Chapter 35

Chapter 35: Blue Precision

“If you don’t want to say, it’s also fine. I understand when we’re outside,” Angus said casually.

Angus was not bothered by the young lady’s denial; in his view, this was a very wise approach. Admitting would have been strange. Even if she wasn’t the princess of the Verdant Empire, she was likely from a prestigious family of high nobility within the empire.

The reason he didn’t guess at her being a noble from the Westwind Kingdom was because Angus knew that country well. He himself was born into a baron’s family in the Westwind Kingdom but left home due to betrayal by his brothers and started doing business elsewhere.

It turned out to be a fortunate accident. He never imagined he had such talent and luck. Now, he had become one of the wealthiest merchants in Hope Lane Port, and was also someone of note in Vergha.

This time, he had come to Westwind to take his daughter to Vergha. In the past few years, he had been busy with social engagements and business, unable to settle down. Only recently had he properly arranged all his businesses. Finally, he could bring his daughter to Vergha for proper care, making up for the regret of leaving her alone in Westwind.

Although Angus’s daughter lived comfortably in Westwind, with a large estate and loyal servants taking care of her, there were no close relatives around, which made her personality somewhat eccentric.

Mainly because Ilene’s mother passed away early, leaving only a wet nurse to care for her. Others were merely servants, none daring to defy her, gradually fostering a spoiled and self-centered character.

For this visit, Angus had specially found a renowned teacher in Hope Lane to accompany her, teach her, and help adjust her twisted personality. As for Westwind, they probably wouldn’t return here anymore. The current state of the Westwind Kingdom’s nobility was utterly deplorable—skilled at civil strife but having long forgotten their honor and mission, indulging in pleasure every day. It was no wonder that rebellions had frequently occurred in recent years, leading to constant internal turmoil.

Looking at the erudite and learned young lady before him, Angus guessed she might either be from a prominent family in the Verdant Empire or a student from Emanas Academy.

Although mages from Rourna were also knowledgeable, they were traditionally uninterested in commerce.

Speaking of Rourna, let’s introduce the current situation of the Western Continent.

Today, the Western Continent is roughly divided into two parts, east and west, with the Sighing Mountains as the boundary.

The eastern part of the continent is dominated by the powerful Verdant Empire, which occupies nearly half of the continent’s land.

Three hundred years ago, after the Verdant Empire rose to prominence, seven major western nations—Vergha, Rourna, Gufia, Falcon, Holy Land, Westwind, and Black Rock—formed an alliance at Snowhua Mountain through a blood oath to counteract the expansion of the Verdant Empire.

Vergha was known for its trade and navy, Rourna for alchemy and mages, Falcon governed by winged beings and knights, Holy Land as the base of the Angel Sequence, Black Rock as the land of mercenaries and forests, Gufia as the last stronghold of the various beast tribes, and Westwind, once a proud advocate of the Snowhua Alliance.

About a hundred years ago, the seven countries formed a coalition army of approximately two million soldiers who held off the invasion of the Verdant Empire at the Tianshi Fortress in the south of the Sighing Mountains.

The battle lasted nearly a year, with reinforcements from both sides. Eventually, the Snowhua Alliance gathered about 2.6 million troops against the Verdant Empire’s 3 million, engaging in fierce battles on the Golden Plains.

In the end, the Verdant Empire retreated after failing, concluding the war. Later, peace negotiations followed, leading to nearly a century of peace. This great war was later called “The Battle of Broken Bows.”

There are many implications behind this name. The bow techniques of the Verdant Empire were inherited from the Forest Elves and were quite famous. However, during this war, it was said that even the bows were broken and the arrows depleted, yet victory remained elusive, leading to their retreat and negotiation. Some people also say that this symbolized the breaking of the Verdant Empire’s dream bow, shattering their vision of uniting the continent.

—

After Angus and Lolan Hill had conversed for some time, the blue-dressed, spoiled young lady returned.

“Father大人, let’s go back. I don’t want to stay here. Let’s leave for Vergha tomorrow.”

