"The Second Law of Thermodynamics: It is impossible to transfer heat from a low-temperature object to a high-temperature object without producing other effects, or it is impossible to take heat from a single heat source and completely convert it into useful work without producing other effects, or the micro-increment of entropy in an irreversible thermodynamic process is always greater than zero."
Rolan neatly copied this law on paper—using the writing of this world. At first glance, it looked a bit like earthworm writing. He really couldn't figure out how the locals learned such complicated characters.
If asked which of the many physical laws is the most boring, Rolan would definitely choose the Second Law of Thermodynamics. It tells everyone that heat in this world always flows from high to low, disorder replaces order, and entropy is constantly increasing. In the end, everyone will return to nothingness, and the universe will become a dead silence.
But this world has escaped the problem of increasing entropy, and magic can create something from nothing. This is even greater than inventing a perpetual motion machine! The power of devils? Rolan sneered at this. They simply didn't realize the essence of this power. On a larger scale, it could even change the entire universe.
Of course, for now, he could start by changing Border Town.
Rolan hummed a tune, tore off the paper and threw it into the fireplace, watching it turn into ashes in the fire, feeling a kind of annihilation of the cage.
The Minister's Assistant looked at the Fourth Prince's inexplicable actions in confusion. Fortunately, the other party was always like this, doing things without any order. Moreover, he could tell that the prince was in a good mood.
"It's been done. The 'witch' was hanged at noon," Barrow reported.
"Hmm, no one noticed anything, right?" Rolan tapped his pen. "Anyway, they all wore hoods."
In order to prevent the Holy Church and the Witch Cooperation Association from coming to his door, Rolan ordered the warden to find a death row inmate of similar build from the dungeon to replace Anna, and everyone except the chief knight and the Minister's Assistant was rewarded with 20 gold dragons as a hush fee. This was an extremely generous income for them.
Barrow had also suggested whether the witnesses should be silenced forever, but Rolan flatly rejected it. He knew that these secrets would not be kept for too long, but it didn't matter. On the contrary, he hoped that someone could spread the news—just not now. Turning against the church was only a matter of time. No one could tolerate those idiots wasting resources like that! When other witches knew that there was a town on the kingdom's border where they could live freely and even receive generous treatment, what would the witches think?
No matter the era, talent is the most important thing.
"Then let's do it this way," Rolan instructed, "Next, give me a summary of the trade, taxes, and necessary expenditures of Border Town for the year, as well as the workshops in the city, such as ironware, textiles, and pottery. Also, count the number and scale."
"It will take three days to sort out these records, but..." Barrow nodded first, then looked hesitant.
"What else?" Rolan knew that the moment to test his verbal skills had arrived. The other party would always have questions about everything he had done yesterday. Although he was a wastrel, being bad-tempered didn't mean he was brainless. Hiding a witch was simply considered by the Minister's Assistant as making an enemy of the world.
"Your Highness, I don't understand..." Barrow carefully chose his words, "In the past, although you were playful, they were all harmless acts, but... why take such a big risk to save a witch? Although hunting them is a law set by the church, your father, Wimbledon His Majesty, also strongly agrees with it."
Rolan thought for a while and asked, "Do you think Border Town is a good place?"
"Uh, this..." Although he didn't quite understand how this sentence was related to his question, Barrow still answered truthfully, "It's not that good."
"It's very bad. Compared to Gold穗 City and Blue Water Port, how much do you think my chances of winning over those siblings are?"
"..." The Minister's Assistant opened his mouth but didn't answer.
"Almost zero. So I can only change my approach," Rolan looked at the other party with a straight face, stepping into the trap he had set step by step, "A way to leave a deep impression on my father."
He didn't start from the perspective of whether witches are evil, because doing so would have little effect—Barrow had been an assistant to the Minister of Finance for twenty years and could be considered a qualified politician. For politicians, interests are more convincing than good and evil. Besides, taking the emotional route was also not suitable for him. Rolan recalled what the Fourth Prince had done before and found that he really couldn't be considered a good and orderly character.
So he chose the eternal conflict between secular royal power and religious theocracy as his entry point. The increasing expansion of the Holy Church's power was already a thorn in the heart of Wimbledon III. The church claimed that the world operated according to God's will, and the Pope was the spokesperson of God. If the people discovered that what he said was not the truth and was full of loopholes, the religious rule would be greatly shaken.
It would be difficult to convince the other party directly with the statement "Witches are not evil, so I want to save them." Changing it to "Witches are not evil, I can use this to attack the church" could easily guide Barrow to the conclusion he had preset.
"No matter how prosperous my brothers and sisters manage their territories, they are nothing more than the church's possessions. They are already vigorously promoting the divine right of kings. If only those crowned by the Pope can be regarded as legitimate kings, then are we still the actual rulers of this land?" Rolan paused, "And my father can see such a hope in me: a kingdom without the control of the Holy Church, where the royal family exclusively enjoys all rights. Then his choice is very clear."
Changing "making an enemy of the whole world" to "only making an enemy of the church" makes it much easier to accept—especially since Barrow himself is on the side of the royal family.
"Similarly, if he realizes that these people with strange abilities will be the basis for leveraging the church, the hunting order is nothing more than a joke. One side has no possibility, while the other side has a non-zero possibility. Do you think it's worth the risk?" Rolan stared at the Minister's Assistant and said word by word, "Don't doubt my decision, Barrow. You've been a Minister's Assistant for twenty years, right? If I can become Wimbledon IV, your assistant title can be removed. Or even further, such as... the King's Hand?"
……
Watching Barrow's departing back, Rolan breathed a sigh of relief. It could be seen that he didn't take his promise too seriously, which was normal. Even Rolan himself didn't believe that this newly concocted arrogant plan could be realized. But that didn't matter at all. The key was to make Barrow believe that he really thought so—a simple plan that a wastrel could think of, which not only suited the Fourth Prince's hatred for the church but also paved the way for recruiting more witches in the future.
As for his real thoughts? Even if they knew, they wouldn't understand.
Rolan summoned a maid, "Tell Anna xiaojie to come see me."
Next, it was time to get down to business. He thought with great interest.
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