue balls, surrounding smaller balls, at a long distance. However, two of them had their balls encapsted in a circle. These two circles are connected by an arrow.

    On the left of the wall, appeared to be a map of some randomndscape, detailed with the terrain and continents of it. Although they may not be able to read much of it, as it was in a strangenguage. On the right side of the wall, was a simr map. However, this one looked eerily simr to their own map, featuring the 5 continents of the world.

    In the middle of therge room, were tworge balls, being held up on the ceiling, though one was clearlyrger than the other. Surrounding these balls, were smaller balls, painted a specific color. One of which, was a mixture of green, blue, and white on the top and bottom, with a little bit of yellow sprinkled in.

    The demonologists were utterly confused by the sight of the strange model of balls, and the maps present on the walls. While the others admired the intricate details the demons have ced on the pictures and models themselves.

    "Do you know what these things are, Mr. Jonus?" Herrold asked the head demonologist, pointing to the balls.

    "That looks kind of like a globe we have back at home. Although, the globe that we had was browner in color," one of the knights remarked. Just then, the idea hit Jonus.

    "My goodness! You are right! It DOES look like a globe. Maybe that is our world, right there!"

    "But then, why is the sun at the center? What is that other thing?" Carson asked Jonus.

    "I Think I May Know What That Is," the creature speaks, as it points out to the other globe.

    "Yes? What is it?"

    "That. That Is Home. My Home."

 Chapter 203 Tales From The Creature.

    "Home? You mean you all came from... another world? That one specifically?" Jonus asked the creature, pointing at the other globe, which was significantlyrger than the other.

    "Yes. Though I Have Only Come To Realize It Now That The Ball Represents My Home, Thanks To Your Comrade''s Intelligence, I Can Be Certain, That It Is My Home," it replied.

    His answer caught the interest of the expedition team. It meant that, for the first time ever, they have just met up with another creature from a different world that isn''t a demon, and one that despises them as much as the humans do.

    Although it does mean that a lot of the current scientific consensus of the world; how Eden is the center of the universe, that the Sun rotates around Eden, and so on,e into question as the findings of the fortress prove them wrong, within the texts and drawings.

    Though it would be a hard pill to swallow for many of those researchers stationed in Vallina, Jonus didn''t really care, as his field appeared to be getting more exciting. Without wasting any more time, he got to ask a few questions about the creature''s world.

    "If that is the case, how did you guys get here anyway? Did you use a portal or..." Jonus questioned, taking his book out. The creature thinks for a minute, before answering.

    "Yes. There Was A Portal. They Opened Up A Portal To This World. We Sensed It With Our Eyes. We Went Through It, And We Found Ourselves Here." it replied. Jonus writes down the answer in the book, before asking another one.

    "Is there anything different about our world, and your world? Certainly, there must be a lot different about this world than yours, is there?" he then questioned.

    "From What I Can Tell, This World Is Much Lighter. We Can More Easily Float Around Than In Our Own World. They Are Also Much Weaker Here. However, The Outside World Appears To Be In A State Of Great Chaos. "

    "Can you borate on what you mean by that?"

    "The Outside World, For Brief Periods Of Time, Be Very Hot. This Is Thanks To The Ball Of Fire In The Sky."

    "Ah, I see. So in that case, is the sun far less bright in your world?"

    "Yes. The Sun Was Not As Large Or As Bright As It Is Here. It Has Forced Us To Remain In This Tomb."

    "But what about the night? Can you not go out there in the dark?"

    "The Night Is No Good Either. It Is Too Cold For Us. This ce Is The Only ce We Can Stay In. It Might Be Because This Was Constructed That Way, To Keep A Certain Temperature," it replied.

    "Is there anything else?"

    "The Air."

    "What About it?"

    "The Air Is A Little Different From Back At Home. It Seems To Me Your World Is Colder Overall..." Jonus writes it down, before moving on to the next question.

    "I see. Alright, the next question I want to ask you is, How do you all manage to survive? I mean, where do you get your food?" Jonus asks next. A good question indeed.

    "We Possess An Animal And Eat Whatever It Eats. It Usually Gives Us What We Need To Continue Existing." Jonus write down what it said, word for word.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Fascinating. Next question. Why did you all decide toe through the portal in the first ce? Was there a specific reason?" Jonus asked. The creature appears to pause again to think for a minute, before giving a response.

    "They Came," it replied. Jonus and the others were a little confused.

    "They came? The Demons?" Carson asked.

    "Yes. Them."

    "Can you please borate? Was this the first time that they invaded your realm, or was there a massive wave that forced you all toe here?" Jonus asked.

    "It Is A Long Story. Are You Sure You Want To Hear It?" it asked.

    "Please do! It would be very helpful for us." Jonus replied. The creature took a deep breath and coughed, to ready Esther''s vocal codes, before it started to speak.

    "Alright Then. I Will Try To Exin To The Best Of My Knowledge. They Came To Our World Long Ago, Through The Energy Portals. They Came In And Started Taking Control Of The World. They Attached Themselves To Other Animals, And Kill Others For Food.

    They Went After Us As Well, But We Fought Back. We Evolved A 6th Sense For Them.; Our Eyes. We Can See Mana From Everywhere. We Used It To Find And Kill. It Was All Going Well.

    However, Little Did We Know, They Were Preparing. They Build These ces Over Our World, Using It To Make... It."

    "What is ''it'' exactly?" Jonus asked.

    "A Portal. A Permanent Portal That Allows Hordes Of Them To Come Out At Once, Forever.

    To Make It, They Built Structures Like This One, To Help Them Build A Sort Of Drawing Like The One In The Other Room. It Took Them Time, Lots Of Time. However, In The End, They Managed To Build It.

    The Portal Soon Opens In The Sky And Allows For More Of Them To Come To Our Realm. We Were Overwhelmed And Lost Our Home. We Were The Few Remaining Of Our Kind. We Managed To Hide And Flee Here." it told the group.

    Though the creature, possessing Esther, had a straight face, they can clearly see tears flowing down the face. It was clear that the story was a tragic one, that strike great emotion within it, or at least, that is what they think is happening.

    "I see. My condolences. Could you please bring us to this... portal diagram?" Jonus asked.

    "Follow Me," it replied. The creature leads them to the next room. There, the group found arge circle, drawn on the wall. Within the circle, there were lots of intricate details, drawn inside the diagram. Though they can see that it is iplete, it appeared to be half-full.

    "That. That Is The Drawing. They Used A Simr One For Ours. However, This One Is Iplete. There Is Still A Long Way For Them To Go." It says. As everyone stared at it, the creature points out to the middle of the drawing, which contained arge circle, with lots of weird words in it, and remarks.

    "That. That Is Meant To Symbolize Your Home. They Are Coming For You All Next."

 Chapter 204 Old Mans Wish

    26th of Sunt, 5018.

    It was a rather cloudy day today, in the city of Hoverdam. Therge grey clouds prevented the sun from brightening up the city. Though many suspected it would start to rain soon, not a single drop of water had fallen on the streets, keeping the city dry.

    Many people have been seen wearing all ck, walking down and up the streets, through the trams, to arrive at a particr house. This house, made of stone and wood, appeared to be any ordinary home of a slightly wealthy peasant.

    At the front, the visitors were greeted by a particr blonde maid with a ponytail, going by the name ''Cora''. She thanked the visitors foring to the funeral and pointed to where they needed to head to see him.

    In the middle of the living room, was an open wooden casket, holding an old geezer within it. He was wearing a ck shirt with 12 brass buttons on it, with pants and his finest pair of leather shoes. Manye up to the old man''s body, give their respects, and take a seat on one of the many chairsying around.

    This man was none other than the leader of the Salvator Humat organization operating mainly in the kingdom. It had worked with the sister groups located and operated in other cities, which also bore the same name.

    Many cried and wept in the light of his passing, while the othersforted them. As for the organizers of the funeral, there had been a general feeling of uncertainty as to how his funeral will be carried out.

    Ever since the absolute destruction of the Angelisist church, there had been ack of direction on how one should take to hold the funeral of someone, especially for someone like him. Thankfully for them, their dear leader had already nned out how he would want his funeral to be like.

    "Has everyone arrived?" Silverstone asked Cora.

    "Hm... I think so. All we need is a priest-standin'' of some kind. You sure he ising?" she asks Silverstone. He nods with certainty.

    "Yes. I am sure of it. This was what he wanted, and so, we will provide for him what he needs," Silverstone answers. Just then, the door opens once again, revealing a strange man. He was wearing a long-sleeved white shirt, with a blue tie and beige pants.

    "Hello there! Is this Mr. Millerton''s funeral? I was ordered toe here," he asks.

    "Yes. This is it. You are just in time. They are waiting for you." Cora pointed out. The man smiled, and walked up to the living room, straight to the podium. The others, upon seeing the man, all shut their traps as they watched him walk up to the podium.

    He then ced the bible down on the top of the podium, before flipping a few pages. Once he had got to the correct page, he looked onward at the people and introduced himself. Once that was out of the way, he started to read out from the bible, while everyone listened.

    This goes on for 30 minutes, as they receive a session on how one could cope with the loss of a loved one, in this case, the old man who went by the name Millerton. Once it is over, he subtly advertises to the crowd of visitors about more of their services, before taking off.

    Once Silverstone pays for the man, he himself walks up to the podium. Upon taking a deep breath, he takes out a piece of paper from his pocket, before cing it down on the podium. He then scanned the room, to look at the people around him, before starting to speak.

    "On the 21st of Sunt, 5018, Mr. Harvy Millerton tragically passed away in his sleep after having lived for 78 years. Many consider him to be a great leader, a great husband, a great father, and a great friend.

    Our lives, which includes everyone in this room, and anyone who had settled in the city, had drastically been affected and changed for the better, all thanks to this man. We will not forget the great contribution, the great amount of work and pain he went through, to secure us a better future."

    Silverstone then picks up the paper and raises it for everyone to see. The men and woman all concentrate their eyes on it, curious to know what it is.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "This right here is thest will and testament of Mr. Harvy Millerton. He wanted everyone, including those who he deemed the most trustworthy, to listen very carefully. I shall start reading it now."

    He lowered his hands and holds the paper with both his hands. The people around the room all focus on Silverstone, who begins reading thest will of their deceased leader.

    "If you are reading this, then it means I have already passed. I would first like to address my family, my wife, my daughters, and my sons.

    For any of you that are currently weeping upon my demise, Please, do not cry, as it would bring me much pain to see your suffering. Death is a part of life. Deathes for us all. It is best that we move on quickly.

    As for my sons, I hope you both take good care of your mother as I am gone. I have entrusted both of you with many requests, with this being myst.

    Now that my family matters are out of the way, I would like to address the members of the Salvator Humat organization. I would first like to thank you. Thank you so much for putting faith in my leadership.

    Together, we had managed to aplish many things over the decades, with our primary goal of getting the royal family to do right by us, to treat themon man with respect, and to bring reform to the corrupt institutions to increase our prosperity.

    Over thest few months as the new king hade to power, I have concluded that we have aplished exactly that. Reform hase to many institutions, as well as the birth of new institutions.

    The city is bing much safer, while the wealth of the average man is much higher. Although it is not perfect, I deem the current state satisfactory, and our objectiveplete.

    This is exactly why, I request you all one more thing. I wish for you all to cease further operations of Salvator Humat, to break up, and live your own lives, as the South has.

    I had nned to address this by the end of the year. However, due to my passing, I was not able to conduct that. So, I will address my reasoning here.

    I fear that our presence may be used by outside forces as a tool, like the Imperial queen, to cause a ruckus in the continent and to gain more power. I also fear that the organization that we have made could be corrupted once I am gone, causing more chaos and disorder in the process.

    Although I know this is too much to ask, and that you all have made so many wonderful friends along the way, please, I beg you to consider, letting this old man rest in peace." Silverstone spoke out.

    The room enters silence, as everyone processes what they just heard. Once they did, there was a little bit of chatter among everyone, wondering whether the organization would actually disband.

    In situations like this, Silverstone knew exactly what to do. He keeps the list down, and bring it to a vote, as almost everyone in the organization in the room was here.

    "For anyone who wants to agree of disbanding the group and splitting apart, please raise your hand."

    At first, a few did, but soon, as they think it through, almost everyone in the room agreed. It was decided them. The organization, operating in the city and kingdom of Hoverdam itself, will be disbanded, while the others outside it, continued to operate, who also may or may note to the same fate as they did.

 Chapter 205 Testing The Parts

    30th of Sunt, 5018.

    Ezekiel walked down the street while talking to a co-worker. They had met up on the tram ride, on the way to the testing site. It had been 12 days since they presented their wooden models, to be assembled into onerge train.

    When it was made clear that it was good to go, the managers sent the blueprints to a few firms to build the necessaryponents. They have been informed that they have beenpleted just 2 days ago, and were sent to the office yesterday. Today, they will test theponents they have designed, to see if they hold up.

    The two enter the testing field, which was a new building constructed by the pce, specifically for testing these things. It was argepound made of bricks, sealed away by arge wall. They walked up to the gate and presented the passcode to enter.

    When they enter, they were introduced to a long railway, build on top of wooden sleepers and steel rails on the open field. The two assumed that was where they will be building the final product. The two engineers then headed inside the room, where they were greeted by the manager.

    "Wee, you two! You are thest ones to get here. Now, may I name your names?" the manager asks.

    "Ezekiel. Ezekiel Beserk, sir."

    "I see. Thank you. You must head to room 12. We have provided you with the instruments that you need to test out yourponent," the manager informed.

    "Thank you, sir," Ezekiel replied before he went on his way. The manager then turned to the co-worker.

    "Now, as for you?"

    "Jordi. Jordi Cooper, sir."

    "Ah. Jordi. Yes, head to room 3. You will help out with the boiler."

    "Alright. Thank you, sir."

    Jordi walked over to room 3, which was rtively close by. There, he found a bunch of Mechanical Engineers, setting things up to conduct the tests of the boiler. One of them turned around and asked him toe help. Without hesitation, he agreed.

    Jordi was in a rather strange room. The room itself was separated in two, by arge wall with a solid ss window on it. On the other side where the engineers were setting up, was arge steel boiler, with a firebox and some otherponents.

    The boiler itself had been connected to a pressure gauge, which was a tool that was used to measure the pressure inside of anything. Their job here is to use the pressure gauge, to see how much pressure the boiler could withstand before blowing up.

    Now, obviously, since it would be impractical to have the boilerpletely blow up, causing harm to the engineers themselves, instead, there was a cap attached to the boiler, a bit weaker than the others. This way, when the pressure builds up to the point that it won''t be able to hold, the smaller cap would go off, while leaving therger boiler intact.

    "Alright. Everything has been set up. Now, let''s do this." one of the engineers replied. They quickly filled in the boiler with water, then activated the firebox using coal. They then retreated back to the other room, where they were safe from the boiler, and examined it.

    They kept on increasing the coal quantity by using more coal in the firebox, using the help of a few conveyor belts. Once the cap explodes, sending the lid into the air, they record the pressure, put on another cap, and start the experiment again.

    Meanwhile, in room 12, Ezekiel examines the steel cylinder presented on the table. Using a few tools that he brought, he disassembled theponent itself, to see if it was up to his standards, while the other engineers just watched.

    "Is everything alright, Ezekiel?" one of his co-workers asked.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Hm... Impressive. They have done a good job. Alright. We can set up the indicator diagram," he replied.

    An indicator diagram, originally developed by James Watt and his employee John Southern, now reinvented by Kant, had brought a new way to test out the Horsepower of the steam engines.

    It was a device that consists of a piston that is connected to a special mechanical pen. As the piston moves in response to changes in pressure inside the cylinder, the pen will move to trace a line on a sheet of paper. Using that, they can determine whether it produced enough output to be viable.

    The mechanical engineers first attached the indicators to the cylinder. Then, they attached the cylinder to the small boiler, which they used to power up the steam engine in the first ce. The water inside the boiler was then heated and boiled, allowing the cylinder to activate. Once the cylinder was running smoothly, they took measurements with the indicator.

    They made sure to get a few of these diagrams. Due to their rather poor skill, a lot of the diagrams came out with inurate results, forcing them to repeat them over and over again. Once they did have a few good diagrams, they started to calcte the horsepower.

    ...

    The sun was finally setting. The engineers, after being trapped in their rooms for days on end, came out of the testing rooms and handed over the results. Though they were done for the day, the testing was said to be conducted for a week, before there was an attempt at construction.

    "Jordi! How did it go?" asked the project manager.

    "It went well, sir. The boiler appears to be much stronger than anticipated."

    "That is good. Make sure youe a little earlier tomorrow, alright? I know you were notte, but you don''t want to keep your co-workers waiting, alright?"

    "Alright, sir. I will," Jordi replied, before leaving.

    "Ezekiel! How was the test? Did it reach the adequate horsepower?" asked the manager.

    "Yes sir. If I remember correctly, his majesty wanted us to reach about 100 horsepower at the least."

    "And..."

    "Well... I am d to inform you that, so far, we have managed to calcte an average of 60 horsepower on the cylinder. Considering there are two cylinders, it would lead to the train ending up having 120 horsepower in total," Ezekiel replied.

    "That is wonderful! Well done, Ezekiel. His Majesty will be extremely pleased." the manager replied.

    "Thank you. Now, may I please leave? I need to head back home soon."

    "Alright. You shall. Just make sure toe back a little earlier tomorrow. Don''t want to keep your co-workers waiting!"

    "Alright, sir. I will."

 Chapter 206 Reports Given, Director Found.

    5th of Procidens, 5018

    The once cloudy sky that covered the city of Hoverdam had finally vanished. A lot of the trees and greens have turned a reddish-brown, thanks to the autumn season kicking around. In just one more month, they will be heading towards winter.

    Kant was in his office, sitting on his swivel chair, busy drawing a smallic that had just popped up in his mind. Considering that there was a ratherck of entertainment around here, he decided to take a short break, and do something that he loves; drawing.

    Just then, there was a knock on the door, interrupting his small project. He decides to slide the paper and pencil into the drawer, before allowing the man on the other side to enter. It turned out to be the minister himself, carrying a bunch of files.

    "Come in," he said. n opens the door and walks right into the room. He bows his head and greets Kant good morning.

    "Good Morning, your majesty."

    "Good Morning Minister n. Have you brought the poption report, like I have requested you to?" Kant asks.

    "Yes sir, and I have some other reports I wanted to present to you as well. I think you will find them interesting."

    "I see. Come, sit down." Kant points to the chair. n takes his seat and ces the files on the table. n then picks up the first file and reads it out to Kant.

    "ording to thistest report, the city of Hoverdam had managed to grow once from 216,500 peoplest month, to 220,200 people this month. We have managed to add 3,700 people, and we are expected to reach at least 225,000 by the next month." n read out.

    He then handed the file to Kant, which contained a lot more details. From what the report had said, there have said to have been about 5,000 people who had entered the city, while 450 people have left, with the other being the deaths that rued in thest month.

    This has been an increasing trend, where a lot of natives of the city have been leaving the city for other parts of the continent. Kant suspected it had something to do with the massive social changes that had urred in a matter of months, but he couldn''t be sure exactly what.

    Once Kant had finished reading the poption report, he ced it on the side of the table, before looking at n.

    "Do you have anything else for me?"

    "Yes sir. I have a report regarding the construction of the HISAR building."

    "Oh? I see. Can you tell me what it says?"

    "Certainly. From what the report says, they predict that the HISAR building would be finished around the 2nd or 4th of Heimz, next month." n replies.

    "I see. Can I have the report?" Kant asks. n hands him the file, which contained further details of the project.

    "Hm... I see. This will be manageable..." Kant remarked, before cing the file on the table.

    "What else is there?" he asks next.

    "There is the SELT project. I got the news that they had tested out theirponents for the first time on the 30th of Sunt. I believe that today is thest day of testing for them," n mentioned.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "That is good. So did they send any results? Any papers on whether theponents or the mechanisms work or not?" Kant questions n.

    "They have. Although, I have to inform your sir, that the data here is iplete."

    "I understand. Regardless, I would like to hear the current results, that we know of right now. Did theponents match the performance metrics? Were there any mechanical failures?" Kant questioned n, who wanted to know further about this news.

    "Well, sir... from what the report says, they have seen no mechanical failures thus far, and that theponents themselves, such as the boiler and the cylinders, had exceeded expectations."

    "I see. Can I have the report? I would like to read it for myself."

    "Of course sir. Here." n handed Kant the file. Kant immediately skimmed through the pages, to find how much horsepower a cylinder produces. ording to the report, each cylinder is able to produce 60 horsepower. Meaning, the train would be able to produce a total of 120 horsepower.

    However, the report also mentions that this number could change, as there might be a number of factors present that might have meant that the cylinder had not produced the most amount of power it can handle, so they could expect the actual number to be slightly higher.

    "120hp. Impressive. It should be good enough." Kant remarked, before cing it down on the table.

    "When will they conduct an actual test, assuming things do n out well?"

    "Currently, they have scheduled a test on the 10th of this month, assuming nothing goes wrong. Though, the first test would be to see if the train fully functions properly." n replied.

    "I see. What about that... position? Have you and Armstrong found an eligible candidate?" Kant asks.

    "For the CIA Director''s Position?" n asked Kant, wanting to make sure he got his question right.

    "Yes. That. Have you found someone?"

    "Well yes. We did. He is a man named Carl I. Anastasia. ording to Armstong, he had worked with him during the 90s. ims that he is a total genius, and is perfect for the job."

    "Is that so? Well then, is he avable? Is he looking for a job?" Kant asks.

    "No sir. He had retired due to a... scandal. He was used of raping a dozen women, and lost his job because of it." n exined.

    "I see. Was he found guilty?" Kant asks.

    "Uh... no sir. He has not. Is he alright with you? I can find someone else if you want to." Kant leans back in his chair and thinks about it.

    "...No. He is good. I want you to contact this man. I would like to interview him and see for myself whether he is good for the job."

    "As you wish, sir."

 Chapter 207 Temporary Visit To Vallina

    7th of Procidens, 5018.

    Arge sailboat sailed slowly down the river. Carson leaned on the wooden guard railing on the deck, to look onward at the environment that surrounded him. In the distance, he can see the giant pce, dominating the city skyline. Though he did notice the towers were missing, he did start to feel like he was at home.

    Standing beside Carson, was his dear friend Herrold, who joined up with Carson to look onward at the great city with a smile. This was the ce that the two have been born, and gown up in. So it was nice toe back.

    "Look at that. We are finally returning home. Our former home that is," Herroldmented.

    "Yea. It appears so. I wonder what had changed while we were gone." Carson remarked.

    "Probably nothing much, considering we haven''t been gone for a long time," Herrold replied.

    "How long do you think we would get to stay?" Carson asked Herrold.

    "I am not sure. We are going to have someone else for that. However, I presume about a day or two. It should give us time to look around the city, provided they don''t take with them." Herrold answered.

    Joining along with Carson and Herrold, were the knights and the demonologists. Though most of the knights were unharmed, that cannot be said for theirmander; Esther. Esther had returned to his former self after the creature got out of his body. He was, however, left traumatized by the incident, and preferred to be all alone in his room.

    "Knight Esther, would you pleasee out? We are nearly approaching the city, and we need you to look sharp!" one of the knights called out to him, behind his door.

    "Knight Esther?" he knocked on the door once again.

    "Please... Just... Leave me be..." they hear him replying. There was a tone of fear still present. Though he did not exin what had happened while he was possessed, the knights thought it was best to leave him be, for now.

    Jonus, in the meantime, was in his room as well. He used the time he had to decipher some of the texts they found in the fortress walls. Though he had only deciphered a small fraction of them, he found out a lot of information about these demons that he could not have expected.

    Though they appear to be correct on some things, there appeared to be other things that they werepletely off. Information that could rock the world, and change the perceptions of demons themselves.

    "Are you nervous, Mr. Jonus?" asked one of the demonologists.

    "Well yes. I am going to have to present this information to the imperial majesty, and her demonologists as well." Jonus replied.

    "Do you think they will take it well?" asked the demonologist.

    "I... Um... I hope so," Jonus replied.

    The sailboat soon docks at the port. The crew alerts the men to get ready. Soon, a bridge was attached to the sailboat, allowing the others to walk safely down to the ground. Waiting for all of them at the docks, were a bunch of caravans.

    "The pce sent us to pick you all up. I hope everyone made it out safe?" asked the knight, guarding the caravan.

    "Yes. We did. Well, except for one." Carson remarks. The knight immediately raises his eyebrows and scans the group.

    "Why? What happened? Where are the knights? Who has been injured?" the knight questions the group.

    "Nobody. We all didn''t face much trouble. Except for Knight Esther." Herrold replied.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "What happened to knight Esther? Is he fine?" the knight asked, worried for him.

