Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters

At the very beginning, the Forge Masters looked at the overly young and overly beautiful Baroness with eyes full of disdain, doubt, and distrust.

But as she started to speak eloquently, the atmosphere in the arbitration hall gradually became serious and heavy.

Anna first succinctly analyzed Steelburg's dilemma:

As long as the war in Paratu doesn't end, Steelburg will continue to decay day by day;

With one flourishing as the other dwindles, even if they can hold on until the end of the war, Steelburg's dominant position will be seized by other iron-producing places;

The city thrived because of the waterways and will perish with their severance.

"As long as the trade embargo continues, even if we can buy all your inventory now, it won't stop the future decline of Steelburg's iron industry. This is reality, painful as it may be, but it is inevitable. Of course, there are always ways to bypass the embargo, such as smuggling. However, if you consider the risks, the expected returns from smuggling will always be... a loss for you."

Anna said softly, "Therefore, please seriously consider the olive branch we are extending."

Winters' proposal had already been passed on to the Executive Committee through Servette, so Anna did not need to reiterate the specific plan. Anna's visit to the Executive Committee today was not only to deliver a final ultimatum but also to make a final effort.

"No longer just exporting iron, but exporting manpower; no longer just exporting resources, but exporting technology. No longer just exporting products, but exporting..." Anna stopped here suddenly, thought for a while, and finally chose the most accurate ancient word: "[wealth]."

The Forge Masters of the blacksmith guild looked at each other, unable to understand the unfamiliar pronunciation from the other party's mouth.

Anna smiled sweetly and explained, "It is the sum of all movable and immovable property."

...

The arguments in the arbitration hall were clear even through the corridor to Winters and Anna. The Forge Master in charge of receiving them looked somewhat embarrassed and began to explain the history of Steelburg even more diligently.

Anna leaned close to Winters, with a bit of unease and worry, and whispered, "Did I not speak well enough earlier? Should I try talking to them again?"

Winters gently patted Anna's hand on his arm. The closer the final moment came, the more relaxed he was: "Let them argue it out themselves."

He continued jokingly: "To be honest, though, your speech skills aren't that great. If we have time, I'll teach you."

Anna shot a sidelong glance at Winters without a word.

"You've been too rational, and you imagined the other side as too rational." Winters sighed, "But you have to know, most of the time, people don't make decisions based on reason."

"Sorry." The guide walking ahead turned around, apologetically asking, "What were you saying?"

"Nothing." Winters smiled and asked, "I heard that the guild headquarters holds all the records of Forge transfers? Are they also kept in this archive room?"

"Forge transfers?" The guide was momentarily stunned but quickly responded, pointing to the wooden shelf against the wall, "Oh, yes, they are here as well. On those shelves. According to regulations, all Forge transfers must be recorded with the guild, or they don't count."

"May I take a look?" Winters asked.

The guide looked troubled, "Sorry, but those records can't be viewed by non-guild members."

"Alright, then." Winters didn't insist, continuing the discussion with the guide as they walked along: "I'm still curious, how many registered Forges does Steelburg currently have?"

"Including iron smelting furnaces, forging furnaces, and heat treatment furnaces." The guide thought carefully, "There are about four hundred."

"Has it always been this many?"

"Of course not," the guide chuckled, "At first, there were just a few. Gradually, more and more."

He then added, "But in the past thirty years—at least twenty-five, from my memory—the number of Forges hasn't increased."

"Why?"

"Why else," the guide said with a complex tone, "The guild no longer allows new Forge registrations."

"I see." Winters responded smoothly, smiling, "May I ask where we'll be touring next?"

...

Meanwhile, inside the arbitration hall, the Executive Committee still couldn't reach a consensus.

"You can't just think about eating meat, but also consider the risks!" someone urged earnestly, "Haven't you thought that they might turn against us? Even if they do keep their promises, so what? At most, they are just a faction of warlords in Paratu! If we hand over our skills and wealth, what if they lose the war and perish?"

"They don't want you to spend money or make efforts. All they need is for you to send people!" A voice shouted back at that moment, "They don't even need you to send people, just agree to let people go!"

The other retorted, "Sending people means sending people from Steelburg, right? From the blacksmith guild? Our ironworker brothers?"

The other voice sarcastically replied, "I'm sorry. Sorry I realized so late—apparently, you're so concerned about those ironworker brothers on your payroll at your workshop!"

Finally, old Schmid couldn't take it anymore and slammed the table: "Enough!"

Both sides stopped talking, and the arbitration hall fell silent for a brief moment.

The other voice held its breath for a while, then couldn't help it, stood up supporting the table, looked at the other Forge Masters, and gritted,

"I just want to tell you one thing—let go of your hypocritical morals! Don't you see? This is a risk-free, high-return deal for us! We don't have to give anything! All we need to do is agree to relax the guild oath restrictions, and we'll gain a huge industry for free—an industry that potentially rivals Steelburg's in the future!

You keep harping about risks, risks, risks! But why aren't you thinking about the gains? Think! Directly producing iron in Paratu! Selling to both sides of the war! It might even earn us more than we make in Steelburg! If you don't take any risks, how do you expect to get the juiciest cut?!"

That speaker looked coldly at the Executive Committee members present, paused for a moment, and said, "Even if all the ironworkers we send to Paratu die, at least we won't have to worry about paying their wages. Isn't that right?"

This bluntly truthful statement pierced into the darkest corner of each person's heart, leaving the other Forge Masters shivering in fear.

"Shut up!" Old Schmid slammed the long table, causing it to tremble violently, "What nonsense are you spouting?"

The other voice snorted, sat down, his expression unchanged.

After a long pause, someone quietly said, "In the past, when someone defected, the Executive Committee would offer a bounty to hunt them down. Now the Executive Committee wants to back those who break the guild oath. People won't stand for it."

The other's fury flared up again, "Back when the Oath Breakers took so many defectors, did any of you dare speak up? I was the first to suggest bounty on those traitors' heads—you all were so scared of the Oath Breakers that you didn't dare agree! But now you're clutching the guild oath and won't let go! Bah!"

Having torn through the facade, the other was not someone the rest present could contend with, and the person who had spoken was speechless and shut his mouth awkwardly.

Old Schmid, seeing this, looked helplessly towards the end of the long table, towards John Servette, who had not spoken: "Sir, would you say something?"

Servette was silent for a moment, then slowly stood up.

...

[Reception Room]

"Apologies." John Servette looked somewhat remorseful, nodding slightly to the Baron and his wife, "Could you give us one more day? Tomorrow, we will definitely provide you with a definitive answer."

Winters smiled and stood up to leave, "No problem."

Anna held onto Winters, sitting in her seat, persistently asking, "Can you tell me why you need an extra day?"

"This matter is too significant, and the Executive Committee cannot decide."

"Then who can?"

Servette pressed his lips together, "The entire group of Forge Masters."