Chapter 161: The City of Steel |
The City of Steel, Bisbaru.
As the industrial hub of the Empire's northern region, Bisbaru was renowned across the entire continent.
The reason was simple: it was the birthplace of both the steam engine and the Difference Engine.
Because of this, Bisbaru was the most technologically advanced and heavily industrialized city in the Empire. It was a sacred ground for countless inventors, a place where everyone dreamed of birthing the next creation that would change the world.
The city itself left a striking impression.
Stepping off the platform, the first sight to greet visitors was a cluster of massive towers. Though they closely resembled the wizard towers described in fantasy stories, they served a completely different purpose. Those high towers were actually colossal Difference Engines. They stored data and information for every distinct district in the City of Steel, constantly interacting and exchanging variables before channeling everything into a towering steel skyscraper at the very center of the city.
That central tower stored all the data for the Bisbaru Region, encompassing everything from economic metrics to military logistics. One could easily say that the tower served as Bisbaru's brain.
All of this had been explained to Levi by Ovelia.
"I intend to implement a system like this in the Delicat Region," Ovelia remarked. "That way, we can maintain a far more precise understanding of our harvests, tax revenues, and overall regional status. Besides, I am thoroughly sick of rummaging through cellars just to retrieve documents that have been half-eaten by moths and rats."
Levi recalled the agonizing experience of digging through records back at the Baskerville estate. For someone who had lived through the information age, that kind of archival work was truly a form of torture.
In contrast, he fondly remembered checking residency records back at the Fog City Police Bureau. All he had to do was input the data, wait a moment, and the mechanical system would go clack-clack-clack, spitting out a paper slip containing the target's entire family identity details.
While it still paled in comparison to the fully interconnected internet era Levi had once known, it was at least functional.
Searching for a single piece of paper in a room spanning hundreds of square meters without knowing where it had been filed was a genuine nightmare.
Ovelia's trip to Bisbaru was not merely to order the latest models of agricultural machinery; she also intended to establish an information processing center. In fact, many regions across the Empire had already begun implementing these systems one after another. However, the equipment required a massive capital investment and was highly specialized, demanding a large workforce to maintain.
Speaking of personnel, Levi had recently spotted an interesting piece of news in the newspapers.
Various departments requiring Difference Engines had begun hiring large numbers of female textile workers who had previously lost their jobs to steam-powered automation. Their primary duties involved reading cards, punching holes, and sorting the data files. Because textile workers were highly skilled at meticulous manual labor, and since these tasks required low technical expertise but high repetition, they fit the role perfectly.
This meant that the widespread unemployment caused by the expansion of steam power was being mitigated to some extent. It was, admittedly, a fascinating societal shift.
Since this news had broken right before the Steam Machinery Exposition, its underlying implication was clear. To any qualified leader, regional unemployment was a persistent headache. The workers displaced by the rise of steam machinery represented a particularly volatile issue that demanded a solution.
Now, it seemed that by purchasing Difference Engines and providing those displaced workers with a basic level of training, they could easily transition into skilled, low-level clerks.
For the textile workers themselves, this was an excellent outcome. Even though the work was tedious and micro-intensive, at least they got to sit in an office.
Naturally, Ovelia could not execute such a massive procurement entirely on her own. She had already dispatched a delegation a week in advance to handle the preliminary arrangements, leaving her with only the final decisions to make.
That delegation had fortunately encountered no forest monsters or mysterious murder cases along their journey.
Upon exiting the train, Anthony hurriedly took his leave, a departure to which Levi gave little thought. He and Ovelia boarded a carriage and began touring the city together. The maid, meanwhile, took charge of transporting all their luggage directly to Ovelia's hotel.
Frankly, Levi's first impression of the city was that it looked like an enlarged version of Anvil Street. Steam machinery was ubiquitous, and even the buildings were constructed from cast iron and steel. He noticed several bizarre structures that functioned as machines themselves—massive gears the size of houses turned sluggishly, driving long metal chains that rose from the underground depths before disappearing into the upper structures.
