Magic Industrial Age.

Chapter 518, Section 516: The Fall of Gray Castle (Bonus Chapter 5)

An hour later, the Imperial Ambassador, Lord Robin Water, left, though he tried to suppress the smile on his face.

Even his steps were somewhat unsteady, as if he were drunk, completely lacking the composure and self-control expected of an envoy from a major power.

He also had to admit that being an envoy in the Flower Territory was a dangerous mission; one wrong move and he could be reprimanded by the cabinet, jeopardizing his career.
But when the surprise comes, it's a truly huge surprise!!!
Lord Robin could even foresee the uproar that would ensue within the Imperial Cabinet when he relayed the news back!

How excited those generals in the military must have been!
Who knows, this protracted war might be broken and a victor determined by the intervention of these magical tanks.

Just thinking about it made him tremble.

Just after Lord Robin Waters left, Roy's smile slowly faded, and he became serious, lowering his head and falling into deep thought.

Behind him, Oliveira emerged from the shadows, revealing his figure.

He opened his mouth as if to speak, but looking at Luo Yi's serious back, he couldn't utter a word several times.

Luo Yi spoke first: "Just say what you have to say. Hesitating isn't your style."

Oliveira finally said, "Your Excellency, didn't you say that the Flower Territory shouldn't get involved in this war?"

"If we were to actually lease tanks, I think the coalition high command would go crazy!"

"But I'm going to push them a little harder!"

Luo Yi’s voice was low, and her eyes gradually sharpened, like knives and swords: “Everyone thinks that since I, the Flower Territory, have developed the magic tank, I will definitely hold on to it and not let go, as if I am afraid that others will learn it.”

But I just don't care!

"Because, given the technological strength and size of the Habsburg Empire, it is only a matter of time before they develop similar weapons of war."

Rather than forcing them to find their own path and start a new race, it's better to let them continue along our route.

"Everyone thought that since the three leaders of the allied forces were making a move under the guise of a noble war, I could only swallow my anger and that taking down their three 10,000-strong legions would be my limit."

That's right, I can't personally take action, nor can I actively participate in the battle, but that doesn't mean I'll do nothing.

"When the magic tanks enter the battlefield, I'm curious to know what their expressions will be, and how they will react?"

After speaking, Luo Yi pondered for a moment, and finally nodded slowly: "It still comes down to this: in this era, only when we are strong enough can we make outsiders treat us with kindness."

"Therefore, even the three major powers of the coalition, the strongest nations in the Old World, have to pay a heavy price for taking action."

This is Luo Yi's idea. Everything must make it clear to everyone: the Flower Territory is not a place that anyone can mess with!
The Raymond family has always been powerful!
Only in this way can we truly reduce unnecessary trouble.

Often, things in this world are just that wondrous.

When you're easy to talk to, a nice guy, and kind to others, there will always be people who think you're weak and easy to bully.

But when you're baring your teeth and brandishing your claws, fierce and domineering, no one dares to waste words in front of you.

Bullying the weak and fearing the strong is an eternal truth!

……

There was no doubt that when Lord Robin Waters relayed the news, the Imperial Cabinet was in an uproar.

Although they had already passed a resolution and allocated personnel and resources to the project team when they were dominating the battlefield with their magic tanks, they had already established more than one project team.

Given enough time, they will surely achieve great things.

However, whether it's research and development, actual testing, building production lines, or training crew members, all of these require time.

But the empire is now fighting on multiple fronts, facing overwhelming odds, and the pressure is beyond imagination.

What they lack most is time!

However, what would happen if Flower Territory were willing to lease magic tanks, and if magic tanks were deployed to the battlefield now?

Just thinking about it excites these members of the Imperial Cabinet.

Therefore, just three days after the news was sent back, a large number of people had already secretly traveled from the Empire, mixed in with the sea transport.

They brought enough gold tills—not empty checks or Seven Gods Bank vouchers, but real gold—as upfront payment for the lease.

This is their sincerity!

However, the magic tanks of Flower Territory are still fighting abroad, and it will take time for them to be brought back.

But they weren't idle either.

A large number of elite magic gunners have been stationed in the Flower Territory's military camps, where they are learning the theory and practical operation of magic tanks under the guidance of instructors.

Production at Flower Territory has never stopped. In addition to those already in use, there are many new magic tanks that have become their training machines for hands-on practice.

This is also the most criticized aspect of the empire.

Luo Yi was willing to rent the magic tank, but the tank crew refused to rent it along with the tank!

In Loy's view, his soldiers could fight according to his will, but they should not simply risk their lives for money.

The Flower Territory can dispatch at most one observation and guidance team to the battlefield to provide guidance, oversee personnel training, and manage tank maintenance.

The magic tank is still a new weapon of war, and the Flower Territory is accumulating experience in this area. The Empire, of course, knows this, but still needs this guidance team.

