Two weeks had passed since the grand ball held in Arthur's honor, and in that short time, his suit and pocket watch had sparked a new fashion trend. It started with the nobles and elite guests who had attended the ball. Inspired by Arthur's attire, they rushed to tailors across the capital, especially Zack's shop, placing large orders for custom suits. When newspapers reported on Arthur's outfit, the trend quickly spread beyond the aristocracy, reaching the common people. Soon, ordinary citizens began ordering suits as well. Seizing the opportunity, ambitious entrepreneurs established textile factories dedicated to the mass production of suits.
Arthur, appreciating the comfort and lightness of a suit compared to the heavy and restrictive garments of the era, ordered additional suits in various colors and styles for daily wear. Meanwhile, William's newly established watch manufacturing facility had barely begun production, yet it was already receiving pre-orders for pocket watches. Arthur had anticipated that his suit would influence fashion trends, but he was genuinely surprised by how rapidly this transformation took place.
Two weeks later, Arthur woke up early as usual and completed his morning exercise routine. After taking a quick shower, he dressed in a brown pinstriped suit and left the palace, heading toward the industrial district to meet with William. The purpose of today's visit was to oversee the final testing of the newly developed telegraph system before its official launch.
Upon arriving at the industrial district, Arthur saw that William was already waiting for him at the entrance. Having been informed of Arthur's visit in advance, he greeted him with a formal bow.
"Welcome, Your Highness," William said.
"Good morning, William. Is everything ready?" Arthur asked.
"Yes, Your Highness," William replied. "We've installed the first telegraph line between the industrial district and the port. We were waiting for you before beginning the final test."
"Then let's not waste any more time. Let's begin," Arthur said.
William led Arthur into the newly established telegraph communications building. Inside, a telegraph operator sat at a desk wearing a headset, while a group of engineers stood nearby, ready to monitor the test.
William turned to Arthur. "Your Highness, after conducting short-range tests, we optimized the system to maintain communication over longer distances. We have now laid the first long-distance telegraph line between the industrial district and the port."
After listening to William's briefing, Arthur gave the signal to proceed with the test. The first message to be transmitted stated that the production of one thousand new rifles had been completed and that they would arrive at the port by the evening. The operator converted the message into Morse code and transmitted it to the receiving station at the port.
After sending the message, they waited for a response. Ten minutes later, the telegraph machine began receiving a reply. The operator transcribed the Morse-coded message onto a sheet of paper, then translated it before handing it to William, who read it aloud:
"Message received. The ship has been notified to be ready for loading this evening."
A satisfied smile spread across Arthur's face. William, equally pleased, turned to him with excitement.
"We did it, Your Highness!" William said.
"Indeed," Arthur replied, taking a moment to observe the engineers and operators, who were also celebrating their success.
After allowing them to enjoy the moment, Arthur and William left the building and headed to William's office to discuss the next phase of the plan. Once inside, William poured Arthur a cup of tea. Arthur took a sip before beginning the conversation.
"Has the production facility for mass-producing telegraphs been established?" Arthur asked.
William smiled. "Yes, the factory is ready, workers have been hired, and we can begin production immediately."
Arthur nodded in approval. "The military and government agencies will undoubtedly place orders soon. Additionally, once the infrastructure for civilian use is in place, I want a separate company established to manage telegraph communications as a commercial service. Begin recruiting and training personnel who will operate and maintain the telegraph network."
"I will arrange for representatives from the military and government to meet with you to discuss the details," Arthur continued. "How long do you think it will take to install telegraph lines across the entire country?"
William thought for a moment before responding. "Rest assured, Your Highness, we can complete the nationwide telegraph network in less than a year."
Arthur was pleased with the estimate. He then shifted the discussion to other ongoing production efforts.
"What's the latest on the other manufacturing projects?" he asked.
William provided an update. "We've just begun producing pocket watches, but fulfilling our current orders will take about two months. As for the navy, the first large-scale delivery of steam-powered warships will be completed before the end of the year."
Arthur was particularly satisfied with this news. Since the navy had been training personnel to operate the new ships simultaneously, Pendralis would soon have its first fully steam-powered battle fleet.
"Once the first fleet is delivered, begin production on the second batch of warships immediately," Arthur instructed.
"You needn't worry, Your Highness," William assured him. "We've already expanded the production capacity of existing facilities and begun constructing new shipyards. In fact, some of them have already started operations. By next year, we will be capable of producing at least twice as many ships as this year."
Arthur was delighted by the progress. After discussing a few more matters with William, he returned to the palace.
As soon as he arrived, he proceeded directly to his father's chamber to brief him on the successful telegraph test. Upon reaching the door, the guard announced his presence. Once King Cedric granted permission, Arthur entered the room.
His father, as always, was deeply engrossed in government affairs, reviewing reports at his desk. When Arthur stepped inside, the King set down the document he had been reading and looked up.
"I'm listening, Arthur," King Cedric said.
Arthur approached his father's desk. "Father, the production of the telegraph has been completed, and I personally oversaw the test of the first long-distance line between the industrial district and the port today."
He then provided a detailed account of the testing process. King Cedric listened attentively, nodding in understanding.
"This advancement in communication will greatly enhance the efficiency of government operations," the King remarked. "Its military potential is also evident."
Arthur proposed that the existing postal service oversee and manage the government's telegraph operations. Additionally, he suggested that a separate telegraph network be built for commercial and civilian use.
After considering Arthur's suggestions, King Cedric nodded. "I will issue the necessary orders to the postal office."
The conversation then shifted to recent political and economic developments, and the two spoke for some time before Arthur returned to his chambers.
Once inside, he sat at his desk and began reviewing the latest reports from the Foreign Ministry and MI6, the kingdom's intelligence agency. One particular detail caught his attention—although stability had been established in the Maraz Strait, there had been a noticeable increase in diplomatic exchanges between Aragon and the Fasi Kingdom. The two nations had been sending envoys back and forth with growing frequency.
Although the official reports claimed that the increased diplomatic activity was unrelated to the Maraz Strait, the intelligence agency had already begun investigating the matter further.
Arthur continued reading various government reports before eventually rising from his chair. Pouring himself a glass of wine, he stepped out onto the terrace. As he sipped his drink and gazed at the stars, his thoughts drifted to the worst-case scenario.
If war broke out, he would have no choice but to postpone his plans for oceanic exploration.