CHAPTER 462: CHAPTER 440 HORN: ROUGH!

Across vast brown-black fields, lush hills stretch farther and farther, rising until they transform into towering mountains across the horizon.

Standing where Horn is, facing those mountains, behind them lies the birthplace of the Pope Country—Daze Village.

Currently, the river flowing through Joan of Arc Castle originates from the Ibe River, requiring canals and several tributaries to merge into the Nao’an River.

If the new river project in Daze Village succeeds, it will allow a direct downstream flow from Autumn Dusk Island to Rapids City.

Of course, given the significant difference in elevation from the lakes of Daze Village to the plains, it surely involves traversing mountain rivers, and possibly small waterfalls, making upstream navigation challenging.

But as long as there is this one-way river route, it would be a huge benefit for the isolated Daze Village.

Because the wool from the northern Shattered Stone Plain can easily travel overland from North Mande County and Shangruifo County to the Autumn Dusk Island transit station, then flow downstream to Rapids City and Joan of Arc Castle.

The thriving dye industry in Rapids City can process these raw materials into dyed fabrics, elevating their prices significantly.

If they can also be made into garments, the price leaps two more steps, relying on the dyeing and textile light industry.

These products, produced efficiently by star-forged gears and centralized workshops, can flow downstream along the Nao’an River, directly entering the Land of Gold, exchanged for pounds of gold to be shipped back.

The Salvation Army, whether exporting to Falan in the southwest or to Norn in the northeast, can earn substantial funds in return.

Once this money starts rolling in, even if Horn wants to forcibly halt industrialization, it would be impossible.

But those are too distant, so Horn turned his attention back to the present.

On the grassland not far away, Catherine and Jeanne were testing spells, focusing on their control and precision over spells.

Lightning rumbled like a storm within the hollow surrounded by hills, while the flying blood-sucking vines crazily tore at the ground.

The sweating soldiers in black carefully released wild boars, rabbits, chickens, ducks, and mice at intervals.

For some reason, Catherine was polite to Jeanne initially, but once in the testing field, their nerves misfired, suddenly becoming aggressive.

When Catherine cast one spell, Jeanne would cast two.

When Jeanne cast two spells, Catherine would cast four.

For a time in the current spell testing ground, flying blood-sucking vines and scattered electric snakes were everywhere, the grandiose overflow of mana making some sensitive Holy Gunmen gag.

It’s known that witches have quite resilient souls, not needing to keep distance like wizards or followers when casting spells.

The tugging mana and spell aftermath, ordinary people might not feel, but to the Blessed, it’s like a dog hearing high-frequency sound waves.

Watching wild boars and mice getting torn apart and charred into a mess of blood and viscera, Horn stepped back two paces, fearing the blood splatter.

Catherine’s spell has been tested for three days, with Horn leaving early and returning late each day, finally summarizing her plant spells.

In general, Catherine’s spell controls and accelerates plant growth.

But as seen from the experiments, the acceleration is an act of forcibly injecting mana to enhance vitality.

Once mana is exhausted, the plants grow forcibly with wither quickly once the remaining mana is depleted.

Catherine usually controls plant growth to the flowering or seedling stage, but if needed, she can accelerate directly to the fruition stage.

Horn tried having her grow an apple tree; though it withers quickly once the mana is withdrawn, the resulting fruit is edible.

The remaining apple seeds can also be replanted without affecting Catherine’s continued use of mana to regrow.

This indicates it’s best to use this spell on annual plants, avoiding use on fruit trees that sustain fruiting.

Another limitation is the range and mana; Catherine can perform the spell on a maximum of ten acres in a day, without continuous use, and no continuous spell on the same land, performing at most on two hundred acres in a month.

Thus, Catherine mostly uses it on crops of high economic value, like annual spice herbs and precious dye crops.

Catherine swept the dye market in Rapids City with massive quantities of precious dyes.

Take the safflower as an example, a quite delicate dye crop usually planted by the pot, Catherine managed a year’s yield for an entire county.

Of course, this method seems wasteful to Horn, as he believes the spell should be used for breeding instead.

While contemplating Catherine’s issue, footsteps approached from behind.

"Your Eminence." René’s cold voice emerged from behind.

Horn turned helplessly, looking at René’s numb, tranquil face, who rarely smiled even in front of Horn.

This was to maintain authority, preventing subordinates from thinking him a child and attempting to bully or deceive, though for those without foresight, René had the strength and means.

But it’s a hassle to repeatedly establish authority, and René isn’t one to easily bond with others.

It’s laughable, René is only thirteen this year, yet as tall as Horn already, still a young boy.

But this young boy can manipulate many adults at will.

In the early Salvation Army’s Child Soldiers, René was most outstanding, excelling faster in knowledge once his nutrition was adequate, surpassing Horn’s expectations.

However, as his knowledge sharpened, his expression grew less human; currently, the only ones perhaps seeing René smile are his peers Armand and Duvalon.

This is the only proof René is still a thirteen-year-old boy.

"What’s the situation?"

"We’ve received the latest intelligence, there are too many people here, it’s not the place to speak."

"Can you two take a break? I just need to leave for a bit." Horn cupped his hands to his mouth, shouting to the two Saintesses in the testing field.

"Go ahead."

"Great, just as I wished."

The words carried a hint of gunpowder, making Horn uncomfortable, asking the Salvation Army soldiers present to sound the alarm if anything occurred.

Only then, under the protection of the surrounding Salvation Army and the military police, did he follow René to the carriage area.

"Two matters." René said concisely once inside the carriage, "First, we’ve received reliable information that Prince Kongdai has withdrawn from High Castle but hasn’t taken the southern route, returning west to Feiliu Castle."

"That doesn’t seem like something he would do." Horn’s heart tightened upon hearing René, scratching his head, "Based on earlier news, he should stubbornly stay at High Castle City, preferring to wear down his troops in a fierce attack, right?"

"He hasn’t completely withdrawn, instead building new forts near High Castle City, stationing the Mercenary Corps and local Knights, stating ’using Shangruifo County’s Knights to guard Shangruifo County’s land,’ adopting a siege posture on High Castle without attacking actively."

"Could it be a ruse? To ambush us?"

"Impossible, it would require taking Ansen Castle or leading knights over mountains and forests, with their current route, both are impossible and would be detected early by us."

"We need to carefully deliberate this." Horn licked his lips, "Later, let’s convene the intelligence and cardinal staff to see what’s really happening. What’s the second matter?"

"A Falan merchant has come to see you."

"Huh?" Horn blinked, "Receiving a Falan merchant, isn’t that the Gospel Court’s job?"

"No, no, no, there’s a secret identity." René shook his head mechanically, "He brought the insignia of Falan’s Prime Minister Lorenzo and a handwritten letter from our old friend, Royal Constitution Knight Monte Yac."

"Lorenzo? Monte Yac? Are the Falans going to get involved in the Thousand River Valley uprising?" Leaning forward, Horn was about to inquire further when two heart-pounding bangs were heard.

"What’s happening?" Horn pushed the door open to look outside, only to be answered by the angry shouts of the two Witches.