What opened the stubborn door of the Holy Dragon Principality?
Gawain is indeed very curious about this.
The Shenglong Principality is located in the far north of the mainland. Half of the country is covered with frozen mountains. There is not much fertile land. The living environment is extremely harsh for ordinary humans, but it is such a A country that always calls itself a "principal" and has a harsh living environment can make Ansu particularly fearful during its most powerful period. Even half of the establishment of the Northern Mountain Corps was to be wary of the principality in the frozen mountains. This is natural. There is a reason.
The citizens of the Holy Dragon Principality call themselves dragon descendants, and the higher the aristocracy, the more they claim to have pure dragon bloodline - outsiders do not completely believe this statement, because the Holy Dragon Principality is almost incompatible with other people. When dealing with other countries, no one has ever seen a "Dragonborn" displaying the power of a giant dragon. But at least one thing is certain, that is, the people of the Holy Dragon Principality are by no means ordinary humans. Although they look similar to Humans are almost the same, but their children can run around naked in the extreme northern mountains at dozens of degrees below zero, chasing monsters around. This does not look like the average physical fitness of humans...
And now Gawain has obtained confirmation from Maggie: the so-called "dragon descendants" identity of the Holy Dragon Principality is true. At least their upper-class citizens are indeed dragons, but they are genetically defective and weaker than ordinary dragons. Just a giant dragon.
The kingdom established by the Dragonborn, even if it is small, will be particularly capable of fighting.
In addition to its strong combat power, the mountains of the Holy Dragon Principality also contain the highest quality magical metal veins in the northern part of the continent. A small amount of metal ingots flowing from the Holy Dragon Principality to the outside world are in the northern countries. All are hot-selling items.
Such a country that is capable of fighting, has valuable strategic resources, and is currently neutral will naturally attract the attention of surrounding countries. As early as the Ansu era, the northern kingdom represented by Victoria Wilder The noble forces have been trying to establish a clearer and more stable relationship with the Holy Dragon Principality, but to no avail.
Those dragonborn seem to be very uninterested in the "outside world". Apart from maintaining the most basic material circulation with the outside world, they do not establish diplomatic relations with any country, and there is no precedent for sending envoys.
"Perhaps our magical creations aroused their interest, or it may be that the changes in the empire's situation have reached the ears of the Dragon-Blooded Archduke." Facing Gawain's words, Victoria could only Speaking of his speculation, "It is even possible that the Cecil merchants who have been frequently operating in the north in the past six months or so have changed the views of those 'Dragonborn' towards us..."
"How do you say this? "
"Those 'Dragonborn' have always respected warriors who can challenge the mountains and are not afraid of the cold winter. As long as they meet this standard, even ordinary human traders will be treated politely by them - in the past , there are very few such 'warriors', and since the wholesale price of frost resistance potion dropped to one gold pound and a half ton, the Sailors active in the northern regionAll Xier merchants are 'warriors'..."
Gawain laughed dumbly: "Does this count? ”
Victoria’s tone was indifferent: “The people of the Holy Dragon Principality don’t care whether the unexpected visitor relies on equipment and medicine to challenge the cold winter and the mountains - in their view, foreign objects are also part of the strength, as long as Those who walk into the mountains against the cold wind are their friends. "
"...It seems that I have time to find Maggie to learn more about the Holy Dragon Principality. "Gawain said with a smile.
Of course, he did not believe that a large group of businessmen who drank potions, sang songs, and drove their cars on the ice fields knocked on the door of the Holy Dragon Principality. Victoria I talked about it as a joke, but no matter what, the closed country that was inextricably linked to the dragon opened its door to Cecil. This fact in itself is worthy of celebration——< /p>
The exiled "Dragonborn", even if they are superior to humans in all aspects, will probably have a hard time living in the mountains of ice and snow, and the various creations of the Magic Industry can undoubtedly improve their quality of life. The Dragon-Blooded Grand Duke will not refuse the magic network and machinery - it will be easier if he doesn't.
The Cecil people are going to help the friendly countries build railways again...
While he was in a happy and relaxed mood, Gawain's thoughts moved north and he remembered the things he was planning recently.
"In previous correspondence, I talked to you about construction. Plans for the northern coast, establishing ports, exploring the ocean," he looked at Victoria, "what are your ideas in this regard. "
Victoria's light eyes were as quiet as ice and snow, and she said while thinking: "Some northern nobles are a little worried about this, mainly because they are worried about huge investments, little returns, and dangerous oceans, but they no longer have real power. Don't worry too much about it.
"I understand your idea of setting up a port. From the perspective of building the 'Cecil Settlement Area', current land transportation is very limited. The terrain in the Ogure Tribal Nation is complex and the road construction cycle is long. , and the western and southern regions of the continent are blocked by mountains and forests, and there are not many continuous rivers. Relying only on the moss forest and the commercial gateway bordering the western border, the scale of trade that can be accommodated is very limited - if a port can be established on the north coast, the northern ring of the continent can be reopened. Routes can undoubtedly greatly solve this problem.
“The one-time investment will indeed be huge, but the subsequent benefits are also unimaginable.
“During the Anzu period, nobles from all over the country were enfeoffed. It was impossible for the lords near the northern ridgeline to complete such a project. But now the empire has the ability to mobilize all the power of the country to build the northern coast, establish ports and even restart the northern coast. A circumcontinental route is possible."
Victoria Wilder, who has always been a quiet person, did not hesitate to speak when talking about these things, and the duchess listened clearly and logically. Gawain gradually showed a satisfied look as he told the story.
As he had judged before, Victoria had a vision.
