Time passed quickly, and the banquet gradually came to an end after calming down.

During this time, Howard left his seat and went back to rest, and then some other nobles came forward to talk to the beautiful girl and introduced themselves.

After Ghirharsen took his place, Fimbul, who had won the victory with his musket, was pushed out again.

"I'm sorry, beautiful Miss Lacy, for frightening you."

Finbul took off the armor he had used for the duel and changed into a white shirt and vest. He bowed gracefully in front of the girl and apologized before slowly standing up.

In response, Loran Hill said that it should not be taken seriously, and then asked.

"Is this the musket that has become popular in recent years?" She blinked her eyes, and seemed to be curiously looking for the place where the musket was hidden on Fimbul's body.

Looking at the beautiful girl with a sweet smile, Finbul's face turned slightly red, and he felt a little embarrassed and ashamed. In the end, it was his brother beside him who came to his rescue.

"That's right, Miss Lacey. This is the advanced version of the musket, the magic crystal gun. It was originally invented by a wizard, but it's now quite popular among the aristocracy. The Fimbul family employs several high-level alchemists to create these things."

"I heard that Clancy also used a lot of muskets in the war a few years ago." The girl in the white dress tilted her head slightly, revealing a curious look.

"Yes, those countries in the west use it more because they have fewer people and cannot afford to support archers."

"But Miss Lacey, don't take this musket too seriously. While it's convenient to use, its power is limited. Only a specially crafted magic crystal gun can pose a threat to transcendents."

Seeing the girl's interest, several young nobles, seemingly inspired, began to speak eloquently about the subject. From their descriptions, it was clear that the upper echelons of the empire had studied muskets and magic crystal guns and knew quite a bit about them.

"So, later on, His Majesty the Emperor pardoned those exiled mages and asked them to create these alchemical artifacts for the empire."

"Those little gadgets made by the mages are really interesting." Some young nobles commented.

Amidst this flurry of discussion, Roland Hill nodded slightly, gradually gaining an understanding of the Empire's upper echelons' views on these alchemical creations. They were interested and curious, but not yet fully committed to them.

It was true that the Empire was replicating muskets and building its own alchemy workshops, but the intensity and number of these efforts hadn't met the girl's expectations. In other words, the Empire's so-called "attention" underestimated the tremendous changes brought about by technology.

Natural science and social science actually influence each other. New breakthroughs in natural science will inevitably drive changes in social systems and structures. Consider Earth's past history, for example, the Industrial Revolution's overthrow of feudal society.

Unfortunately, the people of the Empire today have no idea what they will face in the future, still believing this is merely a tolerable and foreseeable downturn in the Empire's millennia of history. In a few decades or even centuries, as firearms and magic crystal guns become more widespread within the Empire, the two sides will return to parity, as they did in the past.

But in the information Loran Hill left for Clancy, firearms only accounted for a small part, a tiny prototype of industrialization. The underlying steelmaking, metalworking, machinery manufacturing, gunpowder chemistry, and so on, once these truly formed a complete industrial chain, would be like a roaring train, dragging the entire society into a brand new era.

With the advent of fertilizers and improved breeding, many lands no longer need to be rotated multiple times, and grain production can be doubled directly. After the steel and machinery technology matures, railways and trains will connect all cities and regions one by one, and various resources will be rapidly exchanged and traded. From then on, countless people will be freed from inefficient and complicated agriculture and engaged in more efficient industrial production.

Following this trend, industrially produced products will bring huge wealth from other backward parts of the world, and this wealth will in turn accelerate the accumulation of industrial countries and continuously advance their scientific and industrial advantages.

By then, the empire, a country that mainly relies on farmers for agricultural production, will be abandoned by the entire era like the feudal dynasties in history.

Even if no other country invades, a ruler will be overthrown by the jealous and envious people at home, because everyone sees a better way and wants a better life. This simple and genuine desire is difficult for any ruler to suppress. In the end, the difference is only between a respectable abdication and an inglorious one.

Thoughts were dancing in their minds. Seeing that the girl was listening so attentively, they felt excited and happy to be recognized and valued, and said more.

In the end, Loran Hill was even able to calculate from the information revealed the empire's approximate annual production of muskets and the level of its craftsmanship.

It was not until the banquet was completely over that everyone left reluctantly.

Soon after, Loran Hill also said goodbye to the butler beside him and wished Earl Howard good health.

More than ten minutes later.

Looking at the carriage carrying Miss Lacy leaving outside the courtyard, Howard slowly put down the cup in his hand on the windowsill.

"Have you found out the background of Miss Lacey?" He looked at the person behind him.

"Reporting to the master, I have only obtained some superficial information so far. It may take some time for more detailed and accurate information."

"Well, I won't ask too much of you, but at least tell me the final result before next Saturday."

"Let me give you some advice. This Miss Lacy's background is definitely not an ordinary chamber of commerce. Find out who is guaranteeing their chamber of commerce's credentials. Go to the south and see; she is obviously more familiar with the southern part of the empire than the north."

"Ask the servants around her secretly. They are around and will naturally know that there is something unusual about this young lady."

"Yes, I will remember it." After that, the black shadow disappeared in the study.

Although there are many decadent and corrupt people among the empire's nobles, the small group standing at the top of the pyramid is still a rare elite. They may not show their talents and achievements openly, but they have been secretly controlling the key resources in this country and have far-reaching influence.

"It's really interesting. I didn't expect that in such a precarious situation like this, I could still see such a special girl." Howard slowly savored the wine in his hand, his eyes fixed on the distant sunset sky.

"Which family produced this exquisite vase? The Landsworthy? Forest elves? Or descendants of the previous emperor?"

"What's the purpose? To stir up conflict, pitting the old and new factions against each other, or to muddy the waters and cover up something else?"

In this way, Howard stood in front of the window of the building, thinking carefully, with a playful smile on his face from time to time, until the sun completely set. The earl standing in the darkness was like a bat watching over the night, standing still.