Half a month later, Claude went to the Patres naval base for an inspection. He stayed there for a month and a half and had a friendly discussion with Liboyd's ship design department and the motor development center.
More than ten academic conferences were held, and the designs of super-large passenger ships, ocean-going cargo ships, and large whaling ships were successfully introduced. The four shipbuilding workshops in the shipbuilding base received more than ten orders for the three civilian ships before the blueprints were finalized. Everyone was overjoyed. Everyone knew that the profits from the construction of civilian ships were much higher than that of ironclad warships …
The clocks Claude discussed with Liboyd in private also caught his attention. He believed that the development of clocks and watches would greatly improve the production of precision instruments in the region.
However, he left the development of clocks and watches to his grandson, Mallex, as he believed that he was more than capable of doing so.
Claude naturally wouldn't keep his illegitimate son a secret. He told Mallex all he could remember about clocks and watches and drew out quite a few designs for clocks and pocket watches.
Apart from that, he also discussed the possibility of establishing a polytechnic university with Liboyd, only to be splashed with cold water by Liboyd.
It was simple. The technological development of the Faslan world was built on the foundation of alchemical runes. Rune mages who could conduct all sorts of experiments in alchemical runes were the main driving force behind technological development. It could be called a practical, research-oriented technological magic system.
If Claude wanted to establish a university for the common folk to learn those technologies, it would be the same as tearing down the entire building and building a new one. It wasn't that it was impossible, but it would take too much time, effort, and money. It wasn't worth it.
The common folk wouldn't understand alchemical experiments. Even if they learned magical knowledge, they wouldn't be able to train. Without mana, everything would be for naught.
For example, rune magi could conduct experiments in alchemical formations and understand the transformation process of experimental materials and the principles behind the synthesis of two metals.
The common folk, on the other hand, wouldn't be able to conduct alchemical experiments. To achieve the same results, they would have to set up a whole new training system to make them understand why two metals could be combined to form a new type of metal. That would require a new synthesis theory that could be understood by the common folk, as well as real-life experiments. The cost of that wouldn't be small.
Claude knew what Liboyd meant. It wasn't that the world didn't have knowledge in physics and chemistry, but that knowledge was in the hands of the magi, known as alchemy. It wasn't systematic and wasn't shared.
Liboyd, for example, went from being a master gunsmith to researching fire engines and steam engines before moving on to mechanical power. Now, he was moving on to ship design. It could be said that he changed his research direction according to his own interests.
Most other rune magi were like that. Their methods of teaching were more or less the same. They would either teach their apprentices step by step or observe their teacher's alchemical experiments before understanding them on their own. Not only was it not systematic, it was also mostly random. Whether the apprentice could learn or not depended entirely on the apprentice themselves. That kind of teaching method was rather outdated and inefficient.
Even if the rune magi gained something from their experiments, they would hide it and wouldn't share it with other magi. That was the main reason why the world's technology stagnated.
If it wasn't for the autonomous region, Claude would've noticed that the world's technology hadn't improved at all in the two decades since he transmigrated.
But since he couldn't set up a technological university like the one he had in his previous world, he figured he could set up a magic academy. That way, he could groom rune magi for the region in batches. It would also serve as a forum for the magi to interact with each other.
Claude hoped that the rune magi in the region could present their discoveries and experiment theories to other magi so that they could learn from their experiments and further develop their technology.
If he could set up a magic academy like that, the region could propose the establishment of a magus association and provide them with an annual salary and benefits. They could also set up an alchemy journal to publish papers and other rewards.
Liboyd was a little tempted by Claude's suggestion, but he still didn't think much of the exchange between the rune magi.
After all, many magi saw their discoveries in alchemical experiments as opportunities to profit from them. It would be rather difficult to convince them to give up on their traditional habits.
In the end, Liboyd said that he could try to convince the rune magi who worked for the region.
He had his doubts about building a magic academy. After all, for centuries, mages had been evil in the minds of ordinary people. Even the rune mages who worked for the overseas autonomous region had to hide their identities as mages. Their alchemy experiments were done in secret, and they were not conducted in public.
He couldn't imagine what kind of changes the establishment of a magic academy would bring to the region and magi.
Liboyd thought about it for a long time and felt that Claude was being too hasty. He didn't think it was a good idea to set up a magic academy publicly. That would only expose the identities of the magi and apprentices to the public. If the people objected to it, it would be hard to guarantee the safety of the teachers and students in the academy.
