After laughing with Simon for a while, Agnes pushed him out of the room and said, "Okay, okay, you can go and rest with the old bones, and I'll go out to play by myself later." ”

Simon was unmoved, and said helplessly: "Are you really going to investigate the civilian settlement of the northern fortress? ”

"It's okay, I said I was going to travel to the mainland just to be able to spread the way of light to the bottom. Agnes put away her playful smile and said with a rare seriousness: "This is my cultivation path, and it will not be transferred by changes in the external environment. ”

"Then I'll go with you......"

"Don't, you're tired enough to run with me for so many places, can I give you a vacation?" Agnes regained her grin, and then said a little sinisterly: "Besides, I want to see how well this northern duke can govern, whether he is good for the people, if it is too bad, I disdain to be in the company of such people." ”

Looking at Agnes's half-joking, half-resolute expression, Simon knew that continuing to insist would not lead to results, so he could only nod helplessly and carry his broken sword to the next room.

Agnes cheered, changed into an unobtrusive robe, and then jumped straight out of the window, falling lightly to the ground, attracting the attention of everyone in the street.

Damn, it's morning!

Agnes grumbled in frustration, and after making sure she was right, she tightened her hood and quickly disappeared into the alley.

...............

It was already afternoon when Duke woke up, and this time he didn't enter that strange golden space and dream again, so naturally he didn't face that pair of terrifying eyes again.

He found that except for the first time when he was unconsciously pulled in, he was able to control whether or not to choose to enter that space several times after that.

For example, the last time he explored again, he was required to constantly subconsciously hint that he needed to go to that space again before going to bed, and after falling asleep, he naturally appeared in the space.

And after being watched by those evil and terrifying eyes, Duke has always subconsciously avoided this thing, so he will not be suddenly pulled into the golden space after a few sleeps until now.

This discovery really relieved him, if every time he slept he ended up being watched by an ignorant and powerful being, it was estimated that it would not be long before Duke could become a psychopath.

In this day and age, such patients can easily be burned at the stake as demon-possessed or demon-invaded aliens, and be liberated by the scorching of light.

Duke shook his head to dispel these thoughts, got up to straighten his dress and grooming, and listened to his guards report to him about what had happened in the past few moments.

When I heard that Her Royal Highness jumped directly over the windowsill with the intention of hiding her identity and secretly investigating, the result was directly exposed to the public, and she was ruthlessly exposed.

Duke had to sigh that this crazy woman was worthy of a neuropath, and her brain circuits were always so strange.

"Master Anvil and Master Neil have been waiting in the hall for some time. The guard helped Duke straighten his collar and said.

Duke was slightly stunned, and then remembered that they should have come to report on the recent production matters and the specific arrangements after that, but he didn't expect that he had slept for so long and forgotten this important thing.

"You tell them to wait a little longer, and I'll be there right away. ”

He told the guards to inform the two of them first, and after thinking for a while, he followed suit.

"Greetings, lord. Seeing Duke come out from behind the door, Anvil and Old Neil greeted him in the same manner as Lenia saluted.

But Anvil was a dwarf after all, and human etiquette was not friendly to him. And Old Neil was also born as a commoner, and it was the first time he officially saluted his lord, and he was also clumsy.

So in the end, both of them did something funny and nondescript.

"Okay, okay, you don't have to do too much etiquette in the future. ”

This is also one of Duke's headaches, the distinction between dignity and inferiority in this world is too obvious, and the etiquette is also very cumbersome and diverse, and you have to salute at every turn.

Although he had deliberately cut down on a lot of unnecessary greetings, the rest of the lite version was still a little annoying to him.

"Tell me about the recent progress of the work, and you can talk about the anvil first. After Duke took his place, he asked the two special ministers to sit in their own seats, and then motioned for the dwarven patriarch to report on the recent progress.

