Fortunately, reverse-engineering black powder and flint mechanisms without proper chemical knowledge was incredibly difficult.

The Frankish blacksmiths would likely blow themselves up a few times before they got the ratio right.

Ragnar had to create weapons that had a higher firing rate and precision, which would also be able to fire over a longer distance, before the Franks finished their copies.

But without proper rifling machines to carve spiral grooves into the iron barrels, Ragnar had to find another way to bypass this hurdle, and until then he had to produce some alternative equipment to deal with any possible crises.

And with Louis the Stammerer’s new steam-powered machinery, he had the confidence in achieving this. Now, as long as Ragnar could draw the design, Louis would be able to process the object he wanted to create accurately.

Furthermore, the efficiency of City Titan had reached an extraordinary level.

Compared with all the prior tasks where the blacksmith had to create each part of the flintlock carefully by hand, they could now use water-powered trip hammers and steam-driven stamps to form and cut multiple pieces all at the same time.

With the beginning of the formation of an educational system and the establishment of a unified measurement system, he had prepared all the steps he needed for starting a large-scale production work.

But that didn’t mean he could take a shortcut each time he came across one. The integration of bronze and steam power was simply a treasure house, carrying an endless potential with it that he could tap into.

Every afternoon, Ragnar was now at the testing area near the blast furnaces, studying and exploring together with Louis on the usage of their engines.

And in case he didn’t have any time to spare, he would let Cedric practice his logistical control by managing the delivery of small items such as individual gears and valves.

However, at the moment, it seemed that the engine technology was still at the stage of immaturity, but Ragnar believed firmly that one day his whole harbor would be filled with steam-powered ironclad ships...

He picked up a steel ruler and placed it on the parchment, using it to draw two straight lines.

At this moment, he heard someone knocking at his door.

As long as a guard didn’t shout an urgent message, then nine out of ten times it was a minister or courtier at his door. At this moment, most of the administrative staff were in the city hall on the first floor, undergoing Leofric’s mathematics and taxation lessons.

So, the person at the door could only be someone who didn’t have to participate in primary teaching, and there was only one person who didn’t need them.

"Come in~"

When the door was opened, Gyda came stepping into the room. She gently closed the door and then went to Ragnar’s side at the table, holding Magnus securely in her arms.

Since the beginning of their journey in England, he could daily see her managing the internal security and intelligence of the kingdom. He had to say, even though Gyda was focused on espionage, her popularity within the common people was unexpectedly good.

Perhaps she was born with a natural charm to attract others to her cause?

"How can I help you?" Ragnar smiled, his eyes softening instantly.

"Well~" she nodded in greeting. She was in the fifth month of her second pregnancy, and the maternal glow suited her perfectly.

She leaned down and placed Magnus gently on the floor. "I missed you..."

Magnus ran to Ragnar’s leg, grabbing his leather trousers. Ragnar scooped the boy up and hugged him tightly, kissing his blonde head.

"I missed you too~ Gyda," Ragnar said, reaching out to gently touch her swelling stomach.

"And how is our newest addition doing?"

"Kicking like a true Viking," Gyda laughed softly. She leaned against the edge of the desk, looking at the complex blueprints Ragnar was drawing.

Her eyes scanned the complex designs before landing on a separate parchment filled with his chemical experiments.

Gyda curled up her lips, she quickly asked, "What is the ratio of iron sulfate to water?"

"..."

When she finally no longer asked any further questions, the King’s throat had already become dry from all the talking.

If it went on like this, it wouldn’t be long before he didn’t have any secrets left that he could keep from her.

When Ragnar had asked her about her progress in analyzing Sven’s latest report, she just replied, "Until now it was quite simple, and now that I’ve come to the topic of mapping their hidden forges and analyzing their exact production numbers, they seem to be fascinating."

’Simple and fascinating...’ Ragnar suddenly felt that the gap between a normal king and a spymaster wife was too great.

How long has it been? One month from learning simple intelligence gathering until she came to mapping exact logistical targets, and next it would be full-scale sabotage planning.

Back in his old Viking clan, Gyda would definitely have been a terrifying war leader. Moreover... a beautiful mother.

She had arranged her blonde hair over her forehead, but other hair strands had fallen over her cheek. Seeing this, Ragnar could not stop himself from stretching out his index finger, stroking the hair behind her ear.

Feeling his finger, Gyda turned her head, looking at Ragnar, with a smile all over her face. Staying so close to each other, until Gyda opened her mouth trying to say something, but she was only able to move her lips, no sound could be heard. But Ragnar was still able to read her lips.

"Right now, the guards aren’t here~"

Ragnar thought that it was stupid to pretend that he didn’t understand her. The whole room was silent, letting him faintly hear her breathing and the speeding up of her heartbeat.

Ragnar could no longer stop himself; he became drawn towards her lips. Gyda instead closed her eyes, and her cheeks gained a rosy touch.

Being so near to her, Ragnar could smell the fragrance of pine and fresh air on her body, and then finally their lips gently kissed.

Getting lost in the soft touch, the time seemed to stand still, making it impossible for him to tell how long it was until they separated.

Not giving him a chance to say anything, Gyda stood on her tiptoe, joining their lips once more, while Magnus babbled happily on the floor beside them.

...

"Hey~ hey!" Hakon sat cross-legged on the floor of the barracks, deep in meditation with his eyes closed, his hands resting on his knees.

"Have you turned mad?" Leofric, who was organizing a stack of tax ledgers, asked as he frowned.

"Oh~" Hakon sighed, "why can’t I understand the blueprints like Louis?"

"Because you don’t read books." Leofric explained.

"You do not read~" Leofric shook his head, dipping his quill in ink. "Of course, there is also the point that he is much smarter than you. This is the main reason why he was able to gain access to new inventions."

"In other words, don’t think any further about it. Instead, give your mind some peace and quiet, and go sharpen your axe~" Leofric said, patting the stack of ledgers beside himself.

"Don’t you want to get stronger weapons?" Hakon asked.

__________

A\N: Hey everyone! Thank you so much for the support and for reading the Chapter. If you want to discuss the story, share your theories, or just hang out and chat, feel free to add me on Discord.

My username: [zerosinner.]

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