The next day.
"This is the general idea. I wonder if you can develop it, Mr. Anton?"
Anton, whom I had called over for the discussion, looked at the blueprints with eyes full of surprise. From the look of these drawings, wasn't this a working schematic for the core components of the water train from the City of Water in the Kingdom of the Sea?
"Your Highness, I need time. Furthermore... I'm afraid I cannot do this alone. I might need the assistance of the Mage Guild."
"If this research is successful, I can offer you a reward of five thousand gold coins. All expenses incurred during the development process will be billed to the Temple."
Although spending the money made my heart ache, certain costs were necessary and could not be avoided.
No matter what, the transportation issue had to be resolved.
"If I may ask blindly, Your Highness, what do you need this for?"
Anton pondered for a moment before looking up at the Saintess sitting on the divine platform, his voice tinged with confusion.
"For travel, of course. The transportation in the Kingdom of the Moon is not very convenient, so I thought of this. If I can exchange a train for better transit, I am willing to pay whatever price is necessary."
"Is it... just for travel?"
The way he said it felt like there was a hidden meaning behind his words.
I frowned slightly.
"If you have something to say, Mr. Anton, please speak freely. Whether it is an opinion or a suggestion, as long as it is helpful, I will listen with an open mind."
I lowered my head and bowed. Anton stared at me in shock, looking completely incredulous.
"This... I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare! I am merely a craftsman. Your Highness does not need to perform such a grand gesture."
Anton was somewhat flustered. The Saintess before him was the King of the Kingdom of the Moon; how could he not be panicked?
"There is no need to be so formal, Mr. Anton. I have heard that my knights are very fond of your craftsmanship and character. Whenever their weapons need maintenance, the first place they think of is Anton's Blacksmith Shop. Regardless, they are my subordinates, so consider this my way of thanking you for your past help on their behalf."
"That is not necessary. However, Your Highness..."
After a moment of deliberation, Anton continued.
"While the water train is useful, the energy it consumes is significant. Moreover, I have heard that even after construction is complete, it requires long-term maintenance. While the water train is good, I feel it might not be as effective in the Kingdom of the Moon."
"How so?"
"Your Highness, although I only run a small blacksmith shop, I have traveled far and wide over the years and have some understanding of the geographical environment of the Kingdom of the Moon."
"To the east, the Kingdom of the Moon faces the Eastern Sea and guards against the demon race. To the north, it leans against the Holy Mountains and neighbors the Snow Country. To the west is hilly terrain bordering the Holy See, and to the south are plains shared with the Kingdom of the Sun peninsula. Such complex terrain is unique among the Seven Saintesses' nations."
Lola had already investigated Anton's background and given me the files.
I had read them carefully.
This man had moved from the Dwarven Kingdom to the Kingdom of the Moon over ten years ago and had lived in Brilliant City ever since. Although he occasionally traveled far, Brilliant City was essentially his home.
As for what his job had been in the Dwarven Kingdom, the investigation hadn't uncovered that. The current human information network was not yet capable of reaching into the Dwarven Kingdom.
But I didn't care about that.
What he said now was indeed very reasonable.
The terrain of the Kingdom of the Moon was the most complex among the Eight Nations of the Holy Church.
Mountains on one side, sea on another, hills on one side, and plains on the last.
If I wanted to use trains to revolutionize transportation, the cost would be astronomical.
The required technology and maintenance work would also be massive.
This was definitely not something the Kingdom of the Moon could afford right now.
"Then... Mr. Anton, do you have a better idea?"
Since Anton had raised the issue, he clearly had a plan in mind. Even if he didn't, he should at least have some other way to solve the problem.
Rather than guessing blindly myself, it was better to ask him directly.
Although I possessed a vast amount of epoch-making knowledge, it was to some extent incompatible with this world.
The energy used in my original world was electricity. Although the initial source wasn't electricity but water, fire, or nuclear power, it was ultimately converted into electrical energy for use.
But this world had the magic of mages and the holy power of priests.
These energy sources were much easier to control than thermal or hydroelectric power.
"Something like this train is not entirely unfeasible. However, the research, manufacturing, and daily maintenance of a train would surely require a huge price. It would be better to..."
"Better to what?" I stared intently at Anton.
The transportation problem was one of the biggest issues I was desperate to solve. If I could fix this, I could move on to the next step.
"In response to Your Highness, it would be better to use magic airships. Although the technology for trains is only mastered by the Kingdom of the Sea on this continent, the technology for magic airships is very widely used. Although they are limited by the weather, the current manufacturing cost and subsequent maintenance would save a lot of money compared to the train."
Magic airships?
I turned back in surprise and glanced at Lola.
She pushed up her gold-rimmed glasses.
"The magic airship is a transportation tool co-manufactured by the Dwarven Kingdom and the Gnome Kingdom. However, it is expensive. A single core costs five thousand gold coins, and an airship often requires ten cores to take flight. One also needs to hire gnome craftsmen for daily maintenance, and energy must be replenished for every flight, which is also quite costly."
She added another point.
"No one in our Kingdom of the Moon has purchased one. Human labor is far cheaper than an airship."
