Trying to Get It for Free Again?

Admiral Daelin followed Rowan's line of reasoning and took his side. "Judging solely from the reports, that does seem to be the case."

Admiral Daelin's sudden declaration caught both Stormsong and Ashvane by surprise.

Making this brat hand over his new technology would benefit all the great families without any drawbacks. The two lords simply could not understand what Admiral Daelin was planning.

But since the admiral had made his position clear, Stormsong picked up the conversation. "It's too early to draw conclusions. After all, the Norwington Family has only built one warship, and it hasn't been tested in a large-scale naval battle. All we can say is that some aspects of its performance surpass those of traditional sailing warships."

This was less a meeting than a negotiation. Stormsong and Ashvane clearly intended to downplay the steam warship's value to strengthen their bargaining position.

"Exactly. If the warship really runs on 'blackstone' fuel, its range will become a problem," Ashvane added.

Rowan had already expected the two old foxes to disparage his new warship. Rather than argue, he went along with the two elderly lords. "That's true, and the problems my steam warship has revealed go far beyond those. My steam engine is expensive to manufacture and has a limited service life. It's nowhere near as cheap and practical as wind runes."

Why wasn't this brat playing along?

Ashvane and Stormsong exchanged looks. Instead of responding immediately, they fell silent, weighing their words carefully for fear of stepping into a verbal trap Rowan had laid.

"In that case, what demands could you possibly have?" Lord Stormsong asked darkly.

Rowan chuckled. "Exactly. My new warship is not only expensive, but also has plenty of problems. Sharing this propulsion technology with every fleet before it's been properly tested would definitely cause trouble. Besides, if you two lords think so little of my new warship, why are you asking me to share its new technology? You're saying one thing and wanting another. Your reasoning doesn't hold up."

"Well..." Ashvane's face flushed. He was at a loss for words, unable to think of a rebuttal.

This was the Family Council, after all, and Rowan did not want to close off every avenue. Since sharing technology was a tradition in Kul Tiras's shipbuilding industry, winning a war of words would not change that established fact.

Rowan had no intention of openly breaking with the two families at this meeting. Even if he wanted to rebuild the Second Fleet, he would first have to discuss it with his father and make thorough preparations before cutting ties with them.

"What do you two lords think?" Rowan gave Stormsong and Lord Ashvane a chance to rephrase their position.

You silver-tongued little brat. You really are a sly one.

After silently grumbling, Stormsong offered an awkward but polite smile. "Although the new warship has certain flaws, its entirely new propulsion technology is indeed an innovation for Kul Tiras. There's no question about that."

"Exactly. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages," Ashvane agreed, adopting a much friendlier expression.

"I think so too. A new warship is bound to have flaws. But the fact that it sank three pirate warships in battle already proves its strength. I'm not against sharing the technology, but neither of you even wants to hear my terms. Are you trying to get it for free? Don't forget, I'm still a child." Rowan looked innocently at the assembled lords, his large, glistening eyes clear and guileless.

Oh, spare me! Aside from your father, Lord Aldrius, I've never met anyone as shameless as you. And you have the nerve to call yourself a child? What child is this cunning and deceitful?

Aldrius fought back a smile. Watching the two lords' faces turn purple, he silently praised his boy for a job well done.

Admiral Daelin looked utterly incredulous. He had never expected Rowan to be so calculating, or to leave those two old foxes speechless. If my daughter married him, wouldn't he run rings around her and leave her meekly playing the dutiful little wife at home?

Still, a future leader needed intelligence and foresight. Who among those present was not shrewd? That included both him and Lord Aldrius.

And so Daelin found himself trapped in a dilemma, wavering between his daughter's happiness and a powerful future for Kul Tiras.

"Can matters concerning Kul Tiras... the Family Council really be called getting something for free?" Stormsong's aged face reddened, anger creeping into his expression.

Rowan laughed it off. "Don't be angry, my lords. Children say the darndest things. Blame me for not knowing how to express myself."

Ashvane snorted. "State your terms."

Here came the important part!

Rowan cleared his throat. "No one objects to the fact that this new warship is the product of my own intellect, right? As an upstanding young man of Kul Tiras's new era, I ought to contribute to our nation's future. But everyone here is also the head of a great family. Your families own plenty of businesses and merchants' guilds, so you're merchants too."

"Enough preamble. Get to the point," Ashvane said stiffly.

"At the end of the day, ours is a trading nation, and we're merchants. Merchants value profit. I can share the technology, but I need money." Rowan raised his eyebrows and smiled.

Money?

"How much do you want?" Lord Ashvane's expression softened somewhat. As the head of Ashvane Munitions, money was little more than a number to him. Any problem money could solve was no problem at all.

Rowan considered for a moment, then raised his right hand with all five fingers spread. "Five hundred thousand gold coins."

The corner of Lord Ashvane's mouth twitched, and his heart ached at the expense. Five hundred thousand gold coins was no small sum, but it was not beyond what he could accept.

"I agre-"

"Wait, I'm not finished yet." Rowan interrupted Lord Ashvane and continued, "I don't intend to sell the warship's propulsion technology outright to the fleets. So whenever a fleet uses the technology, it must pay me the corresponding amount of gold every month to obtain the right to use it. Oh, right, I've even come up with a name for this system of selling technology. I call it a 'patent.'"

Five hundred thousand gold coins every month, and that still wouldn't buy the technology outright? Had this brat gone mad?

"You're not merely defying tradition. You're also trying to violate Kul Tiras's trade agreements. As a major maritime trading nation, Kul Tiras trades with countless countries and regions, yet we've never heard of selling the right to use technology. This is utterly absurd." Lord Stormsong's beard quivered with rage.

"So only taking the fruits of my intellect from me for nothing would qualify as a fair trade agreement in your eyes? By your own reasoning, Lord Stormsong, why don't you let all the great families use wind runes for free?" Rowan shot back.

Provoked by Rowan, Stormsong retorted, "Wind runes are magical products. They aren't warship technology."

"My steam chamber doesn't have to be used on warships either. I could use it as a power source to drive a mill. By that logic, doesn't my steam engine also fall outside warship technology?" Since everyone had begun brazenly spouting nonsense, Rowan could no longer be bothered to reason with Lord Stormsong.

Lord Ashvane slammed a hand on the table, cutting off Rowan and Lord Stormsong's argument. "Everything will be handled according to Kul Tiras's laws and traditions. Some things aren't yours to decide just because you think you're in the right!"