Chapter 97: Ingenious Ideas

At this moment, Viola felt this piece was the most wonderful music in the world!

She stared at the Phonograph on the table, eyes fixed; she had originally thought the mechanical box looked odd and crude, but now it grew more pleasing, as if before her lay a rare treasure comparable to Legend Grade equipment!

Viola thought of many things, her eyes brightened further, and her expression grew excited.

She carefully observed the oddity, trying to discern its sound‑producing principle.

Unfortunately her knowledge of mechanics was limited; although she guessed the real secret lay inside the wooden box and could be revealed by opening it, the music kept playing, and forcing a stop might damage it.

The piece "Viola by the Lake" finished, the black disc still spun, and the speaker emitted a rustling sound.

Viola gazed at the still‑spinning record, filled with boundless wonder.

Lei En lifted the needle, smiling, and asked, "Want to listen again?"

Viola quickly nodded, then shook her head, and eagerly asked, "Lei En, tell me quickly, how does this Phonograph work? Does it contain an Echo Crystal?"

"Of course not; the Phonograph is a purely mechanical device, with no relation to magic," Lei En said, removing the record, opening the Phonograph's wooden base, and displaying its internal mechanism.

The Phonograph's interior is not complex: a turntable shaft connects to a spring box, along with drive gears, a speed‑adjusting disc, a flyball, and the exposed tonearm and needle, appearing straightforward and not requiring advanced mechanical knowledge.

Yet, the simpler something is, the harder it can be to understand.

Ai Lun E Si lives in a world saturated with magical energy; whether machinery or other technologies, once they reach a certain level they inevitably intersect with magic and become combined with magical applications.

This creates a mental bias: the best things are always thought to be linked to magic.

For a wondrous artifact like the Phonograph, people instantly associate it with an Echo Crystal, finding it hard to believe it is purely mechanical.

Viola is the same; as she examined the Phonograph's structure, she became even more puzzled.

Without an Echo Crystal or any magical use, how does Lei En preserve the music and then play it back?

The Half‑elf's eyes fixed on Lei En, her face full of question marks.

Lei En was momentarily at a loss for explanation; after a brief pause he picked up the vinyl record and said, "Actually the Phonograph's principle is simple: all the secret lies on this disc. Look closely; it's not smooth, but covered with fine grooves. Those grooves are the traces left by sound—though they lack magic, they function like an Echo Crystal."

To create this vinyl record, Lei En expended great effort.

He spent several hundred Gold Shields merely searching for substitute materials, testing repeatedly, and only yesterday obtained this finished piece.

Then he bought an Echo Crystal, played music on a keyed organ, recorded it, and took it to the workshop for engraving.

Lei En labored for over a month, overcoming many difficulties, to produce this disc that looks as thin as paper yet embodies his considerable effort and energy.

Viola took the disc, held it before her eyes, and examined it carefully.

Lei En explained the Phonograph's principle to her using the simplest, most straightforward language possible.

Sound generates vibrations, moving the needle, which engraves the vibrations onto the disc to preserve the sound, and then the method to replay the sound, and so on.

This principle is not hard to grasp; most people understand it after hearing it once.

Viola understood after a single listen, gazing affectionately at Lei En and sincerely exclaiming, "Lei En, you truly are a genius!"

Lei En waved his hand modestly, saying, "The Phonograph's principle is straightforward; even without me, someone will eventually invent it."

"No."

Viola gently shook her head, "Its principle is indeed simple—anyone can understand it when explained, but conceiving the method is countless times harder. Without you, perhaps no one would ever discover this ingenious idea, nor would there be a Phonograph."

"Lei En, you are a genius!" Viola reiterated, her demeanor earnest.

Being praised face‑to‑face by a peerless beauty made Lei En's cheeks flush red.

He silently recited the name of the great inventor from his past life, thanked the magnificent invention, yet his face wore a very pleased expression.

After her amazement, Viola turned the handle, listened to the music from the speaker, and asked earnestly, "Lei En, what is the cost of this Phonograph?"

Her mind was sharp, seizing the key point.

The Phonograph's function is not unique; an Echo Crystal can achieve the same and with better sound quality. If the Phonograph were as expensive as an Echo Crystal, its usefulness would be limited, making it merely a curious trinket.

Lei En sighed inwardly, noting that the Half‑elf's commercial talent was indeed formidable.

