Chapter 75: The Second Gathering of the Old Clayton
As the steam train entered its deceleration phase, it indicated that it was about to pull into the Tingen City train station.
Thus, the personal maid, Irene, entered Altair's carriage and woke her from her deep sleep. After she rose, Irene began her duties as a maid, helping Altair tidy her appearance.
Once everything was in order, the two left the carriage and stepped off the now-stationary steam train.
Looking at the station before her, Altair really hadn't expected that after only five months, she would once again return to Tingen City, the 'place where the story began.'
Watching the person walking toward them from not far away, Altair was quite shocked. The person coming to receive them this time wasn't Hahn's younger brother, Amos Clayton, but his father, Old Clayton.
Upon seeing the group getting off the train, Old Clayton hurriedly walked over, bowed, and said:
"Good day, Countess Altair. On behalf of the residents of your territory, I welcome you back to your ancestral land once again."
Altair nodded slightly in response, then asked with a smile, "Good day, Old Clayton. How has your health been recovering lately?"
Hearing his Countess's concern, Old Clayton replied with a face full of smiles, "Thank you very much for your concern, Countess Altair. Thanks to your blessing, my health has been gradually improving ever since I started drinking those potions."
Hearing his answer, Altair nodded with satisfaction.
Once the luggage was loaded onto the carriages, the convoy of eight carriages left the Tingen City train station with great fanfare.
Most of what these carriages carried were things Altair would need for the winter, such as daily casual wear, winter formal gowns, jewelry, tea leaves, high-quality wine, and so on. Only a small portion belonged to Hahn and the others.
By the time the carriages returned to Mols Town and entered Sheffield Castle, it was already five o'clock in the afternoon. Old Clayton did not choose to stay; instead, he left in a hurried rush to supervise the servants in preparing tonight's dinner.
Because Hahn had sent a telegram three days ago to inform Old Clayton that 'Countess Altair plans to return to her ancestral land for the winter this year,' tonight's dinner was exceptionally lavish: roast beef, roast lamb, venison steaks, roast goose, strawberry cream tarts, fruit jelly... After dinner, Altair returned to her already-cleaned room to pass the time through Meditation.
At exactly eight o'clock in the evening, Altair's consciousness once again arrived at Adam's Corpse Cathedral through that peculiar method and sat in her own seat.
The empty seats around her were constantly being filled by the figures of different people appearing out of thin air.
Once everyone had arrived, the middle-aged man dressed in Southern Continent-style clothing looked at the Artisan with a serious expression and asked, "How is your research progress? Can they be mass-produced now?"
"I am in urgent need of those weapons." After asking these questions, he turned his head to look at the surrounding crowd and cursed,
"What on earth is going on with your Northern Continent nations of Loen and Foussac! You've truly treated the Southern Continent as the main battlefield. If you want a full-scale war to break out, go back to your Northern Continent to fight. The Southern Continent does not welcome you!"
As soon as the middle-aged man finished speaking, the person suspected of being a high-ranking official from Foussac murmured:
"The current warfare in the Southern Continent has completely escaped Foussac's control. Furthermore, based on existing intelligence, they speculate that 'George III' is still thinking about expanding the war."
Altair observed him curiously; the purpose of this person's words was obvious—he was reminding the big figures of other countries that if Foussac was completely defeated, Loen would certainly launch a war against them.
It seemed the Twilight Hermit Order wasn't of one mind either; in essence, it was a loose alliance where everyone had their own schemes.
When most people had joined the argument, the Artisan, who had been keeping his head down in silence, finally spoke up: "I have already thoroughly researched those 'new weapons.' Their working principle is very simple, and I can mass-produce them at any time."
"But the most critical gunpowder technology is still difficult to replicate. I still need half a year; after half a year, I will definitely be able to replicate it."
"If you want me to replicate the gunpowder faster, I need someone to help me enter the factory to specifically learn about it."
The Artisan's words caused the people who were arguing to gradually quiet down. It was as if they had all gone deaf; no one chose to reply to him.
Altair wanted to laugh seeing this scene. If they had the ability to arrange for someone to enter the factory and learn, why would they need you to replicate it? They would have sent someone to steal the knowledge long ago.
Furthermore, Altair had specifically thought about how to solve the problem of people stealing her knowledge back then.
Her solution was to break down the gunpowder production into many steps. Even if you successfully entered the factory, you could only participate in one step of the process. Of course, if you had special means to go through all the steps...
Well then, congratulations on successfully advancing to the second stage: figuring out the correct manufacturing sequence and removing the inert substances Altair added in specific steps.
Otherwise, the consequence would be either blowing up the workshop or producing substandard gunpowder.
Watching the 'monkey show' before her, Altair's heart gradually relaxed. Then, Hermes beside her said in an aged voice, "It seems you aren't worried about the impact of this matter."
Altair turned her head to look at the seat beside her and found that Hermes, wearing a smile, was currently observing her with a curious gaze.
Altair nodded with a smile but chose not to reply. She then looked toward Adam.
When their eyes met, a voice rang out deep in Altair's mind: "When."
Sensing Adam's words, Altair thought in the depths of her consciousness: "I need to use your 'alt account'."
"You may."
As soon as he finished speaking, Altair's consciousness arrived within a male figure sitting at the very end.
After confirming she could fully control this figure, she stood up and said loudly, "I can manufacture the weapons you need and guarantee their power, but what can I gain from this?"
The 'Altair's' out-of-character behavior drew the eyes of everyone present. This included 'herself' sitting not far from Adam, who also looked over.
But after 'Altair' finished speaking, things became awkward because no one chose to pick up the conversation; they were all looking at her with skeptical eyes.
After a moment of silence, the person suspected of being a Foussac high-ranking official asked curiously, "Can you really make them?"
Under the watch of many gazes, 'Altair' nodded and said, "I believe the Leader can guarantee this."
Everyone then turned their gazes toward Adam, who had been observing from the sidelines, only to find him nodding slightly in response.