Chapter 46 Shadow of the Empire

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

During this period, Howard left his seat and went back to rest. Then some other nobles came forward to talk to the beautiful girl, each introducing themselves.

After Girhassen's stand, Finbul, who had won the victory with the blunderbuss, was pushed out again.

"I'm sorry, beautiful Miss Lacey, that you were frightened."

Finbul took off the armor he had used in the previous duel and put on a white shirt and vest. He bowed gracefully in front of the girl and apologized, and then slowly stood up.

In this regard, Lorraine Hill said that he should not care, and then asked.

"Is this a fire gun that has become popular in recent years?" She blinked, looking for a place to hide the gun on Finbul with curiosity.

Looking at this beautiful girl with a sweet smile, Finbul's face turned slightly red, a little embarrassed and embarrassed. In the end, his brother beside him helped to rescue him.

"That's right, Miss Lacey, this is the advanced version of the musket, the magic crystal gun. It was first invented by mages, but now it is quite popular in the aristocratic circles. Finbul and his family raised many high-level alchemists to make it. These things."

"I heard that in the wars a few years ago, Crancia also used a lot of muskets." The girl in the white dress tilted her head slightly, showing a curious expression.

"Yes, those countries in the west use more because they have fewer people and can't afford archers."

"But Miss Lacey, don't take this gun too seriously. Although it is convenient to use, its power is only that much. Unless it is a specially made magic crystal gun, it can pose a threat to extraordinary people."

Seeing that the girl was interested in this, several young nobles began to introduce it incessantly, as if they were greatly inspired. From their descriptions, it can be seen that the upper echelons of the empire have studied muskets and magic crystal guns, and know a lot about them.

"So, later, His Majesty the Emperor granted amnesty to those exiled mages and allowed them to create such alchemical creations for the empire."

"Those gadgets made by mages are really interesting." Some noble young people commented.

Amidst all the chatter, Lorraine Hill nodded slightly, gradually understanding what the empire's upper echelons thought of those alchemy creations. Interested and curious, but not paid enough attention to.

Yes, the empire was indeed imitating muskets and building its own alchemy workshops, but its intensity and quantity did not meet the girl's expectations. In other words, the empire's so-called "emphasis" still underestimates the huge changes brought about by technology.

Natural science and social science actually influence each other. New breakthroughs in natural science will inevitably lead to changes in social systems and composition. See the past history of the Earth, which is the overthrow of feudal society by the Industrial Revolution.

It is a pity that the people of the current empire do not know what they will face in the future, and still think that this is just a tolerable and foreseeable trough in the empire's thousand-year history. In a few decades or hundreds of years, when muskets and magic crystal guns are popularized in the empire, the two sides will return to the same level as in the past.

However, among the information left to Crancia by Lorraine Hill, muskets actually accounted for only a small part, and were only a tiny prototype of industrialization. The steel smelting, metal turning, machine manufacturing, gunpowder chemistry, etc. behind it will form a complete industrial chain, like a roaring train, dragging the entire society into a new era.

With chemical fertilizers and breeding improvements, many lands no longer need to be rotated multiple times, and food production can be doubled. After steel and mechanical technology mature, railways and trains will connect all cities and regions one by one, and various resources will be exchanged and traded at a rapid pace. , from then on, countless people will be freed from inefficient and complicated agriculture and invested in more efficient industrial production.

Following this trend, the products produced through industrialization will exchange for huge amounts of wealth from other backward places in the world, and this wealth will in turn accelerate the accumulation of industrial countries and continuously promote the advantages of science and industry.

And by then, countries like the Empire, which rely mainly on farmers for agricultural production, will be abandoned by the entire era, just like those feudal dynasties in history.

Even if no other country comes to invade, it will be overthrown by the jealous and envious people at home, because everyone has seen a better way and wants a better life. This simple and true desire is difficult for any ruler to conquer. suppressed. The final difference is just an honorable abdication or an undignified abdication.

The thoughts in their minds were dancing. Seeing that the girl was listening so seriously, several people felt a sense of excitement and joy of being recognized and valued in their hearts, and they said more things.

In the end, Lorraine Hill was even able to deduce from the disclosed information the approximate annual output of muskets in the empire and the stage of its craftsmanship.

In this way, until the banquet was completely over, everyone gradually dispersed with some reluctance.

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

More than ten minutes later.

Watching the carriage carrying Miss Lacey leave outside the courtyard, Howard slowly put down the cup in his hand on the window sill.

"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. More detailed and authentic information may take some time."

"Well, I'm not too harsh on you, but at least you must tell me the final result before next Saturday."

"Let me give you a few suggestions. Miss Lacey's background is definitely not an ordinary chamber of commerce. Find out which company is behind the certificate of their chamber of commerce. Go to the south and have a look. She has a clear understanding of the southern part of the empire.

Apparently more familiar than the north. "

"Let's ask the servants around her in a vague way. They are around, so they naturally know what is unusual about this young lady."

"Yes, I have remembered it." After that, the black figure disappeared into the study.

Although there are many decadent and degenerate people among the nobles of the empire, the small group standing at the top of the pyramid are still rare elites. They may not show their talents and achievements in public, but they have been secretly controlling the situation in this country. Key resources, far-reaching impact.

"It's really interesting. I didn't expect that I could see such a special girl appear in these precarious times." Howard slowly tasted the wine in his hand, looking at the distant dusk sky.

"Which family produces this exquisite vase, Landsworth? Forest Elf? Or is it a descendant of the previous emperor?"

"What is the purpose? To stir up disputes and make the old and new factions fight, or to muddy the water and cover up something else?"

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