These Carson Rick people were diplomatic civil servants from Carson Rick stationed in Tobesk.
After being invited to the Queen's birthday banquet, Bishop Owen stopped them, wanting to ask them about the activities held in the Weilandale City Diocese, the capital of Carson Rick, during this year's Holy Prayer Festival.
Both parties were happy to have this conversation, but due to a shortage of translators, Priest Augustus pulled Xia De in to translate.
Weilandale City, Carson Rick United Kingdom, is widely considered the core of the southern Old Continent.
Similar to Tobesk, Weilandale City firmly controls the entire United Kingdom through its status as a political, economic, and cultural center.
Although the two capitals are one north and one south, they are generally located in the western part of the Old Continent.
Priest Augustus had visited Weilandale City when he was young, which is why he could speak some carson rick.
They didn't talk with these foreigners for too long before the King's attendant rushed over, saying King Larus III wanted to see these diplomatic envoys.
Normally, a king meeting foreign officials requires prior notice and preparation, so such an abrupt summons was truly perplexing.
But in any case, these Carson Rick people could not refuse, so they bid farewell to the group from the Dawn Church.
Xia De had originally wanted to talk more with Priest Augustus about the topic of demons, but the Dawn Church had more things to do tonight.
They quickly found Bishop Nelson of the Peace Church in this diocese and Priest John Wood of the Creation Church in this area, and discussed the scope of the Five Gods Church's missionary work in this diocese around a long dining table in the courtyard.
"Why didn't the Bishop of the Creation Church come?"
Xia De only needed to listen to such conversations, so he quietly asked Priest Augustus.
But before Priest Augustus could speak, a voice came from behind him:
"Bishop Rivest caught the flu and is recovering in the church.
He's 65 this year, he can't take this kind of strain."
Xia De turned and saw a burly man behind him, wearing a top hat, a monocle over his right eye, and white gloves on both hands.
He looked about forty years old, with neat black short hair, and a brass-colored Two-Ring on his right ear:
"Mr. Sari Pirot."
He introduced himself, then extended his right hand to Xia De.
Xia De was startled, then immediately shook it.
However, he immediately felt that he wasn't holding a human hand; it was clearly metal beneath the glove.
"Mr. Hamilton of Thunder Jeed, I've heard of you.
The card game just now was excellent; it's a pity I wasn't on the second floor to see it."
This gentleman said kindly, and the voice in his ear had already given a hint:
【Thirteen Ring Sorcerer, if there's no accident, this is the "Steel Right Hand" of the Creation Church.】
Xia De swore he was trying hard to control his expression, making himself look puzzled:
"Hello, Mr. Pierrot, are you a clergyman of the Creation Church?"
Mr. Pierrot was wearing formal ball attire rather than a robe, and the color of his coat was not ordinary black, but red, which was a very fashionable look.
"Yes, Xia De, let me introduce you."
Priest Augustus was also very surprised; although he was not a Ring術士 of the church, having been in the Tobesk Diocese for many years, he also knew this gentleman:
"Mr. Sari Pirot, the head of the security team for the Creation and Destruction Church in this diocese.
This gentleman was on a business trip a few days ago and should have just returned to Tobesk."
"Yes, Priest Augustus, long time no see."
Mr. Pierrot smiled and extended his hand to the Priest:
"You still look so healthy, but I heard you're also being arranged to go out on business?"
"Yes, yes, I'm already so old, and the church still wants to arrange for me to go on a business trip to the northern foothills of Sicar Mountain."
The Priest said with a hint of complaint; Xia De was a little surprised, he hadn't heard that Priest Augustus was leaving Tobesk.
"It's a decision just made by the Holy See, dispatching Old Priests from various dioceses to do things in rural towns.
Ratt, this is a good assignment, a free autumn trip."
Bishop Owen also joined the conversation, holding a glass of wine, seemingly having had an unsuccessful conversation with the heretics earlier:
"Pierrot, back in Tobesk?
How's that matter going now?"
"Although not as smooth as imagined, there should be no problem.
It's just that the church is still worried about a thief breaking in at the last moment, so they gave me two days of temporary leave, and then I'll focus on the final finishing touches."
The Thirteen Ring Sorcerer said this, probably thinking Xia De didn't understand, but Xia De understood perfectly.
"The church's work is really hard."
The young Detective sighed half-truthfully.
"Probably not as hard as a Detective, right?"
Bishop Owen said with a smile:
"The other day, President Stan of the Prophet Association and I met about something, and I heard you were still waiting on the street in the evening to gather intelligence."
