Chapter 505: Difference Engine

These Kassenrik people were diplomatic civil servants from Kassenrik stationed in Tobesk. After being invited to the Empress's birthday banquet, they were stopped by Bishop Owen, who wanted to ask them about the activities held by the Willendell diocese of Kassenrik in the capital during the Holy Prayer Festival this year.

Both sides were very happy to have this conversation, but due to the lack of translators, Priest Augustus pulled Xia De over to serve as a translator.

Willendell City, Kassenrik United Kingdom, was the core of the southern part of the Old Continent in a general sense. Extremely similar to Tobesk, Willendell City also firmly controlled the entire United Kingdom with its status as a political, economic, and cultural center.

Although the two capitals were in the north and south, they were roughly located in the western part of the Old Continent. Priest Augustus had been to Willendell City when he was young, so he could speak some Kassenrik.

They didn't talk to these foreigners for too long before the King's attendant ran over hurriedly, saying that King Larus III wanted to see these diplomatic envoys.

Generally speaking, the King meeting diplomatic officials required advance notice and preparation, so such an abrupt summons was really puzzling. But regardless, these Kassenrik people couldn't refuse, so they bid farewell to the group from the Church of Dawn.

Xia De originally wanted to talk to Priest Augustus about the demon again, but the Church of Dawn had more things to do tonight.

They soon found Bishop Nelson of the Church of Peace in this diocese, as well as Priest Johnwood of the Church of Creation in the local area, and discussed the topic of the missionary scope of the Five Orthodox Churches in this diocese at the long dining table in the courtyard.

"How come the Bishop of the Church of Creation didn't come?"

This kind of conversation Xia De only needed to listen to on the side, so he whispered to Priest Augustus.

But before Bishop Augustus could speak, a voice came from behind:

"Bishop Rivest caught the flu and is recuperating in the church. He is 65 years old this year and can't stand such tossing."

Xia De turned around and saw a man with a sturdy build, wearing a top hat, a monocle on his right eye, and white gloves on both hands. He looked to be in his forties, had neat black short hair, and wore a brass-colored earring on his right ear:

"Sari Pirot."

He introduced himself and then extended his right hand to Xia De.

Xia De was stunned and then immediately shook it. However, he immediately felt that what he was holding wasn't a human hand; it was clearly metal under the glove.

"Mr. Hamilton from Lei Jiede, I've heard of you. The card game just now was quite good. It's a pity I didn't see it on the second floor at the time."

This gentleman said kindly, and the voice in his ear had already given a hint:

【13th-ring sorcerer, if there's no accident, this is the 'Iron Right Hand' of the Church of Creation.】

Xia De swore he was trying hard to control his expression, making himself look puzzled:

"Hello, Mr. Pirot, are you a clergyman of the Church of Creation?"

Pirot was wearing formal ball attire instead of robes, and the color of his coat wasn't the ordinary black, but red; this was a very fashionable dress.

"Yes, Xia De, let me introduce."

Priest Augustus was also very surprised. Although he wasn't a ring sorcerer of the church, he had been in the Tobesk diocese for many years and knew this gentleman:

"Mr. Sari Pirot, the general person in charge of the security team of the Church of Creation and Destruction in this diocese. This gentleman went on a business trip a few days ago and should have just returned to Tobesk."

"Yes, Priest Augustus, long time no see."

Pirot smiled and extended his hand to the priest:

"You look as healthy as ever, but I heard you are also being arranged to go out to handle affairs?"

"Yes, yes, I'm so old, and the church still arranges for me to go on a business trip to the northern foothills of the West Karl Mountains."

The priest complained half-jokingly. Xia De was a bit surprised; he hadn't heard that Priest Augustus was going to leave Tobesk.

"It's a decision just made by the Holy See, dispatching old priests from various dioceses to small towns in the countryside to do some things. Lat, this is a good errand; it counts as a free autumn trip."

Bishop Owen also participated in the conversation. He was holding a glass of wine and looked like his conversation with the heretics just now hadn't gone smoothly:

"Pirot, back in Tobesk? How is that matter now?"

"Although it's not as smooth as imagined, there's probably no problem. It's just that the church is still worried that some thieves will break in at the last moment, so I was temporarily given two days off to concentrate on the final finishing work."

The 13th-ring sorcerer said so, and he probably thought Xia De couldn't understand, but Xia De understood completely.

"Church work is really hard."

The young detective sighed half-truly.

"Probably not harder than being a detective?"

Bishop Owen said with a smile:

"A few days ago, I met with President Stan of the Divination Society because of some matters, but I heard you were still waiting on the street to obtain information in the evening."

