Chapter 111 Gems, Crystals, and Magic Jade

The last two chests did not contain books. To Liszt's pleasant surprise, one chest was filled with various types of jade, and the other contained an assortment of crystals. "Jade and crystals, the value of these two chests is certainly no less than that of the mithril ore!"

He picked up a milky white jade.

The disappointment of the vanished books was somewhat alleviated.

Jade and crystals could be considered types of gemstones. However, their origins were entirely different. Jade came from the earth, much like saltpeter and sulfur, naturally forming as minerals within the ground. Crystals, on the other hand, originated from dragons, being byproducts of the gemstones they produced.

Dragons could produce gemstones, which possessed extraordinary magical power.

But gemstone deposits were rare, and more common were the crystal deposits that accompanied them. Yellow topaz had yellow quartz nearby, and rubies had red quartz around them.

Crystals also contained magic, but compared to gemstones, the magic in crystals was relatively scarce.

Nobles enjoyed using crystals to carve drinking cups, and in Liszt's castle, there was a set of such crystal goblets used to entertain distinguished guests. Crystals were also commonly used to create magic lamps, which could shine day and night until their stored magic was depleted. Castles of note all had crystal chandeliers.

Crystals were also exquisite adornments for noble ladies. A crystal necklace could add considerable charm to a lady's appearance.

Jade, originating from the earth, was also known as magic jade, another stone imbued with magic. However, the magic it contained was highly integrated with the jade itself, making it difficult to harness and unsuitable for crafting magic items.

But jade was the best food for elves.

During the transplanting of cordyceps, the elves relied on gnawing on jade to sustain their lives; when contracting with elf insects, jade served as bait; and containers made of jade provided homes for the elves, increasing their chances of evolution.

Therefore, the value of jade was not inferior to that of crystals.

Liszt opened his gemstone space.

He packed both chests of jade and crystals inside. Shaking the bell, he called out to the steward, "Mr. Carter, I've put away the treasures in the chests. Most of them were severely damaged due to their age, leaving only traces of residue. Have someone remove and dispose of them."

He had thoroughly searched the boxes containing the books, finding that all the books had rotted away, leaving no legible text behind.

This was a drawback of thick parchment—it couldn't be stored for too long. Liszt believed that the lack of historical records in this world must have been related to the limitations of thick parchment. During its production, thick parchment underwent an "acidification" process to make it suitable for smooth writing.

But acidic substances were prone to chemical reactions, making them hard to preserve for extended periods.

That was how he understood it.

"Despite the regret, overall, this sunken treasure has brought me a windfall. Excellent!" Liszt thought to himself.

His mood gradually became more relaxed.

So, for dinner, he instructed the kitchen to host a grand barbecue.

Gort, Marcus, and others all attended. They knew that Liszt had made a substantial haul today, but wisely refrained from asking about the specifics of the treasure.

...

For three consecutive days,

Liszt kept a close watch on the condition of the dragonwort.

The wild dragonwort transplanted had adapted to its new soil environment and began to flourish, its green leaves vibrant. Those meant to flower continued to do so, and those meant to bear fruit carried on. Only the dragonwort nurturing the elf insect remained in a critical state, its magic intermittent, as if it could die at any moment.

Yet it didn't die, simply persevering.

There was no change in the smoke mission, indicating that it had not been completed.

"The black pearl should have sufficient magic. I can see signs of magic emanating from beneath the soil...I can't exert any more effort. Dragonwort little bug, whether you live or die depends on your own will to survive."

This smoke mission could only be resolved through waiting—waiting for the dragonwort to die and fail the mission, or for it to recover and complete the task.

Liszt stood up.

Looking toward the direction of the castle, a yellowish-gray horse was galloping toward it.

"It's Marcus returning." He mounted his lindworm steed and returned to the castle, just in time to meet Marcus standing at the entrance. "Teacher Marcus, how was your journey?"

"Everything went smoothly, my lord. Tomorrow, crystal craftsman Brad will arrive with the Flower Town merchants' convoy to serve you for a month."

"Thank you for your efforts, Teacher Marcus."

Liszt nodded. After obtaining a large quantity of crystals, he had conceived the idea of creating a telescope—glass was the ideal material for telescopes, but its production was complex. For now, Liszt lacked the capability to produce glass, so he decided to use crystals instead.

Transparent white crystals, polished to a smooth surface, would make for a simple telescope.

In Coral City, there were craftsmen specializing in crystal jewelry. Perhaps these craftsmen couldn't turn crystals into crystal lamps, but grinding concave and convex mirrors would not be beyond their abilities.

"Were the two lenses of a telescope concave or convex again?" Some physics knowledge had faded from Liszt's memory. He remembered that a monocular telescope consisted of two lenses, and by extending or shortening it, the distance visible could vary. Hiring a crystal craftsman for a month should allow him to craft a decent telescope.

Crystal Craftsman Brad

arrived as scheduled the next day.

He was a middle-aged man with a bald head and a pair of large mustaches, speaking in a deep, resonant voice. "Respected Baron of Flower Town, Brad greets you."

"Do you know why I hired you?"

"Mr. Marcus said that you hope to have several crystal items crafted for you."

"Yes, help me make a batch of mirrors." Liszt handed him several pieces of white crystal, which was a byproduct of white gemstones. As for what type of dragon produced white gemstones, Liszt was unaware—the information about dragons was abundant, but often vague.

Countries that possessed dragons always shrouded them in secrecy.

"This is white crystal, I can sense the magic it contains," said Brad, a free master craftsman and also an apprentice knight who possessed aura—a necessity for craftsmen working with gemstones and crystals.

Liszt unfolded a sheet of thick parchment. "I need you to shape these pieces of white crystal into mirrors like this, with very smooth surfaces and consistent thickness. They must not be unevenly thin or thick, and the shape should remain circular. The mirrors come in two sizes, but the thickness can vary."

The paper depicted the structures of convex and concave lenses.

Uncertain about what focal lengths of convex and concave lenses would be suitable to combine into a telescope, Liszt simply had the crystal craftsman produce several pieces of each, so that he could experiment with different combinations later on.

"As you wish, Baron."

"In that case, you shall settle down in Flower Town. If you can grind this batch of mirrors ahead of schedule, you may leave early, and the remuneration will still be the gold coin as promised."

Crystal craftsmen were considered high-end artisans, who typically earned quite well, making twenty to thirty silver coins a month was quite normal. In order for Liszt to hire them for work, he had to offer higher compensation.

In the following days, Brad began meticulously grinding the convex and concave lenses.