Chapter 240 However, the Earl had already seen through it

"This is my invention."

"Your invention?"

"Yes, a sunken ship was found off the coast of Flower Town, and some treasure was salvaged, including several pieces of crystal. I invited a crystal craftsman and a mage to carve crystal lamps for me. Then I discovered that when the crystals were ground into lenses and placed together, they could magnify one's vision."

The story was, of course, fabricated, but the Earl did not delve into its authenticity.

To him, how the telescope was invented was unimportant; what mattered was why it could see far and what other uses it had.

"No wonder many people say you have been favored by the glory of knighthood this past year," the Earl mused, stroking the wooden barrel of the telescope. "Can you recognize its value?"

"I think it can be used in war. If we can observe the enemy’s movements from a distance, it would be a great help."

"During a knightly charge, if equipped with a telescope, one could more quickly grasp the movements of the opposing knight squad and seize the most opportune moment for battle. Its value can be minimal, even negligible, in large-scale charges where it’s all about brute force; but it can also be immense."

The Earl, who had been charging into battles for years, knew this well: "In small-scale knightly engagements, mobility and flexibility are key. With a telescope, whether for ambush or counter-ambush, one can gain the upper hand... In yesterday’s battle simulation game, if I had a telescope, many of your ambush tactics would have been rendered ineffective."

Liszt nodded and added, "If I had used the telescope, I could have achieved even greater tactical success."

"Hmm, that’s true."

"So the value of the telescope can be significant. Giving it to you as a gift seems very appropriate."

"You’ve grown up." The Earl sighed again, his eyes filled with satisfaction, though he quickly composed himself. "The significance of the telescope is great, and its secrets must be protected, not to fall into the wrong hands!"

"So far, I am probably the only one who understands the inner workings of the telescope." Liszt suddenly remembered something. "Oh, right, the crystal craftsman Brad, if he is curious enough, should understand the principle of the telescope, after all, he ground the lenses."

"In that case, this crystal craftsman cannot be left unchecked."

"Would you consider giving him and his family to me? As for the principle of the telescope, I can present it to Tulip Castle immediately." Liszt thought on his feet. Whether the Brad family were free citizens or not was irrelevant; no one could defy the Earl’s wishes regarding who should go to Flower Town.

The Earl, of course, would not waste time on such a trivial matter: "I’ll have Jacob handle it later."

Jacob was the Earl’s estate advisor.

Pleased with the telescope, the Earl offered more benefits without waiting for Liszt to ask: "I heard you obtained three thousand pounds of iron ingots from Levis?" The Earl was well aware of the minor schemes between his sons, and speaking of them so openly was not without a hint of warning.

Because Levis and Liszt often excluded Lytton from their activities, such clear estrangement was a situation the Earl did not wish to see among his sons.

"Yes, I improved the fermentation process of ordinary wine to produce semi-finished spirits and hoped to collaborate with my brother in sales. The three thousand pounds of iron ingots were a token of my brother’s goodwill."

"Your ability to bring forward the technology for spirits shows that you are not only favored by the glory of knighthood but also possess a sense of the bigger picture and long-term planning. I have high hopes for your future. I will allocate another ten thousand pounds of iron ingots from the spoils of war as compensation for the telescope technology."

The Earl’s generosity was impressive!

Liszt was deeply moved: "Thank you, Father!"

As a rare resource, ten thousand pounds of iron could forge a considerable number of iron tools, which were extremely valuable. While most of the iron would likely be used for armor and weapons, for Liszt, iron was one of the foundational materials of industry, something wood could never replace.

Even with the fast-growing iron thornwood at his disposal.

After expressing his gratitude, Liszt called for a servant and brought five pieces of mithril ore into the study: "Father, this is one of the treasures I found in the sunken ship. I would like to exchange it for some gold coins, as the estate’s finances are strained."

"Mithril?" The Earl, of course, recognized the ore immediately. In fact, he had already equipped an elite Knight Squad with mithril armor. "These five pieces of mithril, when alloyed with iron, can forge about ten sets of mithril armor, which are very valuable."

He glanced at Liszt with a meaningful look.

Liszt met his gaze calmly, understanding the Earl’s meaning. Many good things had come from Flower Town, and the benefits from the sunken ship likely extended beyond these few pieces of mithril and the previously mentioned crystals. However, he also understood that the Earl would not take away his son’s private possessions.

"One piece of mithril ore for a hundred gold coins, how does that sound?"

"Of course, thank you for your generosity, Father."

"Five hundred gold coins can buy two thousand five hundred serfs, which is more than the population of Flower Town. Are you sure Flower Town can support such a number?" the Earl smiled.

Liszt felt a jolt in his heart.

The smile seemed even more meaningful than the earlier glance, as if the Earl had seen through everything. Under this smile, Liszt felt all his secrets laid bare. He had reason to suspect that, given the Earl’s control over Coral Island, finding out anything was not difficult.

"Does he already know about Black Horse Island?"

The thought flashed through his mind, but Liszt quickly suppressed it. Regardless of whether the Earl knew or not, he would act as if he did not. Cultivating a barren island was not a crime against gods or men. As long as the Earl did not know about the black-blooded horses, the discovery of Black Horse Island would be harmless.

At least for now, the Earl seemed unaware of the black-blooded horses. Otherwise, even as his own son, Liszt would not be spared from having the horses taken away.

Noble kinship meant little in the face of great profit.

Moreover, even if the Earl took the horses and compensated Liszt with some gold, it would not shake their father-son bond. Even without the Earl’s action, a bit of family pressure from Lady Penelope, Lady Mary, Lvera, and Levis could drown Liszt in their disapproval.

In fact, from a practical standpoint, offering the black-blooded horses to the Earl might not be a bad idea.

But Liszt could not bear to part with the herd. Once in the hands of the Tulip family, it might take years before he could get any for his own Knight Squad.

Suppressing his wandering thoughts, Liszt pretended not to notice the Earl’s deeper intentions: "The development plan for Flower Town differs slightly from traditional agricultural routes. I need a large population."