The seed of science had taken root in the soil of another world all on its own.
Paul almost laughed aloud, but forcibly suppressed the curve of his lips.
Once Derson had finished speaking, Cecil frowned. "Half a year? If the Stonemason Clan really allies with the orcs, can we afford to wait that long?"
Paul slowly leaned back in his chair, his gaze turning toward the direction of the Ves Institute outside the window.
"We can afford to wait." His voice was calm. "Crystal Radiance has made it clear that it does not support continuing large-scale campaigns. The king wants to let the people recover and rebuild. We cannot go against the tide."
He turned back and looked at Derson. "So there is no need to rush the research on the new explosives. We can go slower and be steadier."
His tone turned serious. "Besides, this stuff is too dangerous. Fulminate of mercury can self-detonate, and picric acid corrodes metal... Their experiments are like walking along the edge of a blade. But to us, every researcher is a hen that lays golden eggs."
Cecil was slightly taken aback, then immediately understood what he meant.
"Strengthen laboratory safety," Paul ordered. "Add isolation walls and prepare emergency fire suppression and evacuation plans. All high-risk experiments must be supervised by two people. There must be zero casualties. If anything happens to anyone, I will not only hold those responsible accountable—I will shut down the entire project."
He rose, his tone softening somewhat. "Let them research freely, but do not let them gamble their lives for progress. Science is not a sacrifice. It is an accumulation."
"Yes, Lord Greiman!" Derson nodded as he took note.
Paul added at the end, "Tell Wells and Hoffman that I am proud of them. But they must