So, they agreed very readily.

It is worth mentioning that some of the personnel dispatched by the Empire this time are professionals specializing in magical flying vehicles.

Upon their arrival, without a word, they immediately took over the construction and planning of the sixth industrial zone in the new Brussels. From now on, this will be the manufacturing and testing base for magical flying machines.

Loy mobilized many of the Flower Territory's top talents, led by the mechanical genius Nehemiah von Braun, with Hill Douglas in charge and participating, to form an aircraft breakthrough team, which participated in the subsequent technology transfer plan.

While all of the above was proceeding in full swing, everyone's attention turned to the battlefield.

The prerequisite for tank leasing is that all the magical tanks fighting abroad must return. Therefore, the Empire has shown far more enthusiasm for the Norman Civil War than before.

They even exerted pressure through imperial channels and influence.

As a result, the noble elders' council in Auxerre, which had been the most boisterous in the city, suddenly fell silent.

The dissenting voices have completely disappeared!
Under these circumstances, the advance speed of the Flower Territory Imperial Guard Legion is getting faster and faster!

……

Marquisate of Carlisle, Grey Castle.

This castle, built with the utmost care by the Carlisle family, is renowned for its fortification and has never fallen in war since its construction.

But today, even the steep mountain peaks hindered the advance of the magic tanks.
However, the well-positioned artillery positions, with their extremely long range, parabolic trajectories, and terrifying destructive power, made the castle extremely vulnerable.

The magical light shone like stars, and the six-sided rhomboid defensive fields interlocked to form a grand magical array that enveloped the entire castle.

As the core area of ​​the Marquisate, the protective strength of this defensive magic array goes without saying.

But when the cannonballs crashed down and exploded, bringing with them a deafening roar and a flurry of dust, the defenders inside the castle were terrified.

Marquis Carlyle, a cigar dangling from his lips, stood at the window of his study, gazing out.

His gaze seemed to be laced with poison, and his face was so gloomy it could drip water.

Is there really no other way?

"My lord, if there were truly a solution, we wouldn't have waited until now. Let's go! Let's leave!"

"Leave? Leave! Leave! Hahahaha..."

Marquis Carlisle's laughter was filled with sorrow and anger. He suddenly turned his head and stared intently at the pale knight behind him, demanding, "Where is the Grand Duke? Why isn't he here? Why isn't he here to see the fall of this marquisate?"

"That's right, he's a proud Grand Duke, why would he care about a small branch family?!"

"If you say that, you're really wronging the Grand Duke. He's in a difficult position too!"

"Difficult? What's difficult for him? He's sitting in the Grand Duke's castle, watching me lose territory. What's so difficult for him?"

"That's not true at all!"

The pale knight hesitated slightly before speaking again: "Have you thought about how this war should end?"

"How to end it? The three marquisates are gone, so it's over."

"It's not that simple! You need to understand that Flower Territory is not just a count's territory, but also a trading hub between the Allied Forces and the Empire, and the most important source of magical weapons."

Marquis Carlisle thought of an extremely unbelievable possibility. His eyes widened, and he said, "They...they don't want to continue the previous trade with the Flower Territory, do they?"

Isn't that just wishful thinking?

"If we pay a sufficient price, it won't be wishful thinking! But do you know who they want to carry out this mission?"

"Who? Uh, it can't be..."

Marquis Carlisle blurted out a question, but understood the next second, and then the expression on his face became a distorted mix of crying and laughing.

"The Grand Duke, he agreed?"

"Nope!"

"why not?"

"Because he was afraid that if he set foot on the land of the Flower Territory, he would be beaten to death by that bastard!"

"Hahaha!"

It turns out that when someone is feeling down, the best way to relieve it is to see someone who is even more miserable than themselves.

At this point, the Marquis of Carlisle felt much better.

He finally waved his hand and said, "Let's go! Let's go!"

In the Grey Castle square, a portal had been opened, and the family members of Marquis Carlisle, carrying gold and silver valuables, entered it one by one, dejected.

Much later, when Marquis Carlisle stepped in, the teleportation array collapsed, followed by the collapse of a large defensive magic array.

The cannonballs landed inside the castle, causing chaos and destruction, with people and horses falling and buildings collapsing.

Before long, the garrison raised white flags, and one after another, they came out of the castle and knelt down to surrender.

Meanwhile, the Royal Guard sent out an advance party, armed with magical weapons, to search the castle.

After ensuring safety, they planted the lion banner with flowers at the highest point of the castle.

Thus, the Carlisle family fled, Grey Castle fell, and one of the three marquesses was gone.

This was the marquessland that fell the fastest, but it wasn't the last.

PS: I was running around this morning looking at hotels to prepare for my baby's one-month celebration, which took up a lot of time. Otherwise, this chapter would have been faster!
(End of this chapter)