"Ding—"

The crisp sound of metal clashing echoed within the brick house.

Billowing white steam streamed over the window ledges, passing through the chimney and bellows to the outside.

The forge nestled on the grassy ground inhaled and exhaled white clouds like a mythical mist giant.

The foundry worker cautiously stirred the large vat, simultaneously adding Black Snake Bay Long Dike brand smelting potion.

On either side of the vat, two apprentices used wooden ladles to scoop out the top layer of liquid, leaving only the oil-like liquid at the bottom.

Golden potion oil enveloped the long, mercury-like iron rods.

"Lift the pot!" The foundry worker discarded the stirring rod, and the two apprentices hurriedly turned the handles.

The vat tilted, allowing the grease to flow out along the grooves first, sizzling as the oil trickled down.

Then, the apprentices picked up tongs, extracting five one-meter-long iron rods cloaked in white light from the bottom.

According to the Empire's metallurgists, the potion activated the metal, significantly enhancing its malleability.

But as per the Holy Alliance's metallurgists and alchemists, the potion refined the metal through alchemy, awakening its spiritual properties.

In other words, the white-hot metal wasn't under external force; it was performing "magic" itself.

Its essence was akin to bog ore.

And all the iron forging techniques in this world, to Horn, an outsider from another world, were cold forging.

Iron rods were laid on anvils one by one, and the apprentices swung hammers to hammer the thumb-thick rods into finger-thick iron sticks.

Every ten centimeters, they left a small bump measuring three to four centimeters.

A dwarf master approached, fearlessly pressing his eyes near the iron rod: "Good, much better than before. First through the vat, then cut quickly."

Like a nine-section whip, the iron sticks were reintroduced to the vat, then placed on the cutting block.

Under the inverted V-shaped bump, as a notch appeared at each bump, the white light dissipated, and a forceful snap turned it into finger-length semi-finished iron nails.

Next, it was the official blacksmiths' turn to forge the pointed end into nail points and the small bump into nail heads.

After wiping the sweat off their foreheads, the blacksmiths poured piles of square nails into wicker baskets.

Seeing the baskets filled beside the craftsmen, a helper casually rang a bell at the door.

Shortly after, an apprentice with a handcart appeared, placing the baskets into the wheelbarrow and heading towards another brick house not far away.

These newly made square nails inevitably had flaws and needed further filing and polishing with whetstones.

In front of the polishing workshop, the files emitted a harsh metallic twisting sound, while sparks flew from within the whetstones.

Dozens of apprentices were polishing metal components of various sizes, while on the other side, specific laborers used calipers, scales, and water basins for inspection. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Calipers checked dimensions, scales verified weight, and water basins assessed internal pores.

Baskets of square nails were passed in front of the quality control workers.

Quality products were passed to the left, while defective ones were swept into the baskets in front.

Everything was bustling; the metallurgical workshop at Ma Tou Town in Lower Reif County was like a collective organism.

Though composed of numerous parts, each part consisted of countless individuals.

Yet pieced together, it formed a whole, and its core was undoubtedly Factory Director Mr. Beville, who followed the dwarves' training.

Mr. Beville, from Red Mill Village, joined Saint Hammer Monastery during the Autumn Dusk Island training period.

After two years of forging with Rekado and others, he moved to the arsenal in Gray Furnace Town for another two years.

Although not top-tier in metalworking, his skills sufficed for overseeing the production of these metal components.

Though not part of the Local Monastery, the Factory Director was part of the Saint Hammer Monastery under the Imperial Cardinal Conference.

As the Factory Director of a Priest Town, Mr. Beville's status was equivalent to a "Monastic Leader."

This meant Mr. Beville ranked half a level above the Town Mayor and Wandering Cultivators of Ma Tou Town.

During Monastic Leader meetings, Mr. Beville could attend as a listener and receive a fifth of the workshop's profits as income.

Though selling low-end products like farming tools and square nails, monthly net profits ranged from 5 to 20 gold pounds.

Not to mention the rise in status; wherever he went, he was called "Mr. Beville."

Sometimes, Mr. Beville even daydreamed about having the title "Sir Beville" instead of "Mr. Beville."

As for the source of all this, Mr. Beville knew perfectly well in his heart.

The person who created all this stood right before him.

"Your Eminence, please look." Picking up a pitch-black square nail, the obsequious Mr. Beville bent over, not daring to stand taller than Saint's Grandson, "This square nail costs about 80 Dinars per thousand."

