"Oi! Where are the new weapons!?"
"I need a replacement, mate! This sword is cracked and dull!"
"I hear your bows are more powerful and reliable! But I don't see any!"
"Everyone, please! Ardai weapons are sold out! Come back in a few days once we take delivery of more stock!"
Lennings' Armory has never before seen so much commerce. Among mercenaries, adventurers, and anyone else looking to buy a weapon, Ardai Industries has quickly gained notoriety and recognition.
Marc has been able to sell pretty much anything that Ken created. However, there is so much demand for Ken's unique and high-quality arms that Ardai Industries struggles to produce enough products even after considering their advanced manufacturing techniques and technologies.
Every time Marc's armory puts Ardai weapons on the shelves, they are quickly eaten up by curious and eager customers. This is because the weapons are simply stronger, more reliable, more durable, and more deadly than anything previously sold on the market.
On top of it all, some of the crazier designs give people a new sense of possibility. Edged and ranged weapons have always followed a certain standard that created monotony in the arms industry. With the introduction of unorthodox weapon design and philosophy, new art forms started to take shape among the more battle-hardened veterans.
"You better have something to sell when I come back!"
"Have patience, everyone. We're working the best we can."
Marc is tired. The past few days have been stressful as business booms. He is now far from the near-bankrupt man he used to be, and he can't be happier.
Customers leave in disappointment, shelves are empty, racks are left barebones, and Marc's pockets are heavy with coins.
Marc sighs in satisfaction and looks around his store. Life is bliss.
Until it isn't.
"Well, well, well. Marc Lennings."
A well-dressed man enters the empty store, and a wave of pomposity swashes every corner. Marc's happiness is torn down, and his smile becomes a frown.
"Gyson," he growls, "what are you doing here?"
"Simply to observe the apparent revival of your business ventures."
Gyson is one of the many businessmen residing in Efielge who believed Marc to be a failure. Never-ending harassment and bullying faced Marc as his reputation never grew much to hold any significant status. Instead, he was always regarded as a commoner who struck luck, never meant to live among the upper class.
"It ain't none of your business."
"Ah, but it is. You see, your renewed success has caused a problem for me. You are taking my customers."
"What do I care? Just business, ain't it? I never complained when you nearly drove me bankrupt. So don't cry now that you can't compete."
"He who wallows in others' glory dare give me a lecture? Had I known Ken Kai to have such a brilliant mind, I would have snatched him off your hands. But, alas, he became a problem."
"What do you mean?" Marc asks.
"He has caused a storm. You of all people should know what he has done."
"Do you refer to the industrial and academic concepts he made publicly available?"
"What else? Any moron can see the stupidity in releasing your industry secrets. Ken Kai had what no one else had, and he willingly gave it away, for free."
Ardai Industries, at this point, has already spread copies of the various industrial designs, machines, engineering concepts, and academic principles that were stolen from the raid on Ken's house. Stonegate was the primary focus when distributing the documents and papers to give a better chance for blacksmiths to learn from Ardai's innovations. All this was done right before Ken left for the Heimfara Mountain Range.
"What do you care what he does?"
"I care because he has just single-handedly shifted this city's economy, and quite possibly, the Kingdom. Did you know that Stonegate scrambled to attain his released documents? His inventions are proliferating!"
"I fail to see why you are so—"
"The STC, Lennings! My business is directly tied to the damn STC! And they are not happy with Ardai Industries."
"So then—"
"I'll buy your armory. One thousand pounds."
Marc is taken utterly unprepared. Did he hear that right? Gyson will buy his armory for a thousand pounds? Why?
"A-are you serious?"
"Of course I am. The STC will not let Ken Kai continue without consequences. His days are numbered. You best sell out while you're ahead."
This doesn't make sense. Gyson's offer to buy his armory is entirely out of the ordinary. He hates Marc. If the reasoning is that business will crash when the STC deals with Ken, why buy out Marc before it happens?
It quickly occurs to Marc that since Gyson has ties to the STC, it's likely the STC's idea to buy his armory. If so, then this is just another ploy to isolate Ken's business.
"No," Marc says. "I don't believe Ardai Industries will cease business just because the STC says so."
"You are making a big mistake, Lennings. Are you aware of the STC's power? Ken Kai won't live long enough to enjoy the wealth he is accumulating. I'm doing you a favor."
"This is just an attempt to knock him down, ain't it? Did the STC put you up to this, Gyson?"
