Steel, gunpowder, and spellcasters

Chapter 379 The Whirlpool (Part Six)

Time is money, and Carlo Ed knows this better than anyone.

Although he did not agree with Winters' idea of ​​cooperating with the United Provinces, Carlo Ed still arranged for Winters to meet with the "enemy" as soon as possible.

The day after the reception at the Ester Palace—three days after Winters arrived at Steel Castle—Baron Granahy visited several major workshop owners from the pro-Asian provinces, expressing his willingness to make purchases.

“Sir, please look, this is my family’s forge.” A plump middle-aged man walked in front of Winters and eagerly pushed open the workshop door: “It has been passed down to me for the third generation.”

Father Kaman translated for Winters in a low voice. Winters nodded slightly and followed the plump man into the workshop.

The chubby white man's name was Ernst Fuller, he was forty-two years old, and a full member of the Steelburg Blacksmiths Guild.

He was the eleventh workshop owner Winters visited today, and the last on the list Carlo Ed had provided to Winters.

Fuller inherited a small gunsmith's workshop, which included two forges. Fuller's wealth was far less than that of the six "forge masters" Winters had previously met.

Perhaps for this reason, Fuller's attitude became even more proactive and eager. He enthusiastically introduced every aspect of the workshop to the Baron:
"Sir, look, this is the forging table, where they bend iron plates to make gun barrels. It's stopped now, but when they're busy, oh my, clanging and banging! It's so loud it makes my eyes see stars..."

"That's the annealing furnace over there. Ever since my grandfather, my family workshop hasn't used outside hardeners. Although it takes up a forge slot, it saves us a lot of money every year..."

"There's more ahead... Ouch! Watch out, you might bump your head! Sorry, sorry, this damn roof beam has been in the way for decades... I'll saw it off tonight!"

Winters stopped, rubbing his forehead. Before him stood a typical blacksmith's workshop: a furnace, a water-powered hammer, bellows, an anvil, and various tools.

He had visited similar workshops ten times today, and the novelty had long since worn off.

Fuller left the Baron and the others in the workshop, then hurriedly went into the storeroom and soon returned carrying a black wooden box.

Fuller solemnly opened the wooden box, inside which was an exquisite spring-loaded pistol. The stock was made of wood with beautiful natural grain, and the barrel was engraved with intricate and exaggerated patterns.

"The best gun, of course, deserves the most valiant knight," Fuller said with a broad smile.

Winters picked up the pistol, his center of gravity roughly in front of his hand, and it felt excellent to hold. Looking at the muzzle, he saw that it was indeed rifling.

"[Old saying] A masterpiece from your workshop?" Winters asked.

After hearing Kaman's account, Fuller nodded vigorously and proudly replied, "Of course!"

Winters gently stroked the engraving on the gun barrel, glancing back at the workshop furnishings—nothing special, just ordinary tools like hammers, chisels, saws, and rulers.

Winters found it hard to believe that such an exquisite weapon could have come from such a simple, low-ceilinged workshop.

But it did indeed originate in the Fuller family's small workshop, except that its father was not Fuller, but a highly skilled, unknown gunsmith.

“The people of Steelburg may think that the forge represents wealth,” Winters thought to himself, “but the blacksmiths wielding their hammers and chisels are the true source of wealth for this city.”

Winters smiled and uttered a few familiar phrases, which Kaman dutifully translated: "The Baron asked where the craftsman who forged this gun is. He wishes to thank him in person."

“Uh, he should be at home…” Seeing the Baron’s displeasure, Fuller immediately changed his words: “I’ll send someone to fetch him right now.”

Winters kept a straight face until he heard Kaman's retelling before nodding in satisfaction.

Kaman continued to act as a bridge of communication: "The Baron said that, to his knowledge, the blacksmiths of Steelburg have very narrow businesses, each doing only one thing. The Baron would like to know if your workshop manufactures rifled firearms?"

“You have an excellent eye, sir!” Fuller complimented loudly without any hesitation, boasting, “Fuller’s workshop is the foremost gun maker in Steel Castle. Even His Majesty the Emperor’s uncle, Duke Lothair, has come to our house to order hunting rifles. If you go to Duke Lothair’s storeroom now, you might even find a hunting rifle engraved with Fuller’s name…”

After rambling on for a while, Fuller finally said what Winters wanted to hear: "Please rest assured, sir, I can provide as many matchlock guns as you wish to order."

Winters calmly put the musket back into the wooden box.

Rifled spring-loaded guns were expensive and mostly toys for the wealthy. Especially according to Fuller, their main customers were imperial nobles, so they might only sell a few a year.

The owner of this workshop, which mainly deals in expensive hunting rifles, dares to confidently say, "I can provide as many rifles as you want."
Either Fuller was lying, or the fat man was even more anxious than he appeared.

Winters was right; Fuller did indeed have a large stockpile of muskets. Some were made in Fuller's own workshop during the autumn and winter seasons, while others were finished products acquired from other workshops.

Long ago, Fuller considered himself a business genius, but his family business was too small to fully utilize his talents. He was determined to seize the business opportunities presented by the Platonic Civil War and buy a few more forges.