The entire city reverberated with the rhythmic, synchronized clanging of mechanical parts, making the metropolis resemble a colossal, perpetual music box.
"I take it this is the first visit to our city for both of you?"
No matter the era or the world, carriage drivers always shared a common trait: they loved to chat.
"Indeed it is," Levi replied with a nod from the front passenger seat.
He was quietly pleased to note that the carriage they were riding in was a product of his own workshop. It seemed Uncle Hank's business initiatives were yielding excellent results.
"I figured as much. After all, the Steam Machinery Exposition is about to begin. Ah, this time of year always feels like a grand festival. Every street and alleyway is bursting with excitement."
The driver readily opened up, clearly delighted to converse with a generous customer.
"Every year's exposition is unique, but this year is truly extraordinary. I hear exhibitors from all over have brought incredible novelties. Oh, and then there's the National Research Institute. Word is they are putting the eighth-generation Difference Engine on display. Can you believe it? I heard its gear transmission distance is measured in kilometers. It boggles the mind. They've also made compact models for household use... though I haven't the slightest clue what a household needs one for. I certainly don't need a machine to calculate how much I earn each day."
The driver let out a hearty laugh, and Levi offered a polite nod in response. If the topic had been about RAM, motherboards, CPUs, or graphics cards, he might have had something to contribute.
But when it came to a mechanical Difference Engine, he was completely out of his depth. What exactly was a gear transmission distance? And how could it possibly span kilometers?
"Are there any other interesting machines featured in this year's exposition?" Levi asked, steering the conversation down a different path.
The question instantly reignited the driver's enthusiasm.
"Oh, absolutely! Take this steam carriage you're riding in right now. To be frank, I've driven quite a few steam vehicles in my time, but this is exactly how a proper carriage ought to feel. It's comfortable, smooth, and you don't have to worry about stray exhaust clouding your vision. The designers from the old days were absolute fools. I have no idea why it took them so long to realize the engine belongs in the back..."
"Quite true, quite true," Levi replied smoothly.
Levi kept the driver company throughout the journey, gathering a wealth of casual intelligence regarding the upcoming event. Before long, the carriage pulled up to the venue of the Steam Machinery Exposition.
"Alright, here we are."
The driver brought the vehicle to a halt by the curb and gestured toward the crowds gathering a short distance away. Levi looked out the window and saw a veritable sea of people packed tightly together.
"You'll want to watch out for the independent inventors loitering outside, sir. The ones inside the venue represent legitimate, registered companies. The fellows out here have neither the reputation nor the capital to secure a booth, so they're forced to work the streets. Gentlemen like yourself and young ladies of wealth are prime targets for their swindles. Those charlatans love to spin grand tales to part naive folks from their gold. They call it 'venture investment,' but once they have your money, they'll just claim the experiment failed and walk away clean. There's nothing you can do about it."
"You make an excellent point. Thank you for the advice."
Levi did not argue. The driver's assessment was entirely accurate. Steam technology was currently experiencing a period of chaotic, unrefined growth where formal theories had yet to catch up with practical application. There was no telling what strange contraptions these street eccentrics might piece together.
The logic was identical to the internet boom of Levi's past life. Back then, any smooth-talking scammer could find a wealthy mark with more money than sense and pitch them grand illusions about venture capital, virtual currency, or global interconnectivity.
It was all a massive, untethered bluff. As long as the funding landed in their accounts, they would happily promise to build a digital matrix by tomorrow morning.
As for whether the venture actually turned a profit? They would simply hide behind technical jargon, claim the industry was too complex for outsiders to understand, and declare that financial losses were an entirely normal part of the process.
