"Shipbuilders?" Dahlia's eyebrows arched, and a flicker of curiosity danced in her eyes as she leaned forward, caught off guard by the unexpected turn in their conversation. Her mind raced to piece together the reasoning behind Lucas's unusual request. What exactly did he have in mind? The thought lingered—why in the world would he be looking for shipbuilders?
"I'm not sure I follow, Lord Lucas," She said after a pause, her tone tinged with cautious interest. "Are you planning to construct your own ships?" It was the only conclusion she could reasonably arrive at.
And yet—even as she asked it—it didn't quite sit right with her.
The idea seemed far-fetched, almost impractical. Shipbuilding wasn't something one could simply jump into with a handful of craftsmen and some lumber. It was an intensive endeavor, demanding considerable funds, detailed blueprints, and a team of experienced artisans. Without the proper infrastructure, starting a shipyard from scratch would be not only slow but extraordinarily costly.
"Yes," Lucas replied, his tone calm and steady, as though he had been expecting the question. "I want to establish my own shipyard. I'll need large ships."
He nodded slightly, his eyes not wavering. He wasn't trying to impress her with grand plans—he was simply stating a truth, one he had long considered but hadn't been able to act on due to the lack of skilled workers.
Although Lucas had collected some old blueprints and studied the fundamentals, his experience with actual shipbuilding was virtually nonexistent. And theory alone wasn't enough. Shipbuilding required craftsmen with years of experience—men who knew the grain of every kind of wood, how to reinforce hulls, calculate balance, and shape beams to endure the pressures of the sea.
He had waited this long because he hadn't had access to such craftsmen. But now, with Dahlia's connections and her willingness to negotiate, he saw an opportunity—perhaps his first real chance to bring his vision to life.
"A large ship?" Dahlia echoed, furrowing her brow. "There are already a dozen vessels docked at the pier, Lord Lucas. Isn't that more than enough for a single territory?"
She genuinely couldn't understand his thinking. From her perspective, a fleet that size was already substantial.
Lucas gave a light chuckle, shaking his head as though gently correcting a child's misunderstanding. "No, I believe there's been a bit of a misunderstanding, Miss Dahlia," He said, his lips curling into a small, amused smile. "When I say 'large ship,' I'm not referring to the ones you see around here."
Dahlia tilted her head slightly, intrigued. "A misunderstanding? Then what exactly do you mean?"
From the moment they met, Lucas had struck her as unusual. There was something different about him—his confidence, the way he spoke, his commanding presence. Everything about him gave the impression of someone who didn't quite belong to this world, someone who carried knowledge and ambition far beyond what was common.
To borrow a saying from the old stories, he was the very embodiment of tall, rich, and handsome. His attire was nothing short of regal, made from fabrics and patterns she had never seen before—richer than even the garments worn by Princess Lucy herself.
"The ships I'm referring to aren't the 30-meter vessels everyone calls 'large' around here," Lucas explained, waving his hand dismissively. "Such ships are too small, both in terms of speed and cargo capacity. They wouldn't serve the purpose I have in mind."
Dahlia considered this for a moment. "If 30 meters isn't enough, you could commission a 50-meter-long ship from the coastal shipyards," She offered, still trying to make sense of it. "Those are the biggest ones available commercially."
She paused before adding seriously, "But even those are considered unstable. The technology hasn't matured. A 50-meter ship is both risky and incredibly expensive. Out of every ten built, eight might never make it through their maiden voyage. They break apart, capsize, or fail due to poor structural integrity."
This was the very reason why her own family's fleet had never considered acquiring such ships. A single one cost hundreds of gold coins, and even the wealthiest kingdoms only dared to purchase one or two at a time. For most, the investment simply wasn't worth the risk.
"I don't want ships that could sink the moment they hit rough waters," Lucas replied dryly, rolling his eyes.
The real problem, he knew, wasn't necessarily in the materials, but in the lack of knowledge behind the designs. With sound engineering, even a 50-meter ship could be seaworthy. But in this world, that kind of technical foundation simply hadn't been established yet.
