What was it that opened the stubborn door of the Holy Dragon Duchy?
Gwen was indeed very curious about this.
The Holy Dragon Duchy was located in the northernmost part of the continent. Half of its territory was frozen mountains and steep ridges. There wasn't much fertile land, and the living environment was extremely harsh for ordinary humans. However, it was this country that always called itself a "duchy" and had a harsh living environment that made the Ansu, who were at their peak, particularly afraid. Even half of the Northern Mountain Army was built to guard against the Duchy in the frozen mountains. There was naturally a reason for this.
The citizens of the Holy Dragon Duchy called themselves Dragon Descendants. The higher the aristocracy, the purer the blood of dragons they claimed to have — Outsiders didn't completely believe this claim because the Holy Dragon Duchy almost never dealt with other countries. Therefore, no one had ever seen a "Dragon Descendant" display the power of a Giant Dragon. However, there was at least one thing that everyone could be sure of, and that was that the people of the Holy Dragon Duchy were definitely not ordinary humans. Although they looked similar to humans, their children could chase magical beasts around the mountains in the northernmost part of the mountains at minus ten degrees Celsius. No matter how one looked at it, they didn't look like an average human being …
And now, Gwen had obtained more evidence from Maggie: The so-called "Dragon Descendant" identity of the Holy Dragon Duchy was real. At least their upper class citizens were indeed Dragons. However, they were a Giant Dragon that was weaker than ordinary Dragons due to genetic defects.
A country built by the Dragon Descendant, even if it was small in size, would be exceptionally good at fighting.
In addition to strong fighting strength, the mountains of the Holy Dragon Duchy also hid the best magical metal ore veins in the northern part of the continent. A small amount of metal ingots that flowed from the Holy Dragon Duchy to the outside world were highly sought after by the northern countries.
Such a country that could fight, had precious strategic resources, and was still in a neutral state would naturally attract the attention of the neighboring countries. As early as the Ansu era, the northern aristocratic forces of the kingdom represented by Victoria Wilde had been trying to establish a clear and stable relationship with the Holy Dragon Duchy, but to no avail.
Those dragonkin didn't seem to be interested in the 'outside world'. Apart from maintaining the most basic flow of goods with the outside world, they didn't establish diplomatic relations with any other country, let alone send envoys.
"Perhaps our magic-engineered creations have aroused their interest, or perhaps the Dragonblood Archduke has heard about the changes in the Empire." Victoria could only speculate in the face of Gwen's words. "It is even possible that the Cecil merchants who have been frequently active in the north in the past six months have changed the way the 'dragonblood' see us …"
"What do you mean?"
"Those 'dragonkin' have always respected warriors who could challenge the mountains and not fear the cold. As long as they could reach that standard, even ordinary human traders would be treated with courtesy. In the past, such 'warriors' were few and far between, but ever since the wholesale price of frost resistance potion was lowered to one gold pound per half a ton, every Cecil merchant active in the north is a 'warrior' …"
Gwen laughed involuntarily. "That counts?"
Victoria's tone was indifferent. "The people of the Holy Dragon Dukedom are not surprised that the newcomers challenged the cold and the mountains with equipment and potions. In their view, external objects are also part of one's strength. As long as they face the cold wind and walk into the mountains, they are their friends."
"… It seems that I have to find Maggie to learn more about the Holy Dragon Dukedom when I have time." Gwen said with a smile.
Of course, he did not believe that a large group of merchants who drank potions, sang songs, and raced on the ice field could knock on the door of the Holy Dragon Dukedom. When Victoria mentioned this matter, she also took it as a joke. But in any case, the isolated country that was inextricably linked to the Giant Dragon had opened its door to Cecil. This matter itself was worth celebrating.
Even if the exiled 'dragonkin' were superior to humans in all aspects, they would not have a good time in the snowy mountains. The various products of the magical engineering industry would undoubtedly improve their quality of life. Presumably, the Dragonblood Archduke would not refuse the magic network and machinery. If he did not refuse, then things would be easy.
Cecil's people were going to help their allies build railways again.
While he was feeling happy and relaxed, Gwen's thoughts shifted to the north, and he remembered the things he had been planning recently.
"In our previous correspondence, I told you about the plan to build the northern coast, set up a port, and explore the sea." He looked at Victoria. "What do you think about this?"
Victoria's light-colored eyes were as calm as ice. While thinking, she said, "Some of the northern nobles are a little worried about this. They are mainly worried about the huge investment, the little return, and the dangers of the sea. But they have no real power, so they don't have to worry too much about this.
"I understand your idea of setting up a port. From the perspective of the construction of the 'Cecil Settlement Area,' now the land transportation is very limited. The terrain in the Ogoray tribal country is complex, and the road construction cycle is long. The western and southern parts of the continent are blocked by mountains and forests, and there are not many continuous rivers. The scale of trade that can be accommodated is very limited only by relying on the trade gateway between the moss forest and the western border. If we can set up a port on the northern coast and restart the northern route around the continent, it will undoubtedly greatly solve this problem.
"The investment will be huge, but the subsequent benefits are also unimaginable.
"During the Ansu period, the nobles were enfeoffed. The lords near the northern ridge line could not complete this project. But now the Empire has the ability to mobilize the whole country's power. It is possible to build the northern coast, set up a port, and even restart the northern route around the continent."
Victoria Werde, who didn't like to talk much, wasn't stingy with her words when it came to these matters. Gawain gradually revealed a satisfied expression as he listened to the Duchess' well-organized narration.
