Chapter 330

Chapter 330.

Feces? Urine?
The Alchemists present froze!

Wells was the first one who couldn’t help but stand up, “Count Greiman, with all due respect, how can you associate great alchemy with something so filthy?”

And it was still in the middle of everyone’s meal.

“Filth?” Paul realized he had slipped up a bit, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have brought it up on this occasion.”

It’s not a matter of occasion or not, the alchemists were embarrassed to the extreme, this profession of theirs was considered a decent profession, if the count really asked them to study excrement, then what’s the difference between them and those who were pulling out manure, there’s no such thing as labor that doesn’t discriminate between the noble and the lowly in this era.

Now it seems like the count is insulting them.

“Ahem!” One of the older men, whose name was Hoffman, coughed and stood up to ask carefully, “Lord Gleeman, are you sure you’re not joking? Those things are only touched by only the lowliest slaves ah. We are …… we are ……”

Wells added for him, “We are alchemists.” The words were thick with resistance.

Paul rubbed his chin, “Alright, I see, let’s get on with our meal.”

After everyone thought this was over, they went back to fiddling with their knives and forks.

All of a sudden, the Earl was heard saying, “It occurs to me that finances have been a bit tight lately, and the establishment of a chemistry lab might need to be discussed with the Council of State congregation.”

What, the almost cooked duck is going to fly, the crowd tensed up.

Obviously, the Count was threatening them, either reject the research project he proposed and roll back to the workshop to continue to be a boring technical instructor, working daily in accordance with the established process in a step-by-step manner, or accept the research project he proposed, enjoying a large amount of funding, and exploring the infinite possibilities of the field of alchemy in the laboratory.

While the crowd exchanged pleasantries and whispered with those on their left and right about what to choose, Count Gleiman enjoyed his lunch with a sense of humor.

Finally, after some exchanges of voices and eyes at the table, most of the alchemists came to an agreement: sacrifice a moment’s dignity for a brighter future in the longer term.

The forefathers who started this industry back then hadn’t tried anything to get gold.

Still, the older Hoffman spoke on behalf of everyone: “Lord Earl, urging our employer’s urgency is the primary guideline of our profession, and after careful consideration, we should indeed first approach the [difficult problem] you just mentioned. Of course, the prerequisite is a convenient experimental environment.”

You guys lost your modesty so quickly? Wells wanted to stand up to say a few words under his indignation, and was immediately [held down] in his seat by his peers with angry eyes.

These guys are still quite adaptable, Paul smiled happily, “Since your work enthusiasm is so high, I will definitely instruct the State Council to prioritize the support for the construction of the chemical laboratory. Please go back and plan it out in detail, list out all the kinds of things needed, and then we’ll discuss it in detail.”

“Your Excellency the Count is wise!” Hoffman bowed to Paul.

“It’s just that, regarding the program you mentioned, is it really feasible to massively collect nitrogen through those …… those filth?”

They only know that nitrate can be scraped out of the toilet, and if the earl doesn’t mind the dirt, just go directly to the toilet and scrape it.

Paul: “You guys know the so-called microorganisms, right?”

Crowd: “Know.”

Knowledge about microorganisms was the first thing every newcomer to Lakewood was indoctrinated with, and the Alchemists were no exception; they were also very much exposed to the microscope – the Count’s great invention – and saw for themselves things that could not be observed with the naked eye alone.

It was also because of this that those who came to Lakeheart Town got into the habit of drinking boiled water, the high temperature could kill those little bugs that could not be seen with the naked eye, and a bad tummy was most likely the cause of these guys.

Paul: “I have a bold speculation – certain microorganisms have an effect on the transformation of substances in nature, and the fact that nitrous will appear in the toilets may be related to certain microorganisms that we are not yet able to know.” What was already a conclusive fact in the other world can only be called a bold speculation in this one, and people here don’t know anything about nitrifying bacteria.

The crowd nodded, except most of them didn’t take it to heart, why don’t you say it has something to do with the sun?

“If we can increase the number of microorganisms associated with nitrate conversion, we can speed up the production of nitrate from feces or urine.”

“Since they’re alive, sunlight, temperature, and moisture are all possible influences on their numbers, and whether it’s a positive or a negative influence is something that needs to be carefully experimented with.”

Uh, so the Earl really does think it has something to do with the sun.

“Lord Gleeman, we will definitely follow your instructions and experiment to the best of our ability.”

What could the alchemists do? Even if many thought the Earl’s theory was a bit ridiculous, they had to go ahead and do it, for the sake of the long-desired laboratory. Anyway, if in the end if it was a useless endeavor, it would be the earl’s money that would be wasted.

“Well, that’s good, I’ll make time to work with you guys.”

It would take a bunch of headstrong guys alone to monkey around with the nitrate field, Paul of course wanted to get personally involved, he still knew the general principles and ways about stacking nitrate.

But many interpreted his words to mean that the lord would check up on them from time to time to see if they would be cheating, and there was another show of loyalty.

With that, the lunch at the lord’s house ended with everyone having their own thoughts.

“These guys with no alchemist’s dignity!”

After leaving the Lord’s Mansion, Wells went to a restaurant called [Flying Dragon Pavilion] and criticized the disgraceful behavior of his peers while drinking mulled wine.

But a well-furnished and well-funded laboratory was also something he longed for, and for a while his heart was in an incomparable tangle.

“Hey! Isn’t that Wells?”

Words with a Jingyao accent rang out behind him, and called out his name.

Wells turned around and was surprised to meet an acquaintance – Odd Armsmaster Guy Burns.

In fact, it wasn’t really an acquaintance, the two of them only had business dealings in Jingyao. Moreover, the former Wells actually looked down on the other party in his heart, Burns did not mix well in the King’s Capital, and was ostracized and even ridiculed by his peers, and was downtrodden all day long.

But now Guy Burns has completely subverted Wells’ previous impression of him, not only dressed well, but also between his hands and feet there is a vaguely indefinable temperament, seems to be very similar to those officials.

“Burns? You’ve arrived in the Northwest Bay as well? Come over and have a seat.”

Out of politeness, Wells invited the other man to sit at his table and added a glass of wine.

As they chatted, Wells realized that this strange mechanic was doing so well in Lakewood – so well respected by the lord that he had even given the famous machine shop – the place that made amazing machines such as the harvester and the flying shuttle loom –He was indeed an official, and a very important member of the Lakewood system. Naturally, the treatment enjoyed by the other party was also very high, at least much higher than him as a [technician].

A strong sense of unwillingness arose within him, in Jingyao this kid mixed much worse than himself, and now he even ruthlessly pressed himself.

Under Burns’ astonished gaze, Veles gulped down a large glass full of wine.

I also want to seize the opportunity to go to the peak of life!

(End of chapter)