As soon as Arthur left the palace, he wasted no time and set out to meet William. When he arrived at the industrial district of the city, where the factories were located, he found himself surrounded by towering stone buildings with chimneys spewing black smoke into the air. These factories, established by Arthur and other entrepreneurs, produced goods for a variety of sectors, creating a scene reminiscent of 19th-century industrial England. Arthur paused for a moment, observing the activity around him. Workers loaded factory products onto carts, which were then transported to the railway line connected to the port. Watching this bustling industrial landscape, Arthur felt a surge of pride in what they had accomplished in just a few short years.
After a while, Arthur continued toward the building where William's office was located. Upon his arrival, the guard at the entrance immediately recognized him and hurried off to inform William of his presence. A few minutes later, William appeared at the door, his face a mix of curiosity and a welcoming smile, wondering what new project Arthur might present to him this time.
"Welcome, Your Majesty," William greeted him warmly.
"Hello, William," Arthur replied with a nod and a smile. William then invited Arthur into his office, where they could speak more comfortably.
Once inside, William offered Arthur a cup of tea before the two men began their conversation. Arthur handed over the papers he had brought with him, containing the designs for the H4 marine chronometer and the sextant. "I need you to produce these," Arthur said.
William's curiosity was piqued as he examined the designs. "What are these devices for, Your Majesty?" he asked.
Arthur first pointed to the sextant. "This device will allow us to determine latitude and longitude by observing celestial bodies," he explained. Then, pointing to the H4 chronometer, he continued, "And this, in simple terms, is a clock. To accurately calculate longitude, it's essential to measure time precisely, even aboard a moving ship. However, as you know, the clocks currently available rely on pendulums, which makes them unsuitable for use on the constantly rocking deck of a ship."
Realizing the potential of these inventions, William remarked, "These devices could revolutionize navigation at sea." He studied the designs closely for a few moments before looking back at Arthur. "Your Highness, the sextant's design is relatively simple, so we can begin production immediately. However, the H4 chronometer is far more intricate. Its small, precise components will take time to manufacture."
Arthur, expecting this response, nodded calmly. "Take as much time as you need, but ensure the clock meets the necessary quality standards," he said firmly.
Understanding the importance of the task, William replied, "Of course, Your Majesty. Rest assured, the clock will be made with the highest durability and accuracy possible."
The two men then spent some time discussing ongoing projects for both the military and the civilian sector. Once their conversation concluded, Arthur left William's office and began his journey back to the palace.
Upon returning to his chambers, Arthur had only just settled in when there was a knock at his door. "You may enter," he called out. A servant entered and bowed respectfully.
"Your Highness, your father requests your presence in the throne room," the servant announced.
Arthur, curious about the reason for his father's summons, asked, "Did he mention what this is about?"
"No, Your Highness," the servant replied.
"Very well, you may go," Arthur said, dismissing the servant.
Arthur changed out of the plain clothes he had worn outside and into more formal attire before leaving his room to meet his father. As he entered the throne room, he noticed that Henry, Daniel, and other key ministers were already present, increasing his curiosity. He approached King Cedric and offered a formal salute.
"Arthur," King Cedric began, "the envoys we sent to Aragon have returned. They will present their report on the negotiations." He then turned to Mathew and said, "You may begin."
Mathew stepped forward and started his report. "Your Majesty, after arriving in the capital city of Ardenzia, I immediately requested an audience with the king. We were granted an audience a week later. During our meeting, I requested a reduction in the taxes imposed on Pendralis ships passing through the Maraz Strait and demanded that serious measures be taken to address the pirate attacks occurring in Aragon's waters.
"King Juan claimed that these additional taxes were necessary to rebuild ports and city infrastructure damaged during the recent war. However, based on my observations during my journey, there was no evidence of significant destruction in these cities. It was clear to me that this was merely an excuse. I warned the king that if this situation persisted, Pendralis would reconsider its arms trade with Aragon."
Mathew paused briefly before continuing. "This ultimatum appeared to make the king reconsider. Fearing that the Fasi Kingdom might gain a military advantage and launch another war against them, King Juan agreed to reduce the taxes and instructed his navy to take stricter measures against pirate activity in the region. While a temporary balance has been achieved, it is clear that Aragon harbors greed toward Pendralis's growing trade. I do not believe this balance will last."
King Cedric listened carefully to Mathew's words. After a moment of thought, he turned to Henry and asked, "Will the reduced taxes be enough to revive trade to a profitable level?"
Henry considered the question for a moment before replying, "While trade may not return to pre-tax levels, the reduction should make trade in the White Sea profitable again, and we are likely to see a revival of activity in the region."
"Good," King Cedric said. "It seems we have achieved our goal of securing a reduction in taxes and a guarantee of improved security."
He then turned to Arthur and asked, "What do you think?"
Arthur replied, "While this agreement provides a temporary balance, I do not believe it will hold for long."
King Cedric's expression grew serious. "Why do you think that?" he asked.
Arthur explained, "Aragon only agreed to our demands because they didn't want to risk falling into a militarily disadvantageous position against the Fasi Kingdom. However, as you know, Pendralis's trade in the White Sea is growing rapidly. Once this trade reaches a significant scale, it will inevitably attract the Fasi Kingdom's interest as well. At that point, there is a very real possibility that Aragon and the Fasi Kingdom might form an alliance to impose new taxes on our ships or, as we've seen before, use their privateers to attack Pendralis vessels."
King Cedric raised an eyebrow. "You believe two kingdoms that have been at odds for centuries would work together against us?"
Arthur smiled slightly and replied, "As the saying goes, nations have no eternal enemies or eternal friends—only eternal interests."
The room fell silent as everyone pondered Arthur's words.
Finally, King Cedric broke the silence. "If that happens, there will be no choice but to go to war," he said. He turned to Daniel and instructed, "Ensure that the modernization of the army continues without delay."
Daniel nodded and replied, "Do not worry, Your Majesty. By next spring, the army will be fully equipped with modern training and equipment. While the navy's progress is slower due to the time required for shipbuilding, we will have modernized at least half of the fleet by then."
Arthur then added, "We are far too reliant on the Maraz Strait for trade. I believe we should send exploration fleets to search for alternative trade routes." He began explaining how the newly designed sextant and H4 chronometer would make such expeditions possible.
Some conservative ministers objected, pointing out that previous attempts at exploration had failed. However, King Cedric sided with Arthur. "Arthur is right. The likelihood of success may be low, but given our current situation, we have no choice but to try," he said.
After further discussion, the meeting concluded. The ministers and Arthur left the throne room, each carrying Mathew's detailed report. Arthur returned to his chambers, deep in thought about the tasks ahead.