Chapter 337. Shortcut to Hegemony (3)
The Pantara Mountains in the southwestern part of the kingdom.
It was a natural barrier that could never be crossed.
The sheer cliffs were lined up in layers.
The mountain slope was too steep.
Even the climate was harsh.
Bad weather in alpine, often rapidly changing.
A cold blizzard raged from time to time.
But even so, it was a wasteful place to just leave it.
What if we developed a trade route that could cross that mountain range?
So what if you could trade directly across the mountain range without bypassing it?
I’m sure there will be huge benefits.
The position of the kingdom would rise vertically.
All the previous kings of the Magentano family had the same thought.
So, the royal family made countless efforts to open a road to the mountain range.
A total of nine kings attempted construction.
So all 9 times failed.
The reason was clear and simple.
‘Because there were so many technical difficulties. With the civil engineering skills possessed by the royal family’s engineers, the only way to try it was to make a sword.’
King Alicia Terrmina Magentano bit her lip.
glass too.
It was the art of making a road on a rugged cliff.
First, dig a hole to insert the stake into the cliff slope.
put a stake
Lay the planks on top of the stakes.
repeat the action over and over again.
Eventually, a boardwalk supported by stakes along the cliffs emerges.
That was Zando.
‘But there were too many downsides to that Zando.’
The king recalled the 9 previous kings who attempted to build the Pantara Mountains.
I remembered why they failed.
‘I was able to force myself to make a jando. but i couldn’t keep it Planks and stakes? The process of getting wet and freezing and thawing in bad weather was repeated, and within two years it all rotted and crumbled.’
That’s how quickly durability fell to hell.
no matter how you manage
After two years, the road became unbearable.
In addition, the structural limitations of Zando itself also hindered the attempts of the ancestors.
‘Narrow. The path was made of planks on a cliff, so it was barely enough for one person to pass through. So, even if the road was opened, many people and goods could not be moved at once. It was also not uncommon for the sword itself to collapse while trying to forcefully move a lot of luggage.’
And that wasn’t all.
Once in Zando, it became impossible to return by another way, whether for people or goods.
Even going back was not easily allowed.
It was because the road was too narrow, one side was a cliff, and the other side was a precipice and air.
‘So it wasn’t suitable for use as a trade route. It was a failing grade.’
So some former kings made more daring attempts.
‘I tried to make the cup itself big and strong and wide using steel. But it failed. Materials are also large and heavy. There was no way to get it through bad weather to the site. Hundreds of workers perished in just two months of trying. At the end, the construction was stopped.’
That was during the time of King Seonjong of the Jeonjeondae.
after the suspension of construction at that time.
The Magentano family had temporarily abandoned the construction of the Pantara Mountains trade route.
This was the reason why it was concluded that it was a construction that could not be succeeded with current technology.
‘But what? By narrow gauge railway? Loop-type tracks and switchback systems?’
King Alicia was out of her thoughts.
narrow gauge railway.
Looped track and switchback system.
All of these terms were unfamiliar to me.
Naturally, her gaze toward Lloyd became severe.
Her grip on Lloyd’s nape was even stronger.
“Tell me in more detail.”
Wood deok!
“…Geek!”
A pig-picking sound came out of Lloyd’s mouth.
He looked at the king with a look of resentment.
He wriggled and pointed at his neck.
I’m going to choke to death.
How would you say something like this?
It was a gesture of strong protest.
Only then did the king, realizing his mistake (?), hesitated.
It loosened the grip slightly.
Immediately after that, Lloyd moved instead of answering.
With one hand, he released the king’s grip.
The shovel in his other hand pushed away the king’s wooden sword.
Kaga gagak-!
The auras repelled each other, scattering sparks and noise.
In the meantime, Lloyd’s reflections mixed in.
“Do you want a detailed explanation of the technique I just taught you?”
“Of course it is.”
“I’m sorry, but that seems difficult.”
“Are you in trouble? You mean you don’t want to explain what a loop trajectory and switchback system are?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“How?”
“Because it is a trade secret.”
“….”
Kakak! Two quack! Kwajik!
