The Crucible Town, which thrives around the Crucible Academy, is not an "ordinary" small town by any means.

From the moment you step into town, you will hear a strong smell of lead ash. Streets, walls, houses, and everything that could be seen were dyed iron gray and charcoal black, and dark smoke rose from every corner of the town, and the "symphony" of anvils and hammers could be heard almost everywhere.

Alchemists can be seen almost everywhere in the streets, either crouching by a crucible or a furnace, or arguing fiercely with another person at the workbench, as if ready to fight.

It is worthy of being the military industrial center of the Empire, and it is very different from Lothair and even Eberden, which has completely turned the alchemist into a part of the war machine.

Looking at the cinders and iron filings that covered the street beneath his feet, Loren's expression was somewhat touched.

Topographically, the Crucible is a hill-built town, centered on the academy at the top of the hill, populated on the mountainside, with workshops and large warehouses at the very edge, and nearby along with the Royal Mile and the rest of the trade roads, and not too far from the Gem River, which runs through half of the empire.

In contrast, there are barren minerals - as a town that produces a lot of weapons, armor and ordnance, it has no most important iron ore and other mineral deposits, except for some coal and rich charcoal resources, and is almost entirely dependent on trade with the Duchy of Byrne and the South.

However, on another level, it also proves that the current empire does have enough authority, otherwise it is impossible to suppress the lords of the southern principalities, and buy a large number of minerals at low prices to feed this alchemy town like a "steel monster".

"The founding of the Crucible can be traced back to the second generation of the royal family de Salion, when your ancestor, His Majesty Eckhart I, founded the town in response to the threat from the north – and then the Crucible Academy was born at the behest of your sixth ancestor, His Majesty Brandon I the Sage. ”

"From that day on, the alchemists of our academy began to work day and night to forge armor for the Imperial Legion, develop more effective and powerful ignition agents, improve forging techniques, expand the scale of production, and increase efficiency and ore utilization......"

Walking in the middle of the street lined with workshops on both sides, the dean, who looked more like a blacksmith than a wizard, was still triumphant, and kept introducing Brandon to the "glorious history" of Crucible:

"Today, we can proudly say that our Crucible Academy has reached a level that even the Azul Elves can't match!"

"Poof—"

Isaac, who had followed Loren with a casual face, burst out laughing - he wouldn't even remember to cover his mouth if it weren't for the little wizard's fierce glare.

But alas, it was still heard.

"This is Lord Isaac Grantham, a occult wizard from the Wizard Tower. Smiling, Brandon immediately excused a certain "megalomaniac": "I believe he just has some different opinions." ”

Seeing that His Royal Highness the Prince's face was not good, the dean, who could only stare at him with an ugly expression: "Then I don't know what 'opinion' this Lord Isaac has for us?"

"Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm not biased against alchemy as a discipline - at least it's practical. Isaac, who thought he was already very restrained, couldn't help but deliberately show a "puzzled" expression:

"As far as I know, the swordsmiths of the Azur Elves often take years to complete a true Azul longsword, which can split steel like butter and even tear dragon scales!"

"Mind you, I'm a proud Empireman, and even though I'm from the countryside, I'm still proud of the Empire - but I really don't know when our weapons are so powerful?"

The dean's expression was even more ugly when he was stared at by a certain "megalomaniac", and he was so cramped that he even blushed, and he couldn't even say a complete sentence:

"There is no comparison between these two at all!"

"Oh, but you didn't say ......"

"That's right, but it will take them years to complete a weapon, and we in Crucible will already be able to forge thousands of pieces!" the irascible Dean eagerly explained, "Quantity alone is absolute suppression!"

"Look at the scale of our workshops, our skilled craftsmen and our highly skilled alchemists – we have a complete and rigorous production line, every step of the way is seamless, and there will be absolutely no problems......"

"Boom ——!"

Suddenly, a roar from a short distance caused the whole group to stop looking, and an obviously suspicious smoke was slowly rising, accompanied by faint flickering fires and some panicked shouts.

"Your Highness Cloth and Brandon, I promise it's just a small accident!" Seeing the gaze cast by His Royal Highness the Prince, the sweaty Dean hurriedly explained: "This kind of thing is rare in Crucible Town, but it is inevitable to ...... occasionally"

As if he hadn't made a big fuss, before he could finish speaking, a series of explosions sounded again. The heat wave was followed by a series of workshops that were caught in flames.

"Little... Accident?"

Pointing to the fragments of the carriage that had been blown up into the sky by the air wave not far away, the black-haired wizard couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth and look at the dean with a smile.

And His Royal Highness the prince is also rare to hug his shoulders and enjoy the "scenery" in front of him as if watching a drama.

"Please don't use this kind of misunderstanding, Lord Loren Turin!" the dean looked at the black-haired wizard with a gloomy face, he already knew that this guy was a wizard advisor to His Royal Highness, "We in the Crucible are all natives of Sackland, real people, and never lie!"

You can really see it...... Loren looked around with some sarcasm, and couldn't help but laugh in his heart.

Obviously, there was already an explosion, but the faces of the people around him did not even have the slightest panic, and they did not see the panicked fleeing crowd, and they could not even hear the sound of the alarm bell.

So there can only be one explanation, and that is that they have long been accustomed to this situation.

"So, can the honest Dean tell us how many weapons and instruments can be forged in a year in Crucible?"

"This, it depends on the amount of applications that year, as well as the number of reserves we have!" said the dean, as a matter of course, "You can't make a bunch of weapons and armor and throw them in the warehouse to slowly rust and deteriorate, right?"

"So... As long as all weapons are produced, they have archives?"

"Of course!"

"Can you satisfy my curiosity a little bit, then?" asked Loren, turning his head with a formulaic smile on his face:

"Just like we can prove that Crucible is indeed a loyal citizen of the Empire?"

"Loren, this is already a bit excessive!" Brandon suddenly straightened his face and looked at his wizard advisor with a serious expression, "How can you question the Dean in such a tone?"

"A dean who has served the Imperial Legion and worked hard for half his life, his honor and fame have surpassed his own, and even more important than his life!"

"Questioning the loyal subjects of such an empire, even if it is just a leak and is spread by some people with ulterior motives, you will be responsible, you know?!"

"I'm so sorry, Your Highness Brandon, I was completely unaware of this. The black-haired wizard immediately bowed his head in "panic", and his expression was sincere: "It was completely unintentional, and I ask for your forgiveness." ”

The sudden apology of Loren made the little wizard can't help but look back, and even Isaac is staring at the black-haired wizard and His Royal Highness the prince who are singing and harmonizing, and his expression is extremely confused.

What are these two doing?

"No, the honor of the Sacklands is absolutely not allowed to be questioned!" The red-faced Dean suddenly said excitedly, glaring at Brandon with bull-like eyes: "Thank you for defending my honor, Your Royal Highness! But the Sacklanders will always prove themselves with facts!"

With that, he suddenly turned around and strode towards the academy. Loren, who was tacitly understanding, immediately turned his head - and sure enough, Brandon was also looking at him sideways, his delicate face smiling like a fox.

Loren suddenly had some strange thought in his heart.

Could it be that this is the legendary ...... Fellows deceive fellows?