This referred to what happened last Saturday when Xia De was preparing to meet Leia, at which time President Stan had also made a prophecy for Xia De.
"No, no, my business isn't actually very prosperous; I only get an occasional commission."
"Then from now on, I'll have to introduce business to you."
Bishop Owen said with a smile; he was a bit older than Priest Augustus and was an ordinary person, but he looked very well.
"That would be great, of course; I can give them a very cheap price."
Xia De responded, then pretended to be curious and asked the Thirteen Ring Sorcerer beside him:
"Mr. Pierrot, it's a coincidence to meet you; I actually have some questions I'd like to ask about steam machinery."
The Creation and Destruction Church is one of the promoters of the Steam Revolution, standing at the forefront of the surging tide of the era.
Among the Five Gods Church in the material world, the Creation Church actually has the most followers.
Because this is the age of steam, some people even joke that the Creation and Destruction Church could be renamed the Steam Church.
"Please ask."
Mr. Pierrot looked at Xia De with great interest.
"It's like this."
Xia De organized his thoughts; as an Outsider coming to this world, although he supported himself and his cat by being a Detective, he would need more money in the future, so he always wanted to do something with the Knowledge from his hometown.
But in this steam age, there were not many opportunities left for him, which is why he wanted to inquire about the cutting-edge steam technology:
"I've had some good ideas recently; I'd like to ask, has the Creation and Mechanical Church heard of a machine completely assembled from gears, levers, and springs, relying on gear sets to store numbers, and gear set sequences to store—"
Xia De was trying his best to explain his idea when suddenly a sharp whistle cut through the night sky, where fireworks were still being set off.
Xia De stopped speaking and, along with everyone in the courtyard, looked in the direction of the main building of Yodel Palace.
That slightly sharp whistle came from behind the building.
"The Yodel Palace's alarm whistle."
Bishop Owen introduced, but wasn't very worried:
"One whistle is just a small problem; a few days ago, Sachs Cavendish broke in with a gun, and the royal guards blowing three whistles was a big problem."
"Excuse me, I think I need to go see what's happening."
Mr. Pierrot said apologetically, patted Xia De's shoulder, and quickly walked along the long table towards the building behind everyone.
And with this Ring術士 of the Creation Church temporarily leaving, Xia De naturally had no chance to continue asking questions.
"I wonder if this world has already invented a machine similar to a difference engine."
He stood with Priest Augustus beside the long dining table, looking up at the splendid fireworks in the sky.
【Outsider, what is a "difference engine"?】
Her whisper suddenly sounded in his ear; this was one of the few times she actively asked Xia De a question.
"A difference engine, huh."
The guests in the courtyard returned to normal; no one paid much attention to the whistle just now.
"How can the steam age not have a difference engine?
It's a metal, automated mathematical processing tool.
No, it's not for calculating simple addition and subtraction; it's a machine capable of processing complex functions and performing complex mathematical analysis and operations in place of the human brain."
Xia De answered leisurely in his mind, while Priest Augustus beside him was guessing how many pounds these fireworks were worth; he seemed to want to do the same at next year's Year-End Festival.
"In my hometown, due to material limitations, the difference engine in the steam age was only a concept.
But in this world, the development of the steam industry has led material science down a path never realized in my hometown; it is possible to manufacture a difference engine in this world."
The sea of stars was vast, and because the lights of civilization were not yet enough to illuminate the entire sky at night, the Outsider could now see a scene of twinkling stars he had never seen before:
"Mathematics is the foundation of natural science; once the automated calculation difference engine is manufactured, this era will become even more exciting than we imagine, this developing era can develop for even longer, and the flame of civilization will continue for longer."
【Oh?】
She sighed softly in his ear.
"But unfortunately, from the current situation, people in this world have not yet conceived and manufactured such a machine.
So, if I can provide basic design ideas and function algorithms, and even participate in the manufacturing of the machine, not to mention the practical money and fame, at least I, an Outsider, can truly leave my mark on this world."
【Very good.】
"She" praised softly in his ear, and Xia De also emerged from his imagined scene, intending to enjoy the rest of the banquet.
He didn't stay with Priest Augustus for too long, as Priest Augustus seemed to have a lot more to do.
Thinking of going upstairs to check on the card game, and then dancing with Luvia once she finished her tasks, Xia De turned and walked towards the wide-open doors of the building.
He had only taken two steps when a slightly familiar figure approached with a glass of wine.
It was the youngest son of Count Dimock, the noble youth who, just a few hours earlier, had been startled by Xia De's gun of kindness in front of his friends.
