Chapter 538 Sage's Time

In Rowland City, at the office of the city's only fire service company, Newcastle sat at his desk flipping through the Rowland City newspaper.

His patron, Minister Wickerton, eventually solved the problem of bakers not being able to afford flour, but now the pressure was on the millers.

The knife was cutting deeper and deeper, eventually cutting into the plate.

Anything below that was beyond Baron Wickton's reach, and he was genuinely worried that this three-headed, six-armed minister would cut his own finger.

It shouldn't be that bad.

Just then, there was a knock on the office door.

He turned a page of the newspaper in his hand and said without looking up.

"Come in."

The door opened, and his assistant, the energetic Ryan, entered.

This usually impulsive young man was different today; not only was his hair neatly combed, but he also stood up very straight.

"Sir, I have brought your letter with me."

"Just put it on the cabinet."

"Okay, um... there's one more thing."

"uh-huh?"

“You asked me to look for answers on the black market, and I think…” Ryan put down the file, scratched his head, and said with a blush, “I think I’ve found it.”

Upon hearing this, Newcastle's heart skipped a beat, and he involuntarily raised his head, turning his gaze to his assistant.

"What... answer?"

He felt fear and anticipation, but mostly confusion and bewilderment... because, to be honest, it had been a long time since then, and he had almost forgotten about it.

However, young Ryan was clearly serious. He looked at his boss earnestly and solemnly recounted what he had seen and heard in Roland City that afternoon.

“There are too many devils among us. That girl… she actually sold her body in the alley. No wonder I always felt that Saint Sith was punishing us.”

Newcastle looked at Ryan in surprise until he was sure he was serious.

He felt a sense of relief, but also a mix of amusement and bewilderment, unsure of what to cry about or what to laugh about.

Because there are just too many flaws.

Perhaps this is one of Theodore's skills; he taught the citizens of Roland to laugh at funerals and cry at weddings, and successfully confused the audience, making it impossible for them to tell who the actors were.

Newcastle are becoming increasingly pessimistic about Mr. Barr's republicanism.

Although the stonemason lacked knowledge, he and his fellow workers clearly knew what they were missing and how to make up for it.

They also managed to find a pastor who still had a conscience. Regardless of whether he was doing bad things, at least he wasn't bad enough to report those poor guys.

But Mr. Ryan, who had received a good education in a church school, completed a logical loop in his fantastical world.

It's almost like... a madman.

"Alright, I'm glad you found the answer, although I don't think our Saint Sith is that free... Is there anything else?"

Ryan scratched his head again, blushing as he spoke.

"Um... could you pay my salary in silver pounds next month?"

Last night, the girl not only gave herself to him for free, but also talked to him for a long time with genuine feelings, telling him that she had no choice. She had two sick elderly people in her family, an older brother who was addicted to gambling, and a younger brother who wanted to go to church school.

Ryan immediately felt overwhelmed. He felt that as a knight, he should do something, at least save one person.

The tragedy of those with confused logic lies largely in this.

One second he could clearly recognize that the person walking in the alley was a devil, but the next second he betrayed himself, mistaking the devil for an angel fallen to earth.

If I don't scam this guy, I'll feel like I'm doing a disservice to my profession.

"no problem."

Newcastle, however, didn't want to get involved and agreed to Ryan's request in a second. Ryan was so surprised that he thanked him twice before leaving.

Newcastle leaned back in his office chair, pressed his index finger to his brow, temporarily suppressing his sympathy for the Ryans, and decided to focus his energy on his work.

Although the people in Ryan were being very serious about their humor, he couldn't really risk his life by joking with them...

...

From this day forward, all millers in Roland City must accept the royal guidance on flour pricing, and are strictly prohibited from raising prices privately.

—The Rowland Times

The royal summer hunting continued at the Glenston Castle town hall before city officials officially moved into the estate.

Such large-scale events usually last for half a month, and only a week has passed so far.