The King’s sword attack became ferocious in an instant.
Lloyd managed to hold on and continued to answer.
“…That geuik ek! Kut! I’m really here apologize…Good! I don’t think so, but the moment I tell you about that technique in detail, your Highness might reject my proposal.”
“Do you really think that I will start the project on my own after hearing the construction secret?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“….”
Kwak! Tuck! Tuck!
The King’s sword attack became more brutal.
However, Lloyd did not push back more than before and managed to endure it.
At the same time, a bitter smile lingered on his lips.
‘It’s true. I can’t tell you the details of the technique. I don’t think the king’s sister would do such a crap thing as stealing technology from me, but I still don’t know people’s business.’
He and the King are neither blood relatives nor friends.
It is not a relationship of unconditional favor.
It is only a cooperative relationship partner whose interests are aligned.
‘So no matter how friendly you become, you have to keep the line. Eyy, if we do something like this between us without a line, we’ll end up dirty with each other.’
What to keep strictly.
Each other’s benefits and rights are certain.
You have to distinguish, make a distinction, and keep a distance.
That was the reason why Lloyd did not tell the king the secret of the new technique.
It was also the reason why the Pantara Mountains had not been proposed to build a trade route until now.
‘Actually, I’ve been thinking about it before, but there hasn’t been any reason to do this construction until now.’
Opening of trade routes in the Pantara Mountains.
In fact, it was also a long-cherished wish of the Magentano royal family.
It was also mentioned three or four times in the novel Iron Blooded Knight.
So, he himself was aware of the necessity of the project from a very long time ago.
But nothing was said or suggested.
Because I didn’t feel the need to do it.
‘of course. Because this is a great card. It’s a good card the longer you keep it. Because I thought it was a card that could draw a lot of profit and negotiations against the king’s sister someday.
So I’ve been holding on tight until now.
So today, it was used as a negotiation card to obtain the royal family’s new item, the Eye of Summer.
‘Besides, this project has plenty of potential. you can do it. Because there was a similar case on Earth.’
Lloyd suddenly remembered the project he had proposed to build a narrow-gauge railway in a mountainous area.
There was a similar case on Earth.
It was India’s ‘Darjeeling Himalayan Railway’.
‘Was it in the 1870s? At the time, Britain was colonizing India. But what about England? it’s not tea Wherever the people of this tea country go, whenever they see a town suitable for growing tea, there is a particular trait that catches their attention.’
By the way, the province of Darjeeling in northern India caught the attention of the British people.
The altitude is about 2100 meters.
A neighborhood in the tropical highlands.
It was just such a point where the warm air from the Bay of Bengal meets the Himalayas.
Thanks to this, there used to be a huge fog all year round.
In addition, it has the characteristics of highlands with a large temperature difference between day and night.
It was a very suitable condition for growing high-quality black tea.
‘So I set my eyes on Darjeeling, which was barren at the time. I figured it out. Oh, if you make a tea field there and run thousands of workers, money will be made. To do so, a large amount of supplies and black tea would need to be transported. But is the terrain rough? I mean.’
So, what about the tea soup people?
A mountain railway was laid instead of the existing carriage road, which took 5 to 6 days only one way.
safety.
Bulk in one queue.
The construction was carried out so that materials and manpower could be transported in regular packages.
‘The rail line was about 50 miles long. Winding into the mountains. It’s not just a railroad, but a railroad with an unconventionally narrow gauge.’
Gauge refers to the distance between the two rails of a railroad track.
What about Korea?
The world standard gauge of 1.435 meters is used as it is.
All of the KTX Saemaeul trains running on numerous railroad tracks in Korea were made to run on such a standard gauge with an interval of 1.435 meters.
But what about the narrow gauge gauge the British built in Darjeeling?
It was only 61 cm!
‘Because I had to pass through rugged and steep mountains. But what if you want to lay a wide track like the existing standard gauge? The size of the construction increases and the size of the train also increases. That’s how dangerous and difficult it is to overcome the rough terrain. So I reduced both the gauge and the size of the train. As compact as possible on the line that does not interfere with material transportation.’
