Cecil City, inside the Lord's Mansion.
Gawain sat behind the large desk, and Hetty stood quietly beside him. In front of the two of them, a clear holographic projection was emerging above the magic net terminal in the study.
A girl with a sweet smile stands in the center of the projection. On the table in front of the girl, there is a strange device that looks like a short table. The device is supported by four legs, and the top is a flat surface. In a large frying pan, the steak and slices of bread are making a cheerful sizzling sound as they are being fried in hot oil.
Outside the screen, a pleasant narration sounded: "...Magic Heating Table, the best choice to replace traditional stoves - no firewood, no open fire, saving your cooking costs, and even less cleaning troubles... Cod Jiashitong company is always at your service. Magic brings convenience to life…”
A short video was played quickly, and Hetty waited until the screen switched back to the previous program, and then broke the silence with a hint of admiration: "This is the latest advertisement of Kede Family Business, ancestor, you really didn't You read wrong, that businessman named Ke De... really has a talent that ordinary people don't have... ancestor? What's wrong with you, ancestor?"
Gao Wen was still staring at the screen on the holographic projection until the end of the show, and he did not move his eyes away, with a strange expression on his face. This abnormal situation made Heidi very nervous, until she continued After yelling three times, Gao Wen suddenly woke up as if he was waking up from a big dream: "Ah - I was distracted just now."
"Ancestor, are you... are you really alright?" Hetty couldn't help but asked with concern, because the expression on Gawain's face just now was really not the same as before. There's a touch of... sentimentality.
But that's not sentimental, because there's a palpable sense of relief and joy mixed in.
"I'm fine, I'm just feeling a little emotional..." Gawain looked at Hetty's nervous expression, and comforted him with a smile, "Seeing these things spontaneously appearing among the people, I feel that my all-time promotion has not been in vain."
It is not an easy task to bring advanced ideas and magic technology into this era. From the very beginning, Gawain knew this, but what he was most worried about was never the "difficulties" in this process, he was most worried about Yes, it is because my own advancement and construction are "one-way stacking", it is because this society really has no basis for change, and is not ready to face the new era-magic technology seems to be developing rapidly, the Principality of Cecil sees it It seems to be rising rapidly, but he never dared to breathe a sigh of relief, because he was afraid that one day, when he, the so-called "guide", fell, the development of this land would stagnate, or even... go back.
Until now, he was still not completely sure whether the Principality of Cecil would continue to develop after he suddenly fell down, but at least one thing he was sure of: this once stagnant water was now flowing.
Or maybe, it has never been a pool of stagnant water, even in the darkest and most oppressive Middle Ages, in the depths of this pool... There is always a small group of people waiting for the era of water to flow.
After calming down, Gao Wen suddenly felt that his previous worries were a bit arrogant, and he couldn't help shaking his head in self-deprecating way: "Hetty, don't you think... I'm actually a little arrogant?"
"Arrogance? Why do you think so?" Hetty's eyes widened in surprise, "Your greatness is recognized by history, and your achievements are truly established on this land. Compared with these achievements Wake up, I think you are too humble in ordinary times... A mediocre baron would engrave his boring life on stone, but you have refused anyone to make a statue of you."
"It's better not to mention this aspect," Gao Wen waved his hand, "Aside from the Kede Family Business Company, is there any similar technology-based private industry that has emerged?"
"Very few. Most people have just adapted to the changes in the principality's situation. There are very few people like Kodd who can react quickly and find business opportunities from magic technology. But it's not completely absent—also in the Carroll area , a businessman found a new ice-making technology by using a general-purpose rune baseplate, and in the Housman area, several craftsmen partnered to open a workshop, and they tried to improve the existing mana water pump to adapt to The lower water table in the Housman area. Besides... there's none."
"As long as it is... as long as it is..." Gao Wen nodded repeatedly.
The development of society will naturally give birth to some things. With the gradual promotion of magic technology, colleges around the world continue to spread knowledge to the public, and the upper-level public is constantly exposed to the latest magic devices. There will definitely be smart people with active thinking—— And as long as there is enough expected income and driven by interests, these smart people with active thinking will take the initiative to contact and even want to master these new fields. Intellectuals will be the biggest driving force.
They will grab the earliest technological and policy dividends, and in Gao Wen's view, this is what they deserve.
At the current stage, the real magic technology is actually still in the hands of the "officials", in the hands of the Magic Technology Research Institute, Rune Research Institute, Machinery Manufacturing Institute and various design bureaus, but Gao Wen has never restricted those non-military and non-secret The technology and knowledge of the society spread outwards, and civilian-use magic terminals are sold publicly. In colleges and night schools in various places, there are also general-purpose rune substrates used for "literacy" that are open to the outside world. Private "technical companies" have developed on this small basis.
"These things need to be encouraged, not only encouraged, but also publicized," Gao Wen said with a smile on his face, "We support the folks' spontaneous research and improvement of magic technology, as long as they comply with the law, we must support and reward them. interest is the key to technology promotion and development... It seems that the 'patent' system should be improved soon."
"Patent? Is it the thing you mentioned before that is used to manage various technological achievements?" Hetty blinked, "I see, I will come up with a draft as soon as possible."
"Well," Gawain nodded, then looked up at the mechanical clock on the wall, "Speaking of...the elves should be here soon, right?"