He felt that it would be better to train apprentices in secret, just like the magic academy, but under a different name.
As for the magi association of the region, Liboyd felt that it was a good thing. The rune magi would be more than happy to join. After all, it was a form of recognition for their service to the region. Coupled with the high salary and benefits, not a single rune magi would reject such an invitation.
The only difficult thing was to convince them to share their findings, but that could be solved with a large reward.
For example, if the region or the shipyard had any technical problems they couldn't solve, they could ask the magi of the association for help. Whoever solved the problem would get a reward.
Some things couldn't be rushed. Claude only realized that he was being too hasty after hearing Liboyd's words.
Actually, the cooperation between the rune magi and the region's military was going rather smoothly.
Now, the autonomous military district had directly allocated funds to the Rune Mages for their alchemy experiments.
That was how Birkin got his hands on the 400 or so confidential technologies from the shipyard. It could be considered a different kind of reward, but it was a bit of a waste of money.
After returning to Lanu, Borkal was the first to report to Claude again. This time, he was there to report on his encounter with Eriksson's Blacksail Pirates.
As the saying goes, a warm face met a cold butt. Borkal was in a similar situation. He was doing everything for Eriksson's sake, but Eriksson wouldn't blindly agree to Claude's request just because of their friendship.
Instead, he represented the Blacksail Pirates and made a series of exorbitant demands, such as handing over the six ironclads first and the other six after the mission was completed.
"What did you tell him?"
Claude asked, "Did you tell him why our navy couldn't help?"
Borkal nodded dejectedly. In the past two months, he had contacted Eriksson many times and had written six letters to him.
At first, Eriksson's reply was quite excited and said that he was willing to work with the region's ironclads to attack the Fochs' fleet and plunder some of the ships.
But when Borkal realized that he had misunderstood, he hurriedly wrote him another letter to tell him that it wasn't his Blacksail Pirates working together with the navy's ironclads. Instead, the Blacksail Pirates would take on the mission alone and that it was time to give him the six ironclads as compensation.
When the second letter was sent, Eriksson's attitude turned cold. He asked Borkal if the region and Claude didn't like his Blacksail Pirates and purposely set up a trap to send them to their deaths.
Borkal could only reply to Eriksson again and tell him that Claude didn't have such intentions and that it was an opportunity he and the Blacksail Pirates had fought for.
Only by taking the initiative to attack the Fochs United Kingdom's naval fleet would the autonomous region consider supporting and collaborating with Eriksson's Black Sail Pirates. This was indeed the best opportunity for Eriksson.
Then, Eriksson's reply came and asked Borkal to explain why he thought it was an opportunity for Blacksail Pirates.
The way he saw it, leading his Blacksail Pirates to attack the Fochs' fleet was an act of suicide.
Unless the region's navy lent him ten or twenty ironclads first, he wouldn't have the confidence to take the initiative to attack the Fochs' fleet.
In order to convince Eriksson, Borkal had no choice but to divulge some insider information about the military conference to let Eriksson know the real reason he was looking for him. It was mainly to get the Blacksail Pirates on good terms with the region and satisfy Eriksson's wish to get ironclads.
But after Eriksson found out, he demanded an exorbitant price and requested the region to provide six ironclads first and another six later. He couldn't guarantee that the attack would be successful, but he could guarantee that the Blacksail Pirates would attack first. At the same time, he also wanted the region to pay a million crowns worth of supplies as compensation for the Blacksail Pirates.
Borkal wrote two more letters in an attempt to persuade Eriksson, but Eriksson refused to budge on the terms he was offering in his replies.
It was only then that Borkal realized that the mission wasn't that easy to complete. He couldn't agree to Eriksson's demands on behalf of the region, so he had no choice but to report to Claude and admit that his plan to rope in Eriksson and the Blacksail Pirates had failed.
Claude wasn't angry at all. Instead, he laughed heartily and personally went to the liquor cabinet to get a bottle of fruit wine and poured Borkal a cup.
Then, he told Borkal that he had long predicted Borkal's failure.
Truth be told, Borkal's youthful friendship clouded his judgment and intuition when it came to Eriksson and the Blacksail Pirates. He didn't behave like a merchant or a soldier.
If Borkal had maintained his shrewdness as a merchant, he would've long realized that Eriksson wasn't communicating with him because of their friendship. Instead, he was trying to get some information about the region.
At the same time, Borkal would've become the representative of the Blacksail Pirates in the region. With his identity, he could easily procure goods and supplies that required monitoring.
