I Became the Commander in a Trash Game Who Copies Skills

Chapter 145. Factory City (6)

Wolfskrig's first factory.

Named 'Duke Steel' after William's uncle and teacher, the factory starts running from early dawn.

Kang! Kang!

Vrrrrrrrrrrrrr…!

"Iron ore this way! Right, pour it here!"

"Watch out for the hammer! If you get hit by that, your finger won't just break, your whole hand will disappear!"

The land area is just over 1,000 pyeong.

Total number of employees is about 300.

From the exit of the steel factory, which runs on a 16-hour, two-shift system, 5 to 10 tons of steel ingots are poured out every day.

That's right.

In tons, not kilograms.

Considering that a reasonably sized ironworks in the Joseon Dynasty produced at most 2-3 tons of iron per year, a daily production in tons is significant.

It means that the metallurgy of this city has moved beyond the level of a blacksmith's forge and has truly entered industrialization.

Thud- Thud- Thud- Thud-

In the workshop attached to the factory, a mechanical hammer that has begun full-scale test operation is pounding a lump of iron.

Every time the hammer, which is closer to an anvil than a hammer, strikes, the red-hot lump of iron instantly changes shape.

"Each and every one of these blows contains the power of a hundred hammer strikes."

A blacksmith with a neatly shaved head explained.

"Originally, three blacksmiths had to hang on and take turns pounding the hammer, but now you just have to press a pedal."

He said, moving the lump of iron with long tongs and pressing the pedal to flatten it.

"Delicate work is difficult, but it can reduce the time for the initial forging process of shaping the mold by an unbelievable amount. A job that would take months can be finished in a day. Since the hammering finishes quickly, we can immediately dip it in oil like this!"

Vrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

The bright red lump of iron, which had instantly taken the shape of a sword blade, boiled as it was dipped in oil.

The head of the Kambad Merchant Guild, who had been watching with a complex expression, let out a sigh of emotion and hugged him.

"Finally, the dream has come true. Our long-cherished dream…"

"That's right. Everything is going according to your words, guild master."

Kambad Darwin.

A merchant who started from the bottom as the son of a northern blacksmith and built a respectable guild.

It's been almost two years since he, whom I first met in Gunterburk, joined the domain.

It feels like just yesterday that he was laying out his grand dream as soon as he saw the early water wheel facilities in Wolfskrig.

He has already become an indispensable figure in my domain.

The peat that makes this factory run is transported by his guild, and he sells more than 20 percent of the weapons and metal ingots produced here.

The guild master wiped his tears and turned to me.

"It is all thanks to you, my lord. When everyone called me a crazy person, a dreamer who thought money could solve everything… You listened to my story and made that dream a reality."

"Half the credit is yours. What good is a factory and an automatic hammer if skilled blacksmiths don't handle them?"

This was not mere flattery.

He had helped me with various things, not just with the guild.

In the game and in reality, the greatest ability of the head of the Kambad Merchant Guild is his connections.

Merchants, blacksmiths, guild masters, pharmacists, weavers, and so on.

As the city began to function in earnest, experts in various fields became necessary.

On the other hand, as countless people flocked to Wolfskrig, it became even more difficult to select high-level personnel.

The connections of the head of the Kambad Merchant Guild proved to be effective every time.

The top-notch blacksmiths who filled the factory and the craftsmen who started the sugar workshop in earnest were all experts who maintained friendships with him.

‘But isn't it strange?’

‘Tick-Tock?’

‘That people flock to a bearded merchant like that. It's not like he has a will of mithril-like strength like our master, or a scoundrel-like authority to steal others' abilities.’

‘Kiiiing…’

Well, I guess the man himself is that charismatic.

Just as the countless heroes and villains recorded in history each had their own charisma.

Perhaps the grand dream, unimaginable for an ordinary merchant, and the passion for that dream captivated people.

The dream of creating a system where merchants and craftsmen can truly harmonize, pursuing a two-track strategy of mass production with automated workshop complexes and a small number of high-priced products.

"My lord, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I will devote my entire guild, no, my entire life to you."

"Haha… I'll be counting on you too."

This is just the beginning.

Both his dream and mine.

"We will produce enough steel to supply the entire Empire."

I got into the carriage while listening to William's report.

"The mines have also started using peat engines for ventilation, ore transport, and pumping out groundwater."

"Well done. Production will increase further."

"Yes. The current factory can handle the iron ore, and if we raise the temperature of the blast furnace, we can completely melt silver steel, black iron, and mithril and mass-produce them. We just need to supplement the personnel to maintain the runes. We will educate them as soon as possible."

Generate mana with the Karnburk peat, which is practically half magic stone.

Transport it through special pipes to melt the ore in a blast furnace equipped with a flame rune.

Solve casting, forging, and cutting with engine devices using mana, and even shorten the movement between manufacturing processes with conveyor belts.

This is the moment when one factory can handle the volume of dozens of workshops.

The moment this is operated not as a single factory but as a complex, this city will have half-achieved its purpose of being the 'foundation of the army'.

"A complex would probably cost dozens of times more than building a single factory…"

"That's fine. We're already being inundated with calls from the Empire's influential merchant guilds."

"Is that so, administrator?"

"Yes. We are passing on the volume that the Kambad Merchant Guild cannot handle to them. As production increases, gold coins will continue to flow in. There have been some not-so-good rumors… circulating in the Empire recently. Just tell me roughly how much budget you need."

While William and Bart were busy drawing up the budget, I looked out the window.

I could see smoke flowing from the factory chimney in the distance.

