Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World

TL: Etude

Kevin, burdened with a large pile of scrolls, made his way up the stairs awkwardly. His vision obscured by the scrolls, he carefully felt for each step with his feet, climbing slowly.

After reaching the top of the stairs, he walked along the corridor to a door at the end.

“Teacher, I’ve brought the scrolls for you.”

A robust voice of an old man came from inside: “Oh, Kevin, you’ve worked hard.”

“I’ll open the door for you,” another voice chimed in, belonging to senior student Mond.

The door opened, revealing Mond’s shiny forehead. “Come in, put them over here.”

Kevin, still holding the scrolls, carefully placed them on the table Mond had pointed to.

“Teacher, senior, is there anything else?”

David Aldridge, the teacher, stroked his long, white beard with a smile, saying, “No, nothing else. Just sit here and rest for a bit. You’ll accompany Mond and I on an outing later.”

“Yes, Teacher.” Kevin’s eyes sparkled with excitement at the mention of going out. He felt no need for rest and was ready to leave immediately. However, suspecting that his teacher and senior might not be ready yet, he happily stood by the window. Mond soon ushered him to sit in a nearby chair.

Kevin had been in the Gabella Empire for some time now and felt that every day since leaving Northwest Bay had been filled with wonders.

After leaving his parents in the salt village, Mond had taken him westward, passing through the northeastern territories of the Kingdom of Ordo, traversing the Nerodan Corridor, then heading south along the Sunset Mountain Range into the Gabella Empire.

Leaving the Nerodan Valley, Kevin was initially very worried. This was the edge of the great plains, and he feared being captured by orcs and turned into food — a common scare tactic used by adults in his village to discipline unruly children. Growing up in Northwest Bay, everyone feared the fierce reputation of the orcs.

Mond laughed off his concerns, “Don’t worry, orcs, although different in appearance from humans, are civilized and don’t eat people. They do raid human territories, but they don’t rob merchants or travelers passing through their lands. The plains are resource-scarce, and scaring away traders would be counterproductive.”

“In the end, they are quite similar to humans. Human nations often wage war against each other, too. The difference is that orcs are candid about their intentions to plunder, while humans usually concoct noble excuses — although most of the time, it’s also about plundering.”

Hearing this, Kevin’s mind was put at ease.

Throughout his journey, Kevin’s understanding of the world was constantly being renewed. Upon passing through Center City, he had seen the largest city in Northwest Bay as described by his parents. He thought that the capitals of Ordo and Gabella would be similar in size. However, upon entering Gabella’s territory, he encountered several cities larger than Center City. The capital of Gabella was vast beyond his comprehension.

Endless streets, densely packed buildings, and bustling crowds — every aspect of this city left him in awe. Excitement and a sense of inferiority tangled in his heart, thinking about his future life and studies in such a place.

Mond took him to the Scholar’s Tower. The Scholar’s Tower was not just a single tower but a complex of academic buildings, providing a quiet environment for scholars to live and study.

The Scholar’s Tower in a narrower sense was a white tower standing in the middle of this area, also a vast library housing various precious documents and rare books. Some say that the most valuable place in Gabella is not the royal treasury but this ancient white tower — a sentiment widely accepted by the people.

Arriving here, Kevin met the revered elder — David Aldridge, the scholar who had sent Mond to fetch him from Northwest Bay, sparing him from prison. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Kevin knelt upon meeting him, only to be reprimanded by his new mentor, who insisted that he should never kneel to anyone while with him, not even to the Emperor of Gabella.

“Do scholars all have such pride?” Kevin wondered, filled with admiration and reverence, especially for the elder before him.

Settling in at the Scholar’s Tower, his first task was to learn the language of Gabella. Mond had already taught him some everyday phrases on the way, but to truly integrate into life here, he needed to study hard. Kevin was naturally gifted in languages, and with similarities between the languages of Ordo and Gabella, he quickly learned to go out, make purchases, and ask for directions.

Sitting in the chair, Kevin watched his mentor and senior discussing a letter, seemingly with no intention of leaving.

Then, a knock on the door was heard, and someone outside said, ”

Scholar Aldridge, the carriage is ready.”

So, they were waiting for the carriage. Eager, Kevin stood up immediately.

“Good, Mond, Kevin, let’s go.”

Aldridge, stroking his long beard, picked up a wooden staff and stepped out, followed closely by Mond and Kevin.

They boarded the carriage, and the coachman gently flicked the reins, moving at a steady pace. The roads around the Scholar’s Tower, paved with smooth stone slabs, made the ride comfortable.

After a while, curious, Kevin asked in Gabella’s language, “Teacher, where are we going?” He tried to practice the language whenever he could.

Aldridge looked at Kevin approvingly, pleased with his student’s clear pronunciation. He thought of the little princess from Ordo, another of his students with a natural flair for languages.

The old scholar cheerfully replied, “We’re going to the palace to discuss some matters with His Majesty.”

Kevin was astonished: “The palace? The Emperor?”

Before coming to Gabella, the highest-ranking person he had ever seen was Count Paul Grayman of Alda. Now, he was suddenly going to meet the Emperor of an Empire.

Kevin knew that a count, though a noble of considerable rank, was below a marquis, who in turn was below a duke, and above them were grand dukes, with kings at the top. The Emperor of Gabella, theoretically, was even a half step above a king — the title of king was secular, while emperor carried a sacred connotation.

The person he was about to meet was worlds apart from his former lord.

“Teacher, I… I…” Kevin stammered, feeling uneasy.

“Hahaha, don’t be nervous. I’ll take you there often, you’ll get used to it… Oh, we’re almost there.”

Aldridge reassured him, as casual as if visiting a neighbor.

And so, Kevin, with a heart full of apprehension, rode towards the heavily guarded gates of the imperial palace.

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