    "Physically, Knight Esther is fine. Although mentally, I am afraid that he had beenpromised. The knights are still up on in the boat. They are having a hard time trying to Knight Esther out of there. Would you mind sending a few to help him?" Herrold asks.

    "Certainly! Could you all wait here until then?" the knight asks.

    "Of course! No worries." Carson replies. The knights then went over to the ship to get Knight Esther. After a few minutes, they saw Knight Esther being carried back to his bed, being ced in the back carriage.

    "I heard what happened to Knight Esther. Honestly, I feel bad for him." the knight replied.

    "Where will you all be taking him?" Herrold asks.

    "They will take him to a psyche-ologist. They should be able to help him connect back with himself. Although, I won''t mind him having a little less of an ego." The knight confessed. The other two smiled.

    "Same."

    "...Alright. Anyways, I need you all to get on the caravans, please. The queen is waiting." the knight instructed.

    "Oh! Of course!" Carson replied. The musketeers, and the demonologists all hoped on. Once there were all there, the caravan started moving down the road, headed straight to therge pce.

    Once they arrived at the ce, the demonologists and musketeers were brought to a fancy room. There were told to wait there, expect for Herrold. He was to go to the throne room. Apparently, the queen had wanted to see Herrold himself.

    "Oh oh. I think you are in trouble, Herrold," Carson remarked, wanting to scare his friend, a little.

    "In trouble for what? I haven''t done a thing!" Herrold snapped back. Carson chuckled at his friend''s anger.

    "Well, I don''t think you should keep her imperial majesty waiting," Carson replied. Herrold swallowed his spit and went inside. A few minutes pass by, and there is no sign of Herrold Carson starts to worry whether he DID get some sort of punishment.

    Just then, the door opens, and Herrold returns, smiling. He walked up to Carson and showed an insignia on his chest.

    "Guess what, Carson? I just got promoted to Second Luitentant for my contributions!" Herrold imed.

    "Really? For what?"

    "You remember that time when I helped out with the Minotaur situation? Yea, I got promoted for that. Apparently, my paperwork got lost, so they decided to promote me here."

    "Damn. You are one lucky bastard, you know that?" Carson told Herrold, who was now the oneughing.

    "Yes. I am. Say, that reminds me..." Herrold turned to Jonus, who was just sitting on the chair, waiting.

    "Mr. Jonus? You are up next. Her imperial majesty wants to speak to you."

 Chapter 208 Debriefing The Findings (1)

    Jonus was sitting in the fancy chair, lost in his own thoughts. He was not sure how he can present himself; how should he even start, what to bring up first, and all that. When he got out of the fortress, he immediately sent off a letter to the city of Vallina via carrier pigeon, to inform the imperial queen that he needed to talk to her himself.

    He remembers using a lot ofnguages, to make it seem as if the world was at stake. Although to be fair, it IS at stake, he wished he had used his brain that one time and given him some more time to prepare.

    "Mr. Jonus? You are up next. Her imperial majesty wants to speak to you." Herrold informed Jonus. It immediately snapped him out of his world and caused him to stand up.

    "Right! Where do I need to go, exactly?" Jonus asks Herrold.

    "Down the hall and to the left. You will arrive at arge door. That is where you need to enter." Herrold replies.

    "I see. Thank you."

    Jonus walks out of the door and follows Herrold''s directions. Just like he said, hee across therge wooden door Herrold had talked about. It was guarded by two knights, who raised their hands to stop Jonus from getting near the door further.

    "Stop! May I ask you your name?" the knight questions him.

    "Jonus. Jonus Hull. I am the head of the demonologists of the expedition to search the recently-discovered, abandoned fortress, built by the demons," Jonus replied.

    The knight opens the door, walks inside, and closes it. He thenes out of the room and turns towards Jonus.

    "Come in."

    Jonus enters the throne room and walks on the red carpet. Once the queen was about 10 feet apart from him, he kneeled and bowed down. It appeared that it was only the two of them, while the knights were behind the door.

    "Your imperial majesty, I have arrived from my expedition. I have a lot of information that I wanted to tell you," he told Rose.

    "I understand, Mr. Jonus Hull. However, there are a few questions I wanted to ask you before we discuss the main topic," she replied. Jonus suspected that it had something to do with the creatures that he encountered at the fortress. Regardless, he continued.

    "I understand. What are they?"

    "First, what were those... creatures that possessed Knight Esther? Do you have any idea of what they are?" she asks. With that, his hunch was right.

    "... Well, your imperial majesty. From my understanding, they are creatures thate from another world, existing in our ne of existence, but still... far away from Eden..."

    "I beg your pardon? In our... existence, but a different world?"

    "Yes. I believe we live in the same... universe. That is how I understand it, that is," Jonus replied.

    "What does their world look like?"

    "I am not sure what their world looks like myself, but from what I can understand, theye from a ce with a dimmer sun, and a world ravaged by demons.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The air they breathe there and here is also alike. However, they did mention it was hotter back there."

    "How did theye here?"

    "They say that they came through a portal made by the demons. Like us, they do not like the demons. Once they came through, they went on and killed them all. All that remained in the fortress that is."

    "I see, and why did they possess knight Esther? Why didn''t the others help him?" she asked next.

    "Well, Knight Esther instructed Carson and the others to not attack so he can get the first fill. He tried to stab them but the spear just went through. The creature then enters inside of Knight Esther, and takes over him," Jonus exins.

    Jonus can see Rose make a little smile.

    "Hmm... It appears that Second Luitenant Herrold was not lying," she remarked.

    "Can you tell me more about these creatures? Are they friendly?" she asked next.

    "From my experience, they are very friendly and do not like to harm our species. We attacked them first, and yet, they gave us an opportunity to resolve our differences peacefully."

    "But what is just stopping them from leaving the fortress and causing a bunch of trouble?"

    "The outside, your majesty. Our world and their world are too different for them to survivefortably.

    In the day, the sun is too hot and in the night, the world is too cold. They are forcibly stuck there as they can only work properly in a limited temperature."

    "How have they been eating then? How are they alive?"

    "They manage to possess any animal thates close. They then use that animal to eat whatever it can and absorb its energy. However, due to theck of food, a lot of them have to... hibernate to stay alive.

    I believe they did mention that some of their kind had passed since they came there. So they should all die out in a matter of years. So I don''t think they would have a problem with that." Jonus exined.

    Rose leans back on her throne and thinks it through. Assuming that they have been there for a long time, and the fact that they haven''t bothered leaving the area, it was safe to assume the townsfolk could be safe.

    "Hm... Alright then. I will take your word for it, Mr. Hull. Now, can you tell me what you found inside of that fortress? What do you think the demons were doing in there?" she moved on to the main topic.

    "Well, your imperial majesty. We found a lot of writings, detailing their own history, and knowledge. We also found a model of the... cosmos, a model of our own world, and a giant runic circle on the wall made of calk.

    Though I haven''t managed to decipher a lot of the text in written form, I have found a lot of things that I think your imperial majesty might find interesting." Jonus told Rose.

    "Alright then. Let''s hear them." Rose replied.

 Chapter 209 Debriefing The Findings (2)

    "From what I have managed to gather from the texts, a lot of things that we knew about the demons were... slightly incorrect, to say the least," Jonus replied.

    "Like what?" Rose questions.

    "Well, for example, the origins of the demons. Although they do appear toe from a different world, theye from within our own universe, like those creatures, I mentioned."

    "Really?"

    "Yes. When one usually thinks of demons, one assumes them to be a sort of evil entity, spreading across many worlds, and killing whatever it sees. However, after reading the texts, this may not be the case.

    I think it is more helpful to think of them as invasive species, that migrate across thend to settle in new areas and increase their poption. As they migrate, they disce and kill many of the native wildlife that had been there for millennia.

    It has been recorded they have been doing this across hundreds of worlds, colonizing and taking them over, and continued expanding further and further. Eden is just their next target." Jonus exins.

    "That is quite scary, yet very intriguing. Can you tell me more about what you have found about them?" she asked politely.

    "Certainly, your imperial majesty. These demons can be categorized as... intelligent creatures, like us. However, their way of thinking appears to be different from humans.

    The texts implicitly mention a hierarchy that is structured across demonkind, just like the one we have. Where a demon would be ced across this hierarchy, depends on its mana-crystal''s color, and the size of the crystal it possesses.

    Though there was no exact order, I suspect white was at the bottom, with the next being green, then blue. Above blue, was yellow, and above yellow, was violet. In terms of the size, bigger appears to be better. This may be due torger mana crystals, holding more mana inside them.

    This hierarchy is absolute. Demons that are lower in the hierarchy, are ordered around by another demon above the hierarchy."

    "Uh-huh. I see. Is there anything else?"

    "Yes. There is. I also have information that confirms a few theories and even exins how they might work. One of which, is the way theymunicate. The current scientific consensus is that demons canmunicate through long distances without needing to speak.

    This theory came about a few millennia ago. Humans, who have broke free from the demon''s will, while having a mana crystal on their heads, reported that they heard something speak to them, in their heads.

    Though we didn''t have a definitive answer as to how it works, we knew that they were able to speak through long distances, somehow."

    Jonus coughed twice, before continuing.

    "From the text, I have managed to gather the following information. The demons, using their mana crystals, send out waves. Waves in which are picked up by other demons.

    These waves contain information. This information is then tranted into runes, thenguage they speak, and it is how they manage tomunicate with each other."

    "I see. Did you manage to find any... weaknesses that we may be able to exploit?"

    "Well, I am not sure about if it can be exploited easily, but I know a weakness."

    "That does not matter. Please brief me on what you know."

    "Very well, your imperial majesty. Though the demons may be able tomunicate with each other through long distances, in terms of memory, they are quitecking.

    Due to their biology, most demons rely on the creatures that they possess, to remember certain things.

    Although there are a few powerful demons in the hierarchy that can memorize information, those creatures often have to possess arge creature, which then hides while the smaller demons do its bidding." Jonus exined.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Fascinating... So would that mean that if we manage to kill the demons that do control the smaller minions, their entire operations can fall apart?"

    "Yes, your imperial majesty. Although, I think we would have a hard time doing so, because of the specifics of our situation."

    "Oh? And what is that?"

    "Well, due to the unique nature of human intelligence, smaller demons can now have the same abilities as thoserger demons do. So their strategy has been more on acquiring more humans to use as intelligent vessels."

    "Then why may I ask, do a lot of them seem to kill people? Won''t that be counter-productive?"

    "That is because of resistance."

    "Resistance?"

    "Yes. In the text, it is implied that the pool of humans that a demon can possess has shrunk, which is why they mostly kill every human that they see.

    However, they have managed to grow a sort of detection system, where they can identify any humans that they can take control. Those are the ones that demons go after." Jonus exined.

    "Very well then. Thank you for your exnation. Now, is that all?" Rose asked.

    "No, your majesty. I still have a lot more information I have at hand."

    "I see. Well, unfortunately, I do not have the time today to listen to all of that. Should we continue another time?"

    "Very well, your imperial majesty. However, there is one more thing I wanted to inform you. It is the whole reason I sent you a letter, to arrange this in the first ce."

    "I see. Carry on then. But please, make it short." Rose requested.

    "Very well, your imperial majesty. When we were in the abandoned fortress, the creature told me a story of their world.

    They told us that the demons have made these structures, like the fortress, to work on creating a portal that allows them to open up a permanent portal. Through which,rge swaths of demonse through to fully colonize their world.

    They open up this portal by making arge, detailed runic circle, to perform the opening of the portal. Each runic circle, for a different world, is different, at least ording to the texts.

    Jonus takes a deep breath.

    "In the fortress. We managed to find arge runic circle on the wall made of calk. One which was nearlyplete.

    It is what I believe, your majesty, that the demons are on their way. They are about to open a portal that will stay open forever. One in which they will use to bring as many of them as they can, to conquer our world!" Jonus imed.

    Rose sat there in silence, processing what she had just heard. After she is done, she takes a deep breath and gives Jonus amand.

    "I see. Thank you, Mr. Jonus Hull. You may now leave the room. Oh, and please make sure to present this knowledge to the other demonologists. I want to hear what they think as well."

    "As you wish, your imperial majesty."

 Chapter 210 First Train Test

    Over the past few days, the Mechanical Engineers had their hands full in assembling the lotive together on a testing track, which was a special track that allowed them to test the lotive, without it being needed to move.

    Before they can put it on an actual track, they had to make sure that all the mechanicalponents can work effectively without it breaking apart. That way, they can fix up anything that IS wrong before an actual test could happen in front of his majesty, Kant Icurus Maybale the I.

    10th of Procidens, 5018.

    Ezekiel looks onward at the gigantic lotive thaty in front of his eyes. It was built mainly out of steel and wood. The steel itself was coated with ayer of ck paint, to prevent it from rusting and weakening the steel.

    Behind the steam lotive, was the tender box. The tender box was the job of another group of mechanical engineers to build. It contained the coal and water that the steam engine would use to operate.

    "Ezekiel! d you can make it," the project manager informed him.

    "Well sir, I wouldn''t want to miss such an important day!" Ezekiel replied.

    "That is wonderful. Say, may I ask you a favor?" the project manager asks him.

    "Of course, sir! What is it?"

    "Well, you see... one of the guys who was meant to be up on that cabin and start the machine just reported in sick yesterday. So, I was wondering if you can do it for us instead.

    I mean, you were part of the project. You know how the thing works. So can you please do it for me?" he requested.

    "Did you ask the others to do it?" Ezekiel answered with his own question.

    "Of course! But they all refused. That is why I am asking you, Mr. Ezekiel. Would you please do so? It is just one day! He said he cane tomorrow! He promised!"

    "Am I getting extra pay for this?"

    "Of course you are! It would be unfair not to!" the manager replied. Ezekiel thinks for a minute before replying.

    "Alright then. I will do it."

    "Great! Just head up to the cabin and wait there. The other guy will arrive soon." the project manager instructed, before leaving.

    Ezekiel hopped up the train and inside the cab, where the operators would be at work. There, he found the floor made of metal grating, to allow them to see what was below the tracks. On the sides of the walls, were windows to allow venttion.

    On the front wall of the cabin, above the firebox, were a few gauges, such as a thermometer and a pressure gauge. The thermometer measured the temperature inside the firebox, while the pressure gauge checked the pressure inside the boiler. They had made sure tobel what pressures were dangerous, and what were safe.

    There were some spots left for more gauges, like a speedometer gauge. Aside from the gauges, were the throttle lever, brake lever, and reverser lever. The throttle controls the speed of the lotive by regting the flow of steam to the cylinders, while the brake lever controls the braking system. The reverser lever is used to change the direction of the lotive.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    On the side of the wall, were a few tools, such as a shovel, a few oil cans, water cans, a hammer, a wrench, a scoop, and some rags. All these tools had a specific purpose, intended to be used by the operators.

    As Ezekiel was looking around, another man approached the train and hopped on the cabin. The man, about an inch taller than Ezekiel, introduced himself in a polite tone.

    "Hello. I am Rurorica. I came here to help work out this machine. Are you the guy I am supposed to be working with?"

    "Yes. I am. I am Ezekiel. Pleased to meet you Rurorica," Ezekiel replied in a polite manner as well.

    "Pleased to meet you, Ezekiel. Though I have to say, you don''t look like the guy for the job, considering your outfit matches up with those engineers."

    "That would be due to the fact that the guy we wanted toe, was not able to make his way here as he got sick yesterday. He said he wille tomorrow though." Ezekiel replied. The manager came up near the lotive and looked at the two men. He then held out his hand near his mouth and started to yell at the two.

    "Everyone is ready! We can begin the tests now!"

    "Well. That is our cue. Let''s get started." Rurorica remarked. The two men then started to operate the machine. While Ezekiel instructed Rurorica what to do, he did all the muscle work.

    They first filled up the boiler with an adequate amount of water. Although there was no gauge to specify how much water has filled up the boiler, they were instructed to pour in the water using an injector.

    Once the boiler was filled with enough water, they opened up the firebox and started to pour in a bunch of coal. Once it was done, Rurorica was given a matchbox. Taking a match from the box, he lit one up and threw it inside the coal.

    A fire starts burning and heating up the boiler. The pressure starts to slowly rise, as indicated by the pressure gauge. Once he feels that enough pressure it built up, Ezekiel pulls the throttle lever, allowing steam to travel to the cylinders.

    However, there seems to be a problem. The pressure continues to rise, and even each dangerous level to the point where the safety boiler p blows off, sending it flying to the room. Ezekiel then puts out the fire with the help of Rurorica and calls the test a failure.

    "What happened?" the project manager asks.

    "There appears to be a problem with the throttle. It doesn''t seem to properly function." Ezekiel answers.

    "But... But it worked just fine a few days ago! What happened?"

    "I don''t know. There might be a few bolts loose. Maybe a part of the mechanism failed. Whatever it is, we need to find it out before we can start the test again.

    Do not worry manager, this is prettymon in our field. We can just simply fix it up, and start the test again."

    "Ah. I see. Well then. It looks like we will have to find out what the problem is." the manager turns to the other engineers and workers.

    "Everyone! Get to disassembly! We need to find out what the problem is!" the project manager ordered.

 Chapter 211 Rose Get Reports

    12th of Procidens, 5018.

    The Imperial Queen of the Aceaton Empire could be found sitting on her fancy wooden chair, inside of her office. Holding her head with her arm on the desk, she looked onward at the map of her empire, that she hadmissioned and ced on her wall.

    It featured all the cities, and towns of her empire, big and small. It also featured her puppet states, which she had managed to take over with the help of Salvator Humat, which was now more of a fractured organization.

    Though, that doesn''t matter anymore. She has no use for it now. It really feels as if she had made it. She is on top of the world, and there is nothing that can bring her down, for now at least.

    There was a knock on the door. Rose immediately sat straighter and focused her head on the door. After coughing a few times, she gave her permission for whoever was on the other side of the door to enter.

    "Come in."

    Nathan, carrying a heavy stack of files, entered the room. He ced the files down on her desk, before bowing and greeting her a good morning.

    "Good Morning, your Imperial Majesty. I have brought in the reports that you have ordered. Is there anything else you wish for me to do?" Nathan asks.

    "Yes, there is. Get a maid to grab me tea while I read through all this. I feel as if it would help me... rx."

    "As you wish, your majesty." with that, Nathan leaves the room, in search of a maid to get the imperial queen her tea. Rose picks up the first report and skims through it. It was an immigration report, informing her of the strange migration pattern that had been urring in her empire.

    Apparently, there seems to be a rather small, but significant influx of people from the northern parts of the continent. Hoverdam itself has about a couple hundred left, while the kingdoms surrounding it is also experiencing something simr.

    This group includes small artisans, weavers, and smiths. Contradictory, there seem to be a great influx of her empire''s merchants, extremely skilled craftsman, and peasants to the north, all of whom go towards the kingdom of Hoverdam, one way or another.

    "Hm... I wonder what is going on over there..." she remarked.

    It had been a while since she had visited Hoverdam. Rose had no idea of the revolutionary new inventions that have taken hold in the city of Hoverdam. Though she knew she should send someone to see how things have been, it was rather something low on her priority list. She keeps the immigration report on the side of her desk and moves on to the next report.

    When she turned to the first page and read the title, she was a little confused as to why a report from the astronomers had arrived. To get an idea of what is for, she read out the summary, to see whether she should bother with the file.

    "Due to the discoveries made by Demonologist Mr. Jonus Hull and his team, we at the Astronomer''s Association had decided to conduct an investigation and a debate to determine whether the following scientific theories are incorrect..." she read out before stopping. It was just then, that Rose remembered what it was, and how it was relevant to her.

    "Ah. This must be because of the model and drawings they found there. I wonder what it says."

    Rose continues to read the file. It detailed the investigation and experiments that had been conducted, to see whether the theories such as ''heliocentrism'' had any base to it. Though it was an ongoing discussion, Rose burst outughing at the debate section.

    Though it did feature a proper scientific discussion, it also had some witty remarks against the opponents, to try to discredit them of their credibility. Once it was over, she ce the file gown and move on to the next one.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    She grabs the next file and opens up the first page to read the title. Upon seeing the contents, her face made a smile. It was the report on what the Demonologists thought of Jonus''s findings.

    "Ah! Here it is! The one that I have been waiting for!" she remarked. She quickly flipped the pages and started reading through the file''s pages. It mostly contained information about what they found after deciphering everything, and what it could mean.

    The report confirms many of Jonus''s ims. The way theymunicate, how the memories of Demons work, and so on. She made sure to read it all of it through, till she reached the point about the permanent portal thing.

    "Though the information and theory do hold some ground to it, as of the evidence we had gathered from the tests, we cannot be so certain about the reliability and uracy of the texts. This also goes for the theories above.

    In order to confirm the information that we found is indeed reliable, it requires gathering more evidence of the reliability of the texts and drawings, as well as the credibility of the creatures and their friendliness.

    We already have an idea of where we can find these abandoned fortresses thanks to the texts. If we indeed manage to find a few thanks to their help, it could increase the credibility of the texts.

    If your imperial majesty does have a great desire to know, then please provide us the proper resources, to help us confirm the information and the theories once and for all..." it said.

    Rose keeps the file down and leans back on her chair. She thinks through what the report had just said, and whether she should fund them to find more fortresses. As she was in the middle of this mental debate, she hears a knock on her door.

    "Come in". Ines through the door, is a maid, holding her tea. She ces it down on the table and bows.

    "I am extremely sorry foring in sote, your imperial majesty. I promise to never do it again!" the maid apologizes.

    "That is fine. In fact, you came just in time." Rose replies.

    "Oh?"

    "Yes. Now, I have a request to make of you. Bring me my assistant minister, Nathan. I want to speak to him."

    "Alright, your imperial majesty! I will." the maid rushes out of the room and contacts Nathan. Upon hearing the queen requested his presence, he quickly made his way through the pce, and into her office.

    "Is there something you need, your imperial majesty?" he asks.

    "Yes. I want you to provide funding and protection for more expeditions. Can you do that, Minister Nathan?"

    "Yes, I can. Your imperial majesty. Consider it done." he replies, before leaving the room. Rose picks up her tea, takes a sip, and start reading the debates of the Astronomer''s once again.

 Chapter 212 Weird Metal Transportation Contraption

    12th of Procidens, 5018.

    It was a littlete at night. Marco and Vice were walking down the near-empty streets of Hoverdam. They can see businesses closing down, as they were preparing to go to sleep. Marco was seen carrying a briefcase with a bunch of silver coins safely stored in it, strapped to his hands with a pair of steel handcuffs, to ensure it won''t get stolen.

    Recently, they had been getting harassed by a few notorious individuals, who appear to want to take them down by one means, or another. Though they have alerted the authorities, the two don''t feel safe, walking around their own city.

    To add insult to injury, their rivals have been seen copying their own strategy, by renting up newer ces and providing them with the seats. Although their quality was noticeably lower, they had lost a few customers because of it.

    The two soon approach a tram station and wait for a tram toe. Once they see the red dragon make its stop, they enter an emptypartment and sat down on one of the benches. There, the two discuss their future ns, for how they could move on from his business.

    "We made a lot of money, haven''t we Vice?" Marco asked.

    "Yea. We have. Barely a month in, and so far we have safely made about... 140 silver coins in total, I think. Pretty good for a for our age, isn''t it?" Vice replied.

    "Well, that would mean if this goes on for a few months, we can both easily walk away with 500 silver coins or 5 gold coins. However..." Marco turns to face Vice.

    "What then?" he asks. Vice thinks about Marco''s question, before answering.

    "I... I don''t know. I guess we should wait and see. Maybe we can find another opportunity." Vice replies.

    The tram soon arrives at their destination, where they drop off. The two then head to the bank and cash the money in their bank ounts. Once they cash in, the two leave the bank, just before it closes down for the day.

    The two then start to walk down the streets, back to the tram. As they were on their way, Marco and Vice hears the sound of the bell, with a man yelling,

    "Move out of the way! I aming through!" The two immediately look back and see a tall man riding a weird vehicle with two steel tires, zooming at them at high speeds. The two move out of the way and stares at the man, who continued to ride down the street.

    "What the hell was that? What was that man riding?" Vice remarked. Marco stayed silent, just looking at the man who rides away. In his head, he was forming a sort of idea, and about its potential of it.

    "Hey! Watch where you are going!" Vice called out. Just before he wandered off, Marco yelled as well.

    "Hey! Wait a minute! What are you riding?" he asked. Marco''s question, however, appeared to havended on deaf ears, and the driver just biked away. Vicee up to Marco, and asked him what was that about.

    "What was that about?" Vice asked.

    "That thing... I..." Marco turns to face Vice.

    "I think we found our future business venture," Marco answers confidently.

    13th of Procidens, 5018.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    It was early morning. Vice stood by the tram station, waiting for Marco to arrive. The two had got back to their respective homes and promised each other that they would meet up. Vice turned his head to the sun-dial, to check the time.