It was the exact same formula as a pyramid scheme. They would advertise a specialized blanket infused with cosmic meteorites, claiming that sleeping beneath it allowed one to align with universal wavelengths, curing all ailments and boosting vitality. With a pitch like that, charging an exorbitant sum for a blanket suddenly sounded perfectly reasonable to the gullible.
Levi stepped out of the carriage, opened the rear door, and extended his hand to Ovelia. She glanced at him, took his hand, and stepped gracefully down onto the pavement.
Together, they walked toward the grand entrance of the exposition.
The pairing of a handsome gentleman and a beautiful lady, both dressed in aristocratic, fashionable attire, immediately signaled immense wealth. Before they could even reach the gates, a swarm of street inventors converged upon them.
"Sir! Please, look at my invention! It is an Infinite Power Instrument. It can drive itself indefinitely without consuming a single scrap of fuel! It will make you a fortune!"
"My lady, over here! The Soul Communicator I invented allows you to converse directly with the deceased! Wouldn't you care to try it?"
"Look at mine! My Matter Converter can transform ordinary water into milk or beer! It is incredibly convenient, operating at the mere touch of a button!"
"This is the premier Whitening Powder! A single application ensures your skin remains permanently delicate, fair, and radiant!"
Listening to the outrageous claims echoing around him, Levi found himself utterly speechless. He did not slow his pace for a moment. Keeping one hand positioned defensively near Ovelia, he used his cane with the other, tapping it left and right to clear a path through the surrounding crowd.
Naturally, none of the solicitors dared to physically block their advance. If they crossed a line and caused a gentleman like Levi to summon the authorities, they would spend the next several days languishing in a prison cell. These people were merely looking for an easy mark to swindle out of an investment; they had no desire to face actual incarceration.
Seeing that neither Levi nor Ovelia displayed the slightest shred of interest, they offered a few parting remarks before turning away to seek other targets.
It was only when they reached the primary entrance, flanked by burly, heavily armed police officers, that the remaining street inventors finally retreated.
Watching them disperse, Ovelia let out a quiet sigh of relief.
"I never imagined there would be so many of them..."
"And they aren't exclusively imperial citizens either," Levi noted. "It seems this city has drawn an immense number of foreign minds looking to strike it rich with their creations."
Having resided in Mist City for a considerable time, Levi had grown adept at distinguishing the local accents of the Empire from those of foreign lands. It was a relatively straightforward distinction to make.
Unlike the common attendees who were forced to wait in long lines, Ovelia and Levi held VIP status. They possessed the privilege of utilizing the fast-track lane, navigating past the dense crowds under the deferential guidance of the security guards. The two finally stepped inside the main hall of the Steam Machinery Exposition.
"Well, this is... quite fascinating, to say the least," Levi remarked, taking in the spectacle.
If the devices showcased by the inventors outside the gates were nothing more than eccentric toys, the displays inside the venue represented the true pinnacle of industrial steam engineering.
Just beyond the entrance, positioned on either side of the main thoroughfare, stood two metal statues measuring three meters in height. Crafted entirely from polished brass, the figures were spinning and dancing in a continuous loop, mimicking the clockwork movements of automated figurines inside a luxury music box. Beside the pair of dancers stood an entire orchestra composed of similar metallic figures, executing a synchronized musical performance.
Though Levi could not speak to the artistic merit of the composition, the visual presentation was undeniably spectacular.
"How marvelous," Ovelia murmured, watching the steam-driven metal creations with evident delight.
To Levi, the concept of a robot was entirely familiar. He had seen comparable attractions during his childhood visits to amusement park haunted houses—mechanical displays designed to turn, move, and emit frightening sounds. In his estimation, these brass figures were simply a more sophisticated iteration of that exact technology.
Still... perhaps he could utilize his own skills to construct a genuine puppet based on these principles?
Amused by the thought, Levi focused his attention back on the young woman beside him.
"Shall we begin our tour, Miss Ovelia?"
"Lead the way, Mr. Levi," she replied with a smile.