In the brightly lit research and development workshop, the prototype of the Steel Wing was dismantled into components and placed on the platform and bracket.
On the lower edge of the large metal wings, the broken and twisted metal structure was particularly eye-catching.
With a clanking sound, Rebecca came out from under one of the giant wing structures. Her face was smeared with oil and she was holding a part that had just been dismantled.
"A magic capacitor used to balance the load has burned out. It should be the main cause of the whole device being unbalanced." Rebecca raised the part in her hand and said to the technician beside her, "All the other mechanical failures and deformation of the parts were caused during the crash."
Maggie curiously came forward and looked at the round part in Rebecca's hand, "What's the cause? Why did it suddenly overload? "
"If I'm not wrong ….. It should be because the acceleration was too fast and the waste energy accumulated and couldn't be released in time. Then you made a large maneuver, like a large angle roll or something, which directly blew up the magic capacitor." Rebecca frowned, "We really didn't consider this ….. Humans can't do this at all. Their bodies can't take it. We still don't know enough about dragons ….."
Rebecca was still muttering, but Maggie's expression was already awkward. She lowered her head with a trace of shame, "It's ….. It's my fault ….."
Rebecca immediately shook her head, "No, this kind of failure during the flight itself is a problem with the design. The magic capacitor's load is limited, so we should have added restrictions from the beginning. Actually, it's also good news. At least the failure is in the design. Redesigning and retesting can solve it bit by bit. If it's a problem with the strength of the material, it'll be big trouble. "
Maggie was not an expert in magic engineering, but after being a tester with Rebecca's research team for a long time, she was no longer unfamiliar with the related technical terms and concepts. She understood that everything was as the other side said. The design flaws could be fixed, which was easier to break through than the material problems.
However, there was still a trace of shame in her heart, because in the end, this crash was caused by herself.
The sensation of embracing the blue skies was exceedingly enchanting, leaving the young dragonkin unable to control herself. She knew that she had been too intoxicated by that sensation, which was why she had neglected to pay attention to the Steel Wing's working condition. There would definitely be some signs before the mana capacitor overloaded, and if she had not been so engrossed in the sensation of soaring freely, things would not have developed to the point of crashing.
Although Rebecca was not good at reading people's minds, she could at least guess what Maggie was thinking. She waved her hand and said, "Don't think too much. The tester is supposed to test the various limits of the prototype. It is inevitable that the equipment will be damaged in the process. Discovering problems during the test flight is better than causing accidents after the prototype is mass-produced in the future. "
At this point, Cecil's Steel Ball seemed to have thought of something. He touched his chin and changed the topic. "And compared to me, you should think about how to apologize to Tyre …"
Maggie was stunned and puzzled. "Miss Tyre?"
"When I went back for dinner yesterday, I saw Tyre wriggling around in the corridor, telling everyone that she was killed by a steel jaw that fell from the sky. Come to think of it, this should be the second time you hit her. The last time you hit her was with the Dragoon prototype …"
Maggie was speechless.
…
The afterglow of the setting sun shone between the mountains of the Northern Realm. The pale golden radiance spilled over the undulating ridges of the mountains. The majestic Winter Fort stood on the peak of snow and rock, overlooking the snowy mountains. This was a completely different scenery from the south. It was less bustling and lively, but there was a sense of grandeur and vastness that seeped into one's bones.
Byron, who was visiting this northern city for the first time, stood on the balcony overlooking most of the city. His vision was filled with the magnificent scenery from the north. As a mercenary, he could not help but feel a lot of emotions, wanting to admire the vastness and magnificence of the Empire.
"… There are so many f * cking mountains here."
After racking his brains, Byron realized that he could only come up with this one sentence and could not think of any other reliable words. He awkwardly scratched his chin and suddenly felt that Philip's advice to read more books might be reasonable. At the very least, when encountering such a scenery, he could use a few more literary words to describe it...
At this moment, a voice suddenly came from behind, interrupting Byron's thoughts and greatly increasing his awkwardness. "General Byron, what were you saying just now?"
Byron turned his head a little stiffly and saw Duchess Victoria in a white dress on the balcony, looking at him suspiciously. The corner of his mouth twitched a little as he scratched his face awkwardly and laughed dryly. "Ah ha … I was just talking to myself."