    "Looks like he is runningte," Vice remarked. A few minutes pass by, and only then, Vice sees Marco running straight toward him, wearing his normal hemp clothes like Vice.

    "Hey! Sorry I amte! I got caught up because of my family," Marco exined. Vice, however, having been forced to get up earlier than usual, thought of it as Marco''s excuse for being irresponsible andingte.

    "Alright, sure buddy. Sure." The two then sit on the bench and wait for a tram toe around. The two were headed to the Patent Registrar. They wanted to find out what that contraption was, and they came up with a n to find out what it was.

    Their n was simple. They were going to describe the object to the receptionist. They then hope the receptionist understands what they are saying, and hands over the patents for them to look. Once it is confirmed that it is the device, they will look up the owner of the patent, and head over to his home, which normally, is also where people put up shops.

    The tram soon arrives at the station, allowing the two to quickly arrive at the patent registrar. They walked up to the receptionistdy, after she yells, "Next."

    "Hello... sirs? How may I help you both today?" she asks the two, all while keeping an apathetic tone to her voice.

    "Um... hi. We want to look up a patent, but we don''t know the name, but we do know what it looks like! So, I was wondering if you can help us out?" Marco questions.

    "Can you please describe this device in detail, sir?" she replies with her own question.

    "Right! You see, it has two wheels, and the frame was mostly made of metal. It had one guy riding at it, and he controlled it using some... handles, I think? Something like it," Marco replies.

    "Wait right here, sir." The woman goes to the back and disappears for a minute. She thenes back holding a file and presenting it to them.

    "Here you go sir, tell me if this is what you both had in mind."

    The two open the file and skim a few pages. Theye up to the blueprints, where they examine the drawing. The blueprint features aplicated drawing of a bicycle, with two steel wheels, and a frame, mirroring the contraption they had saw before.

    Marco took his eyes off the patent and faced the receptionist. Then, after cing a smile on his face, he thanked the receptionist.

    "Yes. This is it. Thank you, ma''am." Marco replied.

    "You are wee. Now, do you want to take it home? Because that will cost a pretty penny." she questions the duo. The two nods sideways.

    "Oh no! We just want to be the inventor. You see, we think we saw him yesterday, and we wanted to talk to him about it." Vice replies. Upon hearing their answer, the receptionist''s eyes slightly open wide, as he gives them a slightly puzzled look.

    "You two want to talk to the king?" she questions the two.

 Chapter 213 Investing In A Bicycle Workshop

    "What? What do mean?" Marco questions the receptionist, confused by what she meant.

    The receptionist grabs the patent and flips a few pages back to the beginning. With her index finger, she points to the section of the inventor''s name. Right there, written in ck ink, was the name ''Kant Icurus Maybale''. A name, only possessed by the king of Hoverdam, King Kant Maybale himself.

    "Oh... We uh... We didn''t know..." Vice muttered, upon seeing the name. The apathetic receptionistdy, however, calmed the two down.

    "It is fine. Most people don''t even know most of the patents here belong to him anyway. He lets anyone from the kingdom get one and build one of their own, after entering a contract with him of course. I heard he uses the money to fund whatever he desires." she imed.

    "But... wouldn''t that mean he would have to sign a contract with each and every one of them?" asks Vice.

    "He gets the help of aw firm to automatically verify and do that for him."

    "Is that so? Well then, I think... uh..." Just then, Marcoes up with another idea, on how he can contact that man.

    "Excuse me, ma''am. I am not sure if this is possible but... Can I have the list of names and addresses of the people who looked up the patent then? Or just took one for themselves?" Marco questions.

    "Hm... Sure. Just give me a moment." She takes out a file from the drawer and stares skimming through it. Once she gets to the bicycle section, he looks up a few names and writes them down on a list.

    After she is done, she goes to the back once again, leaving the two waiting. She thenes back again to the desk, handing the a piece of cardboard, with the name ''Niko ke'' written on it, and addresses underneath his name.

    "Here you go. This is so far the only guy that came up and took up a contract to start producing the bicycles."

    "I see. What is he like? Do you remember?"

    "Yes, I do. He was the only guy that came in with a mask. He might be a little too secretive if you ask me. Is that all you need, sir?" the receptionistdy asks.

    "Yes. Thank you, ma''am. You have been very helpful." Marco replies.

    "You are wee. Just make sure to bring those back. Next!"

    ...

    Marco and Vice both walk out of the registrar and head to a suit rental. They make sure to change into a suit, to look like they were some rich men, before heading to the tram station. They then waited for the tram to arrive, before hitching a ride to the downtown area. There, they drop off from the station and head over to the address.

    On the way, they notice more and more people, riding on those metal bicycles on the paved road. It seems that the vehicle was getting rather popr among the people living in the downtown area, who had the wealth to purchase such a device. They had noticed it all had a ck paint job to it.

    They soon arrive at a stone building, painted white and fitted with ss windows. It was about 4 stories tall, with the ground/first floor being reserved for the shops run by the residents of the building.

    The two quickly enter the bike shop, which featured a dozen lots of metal bikes, all handing around. From what it seems, they had been painted with a fresh coat of paint, to keep them from rusting.

    "Hello? Is anyone there?" Marco called out. At first, it was silent, as there appeared to be nobody home. But then, suddenly, a manes out through a door, near the counter. Upon seeing Marco and Vice, he puts up a smile and greets them.

    "Wee, sirs! How may I help you today?" he called out.

    Marco and Vice looked at each other and nodded. Marco took the first steps and spoke out to the workshop owner.

    "We came here for a business proposal. Would you mind showing us your bikes?" Marco asked the owner.

    "Of course! Just follow me!" he replied. He led the two to some bikes that he had already prepared.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "These are the sizes that ites with. They are made for children, men, and women alike. I usually make one that fits the customer''s size."

    "Hm... I see. Say, how much is this?" Vice asks.

    "This one particrly? It is not for sale. You see, I am the only guy working here, so it takes time to make these things. So I make my bikes, and keep it there until the owner arrives."

    "How much is a reservation?" Marco questions.

    "349 copper. However, if you want priority, you can pay about 499 copper." the workshop owner replies.

    "...and how much does the average bike cost, exactly?" Vice asks again, as he had not gotten his answer from before.

    "From what I have seen, about 4 silver coins a bike?" the shopowner replies.

    "I see. That is very expensive. Is it very costly to produce?" Marco asks.

    "Right now, yes. It is. It takes some skill to make. Plus the cost of buying the metals, and making it to suit my needs takes some time." the owner replied.

    "Hmm... that is too bad. I can already see this product''s potential," Vice remarked.

    "You think so, sir?" he asked, a little excited.

    "Yes. Perhaps, do you have any ns for such expansion?" Vice replied.

    "Well yes, I do. Although, I rather do not feelfortable in doing so." the owner replied, a little suspicious of the two. Marco looks onward at the bikes, before making contact with the owner.

    "How much money are you making a bike?" Marco asks.

    "I am sorry?"

    "Looking onward at the bikes, I think that you are making a lot of money, selling each bike. I assume you are raising capital, to fund our expansion?" Marco asks.

    "Well, yes. I am. How do you know?" the owner asks.

    "Oh. Just a simple deduction. You will need money to safely expand your operations, to conquer more markets." Marco replies.

    "Say, how about this. We will help you. We will give you some funding for this project. And if it goes and you manage to sell a lot, we could probably hook you up with more merchants! How does that sound?"

    "I... I guess that sounds great! Do you guys have the connections though?" the shopowner asks. Marco looks at Vice, who nods in approval. He then turns back to face the owner once again.

    "I promise you, we will have them right at your doorstep, as long as you manage to sell a lot of those bikes to your customers. Can you promise me that?"

    "I... I guess so. How much money are willing to give me?"

    "How much? For that, we will have to value your business first." Marco replies.

 Chapter 214 Alan Brings Some News!

    16th of Procidens, 5018.

    It was a bright, sunny morning. Kant was found in his office, with an open book on his desk, a sheet of paper on his table, and a pen in his hand. He was finally learning how to read and write in cursive. He had previously struggled and even refused to learn it.

    He med the teacher, who his child self ssified as to be the Devil incarnate, for wanting to torture him for fun, by punishing him for every tiny mistake he made. Even though they did get rid of her, he was traumatized by the experience. Now, he had moved on from that trauma and started to learn cursive once again.

    As he was in the middle of his self-taught lessons, Kant hears a knock on his door. He puts down the book, paper, and pen before he allowed whoever is on the other side to enter. n enters the room and bowed down to greet Kant with a good morning.

    "Good morning sir! I got some news for you!" n told Kant.

    "I see. Sit down," Kant ordered. n made his way to the chair and took his seat.

    "What news do you have for me, Minister n?" Kant asks.

    "Well, first I got to tell you, sir, about those train experiments they had done," n replies. Kant sits straighter on his chair, upon hearing the word ''train''. It had been quite a while since hest heard of it.

    "What about it."

    "They have managed to get a series of sessful tests yesterday. The project managers informed me that they should be able to arrange a demonstration on the 20th of Procidens, about 4 days from now," n replied.

    "That is great news. I am delighted to hear that. Is there anything else?"

    "Yes sir. There are experiments with void crystals. Recently we had a bit of a supply issue, but you no longer have to worry about it because I managed to find a new supplier.

    They will be sending about 50 grams of Void crystal to the city this month, and another 80 grams of it next month. It will arrive on the same date as the train demonstration; on the 20th. Should I set up an experiment dateter in the month?"

    "Yes. You shall. I would like the experiment to be conducted on the 23rd. Although, please do check their calendars to see if it is possible for them." Kant replied.

    "I will sir."

    "Alright then. Is there anything else, or is that it?" Kant questions n.

    "No sir. There is one final thing I wanted to inform you about. I think you will find it very important, sir."

    "Is that so? Tell me. What is this piece of news?"

    "Mr. Carl I Anastasia said he will being over on the 24th. When do you think you canfortably arrange the interview, sir?" n asks Kant. He opens his drawer and takes out a ck book. There, he scans the pages for a minute before cing them back down and making eye contact with n.

    "The 26th or 27th will work fine by me. It will give him some time to... look around the city." Kant answers n''s questions. n keeps that in mind in his mental notebook, before continuing.

    "Alright then. Well, sir, that is all the news I have to tell you about. Is there anything you want me to do?" n questions. Kant leans back on his chair, and thinks.

    "Yes. I do. Considering the SELT project may being to a close, I will need to build awork of rails throughout my kingdom to connect them with each other.

    This would require a team to survey thend, and draw up a proper map, to build the rail lines on.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    I also need people to construct railway stations across the kingdom to connect the towns together to the capital city. This would allow more free movement of people into this city." Kant exined.

    "So, can you manage that?" Kant asks n.

    "Of course sir! I know a few guys that can do the job easily. They have detailed maps of the kingdom, as well as the manpower to do the job. Consider it already done." n replies.

    "I assume that is all, sir?"

    "No. That is not it."

    "Oh? Is there anything else?"

    "Yes. Though it is a little minor. Can you get a maid to refill my coffee? I already ran out." Kant requests.

    "Right away, sir." With that, n gets up from his chair, and leaves. Kant takes out his paper, book, and pen again, and starts to practice how to write in cursive once more. A good 30 minutes pass by before he hears another knock on his door. Assuming that it is the maid with his coffee, he lets her in without removing the books.

    "Good morning your majesty. I have brought you your coffee." the maid told Kant. He points to his empty cup and pot.

    "Fill both of them up for me," he instructed while keeping his eyes on the paper and book. The maid walks over and pours the coffee into his cup and pot. Once she is done, she decides to walk away.

    Kant''s mechanical pen stops working. He starts to swing it around, to get the ink toe out. On his 6th swing, he identally hit the pen on the table, causing the pen to break.

    "Excuse me, maid. Can I get ano..." Kant turns his head to face the maid. Just then, he realizes that the maid was not someone he recognized. The maid was unusually attractive, with long ck hair, and ice-blue eyes.

    "Is there something wrong, sir?" she asked. Kant stayed silent for a minute before speaking up again. From his memory, he did not remember seeing her face.

    "Are you new here?" he asks the maid, a little suspicious of her.

    "Yes, I am sir. Is there something wrong?" she asks. Kant stares at her eyes for a minute, before talking again.

    "What is your name?"

    "Um... Alice. Sir. My name is Alice."

    "Alice... why did youe to work here, of all ces?" Kant questions her further.

    "Because I need money, sir. You see, I have a dream of bing an actress. However, I need this job to make money to achieve that dream, and to send my family some money."

    "I see. I wish you good luck with your dreams," Kant remarked.

    "Thank you, sir."

    "Anyways. Can please get me a pen? It is in the cab next to you." Kant requests. The maid happily delivers Kant the pen, before heading on her way.

 Chapter 215 Train Demonstration

    Over the week, the Mechanical Engineers at the SELT project had been hard at work, finding and fixing any issues regarding the steam engine lotive. So far, they had managed to find and fix a lot of issues, such as a faulty throttle system, inurate gauges, loose bolts, and a broken fire door, all because they were either lousily put into ce, a fewponents missing, or for some other reasons.

    Regardless, once they find the points of mechanical failure, they fixed it up and tested it once again. On the 15th, they ran one final test, to see if there were any other problems with the machinery.

    Afterward, they ran another series of tests, to see if the train was properly functioning. On the 15th, it was decided that the train was ready, and a demonstration in front of Kant can be conducted on the 20th of Procidens, 5018.

    20th of Procidens, 5018.

    It was a bright, sunny morning in the city of Hoverdam. Kant, sittingfortably in his carriage, was riding down the smooth paved roads. It was the day that he gets to see the lotive with his own two eyes.

    Though it did not look like it, as Kant always kept a stoic persona, he was extremely excited to see the steam engine lotive. Back in his world, it was one of the most important technological innovations of the 19th century and had a profound impact on transportation, manufacturing, and society as a whole.

    It made it possible to transportrge amounts of goods and people quickly and efficiently over long distances, which allowed expansion of trade, andmerce, along with increasing the size of urban areas.

    It made it possible to transport raw materials to factories and finished products to markets, which greatly increased the efficiency of the manufacturing process and reduced costs. With the lotive, Kant hoped to reconnect and conquer the northern markets and integrate them better with Hoverdam.

    They soon arrive at the testing site. Kant got off his carriage and walked inside with a few of his DEF bodyguards. The charter for the Secret Service agency is still notplete. At the front door, the project managers were waiting for him.

    "Good morning, your majesty. We are delighted to have you here." the project manager told Kant.

    "I am d to be here. So, can you show me the lotive?" Kant asks.

    "Of course, your majesty. Just follow me." The project manager led Kant to the steam engine lotive. On the way, the manager described to him the specifications of the lotive, its weight, the horsepower, and such.

    They soon approach the lotive, which was sitting on top of a long rail line, made of steel. The rail lines appear to go on a loop. Kant looked onward at therge steel behemoth, standing in front of him, analyzing each part of it.

    "Here it is, your majesty. The lotive that we have all been working for. What do you think?" the project manager asks. Kant stays silent and continues to look at the train. It looks almost exactly like one that came from the industrial revolution, back in Howard''s old world.

    Kant walks up to the train and hoped on, to examine each and every part of the cabin. With his hands, he touched and pressed on every aspect of the steam lotive, to determine its build quality.

    He pressed on the gauges, only to find it fixed in ce, not willing to move. He then moves on to the levers and found them to be properly in ce as well. As he continues to look around, he finds nothing that he would deem uneptable.

    "Hm... Build quality is good, at least," Kant remarked, before getting down. He then approached the project manager, who was holding a clipboard in his hand.

    "When is the demonstration starting?" Kant questions the project manager."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "It will be starting when you want it to, sir! We have everything prepared!" the project manager imed.

    "I see. Alright then, start now." Kant replies.

    "Right away, sir." the project manager then went away to fetch the train conductors. He then introduced themselves to the king before making their way to the cab. Kant was then led to a chair, where he can sit and watch it all unfold.

    A few minutes pass before Kant noticed anything remarkable. In the distance, he can see bits of smoke, leaving out the smokestack. It appears that the engine had started, and was just getting ready.

    The train then slowly starts to move, its wheels grinding against the rails. The train then starts to pick up speed and move around the loop. While Kant was smiling, seeing that the train had worked, his bodyguard''s jaws drop in surprise, seeing such arge behemoth of a machine, move at such high speeds.

    "Well, what do you think, sir? Are the results satisfactory?" the manager asks.

    "Hm... I want to ride it." Kant replies.

    "I beg your pardon, sir?"

    "I would like to ride inside the cabin of the lotive before I decide whether it is eptable," Kant replied.

    "Sir, are you sure about that? You could get hurt..." the agent advised him.

    "It is fine. I will be safe." Kant assures the agents, before turning to the project managers.

    "Tell him to stop." Under Kant''s orders, the traines to a full stop. He then hops on the train cab and gets the operators to start the train up again. The train soon starts to move, and Kant enjoys the view.

    After about 20 minutes, the train stops once again. Kant jumps out of the cabin and walks up to the project manager.

    "How was the ride, your majesty?" The project manager asks.

    "Good. It was a little less wobbly than usual." Kant answers.

    "I see. So, did it meet your expectations?"

    "Certainly. It did. I consider this project a sess." Kant replies. With that, Kant leaves the testing side, back to the pce. Over the next few days, he will have steam engine manufacturers start building him some lotives.

 Chapter 216 Interviewing Carl I. Anastasia (1)

    24th of Procidens, 5018.

    It was an unusually dim morning in the city of Hoverdam. The sun had not just risen up to the fullest just yet. The birds, which held on to the branches of the trees with orange leaves, chirped along to sing a song.

    In his office, Kant sat straight on hisfortable swivel chair, ready to start the interview. He had prepared everything; his outfit, the list of questions he was going to ask, and his cup of coffee, which was extra caffeinated for his asion. All he had to do, was to wait for his arrival.

    Today, was not only a day to see if Carl was the perfect candidate for the job of the director of the CIA, but also the day whether nominative determinism is a bunch of bogus or not, considering the man''s initials spell ''C.I.A''. Though Kant didn''t believe in such superstitions, he hoped that he got the job.

    Knock. Knock.

    Kant can hear the sounds of someone knocking on his door. After making a few adjustments, he allowed the man on the other side to enter. To his surprise, out from the door, came n''s face.

    "Your majesty, he is here. Should I send him in?" n asked. He wasn''t fully inside the room. Only his head was peaking in. Kant, without waiting for a second, agreed.

    "Yes, n. Please do send him in," Kant instructs. n leans out of the room and closes the door. A few minutes go by before there is another knock on his door.

    "Come in."

    This time, a man, about 5ft 10 inches in height walks in. He is seen wearing a pitch-ck suit, a white shirt, and a blue tie. On his head, there was a ck fedora hat, covering up his short golden blonde hair. On his left hand, Kant sees him carrying a ck briefcase.

    "Good morning, your majesty. I am sorry for keeping you waiting for so long. I have heard that you have been excited to see me," the man spoke, as he takes off his fedora hat.

    "No worries. Please, take a seat." The man walks over and sits down. He keeps his briefcase to the side, opened it up, and handed him a resume.

    "Here you go, sir. I think you might need this," he ims. Kant dly epts the resume and starts to read it silently.

    ording to the resume, his full name was Carl "Inteligencia" Anastasia and was 64 years old, which utterly surprised Kant as he swore the man looked to be in histe 30s to early 40s. It also stated that he had worked with many cities, kingdoms, and governments throughout the continent, under his position as ''grand spymaster'' which is the name for the director''s position, under his kingdom.

    He also had a variety of experiences, such as; leadership and management, a proven ability to develop and implement strategic ns that align with the employer''s mission and objectives, demonstrated sess in managingplex operations, including risk management and crisis response, and has expertise in intelligence analysis, including a deep understanding of intelligence collection methods and techniques.

    Throughout his work history, he had upied many roles within his kingdom''s intelligence agency. He is reported to have stayed for around 3 to 5 years in each position, starting as a spy, and making connections, before managing to quickly climb up thedder to be the grand spymaster for his kingdom.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Kant was visibly impressed by his resume, seeing it as proof that he is a man of high skill. He ces the resume down on the table, before locking on to Carl''s deep brown eyes, with his own jet-ck eyes.

    "Well, Mr. Anastasia. I got to say, you have a pretty impressive resume. However, I think there are a few more documents I am missing?" Kant asks.

    "Do you mean the rmendation letters, sir?" he asked. His question caught him off guard, though not because of the content within the question itself, but the inclusion of ''sir'' at the end.

    "I am sorry, but what did you refer to me as?" Kant questions him in a friendly, polite tone. He does not want to scare the man.

    "I learned from Minister n ''Walker'' Fleck that you preferred to be addressed as sir after I had already addressed you as ''majesty''. Is that not what you want, sir? Should I stop?" he asks.

    Though Kant was a little suspicious, he epted that Carl''s reasoning for addressing him as sir. Kant quickly reassured him that it was fine and that he was d that he had asked n.

    "Oh no, it is fine. Yes, that is what I wanted Minister n to do. Anyways, can I have your letters of rmendation please?" Kant asks.

    Carl dives into his briefcase once again, before handing Kant a file. Inside, it was filled with letters, containing a rather good rating by people he had worked with. While one of them does include Armstrong himself, there were others, most of whose names are famous across the continent, as well.

    Kant had made sure to read all of them, to gain a sense of Carl''s character, as well as his abilities, before he moves on. The further that Kant read about Carl, the more he started to suspect that Carl might have done something shenanigan beforeing to this interview.

    Regardless, considering he had no proof of the matter, with the exception of an intuition hunch, he decides to let it slide. After he ces down the file containing the letters of rmendation, Kant decides he wants to move on to the questions.

    "Alright. Everything seems to be in order. It appears that you have worked with a lot of people in the past..." Kantmented.

    "Well, yes sir. I have. It is whates with working for so many people. I would like to say that it had given me a new perspective on some things, and on the ways in which they work and operate," Carl replies.

    "Hmm... I see. Anyways, let''s start the questioning, shall we?"

    "Yes. Yes, we shall."

 Chapter 217 Interviewing Carl I. Anastasia (2)

    "Alright, he is your first question. Can you tell us about your experience in leadership and management, particrly in a high-pressure environment?" Kant asks Carl, who sat on his chair straight up, locking eyes with Kant. He tilts his head and thinks for a minute, before giving a reply.

    "Pretty well, I assume. I have had a long period of working with many kingdoms around the world, dating back to the early 70s, when I began my career. Though, there is this one case that is etched into my mind," Carl replied.

    "I see. Can you tell me more about it?" Kant asks.

    "Certainly. Back in the mid-70s, a select group of individuals, myself included, had been sent to the city of Bernsworth, to conduct an assassination of the lord there.

    Our objective was simple. We were to make our way to the city of Bernsworth, assassinate the ruling lord of the city, and hoped to rece him with his degenerate son, at least temporarily.

    You see sir, the assassination needed to happen within a few days before a meeting with another city, from our kingdom, toe to a trade agreement. WE hoped that if we managed to rece its leader, we could have gotten a FAR better deal.

    Though at first, the n was going smoothly; we managed to enter the city discreetly and even got close to assassinating him. However, due to a major blunder our leader had made, it alle falling apart very quickly. He soon gets captured, and we were very close to beingpromised.

    So, as I was next in charge, I decided the best course of our action was to flee. They had no evidence that we came from a different kingdom, and suspected that we were from some organization like Salvator Humat.

    Thankfully, even during his final execution, he gave out thest names of some different groups of people, granting us some time to escape.

    I formted a n, in which I used up a favor from a friend I had made in the city. We soon break out our leader, make our escape to the boat, and managed to leave with all of our lives intact," Carl told Kant.

    "Hm... impressive. How did the deal go?"

    "It went reasonably well. They did suspect we might be behind the attack, considering there was no proof, the deal went smoothly, although they were not as favorable as we wanted them to be." Carl replies.

    "Was there ever a scenario when you led a group of your own to overthrow a different kingdom?"

    "Yes, there was. In the early 90s, when the king died, I managed to quickly help my employer, the second prince, to take over a few cities in a matter of weeks.

    I managed to conduct several coupes, overthrowing the old lords with the ones that supported the prince. It took some time to organize, as nning it took about a year before the incident urred.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    It was sort of a backup n, instructed by his highness in case if the first prince made some... stupid decisions." Carl exined.

    "That is very good. Now, moving on to the next question. How can you protect the kingdom from external threats, like spies for instance? Do you have any example or case where you have dealt with them?" Kant questions next.

    "Many times, sir. In fact, I have even helped clear out any spies within their own kingdom. However, there is one case in the 80s that I think you will find particrly interesting."

    "Go on."

    "In 4,987 I.C., the kingdom I had worked for had been infiltrated by a lot of spies from the neighboring kingdom, from the south. These spies gave out a lot of critical information to their employers, like financial reports, scandalous behaviors of the royal family, and such, to them.