"Two hours ago, there was a sighting report from the Tanzania Hub Tower. According to the flying speed of the giant eagle, it should arrive soon," Hetty nodded, "Are you ready to welcome it?"
"Get ready," Gao Wen stood up, "That's an important guest."
Hetty sighed: "The royal family is really in decline—such an important messenger has to rely on a foreign race."
Gawain smiled and glanced at Heidi: "Otherwise? Let them argue with the people from the East for half a month who is more qualified to contact the South. I'm afraid the team won't be able to go out in winter."
The elves are coming.
Huge and mighty gray-black giant eagles flitted across the sky like galloping dark clouds, and flew from the northwest sky. The northwest corner of the city wall extends all the way to the administrative area in the center of the city. Next to the Lord's Mansion, on the open square in front of the "Autumn Palace", soldiers of Cecil in bright armor have been waiting for a long time.
Gawain brought Hetty and Rebecca who were the representatives of the family and the government affairs department, Solderling who temporarily played the role of "Elf Affairs Officer", and several government affairs department officials stood on the square, watching the huge bird of prey fall from the sky .
Facing exotic raptors like giant eagles is a rare experience for humans in the north, but until those huge raptors landed one after another, the soldiers on the scene still stood straight in place without any unnecessary movements .
After the giant eagle landed, tall and elegant figures jumped off the backs of the mounts, and then walked towards Gao Wen and the others.
A nearby military band played music at the right time.
During the sound of the music, Gawain first glanced at the giant eagles, then he turned his head slightly, and asked Hetty beside him, "Did they fly all the way in from the northwest border?"
"Yes, it was the first to fly over from the Luan area and was discovered by the local magic network hub tower, and then flew here along the line of Horsman-Asoke-White Lake Inlet-Tanzan."
Gao Wen pondered for a while, and said to himself: "Although it may be a bit early... but the concepts of air defense and air force cannot be blank..."
Hetty was taken aback: "What did you say, ancestor?"
"Oh, it's nothing." Gawain shook his head, and then his eyes fell on the elves who were walking towards him, and a short-haired female elf, who seemed relatively short even among humans, was the first to enter his field of vision. The memory from Gawain Cecil was instantly activated, and he couldn't help muttering in a low voice, "... unexpectedly saw an acquaintance?"
Rebecca on the side was suddenly curious: "My lord ancestor, do you know any of these elves?"
Gawain smiled, nodded, and then walked forward: "Sonia? Shuangye—we haven't seen each other for seven centuries."
The short-haired woman walking in the middle of all the elves quickened her pace. She walked quickly to Gawain, but she did not respond to the other party's greeting after standing still. Instead, she looked Gawain up and down several times, with a strange look on her face With a scrutinizing expression, she didn't show a smile until a few seconds later, and stretched out her hand: "Even if I saw it with my own eyes, I still can't believe that all this is true... You actually came back to life?"
Gawain held Sonia Shuangye's hand, using the hand-kissing ceremony common to humans and elves as a courtesy, and then shook his head helplessly: "If the old territory hadn't been burned down by a passing blue dragon with a mouthful of dragon flames, I can bring you my coffin board as a witness."
"Without any evidence, elves have a good memory—I still remember the details of your appearance and voice," Sonia Shuangye nodded, "Her Majesty Belsetia ordered me to say hello to you on her behalf, and Luo General Marr, Countess Celia, Count Quel Doan, General Shanna, Sage Ghidorn, and Chief Messenger Ji Liye send their greetings to you."
After she finished speaking, she immediately turned to a courier partner beside her: "Write it all down, I brought everything with me."
"Okay, I've got it down."
Gao Wen couldn't laugh or cry when he heard the other party say such a long list of names that are deeply impressed in Gawain Cecil's memory, he spread his hands helplessly: "I left in a hurry back then, and I couldn't meet you again as promised. On the one hand, but such a sudden death in battle... can't be in the plan, can it?"
Sonia Shuangye waved her hand: "Anyway, I brought my words."
At this time, Rebecca, who was following up together, couldn't bear it any longer, and began to chirp: "Hey, you really know each other, my lord? Who were those names just now? Are they all your friends back then, my lord? How are you, my lord?" Amazing!"
"I knew a lot of people back then, so I don't need to be so surprised," Gawain glanced at Rebecca, and at the same time signaled Hetty who was next to him with his eyes to quickly control this stupid roe deer who might be ashamed at any time, and then He turned around and walked towards the autumn palace with these special envoys, and waved to Soldering who was not far away, "Solderling - don't stand so far away, come and say hello Bar."
Solderin had deliberately stood in an inconspicuous position from just now, but he still walked out helplessly at this time. The high-level ranger came to Gawain's side, and looked at the people from the Silver Empire with a slightly strange look in his eyes. The compatriots glanced, and their eyes finally fell on Sonia Shuangye.
Sonia just glanced at Solderling and didn't speak, just waiting for the other party to speak.
Several people walking beside Gao Wen obviously noticed the change in the atmosphere, and under everyone's curious gaze, Soldering finally spoke. He lowered his head and called out with a little embarrassment: "My lord mother... haven't seen you for a long time."
The expressions of several people became exciting in an instant, and Rebecca's eyes widened even more. She looked at Soldering, and then looked hard at Sonia, who was almost as tall as herself, and finally couldn't help opening her mouth: "… Wow!!"