Gaye Berns did not answer Paul right away. He quietly pondered, seeming unsure where to begin.
After a long while, he finally said, "Count, have you ever carefully observed windmills and waterwheels?"
"Windmills? Waterwheels? Oh, aren't those all very common things? Our blast furnace will be powered by a waterwheel."
"Yes, they are all very common things. That's what everyone thinks."
A trace of excitement suddenly appeared on Berns's face.
"Yet I believe they are both truly great inventions. Unfortunately, the people who invented them did not even leave their names in history. When I shared my views on these common machines with my colleagues..."
"They laughed at you?"
"Yes, they laughed at me. Count, what kind of people do you think we mechanical artisans are?"
Paul seriously considered the question before giving his opinion. "A group of people full of ingenious ideas and skilled hands."
Berns gave a self-mocking laugh.
"Haha, ingenious ideas? Skilled hands? It's true that strange thoughts often pop into our heads, and we fiddle around until we create things that seem incredibly magical to others. But..."
Berns paused. "I believe the profession of mechanical artisans is developing in the wrong direction."
"What makes you say that?"
"Do you know how we judge one another nowadays? It isn't by whose creations are more useful, but by whose creations have more complex and ingenious structures."
"Lavish but impractical?"
"Exactly. Small, delicate, and complicated things are praised, while large, rough, and simple things are rejected."
"People are placing too much emphasis on the 'marvelous' aspect."
"You hit the nail on the head. But what angers me even more is that the entire profession is working to please the upper classes. They rack their brains to create exquisite toys simply to obtain an invitation to a noble's banquet. They