According to Lola, just to get a magic airship off the ground would cost at least fifty thousand gold coins. Daily supplies and maintenance weren't cheap either.
But compared to the train, it was about half the price, and it didn't require the massive investment of laying iron rails.
It was indeed much cheaper.
But it was still too expensive.
The Kingdom of the Moon was right next to the demon race. Whenever the demons counterattacked the continent, they would always strike the Kingdom of the Moon first. This resulted in the Kingdom of the Moon focusing more on military power, with almost no development in daily technology. Clever nobles would not keep their assets in such a dangerous region.
Gradually, the wealthy and the intelligent moved away from the Kingdom of the Moon.
Those who remained were either nobles or landlords. Even when merchants came, they would leave hurriedly after selling their goods.
Therefore, no one conducted research on daily technology, and those who could would not stay in the Kingdom of the Moon.
I closed my eyes and thought for a long time.
"Mr. Anton, the plan remains unchanged, but the reward will be doubled. If you can develop the core component, I will give you ten thousand gold coins. All daily research funding will be provided by the Temple. If you can completely replicate the train, excluding the funding, I will give you thirty thousand gold coins."
"Lola, prepare the funds and contact the Kingdom of Sand to ask if they have any newly built airships. Purchase one airship capable of carrying a thousand men and a thousand horses."
I couldn't put all my eggs in one basket. I wanted the sky! I wanted the earth!
Everything in the Kingdom of the Moon was mine.
"Your Highness... how much time do you need?"
"Ignoring the cost, I just want a finished product. I will give you... one month."
"One month? Your Highness, isn't that a bit too tight? Even if I can build it, it will still need a period of testing."
"One month for the core component. Three months to give me a functional finished train. Can you do it?"
Anton lowered his head and pondered for a long time before tentatively speaking.
"...If you can get Victor from the Mage Guild to help, I think it shouldn't be a problem."
"Good. Lola, go and negotiate with Victor later. You can pay up to twenty thousand gold coins to secure Mr. Victor's cooperation."
"Yes, Your Highness."
By the time we finished discussing this matter, it was already past ten in the morning.
Lola pushed up her gold-rimmed glasses, a hint of doubt appearing in her eyes behind the transparent lenses.
Anton the dwarf scratched his head and walked out of the Temple.
Only after that small, stocky figure had completely disappeared outside the Temple doors did Luo Li's smiling face suddenly turn calm.
"Lola, immediately investigate Anton and Victor's backgrounds. I want to know everything, down to the smallest detail."
"Your Highness... also feels that Anton is not ordinary?"
"The one month I asked for at the beginning was just to bargain and put some pressure on him. But what did he respond with just now?"
I glanced toward the door. Although Anton was no longer in sight, I could still recall what he had said.
One month... 【Even if I can build it, I'll still need time for testing】.
What did that mean?
It meant he could build it in a month, and the testing... was because he likely understood the dangers of a steam engine!
Based on these two points alone, I had reason to suspect him... he might have been involved in the manufacturing of the water trains in the Kingdom of the Sea.
No matter how smart someone was, making such a device complete required constant improvements and changes over time.
I was prepared for a year-long research cycle and continuous funding, and I had even begun to consider where to get more money if two hundred thousand gold coins weren't enough.
Yet he said he could do it in a month, but it needed testing.
That one casual sentence made me instantly realize his extraordinary nature.
This Anton was definitely not an ordinary person!
"I understand, Your Highness."
Lola's eyes flickered as she pushed up her glasses.
Having such a right-hand person who could understand my meaning without me saying a word really made everything go smoothly.
But sometimes, this was also a drawback. For example... now?
"Your Highness was looking out the window frequently just now. Could it be that you want to go for a walk?"
Uh... I didn't even say anything, and you already knew?
"Yes... a little."
I didn't quite dare to meet Lola's eyes. For some reason, I felt like a child being managed by a parent. When facing Lola, I always had the feeling of a kid meeting their mom.
Both dependent and afraid.
What a bizarre relationship!
Lola stared at the Saintess for a while before finally sighing helplessly.
"If you want to go out, you must at least take one Guardian Knight with you. You can also take Sake, who has been idle. However, you are not allowed to go to the North Gate or the West Gate. Those areas are too chaotic, and the consequences would be unpredictable if anything happened. If you want to take a walk, I suggest Your Highness visit the market to the east."
"Mhm, mhm!!"
"However, Your Highness, if you want to see the real common folk, you will need to change your clothes. If you wear this Saintess's robe out, I'm afraid you'll be stopped by the loyal knights before you even leave the door."
"Don't worry about that! I've already had Nara prepare the clothes, and I've even found a place to sneak out. There's a dog hole in the backyard that no one guards. An adult can easily crawl through it. I was just waiting for the right... op... portunity... Lola... listen to me, listen to me!! Don't confiscate my gold—!"
Lola tossed the bag containing a hundred gold coins in her hand.
"Consider this your punishment. If you do it again, the fine will be doubled."
"..."
