Chapter 156

Weaving the Future

Eastern Mansion

Following the advice of physicians, the old nanny, and maids, Audrey stayed in the Eastern Mansion due to the early stages of her pregnancy. Normally, she would join Lansius at the council meetings, but the castle's many stairs posed a potential risk.

However, Audrey was not merely resting; she actively embraced her role as the matriarch of her House. Coincidentally, the Eastern Mansion also hosted an informal council. It had no formal name and emerged naturally among those who lived under the same expansive roof but were not part of the official council.

The council convened in the common room of the east wing. Members included Sir Michael and Lady Astrid, who resided there as guests until Lord Robert’s residence in Korelia was completed. Sterling, Farkas, Ingrid, and Francisca also became regular members who gathered to discuss minor matters affecting the function and growth of House Lansius. Together, they exchanged news, shared thoughts, resolved small disputes among the personnel, and made necessary adjustments.

While these issues might not have been related to the Lord's main plan, they were crucial for maintaining morale. This informal council addressed problems ranging from gambling and drinking addictions among the guards to injuries during training, infighting, and other interpersonal issues. Resolutions were achieved through their own efforts, by seeking intervention from a council member, or by escalating the matter to the Lady or the Lord.

After Lady Audrey assumed leadership of this council, it took on a semi-formal status and began tackling more significant issues than before. It addressed unrecorded merits from past battles, unjust payments, and actively monitored for any resentment brewing between different groups. The Nicopolan rebellion in the mountain pass served as a constant reminder of the dangers of neglect.

The council met almost daily, and during these meetings, inspired by the Lord and Lady’s regimen of consuming pre-boiled water, Lady Astrid introduced serving water flavored with various herbal leaves. This new tradition, initially suggested by Ingrid, led them to procure a selection of herbal leaves and coarsely ground sun-dried beans for testing. The aromatic smell often drew many visitors such as Sir Harold, Sir Justin, Calub, Cecile, and even little Eleanor, who all enjoyed the pleasant atmosphere for a chat and a herbal drink.

Despite her active role, Audrey insisted that the council maintain its informal nature. She emphasized that her presence in the common room should not serve as a signal to convene, reasoning that sometimes she merely sought to find someone to chat with.

Thus, it was settled that the council would only be considered in session if the Lady sat at the head of the long table, and it would continue its meetings even if she was not in attendance.

Today, Audrey sat facing the long table, eager to hear about the issues they were facing. Naturally, with winter closing in, everything needed to be in good order.

"My Lady, the pilot Hans asked to employ more men for airship maintenance, but he didn't want to bother the Lord with his request," Farkas reported.

"If it's about the airship, we better find someone we can trust. The guilds are paying a lot for any information about the airship," Ingrid commented, sipping an aromatic but mildly bitter concoction.

Lady Astrid stood and poured more from a silver pot into Ingrid's ceramic cup. The educator nodded her head slightly as a sign of respect.

"The Lord has plans to address the guild issue, so I expect this to be temporary," Audrey spoke, without revealing any details.

Lady Astrid readily added, "I feel the concern is founded, but it's not something we should be overly concerned about. The Korelians can be tight-lipped and they know better than to reveal their Lord's secrets."

Audrey smiled at her words, then turned to Farkas. "I trust you can handle finding more men for airship maintenance?"

"I'll see what I can do," Farkas replied with honesty, a trait that made him a valuable asset.

As discussions about the airship maintenance concluded, Audrey turned her attention to a different issue. "Can anyone update me on the Lord’s current endeavors?" she asked, scanning the room for input.

Sterling and Farkas exchanged glances before Sterling responded, "Today's plan is to supervise the walled city and the Great Keep. Sir Justin and Sir Harold will accompany the Lord to tour the building sites."

Audrey nodded; she had heard of that.

Farkas added, "Other guilds are lining up to meet him as well, bringing new proposals and counter proposals. Curiously, it seems the Lord is paying a lot of attention to the new workshop. If I were to guess, he's preparing some kind of demonstration."

"Interesting..." Audrey mumbled.

After waiting for a while and allowing Sterling to finish his cup, Astrid asked on behalf of the Lady, "Is there any other issue?"

