Chapter 161: Intent to Cooperate

“Haha, Master Tithion, there’s no need to be so surprised.”

Owen smiled and said.

“In fact, the first steam engine was built just last autumn. As of now, steam engines can only be seen here in Bianshu Town — they haven’t been widely adopted yet.”

“Even so, that’s enough to astonish us dwarves.”

Tithion stared fixedly at the operating steam boring lathe, already mentally trying to take the machine apart in his head.

“I can see the steam engine has enormous potential. It’s not just for drilling — it could be applied in many fields.”

“Master Tithion, you are absolutely right.” 

Owen agreed. 

“We already use steam engines in the mines for hauling ore and pumping water. We’ve even put one on a ship and built a cargo vessel that can sail without sails.”

“Oh — the steam engine is simply marvelous!”

Tithion couldn’t help but exclaim, then turned to Owen and asked.

“You didn’t design this by any chance?”

“That’s right.”

“Whoa! Marquis Eisen, you truly are an extraordinary human.” 

Tithion’s admiration for Owen only grew. 

“If you were a citizen of the Kingdom of Femit Gon, the king would surely award you personally — that’s the highest honor for us dwarves.”

“Of course!”

Hearing that, Mapel straightened and puffed up with pride, looking happier than if she had received praise.

“Lord Owen is brilliant, inventing many wondrous new things and saving Bianshu Town from peril. People revere him now, even treating him like a savior sent by the gods.”

“Ahem.” 

Owen gave an embarrassed little cough.

Such glowing praise made even him blush.

“It’s not that exaggerated.” 

He protested.

“No, it’s not an exaggeration!” 

Mapel insisted. 

“I’m merely stating facts.”

“Mapel is right — I think so too.” 

Theresa added with a smile.

Meanwhile, Tithion kept studying the steam boring lathe. Though he wanted to get closer and inspect the steam engine’s structure more thoroughly, he knew well that the machine ran on boiling water; the white vapor venting from it was surely scalding steam, and warning signs read “Do not approach.”

Still — since this was the armory where muskets were produced, there had to be a place that manufactured steam engines as well. There he could fully understand how they were constructed.

With that thought, Tithion hastily made another request to Owen.

“Marquis Eisen, could you take me to see the place where steam engines are made?”

“I’m sorry, Master Tithion, but that’s not possible.” 

Owen shook his head.

Allowing Tithion to tour the armory that produced the new muskets was one thing — he didn’t yet know the black powder formula for firing bullets, so the visit could be treated as a gesture of goodwill. But the steam engine was different: if Tithion dissected the steam engine’s design, Owen would lose a major advantage he might leverage.

“What must I do to be allowed to visit? Marquis Eisen, I’ll do anything!”

If he couldn’t see the steam engine facility, Tithion wouldn’t be able to sleep — steam engines were all he could think about.

At that moment Sally stepped forward — she had accompanied Tithion specifically to prevent this kind of situation.

“Tithion, if Marquis Eisen refuses, then leave it be. Pushing will only make things difficult for everyone.”

“You don’t understand, Sally.” 

Tithion spoke with heated emotion. 

“Steam engines are epoch-making machines. If we have them, progress on building Nuva would accelerate tremendously — in all respects it would make a huge difference.”

“Now, now — no need for you two to start arguing,” 

Owen quickly interjected to calm things down.

“It’s not entirely impossible for you to visit the steam engine workshop,” 

He continued.

“but it would have to be done in another way.”

“In another way? What do you mean?” 

Tithion asked impatiently.

With a faint smile, Owen laid out his proposal for cooperation.

“I’d like to meet with the lord or representative of the new underground city, Nuva. If both sides can successfully establish a cooperative relationship, I’ll allow Nuva to send a team of craftsmen here to Bianshu Town for mutual exchange and learning.”

Bianshu Town suffered from a severe shortage of skilled craftsmen — if he could use this opportunity to attract a few dwarven artisans to stay, Owen would be more than pleased.
On top of that, the dwarves possessed exceptional expertise in surveying mineral veins. They could be of great help in prospecting for new mines within the Hengguan and Sky mountain ranges.

“It’s a deal, then!” 

Tithion’s eyes lit up with renewed energy. 

“I’ll return to Nuva right away to speak with our lord. I’ll make sure to convince him to send someone here to establish relations.”

Having said that, he turned to leave, eager to set out immediately.

“Hey!” 

Sally called after him, hands on her hips, clearly irritated.

“What’s the rush? You just got here — you’re leaving the same day? Aren’t you tired?”

“Lady Sally’s right,” 

Owen agreed. 

“You must be exhausted after traveling here with the supply convoy, and it’s already getting late. Why not stay the night and set out tomorrow instead?”

“Well… alright.”

Tithion didn’t dare make Sally angry, so he nodded obediently in agreement.

Meanwhile, at the Eastern Fortress.

Duke Eddie was fuming with anger.
It had been quite some time since he’d sent his letter, yet Marquis Eisen hadn’t bothered to send even a single reply.

He hadn’t really expected to trick Eisen into coming, but the man’s complete disregard for his message infuriated him.

Still, this gave Duke Eddie a convenient excuse — he could now accuse Marquis Eisen of defying the king’s orders and dispatch troops to seize Bianshu Town by force.

The duke had, of course, many ways to pressure or even ruin the frontier town.

For instance, he could block the river routes leading to Bianshu Town.
Wasn’t the town unable to produce enough grain to sustain itself?
Cutting off the river meant cutting off their food supply — within a year, they’d have no choice but to surrender.

But that plan was no longer viable.
King White had personally instructed Duke Eddie to bring Owen Eisen to the capital before the royal coronation that summer.

Time was running short. If he didn’t move soon, it might be too late.

Thus, Duke Eddie had no choice but to deploy his army — he would fulfill the king’s command through military conquest.

A small frontier town like Bianshu was no match for the mighty Eastern Fortress.
Even if they possessed some new weapon, it would not change the outcome — Duke Eddie was utterly confident of that.

When the nobles who had fled Bianshu last year and taken refuge in the Eastern Fortress heard the news, they were thrilled beyond measure.

Until now, Duke Eddie had been too occupied with meddling in the struggle for the throne to pay them any mind.

But now that he was finally willing to act on their behalf — to seek “justice” from Marquis Eisen — they responded eagerly, offering funds and manpower in hopes of reclaiming the lands that had once been taken from them

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