Lord: My Shop Connects to Modern Times

Thinking of this, Lynn called over Leon, who was still sorting through the spoils of war.

"Leon, do you remember the cannon salutes used by His Majesty the King and the ministers and nobles during the celebrations in the capital?"

Leon had just leaned a bundle of captured spears against the corner of the wall when he heard this. He paused for a moment, then nodded. "I remember, sir. They're set off in the palace square every year during the harvest festival and the king's birthday."

Do you know what the propellant used in the salutes is?

"This subordinate doesn't know, but it seems to contain sulfur?" Leon recalled carefully, vaguely remembering that the salute cannons had a faint sulfur smell when they were used.

"Sulfur!" Lynn's eyes lit up.

Lynn tapped the table with his finger, his mind racing: "Leon, think carefully, besides the capital, in the southern region, such as Ironstone Castle or Earl Lehman's place, have you ever seen sulfur? It's a kind of yellow stone with a slightly smelly odor."

Leon frowned and pondered for a moment, then said uncertainly, "The items used in the celebration should all be rare objects transported from the capital or the eastern provinces. As for the yellow stones..."

He tried hard to recall what he had seen and heard during the march: "Many nobles would quarry that kind of stone to sell. It seems that it can be used to prevent moisture and decay in medicinal herbs and timber, and the effect is surprisingly good."

"There's something to buy? That's enough!" Lynn's heart leaped with joy.

There is a possibility that sulfur ore exists! This is probably the first of the three major raw materials for black powder to be solved.

Charcoal goes without saying, and while saltpeter is more troublesome, it's not impossible to obtain. If the source of sulfur can be secured, half of the biggest obstacle to gunpowder development will be removed.

"Very good." Lynn jotted down the words "sulfur - purchase" on the paper, then looked at Leon:

"I have two things to entrust to you for the next period of time. First, the defense cannot be relaxed. Your daily training and patrols will continue as usual, and the watchtowers at the four corners of the wall must be completed as soon as possible."

"Understood," Leon replied solemnly.

"Secondly, east of Grayrock Town, didn't Gem mention before that there are mines? Now that our territory has a large population and we have enough to eat and wear, we can let those former refugees go back to the abandoned mines to start mining again. You can discuss this with Gem."

"Yes, sir." Leon nodded and left to carry out the order.

Mining was something Lynn had been thinking about for a long time, but in the past, there wasn't enough manpower, especially young and able-bodied men, which delayed its implementation.

But now the territory has more than a hundred people. Apart from the militia and hunting teams, the other able-bodied men are busy in the fields or go out hunting for food on their own, which is a great waste of labor.

Lynn knew very well that the shift from agriculture to industry was an inevitable process, and now was the perfect time to take that step.

And most importantly, Lynn is running out of money; the Dawn Coins he brought are almost gone.

This is an inevitable result of increased productivity; sooner or later, his own personal coffers will be unable to support the trade cycle of his territory.

He urgently needs money, and the mining trade is a good option.

After thinking for a moment, Lynn called Liya over.

When the half-elf girl was summoned, she still had a lingering smile on her face, and her amber eyes sparkled under the oil lamplight, clearly indicating that she was in a good mood.

But seeing the paper and pen spread out on Lynn's desk and her serious expression, she also lost her relaxed demeanor and straightened up.

"My lord, you wanted to see me?"

"Sit down." Lynn gestured to a chair, his gaze lingering on her face for a moment. "You seem to be in a good mood?"

Lia sat down, nodded, and made no attempt to hide her feelings: "Seeing that noble bastard get beaten to a pulp did make me quite happy."

At this point, Lia seemed to remember that the person in front of her was also a noble, and hurriedly said, "Ah! I wasn't talking about you! Lord! You're a good noble! Yes! A good noble..."

Lynn watched her flustered attempt to cover up her mistake, a slight smile playing on his lips, and didn't hold her slip of the tongue against her.

The fact that Lia sometimes relaxes and even speaks her mind a little "unrestrained" in front of him shows that her inner guard is loosening, which is a good thing.

"Alright, I know you're not insulting me." Lynn waved her hand and got down to business: "I called you here because there's something important I need your help with. I might have to go back to your 'hometown' area."

"Hometown?" Leah's smile faded slightly, a hint of instinctive wariness and gloom flashing in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by curiosity: "Ironstone Fortress? My lord, you mean...?"

"Gavin got a beating and ran away. But he might have someone backing him. We need to know what they're planning to do next and be prepared." Lynn pointed to the makeshift map on the table with a charcoal pencil.

"I need someone to go and check out the area around Ironstone Keep, to listen to what's going on. No need to go into the city, just stay on the outskirts and see how tight the defenses are, if there are any new troops or strange people coming and going. You're a half-elf, and you're familiar with the terrain and the way the nobles behave there, so you're the most suitable candidate."

Lia listened quietly, her fingers unconsciously curling slightly.

Ironstone Fortress... all that remained in her memory was endless darkness.

But she also knew that if Grayrock Town fell, her fate would only be worse. Moreover, Lynn used the word "help," he was discussing it with her, not giving her an order.

"It is my pleasure to serve you, my lord."

She looked up, her amber eyes blinking with a hint of mischief and sincerity: "Didn't you say you'd treat Grayrock Town as your new home? Now that your new home needs me, I should do my part."

"When do we depart? What should I be aware of?"

"Let's leave tomorrow evening when the sky changes color, so we won't be easily spotted." Seeing that she agreed, Lynn got up and walked to the corner of the room, where several inconspicuous packages were placed.

As he opened it, he said, "It's dangerous over there, after all. The equipment of ordinary hunters in Grayrock Town probably won't be enough. I've prepared some things for you..."

He first took out a folded dark-colored hooded cloak, the material of which was supple and slightly cool to the touch: "This dark color is good for hiding at night and in the woods, and it also protects against the wind."

Next came a pair of soft-soled ankle boots with a unique sole pattern, and a set of close-fitting dark clothes with reinforced key areas.

Finally, there was a leather waist pouch containing several small bottles, each containing powdered medicine, menthol powder, a roll of thin rope, a few small hooks, some high-energy dry rations, and a retractable brass monocular telescope.

These pieces of equipment were redeemed by Lynn using public opinion points, costing 850 points. The design focuses on improvements in materials, optics, and practical details, making them appear natural and unobtrusive.

Lia took the items one by one and hugged them tightly.

She could sense that everything exuded an extreme sense of practicality and refinement, especially the item called a telescope. She curiously stretched it out for a glance, and the gaps in the brickwork in the distance became instantly clear, making her click her tongue in amazement.

Holding these heavy pieces of equipment in her arms, which clearly showed that she had put a lot of thought into them, Lia lowered her head, a few strands of light golden hair hanging down.

She remembered the equal treatment she received when she first arrived, the enthusiasm and energy of the people, and Lynn's unwavering trust and protection of her...

Staring at the equipment, she moved her lips slightly, her voice barely audible, almost inaudible to herself:

"Th-thank you..."

"Huh? What did you say?" Lynn didn't hear clearly and leaned down to ask.

Like a startled deer, Leah jerked her head up, her face instantly regaining its usual playful and nonchalant smile, so quickly it was as if the whisper from just moments before had been an illusion:

"Ah? It's nothing, it's nothing! I mean... this stuff is really good! Lord, you can rest assured!"

Before she finished speaking, she had already turned around like a gentle breeze, nimbly walked around the chair, and disappeared without a trace, leaving only the words "I'm leaving!" The door closed softly behind her.

Lynn looked at the still slightly swaying door, shook his head, but a hint of a smile appeared in his eyes. This guy…