Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World

Chapter 331:

TL: Etude

“Speaking of which, Nathan, how did you get into the Arcane Society?” Edward continued the conversation on the deck, inquiring about Nathan’s past.

Nathan, the young man, smiled. “With a mother who’s a spellcaster, you can’t really choose your own destiny.”

“Is that so?” A look of envy, even jealousy, appeared on the face of the pirate captain.

He had often fantasized about how wonderful it would be to have been exposed to those mystical secrets from birth. Possessing the potential for casting spells, he had wasted decades as a mere mortal. By the time he truly encountered the arcane arts, his body was no longer young.

‘If I had been guided by a mage from a young age, wouldn’t my achievements be far greater than now? At least much stronger than this young fellow in front of me.’ Although reluctant to admit it, this young man held a higher position in the organization than himself.

“If I may ask, who is your mother? Which master is she?” Edward was keen to make a good connection with this ‘second-generation mage’. Maybe his mother held a high position in the organization.

Nathan smiled and whispered a nickname.

Upon hearing this nickname, Edward’s smile froze, and a wave of excitement surged through him.

He had heard of this nickname. Anyone who had come into contact with some internal information of the Arcane Society knew and revered it, as it belonged to a master in the highest echelon of the organization – the Council of Ten.

The Council of Ten was the core power structure of the Arcane Society, with all significant actions of the organization being discussed and decided by them.

The Master Barnett they had previously mentioned was a member of the Council. However, Barnett was a bit eccentric, often working alone, so the group that regularly gathered only consisted of nine members.

“Your lineage… is that remarkable?” Edward himself didn’t notice that he had subconsciously started addressing Nathan with a title of respect.

While most mages feel superior when facing ordinary people, there are different statuses even among themselves. Although not absolute, the offspring of mages are more likely to awaken as mages, especially when both parents are mages. Thus, when a family produces mages generation after generation, the so-called ‘Mage Families’ or ‘Pureblood Families’ emerge. Mages from these families naturally feel a strong sense of superiority when facing mages from ordinary families.

The Arcane Society was the most powerful mage organization known to Edward. Being in a high position within this organization meant being among the most powerful in the magical world. With such a mother and background, Nathan was someone Edward envied greatly.

A sense of inferiority unknowingly welled up in Edward, but then he heard Nathan say, “Regardless of what others think, I’ve always believed in merit over lineage. Bloodline? Hah.”

Edward detected a hint of mockery in his words.

Nathan continued, “Honestly, I have a brother. Same mother, same father, same blood as me – what you call ‘remarkable lineage.’ Yet, he’s just a mortal.”

“Your brother?”

“I don’t know. We were separated when I was very young. My mother seldom mentions him.”

Edward didn’t probe further, sensing the complexity of Nathan’s family background. It was best not to touch upon memories the other might not wish to recall.

The atmosphere between them turned somewhat awkward, and they silently sipped their beers.

As they conversed, the ship steadily approached the land. The outline of the port city, Port West, was becoming clearer.

Suddenly, the deck buzzed with activity. Edward’s men, chattering excitedly, squeezed onto the port side of the galleon, looking northward at something intriguing they had spotted.

Edward and Nathan turned their gaze towards the northern seas.

They saw several unusual ships in their view—vessels without a single wooden oar visible, with one or two tall masts standing erect, bearing gigantic sails.

“Ships propelled entirely by wind power? That’s quite rare.”

Nathan observed the distant vessels, expressing his surprise.

“It makes sense, though. In the northern seas, where winds are strong and waves high, such sailboats are ideal,” Edward spoke with a tone of approval and a sense of kinship.

“All ship designers around the world are following the design philosophies from Horn Bay, leading to a homogenization of their creations—uniformly galleons. When I was in the Northwest Bay, I tried designing ships that didn’t rely on oars, but with the resources at my disposal, I could only make small trinkets.”

Nathan laughed. “It seems you have a wide range of interests, not just in magic.”

“After all, I earn my living on the sea.”

“Speaking of the Northwest Bay…” Nathan looked at Edward playfully, “Are you still in touch with your ‘old subordinates’ you left there?”

Edward was momentarily stunned, then realized what Nathan meant by “old subordinates.” He waved his hand dismissively, “Hmph, just some small fry. They served as an external force in my team. Ever since I led my fleet southward in pursuit of arcane power, I stopped bothering about them.”

“Oh?” Nathan’s eyes held a hint of regret. “When I was in the Northwest Bay, I heard that all the major pirate groups there were wiped out by a certain lord.”

“What?” Edward was surprised.

“Apparently, a Lord Grayman, who created a weapon capable of summoning thunder.”

“Grayman? That’s a rather low-profile family. Seems like someone capable has emerged from them, poised for a rise. As for summoning thunder, that sounds a bit far-fetched.”

“Regardless, this lord must have considerable maritime power to have quelled the pirates so quickly. There’s intelligence suggesting that the lords of the Northwest Bay are transporting supplies to the royal family by sea. We might have to face them.”

“Hmph, when the lion’s away, even the monkeys dare to claim kingship,” Edward said with disdain.

As they discussed, one of Edward’s subordinates approached and asked, “Lord Edward, we are about to arrive at Port West. Shall we dock?”

Edward gestured grandly, “Dock. Let’s go ashore and have a look.”

A confident and proud expression appeared on his face. “Nathan, I assure you, within a year, the west coast of the Kingdom of Ordo will be under the control of the Arcane Society.”

Not far from them, several sailboats were also heading towards Port West.