Once more, Farkas, who commanded the Black Bandits, spoke, "During our campaign, one of the guards had an affair with a maid. His wife was complaining, and I think it's best to relieve him or assign him somewhere else, not in the castle."

"It's a breach of trust. I'll talk to the guard captain and see if we can rotate him somewhere else," Sterling offered.

"Don't send him out of town; chances are he'll do it again with someone else," Ingrid advised, her voice carrying the weight of her experience. After all, she was almost twenty years their senior.

Audrey examined the room and found no objections. "Then let's do what Ingrid has suggested."

"Then I'll inform the guard captain after this meeting," Sterling said conclusively.

Everyone seemed in agreement, allowing Astrid to ask, "Is there anything else to bring up?"

When nobody said anything, she turned to Francisca, who sat quietly. "Is there anything discomforting you, dear honored friend?"

The half-breed shook her head. "Not at all, lady Astrid. I'm still grateful for your help the other day in finding a suitable patch for growing yams."

Her words brought warmth to the discussion.

"Your comfort is important to us," Astrid reassured her.

"Please, I'm just a squire to Sir Harold," she responded politely. "Something I might add: The Hunter guild member that accompanied us has been training his eagle ever since we left the hill fort and Korimor. Yesterday, he was confident enough to let it fly home to Dawn barony."

Audrey gazed at Ingrid, who had yet to be assigned a task. She responded with, "I'll be sure to inquire him about it."

"Does anyone else wish to add to this meeting?" Lady Astrid looked left and right.

Finding no response, she declared, "Then, today's council meeting is over."

Audrey took her cup of flower-infused water, and Carla, who was standing guard, readily helped with the chair. Accompanied by the maids, they returned to the west wing where she resided.

As she strolled through the mansion's corridors, she reflected on what Lansius had said about building a counterweight to their Midlandian retinue. This new council, filled with Lowlandians, might be the perfect candidate.

She knew how loyalty could swing, and with Midlandia's succession crisis, nobody knew whether the Midlandians among their ranks would continue to serve or not. Worse, they might try to convince Lansius to enter the fray. For this, Audrey vowed to remain vigilant.

...

After the day’s council meeting concluded, everyone dispersed, heading in different directions through the halls of Eastern Mansion.

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"Francisca, if I may," Ingrid called out, drawing the attention of the half-breed warrior.

Francisca turned to face her, the intricate patterns on her brigandine armor catching the light. "Yes, what do you wish of me, educator?"

"I've noticed you're wearing an earring now."

"Indeed. The maids suggested it," Francisca answered with frankness.

"You may or may not know this, but your earring isn't just a showpiece."

Francisca's eyes sharpened and her maw formed a smile. "How do you know? It's a heirloom from my great-great-grandmother. Do you sense a special scent?"

Ingrid also responded with a smile. From the day they first met, Francisca had known about her being a mage. "I see faint magical traces on it. I believe I could restore its function if you let me examine it."

"Certainly," the half-breed said without hesitation, readily handing over the lone earring to Ingrid, who took it with care. Then she caught the scent of magic building up in the educator's palm.

Ingrid, filled with awe and curiosity, observed the earring, which appeared to be made of gold with a small gem embedded in it. "It’s an old artifact, hungry for magic. Right now, I’m feeding it just enough to keep it alive," she explained to Francisca. "But what function does it serve? Do your parents have any stories related to this earring?"

"My grandmother talked about these earrings belonging to Old Kae," Francisca replied excitedly. "He gave it to my ancestor as a toy. It should allow the wearer of one earring to send an image or color to another person wearing the earring."

"Color?" Ingrid asked, captivated by the story.

"Yes, they used it as signals during hunts. Red for 'I found something,' blue if there's 'nothing in my place,' and green for 'let's rendezvous at home.' Too bad it doesn't work anymore. So, do you think you can fix it?"

"I might be able to, but where's the other one?" Ingrid asked.

"My brother has it; it must be in his wife's box of jewels," Francisca muttered, unsure, stroking her furry chin.

"Tell you what. If you trust me, I can try to fix this, but it might take weeks," Ingrid proposed.