    Using the information, they managed to acquire a lot of political power over the royal family, as well as the kingdom, making it sort of like their own puppet state. Obviously, the king was not happy with hispromised position, so, he promoted me to do the job.

    When I assumed the position of spymaster, which was different from grand spymaster, I was tasked with getting rid of these spies from the kingdom to cap their political leverage, as well as destroying any further information which could help them gain more leverage.

    So, under these extremely unfavorable circumstances, where there is a high possibility that one of your own men could be a spy, which could jeopardize the whole n, I had got to work.

    I first gathered the most trusted agents that I knew and gave them a task. They were to spy on a few of my other, most trusted, but not as trustworthy, agents. Once they were confirmed to be clean, I gathered them around and started cleaning out the kingdom.

    We first conducted a series of background checks and vetting procedures. We looked for red gs like unusual behavior patterns, financial irregrities, rtives of said individual, and so on.

    We did this first to ourselves, and then out to the rest of the staff. Now, considering it would have taken a lot of time to have researched all of them, we decided to check the ones who entered during a specific period of time, which we thought would have hosted the most amount of spies.

    Once we thin out the heard, we conducted espionage against said individuals. Only only I gathered a team to do so, but I also made sure to pay up civilians to give up information about them.

    Soon, I managed to catch a few of them red-handed. I made sure to interrogate them, to hand out the names of the other spies. It was not easy, and I might have done a few pleas. But in the end, I managed to swoop the kingdom clean of the spies."

    "Hm... Good. Very good. I always wanted someone with your particr set of skills. Now, moving on to the next few questions..." Kant goes on to ask him a dozen more questions, to determine whether he is qualified for the job.

 Chapter 218 Interviewing Carl I. Anastasia (3)

    A couple of dozen minutes have passed since the interview had started. Kant had asked Carl a lot of questions. Some he prepared, and some he made up on the spot. All to which, Carl gave a satisfactory answer. However, not all was good.

    As the secession progressed, Kant noticed a few things while he questioned and interviewed the candidate. Whenever he asks Carl a question from his list, Carl will provide a very long and detailed answer to it. However, when he asked a question that is his own, his answers were much shorter.

    It was an observation that tingled Kant''s suspicion. He started to wonder whether it was rted to the other things; his missing pen, someone opening his drawer without his permission, as well as the rather attractive maids with a dodgy past that have been recently hired at his castle. Could all of them be connected?

    "Are there any more questions you have for me, sir?" Carl asked Kant with a gentle, innocent smile on his face.

    "I..." Before Kant could finish, something from his desk falls off the floor. Kant checks and sees that his fountain pen, the one he had got the maid to give him, had fallen and broken into pieces, spilling ink everywhere. Kant stares at the pen, before getting up. He excused himself, to walk over to grab another pen from his cab. However, Carl seemed to have a different idea.

    "I actually do have a pen with me right now, sir. I bought it to hand it over to you as thanks for giving me such an opportunity to work again," Carl imed.

    "Really? Well then, I humbly ept your gift," Kant replies.

    Kant''s suspicion meters start to go off. It was unheard of for anyone to give something to a potential employer because they were ''given'' an opportunity. It would have made more sense to give it after he got hired. But now? Kant suspected there was somethingrger at y here.

    Carl makes his way to his briefcase and takes out a box, wrapped around on a violet wrapping paper, and a ribbon. He then holds the both with both his hands, before handing it over to the king.

    Kant epts the gift with both hands and decides to open it up now. Kant neatly unties the ribbon and unravels the wrapping paper without tearing it apart. What he found was a wooden case, with a familiar-looking fountain pen contained inside.

    Kant picked it up to carefully examine the pen further, to see if there was anything odd to it. The fountain pen''s wooden body was coated in ck paint. At the right end of the pen body, was thepany''s logo, a white triforce.

    "What do you think, sir? Do you like my gift?" Carl asks the king.

    "Yes... I do. Thank you, Mr. Carl..." Kant replies, still examining the pen.

    "You are wee, sir. I had one of my buddies fetch it for me. They said that you liked that brand. Is there a particr reason as to why?" Carl questioned.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Kant remains silent for a second, as hees to the conclusion that this might be his missing pen. To be certain, Kant took out his book and looked through the pages of his ''memory book''.

    "To answer your question, it is because I like them. Now, I face a few more questions that I have for you. Just give me a minute," Kant lied. It was a mask to cover up his true intentions to Carl. He did not want him to know the true purpose of the book, which contained a lot of secrets.

    He flipped through the pages till came to the date he noticed the pen had missing. On the note, it clearly states that a ck fountain pen, one with a white triforce symbol on the end of the pen, had gone missing.

    The chances that Carl had picked out a pen that looked EXACTLY like his own missing pen, set off a lot of red gs. Although he was not certain, it was most probable that it was. With this revtion, a wave of questions flooded Kant''s head, as to how, what, or why Carl had done it.

    If Kant had to guess, he assumed that Carl had sent in a few agents to the pce. These agents would then steal his pen, for whatever reason, hand it over to Carl, so that he could give it back to Kant.

    These agents had to have arrived very recently, as it was unlikely Carl had sent in the spies before he got the interview letter. From what Kant had known, he was living out his early retirement for the rest of his life.

    As to who these agents are, Kant had a couple of culprits; the attractive maids! Specifically, the ones that got hired very recently to work as maids, within the pce. Although first Kant came to suspect them because of their looks, what really got them under his radar was the way they got the job in the first ce.

    Usually, when hiring anyone at the pce, they undergo a background check to make sure they are not someone with malicious intentions. This background check could go on for few days, which often dyed an interview. This had been the case for n''s and Armstrong''s interviews as well.

    However, when it came to those maids, Kant was shocked to find out that no thorough background checks had been done on them. But that is not all. Not only there had been no background checks, but these maids, ording to his findings, were hired on the spot by the interviewer, which is conducted by a city official far below the bureaucracy.

    Once Kant had uncovered this information, he sent out a bunch of private investigators, in case they were watching, to conduct a background check on them. Although Kant had not received the report from the private investigators yet, he was now certain that they were the culprits.

    From his memory, he knew one of them, Alice, knew where he had kept his pens. She must have snuck in while he was not present. She then handed over the pen to Carl somewhere along the way, which lead him to give Kant it back right to him.

    It could also exin how Carl had managed to answer the questions on his list so easily. He could have had one of the maids write down the questions for him, allowing him to practice and craft up the perfect answers for the interview. As for why he got the maid to steal the pen, he did not know, yet.

    Underneath Kant''s table, was his PCR-18 revolver, with 6 shots chambered inside. It was present there so that Kant could quickly take it out any intruder or assassin that dared to harm him. After adjusting his tie, Kant started to ask Carl a few questions, to unravel why Carl attempted such a bold move.

 Chapter 219 Interviewing Carl I. Anastasia (4)

    Carl sees Kant taking out a little book from his ck suit pocket. Just before he opens it up and looks through its pages, his head and eyes lock onto Carl, to answer his very own question.

    "To answer your question, it is because I like them. Now, there are a few more questions that I have for you. Just give me a minute," he told him.

    Kant then starts to flip through the pages of the book. He appears to arrive on the page that he wants. He examines its content for half a dozen seconds, before cing the book back in his suit pocket. He then regains eye contact with Carl, before moving on with the interview.

    "Alright, Now, before I ask the questions, I need you to be very honest with me. These questions will determine whether you will get hired or now.

    Afterward, this interview will be concluded, and you will be notified whether you got the job a day or twoter. Is that fine with you?"

    "Yes sir," Carl replies. He sits straighter in his chair, prepared to answer any question that came his way.

    "Alright, my first question is, where did you find them?" Kant questions Carl. He puts up a puzzled face, acting as if he did not know what was going on.

    "I beg your pardon, sir? I do not think I understand the question. Can you please borate on what you mean by ''them''?" he answers back with his question, not wanting to end this quickly.

    "Alice. Clover. Hellena and Suika. A bunch of very pretty, very attractive maids that recently got hired here. These specific individuals are under the suspicion that they may be spy agents, working for some mysterious benefactor.

    From what I know so far, they have stolen property directly belonging to the king, as well as looked into, and leaked critical information to their employer, which I suspect to be you, Mr. Carl Intelligencia Anastasia." he borated.

    "So, what I am asking is, where did you manage to find such willing, yet experienced agents, to work with you," Kant questioned.

    There was a moment of silence between the two until Carl started to chuckle. He continued to chuckle for a good minute, before answering the question Kant had given to him.

    "How did you figure it out, sir?" he replies with his question.

    "Simple. They were too attractive in terms of looks, which would have helped manipte and seduction. They had barely any background checks done on them, for whatever reason, and they had been hired on the spot, which rarely happens. If ever.

    I suspect that they used their looks, and a bit of money to buy out the background checker while using mainly their looks to manipte and seduce the interviewer to give them the job.

    You then had them steal the pen, look at the list of questions I had nned to ask you, and then hand the items and information to you, which you can use to prepare and impress me.

    Did I manage to get the jist of it?" Kant questions.

    "Yes sir. That is correct. Although, I would like to add that we ckmailed the background checker to bypass that process. In terms of the interviewer part, you were spot on," Carl replies.

    "I see. Now, may you answer my original question?"

    "Yes, I shall. I got connections, sir. Connections to a lot of people I had worked with over in my career. People, who are like me; spies that had been forced to retire early for whatever reason god throws at us.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Those girls in particr used to be agents that spied against the South. At least until the war ended, when they had to flee or risk being executed. Since they got cheated out of a job, they had to work they had no experience to stay alive.

    However, thanks to your job opportunity, I managed to hire them, in the hopes of getting this position," he replies.

    "In the case that you do get selected, do you intend to hire them?"

    "I intend to hire a lot of people, to fill out the other vacant positions of this intelligence agency, and I know exactly who I should hire. This includes those girls, who I think would make great spies."

    "I see. Next question. Why did you decide to engage in such a risky move? Are you not aware that, espionage would lead to the death penalty in this kingdom?" Kant questions him. Although Kant had brought up the D-word, Carl remained calm and exined himself.

    "I knew exactly what the consequences were, sir. But I decided to risk it anyway. All because I wanted to show you what I can do, sir.

    I wanted to show you that I can organize an effective team, have them infiltrate a set target efficiently and quickly, and extract whatever information we wanted, in a very short amount of time.

    It gives you a live example of my skills, which helps you visualize what other things I could do. Think about it, sir.

    If I managed to infiltrate your kingdom in a matter of days, with the only budget being my retirement savings, think what I could do with a muchrger budget, a more sophisticated team, and a longer time to n. " he replies.

    His answer was verypelling. It did indeed show his skill and the skills of the spies that he had chosen. Though he was a bit of a risk-taker, the benefits of hiring him would far greater than what he takes away.

    " Were you going to reveal this to me at the end of the interview?"

    "Yes sir, I was. Otherwise, it would have been all for nothing,'' Carl replies. Kant lingers on his thoughts. He had one more question to ask him, to see if he would truly be with the title of CIA director.

    "I have onest question to ask you. What makes you think I will spare you for trying to spy on me? Do you really think your stunt will have you hired?"

    "Yes sir. Because from what I know, tou want the best of the best. That is why," Carl replies confidently.

    "I see. Well, that is it for the interview. I am d you made it here today. I will notify you tomorrow on my decision."

    "Alright sir. May I leave now?"

    "Yes, you may." Kant replies. Carl walks up from his seat, bows down, and leaves the room. A dayter, he gets the message that he is the new director of the CIA. His gamble appears to have paid off.

 Chapter 220 A Giveway!

    25th of Procidens, 5018

    It was a cold morning in the city of Hoverdam. Autumn is nearly over, meaning winter will soon arrive with its rains of snow. A line was queueing up in front of the rented building Marco and Vice conducted their business.

    Beside the entrance, was a sort of wooden box with a very young man inside, sitting down on a wooden chair, hands on the table. In his hand, he was holding a quill, which he used to write down on the book in front of him, and a tiny piece of paper.

    This young man had recently graduated from school. Though at first, he wanted to head over to the library and read up on the bible, due to the financial stress his parents had been facing, he had to take up a job to help cover his family''s expenses.

    Lucky for him, his time at school didn''t prove to be useless. Marco and Vice wanted to find another literate person to employ. They had hatched up a scheme, to help them make a lot more money in the future. They found the guy to be very cheap while offering good enough handwriting that they were able to read.

    Marco and Vice were willing to pay him 9 copper coins a day to work with them. Considering the amount being offered, he took up their job offer. As a bonus, the job allowed him to leave once his job was done, meaning he could go find another job to work at, or go to the library and read up on the bible.

    "Thank you, sir. You may now enter the building. Next!" he spoke. A youngdy approached the box, looking concerned. He put up a nice smile on his face and asked her the question.

    "Hello there, ma''am! Can I ask you for your name?" the man inside the box asks.

    "It is nia. nia Bloom. I... I have a question regarding what is happening here. Is it okay if I ask?"

    "Sure thing, ma''am! Just make it quick. People are waiting, you know?"

    "Right. Say, do I... Do I have to pay to enter this ce?" she asks.

    "Oh no! You don''t have to pay to enter this ce. You see, I am simply writing your names down for the giveaway."

    "Giveaway?" nia asked, not understanding what the man inside the box was referring to.

    "Haven''t you heard? The two wanted to hand out copies of the bible to a few select winners. The names will be drawn out from the box to decide who it is," the man exined. nia seems delighted at the news. She was not much of a rich girl and was worried that she wouldn''t have been able to afford it.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Oh thank the lord! I was worried I was not going to be able to afford it. Well, carry on then!" she told the man, before entering the building. The man writes down her name on a small piece of paper, as well as the book in front of him, before moving on to the next person, asking them the same question.

    More people walked up to the man and gave out their names. The man continue to write them down until the box was full. Once a box was full, he ces the box down, and take another spare from the side, to continue working on writing down their names. In the end, about 700 names were written down, on the book, and the papers.

    He ces the boxes on top of each other and carries them to the back, where Vice was waiting for him. The man ces all the wooden boxes, filled with small pieces of paper. He then hands Vice the book he used to write down all the names, as he had requested.

    "You have done a good job. You saved me a lot of time, you know?"

    "Yes, Mr. Vice. Anyways, can I have my money now?" he asked.

    "Of course! Here you go..." Vice hands him the 9 copper coins. Upon receiving the money, he excused himself and left the area. Vice walks over to his table and sits down on his chair. There, he sets the book that the man had handed to him, next to a list, containing a dozen names.

    He flips the book to turn to the first page. Then, with his thumb on the top-left collum, he started to silently read out the names, to see if there were any matches. Once he had found one, he circled it with a blue pen, before continuing to find out the other names.

    After about an hour, he flips back through the pages to see all the names he had found. He then circles those names on the list, while cutting out the rest. Vice picks up one of the wooden boxes with all the small pieces of paper, and searches for the names on the list.

    Thankfully, he had made his life easier by nning. By looking up the box in which he had written down the name in, Vice soon finds out the names of these individuals and separates the rest. These were the only important ones, the ones that mattered to them.

    He takes these pieces of paper to arge wooden box. Vice kneels on the ground and ces the small pieces of paper in a small wooden pocket, built within the box to store them. He then pours all the other names down inside the box, before closing it up and cing a lid with a hole on top.

    "Alright Marco, I have done my part. Now it is your turn..." Vice thinks to himself. Now that he was finished rigging the giveaway, he picked up his te and went over to make some money.

    Once he finishes collecting up the donations, Vice picks up the box and ces it on a movable tray. He then starts pushing the tray with the box, near the stage, where he would be ready to bring it upstage.

    "Now all I need to do is wait..." he thought to himself.

 Chapter 221 Making Friends!

    A stream of water flows down Marco''s threat, as he finishes up the session. Marco puts down the empty wooden cup, next to the closed bible, on the podium desktop. He then takes a deep breath, to prepare himself to speak out again.

    "I thank you all once again foring to this session. It has been a pleasure to serve this city.

    Now, as many of you are beginning to be able to read, we both have decided it would be for the best, as one final act of kindness, to provide some of you with a copy of the bible.

    We wished we could have managed to get you all a book, however, we were unfortunately not able to afford them all..."

    At that very moment, Vice started to push the tray upstairs and ce it right next to Marco. He then left the stage, leaving Marco all one once again, to go hide the supplies, and count up the money they had made.

    "...So, as our next best option, we decided to get 5 copies of it and hand it out to you all. To make it fair, I will take a random name out of the box, and announce it to everyone to hear.

    If I had called out your name, then please remain seated in your chairs. I will hand out a copy of the bible to you privately, as I do not want to restrain you all," Marco told them.

    "Now that you know how the winner is chosen, I will now start to pick out from the box!" Marco announced. He slips his right hand into the box and pretended to pick out a random name.

    Once he felt that he had spent enough time, he picked out one of the small pieces of paper that was hidden in the box for him to collect, and announce the winner''s name. He then ces the piece of paper on the podium desktop and picks out another one.

    He does this until he finds out that those two were the only ones that made it to the secession. From that point, he actually picks up from the pile of names that was stored in it and announces them to the audience.

    "Alright, and those are the winners of this week''s giveaway! I hope to see you all on Monday again! You may now leave the venue."

    Once Marco stopped speaking, the audience all got up from their seats and left the building. Marco, after the final man left the stage, got off the podium and made his way down to the contest winners. There, he introduced himself to them personally, before having them over at his makeshift office, one by one.

    He started off with the first winner. He led him to his makeshift office while passing backstage. There, Vice had made sure to set it up as if they had only received a few hundred copper coins, to help boost their image further, and to initiate a conversation.

    "How much have they donated, Vice?" Marco asks.

    "A few of them. This is the most amount of money I have seen in my entire life!" Vice replies.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Do you all usually make that much?" the man asked while they were on their way.

    "Yes. Though, most of it goes to people in need. We only use it to buy up necessities, like food and clothes."

    "How much do these Bibles cost?"

    "A lot, unfortunately. As you know, books are very expensive. I am sure that his majesty built those libraries to allow people to ess them," Marco replied.

    What could have been a short talk, turned into a long and productive conversation. Even as the two walked inside to the office, and sat down, Marco continued to extract information from the man.

    You see, the whole point of the giveaway was not to hand out some semi-expensive Bibles to a bunch of random strangers, but instead to use them to get close to a specific set of strangers.

    With their deal with the workshop owner, the one who made all those bikes, Vice and Marco had acquired a 35% stake in his business in exchange for arge sum of silver coins. All Marco and Vice had to do, was contact these rich individuals, to get them involved in the workshop''s business, to get them to invest.

    However, Marco and Vice would not have been able to just walk up to their headquarters and demand they meet the bosses. No. They need someone to vouch for them. Someone who had worked with them, who they were able to trust. This would increase their odds of meeting up with the merchants in question.

    To do this, Marco and Vice first had to find the perfect candidates. Their requirements were simple. They had to have a working rtionship with these said'' high-worth individuals. They should be able to read and write, and they must be in the age range of 14 to 18 years old.

    Once they found their candidates, they wrote them down on the list and subtly advertised their bible sessions, indirectly to them, with the help of a local nearby. They knew they were not going to trust some random individuals, but they sure as hell knew they were going to trust someone they were familiar with.

    To make sure they would catch them, Marco and Vice hired a guy to write down the names of everyone. So when they did finally decide to show up, Marco and Vice could rig the system to have them both win.

    This would allow the two to have a conversation, privately. Using these conversations, Marco then nts the seeds for their little friendship, to get them to like the two of them, Vice and Marco, better. So when they eventually get out of the business, they can go up to their new friends, to have them help set up a meeting with these individuals.

    Once he had done talking to these individuals, he made sure to quickly make due of the others. Considering they were legitimately selected, he had no use for them. By the end of the day, Marco hadpleted his part of the mission. He had managed to start up a friendship with the individuals that he wanted.

 Chapter 222 Surveying & Drafting.

    ?

    27th of Procidens, 5018.

    A crew of men found themselves in the middle of a random forest, wearing protective coats to keep them warm. The leaves on the trees, which all used to be made up and filled with green leaves, making a lush green forest, have all turned orange and fallen down to the ground.

    Being the end of autumn, bits of snow are seen falling down to the ground. It appears the winter may have arrived just a little earlier than expected. The snow started to slowly cover every inch ofnd, the group can see.

    "God damn it! Why did they have to send us to this damn job! And why now specifically? This is the worst time ever to do this! Can''t they have asked us to do it before?" one of the group membersined.

    "From what the boss told me, they had finished making up some sort of giant tram that they want to use. My guess is that they want to build argework across the kingdom. A for why it took them until now, maybe they use different railroads. I don''t know," another replied.

    "I think I know," another brought up. The first one looked at the 3rd.

    "Yea, and what is it?"

    "I think they didn''t want to spend money on something that they didn''t want to fail, or at least, take a long time to build. If they had asked us to do it earlier, we might have worked with maps that are much more inurate, don''t you think?"

    "Yea, I guess go. But what on earth took those damn'' ''engineers'' so long! Won''t it be simple as just rigging up a steam engine on a wooden tform and be done with it?" he argued back.

    "You really think that they DIDN''T consider that option before?

    Do you really think that they were dumb enough to spend, what is most likely a huge fortune, on building an extremelyplicated mechanical device, without testing to see whether the most obvious and simple solution worked?

    Maybe they DID try it, but it didn''t meet expectations. Maybe it didn''t have enough horsepower. Maybe they wanted to carry a lot more things. Who knows?" the man rebutted. The DEF agent, seeing the two of the 5 group members argue, decided to break it up.

    "Hey! Concentrate on the job!" he snapped. The two immediately shut their mouths and continued to work. The first conducted reconnaissance, to ensure that their maps were urate enough to make a proper map of a rail line.

    Once any mistakes were found, the map went through a slight redraw, updating it to the current standards. They have been doing this for about a week now, going around and redrawing their maps.

    As they were world along peacefully, one of them hear movement near the bushes. Out of curiosity, he got closer to the area, to see what was there. Bad idea. Suddenly, a demonic boar jumped on the man, pinning him to the ground.

    The man''s heart rate jumped. He tried to free the beast, but it was of no use. The breast prepared itself to bite his face off and have him as his lunch.

    Bang! Bang! Bang!<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The DEF agent apanying the man had quickly taken out his revolver and shot down the beast. He then walks over to the man, to see if he was alright.

    "Are you alright?" he asked. The man was heavily breathing.

    "Yes... I... I am alright!" he replies.

    "You shouldn''t wander off like that, you know. What the hell did you think was going to happen?"

    "I thought it was some kind of animal that was hiding around. Not some demonic beast!"

    "Well, you should have known. It had only been a few months since the wave had happened. Now get up, and get back to work..." he told the man.

    The man got up and continued to work again. Once the sun was about 2 hours from sunset, the men had decided that they were done for the day, and went home. The next day, they would finish up reconnaissance, and update the maps.

    30th of Procidens, 5018.

    A bunch of men found themselves inside a small room, with arge mapid down on top of a table. This map detailed the geography and topography of the entire Hoverdam kingdom, intended to be used to draw up the railwaywork.

    It featured all the tiny details one could desire, such as the river and its tributaries, represented by a blue line. It also features small towns and the big city, represented by small andrge dots. It also featured a terrain section, marked with small drawings to represent what type of terrain it is, like a forest, nds, and such.

    Next to therger table, was a smaller table, with stacks of envelopes on the desktop. These envelopes were filled with more maps, made by a scouting team like the ones at the city of Hoverdam. They were supposed to use these smaller maps, to help draw the exact route to which the rail followed.

    "Alright, everyone! We received the other maps from the other towns. His Majesty wants this done by the end of the month, which means we will have to move quickly.

    We can now being to start drawing up the rail lines on the map. And remember, always make sure to check the area with the smaller maps before moving forward. Otherwise, he might have to build up the rail over the river, or whatever." one of them told the rest.

    He then took out a piece of paper with the words ''reference'' written on it and opened it up. It detailed what Kant had desired, to connect the city of Hoverdam, with the smaller towns within the kingdom, as well as the cing of a bit of rail line from two towns, to ease up logistics of materials.

    With the reference in hand, as well as all the other maps, containing all the small details of the world, the group began their job to make a railroadwork that cover the kingdom. Once they are finished, the drafts are out to be submitted to the engineers, to see if it the line would be feasible.

 Chapter 223 Another Report

    ?

    2nd of Hiems, 5018.

    Sitting on top of a wooden chair in her office, Rose looked outside through the ss window to see the white snow raining down on her great, magnificent city of Vallina. Winter has finally arrived. For royalty, it often meant a plethora of fun activities to engage in, while for others, it often marked a time when people suffered from ack of food, due to price hikes.