Victoria looked at Byron and did not seem to suspect anything. She just nodded slightly and said, "The banquet hall is ready. As an imperial general, it's time for you to show your face."
Byron's expression suddenly became a little stiff. He seemed a little helpless, but in the end, he did not say anything and stepped forward to follow Victoria.
The emissary from the Duchy of Holy Dragon had not arrived yet. Tonight's banquet was for the first contact with the upper class of the Northern Region.
A general from the Southern Region of the Empire leading a construction corps to the Northern Region to build the Northern Port and a series of facilities on the northern coastline was undoubtedly a major event. The existing nobles and the new government officials in the Northern Region obviously wanted to see what kind of person the general from the Imperial Capital was. And for Byron, this kind of "social interaction with the upper class" was not a pleasant thing.
In the brightly lit hall of Winter Fort Academy, the banquet had been set up. Precious drinks and exquisite food filled the long table. The band was playing a lively upper-class song in the corner of the hall. The nobles and government officials in different colors were randomly distributed in the hall, talking about the foreigners from the Southern Region and the Northern Port Project that was about to begin.
Under Victoria's lead, Byron came to the hall to interact with these unfamiliar but influential people in the Northern Region.
Everyone had a smile on their face, and they were polite with just the right amount of gentleness and friendliness. They sincerely welcomed the "representative of the Emperor's will".
Byron wore a dark blue Imperial General's uniform with golden tassels and ribbons. He was accompanied by Victoria as he walked in the hall.
As a mercenary, Knight was not good at this kind of "upper-class" life. But as a soldier, he could maintain a straight face and maintain an indifferent persona. No one would say that he lacked etiquette.
Similarly, as a mercenary, Knight was very good at observing people's body language in all kinds of situations.
He could clearly feel that more than half of the people here maintained a vigilant attitude towards him, an "outsider", and this did not surprise him at all.
After chatting with who knows how many counts, Byron temporarily left the scene with the excuse that the hall was stuffy. He went to the balcony to get some fresh air and rest his brain.
Undisguised footsteps came from the direction of the banquet hall. Byron turned his head and saw Victoria Werder walking towards him.
He swirled the wine glass in his hand as a greeting to the Northern Duke. He then turned his head back and looked at the distant mountains that were gradually immersed in the darkness. He continued to lament in his heart that there were so many f * cking mountains in this place.
Duchess Victoria's voice came from the side. "General Byron, you seem to be very interested in the scenery of the Northern Region."
"The mountains here … are indeed more than those in the South." Byron smiled. "And they are all very tall and majestic, which leaves a deep impression."
"There are so many mountains in the Northern Region that there are very few flat lands and hills. Coupled with the cold climate, this place is not as suitable for living as the South," Victoria said faintly. "The continuous snowy mountains are just a magnificent scenery for outsiders, but for mountain residents, they are a symbol of bitter cold. Since the founding of the Ansu, this land has not been rich. It is not a grain producing land, nor is it a commercial center. It is only equivalent to a snowy mountain defense line, which is used to protect the northern gate of the kingdom. The relatively difficult living environment and the 'Northern Barrier' position for hundreds of years make the people in the Northern Region braver and more determined than the people in other regions, but also more difficult to deal with. "
Byron did not know why the Duchess suddenly mentioned this, but he had unconsciously thought of the people in the banquet hall, so he showed a thoughtful look, but forgot to respond to the Duchess' words.
Victoria did not take it seriously and just continued. "General Byron, you are ordered by His Majesty to build the North Harbor. Not only do you have to deal with the cold wind and the frozen soil, but you also have to deal with the people in this bitter cold land. Do you want to hear my opinion?"
"Of course." Byron collected his thoughts. "I will soon start the North Harbor project, and I will certainly listen to your advice."
