When Roland got up from his bed, the sky was already bright.
He put on his coat and walked to the window. The white buildings had revealed their respective colors. The red tiles and gray walls mixed together to form a vibrant mix of colors. Although it was still very cold indoors, facing the sun, he could feel a little warmth.
The ground had turned into snow.
He walked into the office that had been transformed from a study. Today's breakfast was on the table: a fried egg, two pancakes, and a cup of hot water. Just like in the small town, Nightingale had obviously prepared it for him.
"Thank you," Roland said to the empty recliner.
"How did you know I was here?" Nightingale's figure gradually emerged.
"You wouldn't sit if you could lie down." He smiled and put the egg between the two pancakes and brought it to his mouth. "And the back of the chair is sunken. It would be strange if I didn't know."
"No, I also like to sit." She flashed and appeared directly beside the desk. She turned over and sat on the edge of the table. "For example, here."
"This set of movements is so smooth that I can never get tired of watching it," Roland thought. Especially the process of escaping into the fog and then coming out in a flash. It was like a space jump.
"You seem to be in a good mood. Did you have a good dream?"
She raised her eyebrows. "Well, it was a good dream."
"That's good." Roland swallowed the "egg burger" in a few bites. "Today you have to follow me."
"Because of the assassination?"
"Yes." He became serious. "If the gem list was really used by Timothy, there may be other hidden pawns in the Western Region, and we can't check everyone." These loyal and resourceful people of the royal family should not be wasted on assassinations. They could have been placed in more promising positions to display their abilities. Thinking of this, Roland further strengthened his determination to eradicate Timothy's forces as soon as possible.
"As you wish, Your Highness." Nightingale smiled. "Where are we going today?"
"The mine and the salt well. This is also one of the main reasons I came here."
...
After summoning Pérot and the relevant personnel to the castle, the inspection team marched out of the city.
Although Roland was more interested in the iron mines of the Maple Leaf and the Wild Rose families, the gem trade was the pillar industry of the Longsong Area and it was the closest to the Stronghold. Therefore, the first stop of his inspection was the famous Five-colored Gem Mine.
Because of the melting snow, the ground had become extremely muddy. Carriages were unable to pass through, so the group could only slowly travel on horseback. It took them half the morning to reach the edge of the Impassable Mountain Range. Roland was once again convinced of the truth that if one wanted to be rich, one had to build roads first. There was not even a single hard surface that led to the mining area. Once it rained, it would be impossible to transport the ore, no matter how high the output was.
The mineral vein was located in a natural cave. After passing through a short narrow passage, the interior suddenly became wide and spacious. Nearly a hundred rosin torches could only illuminate the interior of the cave. Roland looked up and asked, "Is this cave formed naturally?"
"Yes, Your Royal Highness," Petrov nodded. "Rumor has it that it was discovered by accident. Originally, there was a smooth rock wall here, but more than three hundred years ago, there was an earthquake, and the rock wall collapsed, revealing the current cave entrance. At first, the local hunters only used this place as a shelter from the rain. Later, as they explored deeper, they discovered the Five-colored Gem. "
"You know it very well," Roland said with a smile.
"These stories are well-known in the Western Region." Pérot beckoned a man to come closer. "His name is Denver Crain, and he's the manager of this mine. You can ask him about the details."
"Are you Duke Ryan's man?"
"No, Your Highness, the Crain Family doesn't belong to any lord." The man called Denver bowed. He was about 30 years old, but he spoke like a calm old man. "We've lived around this mine for generations. The hunter who discovered it was also one of our ancestors. Our family has served three dukes, and we've drawn maps of the mine that are as tall as a person. No one knows the mine like the back of their hand. "
Roland could see that he was very proud of his knowledge. Even in front of the Prince of Graycastle, he could still speak with assurance. Moreover, his steady temperament was particularly outstanding. Coupled with his fitting black uniform, he looked like an old butler of a thousand-year-old family in the movies.
Since this group of people had passed Nightingale's inspection before they set out, Roland was not worried that he was a spy. "Why is there no one mining in the mine now?"
"Because the Months of Demons have just ended, Your Highness," Denver answered without hesitation. "The snow in the mountains melts and flows into the mountains. Although there are drainage ditches and catchment wells in the mine, the speed of collecting water is much faster than people carrying it. The vein at the bottom of the mine is temporarily inaccessible. According to previous practices, normal mining can only be done in the summer. "
"Is it the same for the iron mines in the territories of Maple Leaf and Wild Rose?"
"I've never been there, but I heard that the iron mines of the two families are located on higher ground. The mine tunnels extend upward, which is much better than here. But if you want to resume production, you'll have to wait at least a month. "
"It seems that you need to set up a few more steam engines to help pump water." Roland shrugged.
"Steam... engine? What's that?" Denver looked puzzled.
"A machine that can keep the mine running all year round." The prince could not help but smile. "You still need to learn a lot about mining."
Denver did not seem to believe him. His lips moved, but he did not refute.
Roland did not take it seriously. He was very familiar with the railway car and the supporting steam engine pumping and traction system in the North Slope Mine. He had even sold a set to the mining tycoon in Silver City. Sooner or later, the mine would be replaced with a more efficient steam engine. However, he was not interested in gems, so he would definitely focus on the iron mines.
"In that case, let's go to the next inspection site." Roland turned and said.
"Wait, Your Highness... This is a small gift from the Crain family." Denver probably did not expect the prince to leave immediately. He hurriedly took two steps forward, took out a small wooden box from his bosom, and handed it to Roland.
"Oh?" Roland took the wooden box with great interest and opened the lid. There were two sparkling and resplendent gems lying in the box. The light from the torches caused the gems to reflect an overlapping red and green brilliance. It was so dazzling that it was a little dazzling. He could not help but be stunned. "This... is the Multicolored Stone?"
"Yes, Your Highness. They are the best of the purest gems, and also the family's collection from a hundred years ago." Denver put his hand on his chest and said, "The Crain family is honored to serve the new master of the Western Region."
Roland did not listen to the second half of the other party's words. His attention was completely focused on the gemstone. This light was too familiar. Even though he knew nothing about minerals, he had heard of the famous name of this type of stone.
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