To that, British civil engineers added two ideas.
It was a loop-type track and switchback system.
‘Thanks to that, I was able to lay railroad tracks on steep terrain with almost no tunnels. Why don’t you build a tunnel? The construction period was also significantly shortened. With a reasonable and cost-effective investment, we were able to complete a usable supply transport route.’
The result was the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway.
Lloyd was thinking of laying such a railroad in the Pantara Mountains as well.
‘Enough is possible. I can succeed.’
I had that certainty.
It was thanks to the early completion of the data research.
‘Just in case, I also referred to the construction records of the Magentano family. Thanks to this, the fact that the actual core section of the Pantara Mountains that needs to be laid is about 60 kilometers long, and which section has the most extreme and steep slope. Because I was able to get a general understanding.’
Lloyd built on that certainty and confidence.
With the determination that the secret prepared in this way cannot be handed over for free.
With the tenacity of not wanting to disclose it for nothing.
He answered the king’s question.
“Anyway, I’m really sorry, but this is my trade secret and technical secret. So, please, Your Highness, choose me.”
“Are you asking me to choose whether to accept your offer?”
“It is, Your Highness. It is because the House of Nobility will call me.”
“I guess so. Because of the revelation that came down this time.”
“As expected.”
Also, the king is quick-witted.
Even without explaining it in detail.
It’s because I know what this side’s intentions are.
This is why I feel comfortable talking to this sister.
Lloyd smiled and said.
“I am anticipating that within three or three days, the aristocratic house will send me a request for admission. As Your Highness said, it must be because of the revelation.”
“I will. I will call you, hold a hearing, and ask you various questions. Those in favor of revelation will try to prove the legitimacy of the revelation through your testimony, and those who oppose it will try to prove the unfairness of the revelation by finding loopholes in your testimony and attitude.”
“Yes, it is.”
“If you do, if Jim is willing to accept your offer, then make a decision on the spot and ask for an answer with action. Is that what you mean?”
“As expected, Your Highness.”
“Will you give Jim time to think?”
“I don’t know what to do with you accepting me like that.”
“What are you going to do? It’s very clear that he’s trying hard not to get hit even once.”
“….”
bang! Kakakakakang!
It’s not that it’s not, but I’m having a hard time explaining and talking with my mouth.
It was Lloyd who was bodily dancing the blues to somehow not get hit by the king’s sister.
The king laughed at Lloyd’s appearance.
“…Got it. If you do, sparring will stop at this point.”
Quaang-!
“…Cuckoo!”
Is it a blow to decorate (?) the end?
The king’s wooden sword shattered the space with force like a mountain.
Lloyd, who managed to block the blow, was pushed back about 10 meters.
But there was a satisfied smile on his lips.
“Whoop whoop! Indeed, Seong-eun is embarrassed.”
“The foreplay is really bad.”
“….”
“I understand your meaning. If you say, I will see you again the day you go to school at the request of the nobles.”
“If you come, my proposal is….”
“I will think about it until then.”
“Your surname is indescribable, Your Highness.”
“If you keep looking for that castle you don’t even know where it is, I think you’ll be told to fight again?”
“The time is ambitious, so I’m leaving quickly, Your Highness.”
“That’s it.”
Could it be because of this warning (?)?
Lloyd quickly bowed and backed off.
I quickly went out of the training ground, wondering if I was going to get caught again.
From then on, the king was alone.
Standing in the center of the training ground left alone.
He chewed on Lloyd’s suggestion he had just heard.
It was an attractive proposition.
It was definitely a profitable offer.
On the one hand, it was also a proposal that made me laugh out loud.
‘A really strange and funny person.’
Lloyd Frontera.
The more I think about it, the more I laugh.
Because he is such a strange and unexpected person.
On the one hand, he seems to be a much more wonderful person than I thought.
“…I didn’t expect you to be close to me already.”
King Alicia looked back at the exit from the training ground with a meaningful smile.
The sparring with Lloyd, which seemed relaxed throughout.
Contrary to what it looked like.
Her hand holding the wooden sword was trembling slightly from the muscle pain she hadn’t experienced in a long time.