“Alright, my dear daughter, these years have been hard on you living alone in the Westwind Kingdom.”

Angus stood up, greeted Lolan Hill, and then left.

Watching this father-daughter pair depart, Lolan Hill became increasingly interested in Vergha.

Vergha was once part of the Westwind Kingdom, as a coastal province with thriving trade and numerous excellent ports.

The title of Grand Duke of Vergha was usually bestowed upon the king’s own brother. During an internal power struggle within the kingdom, the royal family split, and the then Grand Duke of Vergha was killed. Fearing retribution, his subordinates joined forces with local merchants to declare independence.

Due to flourishing maritime trade, these wealthy merchants had their own fleets and guards. Several powers united, eventually defeating the army sent to suppress them, forcing the Westwind Kingdom to recognize their independence.

However, merchants always aim to do business and prefer not to sever ties completely.

So, nominally, Vergha still belonged to the Westwind Kingdom and paid substantial gold tributes each year to appease the royal family.

In reality, Vergha was now managed by a commercial guild alliance, whose members came from various chambers of commerce, balancing and checking each other while jointly discussing matters. Everything was centered around making money, so it remained quite vibrant.

After enjoying a delicious ice cream, Lolan Hill wandered around the city and found an alchemy shop inside Shaji City.

“Hello, would you like to buy something or place a custom order?”

A store clerk dressed in deep blue work clothes approached to inquire.

“Can I take a look first?”

A light and ethereal voice came from beneath the black hood.

The clerk glanced briefly. Her attire suggested someone who could afford more than ordinary clothing, so he stepped aside and guided her toward the display cabinet.

“Hello, may I ask what kind of needs you have? Not to boast, but our Blue Precision Workshop is the most capable alchemy workshop in the Westwind Kingdom, with branches in all major cities within the kingdom. We offer a wide variety of items, and even if we don’t have what you need in stock, you can tell us your requirements, and our alchemy masters will create something exclusive just for you.”

“Are you really the best in the Westwind Kingdom?”

Lolan Hill looked at the rows of potions rated only as Black Iron Grade on the counter and felt the clerk was exaggerating.

“Of course! Our workshop often supplies goods to the military, and sometimes even the royal family orders things from us.”

At this point, the clerk felt an inexplicable sense of pride, his face practically glowing.

“Do you know? Inside the Westwind Palace, there is a three-person-tall grand clock. Inside, there are 24 exquisite brass figurines. Every hour, one of the figurines, dressed in beautiful clothing, emerges to strike the gong and announce the time, then changes at the next hour. They are all different, beautifully crafted, and even ambassadors from the Verdant Empire praised them endlessly.”

“Was that clock made by your workshop?”

The clerk gave her a look that said “You get it,” pleased with her question, and began boasting again about how beautiful and exquisite the clock was. It not only told the time accurately but also provided lighting at night.

It sounded impressive, but isn’t it just a clock? Lolan Hill thought.

The intricate mechanisms and structures of clocks give outsiders a feeling of awe, easily fooling them.

In her memory, mechanical watches were gradually becoming obsolete. A thousand-yuan mechanical watch wasn’t even as accurate as a five-yuan electronic watch from the street. Their sole purpose might be as a luxury item to flaunt status.

But if the workshop’s representative masterpiece was merely a luxury item of little practical use, did it indicate that their direction was starting to deviate?

Ignoring the clerk’s boasts, Lolan Hill carefully looked around the store.

Most of the items were luxuries with little practical use but exquisite appearances, such as hollow spheres floating on pedestals, ducks that announced the time, crystal shoes that changed colors, capes with light effects, etc.

The truly useful items she saw were only a bronze-grade-rated longsword and three Phantasm Voice Potions. The rest were either Black Iron Grade items of little use or purely decorative luxuries.

[Phantasm Voice Potion] (Ordinary Bronze Grade): Can alter the speaker’s voice, lasting for 1 hour.

This potion had a wide range of uses, whether mimicking various sounds to lure or intimidate in battle, or beautifying one’s voice for performances and speeches, applicable in many scenarios.

—

End of Chapter