Chapter 23 Fire Prevention Technology and a Delayed Challenge
Chapter 23: Fire Prevention Technology and a Delayed Challenge
After breakfast, Baili quietly left the living room. Today, Vivian was busy with administrative matters and had no time for him.
He wandered around the sanctuary. The breeze moved the wind chimes by the bridge. The sky was overcast—a cool, pleasant day.
“Looks like I won’t need the sun bracelet today.” Baili remarked, removing the somewhat cumbersome item.
On the street, there weren’t many vampires to be seen. Due to the Empire’s blockade strategy, northern areas like Rose Sanctuary and Misttown often lacked supplies.
Now that Vivian had temporarily sealed his magic, he couldn’t use any skills and could only rely on his physical abilities, which were thankfully adequate.
Along the way, he kept feeling that something was following him, but when he turned around, he saw nothing.
For some reason, a crowd had gathered ahead. Curiosity drove him to take a look.
Sure enough, building a castle on a cliff created many problems. The mountains below were connected by suspension bridges, and now one had been burned and damaged by a fire.
He slowly approached. The onlookers recognized him as the soon-to-be-crowned Prince…
“Great! It’s the Prince. He’ll surely have a solution.”
Finding himself suddenly elevated by so many people, he felt somewhat lost. Already socially awkward, he now stammered, unable to form a complete sentence.
“Um… everyone, please make way…” He touched the bridge head and immediately found the problem.
But the path was slippery. He stumbled and nearly fell, with half his foot dangling over the cliff edge.
“Whew, that was close…”
“Big Brother Baili’s injuries have healed, but he’s still clumsy.” Terez controlled the wind and pulled Baili back.
This awkward scene caused a burst of laughter, though everyone was just joking. Baili could only rub his head and smile along.
“That’s true. Thanks, Terez.” He was grateful he hadn’t embarrassed himself. If his lack of magic were discovered, he would likely be completely disgraced.
Back to the matter at hand—the wooden suspension bridge hadn’t even been oiled with tung oil, no wonder it caught fire so easily.
He turned to look at the nearby hill, where there happened to be tung trees. Since he currently had no magic, he had to ask Terez to gather some tung fruit.
Due to the Empire’s blockade, technology had been completely isolated. Not even knowing about tung oil fire prevention was beyond Baili’s expectations.
Terez returned with a large bag full of tung fruit. After setting it down, she leaped into Baili’s arms. He held her, allowing her to act spoiled in his embrace.
“Terez, you’re quite the actor, following me all this way.” He couldn’t help but pinch Terez’s face. It felt soft with a hint of warmth. She flinched slightly, surprised by the sudden action.
“Ow, that hurts a little.” Despite her words, she had silently hooked her arm around his shoulder, her cheek pressed against his, gently nuzzling back and forth.
“Want some affection, do you? Alright, I really can’t help it with you. I bet that burnt egg this morning was also intentional?”
“Nuh-uh… Terez really did it by accident.”
Baili smiled slightly. He was somewhat used to Terez’s behavior; after all, she was truly still young. Under the ambiguous gazes of the onlookers, Baili carried the large bag of tung fruit and gradually disappeared.
“It seems the Prince is good with children. Let’s get some of this stuff too.”
Afterward, the observing vampires dispersed, wanting to help lighten Baili’s burden.
A damaged suspension bridge meant difficult supply transport. Baili pressed oil in a nearby workshop, naturally with Terez’s help.
Using pulleys, iron blocks, and Terez’s wind, automatic oil pressing wasn’t a problem, though it was hard on Terez.
Baili drew diagrams nearby, as if he had returned to his former workshop.
…
“White Li, what kind of unorthodox method are you devising?”
He sat at the round table in silence as Chris tore his reform proposal to shreds.
“Weapons reform is imperative. Enchanted swords and the like can no longer keep up with the expansion of our forces.” He produced the designs he had prepared for what he called “firearms.”
Chris was from generations of imperial nobility. They controlled vast wealth, and he himself was a high official.
“Chris, I know what you’re thinking…”
“That’s enough, White Li. Let’s stop with these divisive words.” Cook slammed the table and stood up. “The Empire can’t withstand such turmoil now. Let’s stabilize first before discussing military system and equipment reforms. The immediate task is to consolidate the territories we’ve conquered.”
Troy, who was watching and eating melon seeds, also advised White Li to stop talking. If this continued, the round table conference would likely flip, something King Claude wouldn’t want to see.
Chris had embezzled significant military funds through ghost soldiers, but no one could do anything about it. White Li’s proposed military and equipment reforms would expose this open secret.
The meeting ended unpleasantly. The subsequent trivial matters were routine, with the only conclusion being that White Li had intentions of challenging Chris.
Chris also wanted to move against him and had tried to hire assassins, but no one dared take the job. This thorn in his side made him uneasy. Who knew when the heartless White Li might directly take action against him?
“Claude, look at the person you’ve chosen. He’s overstepped his bounds. As we discussed before…”
“I know. Let’s wait and see. Perhaps he’s just young and impulsive?”
“Just don’t let him interfere. The rest is up to you.”
Without his toolbox, he couldn’t do much. Vivian probably wouldn’t return it to him anytime soon—who knew what might be hidden in that box?
It was summer, and the valley had a mild climate, cool in summer and warm in winter.
Returning to the workshop, the tung oil had been pressed. Baili looked at the several barrels of oil, marveling at the efficiency.
In the Empire, his designs would have been severely restricted. Later, when he guarded the border, no one supervised him, and he could do whatever he wanted.
Unfortunately, such days didn’t last long before he was thrown here as a captive.
Nearby, Terez had fallen asleep. He silently took off his coat and covered her. She was sleeping soundly, looking a bit exhausted. After all, using wind power to move hundreds of pounds of iron wasn’t easy.
The suspension bridge had already been repaired, and the tung oil was prepared according to Baili’s instructions. All the bridges connecting the valleys needed such maintenance.
Previously, seeing these vampires, he had viewed them only as walking ATMs to exchange for military merits back in the Empire.
Now he was actively helping them. He waved his hand, not knowing why.
Perhaps it was because his efforts could be recognized?
The windmill on top turned slowly. Baili sat by the window, gazing at the distant scenery, seemingly able to make out Liege Fortress.
“Well, looks like I can never go back.” He leaned against the wall, carelessly tossing aside the completed diagrams. He wanted to light a cigarette but realized with a bitter smile that Vivian had confiscated all his belongings.
“If you don’t mind, try mine.”
As the dancing rose petals dispersed, Duke Winston suddenly appeared before him. “I was rude yesterday. Please forgive me. But I wonder if the Prince chosen by Vivian has the strength to inherit this position?”
As he spoke, his Western sword blade unfolded.
Baili smiled slightly. If someone wanted to fight him, that suited him fine—just a chance to stretch his muscles.
“As you wish, but keep it down. Don’t disturb Terez.”
Winston nodded, then disappeared. Baili took the cigarette from his hand and lit it with a match.
“Tomorrow at noon, we’ll meet here again.”
Accepting his challenge, Baili’s first comment was…
“This thing feels a bit soft.” He critiqued Winston’s roll-up cigarette. “Why does it smell like roses?”
…