Now, all he wants is to get rid of the muskets in the warehouse as soon as possible.

Because those muskets not only occupied all of his movable property, but a considerable portion of them were also purchased through loans and credit...

Winters smiled; even before he spoke, Kaman already knew what he was going to say.

“Mr. Fuller,” Kaman coughed, somewhat reluctantly, “His Excellency the Baron does not buy muskets.”

"Huh?" Fuller was taken aback. "What does the gentleman want to buy?"

"Your Excellency only buys gun barrels."

……

Winters, Kaman, and two bodyguards did not return to the hotel until evening.

As soon as he got out of the carriage, Winters began to inspect it thoroughly, almost to the point of taking off his clothes and crawling under the carriage to look inside.

"What's wrong?" Kaman asked curiously, "Is someone hiding under the car?"

"Nothing much." Winters' brow furrowed with suspicion. "By the way, did you notice that this carriage was much bumpier than the one we rode in yesterday?"

Kaman thought for a moment and said, "A little."

“Where is there only a little?” Winters shook the carriage violently.

“Yesterday I rode in the carriage sent by Mr. Esther,” Carman said dismissively. “Today I’m riding in the carriage that Mr. Ed lent you, so of course there’s a difference.”

Winters asked earnestly, "What's the difference?"

Kaman was taken aback by Winters' sudden serious tone and instinctively retorted, "How should I know?"

“I thought you were a truly learned person,” Winters said, quite disappointed.

As the two were talking, Anna walked into the yard and urged, "Gentlemen, if you keep arguing, your dinner will get cold."

Winters and Carman exchanged a glance and cautiously asked, "Is Mr. Ed's nanny cooking again today?"

"Is there anything you're unhappy about?" Anna asked, feigning anger.

“No.” Winters sighed. “Of course, it would be better if her sense of taste were a little more normal.”

A deep, mellow voice came from behind Anna: "I'm preparing dinner today, my lady."

Wearing an apron, Berian emerged from the room and bowed. Charles followed closely behind, excitedly running towards Winters.

Winters was initially surprised, then overjoyed. He hugged Charles and asked Berian, "How did things go?"

“As you command.” Berion replied calmly, “We have purchased all the books and gold testing instruments available on the market.”

……

[Dining room]
Berleon minced the beef, squeezed it into balls, and cooked them with shredded radish and a few spices to make an extremely delicious beef ball soup.

Apart from the two unlucky ones who drew the guard's sign, Winters, Anna, and the others who accompanied them gathered at the restaurant. Regardless of rank or status, everyone sat around the long table and shared the steaming hot meat soup.

"How did things go today?" Anna asked Winters as she passed bread baskets to the others, who were all flattered to receive them.

Winters was intently flipping through a thick, double-page book. "Not bad," Anna said with a nasal tone that carried a strong sense of threat.

The people at the table immediately stopped what they were doing, and even the air in the restaurant seemed to turn a little cold.

“I don’t know how to put it simply…” Winters looked up and said with a smile, “Anyway, they all rejected me.”

Winters didn't close a single deal today.

No steel fortress owner could accept Winters' insulting offer, but no one rejected it on the spot either; everyone said they needed more time to consider.

“Then explain in detail,” Anna said, drawing out her words slightly.

Winters glanced around the table, and seeing the curious or confused expressions on his subordinates' faces, he suddenly realized that this might be a good opportunity.

All the subordinates Winters kept by his side were "reserve officers" on whom he placed high hopes, expecting them to shoulder more responsibilities in the future, and also the people he trusted most. Letting these reserve officers hear more, see more, and understand more couldn't be a bad thing.

“Then I’ll say something.” Winters put the folio aside, picked up his soup bowl, and glanced at his subordinates around the table: “You all listen too.”

Winters then explained in simple terms the predicament Steel Castle faced, the struggle between the United Provinces and Venetta for Steel Castle, and the "opportunities in crisis" and "difficulties in seizing opportunities."

He thought he had explained it very carefully, but the reserve officers still seemed confused.

Koch—a Blackwater farmer who had followed Winters since the first army was formed—stammered, “You mean, they have nowhere to sell their goods, and they won’t agree to buy them?”

"That's pretty much it."

"Why?" Koch asked, even more puzzled. "What are they thinking?"

Winters could probably guess what the workshop owners were thinking: Paul Wupper had already sent a special envoy to the House of Commons at Hornburg to protest the embargo. The workshop owners probably still held a sliver of hope and were waiting for news of the protest.

Winters shared his conjecture, paused for a moment, and pondered, "I think... Steel Fortress has a very small chance of winning in the game regarding the embargo law."

"Why?" Kaman interjected, "I think the Steel Fortress people are very confident."

“The Steel Fort people think they are in the right.” Winters took a piece of bread and broke it open heavily. “But Horn Fort has guns.”

……

Berlion and Charles not only purchased a large number of touchstone instruments such as balances, crucibles, and glassware, but also bought all kinds of books on the market in full, following Winters' special order.