Dahlia grimaced slightly. Part of her wanted to challenge his thinking. If even the best shipyards can't build reliable 50-meter ships, what makes you think you can do better? Isn't this just a fantasy?
But she held her tongue. Instead, she asked the more pressing question. "And how many shipbuilders are you asking for, exactly?"
"Can you spare me a few?" Lucas asked casually, not bothering to elaborate further. There was no point explaining everything—once the ships were completed, the results would be all the explanation anyone needed.
He didn't plan on constructing 100-meter-long giants right away. That would be foolish. No, he would start small—by building a few sturdy, well-designed 50-meter ships. Those would serve as stepping stones, helping him gather experience, refine techniques, and train local workers.
His long-term vision involved far larger vessels—perhaps even 100 meters or more—but that could wait until his territory developed further. Ironclads, powered by steam or other innovations, remained far off on the horizon. For now, he had to work with wood, manpower, and clever design.
"No problem," Dahlia said after a moment of consideration. "How many do you need, Lord Lucas?"
She studied him closely as she spoke. The shipbuilders in her fleet were primarily responsible for maintenance work—patching hulls, replacing boards, repairing sails. They came from modest coastal towns, where they had learned their craft through generations of tradition.
"I'd like twenty," Lucas said firmly.
"Twenty?" Dahlia blinked, the shock visible on her face. "That's not possible. My entire fleet only employs about twenty in total."
Lucas frowned slightly. "How about fifteen, then?"
That was the minimum he could accept. Any fewer, and construction would slow to a crawl—he couldn't afford that kind of delay. His goal was to see his first ship launched before the next spring.
"How much are you paying them?" Dahlia asked, her tone cautious now. This was where most negotiations failed. If the pay wasn't high enough, no skilled laborer would agree to leave.
"Five hundred copper coins per person per month. Skilled workers get a full silver coin," Lucas said with complete ease, as if he were discussing the price of bread.
He never hesitated when it came to paying for talent. Good workers were worth their weight in gold, and shipbuilders were no exception.
Dahlia stared at him, her mouth parting slightly in disbelief. "Lord Lucas… are you serious?"
The numbers he'd thrown out weren't just generous—they were outrageous. In most shipyards, workers received barely a third of that. Offering such high wages would cause a stir throughout the entire coastal region.
Her expression turned complex. This was entirely unlike her own style of business, which was based on tight budgeting and maximizing profits. Lucas, by contrast, seemed to treat money like water—spending freely to get what he needed, with complete confidence that the returns would be worth it.
"Of course I'm serious," Lucas said, not missing a beat. "I need the shipyard operational by winter. I can use the idle workers for lumber gathering during the cold season. It lines up perfectly."
After a long silence, Dahlia finally nodded. "Alright then. I'll send fifteen shipbuilders to you. But be warned—they'll be eager. With that kind of pay, I won't be able to stop them even if I tried."
Lucas smiled. "That's fine. That's exactly what I need."
Now that he had access to experienced builders, coupled with his blueprints, a bit of theoretical knowledge, and the tools he would prepare in advance…
The dream of launching his first large ship was no longer some distant fantasy. It was finally within reach.
With ships of sufficient size and capacity, the cities that lined the Whispering River could transform into a bustling trade network, with Sedona City at its heart.
As for the vast ocean beyond, and foreign lands across the sea—those would come in time. He needed larger, sturdier ships to reach them, but that future was drawing closer.
Once he linked every riverside city into a unified network, the Whispering River wouldn't just be a waterway.
It would become a golden artery of trade, prosperity, and power.
In the beginning, Dahlia's fleet would suffice. But over time, it wouldn't be enough. The capital's markets would saturate eventually, and he needed to prepare for that now—not later.
Even before touching the royal capital, Lucas was already planning for the farthest reaches of the river, and beyond. No single city could match the capital in wealth or demand, but together? Together, they held unimaginable potential.
And once past Sakura City, the river widened dramatically—broad enough to support vessels over 100 meters long. With its many branching tributaries reaching distant kingdoms and forgotten duchies…
The Whispering River could become the greatest trade route in the world.
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