He had already performed a cost analysis, saying, "To make it, I spent about five hundred Gold Shields, but that was only the initial research cost. If mass‑produced, the average price should not exceed two Gold Shields, and might even be lower."

"Two Gold Shields! Goddess…"

【5】1】 Viola trembled all over, nearly losing composure.

Viola's whole body trembled, almost losing composure.

In her expectation, the Phonograph's price was, of course, the lower the better.

Low price not only aids promotion, creating a huge market, but also lets more people enjoy music, helping Longhaired Lady gain followers.

Viola had thought the Phonograph's cost would certainly be lower than an Echo Crystal, estimating between ten and fifteen Gold, but never expected it to be below two Gold Shields.

This means that most common households in the Empire could afford a Phonograph!

Not every household needs to buy; even if only one‑tenth, or even one‑thirtieth, purchase a Phonograph, how much wealth would that generate?

How many followers would that give Longhaired Lady?

The Phonograph's role for the Beauty and Goodness Church is comparable to a divine artifact!

Viola, thinking of this, suddenly felt dizzy, breathing rapidly, her steps stumbling, almost unable to stay upright.

Lei En quickly supported her waist, sat beside the bed, and asked concernedly, "Viola, are you all right?"

In the Soul Eye, the Half‑elf's soul color flickered rapidly, changing several times within a second, as if struck by a "Rage Spell," with the soul itself wildly fluctuating, seemingly about to lose control.

"I'm fine, I'm great!"

Viola took several deep breaths, her chest rising and falling, finally calming her excitement; she lifted her head to look at Lei En, reached out to stroke his face, and murmured, "You must be an angel sent by the goddess from the heavens to be by my side; otherwise, why would you be so kind to me?"

"Because you're beautiful," Lei En laughed heartily.

A blush spread across Viola's cheek, and she couldn't help raising her hand to give him a light smack.

Lei En, in a serious tone, said, "You don't need to overthink; as I said before, this is a gift I gave you—just as long as you like it."

"I love it; there's no better gift in the world!" Viola, feeling his breath, closed her eyes and leaned forward of her own accord.

After a moment, Lei En reluctantly released his arm.

The Half‑elf's gaze was also hazy; seeing Lei En's distressed expression, she suddenly laughed, "Had I known, I shouldn't have let you join the prayer ceremony—now that we have this Phonograph, the goddess will surely respond and grant me Divine Technique."

"If you wish, you can do it now…" her voice was full of temptation.

Lei En was instantly moved.

He hesitated for a few seconds, then asked, "How is your prayer ceremony preparation going, and when can it be held?"

"I have already persuaded President Haxilin and the majority of the deacons of the Art Association; tomorrow there will be a vote to allow me to hold the prayer ceremony in the temple." Viola replied confidently, "At the earliest, three days from now I can be ready."

Lei En nodded slightly, smiling, "I've been waiting for over a month; missing just these few days is no problem."

Though with the Phonograph Viola's prayer ceremony should be fine, the deity is beyond mortal comprehension, so sticking to the original plan is safer.

Viola lightly bit her lip, smiling coquettishly, "That's your own choice."

"I really can't stand you…"

Lei En could no longer sit still, decisively pushed her aside, got up and went downstairs to eat.

After dinner, returning upstairs, Lei En entered Viola's bedroom, found her sitting in a chair, listening to the Phonograph's music, lost in thought.

"What are you thinking about?" Lei En sat beside her and asked.

"I'm pondering how to use the Phonograph to maximize its effect."

Viola snapped back to attention, looked at Lei En, and said seriously, "The Phonograph's principle is simple, manufacturing isn't hard; once sold, imitators will appear quickly. If we create a company only under our own name, a flood of competitors will likely emerge soon."

"Yes, I've thought about that too."

Lei En had long anticipated this, explaining, "Making the Phonograph is indeed easy; the real difficulty lies in the records. Don't underestimate that thin disc; its technical content is not low."

"Why?" Viola perked up; she really hadn't seen it.

"Records demand high material standards: they must be wear‑resistant, durable, reduce noise, and the manufacturing process is complex; mass pressing requires a full production workflow. I've studied it for a long time; it's not easy for others to copy."

Lei En was slightly smug.