Those who knew how to hunt went to the royal hunting grounds, while those who didn't know how to hunt, after losing face for the first two days, would usually wait at the manor for the hunters to return with their prey and for the "post-hunt feast" to begin.

That was the real arena of fame and fortune, where everyone had prepared their own plans, and each had prepared a set for their emperor and prince.

Horace was like that.

While passing the time before the banquet, he discovered something cheaper here than in Thunder City: newspapers from Roland City.

The price difference between the two can be as much as double!

However, Horace was more surprised by the contents of the newspaper than by the astonishing price difference.

"By Saint Sith..."

He admitted that his vision was too narrow, that he had even blasphemously considered suggesting to His Majesty Ryan that he fire the guy to save on a paycheck.

Now he felt that the guy who came up with this brilliant idea must be one of His Majesty the Grand Duke's men!

If that's the case, then not only should this genius not be fired, but he should also be given a separate salary account on Queen Street.

Otherwise, he wouldn't be worthy of his genius!

Horace wasn't the only one who didn't know how to hunt.

Several country bumpkins like him, who had only recently become wealthy, sat in the garden drinking tea, reading newspapers, and chatting while smoking unsmoked cigars.

"...By Saint Sith, has their emperor gone mad?"

"No, he must have a mastermind behind him! I only realized this recently. The economic pillar of the Kingdom of Ryan is the manor, and the millers who depend on the manor owners are the wealthiest class."

"Social class... This word sounds so new, I think I've seen it in an encyclopedia."

"That's where I learned it, and that's the word that inspired me! By forcing millers to take on the royal debts, they can squeeze out even more profit."

"Hiss... But what if the miller is also drained dry?"

"That's the trouble. The bread industry chain is too short. There's only one miller between the baker and the nobleman. And this miller, who is dependent on the nobleman, probably doesn't know how to invest. He only knows how to save money. If the miller is also eaten up, the snake will bite its own tail."

"Then what?"

Seeing his friend deep in thought, the man in the top hat replied in a teasing tone.

"Nobody knows what tomorrow will bring. I've never seen a snake that dares to bite its own tail, nor have I ever seen a snake that starves itself to death... Perhaps Saint Sith will send down angels to help them, after all, they always claim to be the purest."

"Ha ha!"

The factory owners were unaware that the very content of their conversation was exactly the same as Adam Smith's critique of the Bread Act in "The Wealth of Nations" from another world.

The transmission of debt pressure in the economic chain coincides with the "rent theory" and class transmission mentioned by David Ricardo in "The Principles of Political Economy and Taxation".

No scholars in the Principality of Campbell have yet drawn these lessons from history, since everyone is currently caught up in the tide of history and holding newspapers that were printed just a few days ago.

However, just as a monkey with a stone knows to throw it, these astute industrialists immediately used their rich experience and limited theoretical knowledge to pierce through the fog before them.

If Baron Wickton intends to fleece them, they can at least see where the knife is cutting and how long it will take before it cuts them.

This is the role of knowledge and logic.

Listening to the factory owners' eloquent talk, Horace's face was filled with surprise, and he suddenly realized that he had distanced himself from them.

When did these guys become so cultured?

Although he didn't like reading much before, perhaps he should buy an encyclopedia and take a closer look at its contents...

...

Not far from the new Glenston City Hall, the ancient oak forest is lush and green, its abundant branches forming a huge parasol that divides the afternoon sunlight into dappled spots.

Two horses rode side by side on a forest path, their hooves barely making a sound as they trod on the soft, humus-covered soil.

A few clear bird calls occasionally drifted through the woods, disturbing the silence, but they did not interrupt the two hunters' search.

Riding along the hunting trail, Archduke Edward did not carry a traditional hunting bow, but instead held a slender, modern musket.

The stock is made of high-quality walnut wood, which has been repeatedly soaked and polished in tung oil, giving it a warm reddish hue that contrasts sharply with the cold barrel.

