Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World

TL: Etude

The attendant knocked on the door of the room, and upon hearing a “Come in,” he pushed the door open.

“Good morning, Sir!”

The attendant respectfully greeted the person standing in the room, his master—Viscount Austin Klein.

The young Viscount with brown hair smiled in response, “Good morning, Bowman.”

Judging by his complexion and meticulously arranged attire, he had been up for quite some time.

The attendant spoke with a slightly ‘reproachful’ tone, “You could have slept a bit more, especially since the meeting went on so late yesterday, and now there’s no need for you to be on duty at the city walls.”

Viscount Klein shook his head, “As a knight, one must not relax one’s self-discipline, even without external constraints.”

Bowman was filled with boundless admiration, truly a lord who is strict with himself.

Attendant Bowman was the eldest son of a lower-ranking knightly family near Thorn Fortress. Having just turned 16 this year, his father had sent him to train under the Dodge family he was loyal to at the age of eight, hoping his son would also become a knight. Bowman and several other youngsters spent eight years boarding with the Dodge family. The old Duke often personally instructed these knightly seedlings in combat, horsemanship, and other skills. Their education in literature, etiquette, and other knowledge was imparted by the Duchess.

This year, a rebellion led by Duke Jars erupted in the south. Thorn Fortress, within the Dodge family’s territory, suddenly became the first line of defense against the rebel army’s advance northward. The now robustly built Bowman accompanied Duke Dodge to Thorn Fortress.

As the southern rebels were busy dealing with lords still loyal to the royal family and had not yet attacked Thorn Fortress, the Dodge family’s forces were insufficient for a counterattack. Her Highness Princess Catherine, who was dealing with barbarian disturbances in the eastern highlands, immediately sent a cavalry detachment to help them defend the fortress.

After a period of high tension, they received bad news: a massive fire in the granaries of Crystal Shine Fortress meant the kingdom’s main army could not move south for the time being. Only a vanguard led by Viscount Klein was sent to reinforce the defense of Thorn Fortress.

It was then that Bowman was recommended by Duke Dodge to serve as an attendant to Viscount Klein, starting the second phase of his journey to knighthood.

Viscount Klein stretched out his arms, “Thank you, Bowman.”

Bowman promptly replied, “It’s my duty, Sir.”

He then approached an armor stand in the corner of the room, taking a piece of armor and helping the Viscount put it on.

In fact, the armor on the stand was just a light suit that Klein could manage himself. However, assisting their lord in donning armor was a duty of a knight’s attendant. It also allowed them to become more familiar with various types of armor, so it was a task they had to perform in their first year as attendants.

Bowman efficiently helped Klein into his armor, already very familiar with the process.

“This damn war makes it impossible to relax at all,” Klein complained inwardly. He actually disliked the feeling of walking around in armor all day, but being on the front lines, there was no helping it.

“Let’s go, join me for breakfast with the Duke,” he said.

The two left the room, one following the other.

As they reached the corridor, they encountered Viscount Lester, the first cavalry commander assigned by the princess to support Thorn Fortress, turning the corner.

“Good morning, Lester. You had a tough night on duty,” greeted Viscount Klein.

Attendant Bowman also promptly saluted him.

“Hm.”

Lester merely hummed indifferently, his face expressionless.

Bowman couldn’t help but inwardly comment again, “Could it be that this lord was born with a poker face?”

In his daily interactions, Bowman had never seen Lester smile. This was true for his subordinates, colleagues, and even towards the Duke himself. Lester always maintained an icy demeanor.

Viscount Klein, having worked with Lester for many years, was used to his colleague’s habits.

The trio walked towards the grand hall of Thorn Fortress, where Duke Dodge had invited them for breakfast the previous day.

As they walked, Klein asked, “Nothing happened last night, did it?”

Hoping for a simple ‘no,’ Klein was surprised when Lester’s response dashed his expectations.

“There was.”

Klein, taken aback, inquired, “What happened?”

At this time, the fortress’s forces were insufficient to withstand a full assault from the rebels.

Lester explained, “A scout covered in blood managed to escape back, but he had set out with six others.”

“Did he discover anything?” Klein asked.

Lester shook his head, “He fainted as soon as he returned. The medic has treated his wounds, and fortunately, he survived, but he hasn’t woken up yet.”

Klein expressed sympathy, “May the Father in Heaven have mercy on him. This is the first time we’ve encountered such heavy losses among the scouts, right? Probably ran straight into a much larger enemy force.”

But he then pondered, “As a scout, isn’t recognizing and determining the enemy’s strength a basic skill? Even if they encounter superior forces, they should be able to retreat in time without almost complete annihilation. Were the people sent out inexperienced?”

Lester shook his head again, “No, they were all veterans, which makes this a significant loss.”

“It seems we’ll only know the specifics when he wakes up.”

“Yes.”

They soon arrived at the castle hall and found Duke Dodge already waiting for them.

“You’ve been waiting, Your Grace.”

“My apologies.”

They both quickly greeted the Duke.

Duke Dodge waved his hand, “No matter, I just arrived myself. Besides, it’s still early compared to our scheduled time. Come, sit down.”

After thanking him, the two found seats at the table. Their attendants stood behind them, ready to heed their masters’ calls. Only after their lords had finished their meal could the attendants begin their own.

While waiting for breakfast, Lester reported the scout’s situation to the Duke.

“Hmm… This is indeed a significant loss. These aren’t mere farmers who have just put down their hoes for spears. Training a qualified scout is quite arduous.”

The Duke clearly felt the loss.

“Your Grace, my concern is that the enemy might have intensified their counter-intelligence efforts, capturing and eliminating our scouts to conceal their large-scale movements and true deployments. So… this might be a precursor to a massive attack.”

Klein shared his assessment, and Lester sitting beside him nodded in agreement.

Duke Dodge frowned, “Your worries are not unfounded. The fortress must be prepared at all times. After breakfast, I will issue an order to inform the officers of each unit about this situation.”

Klein further suggested, “The rebels’ prolonged encampment without attacking has made some commanders within the fortress somewhat complacent. I believe you should convene the officers of all units for a face-to-face meeting to emphasize the seriousness of the situation.”

Duke Dodge, stroking his beard, inwardly praised the young man before him.

He was about to speak when suddenly a guard ran into the hall.

“The scout who returned last night has awakened and says he has important information to report.”contemporary romance

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