After dinner, Winters was still flipping through that thick book at the table.

Kaman walked past Winters and asked curiously, "A folio? What kind of book is that?"

A folio is a type of book where the entire sheet of paper is cut only once during printing. Therefore, each page in a folio is twice the size of a typical quarto book. Only very important and valuable books are printed in folio format.

“Scriptures,” Winters replied without looking up.

"Huh?" Kaman looked surprised and walked to Winters' side, his tone quite light: "If the purpose is not pure, it's meaningless even if you can memorize the scriptures."

However, when Kaman actually saw what book Winters was holding, his expression became quite subtle.

Winters was looking through the Universal Language Bible of Imperial Calendar 532—one of the most famous apocryphal texts recognized by the Papacy.

Winters, sitting at the dining table, was still marveling, "Wow, how can it be printed so clearly?"

He turned the pages and pointed to the book, saying to Kaman, "Even these tiny letters are so clearly distinguished. I can't write them this small by hand. Compared to this book, the printing workshop in Ghevortin is simply shameful."

"How could I not know? Monta is the stronghold of the Protestants! Back when the Protestants rebelled, all those propaganda pamphlets that were all over the north and south were printed by Monta people!" Kaman asked irritably, "Why are you looking at this?"

“Originally, it was intended as a literacy textbook. My subordinates… you’ve seen it yourself.” Winters’ tone was quite helpless: “Tell me, how can I trust them to lead troops in the future? Moreover, many of them are very resistant to learning. If you don’t believe me, ask Charles how many vines he broke.”

"and then?"

"Then I thought that if we used the scriptures as teaching materials, they would be more motivated to learn to read."

"So you're planning to use apocryphal scriptures to teach Catholics?" Kaman said bitterly. "I suddenly feel that burning at the stake is very necessary, like now."

“I have another idea now,” Winters called out. “Belion!”

Berrian, who was clearing away the dishes, entered the room upon hearing the sound: "You called me? Your Excellency."

Winters tapped the book lightly: "Was this printed by Steel Castle?"

"Yes."

“Find a printing workshop and buy all their typefaces.”

“I’ll go first thing tomorrow morning,” Berrian answered without hesitation.

Winters pondered for a moment: "Having typefaces alone probably isn't enough..."

"I will try to hire a few printing workers..."

"As long as you are willing to come back to the newly reclaimed land with us, we will pay you whatever wages you ask for. Make it clear that you can leave freely after working for three years."

“You’re buying books, type molds, hiring blacksmiths, and printers…” Kaman laughed in exasperation: “Why don’t you just buy the whole Steel Castle!”

“If I had that much gold, I would definitely buy it,” Winters said with a self-deprecating laugh. “I’m like a farmer who’s been poor for so long, I want to bring home anything good I see.”

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

The guard standing outside the door came into the room, handed Winters two letters, and whispered a few words to him.

Winters skimmed the contents of the letter, his brow furrowing slightly.

"What?" Kaman asked, raising an eyebrow.

“It’s nothing.” Winters relaxed his brow and waved the letter in his hand: “The esteemed Mayor Paul Wooper has invited me to sit in on tomorrow’s Blacksmiths’ Guild election debate.”

"What about the other letter?"

Winters laughed and picked up another letter: "This one? This is an invitation from Mr. Paul Wooper's only rival, the province's number one evil lackey, Congressman [John Servit]."

"what?"

“Member Servet also extended an invitation to me to sit in on tomorrow’s open debate.”

"Then...you want..."

"Prepare the horses." Winters grabbed his clothes and jumped up from his chair. "I'm going to Mr. Ed's house—hopefully he's not resting yet."

With that, Winters strode out of the restaurant.

Everyone was already used to Winters' decisive and efficient style of doing things immediately; some prepared their horses, while others got dressed.

Anna's voice rang out from the stairs: "Put on this robe! And remember to apologize to Mr. Ed..."

For some reason, Kaman felt he should go too—Steel Castle wasn't safe, and he was always a little worried about letting Winters go out alone.

The apocryphal book was still lying quietly on the dining table when Kaman walked past Winters' seat and forcefully slammed it shut.

Out of the corner of his eye, he inadvertently caught a line of text:
I will grant your request and give you wisdom and understanding.
[The last sentence wasn't intended to praise Winters' wisdom, but rather to show that "sharing wisdom with others is a wise and virtuous act." Therefore, the quoted scripture feels somewhat inappropriate, but I can't think of a more suitable one at the moment...]
[Berion and Ciel actually went on a big shopping spree. I originally wrote about their shopping experience, but it felt too verbose, so I just glossed over it... If I continued writing about it further, I feel like I wouldn't be able to finish even in 100 chapters of Volume 4... But they were still very happy with their shopping spree.]
The term "touchstone" actually originates from the act of "testing gold." At the time, there were experimental methods such as blowing away dust and acid washing, as well as the feudal superstition of alchemists (the touchstone).
[Thank you to all the readers for your collections, reading, subscriptions, recommendations, monthly tickets, rewards, and comments. Thank you everyone!]
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(End of this chapter)