Luo Yan, who was walking alongside him, was also holding a weapon of the same type.

This is the latest masterpiece that just rolled off the production line at the Punk Armory, and it was named "Rocksay Type 1054 Rifle" by Luo Yan.

To be honest, he was just too lazy to come up with a name.

At that moment, Edward suddenly pulled on the reins, as if he had heard a noise in the forest.

Luo Yan followed his gaze and saw a grayish-brown hare cautiously poking its head out from beside a clump of bushes three hundred meters away, completely unaware of the approaching death.

Three hundred meters.

For a traditional smoothbore gun, this distance is entirely a matter of chance. By the time the bullet, undergoing Brownian motion, reaches that point, it's probably already way off course.

However, Edward did not hesitate.

He skillfully raised the gun, the butt firmly resting against his shoulder, and then pulled the trigger without hesitation.

Bang--!

A plume of white smoke billowed from the gun barrel, startling the birds flying from the treetops.

Almost at the same instant the gunshot rang out, the rabbit 300 meters away shuddered violently, then fell straight down in the grass and never moved again.

"Great gun!"

Edward didn't rush to retrieve the prey, but instead lovingly stroked the hot gun barrel, especially the ingenious bolt mechanism.

He was like a child who had received a new toy, his eyes full of surprise.

"Punk's engineers are truly geniuses. I never imagined they would find inspiration in a door bolt and, with a few minor modifications, raise the power of the musket to another level!"

As he spoke, he pulled the bolt again, and the smooth mechanical feel and crisp click of the bolt captivated the knight with his gold-level strength.

Clearly, Lindt Isaac did not leave nothing behind; at least he planted his fascination with machines in the veins of the people of this land.

"We call it a 'bolt-action rifle'."

Luo Yan smiled and spurred his horse forward, speaking in a casual tone.

"The rotating bolt action not only solved the gas tightness problem, but also greatly improved the rate of fire and the convenience of loading. Its effective range can reach 600 meters, and if it is fired in a close line formation, even from 1,000 meters away, it can make groups of enemies hear the whistle of death."

This is almost the limit of combat range for small arms.

When machine guns officially entered the historical stage, firing squads became a game of wits between trenches, and people no longer fired from such a distance.

After all, by then, no one will stand there and be a target for others to shoot at.

"Haha, that's really something to look forward to."

Edward nodded excitedly, his face full of delighted surprise.

However, he was, after all, a monarch who had experienced the baptism of war, and after the initial excitement, he quickly realized a real problem.

“However, Colin, while this gun is good, I’ve discovered that it has quite a few problems.”

"oh?"

Edward raised his musket again, aimed it in the direction where the prey had fallen, and continued speaking while squinting one eye.

"Three hundred meters is a bit difficult even for a superhuman like me who has honed his marksmanship, let alone the conscripts of the duchy. Without the Golden Knight's eyesight and arm stability, the range advantage of this gun cannot be brought into play at all."

If soldiers can't see the enemy, then firing a gun from a great distance is meaningless. While this weapon is sophisticated, it may still be difficult to immediately change the structure of warfare.

He wasn't referring to the two armies lined up for execution, but rather to the superhumans standing in and behind the ranks—those were the real threat!

If the Duchy of Campbell and the Kingdom of Ryan were to go to war, he would not only have to figure out how to break through the enemy lines, but also how to deal with the enemy's superhumans.

In terms of the number of nobles alone, the Kingdom of Ryan far surpasses the Duchy of Campbell. After all, they are the true home of knights, while the Duchy of Campbell is merely a "model" of a home of knights.

"Since human eyes can't see clearly, let's equip guns with an 'eye'."

Luo Yan seemed to have been prepared, offering a solution he had already thought of, and resolving the problem Edward had just raised with a smile.

"For example, you must have seen a telescope. We only need to place a precisely calibrated monocular above the barrel of a gun, and a hare 300 meters away will be as clear as if it were at your feet."

