Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 372 Auerbach

Facing his nominal disciple, Zhang Yuan naturally offered encouragement and comfort. However, seeing the disciple's timid, deer-like deer-like expression, the mentor, who had been forced into the role, sighed, thinking that the Maotanchang tactics he had prepared in advance were probably not going to work.

When he first met Gaviel, then a young man called Garrick, his eyes showed fear and unease, but also intelligence and courage. But today, he saw a confused and dejected lamb before him.

This situation is not hard to understand. Gaviel, who was not resolute to begin with, was almost unlikely to go against the Grand Duke's will and arrangements. However, when this heavy expectation and hope fell on the shoulders of the young wandering poet who was adrift in the world, it was an unbearable burden.

Gavial, who reunited with his biological father, experienced the transformation from an ugly duckling to a swan, achieving a class leap that others could only dream of without even realizing it. After the initial surprise and happiness, he gradually realized that his life seemed to have fallen into the control of a hand, a hand far stronger than before, and irresistible.

And the hand's motive was indeed for his own good.

The Grand Duke's eagerness is understandable; as parents, it's inevitable to hope that their children will succeed. Moreover, Iltan wasn't setting standards that he himself couldn't meet for his child; on the contrary, he lowered them considerably. However, the boy's distress and confusion are also a fact.

However, this matter could not be rushed. A few appropriate words of praise added a touch of joy and radiance to Iltan's face. As Gavial took his leave, the topic of conversation at the tea party naturally turned to the transportation of ore.

"The time spent on ore allocation and refining is manageable; we can just urge them to speed things up. But transportation, even by sea, will take some time. Territory development is not something that can be accomplished overnight."

The Grand Duke leisurely scooped up a spoonful of white sugar, the snow-white syrup in the silver spoon disappearing into the tea soup carefully brewed with spices such as fennel and cinnamon. His words exuded composure and an air of complete control over the situation.

With a gentle lift of the spoon, Iltan stirred the powdered spices into the tea, then picked up the teacup and took a few delightful sips.

This manner alone shows that Iltan comes from an extraordinary background, but Master Zhang really declined this way of drinking tea.

The tea, which had just boiled, emitted wisps of steam, carrying a strong aroma of spices. In Faerûn, herbal soups were fine, but the real tea leaves were mostly transported across the sea from the distant Karatu, costing more than gold. The precious spices were no less valuable than their equivalent in silver.

If the aroma of fennel and cinnamon were present in a hearty dish like braised pork hock, it would surely be incredibly appetizing, but…

Zhang Yuan silently sipped his coffee, which was sweetened with milk, and didn't want to comment further. The Grand Duke was puzzled that this young man from Karatu seemed completely uninterested in the carefully prepared tea, but he didn't think much of it, considering the eccentricities of the monks.

"Then I'll trouble you, but I have a request."

The monk placed the cup on the accompanying saucer and looked directly at the Grand Duke:
"Whether we rent or buy, we hope to make some modifications to the ships you have promised to improve their speed."

"It's nothing, whatever you want."

At noon, the tea party, in which everyone had achieved their desired results, came to an end, leaving Zhang Yuan with a belly full of snacks and coffee.

"The ship's modification will take some time, and Bard and Kegan also have a long way to go to recruit tribesmen, so time is a bit tight."

The warm winter sun shone down as the two strolled along the streets of Bode, their shadows trailing behind them.

"You always have your own methods for doing things, so just tell us what your plans are."

"Okay, let's not go back to the camp yet. I'll take you to see the sea."

"Is this the sea you brought me to see?" Nancy questioned, pointing to the bay in the southwest port of Bodø.

Due to the season, the usually bustling dock was somewhat desolate at this time, but it was not too bleak, as merchant ships still occasionally entered and left the berths.

Zhang Yuan continued on his way amidst Nancy's rambling, heading west along the berths at the port. He arrived at a port area that was somewhat separated from the other berths, where soldiers patrolled and guarded the area, making it clear that it was different from ordinary docks.

After presenting the document signed by the Grand Duke, the two passed through smoothly and arrived at the harbor where ships that were significantly larger than the ones they had just seen were moored. Looking into the distance, they could even see the silhouettes of warships in the depths.

Led by the dock manager, the crew arrived at the foot of the merchant ship named Auerbach. Having only received the news the day before, they had already begun maintenance and pre-voyage checks and adjustments.

Having spent most of the winter docked, the Auerbach, which did not enjoy the dry dock treatment, needs more care.

"What?! Modification!?"

On the bow deck, Captain Lars Bowman, who had been warmly welcoming the guests, changed his expression drastically after hearing their purpose, and his voice rose an octave.

"Reform what? What the hell is this reform? I disagree. The Grand Duke only ordered us to assist in transporting goods. Nobody told us there was anything else to reform."

After catching his breath, Lars suddenly noticed the robes the newcomer was wearing. Then, remembering the Grand Duke's decree, his reason returned to his body.

“My Lord Mage, I have no intention of questioning your wisdom, but I swear on my years of sailing experience that Auerbach is truly a spirited and good girl. Whether it is the sturdiness of the hull, the load capacity, or the speed and firepower, she is satisfactory. In my opinion, any unnecessary modifications will only backfire.”

The captain's voice grew louder and louder as he spoke, and the emotions he had been forcibly suppressing surged up again.

Lars certainly had reason to be angry. For a captain, his beloved ship was more than just a vehicle; its status was comparable to that of a lover or wife. And then one day, someone suddenly appeared and said they would "train" him...

More importantly, Lars did not lie, or at least did not say anything against his conscience. As a semi-armored galleon, the Auerbach, even if it was not perfect in all aspects of the performance of ships of the same size, could be said to be well-balanced and excellent.

Is it appropriate to entrust the complex task of ship modification, which involves significant changes across the entire system, to an outsider?

Lars simply couldn't believe that the mage in front of him thought it was as simple as adding more water to flour or more flour to water.

Despite the captain's angry outburst, Mr. Zhang displayed remarkable restraint and composure, listening quietly with a smile throughout until the captain had finished speaking before slowly and deliberately opening his own mouth.

“Mr. Lars, I think there are some things I may not have explained clearly, which has led to these unnecessary misunderstandings for you.”

The mage's words were gentle and polite, but Lars, stared at by his emotionless gaze, felt his breath catch in his throat and his heart clench as if something had grabbed it.

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(End of this chapter)