Translator: Cinder Translations
...
Eileen stared at herself in the mirror, pouting in dissatisfaction. "Is it not done yet?"
A woman standing behind her, helping her with her grooming, smiled and said, "Almost, Your Highness."
The woman secretly chuckled to herself: "After traveling for so long, this little princess's temperament is still so carefree."
Finally finished, Eileen happily lifted her skirt and jogged out.
"Slow down, Your Highness!" called the court lady stationed at the door, rushing after her.
Eileen made her way to the reception room of her chambers, where several girls her age were already waiting.
"Princess!"
The girls stood up and bowed respectfully to Eileen.
Eileen smiled and gestured for everyone to sit down.
A few maids carrying trays came over and set out snacks for everyone.
"Madam," Eileen turned to the court lady who had followed her in, "we want to be alone for a while!" She finished with a pair of big, pleading eyes.
The lady gave Eileen a stern look, but eventually relented. She sighed and said, "Ladies, you are all from noble families and are not children anymore. Always be mindful of your behavior and speech."
After bowing, she slowly exited the reception room.
"Yay!" Once the lady was out of earshot, the girls erupted in cheers.
No longer sitting quietly in their seats, they all crowded onto Eileen's sofa.
These were noble girls who were usually friendly with Eileen.
"Eileen, Eileen! Tell us more about the Northwest Bay!"
A petite girl with freckles tugged at Eileen's arm.
"Tell us more about the inventions of Earl Grayman!"
Eileen had been back for a while, and her friends knew she had traveled to the northern part of the kingdom. However, thanks to the secrecy maintained, they had no idea she had snuck out on her own, thinking instead that she had gone out disguised under the close guard of palace soldiers.
"Well..." Eileen hesitated, "I've already covered all his explanations. No matter how clever Earl Grayman is, he can't invent something every day!"
"Alas—" The freckled girl looked a bit disappointed.
"Haha, Anissa," another girl teased, "are you smitten with that Earl?"
"Stop talking nonsense!"
Anissa's face instantly flushed with embarrassment as she playfully tugged at the other girl's mouth, and everyone laughed as they chased each other around the reception room.
Eileen's shared experiences fascinated everyone. It turned out that the popular paper that had emerged in the last two years was from the Northwest Bay, and the beautiful porcelain that all the nobles coveted was also made there.
That place was not the savage land of legends; it had towns and villages where nobles and commoners lived, speaking the Aldor language, which had a different tone from that of the capital's residents.
Moreover, there was a unique lord there striving to improve the education of his people, teaching them literacy and reason. It was strange—didn't lords in small places usually think that the more foolish their subjects were, the easier they were to govern?
As they laughed and talked, Eileen instructed a servant to bring a book. With a proud expression, she placed it on the table and boasted, "My trip to the Northwest Bay was not just for fun; this is my achievement!"
The girls leaned over the table to see, and the cover of the book read "Basic Medical and Health Manual."
Anissa picked up the book and turned the pages, as her friends gathered around to watch together.
"Wow! Amazing! No wonder Princess Eileen is famous for her knowledge!" After a quick glance, everyone exclaimed in admiration.
This book mainly introduces some hygiene knowledge, such as the importance of bathing regularly, washing hands, eating cooked food, drinking boiled water, and handling wounds with "disinfecting" practices. It even includes various precautions for women during childbirth.
As nobles, many of the things mentioned in the book were habits they developed from a young age. However, even the things they were used to had refreshing explanations in this book.
It turns out that in places invisible to the naked eye, there are countless tiny lives—germs or parasite eggs, and many diseases arise from them. The various measures listed in the book can effectively prevent them from harming the human body.
They couldn't help but believe that after Eileen returned, she had a craftsman create a microscope based on the principles introduced by Paul, and the sights within terrified the girls.
The admiration from her friends made Eileen a bit shy. "Well, it's not just my effort; this book was co-authored with a scholar named Ladia. She's much more capable than I am. Moreover, many of the measures listed in the book are sourced from Earl Grayman. We... we just organized it!"
"Please copy one for us too!" Anissa asked on behalf of the others.
The little princess smiled mysteriously. "Copying? That would be too inefficient!"
"What do you mean?" Everyone was puzzled.
"Look at the letters in the book; do you notice anything special?"
The girls frowned and began to observe.
One of them said thoughtfully, "These letters are so neat! Especially the identical letters and words; it's as if... as if they all came from the same mold."
"Bingo, you got it right!"
Eileen explained, "They all come from the same mold; this is called printing. There's a magical machine in the Northwest Bay— the printing press—that can produce books in batches without the need for laborious copying."
"Eileen, you still haven't told us everything about Earl Grayman's inventions! I've never heard of this printing press." Anissa pouted, expressing her strong dissatisfaction.
"Uh... he only mentioned the concept, but the final completion... let's just say it's a collective invention."
After dodging the question, Eileen announced, "I've sent someone to the Northwest Bay to order a printing press from Grayman. When it arrives, we'll print this book so that not just you, but everyone in Crystal Glare can read it."
The little princess plans to promote good hygiene habits like drinking boiled water in Crystal Glare, as she believes it's her duty as a royal member.
Of course, Eileen's plan is far from over; she also intends to replicate her great initiatives from the Northwest Bay in Crystal Glare, such as establishing schools and building signal towers.
"Excuse me, Your Highness!"
While everyone was excitedly discussing, a servant entered the parlor.
"What is it?"
"Miss Anissa's family has arrived and said they have urgent matters to discuss with her."
"Let them in."
Soon, another person dressed as a steward hurried in.
"It's you? What's the matter?" Anissa recognized her family's steward.
The steward respectfully said, "Miss, your brother has returned, and he wants you to come back quickly for a reunion."
"My brother?" Anissa's face lit up with joy. "He's back?"
Anissa's brother had been stationed in West Harbor with Harrison Abbott for a long time without returning home.
"Yes, he's back, but..." The steward's expression turned sorrowful. "He has to hurry back to his station. This trip to the royal city was only to deliver a message, so he's anxious to see you."
Anissa quickly bid farewell to Eileen.
Eileen frowned and asked the steward, "Anissa's brother's unit is stationed in West Harbor, right? Is the situation still severe there? Is it because of pirates?"
The steward shook his head. "According to my young master, the trouble this time is not from pirates, but it's related to the previous pirate invasion."
"What is it?"
"Goblins. The last time the pirates occupied West Harbor, they secretly released a large number of goblins into the nearby areas. These filthy creatures are cunning; when the kingdom's army reclaimed West Harbor, they hid away, silently breeding in the forests. Now... we don't even know how many there are."
"Goblins?" Eileen frowned. If they're not eradicated early on, it'll become a serious issue later.
"Ugh! Goblins!"
"Seriously, how did the pirates bring these disgusting creatures here?"
A few girls in the parlor exclaimed, as it seemed they had also heard of these terrifying beings.
Some hadn't heard of them, but after being "educated" by their friends, they began cursing the goblins and the pirates who were to blame.
After seeing Anissa off, Eileen looked towards the direction of the palace's council chamber. Her father should be there now. Since Anissa's brother returned to deliver news, the king must have been informed of the situation.
Moreover, she knew that the main force of the southern kingdom's army was facing a decisive battle with the rebels.
Yet trouble keeps arising inland...
Go for it, dear sister.
(End of the Chapter)
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