I, transformed into a vampire girl, sparked the Industrial Revolution.

Chapter 31 Dark Clouds Approaching

"Really? That guy just left like that?"

Alice yawned and stretched lazily. The silk nightgown rubbed against her pale skin, giving the little vampire a soft and comfortable feeling.

Alice wasn't surprised that Alicia was taking the navy out with her; the trade difficulties in the south would be resolved sooner or later. However, she didn't expect Alicia to be such a hardcore fighter, like a child who had just received a new toy.

Alice plans to wait until the Feiyun is launched and commissioned before making a decision. After all, the Type 90 escort ship only has four guns on one side, and the caliber is not large. It doesn't seem like enough, does it?

At least a 70-meter-long, thousand-ton-displacement Hiyun-class cruiser would suffice, but that thing is still lying on the slipway. The entire backbone of the Hilla Naval Shipyard has been mobilized to participate in the construction of such a behemoth—"the most powerful ship in history." That's their assessment, but in Alice's view, it's merely a transitional vessel before the completion of the five-year plan. What she wants is a dreadnought!

But that's just wishful thinking; who knows how long it will take to build such a colossal ship... Alice unbuttoned her nightgown, letting it slip down to reveal her perfect... legal loli figure.

"Absolutely perfect..."

"Miss!"

"Whoa!"

Alice was startled by the sudden appearance of Raphis, the dark elf maid who abruptly opened the door carrying a garment. Alice hurriedly covered her body, but of course, she couldn't hide anything.

"Please allow me to fulfill my duties as a maid!"

"Didn't you call yourself a knight? How come you're dressed as a maid now!"

"Maid and knight are one! I hope to serve you more closely!"

Rafis put on a serious face, but the scent outside the door told a different story. Alice sniffed it, then said, embarrassed and annoyed, "Ange—!"

Rafis successfully helped Alice change her clothes. Of course, such clothes were unnecessary. A sailor uniform with long sleeves and a pleated skirt, and a pair of straight and slender legs wrapped in white stockings. This was the uniform that Alice had chosen for all primary and secondary school girls in the country.

Of course, to avoid being mistaken for a primary school student, Alice wore a coat, a Grand Marshal's coat, decorated with gold metal badges and lines, and a white uniform.

"Miss looks beautiful in anything she wears. Please allow me to choose your daily outfits from now on!"

"Rafis—you definitely did this on purpose, didn't you?"

Rafis didn't answer, but instead gave a meaningful smile. Alice didn't ask any further questions either, as there was more important business to attend to.

Alicia's departure from the three northern provinces was no secret. Among the many magicians, the disappearance of that powerful aura truly proved it, but what that meant, no one knew.

But this means that, in any case, the strength of the three northern provinces has been greatly reduced. Without Alicia's command, what will become of their army? No one knows.

But at least the rebel lords and centrists in the vicinity genuinely wanted to know if there was any opportunity here, especially the nearby Lord Grant.

Warlord, mercenary exporter, "mercenary" Fred Grant has transformed his territory, Prak Territory, into a massive military camp. Within this territory, which comprises two large cities, are tens of thousands of well-equipped mercenaries, with a 90% armor coverage rate, as well as thousands of war mages.

He sent mercenaries to various places in exchange for his services, and the current usurper has won several battles thanks to his mercenaries.

Alice knew that it was not surprising that people like him would be interested in the three northern provinces, because they had abundant mineral resources, industry, and access to the sea.

Grant was extremely obsessed with access to the sea, and he was no exception. After Hilla Port came under Alice's control, he found that he could disregard the so-called noble rules and launch a conquest of Hilla Port.

A free city? That's just a piece of waste paper!

Alice knew this. In the past year, the Amelansi Vanguard Army had rapidly expanded to 90,000 men and formed eight fully equipped infantry divisions, two of which were deployed on the border between the Prak Territory and the Lakot Administrative Province, that is, along the Rhine River and the Trembling Mountains.

The Rhine River flows through Lacourt and Praklin and empties into the sea at Hilla. The river is 200 meters wide, enough for some small boats of 100 tons to pass through. In view of this, Alice authorized the Amellance Ordnance Department to design a steamship specifically for offshore and river-powered navigation, requiring it to be able to navigate offshore and river channels, and to have steam power and the ability to be converted into a gunboat.

The Type 037 steam paddlewheel tug was thus born. From the outside, this ship was low-slung. Since it had no sails, the ship's layout was more modern. The Ordnance Bureau fully considered the battlefield situation. The ship still used a wooden hull, but thin steel plates were installed above the waterline to strengthen the defense. A 75mm Dahlgren gun was installed in the middle of the ship.

Currently, there are three Type 037 steamships sailing on the Rhine defense section. These steamships undertake multiple functions such as cargo transport and combat. Of course, Alice knows that these ships are still lacking a rapid-fire weapon—which is still being tested at the Trian munitions factory.

Now, besides the banks of the Rhine, there is also the Despair Mountains. This massive mountain range divides Lacourt, Red Collar, and Prak Collar, giving Prak a natural strategic advantage, and of course, it also gives Alice an advantage—after all, it's a mountain range.

But mountains can be crossed.

"Your Highness! Our army has set up multiple trenches, bunkers and fortresses in the Terror Mountains, but patrols are sending out reports of attacks every day."

"Where are the hunters?"

"The hunters captured several enemy soldiers who confessed that Grant was moving troops to the border... and the food needed for the war."

Alice looked at the map. From here, it seemed the war would only take place along the Rhine and in the Despair Mountains, but she wasn't the kind of person who would just hold out for reinforcements.

She looked at the mountain range, which stood before her like an insurmountable chasm. She picked up the map and called to the messenger.

"Prepare the carriage; we're going to take a look at the Trembling Mountains."

"Your Highness...you?"

“I have a predecessor named Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov, who once made a famous tactical maneuver. We can try it and see what the difference is between us and him.”