Translator: Cinder Translations
...
"Oh my God!"
Seeing the extreme measures that the chemists from the Northwest Bay were employing in their explorations, Kevin couldn't help but gasp in amazement.
But honestly, he felt quite envious of the academic atmosphere described in the letter.
Although his perspective had broadened significantly at the Scholars' Tower in the imperial capital of Gabella, and he had indeed gained a lot of knowledge, Kevin felt that the scholars here still focused more on "breadth" rather than "depth" in their studies.
He continued reading.
"Relying on the increasing number of talents from the Weis Academy, Lord Grayman has invested heavily to establish five major laboratories, starting with the chemistry lab, followed by the biology lab, metallurgy lab, geology lab, and power lab."
"You might not know the purpose of the last three just by their names, but according to our school teachers, the metallurgy lab is for studying how to better extract valuable metals or other materials from ores and process them. From what I understand, this means iron smelting and copper refining. Haha, I never thought the work of blacksmiths would also become a recognized field of study."
"As for the geology lab, its main task is currently to explore the minerals beneath the earth, which used to be the job of miners."
"The power lab focuses on how to better replace human labor with machinery, such as water-powered bellows and water-powered spinning machines. The person in charge is said to be the famous engineer, Guy Burns."
Hmm, it seems these are all closely related to people's livelihoods.
Wait a minute… metal smelting? Mineral exploration? Is there a high demand for metals in the Northwest Bay now?
Kevin couldn't help but furrow his brows. Could it be that Earl Grayman is manufacturing weapons and then... starting a war?
He shook his head; the Earl didn't seem like that kind of person.
"The lord has dispatched three fleets to sail north, west, and east. In addition to exploring the New World, they have another mission—to verify whether the earth beneath our feet is round."
Wow, this is an unprecedented endeavor!
Wait? No, perhaps someone has done this before, but it ended fruitlessly, leaving no record in history.
Kevin continued to read the final part of the letter, which discussed a recent case in which the lord's court executed a particularly bad-tempered country gentleman and, in doing so, established an interest rate cap for private loans, declaring that any lending exceeding this limit would be considered usury and strictly punished.
What a good thing! Kevin couldn't help but slap the table excitedly. Coming from a commoner's background, he had seen too many cases of families driven to ruin by usury.
His lingering resentment toward Earl Grayman temporarily vanished.
Carefully, Kevin folded the two precious letters and placed them back into the envelope, then set them in a delicate wooden box.
"Ah… if only the Earl could extend his 'telegraph' line to the imperial capital of Gabella."
But that was just a thought; considering the vast desert separating Gabella from Aldor, even if the telegraph station were built here, he wouldn't be able to afford it.
Currently, the main purpose of the 'telegraph' was to transmit military and political information as well as high-value commercial intelligence.
Perhaps I should return to the Northwest Bay after achieving my academic goals? But staying close to my teacher is also good; that's what he hopes for. Then I could bring my parents over…
"Ding—"
The melodious chime of the great bell from the direction of the clock tower interrupted Kevin's thoughts.
The bell rang twice; it was already two in the afternoon.
Time to pay a visit to my teacher.
———
"Ah, it's Kevin! Come in, come in!"
Kevin's teacher, David Aldridge, greeted him warmly. As expected, the old scholar was discussing something with his senior, Mond Landon. Recently, they had been spending more and more time together for discussions. Was it some important academic issue?
"Kevin, I've arranged a good part-time job for you. It will not only enhance your knowledge but also allow you to earn some living expenses while you study."
The old scholar smiled broadly, waving the cane granted by the emperor, symbolizing his status as the chief mentor of the Scholars' Tower.
Seeing his teacher's lively demeanor, Kevin felt his faint melancholy from missing home fade away.
Despite his serious and scholarly appearance in front of outsiders, in front of those he knew, his teacher was always like a big child.
"Really? Thank you, teacher."
Having a part-time job would be fantastic. As Aldridge's apprentice, Aldridge only symbolically charged Kevin ten Aldor copper coins and often helped him with his living expenses by having Kevin assist in copying books. The "hardship fee" he offered for copying was always generous, almost close to what a professional copyist would earn.
"Don't be in a hurry to thank me," Aldridge squinted his eyes with a smile. "There is a prerequisite for this part-time job—you must pass my test on your primary studies."
Okay, Kevin thought; his teacher wouldn't let him off so easily.
He confidently said, "Please go ahead with the test."
"Don't be so arrogant, young man!" Aldridge switched to a stern teacher mode. "Let's test you on the history of the church that I've been teaching you lately."
After a moment of thought, he quickly devised several questions and asked Kevin one by one.
There were some obscure questions mixed in among Aldridge's inquiries, but this didn't stump Kevin.
The young scholar answered them all and added his personal insights on some controversial historical issues.
"Hmm… although I don't fully agree with some of your viewpoints…"
Aldridge stroked his graying beard, shaking his head thoughtfully.
"However, you do have some merit. Very well, I declare that you have passed the test."
As soon as the teacher finished speaking, Mond, Kevin's senior, burst into applause, "Congratulations, Kevin!"
"Thank you, senior. Thank you, teacher. So, what is the part-time job you're introducing me to?"
Kevin asked eagerly.
"Oh, it's the position of custodian at the Royal Document Archive. How about that? Not bad, right?"
Aldridge laughed heartily again.
"This! That's amazing!"
Hearing his teacher say this, Kevin was nearly jumping for joy.
Although the main responsibility of the Royal Document Archive was to store various materials of the Gabella royal family, such as genealogies, it was also a large library. The collection of books there was second only to the Scholars' Tower, and most ordinary books—not involving royal secrets—were open to the archive's custodians—essentially administrators. In contrast, borrowing from the library in the Scholars' Tower required specific permissions based on internal ranking.
Securing this position would not only enhance his knowledge but also provide a handsome salary, especially since it was royal.
In that moment, Kevin felt immense gratitude toward his teacher, Aldridge.
(End of the Chapter)
---
Want More of (FF)?
Read ahead on [Pa.treon](pa treon . com / CinderTL) – up to Chapter 682.
Early access starts at $5. Your support keeps this going!
Susbscribing to this tier also gives you access to Nightmare Strikes!
Translated 1200+ Chapters and 1.42M+ Words