When summer arrived, Margaret's inland river fleet reached Border Town.
Roland made a point of welcoming the female merchant at the dock, while also inspecting the goods she had brought.
The most critical resource is three full loads of gunpowder. With Border Town's ammunition reserves nearly depleted, even the First Army's firing drills have been suspended. While rotating rifles have been deployed in limited quantities, their training has remained confined to basic procedures like magazine reloading, cartridge ejection, weapon maintenance, and ammunition replenishment. Now that this supply of gunpowder is available, live-fire training can finally resume.
In addition to saltpeter, she delivered two ships of ore ingots as agreed, mainly iron and copper, along with some green vitriol ore. Unloading these goods alone would take two to three days.
Roland strategically positioned the two steam engines in a prominent spot at the yard, traditionally draped in crimson satin and adorned with vibrant red flowers for Marguerite's final inspection. The Western Industrial Company had painstakingly assembled only one steam engine over nearly a month, pieced together from hundreds of discarded components. To meet the delivery deadline, Roland had to enlist Anna to rework the defective parts that were barely off specification, ensuring the second steam engine arrived on schedule.
To Roland's surprise, Margery wasn't coming alone this time—she had brought the merchant delegation from the royal capital.
After the goods were delivered, Margery and her group followed Roland back to the castle, where they enjoyed a lavish lunch in the reception hall.
"Your Highness," introduced Margery, "this is Hogg, my old friend and one of the top mining magnates in the capital." "This is Gamore," continued Margery, "a fellow from the String Moon Bay caravan with Malran, specializing in cross-strait trade between Graycastle and the fjords. They've shown great interest in steam engines. Having known them for years, I couldn't bring myself to sell them at a premium, so I brought them here to present." "Greetings, Your Highness," Hogg said with a puffed belly and glistening face. "Margery mentioned these machines could replace human labor—quickly pumping water and transporting ore from mines, with endless power that requires no rest. Would I get to see them?" "Certainly," Roland said, taking a sip of wine. "At first, the sour taste was hard to swallow, but I'm getting used to it. To transport ore, though, they need track systems. After lunch, I can show you the North Slope Mine." "Your Highness," Malran asked, "I'm curious about steam engines' applications. Can they really be installed on sailboats to replace wind power? What about three-or four-masted ships? Their power might not be enough." "Steam engines vary in power like horses—some models are stronger than others. Naturally, higher-powered ones cost more. And you can always add more units, two or four if needed." "Roland replied with a smile.
Even the most primitive steam-powered paddle wheel ships required sophisticated systems for propulsion, transmission, and navigation. Aside from Border Town, Graycastle lacked the technical expertise to retrofit such vessels. The cost of modifying a ship like this would inevitably far exceed the price of the steam engine itself.
"Since that's the case, the Xianyue Bay caravan would also like to order this machine from you," said Gamor, his eyes squinting from the mouthwatering aroma of freshly steamed buns as he stuffed one into his mouth.
As the saying goes, 'birds of a feather flock together.' Friends of big dog owners remain loyal to big dog owners. They rush to place orders without even considering the actual results, as if the thousands of Golden Dragons were nothing to them.
Roland shook his head. "Border Town is short on manpower, and steam engines are notoriously complex to build. It'll be hard to produce enough extra machines before completing Margre's order." "I can provide you with workers, Your Highness," Gamol said, patting his chest. "We have plenty of carpenters, blacksmiths, and even shipbuilders in our harbor—all at no cost!" "Then train them to manufacture the machines for your use?" Hog interjected.
"No! Of course not!" he exclaimed with wide-eyed indignation. "How dare I play such tricks before Your Royal Highness? Ten years, Your Highness," he spread his hands, "I'll pay them to work for you for ten years. The only condition is that the steam engines they build must be sold first to the Crescent Bay caravan." "That's an interesting proposal," Roland thought. "It's like a modern-day technology partnership—where you provide the technology and take the lion's share. Of course, the other party gets the steam engines quickly, and after ten years, they'll have a team of skilled technicians. The workers' wages over those ten years would cover the cost of acquiring the technology."
"Don't rush to make a decision yet. We can discuss these details after seeing the actual items," Roland said, pressing his hand down. "Besides, I don't just have steam engines here. You'll likely find other items interesting, like this one." He snapped his fingers, and the guard beside him pulled out a pile of items from the wooden crate at his feet, arranging them one by one on the table.
"These are all new additions to Border Town. Every item is top-notch quality at fair prices, like this simple mug," Roland pointed to the vibrant cups on the table. "They're lightweight, stylish, and far from fragile like crystal cups. The designs are customizable, and they're water-resistant—so easy to clean." "Water-resistant?" Margery picked up a cup and examined it closely.
"You could try it with wine," Prince quipped. "After drinking, you can pretend to be drunk and toss it on the floor—break it and I'll take the blame." "This craftsmanship,啧啧, is truly exquisite... I doubt every cup can guarantee such quality," said the belly-bulging Hog, who had already filled his cup and gulped it down. "Eh, it's actually dry inside." "Of course it's dry. It's just an ordinary wooden cup covered with Solora's artwork, all designed by me. It doesn't clash with crystal cups. Compared to formal court banquets, it's more suitable for the chambers of young ladies," Roland remarked. "As far as I know, they've never resisted anything bright and beautiful." "I agree," Margery nodded with interest. "You seem truly experienced." "Cough, cough," Prince cleared his throat. "And this—uniformly thick full breastplate, two pieces in total, forged from wrought iron. Not only lighter than Knight's plate armor, but also wearable by one person. When closed, there's no gap, perfect for caravan guards without attendants. Most importantly, it's cheaper than plate armor..."
After introducing all the merchandise, the merchants couldn't help but start whispering. Roland left them some free talk time, then left the hall to catch his breath by the garden corridor.
"Your Highness, after a month's absence, you've brought back quite a few new and interesting things." Margery followed her out as well.
"Shouldn 't you consult them first?" "No, what I value doesn't require others 'opinions—whether it's goods or people," she said with a smile, shaking her head. "The caravan will stay here for three or four days. Could you... let me see Lightning one more time?" "Though she didn't recognize you, she at least didn't show any dislike last time. So I think there's no issue." "Thank you!" Margery said gratefully.
"It's just a small favor," Roland said with a smile. "By the way, since you've been here so long, why not come see a play? Border Town will be hosting its first theatrical performance in three days." "You built the entire theater in just one month?" she exclaimed in surprise.
"Of course not. It's an open-air performance right in the town center square—I'm sure it'll be something special." "Then I'll have to comply, Your Highness," Margery said, her head bowed and hands on her chest.