"The North Harbor is a gateway, not only to the Empire, but also to the Northern Region. For this cold and barren land, such a gateway is enough to bring great changes," Duchess Victoria said calmly, her eyes deep and her tone sincere. "If the Northern Circumcontinental Route is successfully launched, a large part of the trade between the Empire and the Duchy of Holy Dragon, the Ogoray Tribal Kingdom, the Kingdom of Dwarfs, and other countries will be completed through the North Harbor, which will change the current situation of the isolated and poor Northern Region. Thanks to His Majesty for bringing the Age of Magic, new technology and new business can bring prosperity to the Northern Region, which is not suitable for living. But unfortunately, many northerners are not aware of this at the beginning. This is something you have to consider and understand. "
"I understand what you mean." Byron nodded. "The development of the North Harbor will bring prosperity here, but before they see the real money, the locals will only feel that a group of outsiders is messing around on their land and telling them how to live their lives. Indeed, this is a problem."
"But His Majesty still chose to send a southerner like you to build the North Harbor, instead of appointing a person from the local governors in the north." Victoria looked at Byron and said slowly.
Byron listened to her words, and after two seconds of silence, he suddenly laughed. "The North Harbor is not just a civilian harbor."
"… Some people say that you are a boorish person who has never read a book, but now I think that is not the case."
Byron raised his eyebrows. "I haven't read many books, but the cunning and vision of a mercenary are not trained by reading books."
"… His Majesty chose to send you here after careful consideration." Victoria seemed to smile, but her tone was still flat. "You are the first batch of soldiers created by the Cecil Order, and you are a model of the new officers. You strictly follow the rules and protect the interests of the empire, prioritizing to follow orders instead of aristocratic traditions. The production and construction corps you brought follow the same principle. The North Harbor must be built by people like you, not any of the northern governors, not even me. Only in this way can we ensure that the North Harbor belongs to the empire and not the Northern Region. "
"But you seem to be quite indifferent about this." Byron glanced at Victoria and said curiously.
"His Majesty's choice is very correct, and I … when I chose the Cecil Order, it was not on impulse," Victoria replied calmly. "The old forces entrenched in various parts of the empire are thorns that are difficult to remove. Except for the Southern Region, there are still many places in the country that have not been completely rectified. There are many old nobles who still retain their influence, and it will take a long time to completely eliminate this influence. Duke Bodwin and I both know this, and we have decided to fully support His Majesty's transformation of the country. That is why we sent our heirs to the imperial capital and immediately responded to the Cross Artery Railway Project.
"General Byron, I am telling you this today so that you can complete your task without any distractions. The North Harbor is an imperial project, and the Wilde family will do our best to support it. Our family has thrived on this land for hundreds of years, and our influence on the Northern Region is very profound. This is something that I cannot deny. And from today onwards, all the people in the Northern Region under the influence of the Wilde family will not be an obstacle to the North Harbor project. I can assure you of this. "
Byron took a deep look at Victoria and said with a faint smile, "… So in other words, after the North Harbor starts construction, the local forces that still obstruct the construction … are not from the Northern Region."
"It is very normal for bandits to harass the construction corps in the cold and remote areas, and it is also the duty of the construction corps to strangle the bandits. The Wilde family will fully support these righteous acts," Victoria said lightly. She turned around and looked calmly in the direction of the banquet hall. "Please rest assured, those who secretly play tricks will never dare to come out in public, and bandits will always be bandits. After a few beatings, those who do not know their place will quiet down. "
Byron could not help but shake his head. "I am afraid that before the North Harbor is built, many people will secretly say that you have betrayed the people in the North."
"After the North Harbor is built, they will be the ones who praise and support it," Victoria said expressionlessly. "They will soon be shocked by the amazing scale of transnational trade and the power of the Empire in the process, and these people basically have no position in the face of benefits."
"By then, it will be a problem for you, the Great Governor, to consider," Byron said casually. "I am just a soldier, and I will only carry out the orders from His Majesty. My task is the North Harbor and the fleet, and on this basis, I will not overstep my boundaries."
Victoria nodded and said, "In addition, although my reminder may be a little redundant, as the Duke of the Northern Region, there are some things that I have to say. I hope you will be careful. Some of the people who are disrupting the order may be civilians who have been instigated."
"Duchess Victoria, I am a soldier." Byron looked into Victoria's eyes and said seriously, "Distinguishing between friend and foe is my most basic duty."
"Then I have nothing to worry about."
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