    Thankfully, due to her position as the Imperial Queen of the Aceaton Empire, she had managed to devise a solution that would help feed her people, as well as weaken the northern states to make sure they won''t rebel, essentially killing two birds with one stone.

    Her strategy was surprisingly simple; force the northern tributary states to sell the food stored in their reserves for a marked-up price. This way, their government would be able to function properly, as it would have enough money to police their cities, while themon people of the north itself would have less food to eat.

    The reason for this behavior was rather simple; to reduce the poption of the north. With the introduction of the gun, the way the world waged war changed forever. It had made it so that the states that managed to arm and muster thergest armies win.

    To make sure that her tributary states won''t get any ideas of rebelling against her, and overthrow her with arge army of their own, she decided to enact this policy. Though it did pain her that people would have to suffer, it was, in her eyes, a necessary evil to ensure the security and stability of her empire.

    As she was looking outside her window, she hears a knock on her office door. The imperial queen quickly got up from her chair and made her way to the chair near the desk. Once she had prepared herself, she allowed the man on the other end of the door to enter.

    "Come in."

    Nathan walks right inside the office, and bows down. He greets the queen a good morning, before approaching her desk and sitting down on the chair.

    "What brings you here, Minister Nathan?" she asks the minister.

    "Your imperial majesty, the Association of Demonology had sent us this report to us, just today!" the minister imed. Rose had a hard time buying it but heard him out first.

    "Really, what is it about? I thought that we already received a report on that. Didn''t they im that there was not enough evidence to warrant a panic?" she asked.

    "Well yes. However, their stance had now changed. Apparently, they had discovered new pieces of evidence that the chance of '' the Cmity'', as they call it, from urring," Nathan replied.

    "What are they?" she asked, now a little intrigued as to what new evidence has popped up.

    "Well, first was the discovery of another abandoned fortress, about a week ago. There, they had managed tomunicate with the creatures lurking within it and asked a few questions.

    They mainly asked these questions to verify the other creatures'' statements, from Jonus''s expeditions, the findings inside the wall, and the permanent portal blueprint."

    "I see... And what are the results of this expedition?" <novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Well, from what the report says, they had managed to confirm and verify a lot of the information. Although they say that it is not enough, it does lean the case toward Jonus'' favor.

    If your imperial majesty wants the specifics, I highly rmend you read through the report." Nathan then hands Queen Rose the report, so that she can look for herself. She flips the pages and starts reading through it all.

    The report, just likest time, was condensed with a lot of words and stretched to make it seem moreplicated than it actually is. It felt as if a student fell short of writing a total word count, and had to resort to breaking up smaller phrases into longer ones to meet the word cap.

    From what Rose could decipher from the writings, is that the evidence pointed to the creatures being a lot more trustworthy than expected, and the chances of ''the cmity'' urring might be higher than they expected.

    However, there were a few specific paragraphs that caught her eye. It read...

    "Based on the information we currently possess, it would be advisable for her imperial majesty, Empress Rose Tippo Valline, to convene a meeting with all the monarchs of the continent, from within the empire itself to the tributary states, tomunicate the discovery and gravity of ''the cmity'', an event that is theorized to doom human civilization on Eden as we know it.

    This meeting would serve as a tform to provide all participating states with the necessary knowledge and information to n and take action in response to the threat, which by our estimates, can ur within the next 10 to 20 years.

    Through such an assembly, it is possible to enhance the collective preparedness and coordination of all involved parties, which leads to a more efficient process of identifying the locations of the fortresses."

    Rose stared at the report, before rereading it once again to be sure. After she is done, she ces it on her desk and turns to face Nathan.

    "It appears they would like me to host a meeting tomunicate the findings to the other kingdoms," she remarked. Nathan stays silent, not knowing what to say. The queen leans back in her chair and thinks for a moment. Then, as if a light bulb switched on in her head, she got an idea.

    "Minister Nathan, I got a task for you," the queen informs Nathan.

    "What is it, your majesty? Do you want me to prepare a meeting?" he asks while sitting up a little straighter.

    "Yes. However, I do not want you to inform them about what it is, exactly. Just send them a letter that is important enough to warrant my attention, and set the meeting up. Is that understood?"

    "Yes, your majesty. When would you like this meeting to take hold?" Nathan asks. Rose turns around to look at her calendar. Once she finishes, she looks back at Nathan.

    "Is the 5th of Initium possible?" she questions.

    "I will see what I can do, Nathan replies."

 Chapter 224 The Discovery Plaza

    ?

    4th of Hiems, 5018.

    The snow on the roads of the new ''Discovery za'' were being cleared out by a bunch of mages using a heating spell, to slowly turn the ice-cold snow into water. This water would then go down the drains to the sewers, where it will be transported to the purifiers to be disposed of.

    After the snow had melted away, the important roads were salted, using a steam-powered machine, to ensure that they won''t be covered in snow. It would allow vehicles, such as carriages, and trams, to be able to move properly in and out of the district.

    The salt was bought from the ''HIKO SeaSalt Company'', started by a bunch of mages and artisans. As their name implies, they boil seawater to get salt from the sea. While the artisans built and maintained the machinery used, the mages were responsible for helping boil the water, to reduce energy wastage.

    The Discovery za was not intended to be a separate district, at least originally. It was meant to be an area where the HISAR building was located, along with the homes of the researchers surrounding it. However the departments located downtown, with the approval of the king, decided that it would be better if the ce was marked as a separate distinct.

    The district was connected to the rest of the city through lower Middletown, where a bunch of roads and a tram were connected to it, allowing its residents to move freely. It was recorded to be the smallest district out of all the others.

    Passing through these salted roads inside a ck carriage, was Kant Maybale himself. Yesterday, Kant had been informed that the project has beenpleted 1 day ahead of schedule, and was invited to be given a tour of the new building.

    As the carriage was moving along the road, Kant takes a look outside his carriage window to observe this new tiny district. The ce was fitted with tall buildings, averaging 6 stories in height, fitted closely with each other.

    The buildings all used the Arteco architectural styling, with all featuring ''cheap'' ss windows and multiple chimneys. While some were purely for residential, a lot of them were mixed-use. He can see many people already moving into their new homes.

    The carriage soon arrives at the center of the Discovery za, where the giant HISAR building is present. The HISAR building was massive! With 4 stories and 1/5 the size of a football field. It was truly impressive for a building thatrge to take only a few months.

    The carriage soon stops at the entrance, where Kant drops off. Kant walks up the stairs to the doorway, where he met a trio of familiar-looking faces; Decan, Melor, and Lenin! The three bow down before Kant, before shaking hands with him.

    "Wee, your majesty! We are here to give you a tour of this wonderful building we had a part in building. We would like to thank you for giving us this amazing opportunity to be a part of this building," Decan spoke.

    "You are wee, Mr. Hurst. Anyways, can you present me with the tour? I would like to witness your work with my own eyes," Kant replied.

    "Very well, your majesty. Please, follow us."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    The three of them opened up the front door of the building. Kant walks inside the ce and looks around. The interior walls had all been coated in white paint. The floor, just like Kant had desired, was all tiled with polished marble.

    Kant noticed that the ce was rather warm. It appears that the architects have ced in a chimney, to allow all the rooms to be heated so that the researchers won''t have to worry about feazing to death. As a result, Kant took off his coat, before continuing on.

    Kant then walks up to the receptionist''s desk. There, he spots some writing on the walls. Written in a Times New Roman Font, it read "Hoverdam Institute of Scientific Advancement & Research" underneath what appears to be a symbol of an Atom, with 8 electrons surrounding it.

    "What do you think sir?" Melor asks Kant, pointing at the symbol and the letters on the wall.

    "It looks good. I like it," Kantmented. He took a minute to look onward at the wall, before moving on. The trio led him throughout the halls of theplex, showing off all its rooms, and floors.

    The ce was rather well let, using the cement ofnterns very carefully. to maximize brightness and illumination. In a ce like this, it was bound that some ces don''t have enough lighting.

    Kant was first taken to its libraries. They were all fitted with gigantic bookcases, withbels for each row to determine and sort where any books would go. There were alsorge seating areas, where people can sit around and read anything that was on the shelves.

    Afterward, he was then taken to itsboratories, which were given a lot of space to conduct research and experiments. To help deliverrge objects, there was even a back door to transport them inside.

    The tour went on for hours as they continued to show Kant all the ins and outs of the building. Soon after, even a few researchers had arrived, to take a look at the building they were going to work in.

    It was clear to everyone that the architects have put a lot of thought into nning, as well as the civil engineers how dedicated they were to constructing and finishing the building ording to the n.

    After the tour had been conducted, they went back to the receptionist''s desk, where they ended it. Decan asked Kant what he thought about the building. Kant, after giving a few minutes to think, replies...

    "I am truly impressed with what you have constructed here. I believe this ce would be able to facilitate any experiments being conducted." Kant replies. The answer satisfies the three, leaving them with a big smiles.

    "Thank you, your majesty. We are truly honored."

 Chapter 225 Supplying Produce.

    ?

    9th of Heims, 5018.

    It was a slightly warmer morning in the city of Hoverdam. The people were all busy clearing out the snow that hadnded on the loads, making it hard for them to conduct business. While the main roads were salted, a vast majority of the city was left to its own devices.

    Kant was found in his office typing away on his typewriter, busy with his work. He was finalizing a few documents for a presentation he has scheduled to be due in 3 days. Now that he had assembled most of the people he desired on his side, it was time that he presented his ns.

    It was then that he heard a knock on his door. Kant keeps the typewriter apart and allowed whoever was on the other side to enter. n opened and walks inside the room. He bows down to greet Kant good morning. Kant, in return, greets good morning back to him.

    "Good morning, Minister. Is there something wrong?"

    "Yes sir. They are here," n replied. On the 5th of Heimz, 5018, a message had arrived at the pce via carrier pigeon, informing them that a bunch ofrge wooden ships will arrive at their city, to buy a significant chunk from their storage.

    Over those past few days, n and Kant had to find a way to get a new source of food, to refill back the rations up for the winter. Thankfully, due to some past actions taken by Kant, he managed to save himself.

    "Should I send them in, sir?" n asked.

    "Yes. Send them in. You remember the n, right Minister?"

    "Yes sir, I do," n replied.

    "Good. Now go." n leaves the room and closes the door behind him. Kant cleans up his desk and prepares to meet up with the men Rose had sent to him. As soon as he finishes, cleaning, he hears the door being knocked on once again.

    "Come in," Kant speaks up. The door opens, revealing two tall muscr men, wearing a blue uniform, underneath a coat. They ce the coat on the coat rack and bow down to Kant.

    "Good morning your majesty, I hope we are not interrupting you on something important?" one of the men asks.

    "No. You are not. Please, sit down." Kant replies. The two men obliged and take a seat on the wooden chairs.

    "Now, How can I help you, gentlemen? Do you perhaps like a cup of tea or coffee in these trying times?"

    "We appreciate your offer, your majesty, but no thank you. As you know, we have been sent here to buy off some of the city''s rations from your kingdom. I am sure that you are fine with that?" he asks.

    "I see. Well, I need you to be more borate with me. What specifically does Vallina request from us?" Kant asked.

    The man nodded and pulled out a scroll from his bag. He unfurled it and began to read from it.

    "Vallina requests 3,300 barrels of wheat, 1,650 barrels of barley, and 8,500 barrels of oats. We are willing to pay 67% above the market price for the goods if you ept this deal now." the man stated. Kant nodded thoughtfully.

    "And what if I refuse?" Kant questions the two men.

    "Well, then there will be trouble with your small kingdom and the military, your majesty. I am sure you don''t want to start a conflict, already?" the man replies. Kant slightly chuckles.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "No... Not yet..." he jokes. The other two men chuckle in response, finding it rather funny. As if a small kingdom like his could take on half the continent.

    "When do you expect theserge quantities of food should be delivered?" Kant continue to question the men further, wanting more information.

    "Tomorrow is fine, your majesty. You can prepare the food today, and deliver it to the port by tomorrow morning. Our men will load up the goods, and we will be on our way." they exin.

    "Is that so?" Kant thinks about the deal further, before finally agreeing to it.

    "Alright then, I ept your deal. I will have it delivered to you by tomorrow." His answer put a smile on both their faces'' getting exactly what they had wanted from him.

    "Good! It is a pleasure doing business with you, your majesty. I hope we shall meet again."

    "Again?" Kant asks, hearing thatst part from the man.

    "Yes. It is likely that we will meet again. His imperial majesty wants more food to feed her people," the man exined.

    "I see. Well, I will make sure to prepare for when you both eventually return." Kantments.

    "Let''s hope. Goodbye, your majesty."

    With that, the two leave the room. Kant sits back down on his chair and waits for n to return. After waiting for a few hours into the day, n returns with the information. Hees over to his door, gives it a firm knock, and then enter. He had send a guy to the other side of the town, to ask the farmers how much they have made.

    "My messenger had returned, your majesty. What does the Empire require?" n asks.

    "They wanted 3,300 barrels of wheat, 1,650 barrels of barley, and 825 500 barrels of oats. Have they managed to produce enough?" Kant answers while adding his own question at the end. The minister gives out a sigh of relief, appearing as if his worries have vanished into thin air. Kant takes this as a hint that they managed to produce enough.

    "Yes, sir. We do. From what I learned, they had managed to produce 4,000 barrels of wheat, along with 1,500 barrels of barley, and 9,000 barrels of barley. We should be good to do. We would just need some barley from storage," n replied. Although, they are selling it at over 64% market price. Is that fine with you, sir?"

    "Very much. That would mean we would be making a slight profit." Kant leans back in his chair.

    "Well, that is a relief. Although, from what they told me, they said that they wille again. We would have to prepare for next year as well."

    "What are you thinking, sir?"

    "I got some ideas. I will inform you at ater date." Kant replies.

    "For now, just get the food ready. They need it by tomorrow. Can I entrust you with that?" Kant questions.

    "Of course, sir." With that, n leaves the room, leaving Kant all alone once more. He gets back into typing away on his typewriter.

 Chapter 226 Presenting A Plan For Domination

    ?

    12th of Heimz, 5018.

    It was a cold, winter day in the city of Hoverdam. Carl, Armstrong, and n were all seated in a room, sitting on a desk, with their arms resting on arge wooden desk. They were all wearing their respective uniform, as the heat generated by the firece warmed up their bodies to the cozy level.

    These 3 important figures had all been summed into the room, instructed to wait for Kant Maybale to arrive. The path to the door, and anywhere near it, is constantly being guarded by some DEF agents, as well as musketeer soldiers.

    The men were all rather calm andfortable with each other. As they waited, they began conversing with each other, about their lives, their wealth, and such. One of them, n, brought up a question.

    "Say Mr. Armstrong, what was up with that suit?"

    "Hmm?"

    "That suit. You know, the one with the blue suit and yellow tie? Did not go well together at all," n remarked.

    "I am colorblind," Armstrong replies. n was visibly shocked by the news, while Carl kept a level head as if he knew it was the case.

    "What do mean by ''colorblind''? Can you not see color at all?" n questioned further, wanting to know more.

    "Well, I can see some colors. Though, I am not sure what the colors are. Often, I am told that one is one color, while another is another. But to me, they... they all look the same, and that makes it hard to differentiate between them." Armstrong answers.

    "Is that why your favorite color is blue, Mr. Richard Amstrong? Are all the other colors rather dull for you?" Carl adds in, wanting to join.

    "Yes. That is why. How do you know?" Armstrong replies with his own question.

    "I had a few agents of mine look at you before I got hired." Before they can continue their small talk, the door suddenly opens. Kant soon walks inside the room and sets a bunch of papers down. The men immediately stand up from their chairs and bow to Kant good morning.

    "Good morning, your majesty," they all speak out.

    "Good morning everyone. Sit down," Kant replies. The men obey. Kant walks over and closes the door. Then, with a key, he locks them inside. Kant then walks over to the window and looks outside. Using his head, he fully moves it left, right, up, and down, to confirm there was not anyone there.

    "What is it, sir?" n asks.

    e¦Áglesn?¦Íel "Nothing. I wanted to make sure nobody is listening," Kant replies, as he continues to look around. <novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Do not worry about it, sir. My agents didn''t find anyone else, other than my own." After seeing that there was nobody there, Kant then walks back in and stands near the table, looking down at the other men.

    "Gentlemen, I thank you all for attending this meeting on time. We are here to discuss the future course of action and the general directions we will take this kingdom towards," Kant speaks. The men continue to remain silent.

    "Now, due to some events that urred within the span of years, our kingdom has found itself in apromising situation.

    We have now be subject to the ''Aceaton Empire'', who had managed to umte arge army march from the way from the city of Vallina, all the way to Hoverdam, located on the other side of the continent.

    This has posed a security risk, that we need to deal with. As a result, I havee up with a n, to mitigate this security risk, and maybe even eliminate it." Kant imed.

    "What is this n, sir?" n asks.

    "Simple. In order to patch up this security risk, we will have to rebuild or take massive amounts of influence over the northern side of the continent. This would create a buffer between the Aceaton Empire, and the kingdom of Hoverdam.

    Now, I know that this will be challenging, however, I do believe it is possible thanks to a few key technologies that we have right now and a few that could be built in the future. Do you all understand?"

    "We understand sir. Although, I have a question. What are these technologies that you are speaking of?" Carl asks, a little curious.

    "Well, the current two technologies are the steam engine lotive and the firearm." Kant then hands over the first document to the three men and has them take a gander. The document features a map of the continent, featuring the rivers and the borders of the continent before and after the war.

    On the rivers themselves, it featured arrows, pointing upwards from Vallina to the city of Hoverdam and other parts of the continent. These rivers were all connected to its tributaries, which connected most of the continent.

    "As you can see on the map, the Aceaton Empire has a clear advantage in geography. As the rivers stream upwards, it would allow her troops to quickly make their way to the north, faster than the north can move any army down to the south.

    With this geographic feature, it allows the city of Vallina to extend its power over its borders, and why it had been an important city throughout history," Kant exined as the men continue to examine the map.

    "Now, in order to fix this problem, I thought of inventing a powerful steam-powered engine that could transport anything, whether it be materials, weapons, or people, across in a short period of time. This, as you all know, is a lotive."

    Kant then hands them another piece of paper, this time depicting another map of the continent, with dotted lines all over it, connecting the cities altogether.

    "What you are seeing now, gentlemen is a theoretical railroad map. What I propose we do, is to build out arge railwork throughout the northern side of the continent, which we can use to integrate the other northern states, use them to extract importantbor and materials, to grow our industrial base," Kant exined.

 Chapter 227 Steel And Bonds

    ?

    n raises his hand to grab Kant''s attention like a schoolboy wanting to ask his teacher a question. Kant stops speaking and points to the minister, to allow him to stand up and speak his mind.

    "What is it, Minister n?" Kant asked.

    "Sir, the n that you have proposed is a rather bold one. How will you be able to secure enough funds to build this vastwork? I do not think we should purely use our nation''s funds," n questioned.

    "That is a good question, Minister n. Yes, it will be an expensive endeavor considering the project will be covering arge and wide area, across half the continent.

    However, due to our previous efforts, we should be able to alleviate the burden of building the railroads, thanks to a few key technologies that I had invented and implemented.

    First of all, we already have the ability to mass-produce steel, thanks to the Bessemer process, and the steel mill be had built a few months back.

    What I am thinking, is we start to rapidly increase our scale of production, to make them as cheaply as possible, by building more steel mills, as well as hiring more workers. Do you understand so far?"

    "Yes sir, but what about the iron? Correct me if I am wrong, but don''t we need iron to convert them into steel?" Richard Armstrong spoke out.

    "Yes, and that is what I will get to, Defense Minister Armstrong." Kant then hands out a bunch of files, with the title ''Iron Survey Report'' written on the front of it. The ministers all open the file and find a report held inside.

    "Good. Because you all will need it for the next part..." Kant starts to hand out more documents to the minister. It detailed a report, rted to the iron mines of the kingdom.

    "What you have on your hands, gentlemen is a report from all the iron mining firms within the kingdom, estimating how much iron they have in their deposits.

    As you can see, we have a significant amount of iron deposits within our kingdom. In fact, we have one of thergest deposits on the continent, in the mining town of Keliath and Hexford, which we suspect to be connected to a region full of iron," Kant exined.

    "Although it may not be necessary, I do believe that it is in our kingdom''s best interest to gather these materials in one way or another, to fuel our expanding industrial base. This is where Director Carl and Minister n''s roles wille into y."

    Carl and n exchanged a quick nce before turning their attention back to Kant, who continued his exnation.

    "Minister n, one of the jobs will l need done is for you, or someone else on behalf of the kingdom, tomunicate with the other kingdoms to secure contracts with our firms. Are you up to the task?"

    "Yes, sir. That could be done. In fact, I know a few people that could do the job for me. I will get on it right away," n answers, giving Kant a smile.

    "Excellent. Now, as for Director Carl, I will need you to obtain as much information as possible about the iron mines in the cities listed on the documents, as well as gather any intelligence that would help tip the negotiations in our favor."

    "Consider it done, sir," Carl replied with a nod.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Good. Now, that I have established how we can decrease the cost of building the gigantic railroadwork, I will now exin the way in which we will fund this expensive endeavor."

    Kant drank the ss of water on the table, before moving on.

    "Now, there are three main ways of funding this project. The first method is to issue government bonds to the public, allowing them to indirectly invest in the project and receive interest payments in return.

    Any further details you may have on the bonds will be answered in the files I will present to you all now."

    Kant hands the ministers the file. The files details of how the bonds work, and how they will be issued to the public.

    The bonds work about the same as a U.S. Treasury bond works; an individual lends out money to the government by purchasing a bond at a predetermined interest rate. In return, the government, in this case, Kant''s government, will pay back the individual a fixed interest rate until the bond expires.

    For an individual to be able to purchase said bond, they would have to go through a bank to buy one. Once they buy one, the money will be sent to the treasury, which they can use on building up the railroads.

    Once the ministers have finished reading up the documents, they had a few questions to ask their king. Though they all raised their hands at the same time, Kant close n first.

    "Sir, what about the other two methods of funding that you mentioned earlier?" n asked.

    "The second method will utilize the power of the private sector, as well as the deep pockets of very wealthy individuals who had immigrated to the city to exploit the technology and tools that have propped up."

    Kant then hands out another set of documents, titled ''Railroad Investment Proposal,'' which detailed the terms of the investment, the expected returns, and the risks involved.

    "We will be creating apany to oversee the construction and operation of the railroads, and investors can buy shares in thispany, providing us with the necessary capital to fund the project.

    The returns on investment will be paid out through dividends, based on the profits made by thepany," Kant exined.

    The ministers all looked through the documents carefully, nodding as they read. They knew that this method would appeal to wealthy individuals in the city who were always looking for new investment opportunities.

    "And the third method?" Richard Armstrong asked.

    "The third method is to use funds from the treasury directly. However, I consider this to be thest resort, to only use them to fill up any remaining money that is needed for the project to continue." Kant takes a deep breath and another gulp of water from his ss cup.

    "Now, are there any more questions?" The ministers raise their hands. Looks like they were not finished yet.

 Chapter 228 A News Agency!

    ?

    Kant looks around the table before pointing his finger toward Carl, deciding to switch things up a bit.

    "You go first, Director Carl."

    "Thank you, sir. Though I do find the idea of a government bond to be a very good choice, I must ask sir, how will you inform the city''s poption of the investment opportunity of bonds, sir?

    Not only you will have to make them aware the bond exists, but you must also convince them to buy up the bond, in order for us to receive and use the money for the project.

    Considering there are no viable methods tomunicate such information, I would like to ask you whether you havee up with a viable solution?" Carl asks. The two other ministers nodded in acknowledgment.

    "Well Director Carl, I already hade up with a solution for it. In fact, I set up the foundations for it months ago." Kant replies, slightly surprising Carl and the other two.

    "Oh? Really sir? What is it?" Carl asks. Kant hands them another set of files, consisting of copies of a charter and copies of the articles on incorporations.

    "Now, I am sure you are all familiar with the schools I had ordered to be built around the city. Publicly, these ces were built to allow people to learn how to read and write, to allow the people to be able to read the bible.

    However, my real motivation was to allow them to read up on the other library books, containing information about science, so that they can be more educated on that matter, but it is also to set up, what I like to call, a news agency," Kant ims.

    "News agency?" Armstrong asks.

    "Yes, Minister Armstrong. A news agency. With our newly literate poption, we can train a few individuals to be journalists, who will be responsible for disseminating information about the bond and its benefits to the public.

    The news agency will be fully owned and work closely with us to ensure that the information transferred to the public is convenient to what the state intends its listeners to hear. It is a tool we can use to control and manipte the poption further." Kant exins.

    "I rmend you read the charter. You will be able to learn how I intend the agency to work." The men took up the files and read the charter.

    After a few minutes of reading, Carl speaks up.