It's only a matter of time before the city industrializes.

Overproduction will occur soon enough.

Even if we can export a significant portion of the volume as Bart said, the production capacity we will secure in the future is more than enough to supply the entire Empire with swords and spears.

Nevertheless, there is a reason for pushing ahead.

The battlefield will soon shift from being centered on swords and spears to being centered on gunpowder.

As long as there are superhumans who have strengthened their bodies with magic, miracles, and mana, the old ways will not be completely eliminated.

However, gunpowder is what allows ordinary people who do not possess such supernatural powers to fight on equal footing with those beneficiaries.

A high-powered sniper rifle can pierce the ogre hide that an arrow cannot.

The land battleship, one of the final tech trees of the Dwarves, can withstand a dragon's breath and knock down a dragon with its powerful main cannon.

The era where ordinary people can intervene in a battlefield dominated by mages, knights, and monsters is dawning.

As long as I've chosen the human race, I must push that era forward as quickly as possible.

To do so, a production capacity that can literally 'churn out' cannonballs must be supported.

"The new factory? I looked around yesterday. Haha, it felt like I was back in the hold."

I returned to the lord's castle and asked Balkan for his impressions.

The son of Ungol, he has officially become the heir to the throne and is in Wolfskrig as the representative of the King of Kings.

"Of course, it still has a long way to go to catch up to our Everlasting Mountains Hold… No, seeing how far you've come from scratch, maybe it'll be faster than I think."

"Still, it won't be able to match the quality of Dwarf-made goods."

"Of course it shouldn't. Our Meisters have been cooped up in caves for centuries, pounding iron."

Balkan laughed heartily.

"Most of us Dwarves have no greed for power. Though we show a mad greed and respect for titles like Master Craftsman, Meister, or the best rune artisan."

For reference, Dwarves are said to have no particular greed for the king's power either.

Anyone with experience and insight to see how the world works, and who also has leadership, is recognized as king.

There is almost no discrimination against illegitimate children, nor any movement to form factions and keep them in check.

They are not very greedy for conquering the world in the first place.

‘Well, if they could make repeating cannons and aerial weapons, they would have conquered the entire western continent long ago.’

In fact, when playing as a Dwarf, the most troublesome thing was 'war motivation' rather than 'war technology'.

That's why I could only start a war of conquest after creating a justification, whether it was a grudge or something else.

"And yet, they're so competitive with other holds. They're my own people, but I just don't get them."

This is probably why the heir to the throne can wander around outside like this instead of getting involved in factional fights internally.

Balkan, who had been chatting for a while, left the reception room around evening.

Instead of returning to my office, I looked down out the window.

The sun is slowly setting.

The streets, deeply covered in the afterglow, are bustling as usual.

Horses and carriages, oxcarts, merchants and errand boys, factory workers who have finished their shift, children running around, and women grabbing them by the ear and dragging them in for dinner.

Here and there, a short dwarf and, more rarely, an elf with pointed ears can be seen.

Since the official announcement that 'the Queen of the Elves has returned, and let's pioneer a new paradise, not a fake one' was posted, a considerable number of Elves have flowed into Wolfskrig.

They are mainly Elves or half-elves who were hiding among humans.

As more time passes, the Akitarī tribes scattered in the forests throughout the continent will also gather.

Karen has prepared a settlement for them in the south of the city and in the forest outside the city.

When a sufficient number has gathered, they will wage war against the beastmen of the black forest.

With the support of Wolfskrig at their backs.

By the time I went to the office and finished my paperwork, the sun had completely set.

I was stretching when I sensed a presence outside the door.

It's old man Brol.

"Come in."

"My lor... No, you're really like a ghost."

"Any new news?"

"There are two things. One, the Elves have responded. That Atari tribe or Katari tribe…"

"Akitarī tribe. It means 'exile' in Elvish."

"Ah, right. Sorry. Anyway, a half-elf immigrant brought their letter."

I opened the letter Brol handed me.

It was full of squiggly characters that were hard to understand.

Elvish.

It looked similar to the Imperial language written by Karen.

"Give it to Karen."

"Understood. But the second thing is…"

Old man Brol licked his lips.

A fleeting but anxious gesture.

The first time I've seen him like this since I put him in charge of the intelligence agency.

"His Majesty the Emperor… seems to be missing."

There had been rumors.

It's been three months since he last appeared in a public setting.

It's been well over half a year since he last communicated through a crystal sphere.

Rumors were circulating that he was in poor health, that he was frequenting the concubines' quarters, and even that he had summoned the Imperial Secret Knight Order to carry out a plan to turn the continent upside down.

Many nobles and influential figures had contacted me, but I had ignored them and remained still for the time being.

It was all noise.

I needed to get my hands on real information.

According to what I had confirmed, the Secret Knight Order was intact, and state affairs were running properly under Archduke Gabir and the Prime Minister.

"Any clues?"

"An agent who infiltrated the Imperial Capital saw it himself. I heard his testimony directly through a crystal sphere and interrogated him. It's not a lie."

"Is he reliable?"

"He didn't see the Emperor disappear, but… he said he saw people going to rescue the Emperor."

"A rescue team? What was their description?"

Old man Brol took a deep breath and said.

"He said it was a half-giant who was half-crawling because the sewer was too small, a female mage with hair as red as flames, and twenty knights wearing dark purple cloaks."

Karok and Ella Siollus.

The Imperial Secret Knight Order.

"They said… they were going to rescue His Majesty the Emperor from the rats." Updates are released by novel•fire.net

The Emperor had become a prisoner of the Ratmen.