Snowflakes drifted down in the early morning, blanketing Duval Castle in a quiet stillness.
Murphy strolled alone along the corridor, his mind filled with a thousand thoughts as he gazed out the window at his silver-clad domain.
For twenty years, in addition to his Cultivation, he had devoted himself to studying the laws of Nature. As a result, he had naturally developed ways to improve farm tools, optimize cultivation thods and textile techniques, and even refine slting technology.
Now that the domain was his, he could implent these thods more broadly.
However, he kept these changes within reasonable limits. After all, in a world filled with Unknown Powers, overly conspicuous innovations could invite disaster.
What worried Murphy most was the border war, which could break out at any mont now that thirty-one years had passed.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to expand his military; he simply lacked the ans.
The powerful ard force from the previous Baron’s era was sustained entirely by the rich profits from the Northern Trade Route.
Now that the trade route had been diverted, the domain’s inco had plumted. Even with heavier taxes, he couldn’t raise enough funds for the military, and besides, he was unwilling to increase the burden on his people.
’Perhaps it’s ti to consider bringing in the Church Court,’ Murphy thought to himself, watching the falling snow.
’Ultimately, I’m not a true mber of the Duval Clan. There’s no need to bet everything on the survival of this domain.’
’Future generations will have their own fortunes to make. Even if I truly achieve immortality through my Cultivation, am I supposed to watch over countless future generations of descendants forever?’
CREAK!
A door suddenly opened, interrupting Murphy’s thoughts.
Edgar and Miss Lawrence walked out of the room, one after the other. They were clearly stunned to see Murphy and hurriedly bowed.
"Lord Baron," they both said, their voices tense.
Murphy gave a slight nod, his calm gaze sweeping over them.
Edgar hesitated for a mont before asking tentatively, "My lord, may we leave?"
"Miss Lawrence may go," Murphy said, his voice devoid of emotion. "You stay."
Miss Lawrence glanced worriedly at Edgar, but ultimately curtsied and hurried away.
Once her footsteps had faded into the distance, Murphy finally spoke, his tone slow and deliberate. "Miss Lawrence seems quite devoted to you."
"My lord, I..." Edgar began, eager to explain.
Murphy raised a hand to stop him. "This is nothing new in aristocratic circles. It’s common for husbands and wives to seek comfort elsewhere, as long as they maintain a respectable facade." He paused, his tone still even. "But Aurora cannot afford you that kind of respectability. I hope you can understand."
"I understand. I completely understand," Edgar said, nodding repeatedly.
Murphy continued, "As compensation, you may let Miss Lawrence live in your room."
Edgar’s eyes widened in shock. "Lord Baron, is... is that really alright?"
As Aurora’s husband, he knew very well that he absolutely could not openly keep a mistress within the castle. It would undoubtedly cause Aurora to lose all face.
Murphy said coolly, "It is the compensation you deserve. If not for the Church Court’s strict divorce procedures, I would have helped you dissolve this marriage."
"No, please don’t divorce us!" Edgar said hastily.
"Why?" Murphy raised a slight eyebrow.
Steeling himself, Edgar explained, "My marriage to Lady Aurora has brought my family unprecedented status. Not only has our annual inco tripled, but my father is now the Sheriff, my younger brother holds an important position in the Guard Team, and my sister can marry into a better family. All of this... is because of this marriage."
He took a deep breath and continued, "Please rest assured, my lord. I will certainly give Lady Aurora the respect she is due. Miss Lawrence doesn’t need to live in the castle. We can find another place for her in town."
Murphy said flatly, "You’re a shrewd one."
Edgar gave an awkward laugh.
Murphy looked out the window. The snow was falling harder now, painting the distant mountains and nearby trees a pure white.
’In this world, everyone is scheming for their own survival.’
’If that’s the case, why should I worry so much about the future of this domain?’
’I’ll just do what I can and keep a clear conscience. That should be enough.’
Finally, Murphy said, "Go. Rember what you said today."
As if a great weight had been lifted, Edgar bowed and took his leave. His footsteps gradually faded down the empty corridor.
...
Inside the study, the fire in the hearth crackled, casting two silhouettes on the wall.
Bernard the steward stood at attention with his hands by his side, his posture as respectful as ever.
This trusted confidant, who had been heavily relied upon in the era of the Forr Lady Baron, now offered his complete loyalty to Miss Aurora and, naturally, to the brother she trusted most, Sylvan.
Murphy stood before the desk, and Bernard’s gaze was involuntarily drawn to the two peculiar chanical devices on its surface.
The smaller machine was ticulously crafted from brass and steel, its surface polished to a mirror shine.