    "Sir, this is brilliant. Not only will it serve as a means to promote the government bond to help us secure funding, but it will also provide a tform for us to control the flow of information to the public.

    With this news agency, we can control the narrative and ensure that only the information we want to be disseminated reaches the ears of the citizens. This will be a powerful tool in our arsenal."

    "I agree," adds Minister Armstrong.

    "This is a significant development, and Imend you for your foresight, sir.

    With this news agency, we can ensure that the citizens are always kept informed of thetest developments and are more inclined to support the government''s initiatives.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    It also could be used to coerce them into supporting us, like in case of a war breaks out between the north and south." Kant nods in agreement.

    "Indeed, Minister Armstong. Although we must remember that the news agency will be a powerful tool in our hands. We must use it wisely and ensure that the information we disseminate is always in the best interest of the state.

    We will have to carefully select the journalists and editors we hire, ensuring that they share our values and are willing to work closely with us. It will be a vital aspect of our n for the future of the city and kingdom." Kant turns his head to face n, the assistant minister.

    "n, as the assistant minister, I will be handing this task to you. Is that alright?" Kant questions the minister. The minister, knowing what wasing to him, nodded in agreement.

    "Yes sir. I will be fine, sir. In fact, I already have a way I can implement your n," n imed.

    "Really? Already? And how would that work out?" Kant asked.

    "You see sir, considering we would want the agency to work with us close together, we should set it up near the pce, in the downtown district. It would act as the main headquarters of the agency.

    Now, considering we need the papers to travel swiftly, we should set up smaller stations throughout each district. Using the tram system, we can deliver these papers swiftly, to all these stations, where the people can ess them easily," n exined. Kant nods in agreement, pleased with n''s proposal.

    "Excellent idea, n. I am d to see you are already ahead of the game. Please make sure to get started on it immediately once this meeting is over. We cannot waste any time."

    "I will, sir," n replies.

    "Now that is out of the way, are there any remaining questions you all have, before we continue?" Kant asks. This time, he sees Armstrong being the one raising his hand, while the other two rested there on the tabletop.

    "Yes, Minister Armstrong?"

    "Well sir, with all this talk about industrial and economic expansion, such as the building of the railroads, do you not think that it will grab the attention of the Imperial Queen, Rose Tippo Valline?

    Considering our ns for dominance, I fear that she might use herrge army to march into Hoverdam and topple your throne. Do you perhaps have a n for that?" Armstrong questions.

    "I do Minister Armstrong. In fact, that is what I was going to touch on in this next part."

    "I see. Carry on then sir." Kant presented Armstrong and the other ministers with another batch of files and documents. Inside contained charters, ns, and blueprints for weird weapon systems, they had never seen before. What particrly caught Armstrong''s eye, was this strange device. It looked to have a basket, connected to arge sphere, with fire fuming into it.

    "Gentlemen, I would like to present to you some blueprints and charters I have been working on for the past months."

 Chapter 229 [Bonus ]New Weapons And Machinery Blueprints!

    ?

    The ministers all examine the blueprints with a sharp eyes, curious as to what they are meant to do. They tried looking around the blueprints for any descriptions written in ck ink or pencil graphite, anything that could help them understand what the purpose of the device being depicted on the paper was.

    Yet in the end, all that they found were descriptions of the parts of the stage devices, and how they operated, next to an arrow pointing at the specific part. The blueprints themselves were rather simple, allowing them to grasp its looks, and nothing more.

    "What have you presented us, sir?" Armstrong asks as he observes the blueprints Kant has presented to the ministers.

    "I will get to that, but first I would like to provide you with some context for this part of the meeting," Kant replied. The ministers keep down the documents and face Kant, ready to hear out what he has to say.

    "About a few months ago, the Queen of the kingdom of Vallina, Rose Valline, had managed to gather and create arge army, made out of peasants, equipped them with imported muskets, a brand new military technology that has never been seen on the face of this content before, and use it to defeat the bravest and most potent knights the kingdoms of the north had to offer.

    It resulted in a swift conclusion of the war with the northern kingdoms'' defeat to Queen Rose Valline and her allies. Our poption got smaller, and we had be vassal states to a new ''Aceaton Empire'', which covers the entire southern front of the continent," Kant exined.

    "That day, I learned a few things; the first is the importance of innovative military technology. If we want to keep the kingdom safe, we need to invest in research and development of new weapons technology.

    The second is the reformation of the military. With the emergence of new technologies, the game of war changed.

    We can no longer rely on the old, traditional ways of tactics and strategy, and need toe up with new ways to fight if we are to face the challenges ahead.

    Our defeat in the war highlighted the vulnerabilities and limitations of our current military structure," Kant informed the ministers

    "Now, although I have done a great amount of reform in regards to the military structure, there are still plenty of things that need to be examined, evaluated, and reformed.

    I would like to get into it in detail, but for now, we shall stick to the main topic, that being the blueprints." he spoke with his usual monotone voice.

    Kant took out andid down another map. He then pointed to the southern part of the continent on the map. It featured the gigantic ''Aceaton Empire'', which had managed to unite half of the continent thanks to the war.

    "Our ns for economic domination will be faced with great opposition by the new Aceaton Empire, especially by the Imperial Queen, Rose Valline.

    She may begin to perceive us as a rival for resources, and a threat to her Empire''s political sovereignty. Thus, it may trigger a new conflict where she may march on the capital of Hoverdam with her troops and knights.

    This is why we must prepare ourselves for such an incursion. We can do this with further advancements in technology regarding weaponry, industrial processes, and transportation.

    One of these military technologies is the train and thergework of railroads I presented to you all earlier.

    A steam engine lotive train allows us to move vast troops, weapons, ammunition, and other materials, across a long distance. If used effectively, it can give us a significant advantage over the enemy.

    As for the others, those have just passed through the design stages. In fact, the blueprints I have presented to you all, are the new key technological developments I believe would help us to defeat Rose Valline."

    Kant paused for a minute, allowing his words to sink in. The ministers exchanged nces at one another, before turning to Kant. Their face sparked with a hint of curiosity, wondering when Kant was going to exin to them what they were presented with.

    Kant held out his hand, signaling to the ministers to hand back the files to him. Being the observant men they are, they quickly pick up on the hint and gave back the files with the blueprint.

    Kant organizes them and settles them down in a neat stack and picks up the first file on top. He opens it, and takes a good nce, before presenting the blueprint in his hand for all to see.

    "The first blueprint depicts what I call an ''integrated cartridge''. Think of it as pre-assembled ammunition, with the projectile, a propent substance, and an ignition device. This will allow a musket or a rifle to achieve better uracy and faster reloading speeds.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As for how it works in simple terms, a firing pin will strike down the primer, activating the propent and firing the projectile."

    He ces the file down, next to the stack, and picks up another one. As Kant is picking up a file, Armstrong threw in a question for Kant to answer.

    "Excuse me, sir. I am certain that our current firearms are not designed to be able to use these ''Cartridges''. Have you perhaps designed a new firing system that can be used to retrofit our weapons?" he asked.

    "I have done better, Minister Armstrong. Instead, I have designed a brand new rifle, I intend the military will use to arm its soldiers with.

    Although yes, we can retrofit our existing weaponry to load and use these new integrated cartridges, I find it too inconvenient as it would require extensive modification," Kant exins. He picks up the file and opens it up, allowing the ministers to see it.

    "This is the BLBA-18 Rifle. It is a breech-loading bolt action rifle, with a caliber of .43 inches has a length of 135 cm, and is designed to be easily mass-produced inside of a factory.

    It is intended to have an effective range of 200 meters (218.7 yards) and a maximum range of 500 meters (546.807 yards). Keep in mind though, these numbers may or may not be met."

    Armstrong immediately raised his left hand. Being the Defense Minister, he had a lot more questions in mind that he wanted to be answered.

    "Yes, Minister Armstrong?" Kant asked.

    "Although I wee these new technological developments, I am afraid that we do not have the technology or machinery designed to produce these at a fast rate," Armstrong voiced his concern.

    "...unless you may have already designed new types of machinery for the job?" he added in, a bit of uncertainty remaining in his voice.

    Kant closes the file and keeps the file down. He skips the next file on top and picks up the next three files underneath, and hands it over to Armstrong. He opens them up, to find blueprints of strange new machinery, depicted on the pages of the paper.

    "You are absolutely correct, Minister Armstrong. Yes, as of right now, we do not have the specialized machinery to produce these new devices. However, I had already nned that ahead.

    That is exactly why I gave a lot of time and attention to making the machines, to ensure that are able to operate with our current levels of technology," Kant imed. Kant then walks over and stands right beside Armstrong, to help him understand how they work.

    "The first blueprint depicts a Bullet Casting Machine. As the name suggests, it is designed to produce lead bullets inrge quantities.

    As for how it works, I will exin it to you in simple terms. The molten lead will be poured into molds, right over here..." Kant points to the part of the blueprint.

    "The machine would then mechanically eject the solidified bullets from the molds, onto a conveyer belt where it can be transported inside of a factory." Kant then turns a page, revealing another blueprint.

    "This is what I call the case forming and drawing press. This machine is used to make the cases of the cartridge. It does this by using a process called ''Drawing''.

    Basically, it would ''draw'' the brass sheet into a cup shape and then form the primer pocket and base."

    Kant closes the file and grabs another file. He opens it up and continues on with his exnation. He goes on to exin to Armstong how the other machines work. The blueprints detailed machines such as the Primer Inserting Machine, Powder Measuring and Filling Machine, Bullet Seating Machine, Crimping Machine, and so on. These machines all would be utilizing the power of a steam engine, which has been used by the city to drive its industry forward.

    Once Kant finishes his exnation, he goes back to his original seat and goes on to show the other blueprints. He picks up another blueprint and presents it to all. It depicted a sort of cannon but with a long barrel with a breechloading system of some sort.

 Chapter 230 [Bonus ]More Gun Blueprints!

    ?

    "Now, I am sure that you all know what a cannon is?" he asked the ministers. Armstrong gave a strong nod, replying to Kant''s question with a firm tone.

    "Indeed sir. A cannon is arge artillery piece that is usually mounted on wheels, designed to fire heavy projectiles over long distances." Armstrong then took a nce at the blueprint. Though his eyes may have a problem distinguishing colors from each other, he managed to make out nearly all the details, as if the blueprint was right in front of him.

    "I assume that is a cannon that you have designed, sir?" he asked. Kant nodded, affirming his assumption to be correct.

    "That''s right. However, I have made several design changes to the cannon, making it much more effective inbat, thereby giving us a military advantage.

    This cannon uses a breechloading mechanism, allowing for faster reloading and improved firing ratepared to traditional muzzle-loading cannons." He then walked over once again and handed over the blueprint to Armstrong, the defense minister. Kant then points at the specific parts of the blueprint, exining its features.

    "The breech mechanism enables the crew to load the cannon from the rear end rather than the front, which simplifies the process and minimizes the time needed between shots.

    As the description states, the caliber of the cannones in a variety of calibers, from 2 inches up to 12 inches.

    I intend therger caliber guns can be used for naval warfare, while the smaller calibers be used mainly for field artillery.

    In addition to the breechloading mechanism, we will also be using the integrated cartridge technology that I presented earlier. This would allow our men to fire the gun at a much faster rate, with greater reliability." he states.

    Armstrong could not help but look in awe at the new weapon. He studied the blueprint intently, his eyes lingering on the intricate details of its design, which strongly resembled an ''Armstrong Gun'', back in the old world. As he absorbed Kant''s exnation of its features, his awe transformed into a growing sense of excitement.

    "Excuse me, sir, what is the intended range of this weapon, and what is its name?" he asked politely. Kant smiled at Armstrong''s enthusiasm and appreciation for the new weapon. He was pleased to see his defense minister so engaged and eager to learn more.

    "The intended range of this weapon would vary depending on the caliber. Though I cannot be certain, I hope it could reach an effective range of 1.24 miles (2 kilometers) and a maximum range of about 3.11 miles (5 kilometers), at least for field artillery.

    As for the name, I named it ''BBIC-18XX.'' Although, you can call it any nickname if you like if you find the name a little too technical." the king states.

    "Can I do that for the other weapons?" Armstrong added in.

    "Of course, Minister Armstrong," King Kant replied with a smile.

    "Feel free to give any of the weapons a nickname that you believe suits them better. It would certainly add a touch of familiarity and character to our arsenal."

    With that settled, Kant walks back to his original position, taking the blueprint with him. He keeps it to the side and picks up another file to present the ministers.

    "Now, this is the final ''gun'' I had designed so far." Kant lifted the blueprint and presented it to all the ministers to see. The weapon featured multiple barrels arranged in a circr cluster. These barrels are positioned around a central axis, creating a cylindrical shape.

    The gun itself was mounted on a tripod, with the description iming it to be adjustable. There was also a hand-crank mechanism near the back, which rotates the barrels when turned by the operator. Above the barrels, there is an ammunition-feeding mechanism, using a sort of belt system.

    The belt system appeared to be a novel approach to ammunition feeding, as it allowed for a continuous stream of projectiles to be loaded into the firing position. The barrels were shorter than those of the previous cannon, with a much smaller caliber.

    Being the defense minister, he requested to take a closer look at the blueprints. Kant feeling as if he is leaving out Carl and n from taking a nce at his blueprints themselves, asked whether they also wanted to view it.

    "No thank you, sir. I think it would be best if we let the defense minister take at the weapon blueprints," Carl imed. n nodded in agreement. Upon hearing their opinion, Kant blended the blueprint over to Armstrong.

    Armstrong studied the blueprint intently, he couldn''t help but notice the distinctive appearance of this multi-barreled weapon. Despite not hearing a single word from Kant about the weapon in question, he could already envision its devastating firepower on the battlefield.

    His brain started to theorize on what this weapon was meant to do, and how it operated. He took in the clues presented in the blueprint, along with his own experience and knowledge of firearms to conclude.

    "Excuse me, sir, is this gun designed to continuously fire?" he queried Kant. His eyebrows shot up in surprise and his face formed a smile upon hearing his question.

    "That is correct! How did you figure?" he queried back. Armstrong, with a confident look on his face, replied,<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "The design elements are quite telling, sir. The multiple barrels arranged in a circr cluster, the ammunition-feeding mechanism, and the hand-crank near the back all indicate that this gun is meant for continuous fire."

    Kant chuckled, impressed by Armstrong''s keen observation and deductive skills.

    "Well done, Minister Armstrong. You are right. This remarkable weapon is indeed designed for continuous fire. Just like the BLBA-18 Rifle, it will be using integrated cartridge technology.

    I came up with the design while designing the BLBA-18 Rifle, believe it or not."

    "What is the name of this marvelous piece of engineering?"

    "I call it the CRR-18. As Armstong suggested earlier, the CRR-18 is capable of unleashing a devastating storm of bullets on the battlefield.

    Its rotating barrels, driven by the hand-crank mechanism, ensure a steady stream of projectiles. This feature gives it a significant advantage in suppressing enemy forces and fortifications.

    The continuous fire capability will prove invaluable in various scenarios, such as repelling enemy charges, defending strategic positions, and providing cover for our troops during maneuvers. Which is why I went to great lengths to design this weapon."

    "Now, do you gentlemen have any questions?" Armstrong immediately raised his hands, while Carl and ny back on their chairs, just listening to Armstong and Kant. n did not have enough knowledge about firearms to ask any questions, and Carl felt he had nothing to ask.

    "What is it, Minister Armstong?" Kant finally acknowledges Armstrong.

    "Well sir, although the CRR-18 seems like a formidable weapon fur to its continuous fire capability, I wonder about its reliability and ammunition capacity.

    How long can it sustain this barrage of bullets before needing to reload, or break down?" Armstrong questions.

    "That is an excellent question, Minster Armstrong. I am d you asked. Although the CRR-18 is designed to be as reliable and powerful as it can be, there are practical limitations we must consider, as with any piece of engineering."

    Kant continued to borate.

    "In terms of ammunition capacity of the CRR-18, it can be adjusted by modifying the size of the belt system and the number of rounds it can hold.

    As it stands, the standard configuration allows for a substantial amount of ammunition to be loaded into the belt system, providing a continuous stream of projectiles during extended firefights." he exined.

    "However, when ites to the reliability of the weapon, we may face a few troubles. As with any multi-barreled weapon, such as the CRR-18, there will be an inherent increase inplexitypared to single-barreled guns.

    This is because of the presence of more mechanical parts within the system. There is a higher chance of malfunction urring, especially in the early stages of implementation."

    "There is also the trouble of using ck powder as a propent in the ammo. As you all know, ck powder, once activated, will leave a ck residue inside of the barrel, causing trouble with firing the weapon.

    As this gun is designed to continuously fire dozens of rounds containing ck powder, it may lead to the barrels being quickly submerged in a ck powder residue." Kant stated.

    "However, please keep in mind that we cannot be fully sure how big these problems will affect the performance of the weapon until we conduct some tests. This applies not only to the CCR-18 but to the other weapons that I have designed and brought up in this meeting," Kant answers.

    "Any more questions?" he asked his ministers. All of them stayed silent, voicing to Kant that they had none left.

    "Excellent. Now, there is one more blueprint that I have to show you. One that I think will capture all of your interests." he imed. He picked up the final file on the table and opened it up.

    "Gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to one of my most revolutionary inventions yet; the hot air balloon!"

 Chapter 231 Hot Air Balloons!

    ?

    There was silence in the meeting room in which the ministers and the king upied. The three had no idea what an airship was and required further boration from their king, who in their eyes, always managed toe up with wacky, yet revolutionary inventions.

    "Excuse me, sir, but I am afraid we do not understand. What is a Hot Air Balloon?" Carl, the director of the CIA queried the king, in a polite and friendly tone.

    "A Hot air balloon is an aircraft we can use to fly," Kant imed. Another moment of silence. Kant allowed the words to be processed by their brains.

    "I bed your pardon, sir?" n asked, unable to believe his ears. Their jaws slightly drop, and their eyes widen. Kant, noticing the bewildered expressions on the faces of his ministers, realized that the concept of a flying machine was entirely foreign to them. He took a deep breath, preparing himself to exin this revolutionary idea in more detail.

    "I understand that the idea of a flying aircraft might seem strange and unfamiliar, but let me exin further," Kant began.

    "A Hot air balloon is arge, bag-like structure made of fabric, called an ''envelope''. The envelope is filled with heated air through an opening called the ''mouth''. The principle behind it is quite simple.

    As the air inside the balloon bes warmer than the surrounding air, it bes less dense, creating buoyancy that lifts the balloon off the ground."

    He paused, giving the ministers a moment to process the information. Kant then gets the ministers all closer together, so that they all can observe the blueprint while Kant continues his exnation. He pointed to the blueprint, illustrating the differentponents of the hot air balloon.

    "Here you can see the envelope, which is the main body of the balloon." Kant then moves his finger down, to the bottom of the envelope. There appeared to be arge hole just underneath the envelope.

    "Thisrge opening at the bottom here is called the ''mouth''. This is where the hot air is blown in during the intion process." He then points his finger to two vertical rectangles, painted ck.

    "These two rectangles right here represent the burners. It is theponent that generates the heat needed to fill the envelope with hot air." Kant then moved his finger to the drawing of the basket. It was connected to the burners with a metal frame of some sort, which also connected the ''envelope'' using some kind of rope.

    "This is the basket. This is where the passengers or cargo be. As you can see, the basket is attached to the envelope, so it moves along with the balloon." Kant paused once again, ensuring that all the ministers were following his exnation. Their expressions were a mix of curiosity and awe, as if they were little children, listening to their parents answering their questions.

    "Now, the key to controlling the hot air balloon''s altitude is managing the heat inside the envelope. To ascend, the burners release arger me, heating the air more and increasing the buoyancy.

    On the other hand, to descend, the pilot can allow some hot air to escape through the mouth, reducing the balloon''s buoyancy. As for navigation, it isrgely determined by wind currents," he stated.

    "Wind currents?" Armstrong asked.

    "Yes, Sir Armstrong. Wind Currents." Kant gestured towards the sky outside the window.

    "Winds blow at various speeds and directions at different altitudes. The balloon can be maneuvered horizontally by ascending or descending to catch the wind currents blowing in the desired direction," Kant informed.

    The ministers exchanged a few nces before turning back to Kant. They were all very much intrigued by the contraption but still had some concerns and skepticism in the back of their mind.

    They weren''t sure whether a device such as this could work, but then again, they knew that they could have never expected engineering marvels such as those steam engines, trains, steel mills, and such. They knew very well who Kant was, and his capabilities, but not sure where his capabilities end.

    "Do you all have any questions?" Kant asked the ministers. They all raised their hands, leaving Kant to decide who to answer first. He pointed his finger toward Carl and called him out.

    "Speak, Mr. Carl."

    "This invention is undeniably fascinating, but are there any risks or challenges associated with flying a hot air balloon?" he questioned.

    "Indeed. As with any form of air travel, there are many significant challenges when ites to this device. A few hade to mind.

    First is the dependence on weather conditions. Balloon flights must be conducted during stable weather with minimal wind.

    As it is designed, strong gusts can make the balloon difficult to control andnd safely. This could have the potential to cause a lot of damage to property, and casualties on human life," Kant admitted.

    "Also..." Kant continued,

    "There''s the issue of altitude. As the air balloon goes higher, the air bes thinner, which could affect both the efficiency of the burners and the health of the passengers.

    There are limits to how high a hot air balloon can safely ascend, and we will have to try to figure out by how much. Furthermore, there might be an issue withnding. <novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Due to its dependence on wind currents for navigation, it might be challenging to predict precisely where the balloon willnd." Kant exined.

    "Any other questions?" he asked. While Armstrong and Carl had their hands down, n lifted his arm, still having an unanswered question.

    "Yes, Minister n?"

    "What materials will the envelope be using? For such a device, surely we might need some sort of miracle fabric that could resist the heat?" he asked.

    "No. It does not. I have evaluated some fabrics for what I should use and concluded that Hemp can be used. As for the frames and such, we can use steel," he stated.

    "What about the basket sir? Surely we might not have the proper materials to construct a strong, yet lightweight basket?" he added.

    "For the basket, we can use plywood for the job. I heard that there was a factory being set up in Industrial District 1. It should be strong and lightweight enough for the job," Kant replied.

    "Any more questions?" he queried the ministers. They all kept silent, with their hands underneath the desk. Feeling as if he cleared out all their questions, he moved on with the meeting.

    "Despite the problems that the hot air balloon may possess, I can see many uses for this device, and what it could provide for the Army, the CIA, and the kingdom as a whole." Kant boldly imed.

    "Like what sir?" n asked. Armstrong immediately replied to his question, feeling as if he knew the answer Kant was about to give.

    "Maybe it can be used to create maps? The hot air balloon could give a proper view of thendscape for Cartographers," he answered.

    "That is correct, Sir Armstrong," Kant affirmed, nodding in agreement.

    "The hot air balloon''s ability to ascend to various altitudes and maneuver horizontally could indeed provide cartographers with a unique andprehensive view of thendscape.

    Mapping unexplored territories or areas with challenging terrain could be made easier and more urate with the use of hot air balloons.

    This would mean our maps could be much more urate. This invention could be employed for reconnaissance purposes. We could equip a hot air balloon with observational instruments high into the sky to survey enemy territories or monitor the movements of opposing forces.

    It would give us a significant advantage in gathering intelligence in case the kingdom and the Empire go to war," Kant averred.

    "However, we should try to keep this project a secret from the greater public, and the kingdoms around the continent as well.

    We shouldn''t go around unting these new innovations. That might draw unwanted attention, especially from the queen. This goes to other projects as well, such as the BLBA-18 Rifle, BBIC-18XX, and CRR-18.

    These projects should be tested out in secret, in the middle of a dangerous forest if they have to."

    "That is right sir! We cannot have them find out that we are making these miracle weapons," n stated, while the others nodded.

    "However, that brings up a question. Where should this ce be?" n asked. Kant turned towards n and gave off a smile.

    "That involved the final request I have for you, Minister n. I want you to get someone to find a great ce to set up this base of operations. Can you do that for me?" he asked. n nodded.

    "Not to worry sir. I already have a bunch of guys I know and trust. I will have them scout a good area to build this base. I can even have someone design a blueprint for the ce!" he replied.

    "That is wonderful. Thank you, minister. Now..." Kant turns to the rest of the ministers.

    "That is all I have to show you all today. I humbly thank you all foring to this meeting. I presume you all remember your tasks?" The ministers nodded, before replying "Yes" in a confident tone.

    "Good. Well, in that case, there is no longer a reason for us to stay here. Meeting Adjourned."

 Chapter 232 The Charter For Post Office Department

    ?

    13th of Heimz, 5018.

    Kant stood firm in his ck suit, looking out of the ss window to gaze upon his magnificent industrial city. He could see the chimneys puffing out ck smoke high into the sky, the steam trams moving around at high speeds, and the people going about their day, as they went over to work, to shop, and to learn.