The Saint's Grandson, dressed in a short black monk's attire, picked up the square nail and examined it up and down: "How many do you produce a month?"

"A certified master craftsman with two apprentices and two helpers can forge fifty pieces in the morning and afternoon, totaling sixty thousand pieces a month."

Normally, under the original handcrafted workshop model, a blacksmith master with apprentices would produce at most 50 to 80 iron nails a day from start to finish.

But under Horn's guidance, the dwarves and a group of master blacksmiths deconstructed the production process of iron nails.

The process was divided into stages of varying technical skill levels, with the blacksmith masters only handling the high-skill sections.

The lower-skill sections were left to apprentices and helpers, while unskilled workers were hired temporarily as needed.

This immediately increased the daily output of iron nails by 25% to 100%.

Although areas like Joan of Arc Castle and ry Court Barracks have started implementing mortar construction, the majority of the Thousand River Valley, including Black Snake Bay, still primarily uses wooden houses.

A larger wooden house might need tens of thousands of iron nails.

Besides, the frontline also needs these square nails for producing chevaux-de-frise and fences.

"Thanks to your guidance, we have the income we do now." Compared to the past, Beville, having become literate, has made significant progress.

"Hey, Holy Father's guidance, individual performance."

Although the front lines are still at war, the construction at the rear cannot stop.

Entering 1449, it was supposed to be the start of the second four-year plan.

But currently, only Lower Reif County and Langsande County have started the plan, as several mountainous regions and Kasha County, being close to the front line, should maintain tranquility.

This second four-year plan seems simple; it transitions from the previous economic recovery to economic growth.

The growth point lies in the early-established Priest Towns.

Initially, people did not understand Horn and thought he was trying to create a prestige project to highlight the civilization of the Thousand River Valley.

In reality, these Priest Towns laid the foundation for resource concentration and factory production.

Take for instance the Village Monastery in Ma Tou Town, Deer Horn Town, where Horn currently resides. After investigation, the Monastic Leader found a considerable number of blacksmiths locally.

Thus, in the name of the "We Strive" movement, twenty blacksmiths were gathered to develop a small hardware industry.

This small hardware is characterized by the Thousand River Valley, including metal parts like hinges, door rings, and iron nails, as well as small tools such as pliers, saw blades, razors, scissors, and frying pans.

Ordinarily, these village blacksmiths would find it challenging to craft gears and cannon tubes.

But they excel at creating these civilian small fixtures and parts.

Moreover, under the factory system, the output significantly increased, allowing profit even with price reductions.

Besides this centralized factory production, there are also dispersed processing factories similar to those in the rural areas of South Mangde County.

When Horn formulated the plan at the beginning of the year, he had already discussed with the Priestly Order heads of various local monasteries.

During the second four-year plan period, all newly established factories would be tax-exempt for four years and would need to be self-sustaining.

However, the profit from factories and the number of jobs they create will serve as indicators for promotion within these four years.

A job well done would result in promotion; average work would warrant retention; poor performance would lead to reassignment to the yearbook writing, allowing others to take on the role.

A factory like Beville's, which specializes in one area and earns 10 gold pounds a month, has done quite well.

Locally, the Monastic Leader greets Beville warmly, addressing him as "old brother."

"Have the guilds caused any trouble during this period?"

Beville nodded repeatedly: "Yes, they showed up demanding a blockade and claimed we were contravening forging regulations."

"How did you resolve it?"

"Monastic Leader Winterkall used a crossstaff to discipline the head guild members.

Then, every night, he patrolled with his wolfhound, slept in the factory for a month, and wore down the hooligans hired by the guild."

Horn couldn't help but let out a laugh. No matter what the guilds tried, they didn't dare act against the Monastic Leader.

There had been instances in the past, such as when the carpenter guild in Black Wax Town secretly assassinated a Monastic Leader.

The Imperial Cardinal Conference was furious, sending Raphael with military police to investigate.

Eventually, the guild members protected one another, and after over two months, no culprit was apprehended nor evidence found.

In anger, Raphael sent the entire guild to Black Snake Bay.

The killer must have been among them.

Mentally noting down the name Winterkall, Horn exchanged a few courteous words with Beville before mounting his horse, departing with over thirty Holy Grail Knights.

After all, he was merely taking a stroll while the ship was resupplying; his ultimate goal was Shangruifo County.