235 Who Will Go? (1/2)
Clank, clink, clink…
Every day of the week, from day to night and from night to day, the sound of hammering metal never stopped coming from the Lancaster's workshop tower as steam continue to puff from its steel pipes in rhythmic intervals.
The number of qualifying apprentice blacksmiths gradually exceeded the workplace capacity of the workshop.
As wealthy as the Lancasters were, their money did not supply them enough hands to meet the demands of the ongoing projects in the Capital.
Concessions were made and the North District's nobles were happily taken on board. Discontent was quelled and everyone was happy to have a part of the blacksmithing industry.
Sharing slices of a bigger cake was better than hogging a small cake to oneself, especially if it hinders the kingdom's development. It was a win-win situation for everyone.
It was a strategy to win back the hearts of the nobles and give them a sense of belonging to the kingdom rather than to exploit them as the Queen and Prince did.
This strategy was not planned by Duke Ignis, but devised by the king, Heinrich.
To prosper together or to perish in the annals of history.
When the kingdom is faced with outside threats, it was more important than ever for the people to be united.
Right now, a third of the Upper North District had been transformed into blacksmithing workshops and metallurgy factories to meet the project demands.
In addition to the changes to North Upper District, 20% of the Lower District's reconstruction project was completed, three surrounding cities have been connected to the Capital via the railway project and the framework design for the underground district was drawn.
If Leon was present, he would be impressed by the progress during his absence from the Capital.
Indeed, once production was all on track and the transport system linked up the important and resourceful cities, the Capital was able to receive a steady chain of supplies for their building projects.
The steam-powered steel carriage, which they later called the train was able to save dozens of trips and countless days' worth of time transporting limestones, logs, and various other materials and necessities.
Half of the commoner population had moved into their new residential complexes and no longer had to camp on the outskirts of the Capital.
Moving further outwards, large fields of crops had been set up all around on the outskirts. To the east was a wheat field that was grown exceedingly quick and large under the direct management of the Greene family.
Not only was it almost ready for harvest, but it was also going to be a big bumper harvest.
Lina's parents had toiled hard to guarantee that the wheat they have grown will be able to feed the entire Capital for an additional month.
Although none of them understood what the birth of a World Tree entails, spirit energy was beginning to fill the world, and this will eventually improve all walks of life.
Lina's parents will soon find out that the spirit energy will aid the growth of their crops even further. Everything was turning for the better and they will be able to achieve self-sustainability once more.
…
In the Wildlands, within the center of a great forest, a commotion was being stirred by a crowd that gathered by the foot of a great tree. Their faces were all fraught with doubts, uneasiness, and confusion.
”What is going on here?”
A sweet voice sounded as a young lady of human stature arrived before the crowd with a basket of herbs.
The young lady had long blonde hair, long sharp ears, and sparkling emerald eyes. She appeared to be very young and was the epitome of beauty, but her actual age cannot be accurately determined with a glance by ordinary humans.
The crowd also shared similar appearances as they belong to the same race that is not human but also did not stray too far from human origins. If humans saw them, they would be surprised and exclaim, ”Elves”.
”P-Princess Faelyn.”
The crowd greeted with pleasant surprise and respect as they turned and identify the owner of the sweet voice.
Princess Faelyn was the fifth princess of their elven tribe, Elvengarde. She was also the youngest princess. She was a down-to-earth princess that likes to pick herbs and interact with elves of common birth.
”T-The Guardian Spirit is…”
One of the male elves stuttered bashfully due to her fairy-like charms.
”What's wrong with the Guardian Spirit?”
Princess Faelyn felt her heart tightened at the crowd's worried look at the mention of the Guardian Spirit. Did something happen to the Guardian Spirit?
”The Guardian Spirit is cowering…” The male elf finally answered with much difficulty.
Princess Faelyn dropped the basket of herbs while gasping with wide eyes and one hand over her mouth. The great protector of their tribe was cowering? How can that be? What was it cowering from?
There were no mid-tier tribes within 3000 miles of their great forest. This means that there should not be any Seeking Insight-level Transcendents within their area.
But even then, a Seeking Insight-level Transcendent would not be enough to cause their Guardian Spirit. Only those existences from high-tier tribes could instill such fear.
Noticing her loss of bearing, Princess Faelyn drew in a sharp breath to calm herself down before asking, ”Which Venerable Paragon is visiting?”
The crowd of elves looked at each other cluelessly. They did not have an answer to that question. No one knew what was causing their Guardian Spirit to cower.
The princess fell silent in thought as their lack of an answer. Did it have something to do with the phenomenon she sensed just now?
None of the Elves on ground level were aware of the World Tree's ascension that took place recently despite sensing the phenomenon.
They just took it as another Transcendent Phenomenon happening, which was not a rare occurrence within the Wildlands.
The majority of the elves live their entire lives on the ground level within the great forest by the Elder Tree.
Sunlight rarely enters this deep in the forest, but despite this, the elven tribe was not a place filled with perpetual darkness.
The Elder Tree of the great forest was not like the Elder Tree of the underground.
It was blessed by sunlight all year round and overflowed with the wood element and lifeforce that permeated to its surrounding.
These wood elemental energy and lifeforce reached a density where it could be seen in the form of glowing green particles and the entire elven tribe was alight by these particles that were neither too bright nor too dark. It was just right.
The setting suffuses the tribe in ethereal and otherworldly ambiance and outsiders stepping foot into Elvengarde would feel like they had stumbled into the holy sanctuary of another world.