"Heh, heh..." Chris forced an awkward smile, concealing his shock. It seemed that his understanding of common knowledge was of no use in this world.

If there were truly dragons in this world, there must be other strange things, like other monsters, magic, and perhaps even races other than humans.

In this situation, Chris couldn't be sure how powerful his "golden finger" in his mind truly was.

At this moment, Chris had to face the harsh reality and avert his gaze from the exquisite dragon-slaying mural. "The Arlant Empire has dragons?"

"Not at all," Vaglon replied. "The Arlant Empire, as well as the surrounding kingdoms and numerous noble castles, are all 'mortal' nations. There's no trace of magic here, nor magical creatures."

"Because there's no magical presence, it's not suitable for wizards to reside and practice magic. The powerful magic empires look down on this place and can only govern us indirectly through taxes and proxies," Deens added. "The Arlant Empire is essentially a powerful mortal nation."

"Of course, even the weakest magic empire could easily defeat a mortal nation. They have dragon knights and wizards... we are no match for them," Strid chimed in as if he had rehearsed. "Your grandfather made a name for himself in a battle against a wild dragon invasion and was appointed as the lord of Seris City."

"Very well," Chris shrugged with a sense of resignation. For now, he could only plan cautiously and gradually explore his development options.

There was some good news: if mortals could kill dragons, it didn't seem impossible. If Chris could indeed create anti-aircraft artillery, dragon slaying might not be too difficult.

"How many soldiers do I have as the lord, and what properties are under my name? How much power do I have? Please tell me more about it," Chris looked at the steak in front of him. His appetite was gone, and he was ready to focus on work.

His three subordinates were quite capable, and they quickly gave Chris an overview of his assets.

As a lord, Chris had a strong cavalry unit of 300, as well as a defense force of about 1000 city guards.

Seris City was strategically located and had many small workshops. Agricultural production was also good, bringing in about 1000 gold coins annually.

From any perspective, Seris City was a good place before the increase in taxes. Unfortunately, Chris had just arrived, and the good times were over.

"Why are we being taxed like this? Do you know?" Chris pondered for a moment and asked Deens.

Deens smiled wryly and replied, "My lord, the Arlant Empire also has to pay taxes to the more powerful magic empires further west. As for why the taxes are increasing or not, it depends on the moods of the magicians."

This was a classic case of passing on the conflict. The Arlant Empire was like a middleman, passing its tax burden to the smaller neighboring countries and lords, thereby lightening its own load and even gaining some benefits.

"Do we have any specialties?" Since there was no easy way to cut expenses, Chris turned his attention to increasing revenue.

If he could find more ways to make money, paying 1000 gold coins in taxes wouldn't be a problem.

"We have a special metal called Radiant Iron, which is hard and lightweight, making it an excellent material for crafting weapons," Strid replied. "In addition, we have a woodworking workshop that produces high-quality furniture, favored by nobles."

"Another major source of income is tolls. We generate a surplus of about 100 gold coins per year. But imposing tolls carries risks – if our tolls are too high, it discourages passing merchants and travelers, and the income won't significantly increase," Deens added.

Chris nodded, understanding their current situation better. There weren't many problems to solve, at least in his view.

"It seems we'll have to focus on these specialties for now, and increasing production capacity might be a good idea," Chris decided and turned to his advisers.

"We have limited craftsmen, both in woodworking and apprentices. They are already working diligently," Strid explained. "Similarly, at the Radiant Iron mine, increasing the number of laborers could impact agricultural production and lead to unrest among the free citizens, causing them to migrate."

"Who said that increasing production capacity necessarily requires more labor?" Chris smiled with confidence. He had many ways to improve productivity, even if his knowledge might not yet apply directly to dragon-slaying.

"I can design some parts, and if our blacksmiths can manufacture these parts, it will simplify the remaining work," Chris stood up from the dining table, eager to get started. "When I was unconscious, I heard a divine revelation! The gods have shown me the way, and under their protection, Seris City will become the most magnificent city in this world!"