Dozens of precision gears interlocked in neat arrays, and the edge of each gear was engraved with fine numbers.
When the handle was turned, the gear assembly emitted a soft CLICK.
The larger machine next to it was even more complex. In addition to the gear system, it was equipped with a punch-card reading device and a result output chanism. Its overall structure resembled a miniature factory.
"My lord, what are these?" Bernard couldn’t help but ask.
"This is a difference engine and an analytical engine." Murphy gently turned the handle of the difference engine, and the gears began to move in an orderly fashion. "They can automatically perform complex mathematical calculations. For example, tax statistics, population censuses, resource allocation—tasks that used to require dozens of people and several days of work can now be completed by one person operating these machines in just a few hours."
He pointed to the analytical engine. "This one is more advanced. It can take instructions via punch cards to automatically handle more complex logical operations. The domain’s financial budget, crop rotation plans, and even military deploynts can be optimized by it."
The more Bernard listened, the more shocked he beca. Although he didn’t fully understand everything, as the steward who managed the domain’s daily affairs, he knew all too well what increased efficiency ant.
"This is simply miraculous!" he exclaid involuntarily. "My lord, your inventions will completely change the way the domain is governed... "
But as he spoke, Bernard paused and asked cautiously, "My lord, what will beco of the surplus staff made redundant by this increased efficiency?"
Murphy’s gaze remained on the difference engine. His tone was flat. "The domain’s tax revenue is already insufficient. What’s the point of having so many people?"
His words struck Bernard like a bolt of lightning.
As the steward who personally handled all the domain’s affairs, he was more aware than anyone of the "coincidences" that had occurred over the years.
Officials who had once openly opposed the Forr Lady Baron’s policies would always die in an accident or from a sudden, severe illness a few months or years later.
After every incident, the power vacuum would be swiftly filled by the Forr Lady Baron.
Bernard had always assud this was the work of a secret force cultivated by the Forr Lady Baron.
After all, a widow who dared to stand against the entire domain was bound to have so hidden cards up her sleeve.
He had tried to sound out the Forr Lady Baron on the matter but had never received a clear answer.
Over ti, he had co to dismiss these suspicions as his own paranoia.
Only now, upon hearing the Lord Baron’s casual remark, did Bernard have a sudden epiphany.
’So that secret power has been in the Baron’s hands all along!’
’No wonder a young Sylvan dared to confront Kelvin and contend with Viscount Hans twenty years ago.’
Bernard’s mind raced.
’He rembered the Baron had traveled the South in his youth. Perhaps that was when he ca into contact with so mysterious organization.’
’There have always been rumors in aristocratic circles about certain secret societies, said to be manipulating the fate of the Kingdom from the shadows.’
’Could the Baron be a mber of one?’
’And these precision machines... could they also be a product of that organization, rather than the Baron’s own invention?’
At this thought, a chill ran down Bernard’s spine.
He hurriedly bowed low, his voice carrying a barely perceptible tremor. "My lord is wise and far-sighted; this old servant was overthinking things. Please rest assured, my lord. This old servant will do everything in his power to ensure these new machines are smoothly implented throughout the domain. I will handle anyone who obstructs these reforms appropriately."
Murphy raised an eyebrow slightly, a little surprised by Bernard’s rapid change in attitude.
He hadn’t needed to use a single word of the speech he had prepared to persuade him.
’It seems my earlier intimidation tactics made this cautious steward’s imagination run wild.’
He responded impassively, "It’s good that you understand. I’m giving you full responsibility for the implentation plan for these machines. Rember, efficiency is the top priority, but don’t forget about secrecy. If I hear anything about the difference engine or the analytical engine from the outside world..."
Bernard bowed deeply, fine beads of sweat forming on his temples. "I will obey my lord’s command. This old servant will not fail the trust you’ve placed in and will ensure everything proceeds smoothly."
Murphy watched Bernard leave the study. Only after the door clicked softly shut did he turn and walk toward the back of the room.
He moved a bookshelf aside, revealing a hidden tal door behind it.
With a faint chanical whir, the secret door slowly opened.
The center of the secret room was occupied by dozens of large tal cabinets.
The surfaces of the cabinets were covered with neatly arranged brass toggle switches, each accompanied by a small, round indicator light.
These lights flickered on and off, pulsing with a faint green glow.
A dense web of cables, like blood vessels, connected the various components.
Most striking of all was a huge, polished black steel panel, upon which were arrayed hundreds of pear-shaped glass tubes, their interiors pumped into a vacuum. Fine tal filants were faintly visible within, emitting a warm, orange-yellow glow.
This was the true fruit of Murphy’s twenty years of research.
A general-purpose computer based entirely on vacuum tube technology!
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