Entering the new district, the streets suddenly become spacious, and the ground became covered with gray gravel. The stones on the ground were smooth and flat and even after walking on them for a long while, their feet wouldn’t hurt. At first, Ferlin didn’t understand the reason for all of this; this was clearly a waste of manpower and the masons’ time. He didn’t understand the reason for it until he saw rainwater flowing along the gaps in the stones sinking into the ground on a day with heavy rain. The rainwater was lead into drainage ditches on both sides of the road. In Longsong Stronghold, every time when it rained, the streets became muddy and were covered with puddles, so the new streets in Border Town were many times better.
Irene, who was taking in her surroundings, showed a puzzled expression and asked, “Here all the houses seem to be new, are you sure you went the right way?”
“Yes, my dear, we’re almost there.”
Two corners later, Ferlin Eltek paused in front of a two-story brick house with Irene, “We’re here.”
“Where?” She turned around twice, only to see that her husband was still looking at the house directly in front of them. Not daring to ask aloud, she covered her mouth, “Is the whole house our home?”
“Of course not,” Ferlin laughed. “This is the teacher building, our home is in the middle of the second floor, now let us step inside.”
Taking the key out of his pocket to open the door, Ferlin pulled his wife by her hand into the new home. Their home contained a central hall, two bedrooms and two auxiliary rooms, which were freely available for them. Although the rooms were small, it was still surprisingly comfortable. Whether it was the central hall decoration or the bedroom layout, everything felt quite refreshing. And now with Irene at Ferlin’s side, the house was now even more perfect.
“Heaven, are you sure you were taken as a captive?” Irene couldn’t stop herself as she ran from one room to another, carefully looking at everything. She was as excited like a small child, “Will we actually live here?”
“Well, of course.” Ferlin answered happily and took some bread and cheese from the cupboard and placed them on the table. “You didn’t eat anything on board right? Let us first fill your stomach, I will have to go out to work later.”
“Right, you are a teacher now,” Irene ran back to her husband, “do you have to teach the children of the nobility?
“No, not the nobles, rather,I have to instruct His Highness’ citizens.”
“Citizens?” Irene couldn’t believe what she had heard, “teach them what?”
Deciding that an example would be better than his explanation, he took a book from the table and gave it to his wife, ” I have to teach them how to read and write. This was given to me by His Highness, my…’teaching material’”
Even so, he had chosen to become a teacher, but he was still worried that he would be unable to do the job. After all, normally it was always a white-haired old man who served as teacher. However, His Royal Highness’ s attendant had said that he should just teach according to the teaching materials. Looking at this so-called textbook, he realized that the concept of learning how to read and write could also be refined to such a degree.
From the teaching method to the course’s contents, everything was written down. On the first page, there was also a list of dozens of frequently asked questions by novice teachers, such as, “How to become a good teacher? How to awaken the student’s interest in learning? How to test the effectiveness of one’s teaching?” The answers were always short and easy to understand, giving the reader the feeling of having learned something new. Without realizing it himself, Ferlin had already been attracted to the book, even before the start of his career.
Irene was also clearly such a case, from early on she had lived in the theater and had read many books and the scripts for plays. Ferlin had lamented more than once that with his wife’s face and intelligence, if she had been born into an aristocratic family, her name would have certainly been known as an outstanding woman.
After turning a few pages, Irene suddenly raised her head and asked, “Previously you said… that the teachers are paid quite well?”
“20 silver royals a month, and an annual raise of five.”
“There is also no theater here, right?”
“No… there,” Ferlin hesitated, he had already guessed his wife’s idea.
Sure enough, the other side closed the book and laughingly said, “Then it’s decided, I will also become a teacher, Honey, just like you.”
Chapter 144 True thoughts
Near the North Slope Mine, at the furnace back yard.
Nightingale picked up the glass which laid on the table and raised it near her eyes to take a closer look. The translucent crystal glass sparkled in the light and not even a little bit of discoloration could be seen.
She knew that this cup was known as the Crystal Cup; the firing process and the formula had always been the royal alchemist’s confidential information. The value of such cups like the one she held in her hands were measured in gold royals. Such crystal glassware was only used together with silver tableware; they served as an opportunity for powerful nobles or wealthy businessmen to show off their wealth.
But now, these crystal containers were gathered from inside the whole palace and were about to be melted into their raw state.
“Your Highness, you can’t burn these cups, they are worth several gold royals!” Nightingale exclaimed.
“I have no time to study how to turn sand into a colorless glass, so this was the only way I could get it.” Roland took another beautiful cup and threw it into the cauldron formed from Anna’s black fire. Seeing this cup, Nightingale remembered that the Prince had used it to drink ale out of it during their afternoon tea sessions before the start of the Months of Demons and during the welcoming party for her sisters.
Due to the stable high temperature, the glass inside the pot soon began to melt, turning into a sticky paste.
“Do you get glass… by burning sand?” Anna asked. “Are they made out of the same substances?”
“Well, the main ingredients are similar, but in the sand, there are a lot of impurities. The glass created by burning natural sand is partially brown or green most of the time, which doesn’t meet the required standards.”
“So with other words, crystal clear glass is created out of pure sand?”
Hearing this question, Roland had to smile. “You can think of it like that. I already put this knowledge in the book, so you will see it again later. Those small balls decide what matter looks like.”
Whatever, I don’t understand it anyway… Nightingale thought uninterested, the color of the glass doesn’t affect the function of its container, ah. Furthermore, you aren’t even using them as drinking glasses, so why do you insist on using clear crystal cups? Asking this herself, she went to Anna and took a look at the remolded glassware.
Although they were still transparent and crystal clear, their new appearance and their former form of cups were completely different.
Some looked like a tube, with a round bottom and a thin and long body. The other ones looked like bottles with the body of a kettle, but the bottleneck was only thumb-sized.
The strangest thing was a tube that was bent like a horseshoe but with no seals on either side of it.
Not understanding their function, Nightingale asked, “What are you going to do with these crystal glasswares?”
“I won’t use them. They are for the alchemist who will later come to Border Town,” Roland used a rod to stir within the melted glass.” They can use these vessels to extract acids and alkali chemicals; I need those chemicals to produce new weapons.”