What is going on? I'm clearly the Queen, I'm the big boss, so why am I being suppressed by Lola instead?
"I will have that dog hole blocked. Please rest assured, I will inspect every corner to ensure you cannot sneak out without going through me."
You're too cruel!
"I got it..."
Even if you block it, I can dig it open!
"I will have warning magic reinforced around the perimeter. If anyone passes through that spot, an alarm will be sent to the Guardian Knights to prevent any foreign intrusion."
What foreign intrusion? It's clearly just to stop me!
"I will go and notify Knight Hilda to escort you shortly."
"Mhm."
You should leave quickly. Heavens and Earth, which angel sister sent her down to punish me?
After taking two steps, Lola suddenly stopped and turned back to stare at me intently.
"No matter what, do not go to the West Gate or the North Gate. Otherwise... you know what will happen."
I looked at my remaining nine hundred gold coins and nodded frantically like a chicken pecking grain.
"I definitely won't go to the West Gate or the North Gate! I swear it on my name as the Saintess!"
I quickly raised my hand to swear an oath, otherwise I was truly afraid she wouldn't let me out.
Of course, if I wanted to force my way out, no one could really stop me, but that would only make Lola more worried.
To be honest, it wasn't that I was afraid of Lola, but rather I was afraid of making her too distressed.
Right now, it could be said that all the administrative affairs of Brilliant City were weighing on her shoulders.
When she saw me every morning, although she didn't say it, I could still see the fatigue in her eyes.
How could one not feel for such a capable and dedicated right-hand person?
My being so obedient and giving in to her was just to make her life a bit easier.
Returning to my room, I quickly organized my clothes, changed into a set of ordinary women's clothing, and put on a headscarf to hide my silver hair.
This was the first time I had ever worn this kind of otherworldly clothing myself; it really gave me a strange sense of novelty.
As the saying goes—if a lord treats his ministers like brothers, the ministers will treat the lord like their own heart. If a lord treats his ministers like grass, the ministers will treat the lord like an enemy.
If a lord treats me as a great scholar of the state, I shall repay him as a great scholar of the state.
No matter how angry Lola got with me, as long as she didn't lose her way on important matters, I was willing to give in on these small issues.
As a ruler, if one didn't even have this much magnanimity, how could one govern millions of subjects?
I treated her as family and a friend, so she naturally treated me the same way.
"Your Highness?"
"Mhm?"
"The carriage is ready outside."
"No carriage! We're walking! Have Hilda and Sake arrived?"
"Sir Hilda is already waiting outside."
"Good, let's go."
I nodded and straightened my clothes. I also covered my crimson eyes with dark lenses, as eyes like mine were extremely rare in the Kingdom of the Moon.
According to rumors, silver hair and red eyes were characteristics of a vast ethnic group from a long, long time ago that was nearly wiped out during the demon wars.
Because the demons had ravaged the continent for so long, historical records had long since been annihilated in the flames of war.
Now, only some rumors remained.
I wrapped my long hair in a black cloth, making sure none was showing, before carefully examining the girl in the mirror.
I wore a clean lady's suit, a skirt that reached past my knees, large sunglasses on my face, a lady's hood on my head, and the hair behind me was hidden under the headscarf.
Yes, I looked very similar to the noble girls I saw on the streets.
Only... these shoes were a bit inconvenient to wear.
Because I had walked on soft red carpets for so long, there wasn't a single callus on my feet; the skin was as pink and tender as a newborn's.
This meant I couldn't walk very far on my own feet.
After hesitating slightly, I thought of my remaining attribute points.
The attribute points for Holy-Demon Conversion were all separate.
I had used up all the points for my witch state, but I hadn't used any for my Saintess state.
I went before the statue and quickly entered the interface. First and foremost, I put points into the floating skill.
After maxing out the floating skill and exiting the interface, as soon as I thought of it, it felt as if a soft layer of air appeared under my feet, lifting my body.
This was different from flying. Flying didn't require any personal movement.
But for floating, the feet had to maintain a certain distance from the ground.
In short, it was no different from walking on the earth.
It was just that my feet wouldn't actually touch the ground.
Moreover, after activating the floating skill, I could clearly sense the holy aura becoming more concentrated.
It seemed that normally, when my body touched the earth, the holy aura radiating from me would flow down into the ground.
Once I was floating, this holy aura would gather within my body.
I could also feel much more massive divine power in my activated Holy Crest.
A warm current circulated in my stomach, so comfortable it almost made me cry out.
Although I was wearing shoes, I could clearly feel that my feet were not on the ground but were stepping on empty air about two centimeters above it.
"Let's go."
I tried walking a bit to make sure my feet wouldn't touch the ground and that there was no pain before nodding and stepping out of the Temple.
When I left the Temple, I saw the knightess dressed in a tailcoat with a longsword at her waist, looking very capable.
There was also Sake the tauren, washed clean, carrying an axe over two meters tall and wearing coarse cloth clothes.
Although Hilda looked completely reluctant, she didn't try to stop me. I didn't know what Lola had said to her, but she had actually agreed to escort me on a private visit.
"Your Highness, where are we going first?"
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