    In just a matter of months, he had managed to turn this primitive pre-industrial merchant city, into an industrial manufacturing giant, producingrge about of steel, textiles, and other goods at a fast rate at apetitive price. He had done this by introducing new legition, and technologies such as the steam engine.

    He soon hoped to expand this model to the other cities of the kingdom and incentivize the people living in the smaller towns to move over to therger cities, so that his kingdom could grow in wealth and prosperity.

    Before he could continue on daydreaming about the future, his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a knock on the door. Kant turns around and takes his seat on his chair, before allowing whomever on the other side of the door to enter.

    "Come in."

    n walks inside the room, carrying what appears to be arge rolled piece of paper. He bowed down, greeted Kant good morning, and then handed him the rolled piece of paper.

    "This newwork map just came in today. It says right here on the top left that it is from the drafting team. They said this new map has been reviewed and epted by the civil engineers," n imed. Kant unrolled the map to take a look for himself.

    He was stunned by the level of detail they had put on the map. They had covered every major city, town, and vige in the kingdom. The map also indicated potential sites for future railway expansion, highlighting the strategic locations for industrial development and resource exploitation.

    Kant studied the map carefully, tracing his fingers along the intricate lines and symbols. The drafting team had truly outdone themselves. Perhaps, it was the reason why he couldn''t get the map earlier to bring to the meeting.

    "This is exceptional work, Minister n. Imend the members for taking their time to make such an intricate and detailed map," Kant praised. He looked up from the map to face n.

    "How many revisions did they have to go through?" he asked.

    "From what I heard, they had to revise the about 5 times, sir. Though, they were minor changes to thework. This is the final product they had approved of. They asked me to present it to you," he stated.

    "Are there any changes you would like to make to the map, sir?" n queried the king. Kant looked back down at the map to analyze it a bit further.

    "No. This is good. I approve of this map. When are they starting construction?" Katn replied, adding a question at the end.

    "It is scheduled to start on the 20th of Heinz. They said they needed time to prepare. To get their workers equipped with proper clothing and all. They also request that we send a few DEF Agents as well."

    "Is that so?"

    "Yes. They are afraid that their workers will get attacked by a bunch of demons while working. It may cause a lot of dys, and additional cost while building it."

    "I fully understand. Get Director Kristina Robins to send some DEF agents to protect the workers. We don''t want any dys because of those pesky animals."

    "Right away, sir. I will have her know today. Is there anything else you need me to do?"

    "Yes, there are two more things you can do for me," Kant replied. He got up and walked over to his file cab, where he keeps a lot of files about invention blueprints, legition, and charters safe and sound. He picked up a blue file and handed it over to the minister to read.

    Inside, he found a charter for a new department, called the ''Post Office Department''. As he perused through the document, his curiosity grew. The charter outlined the establishment of a centralized postal service, how it worked, and the responsibilities it entailed.

    "What is this, your majesty?" he queried the king, wanting a little more information and context.

    "This, Minister n, is the charter for the ''Post Office Department''. It outlines the n to establish a centralized postal service for our kingdom, to allow individuals tomunicate with each other better."

    "A centralized postal service?" n questioned, a little surprised. Currently, there was no governmental organization regting posts. One had to pay a private messenger, who will deliver a letter or a post to the recipient.

    The pigeon carrier towers, which were settled across the entire continent, were also run by private entities, separate from the kingdom''s rule. <novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Indeed. The aim here is to improvemunication between the city of Hoverdam, and the other smaller cities and towns of the kingdom. It is my firm belief, that this is a necessary development, to continue the industrialization of our nation," Kant exined.

    "I see sir. Could you please borate further?" n politely asked.

    "Sure, no problem.A centralized postal service would allow fastermunication between individuals and businesses, businesses and businesses, and individuals and other individuals. What used to take a couple of days, could be delivered to the right person in a quicker time.

    With a centralized postal service, people in even the most remote areas of our kingdom can stay connected and informed, fostering a sense of unity and cooperation among our citizens," he exined.

    "Furthermore, there are advantages to us, the government as well. A well-organized postal system will be able to facilitate the timely exchange of official documents, notices, and other crucial information, enhancing the overall efficiency of our administration.

    For instance, say the IRS want to inform the citizens how much taxes they owe the government. They can just send it via a letter through the postal service." he stated, adding an example at the end.

    n listened intently to Kant''s exnation, graduallyprehending the significance of establishing a centralized postal service. He nodded in agreement, seeing how it could streamlinemunication not only between citizens but also between various government departments.

    Although it would mean a lot of work, considering he not only had to set up an office not just in the city of Hoverdam, but in all other cities as well, he was up for the challenge. Besides, it wasn''t as if this was his first time on the job. The man was an experienced minister after all.

    "That sounds like a splendid idea, your majesty. Though, I do have one question though," n responded.

    "What is it?"

    "Will we be utilizing the railroadwork for this? I have a feeling that you are bringing this up now because of the railroadwork, which will start construction soon," he added, asking Kant a question, to which he nodded.

    "Yes, it will. I am only bringing this up now for that exact reason."

    "The railroad and the postal service will help the kingdom integrate its territories far better. It allows for the centralization of government power and expands our administrative capabilities. It is very important that this railroad gets built," he told the minister, his voice very serious and stern.

    "This brings me to my second request. I need you tomission a few lotives, as well as a dozen lotive carriages, for me.

    Considering that we will be building these railroads around the entire kingdom, it will get progressively harder to build on territories further away from any major urban settlements.

    This would be a significant logistical issue in the construction of thework, as materials will have to travel longer to reach the area the materials are demanded." Kant exined.

    "That is indeed a problem, sir. Do you have any way to fix this?" he asked.

    "I do. To solve this issue, we can use the lotives themselves to bring in the materials needed to build thework, as well as any other supplies they may need while building it.

    It will help the railroad to be built faster, and it will also serve as a test to see how reliable the train tracks and the lotives are.

    Once the project is finished, we can start utilizing the railroadwork far sooner, as we would already have a few lotives in hand to use," Kant answers, impressing the minister once again.

    "That is a brilliant solution, your majesty! I will get to it, as soon as possible," he stated.

    "Thank you, minister. You praise me too much. Now, I hope you remember my requests?"

    "Yes sir. I do. I need to contact Director Kristina about sending in a few DEF agents, I need to set up the Post Office Department, and I need tomission a few lotives and carriages," he replied back.

    "Very good. Now, you may now leave the room,"

 Chapter 233 A Meeting Between Generals

    ?

    15th of Heinz, 5018.

    It was another bright, beautiful morning in the city of Hoverdam. The clear blue sky gave no indication of any snow that will fall upon the city today. Inside a pce, a room was reserved and upied by a bunch of military officers, all wearing some form of forest-green military uniform.

    These men,prised of high-ranking military officials, were waiting for the Defense Minister to show his face. They were all instructed and informed by the man himself toe to his meeting. Although they did not what it was for, they were told in the letters that it was very important.

    As they waited, they chattered amongst each other, talking about whatever subject sparked their interests. Most of them were mainly discussions about the weapons they were using, any potential strategies for training their soldiers more effectively, and so on. Some talked about their experience with the city, and how they managed to integrate into it.

    The front door suddenly opens, revealing a towering figure standing at the other side. The room falls into silence as they watch Richard Armstrong enter the room. He was a menacing figure, with a muscr body and a tall stature that one could dream of having. He carried with him a ck leather briefcase in his left hand while wearing his elegant military uniform on his body.

    He closes the door and makes his way to the front of the room, where he sets the briefcase down on a wooden table. Richard then turns around to face his military officers, which consisted of a dozen Major General and a couple dozen Colonels.

    "Good morning everyone! I hope you have settled well into your new homes?" he asked the men in the room, his enthusiasm high and mighty. The men all nod in agreement followed by a "Yes, sir!".

    "Good! Very good! Now, you may all be wondering why I have brought you here to this meeting," he asked his generals.

    "Yes, sir!" they speak, acting a lot like soldiers. They had a lot of questions as the purpose of the meeting was vaguely defined.

    "Well, the reason is simple! His Majesty King Kant Icurus Maybale has designed some new weapon systems for the military to use in the future!

    Although they are currently a top-secret, I have received permission from him to discuss these weapons among you all," he imed. Armstrong opens up his briefcase to collect the stack of files. The general''s eyes sparkled with curiosity and intrigue, wondering what mayy inside them.

    "Remember, these files cannot escape this room! We cannot afford to have this information leak to the public, or the other kingdoms. Do you all understand?" Armstrong queried the generals. They all nodded and acknowledge the defense minister, signaling to Armstong that they fully understand.

    Armstrong passes on files to the generals. They open them up and begin to examine the blueprints that Armstrong had been given. The room was filled with hushed whispers and awe-struck expressions as the high-ranking military officers pored over the top-secret blueprints.

    "These are remarkable innovations, Minister Armstrong," one of the Major Generals remarked, his eyes still fixed on the blueprint in front of him.

    "I couldn''t agree more," another General chimed in.

    "These weapons have the potential to revolutionize our military capabilities and ensure the safety and security of our kingdom!" another added.

    "When will this be deployed to our arm forces?" one of the generals questioned, eager to know when he can get his hands on them.

    "His Highness stated that he would like some of them to be developed and deployed sometime around next year," he answered.

    "How will they be developed and tested without the other kingdoms from noticing?" another asked.

    "Excellent question," Minister Armstrong replied, acknowledging the general''s concern.

    King Kant is aware of the delicate nature of this endeavor. That''s why he has tasked us with the utmost secrecy and confidentiality.

    The development and testing of these new weapon systems will take ce in a top-secret facility located far from the prying eyes of other kingdoms." Armstrong paused for a moment, ensuring he had the full attention of the room before continuing.

    "To maintain secrecy, we will refer to this facility as ''Project Argus.'' As of now, only a few select individuals, including His Majesty and a handful of trusted advisors, are aware of the true nature of ''Project Argus.''

    The explorers, who are currently out scouting for potential locations, are simply under the impression that they are searching for sites suitable for military training exercises. They have no knowledge of the real purpose behind their mission. Once the explorers find an ideal location, we will move swiftly to establish the facility," Armstrong stated with determination.

    "The construction will be carried out by a specialized team made up of our best engineers and construction workers the kingdom has to offer. They will be sworn to secrecy, and the construction site will be heavily guarded at all times.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    As such, we will be needing some trustworthy soldiers to guard the construction site against any hostile enemy, whether it be spies, demons, or just regr citizens," he informed the generals.

    "I want each of you to submit rmendations for soldiers you believe can handle this task with the utmost dedication and secrecy," Armstrong instructed the generals.

    "We''ll need a team that can work cohesively, and the soldiers chosen should have a track record of reliability and trustworthiness. You have all the time in the world, at least for now. Do you all understand?"

    The generals nodded in agreement, understanding the gravity of their role in selecting the right personnel. They were well aware that this project could be a turning point in their kingdom''s military prowess, and they were eager to see it seed.

    "Good. Now that is out of the way, let''s discuss another thing while we are at it," he said.

    "Do you all have any nicknames we can give our weapons?"

    ...

    Meanwhile, out in the pce fields, the white snow floor was littered with shattered wooden targets, shot at a great distance using a rifled gun.

    On the side, a tall and muscr man picked up a ceramic brown te, awaiting further instructions. Right next to him, there was a tall stack of ceramic tes, about as tall as 5 feet. There were about 3 stacks of them there, all waiting to be used.

    "Launch!" he hears someone shout. The man strengthens his grip on the te and looks to the sky. He then leans his arms back and throws the te into the sky. The brown ceramic te flies into the distance, attempting to make its escape from the pce grounds.

    Click... Bang!

    The ceramic te shatters into a million pieces, as a small leaded ball prates the te right in the middle. The pieces freefall into the ground,nding on the cushioning thick snow.

    "Hit!" once announced, screaming off the top of his voice. Kant, who held up a long rifled gun, smiled at the announcement, pleased to find that his aiming skills has not deteriorated. It had been a long time since he had used a rifle. He took pleasure and pride in his uracy and proficiency in using the firearm.

    After all the things he had done, he felt as if he deserved a good break, some time to enjoy himself while he is at it, before heading back to work. The man started reloading his rifle, hoping to take down another target.

    As he reloaded his rifle, his ears pick up the sound of snow being stumped, as someone walked closer and closer to him. He turned his head to ce, only to see the assistant minister, n ''Walker'' Fleck,ing for him, holding a letter in hand.

    "Morning your majesty! I have received a letter from the Aceaton Empire, addressed to you!" he imed.

    "Who is it from?" Kant asked. He continued reloading his rifle, wanting to take aim and destroy another ceramic te.

    "It says that it is from the Empress herself, Rose Valline," n answered. Kant fully loaded his gun and handed it over to n to hold. He then took the envelope and uncovered the letter within.

    "Dear King Kant Icurus Maybale,

    I, the Empress of the Aceaton Empire, Rose ''Tippo'' Valline, am inviting you to an important meeting taking ce on the 5th of Initium, next year. The meeting will take ce at the Royal Pce in the City of Vallina. Please make sure to dress in formal royal attire for the asion.

    It ispulsory that you attend this meeting, as it details events that concern the fate of the world and the well-being of the people. The purpose is to have a civil discussion among the kings of the entire Aceaton Continent..."

    Kant continues and finishes reading the letter. He then hands it over to n, his trusted assistant minister.

    "Should I make preparations for your departure, sir?" he asked.

    "Yes, you shall," Kant replied. He took back his rifled musket and went on to fire down every single one of those damn ceramic tes.

 Chapter 234 Marco And Vice Meets Oswald

    ?

    20th of Heinz, 5018.

    The embers crackled and flickered around in the firece, illuminating the opulent room with its orange light. The heat emanating from the fire provided aforting warmth for the room''s upants, who sat there on a row of chairs, wearing 3 piece suits.

    On two of these dozen wooden chairs, sat Marco Dietrichson and Vice Grotti. The two were both dripped in a suit, waiting patiently for their turn. On Marco''sp, was a brown leather briefcase, filled up with documents and files about the bicycle workshop.

    It had been 39 days since they had evaluated and invested in the bicycle workshop, located in the downtown area. During that time, there had been exceptional innovations and changes in the business and the product.

    The workshop had started using and employing airless hemp tires, originally made to be used for carriages. The tires made the bicycle much faster while providing a smoother ride. It became evermore popr among the residents in the downtown area.

    With Marco and Vice''s investment, the workshop was able to establish a contract with the firm, being able to buy off a lot of hemp tires to use in their bicycles. The move had managed to dramatically increase sales among the local poption, and improve the bicycle''s poprity among the residents.

    Their value had definitely gone up dramatically in a short period of time, pressuring Marco and Vice to get more investors to the workshop as quickly as possible, to keep this momentum going.

    Marco and Vice both sat next to each other, with Marco holding the briefcase. They had been patiently waiting for their turn to be summoned into the venture capitalist''s office. They were there to get a form of investment from him, to help them continue to find and grow the business.

    As Marco and Vice sat in the opulent waiting room, the anticipation in the air was palpable. Marco took another nce at the Card he was given. Written in ck ink, it had the number ''05'' written on it. If his memory served him correctly, the two of them should be next in line to meet the merchant.

    "How long will this take?" Vice whispered into Marco''s ear, his patience waning thin. Marco nced at Vice, his eyes reflecting the shared anticipation. He understood Vice''s restlessness, as they had been waiting for what seemed like an eternity.

    "I''m not sure, Vice," Marco whispered back. As they exchanged whispers, a door at the far end of the waiting room creaked open. The room fell into a sudden silence as all eyes turned toward the entrance. A tall emerged, dressed in a tailored suit leaves the room, followed by another tall figure in a suit.

    Marco and Vice immediately recognize the two figures. They were the ones who were previously summoned into the merchant''s office. As these mysterious men leave the waiting room, their anticipation rises, hopeful that they will be summoned next.

    The assistant walks out of the room. He was just another average working man, and an avid listener, of Marco and Vice''s preachings. It was through him that they managed to get a chance to talk to these venture capitalists.

    "Number 05, please enter the room," he speaks. Marco and Vice both stand up and stretch a little. They walk inside the room, to face a 37-year-old bald man with sharp cocoa-brown eyes, decked out in a ck suit with a blue tie, Oswald Audley.

    "Hello there gentlemen. May I have your names?" he asked while extending his hands. Marco and Vice gave it a firm shake, before repeating their names for Oswald to hear. Oswald gives off a polite smile, before telling them to sit down.

    "Now, how may I help you two young gentlemen?" he asked the two teenagers.

    "Mr. Oswald, we have an investment opportunity for you," Marco began, his voice filled with a blend of confidence and excitement.

    "I see. Well, please! Tell me more about this investment opportunity. I am eager to know," Oswald stated.

    "In the downtown area, there is a workshop that is selling a very unique product called a ''bicycle''. It had been gaining poprity among the locals, who view it as an easy way of transportation," Marco exined.

    "From our evaluation of the business, we discovered that the workshop has immense potential for growth, and thus acquired a 30% stake in thepany," Vice added.

    "With our minuscule investment, they have already made significant strides in improving their product and capturing the attention of the market." Marco nodded in agreement with Vice.

    "Considering that the workshop does not have anypetitors, for now, this could be a great opportunity for them to monopolize the market." Oswald leaned forward, his eyes fixed on Marco and Vice.

    "That sounds intriguing. What is it that you are seeking from me?"

    "We are seeking additional investment to scale up production, expand marketing efforts, and establish a factory to produce more bicycles, in an effort to reduce cost and expand our market base," Marco exined.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "With your support, we can elerate the growth of thepany, and sell this product all over the kingdom." Oswald Audley leaned back in his chair, contemting Marco and Vice''s proposition. Though he was impressed by their enthusiasm and the potential they saw in the bicycle workshop, he was still skeptical as the two didn''t appear a day older than 15, around the age Oswald had started.

    "Marco and Vice, your proposal ispelling," Oswald began.

    "However, before making any investment decisions, I would like to understand the financials and projections of the workshop moreprehensively," he stated. Marco nodded in response.

    "Of course, Mr. Oswald. I understand your skepticism about this newpany, considering we don''t have that much history behind us. It is good to be cautious," Marco replied.

    "That is why we have prepared a detailed financial analysis that outlines the current financial performance of the workshop, as well as future projections based on market trends and growth potential," Vice stated.

    Marco opened the briefcase and pulled out a stack of documents. He then hands them over for Oswald to take a gander at. Using his reading sses, Oswald quickly reads and digests all the information present inside the files.

    The files contained a list of financial statements, including sales figures, expenses, and profit margins that extended for about 3 whole months! Considering the workshop started selling its product so recently, it was no wonder why he wasn''t aware of it.

    After carefully reviewing the financial statements, it was evident to Oswald that the workshop had experienced remarkable growth in a rtively short period. It was quite impressive that these two youngsters not only managed to umte a substantial amount of money to invest but also put their money in apany engrained in an emerging market that could prove to be very lucrative.

    "Although I consider these numbers impressive, I have one question to ask of you two," he stated.

    "What is it, Mr. Oswald?"

    "Regarding the figures for ''future projections based on market trends and growth potential'', where do you intend to sell your product, other than the capital city of Hoverdam?"

    "As we said before, we are interested in selling this product all over the kingdom. As such, we thought it would be for the best to ount for that factor," Marco replied.

    "Hm... Very good. However, if the factory is located in the city of Hoverdam, how are you nning on sending it to other cities? Do you n on building a factory in every city?" It was a simple question Oswald threw in to evaluate the duo''s business knowledge.

    "We simply load it up on cargoships and sail them across the kingdom," Marco answered.

    "From there, we can establish partnerships with local shops in each city to distribute the bicycles to the local poption there," Vice added in.

    "And why would you partner with these local businesses? What benefits would they offer instead of setting up your own shops?" Oswald continued to question them further.

    "By coborating with existing businesses, we can save us the expenses of setting up individual stores, while simultaneously benefiting from the expertise and local knowledge of our partners. At our current state, it is the most cost-effective solution that will get the job done." Oswald nodded, a smile forming on his face.

    "Your strategic thinking ismendable, Mr. Marco and Mr. Vice. I could have not expected such knowledge from youngsters such as yourself." Oswald leaned back in his chair, visibly impressed by the young entrepreneurs''prehensive understanding of their market expansion strategy.

    Oswald Audley leaned back in his chair, thoroughly impressed by Marco and Vice''s thoughtful responses. Their understanding of the importance of partnerships and cost-effective strategies showcased their business acumen beyond their years.

    "Well, Mr. Marco and Mr. Vice, I am genuinely impressed with the knowledge presented today. I shall discuss this with my other business partners, and contact you two as soon as possible," Oswald stated.

    "May I have an address?" he asked. Maco took out a business card and passed it on to Oswald.

    "Here, just send a letter to this address on the card. We will be patiently waiting for a response," Marco stated. With that, their business concluded. Marco and Vice took their briefcase and said farewell to Mr. Oswald. They walked out of the room, confident that they will get a response from the OSAC group.

 Chapter 235 Finding A Suitable Location For The Base.

    ?

    22nd of Heinz, 5018.

    The bright yellow sun, which provided the realm with its yellow-golden light, was partially blocked by the dark grey clouds above the sky. Wandering around the thick, cold forest, were 5 men dripped out in cloaks and furry coats to keep themselves warm.

    Almost their entire skin was covered in clothing as they tugged through the snowden forest. Their hands were fitted with woolen gloves, their feet adorned with tall leather boots, and their faces shielded by goggles and scarves.

    These men were skilled in survival and navigation and were trusted by Assistant Minister n Fleck. They were to find a suitable location for the super-secret testing facility, disguised as a ''temporary base for military exercise in harsh winter conditions.''

    Equipped with a detailed list of criteria handed to them, the explorers evacuated each potential site they encountered. They looked for areas with an abundance of space along with sufficient natural barriers to conceal the activities from prying eyes.

    As they ventured deeper inward, the wind whispered through the towering pines, and the crunching of snow beneath their boots echoed through the silent winterndscape. Their heightened senses, once they have horned thought-out a lifetime of experience, pick up unusual movement from the north and the east.

    "Halt!'' Captain Eamon spoke. He was the leader of the expedition. Though a 50-year-old man, his muscles were still as strong as ever, and his senses we still sharper than the rest.

    "You hear that?" he asked. The team listened in very carefully. The rest of the team soon hears the odd movement. Captain Eamon instructed his team to crouch and take cover behind the dense cover of trees. They then silently moved forward in the direction where the noise can from.

    As the explorers cautiously approached the source of the unusual movement, their eyes darted through the dense forest, searching for any signs of danger. The crunching of snow beneath their boots was muffled, and their breaths came out as faint whispers in the frosty air.

    Peering through the thick foliage, they caught a glimpse of a massive, shadowy figure moving between the trees. The outline resembled that of a bear, its powerful form lumbering through the snow-covered terrain.

    "Freeze everyone! There seems to be a bear there," Eamon whispered.

    "A bear? What the fuck is a bear doing awake in the winter. Don''t they hibernate during this time?" one of the explorers whispered.

    "Yea Winston. Bears do hibernate during the winter months. However..." The other takes hold and cocks his flintlock rifle, preloaded with gunpowder and a solid lead ball. He then aims his gun in the direction of the bear.

    "unless that bear is some sort of demonic beast," he stated.

    "Wait, John! Hold your fire!" Eamon whispered.

    "We cannot be sure our rifles will be able to kill that creature. You know how powerful bears are. Our best course of action is to retreat and regroup," Eamon stated.

    The explorers stay silent for a minute, before nodding. The fear of being mowed down by a powerful grizzly bear managed to triumph over the curiosity to wonder why the creature was up during this time. Slowly, they began to withdraw from the vicinity of the bear. Their steps were calcted and deliberate, to ensure that they made no noise that would provoke the creature.

    As they retreated, Captain Eamon whispered instructions to his team, their voices barely audible in the wintry silence. They moved backward, careful not to break twigs or disturb the snow, blending into the natural surroundings like shadows.

    Once they had created a safe distance between themselves and the bear, the explorers regrouped behind arge tree. The bear was now out of their sight, providing them a sense offort as if they can rx now that the bear was not nearby. Eamon took a map and examined their position, while the others discussed the strange encounter with the bear.

    "How the hell was that thing still up in the winter? Was it a demon?" one asked.

    "If so, we will need a DEF agent to apany us. Maybe we should head back? Ask the hall to give us an agent?" one suggested.

    "Guys, I don''t think that was a demon."

    "Why not?"

    "Because demons usually have those oozing eyes and are slightlyrger and weirder. I think that was just... just a normal bear!"

    "True... but how the hell is that thing moving around then?"

    As the men argued amongst one another, Eamon listened into the conversation after pinned their position. He considered the peculiar behavior of the bear they had encountered and weighed the possibilities in his mind. He was sure that it was a demon unless something else was going around.