As he had previously judged, Victoria had a good eye.
She could easily see the difference between a feudal kingdom and a centralized empire, and the significance of opening a port.
But her limitations were also obvious: she only noticed the economic benefits of restarting the northern route around the continent, but she did not know that Gwen's vision of "exploring the sea" was actually broader.
But this was not her fault. This was caused by the limitations of the era and the social environment. After 700 years of human beings away from the sea, how many people could still realize how narrow this seemingly vast continent was?
"In addition to the northern route around the continent, what I really care about … is the entire sea," Gwen said slowly. "Victoria, I mean the distant sea."
Sure enough, after hearing this sentence, Victoria, who had always been expressionless, frowned slightly.
"The distant sea … it's full of storms and turbulence of magic power. Your Majesty, the Church of Storms is no longer around," she could not help but say. "Exploring the distant sea and restarting the coastal route are completely different."
"I know, but we can't hide in this narrow continent forever," Gwen said. "There is a wider world in the depths of the sea. Sirens, Dragons, these powerful races, you know. They come from the opposite side of the sea. They can come and go freely between their kingdom and this continent, but we humans can't even take a step out. This situation is not very reassuring."
This continent … is very narrow?
Victoria had some doubts for a moment, but she agreed with the latter part of Gwen's words.
Those ancient and powerful races could come and go freely in the human world, but humans could not take a step out of the sea. They knew that there might be a wider world on the other side of the sea, but they could only hide on the land and guess what was there. This situation … was indeed a bit depressing.
Of course, an empire, especially an empire that still needed to develop, could not launch an oceanic operation at any cost just to "not feel depressing." Without sufficient incentives, no matter how high the prestige of the emperor and the highest government office was, it would shake the foundation of the empire to forcibly promote an undertaking with no foreseeable future. But if it was only to carry out a certain degree of exploration and a certain degree of technological accumulation, it would not be a problem.
She knew that Gwen should be thinking the same.
On this basis, she seriously considered how to explore the distant sea with the current national strength of the Cecil Empire.
In thought, she said slowly, "Your Majesty, if you want to explore the distant sea, the northern coastline is not a good 'starting point' …"
Gwen frowned and asked, "Why do you say so?"
"According to many records, starting from the northern coastline, after passing the sea passage formed by the Violet Kingdom and the Duchy of Holy Dragon, there is an extraordinarily large permanent storm circle on the sea. This storm circle seems to not weaken or shift all year round, and there is no safe route inside it. Man-made ships should not be able to break through its blockade …"
Gwen opened his eyes wide in surprise. "There is such a storm circle?"
Crossing the extreme north of the continent, passing the "sea peninsula" of the Violet Kingdom and the Duchy of Holy Dragon, that was the blind spot of his satellite camera!
"Yes." Victoria nodded. "In fact, not only are there ancient records, but when the weather is clear and the magic environment on the sea is relatively stable, sometimes you can see a hazy 'cloud wall' surging on the sea from a high place in the mountains of the Northern Region. That is an indirect proof of the existence of the storm circle."
"A cloud wall that can be seen with the naked eye in the Northern Region?!" Gwen was really shocked this time. "How big is that thing?"
"If the ancient records are correct, and if the observation and calculation of the Wilde family for hundreds of years are correct, its effective range is larger than the entire Northern Region, even larger than the entire Violet Kingdom, enough to cover half of the Cecil Empire!"
Gwen was speechless.
After a moment of shock, he could not help but mutter to himself, "How is this thing formed …"
"No one knows. The existing magic theory and meteorology theory can't explain it. There are many legends about the Eternal Storm on the sea among the people of the Northern Region, but they are either self-contradictory absurd stories, or simply attributed to the power of the gods. There is no reference value."
"This storm circle is permanent?" Gwen could not help but confirm again.
"Yes, at least for 700 years, the Wilde family has not observed it subsiding at all."
"Can we go around it?"
"We can't go around it from the north. It completely blocks the northern route. If the northern route around the mainland is successfully launched, it is possible to set off from the west of the strait, go around the western coast of the Violet Kingdom, and officially enter the ocean. But it's very difficult. "
"Yeah, it's not going to be easy." Gawain could not help but sigh. "Not to mention, it's going to add a long journey, and we don't even know if the Violet Kingdom will be willing to let our exploration ships circle around their coastal waters …"
As he spoke, he thought of another question in his mind.
The northern part of the continent … There is a huge and never-ending storm in the northern part of the continent. What else is there in that direction?
The Giant Dragon seems to be coming from that direction …
Could that huge storm have anything to do with the giant dragon? Or … is that storm created by the Giant Dragon to guard their door?
If that's the case, then exploring the ocean from the north is really the worst choice.
At this moment, Victoria suddenly spoke again. "Your Majesty, if the northern route is not an option, in fact, we have another choice …"
Gwen raised his eyebrows. "There's another choice?"
Victoria nodded slightly. "We don't only have one outlet to the sea on the north coast. In the northeast corner of the Eastern Region, near the border with the Duchy of Holy Dragon, at the end of the cliffs and highlands, there is a very small outlet to the sea …"
As the Ice Duke spoke slowly, Gwen slowly adjusted the satellite map in his mind.
He saw the outlet, which he had subconsciously ignored because it was near the border of the Duchy of Holy Dragon and lacked clear landmarks.
Suddenly, he felt the picture in his mind shake.
Some fragmented and scattered memory fragments emerged in the depths of his mind!
Those were the memories of Gwen Cecil!
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