Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World

TL: Etude

It was already night, yet the City Hall of Port Fran was still brightly lit. Tonight, Paul Grayman, the Count of Alda, hosted a grand banquet for his guests.

The hall was bustling with people, a gathering of many distinguished individuals. The clinking sound of colliding wine glasses echoed from time to time.

Attending the banquet were lords from various territories around the Northwest Bay, esteemed local gentry, and prominent businessmen and factory owners whose social status had risen sharply in recent years.

This banquet was of extraordinary significance because, by tomorrow, three exploration teams would set sail from Port Fran in three different directions: north, west, and south. Thus, this was a farewell banquet.

The fleet heading north would sail along the west coast of the continent, reaching areas beyond the human world. Beyond the Rocky Mountains, which stretched across the northern border of the Kingdom of Ordo, lay vast grasslands, the domain of the orcs. Trade between Ordo and the orc civilization was mainly conducted through the Nerodan Corridor in the northeastern part of the kingdom. The coastal area north of the Northwest Bay was rarely explored. There were legends of the ancient Gubera Empire sending expeditions to the orcs via sea, but these were mere tales with no concrete evidence.

The fleet heading south would replenish supplies at Horn Bay and then turn east, exploring the distant lands along the southern coastline of the continent. Even after Paul’s strong advocacy for maritime trade, the Northwest Bay traders’ reach had only extended to Horn Bay, where local merchants then acted as intermediaries, selling goods to the East. However, the recent instability in Horn Bay had everyone on edge. If war were to break out, Horn Bay’s role as a transit hub would be greatly diminished, necessitating early preparations.

The fleet venturing west was even more ambitious, aiming to cross the ocean and see if they could reach the other side of the continent. Yes, they sought to verify whether the Earth was round.

The concept of a spherical Earth had already emerged in this world, theorized by observations: for instance, the masts of distant ships appearing first on the horizon, or the North Star rising higher in the sky the further north one traveled.

Living on a sphere? The very thought seemed off.

Those who believed in the spherical Earth theory imagined it this way: The sphere was so large that a small section of it appeared flat. But only a small portion at the top was inhabited by living beings. If these beings crossed the ocean and reached a place with a significant slope, they would slide down and eventually fall into the void.

“Come, come, let me introduce the three brave captains who will embark on these voyages,” announced Paul to the guests.

He introduced Stanford, the commander of the northern exploration team, Gran, the commander of the western exploration team, and Nigel, the commander of the south-eastern exploration team. They were all seasoned sailors with extensive experience, frequently leading teams between the Northwest Bay and Horn Bay.

“Cheers to you, brave ones. You are our eyes, looking into the unknown world on our behalf,” toasted Malron Ganard, leading the crowd in honoring the three captains. Everyone followed suit, gathering around them.

After the toast, Winifred Heller, the Count of Portry, stroked his graying beard and said mysteriously, “Captain Stanford, in the far north of the continent lies the so-called ‘Gate of Hell,’ behind which evil demons are sealed. If you happen to encounter it, be very careful not to break the seal.”

“Uh… Lord Heller, I’ll be extremely cautious,” responded Captain Stanford, visibly tensing up.

Count Price Parker of Lanaka chided, “You old man, scaring the young man with such tales at a farewell banquet. No one believes these legends anymore.”

Heller gave him a glare. “Oh, come on. I was just trying to lighten the mood.”

The crowd burst into laughter, and Stanford blushed, realizing Lord Heller was just teasing him.

Viscount Eugene Herson from Emden expressed his concerns, “Lord Grayman, are you really comfortable with the captains taking their fleets so far out?”

“What do you mean?” asked Paul.

“Well…” Herson stammered, “What if the Earth is round and, regardless of the direction, they… fall off? Captain Gran won’t be able to reach the other side of the continent.”

Again, thought Paul, exasperated. He had already spent too much time addressing this concern among his peers.

“Alright, let me explain my theory. Everyone, look this way!”

Paul spoke loudly, drawing the attention of the hall.

He picked up an apple from a nearby dining table and gently tossed it into the air. The apple quickly fell to the ground with a thud.

“Did you see that?” he asked.

“Ah? What?” The guests murmured among themselves.

“The apple fell to the ground,” Paul explained.

“Isn’t that obvious?” was the common sentiment. Except for those like Malron who had already heard Paul’s “theory,” others inwardly scoffed. If it weren’t for Paul’s status as a lord, they might have been less restrained in their words.

Paul spoke confidently, “Have you ever wondered why an apple falls to the ground instead of ‘falling’ upwards? I suspect that the Earth possesses a force that ‘pulls’ objects on its surface. Even if the Earth is a sphere, and even if we are on the other side of this sphere, we won’t fall into the void.”

Duke Ferdinand expressed his confusion, “How can it be as you say? Isn’t it common knowledge that objects fall downwards because that’s just how it is – the top is up, and the bottom is down? These are the rules set by our Father – the Lord of Light – at the creation of the world.”

“Oh!” Paul slapped his forehead, rolling his eyes, “Alright, let Captain Gran bring us all the answers.”

Ferdinand muttered under his breath, “Even if the Earth is round and a force keeps us anchored, that too is the power of the Heavenly Father.”

Captain Gran, deeply moved, swore, “Lord Grayman, rest assured, I will ascertain whether the Earth is round and verify your theory.”

The members of the western exploration team carried a sense of tragic determination – ready for the possibility of slipping off the edge of the world.

Paul patted his shoulder, “Whether or not you reach the other side, once half your supplies are used up, you must return immediately. I don’t want any of you to starve or die of thirst at sea. We can explore the vast ocean gradually; there’s no need to rush.”

“Yes, Lord Grayman,” Captain Gran responded, deeply touched by Paul’s words.

“Captain Gran! Please take care of my apprentice,” a voice interjected, gripping Gran’s hand tightly.

It was Benjamin, the old shipwright from Port Fran’s shipyard. As the builder of the specialized vessels for the exploration teams, Benjamin was also among the invited guests.

Benjamin and his apprentice, Vito, were among the first talents recruited from Horn Bay by Alda. But Vito’s dream wasn’t to spend his life in a shipyard; he yearned for a life of adventure. Thus, upon hearing about the lord’s call for explorers, he eagerly enlisted and was proudly selected for the western exploration team, responsible for ship maintenance.

Tears welled in the old shipwright’s eyes. He had always treated Vito like his own child. Although the boy had always talked about adventure when he was young – a common wish among boys – Benjamin never expected him to truly leave one day.

While holding Gran’s hand, Benjamin gave his heartfelt instructions.

“Master, that’s enough,” Vito, standing behind Gran with a flushed face, interjected, embarrassed as if he was still a child.

Paul then approached a young man dressed in naval attire, “Allen, your team is ready, isn’t it?”

The former officer candidate, now a naval lieutenant, Allen, immediately stood at attention and saluted, “Yes, my lord. My comrades and I are fully prepared.”

Each exploration team’s vessel was accompanied by three to four military personnel, skilled in mapping and reconnaissance. Besides the task of recording the sea conditions and landscapes along the way and assessing the military strength of the nations or powers they encountered, they had another critical duty: managing the ship’s firearms.

To enhance the teams’ capacity to respond to dangers, like piracy, Paul equipped each team with a limited number of firearms – grenades, matchlock guns – but these were only to be used in dire circumstances. The decision to use them rested with the military representatives on board.