    "It''s unusual, I''ll admit," Eamon finally spoke, breaking his silence.

    "But let''s not jump to conclusions just yet. We need more information before we make any assumptions." The rest of the team nodded, acknowledging the wisdom in Eamon''s words.

    "We should report this encounter to Assistant Minister n Fleck," Winston suggested again.

    "He may be able to get someone with the insight or information that can help us understand what we witnessed."

    "That is true. However, we cannot leave this area yet."<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "Why not?"

    "We still have to find the area for the minister. We should explore this area a little bit more before we leave," Eamon stated.

    "We''ll proceed with caution," Eamon dered, his voice firm and resolute.

    "But we won''t let this encounter deter us from our objective. There may be something significant about this ce that we''re yet to uncover. Do you all understand me?" The explorers nodded.

    "Good. Let''s go. Follow me. There is this area we haven''t been able to investigate yet," he stated. The men started following Eamon. As they ventured deeper into the forest, they kept a watchful eye for any signs of danger or further peculiarities. So far, the forest seems quiet.

    Hours turned into days as the explorers scoured the area, examining every potential site aligned with their criteria. They fought some demons, crossed frozen streams, and traversed dense thickets, their perseverance unwavering. Yet despite all their efforts, it did not yield satisfactory results

    26th of Heinz, 5018.

    4 days had managed to slip from the explorer''s hands. Though the sky was clearer, and the area much brighter, they were struggling to continue as they were starting to face shortages of food, water, and basic materials. The men were feeling frustrated, as Captain Eamon''s strict discipline and determination began to test their limits. The initial excitement had waned, reced by fatigue and the weight of their mission.

    "Captain Eamon, we''ve been searching for days, and we still haven''t found a suitable location," one of the explorers said, frustration evident in his voice.

    "I understand your concern," Eamon replied, his tone steady. "But we must remain patient and persistent. Our mission is of utmost importance, and finding the right site is crucial to its sess."

    "But Captain, we''ve explored every inch of this area. There''s simply nowhere else to look," another explorer chimed in.

    Eamon paused for a moment, his gaze fixed on the map in his hands. They had managed to cover a significant portion of the map and record their finding in the books they kept with them at all times. He then turned his gaze to look upon his team, whose exhaustion was etched on their faces.

    "How much do we have left?" Eamon questioned, asking about the supplies.

    "Not much, sir. We could continue for about 12 hours more before we run out. I think we should head to a town, and begin the search againter," he announced. The men collectively sighed in relief, d and blissful that Eamon finally caved into their desires.

    "Hey, before we go, may I take a leak? I kind of need to go," Winston stated.

    "Sure, just don''t take too long," Eamon replied. Winston walks away from the group, leaving the rest to talk to one another about the whole experience.

    "Welp, that was a waste of time." one stated.

    "Awe on. It was not all that bad. We managed to map out this unexplored area," another added.

    "Yeah, I guess. However, we are still going to have to explore the other regions as well. Do we need the area to get all the criteria right?" one asked.

    "If we did, we would all get paid significantly more," Eamon replied. Winston soones running back to the team. The men lift their gear and start forming a collum.

    "Alright everyone, let''s go."

    "Wait!" Winston spoke. The explorers immediately stopped marching, perplexed at what Winston was on about.

    "What is it, Winston?" Eamon queried the explorer.

    "I found something! Some kind of structure! I was taking a piss when I saw this gigantic stone structure just... settled in the middle of the forest!" he imed.

    The others find him hard to believe. They were a bit skeptical of Winston, considering they had explored this region for days without spotting anything out of the ordinary. Yet, the prospect of stumbling upon a hidden structure in the middle of the forest was intriguing.

    "Are you certain about what you saw, Winston?" Eamon asked, his voice filled with curiosity.

    "I swear on my life, Captain. It was like nothing I''ve ever seen before. A massive stone structure, hidden amidst the trees," Winston replied, his voice filled with a mix of excitement and uncertainty.

    "Can you take us there?" he asked.

    "Absolutely! I know where it is," Winston replied.

    "Alright then. Lead the way, Winston. Take us to this hidden structure." Eamon instructed.

 Chapter 236 A Mysterious Place

    ?

    The group followed Winston through the snowy forest, a quiet and cold environment. Each step they took was filled with curiosity and caution, unsure of what they might discover. As far as they knew, it was some abandoned structure. The silence enveloped them all, only broken by their boots pressing onto the snow.

    As they walked along, the men had a gut-wrenching feeling that something was wrong. Despite walking for 4 minutes straight, they had not arrived at this so-called ''structure''. In the back of their minds, they began to ponder; how far did Winston walk? Was he that paranoid that someone was going to peek at him?

    "Hey, Winston! How far did you walk?" one of the explorers questioned Winston.

    "A bit. I walked for about 5 to 6 minutes. We will be arriving in about a few minutes," he imed. The explorers exchanged nces, their unease growing and their patience waning by the second. They should have been here right about now, yet there was no sign of the structure Winston had imed to have seen.

    Doubt began to creep into the minds of the experienced explorers. Whispers of skepticism began circting behind Winston''s back, unsure if Winston knew the right way.

    "Are you sure you''re leading us in the right direction, Winston?" one of the explorers asked, his voice tinged with suspicion. Winston paused, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face.

    "I... I thought I was," he stammered, his voiceced with doubt.

    "I think I have taken a wrong turn. I do not recognize that tree branch over there..." Eamon, though disappointed by the turn of events, maintained hisposure. He knew that losing their way in the vast snowy forest was a real possibility.

    "Alright, Winston. Take your time and retrace your steps. We''ll wait here," Eamon states. Winston turned back, retracing his path through the snow while the rest of the team huddled together, their breath visible in the frosty air.

    The atmosphere grew tense as they anxiously awaited Winston''s return. They started huddling together and exchanging warm water with each other, to warm down their throats and bodies, their breaths visible in the frosty air.

    Minutes turned into what felt like an eternity, as the crew spent their time in this freezing, hostile environment. Just as doubt was about to ovee their patience, Winston emerged from the tree line, a mixture of relief and frustration on his face.

    "I... I found it. I made a wrong turn back there. We can still reach the structure in about 2 minutes."

    "Is that so? Well then, lead the way," Eamon replies. His voice carried a hint of skepticism as he spoke. Though doubt lingered in their minds, they put faith in their fellow explorer that he ain''t lying. Minutes passed as they trudged through the snow. The forest seems to close in on them, the trees towering over them, and the silence bing almost suffocating.

    "Alright, we are here."

    Just as the explorers past a thick bush, whaty before their eyes mesmerized their adventurous souls, and piqued their curiosity. It was a single-story stone structure, made primarily out of polished stone bricks covered in leaves and snow, well hidden in the forest thanks to the thick tall tree walls and small bush vegetation surrounding it.

    They continued to gaze at the magnificent structure, amazed by how it managed to stay well hidden from the human eye. They weren''t sure how Winston managed to spot the thing in the first ce, and thus, queried him about it.

    "Hey Winston, how the hell did you see this?" one of the explorers questioned him.

    "Just blind luck, I guess. My eyes noticed something odd in the distance. I walked over those bushes and found this thing," he answered.

    Eamon quickly moved his face away from gazing upon the structure, to look at his list of criteria. ording to the list, this area suits the minister''s requirements perfectly. Considering this area managed to hide thisrge stone structure, he had no doubt that the minister would ept this ce.

    Yet, he did not want the ce to get demolished or taken over by the military, as they could cause damage to the ce. Who knows what they could find inside this mysterious ce? It might as well be some sort of ancient temple, containing vast knowledge and loot to collect.

    "Alright everyone, let''s not waste any more time. Search the building for an entry point. Who knows what might be inside," he instructed. Before he goes on to report this site to the minister, he decides to investigate the interior of the structure first, to evaluate whether it is worth reporting to the government.

    The group started to get closer to the walls of the structure, examining every tiny detail of it. They wondered if there was some kind of door that was buried underneath the snow and fauna.

    "Captain, I think I found something! Some kind of wooden door buried underneath the snow!" one of the explorers yelled. They all quickly moved away from their location to help the explorer dig the snow out of the way.

    Soon enough, the team manages to unearth an old wooden door, which had suffered under rot for so long. It did not take them long to break it in two, allowing the team ess to the structure. Beyond the door,y a vast pit of darkness further into thepound. The sense of mystery and curiosity starts to wash over and drown the explorers.

    "What should we do now? Should we go explore?" one asked.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I really want to, but I don''t think we have enough supplies to do so," another replied.

    "I mean, we could just go down there for about... 10 minutes. See if there is anything valuable inside there," Winston suggested.

    "What do you think, Captain?" the explorers shift the decision to Eamon.

    "Hm... I think it would be best to explore this area for a bit beforeing back out. We might not have time to look through the whole thing, but we might get a sense of what we can find in there," he stated.

    "However, we must remain vignt at all times. A few of us should hold the torches, while the others use their rifles. Is that understood?" he asked. His men nodded.

    "Good, now can someone light a touch?" Eamon asked.

    "On it, sir." Winston took out a stick and covered it with a cloth they had. They then put on some mmable oil on it, before lighting it up with a matchstick.

    "Alright. Let''s go." The explorers start their descent into the depths of the darkenedpound. The torch cast eerie shadows on the stone walls, revealing ancient paintings drawn long ago.

    Though they didn''t have time to analyze and admire their beauty, they took a mental note of their existence and moved on. The halls of thepounds were rather dusty, riddled with cobwebs all over. As they moved through, the explorers had to burn down the webs to continue their journey inward.

    "Hey guys, don''t you think we are going in a little too deep?" one asked. The men had no way of keeping track of time and had to resort to counting in their heads.

    "Maybe. Should we head back then?"

    "No, wait. I can see something..." Winston remarked.

    "What is it?" Earmon asked. Winston kept quiet and continued to walk ahead. Being the man with the torch, the explorers had no option but to follow.

    "Winston? Winston, you haven''t answered me yet..." Eamon spoke. His wordsnd on deaf ears as Winston continued to walk further. He started to strike Eamon''s nerves.

    "Winston? Winston! Answer me!" he yelled. Winston suddenlyes to a stop. With a strange voice, he speaks in a strange voice.

    "Eamon. Eamon Silverman. May I have a word with you?" he spoke. The explorers found themselves surrounded by strange creatures, posing dark cyan eyes. Andereline started pumping through their veins, as they point their guns towards the creatures hiding just beyond the veil of darkness.

    "Who are you? What have you done to Winston?" one of the explorers demanded to know, pointing a gun at his head. Winston turns around and takes off his sses, revealing dark cyan eyes.

    "Do not fret about your friend. I just want to talk with your leader."

    "Oh yea? And what if we don''t?" Winston turns his head to face the explorer.

    "I am afraid that would mean that we would have to put you all down," he replied. One of the men fires at the creature. To their horror, their bullets seem to have no effect.

    "As you can see, your weapons do not have any effect on us. Please, put down your weapons and just listen to us," he spoke. The team looked at the Captain, awaiting his response.

    "Alright, we will hear you out. But first, you got to answer some questions for us," he stated.

    "dly. What is your question?"

    "What in god''s name are you all?" he asked.

 Chapter 237 The Perfect Place

    ?

    "What in god''s name are you all?" Eamon questioned the creature taking possession of Winston''s body. His voice echoed throughout the chambers of thepound, covered in darkness. Though Earmon held a facade of stoicism and bravery, the man shivered internally, his lungs breathing heavily, and his heart beating fast, as he was afraid of these alien creatures.

    "Us? We are not from here. We don''t have a name for us. You can call us whatever you see fit," the creature replied, its voice a mingle of Winston''s voicebox, low pitched. It send a little shiver down everyone''s spine when they heard him speak.

    "Are you all demons? Do you know them?" Eamon asked next.

    "Fortunately for you, no. We are not demons. We are separate beings, far removed from them. However, we do have experience in dealing with these ''demons'' as you say.

    Like the ''demons'' of this world, the demons hade to our world long ago through a portal. We are not particrly friendly with them. They had unfortunately managed to seed in taking over our realm, and thus we had toe here."

    "...How did you get here?"

    "There is a portal in this ce. When it was activated, we came through and took over. It is that simple really."

    Eamon hears the word ''Portal'' and makes a mental note of it. Though he was curious about this ''Portal'' thing, he had more important questions to ask before he get on to that subject.

    "What have you done to our friend? Is he alright?" Eamon questioned the creature, worried about his fellow explorer and long-time friend.

    "Winston? I temporarily took over his body. Though we saw you with the crew, I couldn''t get the chance until he was separated. Do not worry, he ispletely safe."

    "How did you spot us? How did you know we were here?"

    "One of us saw your crew just exploring the forest. Do you remember that furry creature you call a bear?" it asked. Eamon and his group only had to think for a second before it snapped. The bear! The grizzly bear they spotted earlier! It must have seen or heard them and they did not notice! They did wonder why it was out in the middle of the forest in the winter.

    "We wondered why that was. Why were you all possessing a bear though?" one of the explorers asked, to which Eamon nodded, asking them the same thing.

    "Like all living beings, we need energy to function and continue our long existence. It was just out to get some when it spotted you all."

    "If you spotted us, then why didn''t youe to... well..." Eamon asked, unable to finish his question. The creature attempted to make a gentle smile on Winston''s face, to ease them down once again.

    "We had no intentions of using you all for energy. We tend to stick to the many demons that reside in this forest. Besides, we needed you all to be alive. The same goes for your friend.I needed him in order to bring you all here."

    The explorers exchanged nces at one another. before Eamon spoke again.

    "Why do you want us here for?" Eamon questioned. He starts to worry that something bad is about to ur. The faces of the group members start to sweat as they sensed something bad was about to happen. Winston smiled once again, to calm them down.

    "Do not worry. It is not something too big. When I entered your friend''s head, I learned that you all were exploring because you were trying to find a suitable area for your leaders to perform military exercises. Is that correct?"

    "Well, yes. That is correct. And?" Eamon asked, not sure where the creature is getting at.

    "Then I have a proposal for you all. I want you all to contact your government, and let him know that we exist. Show them our location, while bringing a high-ranking government official. We would like to make a deal with them,"the creature imed.

    "What kind of deal?"

    "A deal in which I believe would be mutually beneficial for both parties involved. You see, we would like to have a stable source of food, to continue our existence. In return, we will allow you all to make use of this ce, and make use of our services for fighting demons."

    "And what if we refuse?" Eamon asked.

    "Then I am afraid I would be forced to keep you all here," it answered. His answer paralyzed the explorers. They were fully aware of the disadvantaged position they are in. Eamon, knowing that this is a life-and-death situation, gave himself some time to think it through.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    "I am sorry, but I am not whether I can convince them that... you people exist, even with my team. Besides, I am not sure whether this ce can meet the strict criteria I have," he imed.

    The creature gave Eamon''s answer some thought, while Eamon stood there, very still. He was unsure of what the creature could be thinking. Perhaps he managed to screw them over. The creature made Winston smile, and extend out his hand.

    "Well then, why don''t I give you all a tour?" it politely asked the group.

    "A tour?" Eamon asked, a little confused.

    "Yes. I can show you all around this ce. If it does match the criteria, you will be able to convince them toe here, is that correct?" the creature responded back.

    "Well, I suppose so..."

    "Wonderfull! In that case, just follow me. I will show you around. If you are all interested, I can even show you the portal." Eamon remembered the time when the creature mentioned the portal, which was the way they got here in the first ce.

    "A portal? This ce has a portal?" he queried further.

    "Yes, there is. It is how we managed to get to your world, Mr. Eamon Silverman.It is deeper down in this fortress. A sort of testing facility for them to open the permanent portal," the creature muttered.

    "Permanent Portal?" Eamon asked them to borate further.

    "Yes. I can show you." The creature started borating. He told them their story, of how they came to be here, and the dangers that it followed.

    ...

    30th of Heinz, 5018.

    It was a normal winter afternoon in the city of Hoverdam. Kant had already left for the city of Vallina in the morning, apanying a bunch of guards with him. He was going to attend this meeting that Rose Valline was holding, to discuss something ''important''. The specific details to which, they don''t know.

    n was seen leaving his back on his swivel chair while keeping his legs on his table. He had worked hard for the past few days, and thus, desired a well-earned rest. Sure, he did get the Sunday off tomorrow, he excused himself, iming that the break would help boost his productivity.

    As he was just about to getfortable, he hears a knock on his door. After maintaining himself in a more professional position, an illusion meant to trick people into thinking that he was working, he allowed the man on the other side of the door to enter.

    "Come in," he spoke. The door swings open, revealing a messenger carrying a yellow envelope with them, most likely made out of cheap parchment.

    "Minister n, I got a letter for you," the messenger spoke. He quickly handed the envelope to Minister n, before leaving the office. n, after cing his feet back on the table, opened the letter to read its contents.

    The letter hade from his trusted explorer, Mr. Eamon Silverman. In the letter, he had imed that found a suitable location, which hosted a hidden fortress meeting all the criteria he had given to Eamon.

    "Way to go Eamon! I knew you could do it!" he spoke. n had a great smile on his face. He wouldn''t even have to go with constructing a new facility. Just using the base for their testing side. As he continued to read the letter, n noticed something was odd. Eamon wrote about this weird creature that lurks in the fortress, who they call a ''specter''. He ims that the ''specters'' want to negotiate a proposal with the government.

    The letter imed that the ''Specters'' upied thepound, and would be willing to allow the government to use it. In return, the government out to help it ''gain energy'', which is a source of food for them.

    Although n found it hard to believe, even pondering whether Silverman was drunk while he wrote this, he knew the explorer Silverman very well. He wasn''t the type of guy to write something like this unless it was a serious matter. Besides, the handwriting was very neat, especially for someone who is drunk.

    Then again, he could afford to waste his time to meet these so-called ''specters'' if they were real. As such, he decided to send a group of individuals to their location and confirm the existence of the creatures.

 Chapter 238 Kant Arrives At Vallina

    ?

    After 6 days of traveling on the sailboat, suffering from seasickness, vomiting, and nausea, Kant finally arrived at the city of Vallina on the 5th of Initium, 5019. Part of him wished he was back home, where he could celebrate the New Year with his people in Hoverdam.

    They had this tradition where the people get to build a giant hay statue of an old man, before burning it to the ground. Despite making it to the city on the 5th, he was still stuck to the damn sailboat for the night.

    Though his cabin featured many luxury amenities, such as a proper bed, a clean room where it won''t smell of sweat, tar, and charcoal, along with some windows, he would have preferred a modest hotel room onnd, where he wouldn''t be seasick all the time.

    This was an experience he shared with the other northern kings of Aceaton, who had all risen to power just a few months after himself. Although they weren''t as seasick as Kant was, they had a lot more experience traveling around the continent inside of a boat.

    6th of Initium, 5019.

    Before the sun could rise up and shine its golden rays on Kant''s face through the cabin window, he woke up early in the morning, to quickly prepare himself to head over to the Pce of Valline for this strange meeting.

    He took a short bath, cleansing himself of the sweat and vomit that clung to his skin. The cool water rejuvenated him, washing away the remnants of his seasickness and invigorating his senses.

    After drying off, he went over to get dressed in the royal attire that he had brought along. His choice consisted of a long-sleeved white shirt underneath a ck doublet, along with ck leggings and brown leather shoes. Once well dressed, he soon headed down the wooden bridge, into a carriage stationed to fetch Kant and the others.

    Once inside the carriage, Kant settled into the plush seat, grateful for the stability and stillness it offered. As the carriage rumbled along the smooth streets of Vallina, he gazed out the window, taking in the sights and sounds of the waking city.

    The city of Vallina greeted him with bustling activity as the sun began to rise. He could see the merchants setting up their stalls, his nose picking up the aroma of freshly baked goods wafting through the air, and his ears notice the sound of vendors hawking their wares filling the streets.

    As the carriage ventured further into the city, the scenery changed quite a bit. The giant pce, that dominated the t city''s skyline, grew closer than ever. It was a marvelous piece of architecture that is considered to be thergest, and tallest in the entire continent of Aceaton.

    Though impressive, many kingsing over felt envy string in their hearts. It was a symbol of power and prestige, surpassing the grandeur of their own residences in their own capital cities. Many wondered what it would be like to rule from such a majestic seat of authority.

    The carriage passes through the front gates and halts just outside the pce doors. After stepping out of his ride, he is greeted by a group of Vallinian knights, d in steel armor.

    "Your majesty, we are here to guide you to the room in which the meeting is taking ce," one of the Vallian knights announced with a respectful bow. Kant nodded appreciatively and followed the knights through the grand entrance of the pce.

    Walking through the pce''s ornate halls, he encountered magnificent tapestries, depicting heroic tales along with marble statues that paid homage to the kingdom''s rich history. The tapestries told stories of valor and triumph, while the marble statues immortalized the great leaders of the past.

    To many, it was a testament to the legacy and grandeur of the kingdom of Vallina. To Kant, it was a setup, meant to invoke authority and power over the smaller kings of the continent. The tapestries and statues were strategically ced, to show off to the other kings making their way who was the boss. Though he wasn''t sure how sessful their efforts might have been, he was sure that it would have evoked envy in the hearts of others.

    As they continued deeper into the pce, the knights led Kant and the other kings to avishly decorated chamber. The room was adorned with elegant ss chandeliers, plush violet velvet curtains, and a long table covered with a long white tablecloth, set with fine crystal goblets and silverware. It was a space deemed fitting for the weighty discussions that were to take ce.

    "Her imperial majesty, Empress Rose Valline will soon make her way down to the chamber. Until then, we advise you all to patiently wait for her arrival," the knight informed Kant. In response, he simply nodded, before taking his seat among the rest of the kings. The air was thick with anticipation as they waited for the meeting tomence.<novelsnext></novelsnext>

    Kant''s ears pick up the sound of whispers and chatter in the air. He could sense a mix of excitement, curiosity, and anticipation among the kings, who had traveled far and wide to make themselves present for this important meeting. It was clear that they were all eager to meet Empress Rose Valline and discover the purpose of this meeting.

    Suddenly, the grand entrance doors swing open, silencing the murmurs of the kings in an instant. Empress Rose Valline, wearing her white royal gown, enters the room and takes her seat at the table. She had long wavy brown hair, with a pair of cocoa-brown eyes. On her head, she wore a tiara, made with a golden frame, and fitted with the finest white jewels one could find.

    She took her time to observe the gathered kings, her gaze sweeping across the room. Then, with a calm yet authoritative voice, she began to speak.

    "Esteemed Kings of the Vassal States of the North, and the leaders of the provides of the Aceaton Empire, I am d to see you all present with us today," Empress Rose Valline addressed the gathered kings, her voice carrying a tone of grace and authority.

    "I have called this meeting to discuss a matter of great significance¡ªa threat that looms over our continent and requires our united efforts to ovee." The kings leaned forward, their attention fully focused on the empress. Kant''s curiosity heightened, eager to hear the nature of the threat that had prompted such a gathering.

    "What is this great threat, your imperial majesty?" one of the kings queried Rose.

    "I will get to it, my dear kings," Empress Rose Valline replied, her voice steady andposed.

    "However, I need to provide you all with context first, as I suspect you will have a hard time believing what I have to say without it," she imed. One of her advisors then hands over a piece of paper. Rose turned her gaze down to face the paper and read out its contents.

    "A few months ago, an explorer had reported a discovery that they had found an abandoned demon fortress in the middle of the forest.

    Sensing an opportunity to gather more information about the demons, I sent in an explorer that goes by the name ''Jonus Hull'' and his team of explorers to investigate the abandonedpound.

    Their mission was to record and find any new piece of information we could find out about the demons, their origins, and their species as a whole. To assist them with their venture, I had also provided them with 5 of my finest knights, along with 6 loyal musketeers, to protect them from any dangers lurking within the ce," she stated.

    Rose then goes on to state the names of the knights and musketeers involved in the group, along with their rankings in the military structure of the Empire, in hopes of adding more credibility to the story.

    "Now this is where things get intriguing..." she imed. The kings lent her their ears, eager to know what happens next.

    "When they ventured inside the fortress, they encountered an alien creature, who they im ''Managed to possess Knight Esther Ho and use him as amunication vessel''.

    These creatures were said to have read the memories of Knight Esther Hoe, which shocked him to the point that he had to be hospitalized and treated.

    Although the explorers found themselves surrounded, they managed tomunicate with the creatures effectively, cooperate with the group, and guide them through the abandoned fortress.

    They uncovered a lot of information regarding the demons, where theye from, what their goal is, and so on. One of which, is how they came to our world. After some time, they stumble upon a portal room, where they soon learn about the event, referred to by the creatures, as ''the great cmity''." Kant leaned in further, his curiosity and interest sparked by the strange tales he hear. He wanted to learn more, about what these creatures are.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!