Exploring Technology in a Wizard World
Chapter 514 - 512: Trading Secrets for Secrets

Chapter 514: Chapter 512: Trading Secrets for Secrets

The elderly man sitting in the wheelchair listened to Richard’s words, his eyes flickering as if discerning the truth from lies. After a long pause, he slowly put down the gun in his hand and said softly, "Sherlock that guy... huh, alright, what help are you seeking from me?"

Richard didn’t beat around the bush and responded directly, "Sherlock has a clock that you made; its case is made of a special silver-white metal. I wonder if you remember it. I need some of that metal now for some research."

"The silver-white metal of the clock’s case?" Lawrence spoke, "Are you referring to Tosso Silver?"

"Tosso Silver?" Richard blinked, "I call it Balasi Silver or Metal Palladium. But it doesn’t matter; I think we are talking about the same thing, and I indeed need it. If you, Master Lawrence, have enough of it here, I hope you can help me by giving me some."

"I indeed have it here, and plenty of it," Lawrence said, then his tone shifted, "But the problem is, why should I give it to you? What’s in it for me if I give you the Tosso Silver? Huh, boy, don’t tell me you’re going to offer me money. Do you think I’m someone who needs money?" Lawrence said as he gestured toward the numerous wooden shelves.

"This—," Richard raised his eyebrows, glanced at Lawrence, and after a moment of thought spoke, "How about I exchange knowledge for it, for instance... help you improve the current technology?"

"Help me improve the current technology?" Lawrence was taken aback for a moment and then burst out laughing, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world, "Hahaha, boy, are you foolish or arrogant? Do you think you know everything? Do you think you can improve my technology? Ridiculous!"

"How can we know without trying it out?" Richard remained calm and said, looking around at the wooden shelves. He spotted a black-cased clock nearby, picked it up, and placed it on the table in front of Lawrence.

Richard pointed to the black-cased clock and spoke seriously, "Master Lawrence, this clock is one of your proud creations, isn’t it? But have you noticed a problem with it? That is, the movement of the hands is unstable. Sometimes it moves a bit faster, and sometimes slower?

"Although this issue can be mitigated through precision processing, it cannot be completely enhanced. However, I can fundamentally solve this problem through a technological upgrade. I wonder if you would like to know how? If you want to know, then I now need three things: a quill, ink, and papyrus."

After hearing Richard’s words, Lawrence looked at Richard, staring intently into his eyes as if trying to see through him.

After quite a while, Lawrence made up his mind, turned his head toward two students nearby, and called out, "Give him what he needs!"

"Ah, yes." Muto and Rek didn’t dare to say much and quickly brought a new quill, a bottle of ink, and a Papyrus Scroll to the table.

Richard didn’t say much either, unrolled the Papyrus Scroll, dipped the quill in the ink, and quickly began to draw various parts and diagrams showing how the components should work together.

He spent several minutes completing an extremely complex drawing, then pushed it forward to Lawrence, making a welcoming gesture.

Lawrence bowed his head, his gaze fixed on the scroll, observing it intently. At first, his expression seemed to dismiss the ideas as absurd.

Then his expression shifted slightly as if intrigued, "This seems interesting."

Then came, "This part can actually be made this way?"

Following that, "This area is a bit confusing, but feels very impressive."

Finally, "Is this... is this... is this all real?! If this can really be implemented, it would be truly incredible. It could solve all the problems!"

Lawrence kept looking at the drawing for a good half-hour without any other action, appearing petrified. His eyes, from not blinking for a long time, had turned blood-red.

Rek and Muto, standing beside, felt worried and couldn’t help moving closer, whispering softly, "Teacher, you... you alright?"

"Hmm," Lawrence finally stirred as if coming back to his senses.

"Phew—"

Lawrence let out a long sigh, turned his head towards Richard, and revealed a somewhat peculiar expression, saying, "Kid, did you think of this clock-improvement method yourself?"

Richard was noncommittal: "Anyway, I’ve improved the technique for you, haven’t I? According to our agreement, Master Lawrence, can you give me the Tosso Silver now?"

"Fine, here it is." Upon hearing Richard’s words, Lawrence didn’t waste time; he looked at his apprentices and quickly commanded, "Give him all the Tosso Silver in the warehouse."

"All of it, Teacher?" Muto and Rek couldn’t help but confirm upon hearing him.

"All!" Lawrence confirmed decisively.

"Uh, alright then." Muto and Rek headed through a small door and ran into the room next door, promptly returning carrying a heavy iron box between them, which they placed before Richard, emitting a dull thud.

Richard opened the iron box and saw neatly arrayed blocks of Metal Palladium cast like bars of gold.

Pleased, he nodded and with a "snap" closed the iron box, then turned to Lawrence and said, "Thank you, Master Lawrence." He picked it up and walked off.

"Take care, please wait a moment!" Lawrence then called out.

"What is it, Master Lawrence?" Richard stopped and looked towards Lawrence. "What’s the matter?"

"Um... It’s the same question as before," Lawrence said, pausing briefly before continuing, "I admit, the way you improved the clocks is effective—exceptionally effective, far exceeding my expectations. Because of this, I’m very curious about how you came up with it.

As I see it, this shouldn’t be something you figured out on your own!

After all, I’ve spent a lifetime studying from blueprints to achieve the level I have, and you’re so young, how could you surpass me? Plus, you don’t even have the blueprints!

Tell me, how did you come upon this technology?"

Richard looked at Lawrence and smiled, "Master Lawrence, that question seems to go beyond the scope of our deal, touching upon my privacy."

Lawrence said, "Since you say that, it means it’s something you could tell me, right? What would you want in exchange then? I’ve given you all the Tosso Silver, I really have none left, but I still have many other things, like gold, silver, gemstones, anything you want, I could give you."

"I have these things too," Richard replied, his eyes twinkled as he said, "If you really want to know my secret, Master Lawrence, perhaps you could trade with a secret of your own."

"My secret?" Lawrence was taken aback.

"Yes, your secret," Richard nodded firmly, "You’re very curious about how I acquired the technology to improve clocks, right? Well, I’m also curious about how you know how to make clocks, Firearms, and such. Neither clocks nor firearms exist in this world, how did you make them and why did you make them?"

"This—" Lawrence made a sound, sat back in his wheelchair with a fluctuating expression, and did not speak for a long while.

The atmosphere in the room turned somewhat oppressive.