Gyson doesn't respond to Marc and simply glares with hostility. Marc can tell that Gyson is holding back what he really thinks. No amount of acting can hide the hatred in Gyson's eyes.
"Watch yourself, Lennings. Ardai Industries is a danger to us all. Keep that in mind."
Gyson leaves Marc's armory. Just when he thought his life was getting better, Marc's worldview takes a severe reality check. He hasn't grasped the magnitude of Ken's actions as all he could see was the success of his own business.
Can releasing those blueprints and documents truly shift Scorcia's economy? Marc never delved deep into the idea, but Gyson certainly looked concerned. If the STC is so hellbent to destroy Ardai Industries, Ken Kai may be more than meets the eye.
.
.
Marc goes to the Silver Sun, the tavern Adeline works at to take his mind off of the outside world. Spending time with Adeline always eases his mind from all his troubles.
Marc has known Adeline for as long as he can remember. Since his childhood days, Adeline has always been the closest person to him other than his parents. His initial crush on her evolved into irreplaceable love. Adeline, in turn, also grew to be close to Marc, but neither have ever honestly confessed to each other. Instead, they always dance in circles, hoping that the other would say what they've always wanted to say.
Today is no different. Like any other day, Marc goes to the bar and drinks rum. When Adeline isn't serving tables or fetching food, she spends time talking with Marc. Reveling in each other's company, they talk about the joys and woes of their daily lives.
"How has the world been treating you?" Marc asks.
"I am well. Some days are more tolerable than others."
"How so? No one's bothering you, yeah?"
"Few. Some patrons get a little handsy, but they get taken care of."
"There would be none to worry about had I anything to do about it. To protect your good name by blade is worth the blood."
"Romantic, are you?" Adeline smiles.
"Of course, your painting deserves a spot in the halls of the grandest castle."
"Flattering, Marc. But whose castle?"
"Ours."
The two share a laugh at Marc's flirtatious behavior. It's like this every day the two are together.
"I do enjoy your praise. But what of yourself?" Adeline asks. "I hear your armory sees success. Plenty mercenaries and adventurers come to show off Ken's new weaponry. All so eager to take the guild's contracts."
"The armory is a great success," Marc happily confirms. "Ken's designs have become surprisingly popular. But today, well…"
"What?"
"Gyson visited."
"Oh no, that foul man again?" Adeline says with disgust.
"Yes. He wanted to buy my armory."
"W-what? Does he not hate you?"
"That is why it was strange. Stranger still, he cited Ken's friction with the Venesians as a sign of Ardai's downfall and as a reason for me to sell out. I personally think the STC is using him to scare me away."
"You didn't agree, did you?"
"Heavens no. Business is booming, and I give my thanks to Ken."
"He sure is a peculiar man, isn't he? I often see many strange men come and go here, but Ken seems different. He's like a book of infinite knowledge, always knows something that others don't."
"Yeah… Gyson said something interesting about Ken. He said that Ken's inventions might cause a shift in Scorcia. Do you think that's possible?"
"I don't know much of economics or politics, but Ken certainly seems like the type to aim for big things."
The more Marc thinks about Ken, the more interest he gains. Until now, business was the only thing in his mind, so he never paid attention to Ken's peculiarities. But, now that he thinks about it, Ken is a weird person.
Most obviously is how he holds himself. His mannerisms are different. He speaks differently. He acts differently. Everything about Ken is slightly different compared to everyone else.
"Have you ever noticed Ken's behavior?" Marc asks Adeline.
"What do you mean? Many people behave strangely."
"Yes, but Ken does these weird things, doesn't he? When he talks, he sometimes uses strange words. I've often heard him say 'fuck', 'shit', 'asshole', and other words no one uses."
Adeline tilts her head back to think. Her encounters with Ken are few but memorable. Marc is right. Ken's vocabulary is different from anyone else's.
"I think you may be right. But hasn't he said he frequently traveled on account of his parents being treasure hunters?"
"Yes… that's true."
Something that catches Marc's attention is Ken's interactions with different people. More specifically, Marc realizes that Ken seems to change how he speaks and acts to different people. He is formal and firm with business discussions and negotiations, he is casual with people like Adeline and himself, and he is playful and almost flirtatious with Eleanor.