After the anvil understood, he said eloquently: "Lord, I have been mainly expanding the preparation and installation of hydraulic machinery recently, and now I have successfully achieved the set goal in the Connaughton area, and the mines there have also used my latest hydraulic pumping machine and pulling device, and the transportation and mining efficiency have been greatly improved. It's just that the water flow in the Connaughton area is gentle, and the effect is not as obvious as on the northern fortress side. ”

Although hydraulics were only a substitute for the current inability to produce high-efficiency steam engines, the dwarves, who had a great talent for industry and architecture, played with them and all kinds of machines were created.

For example, the hydraulic pumping machine, although the overall operating principle is similar to that of the steam pumping machine, but in real practice, it can still reflect the dwarf's superb memory and unique thinking mode.

"As for the new type of magic rifle, since the last time you told me about reloading guns, I already have some ideas for modifications, and I find that the reloading method in the form of a revolver is relatively easy to achieve, and I have already started to try to make some test pieces, and the results are not bad. ”

After talking about hydraulic machinery, Anvil turned the conversation to new weapons.

The name of the Magic Rifle is the way Duke and the Anvil decided on the naming of the new weapon, because this weapon is not now powered by gunpowder, so it always makes people feel strange to call it a musket, and finally it takes the meaning of the magic stone powder as the main driving force, and it is called the Magic Rifle, as for the specific model, these have not yet been specified.

"New innovations so soon?"

Although he had seen the dwarves work many times, he was a little surprised to be able to make changes so quickly.

In this way, it can be said that the first generation of flintlock pistol-style magic rifles will be withdrawn from the stage of history and completely become a thing of the past before they have the opportunity to show their might.

After all, the rear-loading rifle has a huge advantage that cannot be surpassed in terms of reload speed or other aspects, and even if it is only an extended revolver model, the improvement achieved is immeasurable.

"Your opinion is very enlightening, my lord, like your idea of replacing the airtight circle with hemp rope or silk woven soaked in animal fat, and we have already begun to make an improved steam engine that will come in handy!"

Anvil was humble for a moment, but finally began to admire Duke's whimsy.

Duke touched his nose a little embarrassed, the so-called whimsy was just a random reminder of his previous miscellaneous knowledge, but he didn't expect it to be really useful, and it could be used as a simple substitute in the early days without rubber.

When Old Neil saw the end of the anvil's report, he said with some discouragement: "I...... I would also like to report on the progress of the steel plant recently. ”

The first time he came to the castle hall to attend such a formal meeting, the newly promoted Iron Minister Neil felt very restrained, and he didn't dare to speak loudly, and when he finally reported, he still hunched his back as usual and said resignedly.

"First of all, our steel production officially doubled tenfold three days ago!" said this, although he still kept his head down, but his confidence returned a little.

After all, this fantastic leap in production was completed under his hands, and he also earned himself the status of a minister with this and had the opportunity to stand with the old aristocratic lord.

"Of course, a lot of this is due to the anvils, and the hydraulic machinery not only helps us bring in a steady stream of ore, but also provides a strong power in forging. ”

Remembering the machines that never tired, cartloads of iron ore were transported from the bottom of the earth to the fiery blast furnaces with their help, where they melted into a furnace of hot molten iron, and finally into iron tools such as iron pipes, armor, swords, farm tools, and so on.

Old Neil is finally no longer timid, after all, these things are all earned by him, and he has also been recognized and appreciated by the lord for taking them above board, and there is nothing to be inferior to.

Duke saw that Old Neil's back straightened every time he said a word, and he was also a little relieved for a while, this was the first time he tried to promote a senior official from the bottom, but he didn't expect the effect to be surprisingly good, both in terms of performance and mental state to make him satisfied.

"Very well, then we'll ...... then"

"Lord, urgent!"

After listening to the reports of the two new ministers, Duke was about to give instructions, when one of the guards hurriedly ran in from the door shouting "urgent report" and fell to one knee on the ground.

Duke carefully identified the kneeling figure on the ground, and immediately realized that this person was the person he had sent to follow Agnes, and that he had ordered that his identity should not be revealed unless it was very urgent.

Could it be that something big has happened to Agnes?

Thinking of the worst outcome and the possible price to pay, Duke couldn't help but feel a chill down his spine, and his face instantly turned pale.