After handing over the perfume workshop to Huggins' security bureau and repeatedly emphasizing the importance of secrecy, Todd held a three-hour meeting with the academics of Twilight City.
The academic leader, Master Terence, was unwell, so Elijah, the legendary genius scholar, participated in the meeting on his behalf.
Before the formal meeting began, Todd spoke privately with the man in his early thirties for several minutes. To his surprise, this tall, handsome scholar did not seem like a commoner born into a shoemaker's family at all, but rather like a scion of an aristocratic family.
Todd believed that the other party's logic and values were incompatible with the oppressive medieval world.
Elijah both admired the glory of ancient Tyre and vehemently condemned the darkness of the world at hand. His knowledge encompassed philosophy, art, physics, chemistry, law, and other disciplines. While exchanging knowledge, he also provided Todd with a detailed account of the continent's political environment and religious landscape. Undoubtedly, he was an outstanding politician, artist, and scientist. But beyond these remarkable qualities, what secretly troubled the ruler of the Western Kingdom was Elijah's extreme advocacy for a humanist revival, evident in his writings. This disdain for authority and fervent pursuit of democracy even hinted at a dangerous undercurrent.
In the ensuing meeting, Todd and the academic scholars discussed the future development of the Kingdom of Muxi.
After receiving Todd's assurance that he would not be punished for his words, the scholars spoke freely, focusing on the boundaries between religion, monarchy, and democracy.
Following this conference, Todd gained the support of the academic community and received praise and commendation from numerous scholars. The king himself, on the other hand, relinquished some power and arranged for a group of truly talented scholars to take center stage in the kingdom.
The transfer of power included the establishment of a new agency by Todd—the Patent Office—and a law jointly drafted by various factions—the Patent Law.
Initially, the law did not attract much attention from the residents of Muxi City until the verdict in the first "patent infringement" case, which then truly captured everyone's attention.
A scholar named Pascal from the Eastern Holy City invented a device called the "mercury thermometer" based on principles such as thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, and coefficient of thermal expansion. After registering the patent for thirty copper stars, merchants from Twilight City, without permission, manufactured a large number of imitations based on the prototype of the mercury thermometer.
After gathering evidence and conducting an investigation, the businessman's actions were determined to be infringement. Based on sales profits and product volume, the Patent Office required the businessman to pay Pascal a substantial patent royalties, leading to an out-of-court settlement between the two parties.
After this incident, some subtle changes occurred in Muxi City:
First, the residents of Muxi City gradually developed an awareness that "patents are a kind of intangible property." People began to learn to respect the achievements of knowledge, and more and more people went to colleges and libraries to try to learn and understand science.
Second, invention and creation are no longer considered idle pursuits. It is not uncommon in Muxi City for scholars who possess major inventions and prototypes to live like emperors at home, relying on patent fees.
Third, relying on 20% of patent revenue and emerging trade goods such as perfumes, the Muxi Kingdom's treasury was replenished again, and the financial crisis was resolved.
Fourth, through power struggles and patent profits, Todd gained the trust of the vast majority of scholars and bound these people who were skeptical of religion and monarchy to the chariot of the Knights of Twilight.
After completing this series of actions, Todd finally had the time and energy to refocus his attention on military matters.
On a warm winter afternoon, Todd sat on his throne, looking at several reports on the table. He looked up at Cumberland and said, "The barbarian army on Moonbrook Plains has increased to twelve thousand men?"
“These people cannot all be called an army. A considerable number of them are the elderly, weak, women and children of the northern barbarians. Although their fighting strength is not as strong as that of adult men, they are still a problem when they are gathered together.” Cumberland touched a faint scar on his chin and said to Todd in a strange tone, “I am more worried about the barbarian shamans and war beasts than the number of barbarian soldiers.”
"Wizard? War beast?" Todd couldn't help but laugh as he listened to Cumberland's words.
Having never seen magic or magical beasts in this strange world, he thought those so-called witchcraft were nothing but tricks and charlatans. But after a moment, Todd saw only seriousness on the other person's face.
Cumberland ran his knuckles lightly across the scar: “Thirty years ago, when I was a novice knight, I followed my commander through Watchtower Valley to attack a barbarian army transporting sacrificial offerings. After three days of travel, crossing towering mountains, my knightly corps encountered a barbarian priestly corps of only a hundred men. We devised an ambush and made traps using sharpened logs and boulders…”
Upon hearing this, Alfonso, sitting next to Cumberland, shifted his body uncomfortably, seemingly having some differing opinions on the knights' use of ambushes and traps.
“In that skirmish, the knights gained the upper hand. With our superior position, we killed nine barbarians in the first wave of attack. But then, the nightmare began…” Cumberland’s beard twitched slightly, and Todd couldn’t believe he’d ever seen such an expression on his face: “A woman of indeterminate age was heavily protected by the barbarian priests. She wore a raincoat made of raven feathers, held a strange wooden staff in her hands, and was chanting strange words to the sky. After that…”
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