Francisca turned hesitant and whispered, "Lady Ingrid, I understand that a mage's services are expensive."

The lady giggled. "You're my friend, and this is my own curiosity, so I assure you it's free of charge."

Francisca beamed, taking the educator's hands as she entrusted her with the heirloom. "Come, I shall treat you to the finest meal this community has to offer."

The Centuria-born mage smiled. "What a coincidence, I've yet to find someone to accompany me on a stroll around town."

"I know where the best roast meat is. It's easy to discern a good meat's scent," she replied eagerly.

"Then I shall take you up on your offer this evening. Let's meet at the Great Hall's entrance," Ingrid suggested.

"I'll be there," Francisca reassured her, her tail wagging happily.

***

Eastern Korelia, Workshop

In a different workshop, Lansius, seated in front of a sturdy worktable, was carefully examining the wire. He had just heard that the craftsmen were using heat treatment to prevent brittleness whenever they encountered doubtful wire in the production process, due to variations in the quality of the iron used as raw materials.

After heating, the wire was allowed to cool slowly to restore its ductility. Lansius had given the craftsmen two silver coins on the spot for their keen observation, and the man delightedly accepted, promising to buy everyone a drink after work.

Lansius knew that a skilled smith could gauge ductility by observing how the color changed, and he felt fortunate that Korelia now had experienced smiths. Turning to Calub, who stood nearby, he confided, "It would be disastrous if all these wires ended up brittle."

"But it's only expected," Calub disagreed. "You have good men working under you. This much is within expectations."

Lansius was amused by the reply. He was also pleased that the wire produced was of uniform diameter, flexible, yet strong.

"So, what do you want to use them for?" Calub asked.

Lansius, having made his plan, nodded and said, "Do you have the rope smiths ready?"

"I have. They are sightseeing around the complex," he replied, a bit surprised since the question was clearly unrelated.

"Well, bring them here," Lansius said plainly.

"My Lord, they are rope smiths," Calub clarified, seeking confirmation.

"And I intend to use them to work on these wires," Lansius said with a slight smirk.

Calub was unsure but motioned for one of the guards to follow him.

...

The three rope smiths cleaned the wire with linen, following Lansius' instructions. They twisted two wires together and attached sharp-pointed barbs, made from leftovers, at intervals. The process was straightforward but required precise technique and expertise to ensure each barb was securely fastened.

Each barb needed to be manually wrapped and secured to the carrier wire. Without the smiths' expertise in knotting, an ordinary man would struggle to make a strong, durable connection.

A too rigid connection could easily snap. The key was to introduce some built-in slack at the connections, allowing the structure to flex under pressure and avert breakage.

Lansius observed their work, comparing it with his drawings on rough paper and the ropes he had used for illustration, nodding in satisfaction. From his early designs, the smiths had perfected the technique several times before achieving a workable design.

This marked the birth of a new type of fencing—barbed wire. In Lansius' world, this humble invention had revolutionized and altered the very fabric of society, bringing significant economic impact, while ultimately bringing an end to the Wild West and cowboy culture.

"May I try testing it out?" Calub asked.

"Certainly, just be careful," Lansius warned.

Calub motioned for the guards and smiths to bring the wire outside. They drove two wooden stakes into the ground, and Calub began inspecting the new fence. He pushed against it, noting it was bendy yet strong. Pulling with all his might, he found it remarkably resilient.

The smiths grinned, proud of their craftsmanship.

Finding it firm enough, Calub decided to climb it. It was an unwise move; he initially ascended smoothly but soon his clothing snagged on the barbs, tearing his sleeve. Laughing at this, he abandoned his attempt.

"You go ahead," he gestured to an eager guard next to him.

The athletic guard tried to crawl under it but quickly found his brigandine caught on the barbs. Trapped, he couldn't move despite several attempts.

"I couldn't even see the damn thing," he grumbled, eliciting laughter from the others.

"Don’t get up, or it’s gonna be painful," Lansius called out, then motioned for the others to assist.

"They're stronger than they look," Calub remarked, examining the damage to his clothing.

"New clothes on me," Lansius quipped.

"Not a bad way to visit a tailor," Calub responded cheerfully.