This referred to the incident when Xia De was waiting to meet Lei Qianya last Saturday evening, when President Stan even made a prophecy for Xia De.

"No, no, my business isn't actually very prosperous; I only get a commission occasionally."

"Then later, I'll have to introduce business to you."

Bishop Owen said with a smile. He was older than Priest Augustus and was also an ordinary person, but his complexion was quite good.

"That would be great, of course; I can give them a very cheap price."

Xia De responded, and then pretended to be curious and asked the 13th-ring sorcerer beside him:

"Mr. Pirot, it's a coincidence meeting you; I actually have some things I want to ask, about steam machinery."

The Church of Creation and Destruction was one of the promoters of the steam revolution, standing in the first place in the rolling tide of the era. In the Orthodox Churches of the material world, the believers of the Church of Creation were actually the most numerous.

Because this was the era of steam, some even joked that the 【Church of Creation and Destruction】 could be renamed 【Church of Steam】.

"Please ask."

Pirot looked at Xia De with interest.

"It's like this."

Xia De organized his language. As an outlander who came to this world, although he relied on being a detective to support himself and his cat, he would need more money in the future, so he always wanted to use the knowledge from his hometown to do something. But in this steam era, there weren't many opportunities left for him, so he wanted to probe the most cutting-edge steam technology:

"I have some good ideas recently. May I ask, has the Church of Creation and Machinery heard of a tool that is completely cobbled together by gears, levers, and springs, relying on gear sets to store numbers, and gear sets to store..."

Xia De was trying hard to explain his idea when suddenly a loud, sharp whistle cut through the night sky where fireworks were still being set off. Xia De stopped his words and looked toward the main building of Yodel Palace with everyone in the courtyard.

That slightly sharp whistle came from behind the building.

"The warning whistle of Yodel Palace."

Bishop Owen introduced, but wasn't very worried:

"A single whistle is just a small problem. A few days ago, Saxe Cavendish broke in with a gun, and the royal guards blowing three whistles was the big problem."

"Sorry, I think I want to go see the situation."

Pirot said apologetically, patted Xia De on the shoulder, and walked quickly along the long table toward the building behind the crowd. And with this ring sorcerer of the Church of Creation temporarily leaving, Xia De naturally had no chance to continue asking questions.

"I don't know if this world has invented a machine similar to a difference engine."

He stood by the long dining table with Priest Augustus, looking up at the fireworks in the sky.

【Outlander, what is a 'difference engine'?】

"His" whisper suddenly sounded in his ear; this was one of the few times "she" took the initiative to ask Xia De a question.

"Difference engine, huh."

The guests in the courtyard returned to normal; no one cared too much about the whistle just now.

"How can the steam era be without a difference engine? It's a metal-material, automated mathematical processing tool. No, not for calculating simple addition and subtraction, but a machine capable of processing complex functions and replacing the human brain for complex mathematical analysis and operations."

Xia De answered very leisurely in his heart, while Priest Augustus guessed how much these fireworks were worth in gold pounds on the side; he seemed to want to do this at the Year-End Festival next year.

"In my hometown, due to material limitations, the difference engine of the steam era was just a concept. But in this world, the development of steam industry has driven material science onto a path that my hometown hadn't realized. This world is capable of manufacturing a difference engine."

The starry sea was vast, because the lights of civilization weren't enough to illuminate the entire sky at night, so the outlander could see the scene of stars shining that he had never seen before at this moment:

"Mathematics is the foundation of natural science. Once a difference engine capable of automated calculation is manufactured, this era will become even more wonderful than we imagined. This era of development can still develop for a longer time, and the light of civilization will continue for longer."

【Oh?】

"She" sighed softly in his ear.

"But it's a pity, judging from the current situation, people in this world haven't conceived and manufactured this kind of machine. So, if I can provide basic design ideas and function algorithms, or even participate in the manufacture of the machine, not to mention money and fame in the realistic sense, at least I, this outlander, can truly leave traces in this world."

【Very good.】

"She" praised softly in his ear, and Xia De also walked out of the scene he imagined, intending to enjoy the remaining time of this banquet well.

He didn't stay with Priest Augustus for too long, because Priest Augustus seemed to have many things to do.

Thinking of going upstairs to the card game to take a look, and then dancing with Luvia after she was done with her work, Xia De turned and walked toward the open gate of the building.

Just after walking two steps, a slightly familiar figure walked over holding a wine glass. It was the youngest son of Count Dimock, the noble youth who had been scared by Xia De with the 【Gun of Kindness】 in front of his friends a few hours ago. ===== CHAPTER 506 =====