The production of vinyl records, after decades of updates in the previous life, has been gradually refined; it involves many materials and chemical knowledge, not something that can be easily cracked.

As long as we keep it secret properly, for at least five years we won't have to worry about the technology being pirated.

Lei En pointed out, "A Phonograph can sell for about two Gold Shields, but each household usually buys only one, so the profit isn't huge."

"The truly profitable business is still selling records!"

"A record can hold at most three tracks, but how many wonderful pieces exist in the world? Once you have a Phonograph, you can't just listen to a few songs; even the best will get tiresome, so you'll definitely need to buy more records."

"Moreover, records wear out over time and must be replaced."

"As long as we control the record‑making technology and release new music records regularly, we don't need to price them high; a record costs about thirty copper coins, we sell for fifty, thin profit but high volume, still yielding countless profits."

"If anyone copies the Phonograph, we should thank them for expanding the record market for us."

"Having the right to publish records makes you the ruler of the music world; countless musicians will beg you just to release a single record."

"Moreover, this power might let you enter the core of the Beauty and Goodness Church, ascend to the papal throne, and then control those musicians; even if others later can make records, you could, via the Church's decree, forbid them from cooperating with other companies, maintaining the monopoly."

This series of business strategies left Viola speechless.

After a few minutes, she sighed, "Lei En, is there anything you don't understand?"

Lei En smiled without replying; it's just a routine from his previous life.

Viola silently noted the content, still looking worried, and said, "What I worry about isn't the patent technology, but other means."

Lei En also fell silent.

The Empire has a law similar to patent law, but enforcement is lax; there are many ways to circumvent it, openly compete with the original creator, or even use the patent law against them.

Copycats defeating inventors is a common occurrence.

Often in market operations, competitors vie not over better products or lower prices, but over who has a stronger backing, whose behind‑the‑scenes power is greater.

The larger the profit, the more powerful forces covet it.

Solving this is simple: in the Empire, whose power can surpass that of a Holy Soul Wizard?

Creating a company in the name of the Silver Star Duke cannot guarantee smooth operation across the entire Empire; at least in Longshande, no one would dare to compete.

Viola naturally understood this principle.

But she worries the Duke will take too much profit, while Lei En, as the Phonograph's inventor, gets little benefit.

According to past practice, the Duke must claim at least a 70% share; the Phonograph has vast prospects involving huge wealth, so the Duke might demand 80% or even 90%.

Facing a Holy Soul Wizard, she simply cannot refuse.

Lei En guessed Viola's thought, spread his hands indifferently, and comforted, "I invented the Phonograph for you, to give you more weight in the Duke's eyes, to fight for the title of Dong Ting Bo Ju. My own earnings aren't that important."

Viola couldn't help but be moved, came over and embraced Lei En; everything was understood without words.

Lei En's expression remained calm.

He was speaking the truth and had long been mentally prepared.

Even on Earth in his previous life, with relatively complete laws, an entrepreneur relying on one or two inventions or brilliant ideas, working hard, might become rich and achieve financial freedom, but it's almost impossible to rise to the peak smoothly and steadily.

When business and influence expand to a certain stage, power and capital will inevitably come knocking.

Either align with power or accept capital; there is no third way.

In a world ruled by extraordinary power, where great strength belongs to Ai Lun E Si, every invention must serve the superiors, leaving no room for resistance.

Unless one also possesses great power themselves!

Lei En had a clear understanding of this, so he wasn't overly resentful and accepted it calmly.

"You should go see the Duke," Lei En said with a smile, "There are only two months left until the end of the year; the sooner this is settled, the better for you."

"Alright, wait at home for my news."

Viola, without pretense, stored the Phonograph in the Space Pendant, changed into a simple long dress, and immediately set out to meet the Silver Star Duke.

Lei En returned to his bedroom, opened his phone, and pulled up a volume of "Book of a Thousand Souls" to read carefully.

He hadn't finished the volume when Viola returned.

"That quick?" Lei En noted that less than half an hour had passed.

Viola's face was full of excitement, and she hurriedly said, "The Duke has already agreed to let me establish a company that manufactures Phonographs, gave me 50,000 Gold Shields as seed capital, and promised to hold only a 50% share."

Lei En was stunned by the news.

These conditions completely caught him off guard; the Duke of Silver Star, that dragon‑like miser, when did he become so generous?

(End of chapter)