Upon hearing this, Edward immediately snapped out of his daze, his eyes widening with surprise.

"By Saint Sith, you are a true genius!"

"You flatter me. I also learned from the experience of the Kingdom of Gutaf."

Luo Yan smiled slightly, lowering his voice as if he were reciting a bewitching spell.

"Those lizardmen will carve special crosshairs on their scopes for assistance, and with certain training, even an ordinary person without any supernatural power can snipe a magical beast with the strength of a steel-level being or a superhuman with the strength of a bronze-level being from hundreds of meters away!"

That ordinary sound suddenly sent a faint chill through the sweltering forest.

The thought of future battlefields filled with such rifles filled Edward with a slight tremor, yet he could hardly contain his overwhelming joy.

The Steel grade is practically the pinnacle of an adventurer's strength!

If a rifle with a production cycle of less than three days can easily wipe out an adventurer's or knight's savings of more than ten years...

The knights' millennia-long dominance on the battlefield will be completely rewritten at this moment!

And that's not all he saw.

If they can make weapons that can kill Bronze-level knights, then they can definitely make weapons that can kill Steel-level, Silver-level, and even Gold, Platinum, and Diamond-level knights!

If ordinary gunpowder isn't enough, then use alchemical potions. If pure metal isn't enough to penetrate armor, then develop magical artifacts!

Once this line of thinking is opened, the clever and hardworking Campbell people will surely find a way!

Thinking about the not-so-distant future where even mortals could have the power to kill gods, Edward's fingers gripping the gun turned slightly white from the force.

Luo Yan had been observing his expression, a hint of interest hidden in his eyes.

Although Edward was considered one of the most wise monarchs on the continent of Os, even surpassing the ambitious nobles of the Holy City, it is still difficult to say whether he truly possessed the courage to change the world.

Fortunately, Edward's reaction did not disappoint the Dark Lord; his ambitious nature once again triumphed over his conservatism.

A smile crept onto his lips as he slung the shotgun back over his shoulder.

"If only we could add magic to bullets."

Luo Yan was slightly taken aback when he heard this from an "NPC," and then smiled and said.

"That sounds like a good idea."

Although the Great Cemetery has been doing this for a long time...

...

The melodious sound of horns echoed through the forest at sunset, announcing the end of the day's competition. The Royal Guard entered the forest to search for the lost guests, while the victorious hunters stood at the edge of the hunting grounds, showing off their spoils.

It was indeed a successful hunt.

The Grand Duke and Prince Colin alone hunted down three magnificent red deer, six plump hares, a wild boar with protruding tusks, and a black bear as large as a small mountain.

This black bear is no ordinary wild beast, but a magical beast with the strength of a steel-grade monster.

Its fur was as hard as iron, and dried bloodstains remained on its claws, clearly indicating that it was the overlord of this forest.

With the lords of Granstonburg imprisoned along with their earls, no one in the area was left to fulfill that ancient duty.

Priests excel at dealing with the undead, but are not adept at fighting monsters. And ordinary adventurers are simply no match for prey of the adamantite quality.

The villagers nearby had no money to post quests at the Adventurers' Guild, so they could only let this beast run rampant. It was said that several woodcutters who went into the mountains had already lost their lives at its hands.

Upon learning of this, Edward, out of compassion for the villagers, waved his hand and ordered his servants to cut up the several thousand pounds of bear meat and send it, along with the wild boars, to a nearby village as a gift from the new lord to his people.

As for himself, he kept only the four thick bear paws as gifts for the guests at the banquet. The ferocious bear head, on the other hand, would be displayed as a trophy of war, hanging above the fireplace in the city hall to show off his military exploits.

Just as the group was preparing to return, a cloud of dust rose from the dirt road at the edge of the hunting grounds.

A royal cavalryman in civilian clothes galloped up on horseback and pulled on the reins about ten meters away from the Grand Duke, dismounting.