Eriksson knew very well that he wouldn't be able to move Borkal with money or status. He could only rely on friendship to rope him in.
There was a saying that dripping water could wear away a stone. Eriksson's friendship with Borkal finally managed to blind Borkal's keen eyes as a merchant and make him think of Eriksson as a simple and honest friend from his youth.
Of course, the Blacksail Pirates never had to worry about whether they were buying goods or selling stolen goods through Borkal's father's Wild Bull Trading Company. That made Borkal trust Eriksson even more.
Borkal wasn't qualified to be a merchant, but he also performed terribly as a soldier.
As Claude said, a soldier wouldn't trust the promises of a pirate.
Even though Eriksson was Claude's childhood friend and the region didn't have any conflicts with Eriksson's Blacksail Pirates, Claude still kept his guard up against them. He didn't care if Eriksson was his childhood friend or not.
Borkal trusted Eriksson so much that he didn't hesitate to argue with Claude to speak up for Eriksson and the Blacksail Pirates.
But when Claude gave him a chance, he was rejected by Eriksson.
Claude analyzed the situation clearly. Eriksson didn't cost much to communicate with him and he could learn about the region's movements from him. He could be considered a source of intelligence.
That was why Eriksson was willing to maintain his friendship with Borkal and kept writing to him.
But when Borkal asked Eriksson to lead the Blacksail Pirates to attack the Fochs' navy, Eriksson had to consider the issue of cost.
He was the leader of the Blacksail Pirates. If he had to sacrifice the strength of the Blacksail Pirates just to maintain his friendship with Borkal, he would definitely reject the offer.
The law of pirates was that the strong were respected. Strength didn't only refer to personal strength, but also the strength of the pirates he led. If he were to sacrifice his own strength for the sake of friendship, he wouldn't be able to keep his position as the leader.
Claude comforted Borkal. It was a good thing that he was able to see Eriksson's true colors through this incident. That was much better than Eriksson asking Borkal to do something that would harm the region's interests in the future.
He told Borkal to put the matter aside and follow Claude to visit the Pamigal Republic.
Claude hoped that Borkal could focus on the Vassiliko colony during the visit and understand how the Skolo and Gisde tribes got into an armed conflict.
The first phase of Operation Wildfire could be said to have been a mixed bag. The success was the occupation of the Fochs' colony at Cape Loducus. At the same time, it pushed the pamigal people of Moroshik's colony to establish their own nation and established the first native nation on the west coast. It also won twice against the expeditionary forces sent by Moroshik and the other two colonial nations to Nubissia.
The failure was the liberation movement of the natives in Lesnia's second colony and Vassiliko colony.
The Lusman people in the second colony of Lesnia were in disarray after their Chieftain was killed by the government of the colony.
Even though their chief chased the colonists away in the name of revenge, they also massacred the innocent white people of the colony. For the sake of power, the various tribes fought and killed one another, turning the situation into a mess.
Under the strong pressure of the region, they united a little during the war against the three colonial nations. But after the war ended, they started fighting amongst themselves again.
Even though the region helped them establish an alliance of losman chiefs, it was all for naught. It was just a name on the surface. Inside the country, it was still a chaotic war between seven tribes. None of them were willing to submit to the other, turning the country into a mess.
The last one was the Vassiliko colony, which gave the region an even bigger headache.
According to the original plan, after the establishment of the Pamigal National Republic, they would send troops to help the Skoro and Gisde indigenous peoples in the colony of the Vassiliko Principality to liberate themselves and establish an independent state like the Pamigals.
Of course, the Skolo and Gisde tribes had to help as well. They started an uprising and attacked the colonists of Vassiliko.
The uprising was carried out smoothly, or rather, a riot. The garrison troops of the Vassiliko Principality could not suppress the armed uprising launched by the two indigenous peoples. They had no choice but to send people to the neighboring colonial garrison of the Opsaro City-State Alliance for help.
Just when the situation was going well, the armed uprising of the two indigenous tribes clashed. The conflict then turned into a war, which then developed into a war of extermination between the two indigenous tribes.
Now, the two indigenous tribes of Vassiliko colony could no longer care about armed uprisings, driving away the colonists, and establishing their own nation.
Both sides fought fiercely, and the hatred between the two tribes became more and more intense. Whether it was the invasion of the expeditionary army or the armed forces of the Pamigal Republic coming to help them resist, they did not care at all. They only knew how to fight to the death between the two tribes …
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