EnfessingShe could easily understand the difference between a kingdom and a centralized empire and the significance of opening a port.
But her limitations are also obvious: she only noticed the economic benefits of restarting the northern circumcontinental route, but did not expect that Gawain's vision of "exploring the ocean" was actually broader.
But this is not her fault. This is caused by the limitations of the times and the general social environment - after seven hundred years of human beings staying away from the ocean, there are still a few people who can realize how big this seemingly vast continent is. cramped?
"Apart from the northern circumcontinental route, what I really care about...is the entire ocean," Gawain said unhurriedly, "Victoria, I mean the far sea."
Sure enough, after hearing these words, Victoria, who had always been expressionless, also frowned slightly.
"The far sea... is filled with storms and magic turbulence. Your Majesty, the Church of Storms is no longer there," she couldn't help but say, "Exploring the far sea is completely different from restarting the coastal route."
p>"I know, but after all, we can't huddle on this narrow continent forever," Gawain said, "There is a broader world deep in the ocean - sea monsters, dragons, these powerful races. Knowing that they come from across the ocean, they can come and go freely between their country and this continent, but we humans cannot take a step out. This situation is not very reassuring. ”
Is this continent... very narrow?
Victoria was a little confused for a moment, but she still quite agreed with the second half of Gawain's words.
Those ancient and powerful races can come and go freely in the human world, but humans cannot take a step in front of the ocean. They know that there may be a vaster world across the ocean, but they can only hide on land. Going up to guess what is there, this situation... is indeed a bit frustrating.
Of course, an empire, especially an empire that still needs to develop, cannot launch ocean-going operations regardless of the cost just to "not be aggrieved". Without sufficient profit promotion, even if the emperor and the Supreme Government Affairs Office No matter how high the prestige is, to forcefully promote a cause with no foreseeable future will shake the foundation of the empire, but if it is only a certain degree of exploration and a certain degree of technological accumulation... then it is still no problem.
She knew that Gawain meant the same thing.
On this basis, she seriously considered how to explore the far sea with the current national strength of the Cecil Empire.
While thinking, she slowly said: "Your Majesty, if you want to explore the distant sea, then the northern coastline is probably not a good 'starting point'..."
Gao Wen frowned: "Why do you say that?"
"According to many records, starting from the northern coastline and crossing the sea channel formed by the Violet Kingdom and the Holy Dragon Principality, there is an extremely large-scale permanent storm on the sea. This storm circle does not seem to weaken or shift all year round, and there is no safe route within it. Man-made ships should not be able to break out of it at all.Break its blockade..."
Gawain opened his eyes slightly in surprise: "Is there such a storm circle? ”
Crossing the far north of the continent, past the “out-to-sea peninsula” of the Violet Kingdom and the Principality of the Holy Dragon, there is the surveillance blind spot of his satellite camera!
“Yes,” Victoria clicked Nodding, "In fact, it is not only recorded in ancient books. When the weather is clear and the magic environment on the sea is relatively stable, you can sometimes see a hazy 'cloud wall' when looking towards the ocean from the heights of the northern mountains. Surges on the sea are indirect proof of the existence of the storm circle. ”
“A cloud wall that can be seen directly with the naked eye in the north? ! Gawain was really shocked this time, "How big is that thing?" "
"If the records in ancient books are correct, and if the Wilder family's observations and calculations over hundreds of years are correct, its effective range is larger than the entire Northern Territory, and even larger than the entire Violet Kingdom, enough to cover two continents. A piece of Cecil's empire! "
Gawain: "..."
After being stunned for a moment, he couldn't help but mutter to himself: "How did this thing form..."
"No one knows. None of the existing magic theories and meteorological theories can explain it. However, there are many legends and stories about eternal storms on the ocean among the people in the north, but they are either self-contradictory and absurd, or random. It is attributed to the power of gods and has no reference value. "
"Is this storm circle permanent? "Gawain couldn't help but confirm it again.
"Yes, the Wilder family has not observed it fading at all for at least seven hundred years. "
"Can we go around it? "
"It cannot be bypassed from the due north - it completely blocks the northern route. If the northern circumcontinental route is successfully launched, it would be possible to start from the west of the strait, bypass the western offshore of the Violet Kingdom, and officially enter the ocean - but this will be very difficult. "
"Yes, the difficulty is not small," Gawain couldn't help but sigh, "Not to mention the long voyage increased out of thin air, is the Violet Kingdom willing to let our exploration ships circle their offshore waters? Even if it goes around in a big circle, it is still an unknown number..."
As he spoke, he thought of another question in his mind:
The northern part of the mainland... There is a huge eternal planet in the northern part of the mainland. The non-stop storm structure, so what else is in that direction?
The dragon is suspected to be coming from that direction...
Is that huge storm related to the dragon? ? Or... was the storm created by the dragon to protect their portal?
If this is the case, then exploring the ocean from the north is really a poor choice.
< p>At this moment, Victoria suddenly spoke again: "Your Majesty, if the northern route is not an option, we actually have another option..."Gaowen raised his eyebrows: "There is another option. ? ”
Victoria nodded slightly: “We don’t only have one outlet on the north coast., in the northeast corner of the east border, near the border with the Shenglong Principality, at the end of the cliffs and highlands, there is a small outlet to the sea..."
"Ice and Snow Duke" said slowly, Gao The satellite map in Wen's mind also slowly adjusted.
He saw the seaport, which he subconsciously ignored because it was near the border of the Holy Dragon Principality and lacked clear landmarks around it.
Suddenly, he felt the image in his mind shaking.
Some fragments of scattered memories emerged in the depths of his mind.
That belonged to him! The memory of Gawain Cecil