Chapter 19: You can work with Machines, But you can’t mess with Them!

Large-scale iron smelting was irreversibly damaging to the environment.

Even with the Church’s suppression, it didn’t mean the common folk could fully accept it; she had to begin scaling down her smelting operations.

Furthermore, the consumption of iron smelting was terrifying.

Yulia had been trying every conceivable method to reduce costs, and Su Na’s steam engine naturally entered her sights.

Though this thing couldn’t directly reduce the environmental toll of iron smelting, it could make mine production smoother, indirectly driving down her overall costs.

Additionally, based on the Kortel Merchant Guild’s observations, the Fafnir territory’s steam engines could use coal as a fuel source, which would not further burden the Duchy’s existing resources.

Coal could not be used for smelting iron because its combustion released specific impurities that severely degraded the quality of the iron, but steam engines for boiling water weren’t that picky.

At the same time, Su Na’s modifications to the steam engine revealed its scalability to Yulia.

In the future, even if she didn’t pursue iron smelting, just producing various minerals would be a lucrative business.

Most importantly, she had taken a liking to Su Na’s sharp little mind. Who knows what other surprises she might bring in the future? She decided to “claim” her early.

As for her contact with Charlie, he was merely a stepping stone, a medium to get to know Su Na.

After all, according to the files, the two had a relatively close relationship, and things were easier with a mutual acquaintance.

Su Na hadn’t guessed Yulia’s true motives; she only felt that this woman was too calculating and couldn’t be trusted.

She never expected the woman simply coveted her “presence”~

Throughout the journey, Yulia kept probing Su Na, perhaps wanting to understand her better, or perhaps wanting to grasp the secrets of the Fafnir territory.

Regardless of the reason, after being pestered for so long, Su Na began to lose her patience.

Su Na sounded somewhat impatient: “Yulia, what exactly are you trying to say?”

She didn’t want to go head-to-head with Yulia directly, but since she had already been noticed, there was no point in hiding.

No faction could withstand a magnifying glass inspection forever; she would show her “cloven hooves” sooner or later.

It was better to speak clearly and communicate openly. She was here to study, not to act in a play.

She was still thinking about how the alchemy department at the Royal Academy might relate to chemistry, hoping to poach some talent back to work for her; she had no time to waste with Yulia all day.

Her blunt tone caused Yulia’s smile to freeze on her face, and her hand fell from Su Na’s arm.

Seeing that Su Na wasn’t falling for her act, Yulia quickly changed her approach.

She stopped the “innocent and naive” routine and began to look Su Na up and down with an expressionless face.

Su Na waved for Levi to step back, turned, and looked at Yulia’s now-cold demeanor, smiling: “You look much prettier this way; far better than that previous look.”

“Tell me, are you going to ask me to stay away from Charlie, or do you have some opinion of me personally?”

Su Na crossed her arms over her developing chest: “If this is advice regarding the Fafnir family, I can guarantee that the Fafnir family will not participate in any disputes between the Regent and the Crown Princess.

We will unconditionally execute all decrees issued by the Kingdom.”

Yulia was equally direct: “I want you.”

Su Na dug at her ear: “Huh? Me?”

Seeing the determination in Yulia’s eyes, Su Na’s brow furrowed. She ‘whooshed’ behind Levi, keeping her personal bodyguard tightly in front of her before shouting:

“Absolutely not! Although you’re beautiful, this progress is way too fast. I can’t accept this for the time being.”

She finally understood how Yulia could treat Charlie like a dog in the original plot without a hint of the “love-addled” tendency characteristic of the harem members; it turns out she was a “big orange” (a lesbian).

Su Na’s voice wasn’t quiet; the surrounding students had basically heard everything. They cast strange glances at Yulia, causing her face to flush bright red. Her beautiful features twisted slightly, and her temperament turned gloomy.

“When I said I ‘wanted’ you, I meant those little! toys! you made!”

Looking at the gnashing Yulia, Su Na, who didn’t believe a word of it, pulled her head in and wrapped her arms around Levi’s waist—who was still clutching her documents—and hurried toward the dormitory: “Let’s chat next time!”

Offense given, offense taken; she wasn’t bothered. They were already at odds anyway. She couldn’t very well sacrifice herself just to curry favor with the Rose Duke.

Yulia was left alone, wind-blown and messy, amidst the stares and whispers of the crowd. It didn’t take a genius to realize that, given her status as a Duke’s daughter, this gossip would undoubtedly spread until the entire academy knew about it.

It would probably be difficult for her to recruit talent of the same s*x from now on… but that wasn’t absolute. At the very least, she had instantly maxed out her favorability with certain small subcultures.

Right on the scene, two upperclassmen were already looking at her with burning eyes, eager to step forward and chat.