Chapter 211: The Famous Single-Tube Telescope!

Sensing the situation was peculiar, Michel and Adrie showed no urgency.

Michel smiled and presented the single-tube telescope to Prince Bruce.

"Your Highness, because we possess this, we discerned Wickes and Anthony's deployment even before the battle began!"

"This tube?" Prince Bruce looked surprised.

The nobles in the hall erupted in murmurs.

Earlier, everyone had seen Michel and Adrie holding the tube, constantly gazing toward the opposite hill.

Yet they had examined the tube closely—it was merely a crude copper casing with no distinguishing features.

Thus, though strange, they paid it no mind.

"Your Highness, this is called a single-tube telescope. It magnifies distant scenery immensely—hundreds of meters away appear as if right before your eyes!"

"And scenes two or three li away become crystal clear through it. Thus, Adrie and I used it to spot the defenders' deployment!"

"We simply played along with their act, waiting until they grew careless, then delivered the 'fatal blow.'"

What?

"Magnify scenery hundreds of meters away to appear before your eyes? Is that real?"

"Yes, could this be a magical item? But I see no inscriptions, nor sense any magic at all?"

Prince Bruce finally grew curious and took the tube to examine it.

"Your Highness, this is not a magical item, yet its effect is real. You need only extend it and hold it to your eye…"

Marquis Michel began instructing Prince Bruce on its use.

Prince Bruce, though well-traveled, immediately showed astonishment as he raised the telescope to his eye and gazed toward the forest across the hill.

He repeated this several times, lowering and raising the telescope to observe the scenery.

After several repetitions, he could no longer suppress his praise: "Incredible! Truly incredible! No wonder you saw Wickes and Anthony's deployment so clearly!"

"They lost fairly!"

Coming from Bruce's mouth, this was already the highest praise.

"So Michel's claim is true? This copper tube really can magnify distant scenery?"

"Of course it's true—the Prince himself confirmed it!"

"Good heavens, I'm dying to know what the opposite side looks like through this tube!"

"Me too!"

"Since you're curious, take a look! Michel and Adrie won fairly and squarely!" Prince Bruce handed the telescope to the crowd.

This was also to definitively settle the reason for Michel and Adrie's victory, preventing any later disputes.

Michel and Adrie had already promised Gervas they would help promote the telescope.

So they handed out Adrie's telescope as well, and called out loudly:

"Gentlemen, feel free to look—this single-tube telescope was gifted to us by a young noble, who also asked us to help promote it!"

"So if anyone likes it, come find us later!"

"Oh? So this single-tube telescope can be mass-produced?" Before the nobles could react, Prince Bruce's eyes lit up.

He had planned to ask these very questions soon.

After all, this contest had perfectly demonstrated the telescope's utility.

"Yes, Your Highness, this single-tube telescope can be mass-produced. I hear at least thirty are made each month!"

"Thirty? That's impressive. What's the price?" Like Michel's earlier reaction, Prince Bruce's interest deepened.

"Five gold coins!"

Prince Bruce froze, astonished: "Five gold coins? Michel, are you certain?"

Clearly, Prince Bruce thought the telescope shouldn't be so cheap.

"Your Highness, the young noble said so. But I believe if we decorate it more elegantly, we could sell it for more—ten gold coins wouldn't be excessive!" Michel said.

"Even without decoration, ten gold coins isn't too much!" Prince Bruce sighed.

"By the way, Michel—who is this young noble you mentioned? Is he a junior of your family?"

"No, Your Highness. This young noble comes from a minor noble house. He is now the lord of Stormhold on the southern border."

"He was also the top contributor in the recent campaign against the southwestern barbarian tribes. His name is Gervas Gail!"

"Oh? Him? The same man?" Prince Bruce had naturally heard of the kingdom's top war hero.

He never expected this single-tube telescope was also produced in his domain.

More importantly, this was a man from a minor noble family.

"Michel, get me ten of these single-tube telescopes from Gervas. As for the gold coins, I'll have them sent to you after we return to the city!"

"Yes, Your Highness!" Michel immediately smiled in reply.

Finally, he'd helped that Gervas kid secure sales—this wasn't a free gift after all!

Of course, this was only the beginning.

As the nobles began taking turns testing the single-tube telescopes,

Upon feeling the extreme magnification, a chorus of exclamations rose from the slope.

"Marquis Michel, I heard this single-tube telescope costs only five gold coins? I want to buy two!"

"I want three!"

"I want…"

…

On the eastern coast of the kingdom, Viscount Falek's estate.

Today, the estate was hosting the tenth anniversary celebration of the Black Bear Trading Company.

Thus, all partners of the Black Bear Trading Company attended the celebration in full formal attire.

Cooper, having once again returned with luminescent pearls and generated over ten gold coins in profit through premium pricing,

Earned praise and favor from the current viscount of his family, Viscount Leo.

And was brought along to this banquet.

Surrounded by nobles dressed in luxurious gowns, Cooper felt a surge of excitement.

This was a noble banquet!

With his commoner status, he would never have been invited under normal circumstances.

Only because he performed exceptionally well and won Viscount Leo's recognition was he allowed to attend.

Among those present, only five or six others enjoyed such privilege—each a top steward under one of the partners.

This banquet alone would give him enough bragging rights for years.

As Cooper savored noble cuisine he could never normally taste, a commotion suddenly erupted at the front of the hall.

Looking closely, he saw his own Viscount Leo locked in a heated argument with another noble.

Cooper was startled and hurried toward the main table at the front of the banquet hall.

As he drew closer, he understood what was happening.

The noble arguing with Viscount Leo was Viscount Ellis, also one of the trading company's partners.

But he harbored personal grievances against Viscount Leo.

Though they had never openly clashed, their silent rivalry had never ceased.

Just now, Viscount Leo had displayed his exquisite staff.

It had cost sixty gold coins, crafted by a retired royal jeweler from the capital.

Normally, such minor boasts were common among nobles—everyone constantly competed.

But Viscount Ellis was deeply displeased, outright claiming it was likely not made by the retired royal jeweler himself, but by his apprentice.

This naturally humiliated Viscount Leo, sparking a heated argument—he insisted the staff bore the jeweler's engraved name, proof of his personal craftsmanship.

As the two argued fiercely, Viscount Ellis smiled faintly and pulled out another ornament: a silver bracer.

As both sides turned red in argument, Ellis smiled faintly and produced a piece of jewelry—a silver bracer.