Saying this, he led the way out, and Vaglon hurriedly followed, fearing that Chris might have another impulsive idea.

"Ah... If the gods truly favor this land, why would they make it a forbidden magic zone and subject us to torment here?" Deens sighed, watching Chris's retreating figure with melancholy.

"Yes, we are all forsaken mortals... I've known that since I was two years old," Strid added with a sigh.

"Do you think... the lord is really okay?" At this point, Deens asked his colleague with a hint of unease.

Strid didn't answer but shook his head, expressing his own doubts.

Chris didn't hear his subordinates discussing him. He walked through the corridor and arrived at his office door with Vaglon's guidance. Two guards stood outside the door, a sign that the castle's rules hadn't been disrupted during his unconsciousness.

The guards greeted him with clenched fists over their chests, and Chris entered his room. The furnishings were more luxurious than he had imagined, indicating that the previous owner had a good taste for life.

The room was filled with books, giving it a charming atmosphere. Large glass windows allowed ample sunlight to enter, making the room much brighter than the castle's interior.

"I'll work on some things here myself. Come find me during dinner," Chris told Vaglon, then closed the door.

Soon, he found his design drawings from the pre-industrial revolution era and began to use a quill to annotate and explain them. The drawings from that period weren't particularly sophisticated, so Chris had to add explanations to make them understandable.

As the sun set, the room darkened, and Vaglon knocked on the door to remind Chris of the time. Chris had been so absorbed in his work that he had lost track of time.

"Have someone bring plenty of candles here, I'll need them for the evening. Also, find a few more candle holders; one won't be enough," Chris ordered a series of tasks as the servants left the study.

Once the servants left, Chris rolled up the stack of drawings on his table and handed them to Vaglon. "Vaglon, go to the workshop yourself, find the craftsmen, and have them make these parts. Do it as quickly as possible, and there will be rewards!"

Vaglon took the drawings and nodded. "My lord, I will go immediately. We have the finest craftsmen, and they can create the best armor!"

Chris nodded and let Vaglon leave. He then ate a hasty dinner and returned to his study, working until all the candles burned out. Only then did he retire to his bedroom.

The next day, just before noon, Chris hadn't opened his eyes yet. He had slept late into the night and was planning to have a romantic rendezvous with his bed sheets.

However, just as he was getting cozy with his bed sheets, there was a sudden announcement from outside his door, forcing him to abandon his amorous pursuits and return to the real world.

Chris, who had barely rested, stretched and yawned. With a sigh, he reluctantly instructed, "Come in! What is it?"

General Vaglon, with his longsword at his waist, entered Chris's bedroom and reported, "The parts you requested, my lord, the blacksmiths have finished them all."

"So quickly? Excellent!" Chris suddenly felt wide awake, scratching his head as he got out of bed, ready to get dressed.

He had black hair, a trait he inherited from the Arlant family, as the servants told him. Chris was quite satisfied with his symmetrical body and the handsome face he had seen in the mirror last night. It was truly a flawless appearance.

What annoyed Chris, however, was the complicated noble attire in this world. He felt a bit irritated as he dressed, and he had to ask the servants for help. Finally, he managed to put on clothes that made him look somewhat presentable.

Compared to the straightforward and efficient factories of the future, the craftsmen in this world worked in a chaotic and crowded environment.

Next to the blacksmith's shop was the woodworking workshop, separated by a canal for fire prevention. Everywhere was bustling with activity, and the sound of sawing wood echoed throughout the area.

The craftsmen had received the blueprints just last night and didn't know the purpose of the parts they were making, but they were diligently crafting the components as per the lord's orders. After all, this was a command from the lord, and they heard there would be rewards and tax reductions.

"All right! Let's witness the miracle of industrial civilization together!" Chris loosened his shoulders and neck, rubbing his wrists as he approached the pile of parts.