After the awkward small talk, Hudson followed Chelse into the castle. The crystal magic mps hanging on the walls immediately caught his eye.

  The bright light was comparable to a 200-watt incandescent bulb from his previous life, far brighter than the candles in his father's castle.

  Who had been spreading rumors that Chelse was poor?

  Just these few magic mps alone were worth at least several hundred gold coins. If this were the only expense, most nobles would probably follow suit for the sake of appearances.

  The problem was that the energy source for the magic mps had to be magic crystals or magic cores. Hudson didn’t know the exact consumption rate, but it definitely wouldn’t be cheap.

  It wasn’t just the magic mps—even the dining table and ptes were magical items. As soon as food was pced on them, they would automatically heat and cook it.

  Even more impressive, once the cooking was done, the ptes would fly over to the guests.

  Of course, this required quick reflexes. If you didn’t catch them in time, accidents were likely.

  Just moments ago, two unlucky guests had been so mesmerized that they let their heads collide with the ptes, leaving them covered in food.

  Ignoring the commotion, everyone was immersed in the wonders of magic, including Hudson. He hadn’t expected magical technology to have advanced to this level.

  Perhaps feeling that he had achieved his goal, Chelse, the host, stepped into the hall and announced, “Welcome, everyone, to the Magic Castle. I hope you all have a wonderful evening.

  All the magical items here are the results of my research. If you’re interested, you can pce orders with the steward ter.

  Don’t worry, the prices won’t be too high. Since all of you here tonight are my old friends, I’ll definitely give you a discount…”

  What was supposed to be a banquet had turned into a product promotion event, leaving Hudson speechless. However, it was clear that Knight Chelse wasn’t a great salesman.

  While nobles had strong purchasing power, the attendees were all minor nobles. Even if they had money, they would prefer to invest in military expansion.

  Indulging in luxury was, unfortunately, not something lower-tier nobles could afford. Though they might appear lofty in front of commoners, in the grand scheme of things, they were also struggling to survive.

  With the wrong target audience, even a genuine discount sale would struggle to achieve the desired results.

  If Chelse had shifted his focus to creating war machines, they would have been snapped up immediately.

  Seeing the sudden awkward silence, Hudson seized the moment to ask, “Uncle Chelse, perhaps you could first expin the operating costs of these items?

  Magic cores and crystals are strategic resources, strictly controlled by the kingdom. If the consumption is too high, we won’t be able to afford them.”

  Being able to afford the purchase but not the operating costs was the main reason magical technology hadn’t gained widespread adoption.

  It wasn’t just these household items—even war machines like magic crystal cannons hadn’t been popurized due to their high costs.

  Throughout history, there had been many impressive magical technologies, but due to their limited practicality, most had been short-lived.

  In terms of technological sophistication, who could compare to the mad scientists of the Mage Association? They had even created a separate profession—alchemists—dedicated to all sorts of bizarre research.

  While Chelse’s inventions were impressive, they paled in comparison to the work of the alchemists in the Mage Association.

  The reason others hadn’t developed these things wasn’t because they couldn’t, but because there was no need. High-level mages could achieve the same effects with their spells.

  Unless Chelse could significantly reduce the costs, his inventions would remain impractical.

  Of course, it was no small miracle that Chelse, who cked magical talent, had managed to become an alchemist. If his methods were popurized, they could greatly advance the field of magical alchemy on the continent.

  But none of this concerned Hudson. If Chelse’s research could produce actual magic, Hudson might have been interested.

  Everyone dreamed of becoming a mage, and Hudson was no exception. Even without considering other factors, purely from a safety perspective, who wouldn’t prefer being a mage over a meat shield?

  A study of military history would show that mage corps were always heavily protected. Even in defeat, they were the first to “strategically retreat.”

  Fighting to the death? That didn’t exist. No w required mages to fight to the st breath. In this regard, only priests enjoyed simir privileges.

  “Don’t worry, everyone. These items don’t require much magic. A single low-grade magic core or high-grade crystal can power the magic dining table for a month and the magic mps for a year.

  The instaltion cost isn’t high either. For just 1,500 gold coins, you can get four magic mps and a magic dining table.

  Just imagine, when you host a banquet and unveil these high-tech marvels, stunning all your guests—isn’t that worth the price?

  Trust me, this is a tearful clearance sale. The price is the lowest on the continent. You can’t lose out, you can’t be fooled…”

  Chelse passionately promoted his products, but the room remained silent. While nobles cared about appearances, they weren’t fools.

  Spending 1,500 gold coins just to show off at a single banquet? How would they manage afterward?

  And that was a conservative estimate. Maintenance and operation would also incur significant costs. It would likely take at least a thousand gold coins a year to keep everything running.

  The awkward silence returned, and this time Hudson didn’t dare to lighten the mood. The Coslow family was also a minor house. If he promised to order a set, Baron Redman might come over to disown him.

  With no responses forthcoming, Chelse’s enthusiastic expression gradually cooled.

  In all honesty, he hadn’t overpriced the items. If it weren’t for his territory’s financial troubles, he wouldn’t be holding this tearful sale.

  Unfortunately, his efforts were wasted on this crowd. None of the nobles present recognized the value of his creations.

  In the end, reason prevailed. Suppressing his anger, Chelse sighed and said, “Alright, let the banquet begin!”

  At the announcement, the tense atmosphere in the hall instantly turned lively, as if nothing had happened.

  Everyone present was a great actor, and Hudson was no exception. He naturally joined a retively friendly group and began chatting about all sorts of topics.

  Many of the nobles were also heading to the conscription. Soon, they would become comrades-in-arms, so exchanging information and building rapport in advance was a good idea.

  When traveling, sticking together was the best way to avoid being bullied. The dozens of nobles present, if united, could field thousands of troops. Even Count Piers would have to take them seriously.