Chapter 135: The Happy Diplomacy Plan
It was purely by chance that he noticed that figure. No, ultimately, he would have realized it, so it was inevitable in that sense. However, the timing of his discovery was undeniably coincidental.
“The Hero of the Founding, who had been unaccounted for, is showing his face in the capital?”
“Yes, Ma’am. This is the individual in question.”
Displayed on the screen was a man who appeared to be in his twenties, with a sharp, dignified face. Dressed in a fine coat, he gazed vacantly at something above him, looking every bit the scion of a noble family.
“…Wasn’t the founding over 30 years ago?”
“Yes, Ma’am. The unification of the peninsula took about five years, starting 38 years ago. Therefore, even if he was in his twenties back then, he is likely over sixty now.”
“He certainly doesn’t look it…”
Naturally, both the Local Strategy AI and RINGO shared this doubt and thoroughly combed through the data. The result confirmed that the man was undoubtedly the hero himself and that he had since retired from active duty, having been summoned to the capital this time. It remained unclear whether he would be negotiating with Paraiso or working behind the scenes, but it seemed the naval leadership held him in high regard.
The benefits that Amagio Silverhead had brought to the Kingdom of Repuitari were immense. It appeared he had been involved in the development of firearms and artillery from the very beginning. Subsequently, he had paved the way for the kingdom’s current status as a maritime superpower, dedicating himself to the expansion of the navy.
However, that was roughly twenty years ago. Since then, he had largely withdrawn from the public eye, retreating to a mansion in the borderlands.
“In any case, he is an important figure for the Kingdom of Repuitari. It seems he is also driving the kingdom’s technological prowess, so Paraiso must exercise utmost caution regarding technology leakage.”
“Indeed… Well, the technologies that seem dangerous to leak would probably be related to nuclear fusion, right? If they start developing nuclear reaction weapons, that would definitely be troublesome.”
“Yes, Ma’am. Other than that, it is generally safe to say that the technologies are extensions of the Kingdom of Repuitari’s existing systems. While there is a possibility of technological advancement over the next few decades, it is not a significant threat. Basic research into electricity is also progressing, so we can expect electric streetlights to emerge within ten years.”
That said, predicting the actual technological level and its progression was exceedingly difficult. After all, there was no historical reference to draw upon. The use of coal and oil had not advanced, and instead, a clean energy source known as Redstone was being utilized.
“By the way, the lack of coal seems like quite a problem. How are they managing iron production?”
“Currently, it seems they primarily use charcoal. Specifically for the Kingdom of Repuitari, they are repeating the cycle of logging and reforestation, so resource depletion does not appear to be an immediate concern.”
Iron production can utilize hydrogen, but using carbon is more energy-efficient. Given their technological level, they likely cannot handle hydrogen yet. However, without the existence of coke made from coal, the amount of iron produced would depend on the availability of charcoal, and by extension, forest area.
“They’re planning to establish themselves as a resource-producing nation, but is that really feasible?”
“Coal does exist, so we can suggest it when the opportunity arises.”
There was also the question of whether to introduce the Haber-Bosch Process.
“Creating bread from air is quite a selling point…”
“If we add chemical fertilizers to Paraiso’s export items, there will be no immediate need to share the Haber-Bosch Process.”
This dream technology could dramatically increase the population limit of the Kingdom of Repuitari. By reacting nitrogen from the air with hydrogen extracted from coal and other sources, ammonia, the raw material for the chemical fertilizer ammonium sulfate, could be produced.
If this were to be put into practical use, the production of wheat, a staple food, would likely surge.
“An increase in national power directly correlates to an enhancement in military strength, so there are pros and cons from our perspective.”
“That may be true in the long run. But by then, the former Afrasia United Kingdom will probably be in a remarkable state as well, won’t it?”
No matter how rapidly the Kingdom of Repuitari developed, it could not catch up to The Tree, which wielded far more advanced technology from a distant future. This was the current assessment of RINGO and the Commander (Eve).
Moreover, by avoiding proper national growth and instead controlling the expansion direction through trade, they were attempting to create a distorted economic structure. It was a devilish plan devised by RINGO, which the Commander (Eve) muttered was quite ruthless.
Unbeknownst to them, they were trying to turn the kingdom into a de facto vassal state.
“How we engage with other nations going forward will also be crucial. The difficulty level changes significantly depending on whether we have friendly nations or not, especially regarding the strength of those nations.”
“…Well, just do what you think is best.”
With the Commander (Eve) expressing a desire not to think too deeply about it, RINGO nodded, assuring her that it would be taken care of.
At the very least, unless the Commander (Eve) decided otherwise, RINGO would not embark on a quest for world domination.
With great anticipation, the man made his way to the port.
“So, which ship is the one in question?”
Typically, the port of Capital Moa would be bustling with the latest battleships, serving to elevate national prestige. However, due to the presence of the aforementioned fleet, it seemed they had relocated to another port to avoid stirring up trouble.
“Still, is there really such a technological gap as they claim…? It’s not like performance can just leap forward like that…”
The man was an engineer, likely boasting the highest level of technical skill in the Kingdom of Repuitari. Therefore, he was well aware of the limits of technology and understood that it was built upon an immense foundation of basic research.
In his view, the technological advancements over the past forty years were astonishing. The idea that there could be someone surpassing that was hard for him to believe.
“Oh, it’s like a festival.”
The area around the port was teeming with people who had gathered to catch a glimpse of the fleet. Given the prolonged docking period, it seemed to have become a tourist attraction. Where there were crowds, there were opportunities for commerce. Astute merchants had set up stalls, and some had even constructed makeshift observation towers.
“Hmm…”
The man pondered, casting his gaze toward the harbor watchtower nearby.
“Then, Your Excellency, please call out to us upon your return!”
“Yes, thank you for your hard work.”
Utilizing his authority, the man entered the top floor of the watchtower. Peering through the installed telescope, he immediately began searching for the fleet.
“…Is that it? I can’t gauge its size without a comparison, but…”
He adjusted the telescope, focusing the lens. Due to the precision of the lenswork, the image wasn’t perfectly clear, but it was better than viewing it with the naked eye.
“…No way… Hey, wait a minute, what is this…?”
As he observed, the man gasped.
“The turret… Damn, I can’t see it well. But what is that? The muzzle isn’t round… Is that a cover rather than a barrel…? But it’s long; we can’t make something like that yet… Wait, is that a rifle… a machine gun? What is that shape? It looks like some device unrelated to firearms… a pipe, or could it be… an electric wire?”
The man scrutinized the pristine white ship.
“…Crew members? Beastmen…?”
As the watertight door of the bridge opened, a crew member appeared.
“……!”
Their eyes met.