Sword of Dawnbreaker

Chapter 513 - 512: Chance Encounter

The wide and clean streets, the towering and neatly planned buildings, the Magic Crystal Street Lamps standing like guards by the roadside, the floating Magic Projections in the air, the incredible magic machineries displayed in the square...

The prominent merchant, Mr. Kode, sat in the carriage. As a mature and steady merchant, he had successfully adjusted his mindset and began observing the outside scenery with a calm and serene expression, yet the storm in his heart hadn’t settled in the slightest.

Carol had once been a Viscount’s territory, but due to its proximity to the Plains of the Holy Spirits, it had thriving trade, and it used to be one of the wealthiest areas in the southern borders. The prosperity of Carol City had always been a source of satisfaction and pride for Kode, but compared to this city before him...

No, there was no need to compare the two cities at all.

The air here had none of the usual stench of waste and decay one might expect in a big city, nor could you see poorly dressed beggars and serfs walking along the roadside. A subtle yet indescribable sense of "order" seemed to permeate the air, a sense of order Kode had never experienced anywhere else.

He knew about the newly built Administrative Office in Carol City and the new laws it had issued — some of those new laws had gained local support, such as tax reductions and land distribution, while others, like sanitation laws and certain labor systems, faced challenges in implementation. To be honest, even Kode couldn’t entirely grasp the significance of these new policies — but upon seeing today’s scene in Cecil Castle, he realized at least one thing:

Living in such a city is, at the very least, more comfortable than living in Carol City.

Upon returning, he ought to encourage the members of the business association to willingly enforce sanitation mandates, at the very least...

The carriage left the bustling city streets and turned a couple of corners, with the surroundings gradually becoming quieter.

Pioneer Square was adjacent to both the Administrative Office and the feudal lord’s mansion, separated only by two streets, with no city walls or moat, merely some guard posts that protected the roads leading to the administrative district. The merchant’s carriage stopped at one of these posts for inspection.

Kode and Pal were well prepared with the coinage needed for tipping the Soldier. As the carriage stopped, they promptly complied with orders to step out, only to be approached by a warrior clad in Magic Armor who said, "Stop for inspection — please show your identification."

Kode quickly retrieved the identification issued by the Cecil Commercial Department, along with a letter of introduction personally signed by Minister Patrick, handing them to the Soldier while gauging how much it might cost to tip such a guardian — despite telling Pal he’d been to Cecil before, it was actually only last year when he came once with the family fleet to sell herbal raw materials, and he’d never returned since, so he couldn’t say he knew much about the city.

His claim of having "been to Cecil" was somewhat exaggerated.

In the brief moment of his contemplation, the Soldier had already finished inspecting the documents and verified the black and white portrait on them, while two other soldiers inspected the carriage. A crisp, clear voice reached Kode and Pal’s ears: "Inspection complete — you may proceed."

Kode acknowledged subconsciously, then seemed bewildered: "Ah... ah?"

"You may proceed," the Soldier repeated, noticing the confused expression on the merchant’s face. He looked down again at the documents in his hands and reconfirmed their contents, "There truly is no issue — proceed, and take your permits with you."

Kode, still slightly dazed, took the documents and the pass given to him, and together with Pal, returned to the carriage. Even after the carriage departed the post, he couldn’t quite grasp what had just happened.

Pal was equally puzzled: "Father... did those soldiers just forget to take our money?"

"Such a thing could hardly be forgotten," Kode gave his son a look, then muttered incredulously, "In Carol it’s the same as here... how exactly did the duke manage this?"

With a head full of questions, the merchants’ carriage rolled onward.

Moments later, they arrived at the feudal lord’s mansion.

Upon disembarking the carriage and looking up at the grand manor before him, Kode took a deep breath, carefully concealing all the amazement, curiosity, confusion, and excitement he’d experienced along the way behind a composed and serene exterior, then adjusted his impeccably tailored attire, advancing with Pal in the company of a guardian from the manor.

The vehicles parked before the feudal lord’s mansion were more than just one; evidently, there were other visitors as well. At the door, emblazoned with the emblem of the Cecil Clan, Kode saw a young woman stepping out. She wore a fitting winter outfit and was descending the steps, seemingly about to leave.