But it all seems a bit familiar. Marc feels like he has met people like Ken before but can't pinpoint who or where. As he thinks long and hard about who else is similar to Ken, it clicks. There is someone whom Ken acts far differently around than anyone else. Not just one person, but four—Ardai's senior engineers.
"Hello, guys. You mind?"
Breaking Marc out of his daze is, coincidentally, Reed and Cayde, who have randomly appeared from behind.
"Good day, you two," Adeline greets them.
"Thank you. Good day to you too, I think," Cayde replies as he and Reed sit on the stool next to Marc.
"What are you two doing here?" Marc asks.
"Just came to laze about," Reed says.
"Would you like anything?" Adeline asks.
"You got any beer?" Cayde asks to which Adeline nods.
"None for me. I don't drink," Reed mentions.
"So you guys came to 'laze about'?"
"Yeah," Cayde says. "Or we can talk business. Would you like to talk business? I want to talk business. Let's talk business."
"What business?" Marc asks with confusion.
"Literally, business. Ardai Industries. With Ken on his journey to the SouthHeim mines, we're the ones left to run the company."
"Fine."
What Reed and Cayde are actually doing is investigating Marc. With the recent revelation of Eleanor being a Ravenian spy, which only Ringleader knows about, the thought that more spies, moles, or informants infiltrating Ardai is a cause for concern. To secure security surrounding their operations, Marc is one of the people Ringleader needs to make sure isn't any sort of threat. To do this, they would just need to spend more time with him. Get to know him. And maybe have a few drinks with him. At some point, enough will be learned about Marc to see if he's an asset or a liability.
Unknown to Reed or Cayde, Marc is on his toes. He's now paying extra attention to them as he is nearly certain that Ken already knew them before Ardai Industries hired them. So this is a chance for both parties to probe into each other's secrets.
.
.
Under the bright sun, bordering the calm blue ocean, is the city of Gloomerde. It's a large city on the south edge of the Ravenian Empire bordering the Eastern Intercontinental Channel. Reminiscent of the Victorian era, Gloomerde is industrialized by a mixture of known sciences and magic; few smokestacks in the distance fill the sky with soot. While some industrial inventions and innovations follow Earth's example in burning coal and utilizing steam, most of the focus in advanced engineering includes magic in one form or another. Its versatility simply means that engineers can bypass obstacles they would otherwise be forced to solve.
Street lamps line the streets, using magic crystals as their power source. Horse-drawn carriages litter the roads, occasionally making way for cable cars transporting passengers around the city. It's mechanical machines, such as those that drive the cables, that utilize magic to produce the power necessary to make such public transportation possible.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Behold! The RS Emperor!"
Two magic fireballs shoot up into the clear blue sky near the city's harbor and explode spectacularly. It's a fireworks display conducted by mages. Next, a squadron of large wyverns flies overhead in formation, their riders waving to the observers below. Finally, a large warship slides stern-first down a slipway into the waters of the harbor. Water splashes about as waves spread throughout the harbor. A newly constructed frigate has just been launched.
"And she's away!"
Loud cheering fills the port as the new ship launches the Ravenian Empire into a new age of naval doctrine. It is the culmination of a series of reports of the Venesian Empire experimenting with similar naval designs.
The RS Emperor is a new class of ship, stemming away from the thinking of old. It's armored with a four-inch iron belt and bulkheads. Armed with twenty guns poking out from the hull on each side of the ship for a total of forty guns, it seems like a far cry from the hundred-plus guns of current first-rate warships. The difference lies in its innovation. The guns are the new six-inch rifled breechloading guns. Using shells fused with magic, a broadside from the RS Emperor would annihilate any existing first-rate warship.
The RS Emperor floats in the harbor for all to see. The large masts it's equipped with shadow those of surrounding ships, but they are only an additional form of propulsion. Its primary means of propulsion comes from a new experimental triple expansion steam engine. It's the first Ravenian ship to utilize steam power outside small steamboats confined to lakes and rivers.
Crowds on the dock continue to clap and cheer for the new warship. Spectators of the wealthy, influential, and powerful have come to see the curtains rise and make way for the new type of warship—the Ironclad.
"Nine thousand imperial tons. Four hundred twenty feet long and a fifty-eight-foot beam. It's bigger than a first-rate."
Among the crowd, two influential individuals are talking about the launching of the RS Emperor. Eldon Aubert, director of the Security Service; and Winfred Risewell, Lord Admiral of the Ravenian Admiralty.
