Today, Perturabo issued an invitation to the lords across all of Kislev, summoning them to the monastery to discuss matters of great importance.
As a renowned arms dealer, his words carried significant weight with the feuding Kislevite nobility. They could not afford to lose the supply of weapons Perturabo provided; even the possibility was a risk none of the lords dared to take.
The innate knowledge within Perturabo's mind allowed him to single-handedly create technologies far more advanced than those of any blacksmith in Kislev. These advancements enabled him to manufacture weapons of superior quality and craftsmanship compared to any other workshop.
More importantly, Perturabo's weapons were cheaper. He utilized hydraulic forging, improved furnaces, and extensive knowledge of ore processing to drastically reduce production costs, allowing him to earn a profit while maintaining low prices.
For the lords engaged in years of constant warfare, Perturabo was an exceptional arms dealer. His products were high in quality and low in price, and he delivered them on time without the delays or defects common among other blacksmiths. The quality of a weapon produced by Perturabo was always guaranteed.
Naturally, his products quickly dominated the market. Within a few years, the spears and swords held by knights and soldiers across the land bore Perturabo's mark. Even when lords saw their enemies wielding blades and wearing armor from the same source, they did not dare to blame him.
Perturabo had long ago made his stance clear: he was an impartial, cold-blooded arms dealer who cared only for profit. As long as someone could meet his price, he would sell them the masterwork weapons necessary to seize victory.
Consequently, the perpetually clashing lords reached a rare, tacit agreement: do not provoke Perturabo or the monastery he belonged to. If he were to cut off their supply in anger, the loss would be unbearable.
Ironically, while Perturabo dealt in "selling death," his monopoly on the Kislevite arms trade meant that the arrogant lords dared not touch those close to him, nor did they allow their armies to enter the villages near his monastery.
As a result, the villages for dozens of miles around Perturabo enjoyed a hard-won peace. Countless Kislevite civilians, turned into refugees by the flames of war elsewhere, migrated toward this oasis of tranquility.
To expand production, Perturabo began hiring local villagers as workers to handle the lower-level tasks he no longer had time for. The high-level processes—such as design, research, and the production of advanced equipment—remained solely in his hands for reasons of secrecy and technical difficulty.
The influx of population and the employment of villagers as industrial workers caused the settlements around the monastery to expand and merge. Markets were established, and farmlands were pushed further out as new residential housing took their place.
Soon, a new city rose around the former monastery. This city did not belong to any lord; it was a free city, one that would not be dragged into the disputes of the nobility.
Factories designed by Perturabo were gradually constructed in this rising city. The machinery inside was created by him to increase output, and the employees were the former villagers.
After seeing his steam engine, they trusted the tall, young monk implicitly. More importantly, he paid well and provided good conditions. This was enough to convince them to leave the farmwork their ancestors had performed for generations and enter the factories to work for Perturabo.
Perturabo did not forget the oath he made to Father Mikhail. Alongside the factories, the theater he had sketched—and several libraries—were built. These were the hallmarks of his plan to transform Kislev, using science and culture to replace barbarism and ignorance.
The emerging city-state also formed its own militia. Fearing potential invasion, the citizens spontaneously organized an army. Perturabo supported them by supplying his own weapons to the militia defending the city.
Soon, the name "City of Perturabo" spread among the serfs ruled by the surrounding lords. It made them restless; having seen the light, they could no longer endure the darkness.
As the legends grew, serfs began to break from the shackles of the nobility and flee. Their destination was the City of Perturabo—a place of hope and freedom in their hearts.
Given Perturabo's warnings, the lords who lost their serfs could only swallow their resentment. They hated losing their property, but they feared the consequences of offending Perturabo and losing access to his weapons even more.
They sent cavalry to intercept the escapees before they reached the territory of "Perturabograd." Once the serfs crossed the border into the city's lands, the cavalry could only retreat in frustration.
The lords' weak response further encouraged the serfs, and the saying "Enter the Perturabograd and find freedom" spread rapidly. Perturabo himself appeared indifferent to the fact that his city was attracting so many escapees.
However, the other figure of authority in the city, Father Mikhail, welcomed it. As a clergyman, he believed that all were equal in the eyes of God. He chose to accept all fleeing serfs and forbade the border militia from turning them away.
In the language of Kislev, this rising city was known as "Perturabograd"—a truly free city.
Now, for the future of this free city, Perturabo had summoned the lords of Kislev to discuss matters of state.