He strode forward, about to report, but stopped in his tracks when he saw Prince Corinne beside the Grand Duke.

Edward noticed his subordinate's hesitation, but waved his hand dismissively, his tone filled with trust and composure.

"Just say what's on your mind."

The soldier, having received permission, no longer hesitated. He nodded slightly, lowering his voice but unable to conceal the tremor of excitement in his tone.

"Your Majesty, urgent report from Twilight Province! According to scouts, the 'Lionheart Knights' stationed there are breaking camp!"

Edward's pupils contracted slightly, and he subconsciously stopped wiping his hands with a towel.

The soldier quickened his pace, no longer able to contain his excitement as he continued speaking.

"...They abandoned several forward camps, and the main force is withdrawing westward in batches, heading towards Roland, the capital of the Kingdom of Ryan! According to the information from our informant, it was an urgent secret order issued directly from Roland last night, and it was undoubtedly issued personally by Theodore Devalo!"

The edge of the hunting grounds fell silent for a moment; even the birds seemed to have stopped chirping.

Then, a loud laugh broke the silence. Edward clenched the handkerchief in his fist, his eyebrows rising in excitement.

"Haha! Well done! By Saint Sith, that old man is finally about to give up! I thought he could hold on until next year, but it seems I overestimated him!"

Luo Yan rarely saw Edward show such an out-of-control expression; clearly, the Duke had been looking forward to this day for far too long.

"This is truly...unexpected good news. It seems that His Majesty Theodore's finances are indeed in serious trouble."

Although Sarah had given him a thorough report of the information the night before, he still showed just the right amount of surprise, as if he were hearing the news for the first time.

"The lion retreated into its den, exposing its plump rear end to us!"

Edward tossed the towel he'd used to wipe the gunpowder onto the bench beside him, turned around, and looked at Colin with a burning light in his eyes that was even more intense than when he'd tested the gun earlier.

"It seems it's time for us to press our advantage!"

The blood shed in the winter coup must be repaid!

Although he hasn't decided how far he will take his revenge on the Devalo family, he will never forget it!

"Congratulations."

Luo Yan smiled and offered his heartfelt congratulations, nodding as he spoke.

"This is indeed a golden opportunity. Now that the obstacles have been cleared, we may soon be able to extend the railway to the north of Jiliu Pass. And Princess Eileen, who is still fighting there, and the soldiers of the Northern Rescue Army may soon be able to go home."

They stayed there to protect the rewards for reinforcing Twilight Province and prevent the Devalo family from taking the spoils.

Now that the Lionheart Knights have chosen to withdraw, they naturally have no reason to stay there any longer; it is enough to let the settlers who have been allocated land remain.

The entire Council of Holy Light is an ally of the Principality of Campbell; they will protect Campbell's interests in the region and continue to uphold the tacit understanding with the Salvation Army.

Campbell has no need to station troops there unless the Knights of the Lionheart return or there are new developments beyond Brass Pass.

As for the Tribunal, those holy lords from the Holy City don't belong here; they'll declare victory and leave sooner or later.

The fates of all four factions are already sealed!

Upon hearing Eileen's name, Edward's ecstatic joy gradually turned into tenderness, and he spoke with a hearty smile.

"Thank you for your kind words, Colin! I assure you, I will get Eileen back as soon as possible this time! When she does, we will hold a real triumphant celebration for her in Thunder City!"

Looking at Edward, who was already eager to become his brother-in-law, Luo Yan's smile remained unchanged, but his mood was somewhat complicated.

All right.

He admitted that it might sound a bit scummy to say that, but he was just saying it casually and didn't expect Eileen to come back so soon.

Thinking of Vivian and Mia, who were currently at his manor...

He just hoped that the Colin family's "follow-up actions" would be quick, and that they wouldn't wait until Eileen returned before causing trouble.

-

(Thanks to "Xu Xiaofeng" for the generous donation!!!)

(End of this chapter)