"It's the largest vessel we have built," Risewell says, "and heaviest due to the armor. Shorter only in height to a first-rate. Surely it is enough, yes?"
"We don't know," Aubert responds. "It's hard for our Ravens to gain any solid piece of information. The Frumentarii are exceptional at counterintelligence."
With the Venesian Empire having immeasurable national strength, enough to take on two other Great Powers on their own with a decent chance at victory, all members of the exclusive club want to avoid war between themselves. But each other's nationalism and the Venesian sense of superiority have caused a near-permanent split in international relations. With the creation of the Alitic Alliance, it is now more important than ever to find ways to counter their growing power.
Espionage has become the primary weapon that the Great Powers are battling with while an arms race begins. While the Ravenian Empire combined domestic and foreign intelligence gathering in one entity in the form of the Security Service, the Venesian Empire has two dedicated organizations for each. The Frumentarii, historically collectors of wheat and other forms of tax in ancient times, are responsible for domestic surveillance and counterintelligence. Their sister organization, the Tabellarii, is responsible for espionage abroad, in foreign lands.
"All we can be sure of is that they are likely building more ironclads. So if we don't want to lag behind, the RS Emperor can't be the only one at our disposal."
"Can we confirm Dercia, Nanatia, Leruntia, or even the Arcanic Church are building these?"
"It's inevitable. If they aren't already, they will eventually."
Lord Admiral Risewell sighs. "At least fighting piracy will be easier."
Behind director Aubert comes an aide who whispers something into his ear. The news shocks him greatly. Risewell sees Aubert's face frown and knows something happened.
"Is everything fine?"
"I apologize. Something important has come up."
The two men give their goodbyes, and Aubert soon leaves the ironclad's launching ceremony.
.
.
About two hundred and fifty miles north, in the capital city of Grasrift, Emperor Truelson is notified about a developing scenario. Within the massive palace that houses the Ravenian Imperial Family, Emperor Truelson meets with officials from the Security Service in his study room.
"Your Imperial Majesty," says one of the Security Service officials.
"What's the matter?" Truelson asks.
"Director Aubert sent a message through telegraph from Gloomerde."
"Did the launching ceremony proceed smoothly?"
"It's unrelated to the new warship. Messengers delivered a report about recent activities in the Kingdom of Scorcia."
"Oh? Did we uncover what the STC is doing?"
"No. It appears that the Ravens sent to one of Scorcia's cities, Efielge, has crossed paths with another nation's people."
"More spies in Scorcia? The Nanatians or the Dercians would notify us, wouldn't they? We have mutual interests."
"It's not either of them. The Ravens reported these people to belong to a nation from the new world."
"What?" Truelson says, surprised. "The new world? Do you jest?"
"Not at all. It's a nation that calls itself the Federal Republic of Entesia in the northern continent. The Venesian conquest has not yet reached that far north."
"Hmm." Truelson strokes his short brown beard in thought.
Information from the new world is extremely difficult to come across, and they haven't had the chance to travel there. The Venesians are the only ones who can reliably travel between the old and new world. Anytime the Ravenians try to make their way to the new world, the Venesians would intercept and turn back their explorers.
"What is Aubert's take on this matter?"
"He believes the report genuine. But the report mentioned something strange. The Ravens claim that those 'Entesian' people aren't spies and insist themselves on being a field research group."
"Academic researchers in place of spies? What a strange choice. Is it not a mistake?"
"Unlikely. The circumstances in which they encountered each other is fascinating. I suggest you read the report. Ultimately, these researchers also discovered the identity of our Ravens, and both parties agreed to work with each other. For some reason, these Entesians are also interested in investigating the Venesians and STC."
"How could they have possibly reached Scorcia? The Venesians are very tight on intercontinental travel."
"We don't know. This turn of events was entirely outside the scope of our considerations. We need orders on how to proceed, your imperial majesty."
Truelson thinks and considers his options. If the reports are accurate, his Ravens have already been exposed. But if the Entesians agreed to work with his people, then the Ravens are not yet compromised. It would be great if he could get in touch with the Entesians directly.
"What other options are there to travel to the new world?"
"The belief that our world is round leads some of our academics to hypothesize that we can travel eastward."
"East… Mossstar should be the only thing east."
"No one has ventured that far. So we don't know for sure."
"All right. Tell the Admiralty, prepare a fleet to voyage east. See if we can find the new world that way."