The guardians at the door were evidently well-acquainted with the young woman, exchanging a few brief words with her.

"Miss Giply—did you finish reporting so soon?"

The young woman replied with a smile in her tone: "Just a routine report."

The guardian asked expectantly, "Will there be a show tomorrow?"

"Of course, every day — and in the coming days, there might even be new programs to watch."

Kode arrived at the door, and their accompanying guardian stepped forward for introductions, while the young woman addressed as "Miss Giply" turned back, curiously observing this prominent merchant from Carol City.

"Hello." The young woman nodded slightly, speaking politely.

"Ah—I’ve seen you on that... Magic Projection!" Kode exclaimed at seeing the young woman before him, realizing she was the very person he’d seen in the city’s holographic projection earlier—a surprising feeling, seeing someone in a hologram and then in person, left the prominent merchant astounded. He quickly composed himself, displaying flawless gentlemanly grace, "Miss ’Witch’, you’re even more beautiful than in the projection."

"Thank you for your compliment." Giply smiled and nodded, yet in the next second, a familiar, peculiar sense of familiarity arose within her. The face of the middle-aged merchant before her overlapped with a face from her memory.

Kode also took a long look at Giply—setting aside the "Magic Projection", a vague sense of familiarity surfaced as he gazed at the "Miss Witch" before him.

Both spoke simultaneously, "Haven’t we met before?"

In that shared moment, they both found the source of that familiarity.

In the autumn of more than a decade ago, a young merchant newly inheriting the family business ventured into the southern borders, arriving in an unfamiliar city with high ambitions.

During that same autumn, a Mage apprentice fleeing hardship stranded in a foreign land, stomach growling with hunger.

The young merchant sought business opportunities, his spirit lifted, and he found a divination stall, hoping to hear some favorable words.

The young Mage apprentice, still just a girl, searched for food, brandishing a few recently learned tricks in hopes of trading for some bread.

An indescribable yet brief awkwardness froze over the steps of the feudal lord’s mansion, as the renowned merchant from Carol and the famed Miss Witch from the Magic Web stood face to face; seconds later, the awkwardness was broken by their mutual laughter.

"You said the city was paved with gold," Kode stepped forward, extending his hand, "Kode, from Carol."

"Giply, pleased to meet you again," Giply gently shook his hand, "Apologies, I deceived you then, I was very hungry."

"I knew," Kode released her hand, politely stepping back, "I could tell you couldn’t perform divination."

Giply smiled: "But from that day onwards, it will be."

They passed by each other, the merchant walked towards the door of the feudal lord’s mansion, while Miss Witch went towards the carriage parked by the roadside. But before boarding the carriage, Giply suddenly stopped, turned her head, and loudly said: "Mr. Kode—this city is full of gold."

Kode was surprised and glanced back. He saw Miss Witch wave at him: "This time it’s real."

The merchant laughed: "I know."

The carriage by the roadside drove away, while Kode and Pal stepped into the door of the feudal lord’s mansion.

"Father," the young Pal couldn’t help but speak after entering the gate, "do you know Miss Witch?"

"Met her once when she was just a little girl," the merchant replied casually, "She taught me the first lesson."

"The first lesson?"

"Yes, the content was ’don’t believe roadside divination’."

...

In front of Gawain, there were two documents.

One was from Rebecca, an analysis report on the ’Universal Traction Chassis.’ In this report, there was a detailed interpretation of the entire system of the first generation of chaotic magic-driven vehicles. On this basis, using the technical experience of magic-guided vehicles as a starting point, there was a plan to manufacture the universal traction chassis.

The manufacturing of magic-guided vehicles succeeded. The researchers of this world, using magic skills and resources unique to this world, overcame many technical challenges through arduous development, finally succeeding in putting a magic-powered transportation vehicle, operable by ordinary people, on the road. Although it is far from perfect and has various problems, this first step was undeniably successful.

A transportation tool that is stronger than oxen and horses, faster, tireless, and doesn’t need to consume fodder. With it, the transportation difficulties encountered during Cecil’s large-scale construction will undoubtedly be greatly alleviated. To maximize the value of this technology, it is necessary to manufacture various specialized engineering vehicles based on the principles of magic-guided vehicles.