After the demonstration, Lansius ordered the wire brought back to the workshop. There, he commissioned the first batch of barbed wire and, to demonstrate his commitment, offered the smiths a lifetime contract and good accommodations in exchange for their secrecy.

The three rope smiths were thrilled and immediately requested the assistance of carpenters and blacksmiths to develop specific tools for better manufacturing the barbed wire.

Later, Lansius invited Calub to supper at the Great Hall. Despite his residence at the Eastern Mansion due to Audrey's pregnancy, they chose to host supper at the castle, which Audrey also attended with her entourage.

During the carriage ride, Calub mused, "Still, while I understand its strength, I can't see it being all that effective in battle."

Lansius appreciated Calub's honesty but couldn't stifle his laughter. "The ones we saw are for cattle."

"Cattle? Not for war?" Calub looked puzzled before turning to ponder.

"For war, we can integrate these barbed wires into cheval de frise to wound horses and cause panic. There are better applications..." Lansius paused, not wanting to disclose how barbed wire could be used in trench warfare.

"But, my Lord, you claimed these barbed wires could change this city and Lowlandia, even the rest of the Imperium."

Lansius exhaled, a thin smile on his lips. "At first glance, these humble wire fences for cattle might not seem powerful," he admitted. "Calub, do you know why Korelia is poor despite its abundance of shepherds, grassland, and the high market price for meat?"

Calub thought for a moment before replying, "There are several reasons, but related to the shepherds, I think it’s because it takes a long time for goats to mature."

"I believe it’s because they can't maintain large herds. With larger herds, we could always have mature goats to slaughter in any season," Lansius offered his perspective.

"But a large herd requires extensive land and many shepherds to protect it as they graze outside the town..." Calub's expression changed as he grasped Lansius' intention. "Unlike nomads, they can't ride horses or use bows to protect the herd from wolves. My Lord, do you plan to allow shepherds to graze outside town?"

Lansius leaned in closer, his voice low. "I plan to make every bit of the grasslands productive. With the new fences, the locals won't need to learn riding or archery to shepherd further afield. As you are aware, traditionally, expanding meant building expensive stone or wooden fences. Tall stone walls are ridiculously expensive to construct over large swathes of land. Meanwhile, wooden fences... They're not that durable, and cows or horses can easily break the weak parts of the fence."

"Indeed, I heard from Cecile that maintaining wooden fences on her land requires significant money and effort. And horses love to lean on them to scratch their itchy limbs."

Lansius leaned back as the carriage rocked gently. He recalled Tia, a little girl whose leg had been crippled by a wolf. Had she not met Hannei, she would have been crippled for life. "Any shepherd straying too far would be at the mercy of predators. But with barbed wire, even without a large number of shepherds, the livestock could still graze, day or night, in relative security. It's far cheaper than other fences and, if installed correctly, is almost completely immune to wolves and strong enough to stop even bulls."

"Bulls?" Calub exclaimed excitedly. "You plan to introduce cattle and cows to Korelia?"

"I heard White Lake has cows. We should try," he said firmly. "Relying solely on goat herding is risky. We need to grow different kinds of livestock. Moreover, these fences are also useful for farmers to protect their crops."

"Why didn’t I think of that?" Calub muttered. "Of course, farmers would benefit. These wires can replace the costly wooden fences."

"They're better for keeping animals off cultivated farmland and also useful in horse breeding to easily separate quality breeds," Lansius added.

Calub nodded thoughtfully, gazing briefly out the window before turning back to face Lansius. "My Lord, I'm looking forward to seeing this invention of yours in action. In fact, please allow Cecile's farm to be the first to use it."

Lansius chuckled. "I'll consider it. But first, we must address the wolf in the sheep's den," he said, his tone ominous.

"What is it, My Lord?" Calub inquired, his tone sharp.

"These barbed wires. They're easy to replicate."

"You fear the guild?" Calub asked.

He nodded and explained, "I'm not against progress and would gladly share the secret, but barbed wire could have detrimental effects. I prefer to hold onto it until our allies can prepare themselves." Lansius then added, "Just like the issue with experimenting with airship fuel, we need to bind the guilds before introducing barbed wire. Otherwise, they could ruin us."

***