The Lord Of Blood Hill

Henwell wastes no time: “Gentlemen, I’ve already gotten a decent understanding of your situation through that person. I don’t intend to pry into your personal secrets. Now, I officially invite you to join Peace Haven. You will become the founding core of Peace Haven’s navy, tasked with heading south to build our surface combat fleet.”

“I’m a fair man. I won’t play games with you. First, listen to the conditions I’m offering and my future plans for Peace Haven’s navy.”

With that, Henwell asks Simon to hand each of the three a copy of the report.

As they read, Henwell continues, “Over the next ten years, I want to build a functional naval fleet. While it won’t be able to face off head-to-head against the fleets of the three coastal nations, it should at least serve as a meaningful deterrent. This is my naval development plan. You are all experts at sea, so if you see any flaws, feel free to point them out.”

The three exchange glances, unsure what to say.

Finally, the eldest, Barbosa, speaks cautiously: “Sir, how should I put this? It’s… well, it’s an ambitious plan, but there are some issues I think you’ve overlooked.”

“Ten years might be enough time to build an army on land, but for the navy you want, it’s rather tight. Training personnel and cultivating fleet commanders in ten years is barely sufficient. But building warships? Ten years is clearly not enough. You don’t have a coastline, nor skilled shipwrights.”

“Shipbuilding requires special timber, trees of sufficient age and quality. From felling to cutting, then processing, it demands craftsmanship and a long time to season the wood. The process includes steaming, oiling, fumigating, baking… and finally shaping. On top of that, you need shipwrights and master designers…”

Barbosa stops himself, clearly not wanting to embarrass Henwell too much.

To the three, Henwell’s desire to build a navy right now seems unrealistic.

Tigger offers a more diplomatic suggestion: “Sir, if your goal is simply to harass and contain enemy fleets during wartime, we can handle that. With just a little support, our fleets could double in size before long. Then we could operate as a roaming fleet, tying down a significant portion of the enemy’s forces.”

Compared to the other two’s tact, Orlando is more blunt: “Sir, you might not have seen naval combat firsthand. It’s not like small boat skirmishes on rivers. Fleet battles on the open sea are unforgiving. If you lose, there’s often no chance to escape. On rivers, you can swim to shore; at sea, the ships are our lifeblood.”

“Naval warfare is complex, full of variables, and highly technical. You can’t build a capable fleet overnight. I suggest you secure coastal territory first before thinking about this. For now, focus on land.”

“If you manage to push south and open a path to the sea, I guarantee I can help you assemble a competent naval force. As for the ships themselves, that’s something you’ll have to figure out.”

“As Tigger mentioned, shipbuilding is complicated, you need to find skilled shipbuilders first.”

Henwell doesn’t get angry at their objections. Instead, he smiles and says, “I’m well aware of all these challenges, and I have solutions. I’ve leased two ports in the Duchy of Lumir, where I have full management rights. I’ll build my own shipyard there. “

”In three years, I’ll have a large group of skilled workers capable of constructing massive warships in a short time.”

“As for the craftsmanship and materials, I have plans for those too. You’ll see soon enough. You should know I’m fairly wealthy, money solves about ninety percent of problems. The remaining ten percent? Well, that just means throwing more money at it.”

Henwell then fixes his gaze on the three: “But I imagine you think I’m just boasting. I do have something to prove it to you. Once you see it, you must keep it secret, sworn secrecy. Not just to me, but to that person. If you break that oath, I trust you understand the consequences without me having to spell them out.”

Those words drain the color from their faces, sweat beads forming on their brows. They seem to envision something terrifying.

Their expressions show inner conflict, part curiosity to learn Henwell’s methods, part fear of the horrors Newwood’s legacy instilled in them.

In the end, their curiosity wins out. They decide to see exactly what Henwell has up his sleeve.

Next, Henwell leads the three into a secret chamber within Blood Hill Manor.

Inside, countless models of ships are displayed, miniature versions crafted with exquisite detail. Each model can be opened at various sections, revealing cross-sectional views of the vessels.

Nearby, stacks of blueprints lie scattered, each explaining the structure of a different warship.

The three quickly become engrossed, diving into the materials with keen interest.

After a while, Tigger exclaims in admiration, “These designs are truly exquisite. What do you call this ship?”

Henwell smiles and replies, “The Sailing Battleship.”

Barbosa raises a concern: “Sir, the design is flawless, but building ships this large demands rare timber. Even if you buy it, it takes a long time, so the number of ships you can build will be limited, just a few at most. That doesn’t match your earlier plan. Plus, it requires a large number of skilled craftsmen.”

Henwell opens a safe and pulls out a document. “This is my secret.”

The document contains information on breech-loading cannons, advanced high-pressure distilled timber technology, and extraordinary runes that reinforce the ship’s structure.

It’s the product of Henwell’s long study.

At Lucy’s place, Henwell never missed an opportunity to consult Fang Yuan, a top talent.

They sat down for long discussions and finally produced this blend of technology and extraordinary knowledge for warship construction.

Of course, it’s just a prototype. As master shipwrights are trained, many modifications will follow.

Henwell doesn’t need to personally design every ship, just provide the general direction.

After discussing it, the three agree this is a viable approach.

Still, Barbosa voices his doubts: “Sir, according to these specs, the ships built would be incredibly powerful. But there’s a key issue, the cost. Such warships are extremely expensive. Can you really afford it?”

Henwell chuckles lightly. “Heh… That’s the remaining ten percent of problems. I just throw more money at it. And luckily, I have plenty of money. I’m more than willing to spend it here.”

“Now that you’ve seen my core technology, I take your acceptance into Peace Haven for granted. You understand how vital this is to me. If this leaks, even if Newwood doesn’t come after you, I will personally hunt you down.”

“Also, I’ll share another core secret. I’m not just the youngest Grand Knight on the continent. I’m the youngest Iron Knight. And soon, I will become the youngest Glory Knight the continent has ever seen.”