Under Gawain’s prolonged influence, Rebecca has already grasped the concept of modular design and universal technology, and she has reaped significant benefits from it. So this time, after the magic-guided vehicle was made, without waiting for Gawain’s request, the girl came up with a ’universal chassis’ plan herself.

In this plan, Rebecca believes it is necessary to make the chassis of the first generation ’475-style’ magic-guided vehicle into a modular chassis that can easily link with other shells and traction objects. Then, on this basis, produce a large number of derivative vehicles, including trucks, passenger cars, agricultural machinery, and engineering machines. She even drew a simple diagram of a battle tank at the end of the report—the basic structure is a light magic cannon welded onto the 475 magic-guided vehicle chassis, with steel plates surrounding the outside of the vehicle shell...

The vehicle’s front even has an incongruous ram.

Simple, rough, straightforward thinking, but incredibly surprising.

To be honest, after seeing this report, Gawain was surprised for quite a while because he hadn’t even had time to propose this concept...

Beside this report, the second document is a draft plan that Gawain himself is working on—

’Potential Value of Developing New Media’

Newspapers have gradually become popular in the southern borders, covering essentially every town-level unit. Meanwhile, the brand-new Magic Web radio is centered around the Cross Axis Line, covering more and more cities. The people of the southern borders are gradually becoming familiar with these new things, and on the other hand—the personnel involved in newspaper and radio production are also gradually becoming familiar with these new jobs.

The role of new media in information dissemination is gradually showing, especially in the Lu An City incident. The power of public opinion propaganda left a deep impression on everyone in the Administrative Office. Aunt Heidi also sighed that the power of those newspapers and programs was comparable to a fully armed army.

But Gawain knows that the value of these new media has not been fully developed—they are still narrowly applied tools limited to announcing affairs in the Administrative Office.

Content is monotonous, types are lacking, there are no commercial benefits, and rather than new media, they are more like larger bulletin boards.

This is far from Gawain’s initial goal.

He picked up a pen, listing the next steps in his plan—to find ways to encourage residents to actively engage with these new things, making people realize more deeply that things created by the leader are not only usable by the leader but also by ordinary people. To find ways to create more civilian markets, bringing these new things ’alive’ and maximizing their value...

The benefits of doing so are apparent, just from opening commercial sections in newspapers alone. On one hand, it can rapidly enlighten the minds of ordinary people, stimulating them to think and act, thereby accelerating the cultural construction of Cecil. On the other hand, it can generate economic revenue to alleviate the increasing financial pressure on the Cecil Administrative Office—the numerous construction projects are currently squeezing the economy of the Cecil Principality. Many new things created by Cecil are entirely ’official projects,’ completely dependent on the principality’s finances but nearly unable to recoup costs (or only able to recoup initial costs without generating subsequent revenue). They are purely ’Administrative Office industries,’ almost completely disconnected from various civilian groups.

Although it’s not a problem at present, sooner or later, it will become a huge problem.

Of course, how to effectively control and prevent these new things from falling out of the Administrative Office’s control during the process must also be carefully considered...

Gawain frowned thoughtfully, his pen writing and pausing, considering the future development direction of new media and the corresponding management system, as well as how to guide the residents, taking into account the mindset of people in this era, making the plan not easy to formulate.

At this moment, Betty’s voice suddenly came from outside the door, interrupting Gawain’s thoughts.

"Sir! Mr. Kode and Mr. Pal from Viscount Carol are here!"

Gawain hesitated for a moment, then recalled who these somewhat unfamiliar names belonged to.

The merchant father and son recommended by Minister Patrick.

"Let them in."

The door opened, and Kode and Pal entered the leader’s study with a hint of nervousness.

They finally saw the ruler of the southern borders in person.

He sat behind a wide desk, holding a pen, with a large floor-to-ceiling window behind him. Sunlight came through the window, falling into the room and onto the founding king’s shoulders, like a light golden cloak.

He was taller than Kode imagined.

"Your Grace," after a moment of astonishment, the merchant quickly pulled his son to bow respectfully, "We are truly honored—your brilliance illuminates this land."

(Oh my god!!)