Chapter 6:
It has been 3 days since Subaru's special division made the first steam engine. Subaru was going back to the house they had as a base accompanied by Beatrice with a new dragon cart pulled by Patrasche. They arrived at the house.
Subaru: "We are back guys. This is the cart we will use for the testing."
Ivan: "Looks quite cheap if I do say so."
William: "The engine can blow up."
Ivan: "Aren't our funds limitless?"
Subaru: "Well, actually…"
Beatrice: "No, our funds are not limitless like you say in fact."
Subaru: "Right now they aren't, but as soon as we start to turn a profit flooding the markets, they will be."
Beatrice: "I still think you are to optimist about this in fact."
Ivan: "I must support Subaru in this, we are on the bleeding edge of progress right now."
William: "I am not sure if we are on the bleeding edge…" He does not have much to compare he only once went out of the forest. "…but I also support Sir Subaru."
Beatrice: "I hope you aren't mistaken I suppose."
Subaru: "Thank you guys. By the way how is the new engine going?"
William: "We are just waiting for the last pieces to cool down and we are good to go."
Subaru: "How long?"
William: "About 20 minutes, give or take 10 minutes."
Subaru: "How about 'the' mechanism?"
William: "It is already at the testing ground, waiting to be assembled."
Subaru: "Excellent."
Ivan: "What? Did you make something without me?"
Beatrice: "What does this mean I suppose?"
Subaru: "If it works you two are going to love it."
Beatrice: "What is it I wonder?"
Ivan: "Yeah me to boss."
Subaru: "Would it be a surprise if I told you?"
They make there way to the testing grounds, and setup the new engine. The new dragon carriage is put behind a small hill along with some metal pieces. They all went into the trench and the engine worked flawlessly, after 1 hour of working, Subaru put the fire out and sent William to do something to dragon carriage. 30 minutes later, William appeared with the dragon carriage with some weird mechanism on it.
Ivan: "What did you do?"
Beatrice: "What does that lever do I wonder?"
Subaru: "Trust me you are going to love this." Both Ivan and Beatrice look at Subaru in hopes that he answers their questions. "I'm not going to tell you yet, first I need it to work."
The cart was originally an open top type with 4 wheels. Now on that open top was a spot reinforced with metal at the middle where the engine would go, behind that was a lever connected to a metal wheel on the side closest to the back and to nothing at the side the engine should be. The metal wheel was connected to another smaller metal wheel by a rope. The smaller metal wheel was part of a horizontal metal rod that connected the 2 back wheels below the floor of the cart.
Both Beatrice and Ivan were looking with curiosity at the weird looking carriage wondering what it was supposed to do. 'Is it going to move?' wondered Ivan. 'Is it just a way to move the engine without disassembling?' Beatrice pondered on the possibilities. Subaru only smiled. 'I hope we can stop it before it gets lost.' Subaru was slightly worried about losing his prototype.
William: "Got it made sir. Do we continue?"
Subaru: "Yes, remember what I told you to add."
William: "Yes sir."
William started to dismount the engine and mount it on top of the carriage. As soon as he put the piston under the empty side of the lever Beatrice and Ivan realized what it was.
Beatrice: "…" She was stunned by her thought.
Ivan: "I-is this going to a-actually move without a d-dragon?"
Beatrice suddenly remembered something Subaru told her "A car?" she muttered.
Subaru: "Took you long enough, but no Beako, this is far from a car."
Ivan: "For real? But how fast can it go without the blessing?"
Subaru: "Depends on three things, how strong the engine is, how many engines it has, and its design or how well it slices the air."
Ivan: "So it just brute forces through the air?"
Subaru: "Yes, but maybe we can find a way to incorporate a dragon to give it the blessing and reach ludicrous speeds…" Beatrice, Ivan and even William were stunned by what they just heard. "…speeds of…I don't know. Was a bullet train 300 kms per hour?" The minds of everyone but Subaru just went blank.
Subaru: "Mmm? Are you guys ok? Guys?"
Beatrice: "If I am not mistaken this..." She pointed to the carriage. "…can go 3 times as fast as a dragon I suppose."
Subaru: "Well, not this one, it would break I think, it would have to be one made completely out of steel. But unlike a dragon it won't need to rest, only refill water and coal, and the crew can work on shifts, but those details are for later."
Everyone was still shocked by the information. Are they going to really revolutionize the world?
Ivan: "The industrial revolution you called it?"
Subaru: "Yeah, but we haven't even started. Stop daydreaming and get working William."
William: "Yes sir." He got ripped out of this thought and started to work as fast as he could, He cannot remember the last time he worked so fast.
Subaru: "Now that you know what we are doing go help him, Ivan."
Ivan: "Yes boss." Ivan was truly motivated and happy at the fact that he was really going to change the world.
Some 140 minutes later, the engine was installed and ready to go. The valve that forced the vapor into the piston had a rope tied to it. As soon as the cart pulled the rope the vapor would go back to the exhaust making the cart stop.
William as always turned the valve, but unlike other times he stayed, alongside him was Subaru, the piston was struggling to move so they both went to the big metal wheel connected to the lever and pushed it, the cart moved a bit, and the piston started to move better. The duo jumped of and rushed to the trench. The cart moved slowly at first but started to gain speed. A bump in the terrain made it lean sideways and everyone thought it was going to flip, but if fell back and kept going. Everyone was cheering. They were witnessing history, the birth of a new age. Soon after the cart pulled the rope and stopped. They started to pack up to leave and celebrate the success of the experiment.
Beatrice: "It was impressive in fact. But how can I guide it?"
Subaru: "That the neat part. You don´t."
Ivan & Beatrice: "What?!"
Subaru: "They are supposed to use a special type of road that will force the cart to follow along."
Ivan: "But I'm sure we can make a way to guide it, to not have to follow a certain road and use existing ones."
Subaru: "In over 100 years of its existence I have not known of any cars powered by steam in my world and there must be a reason. Someone somewhere probably made one, but I never heard of it."
Beatrice: "So how do cars work then I wonder?"
Subaru: "They worked differently, they used a product of oil refining and the explosions from that to power the cars. But I doubt we have oil in this world."
Beatrice: "But you have seen oil in fact. You even brought Otto into the faction by saving him from his oil."
Subaru: "My bad, we are talking about a different oil a black one, but since this continent is a floating island, I doubt it meets the conditions to make it in the first place."
Beatrice: "I have never heard of black oil."
Ivan: "Nor have I. But can I get permission to make one can use regular roads?"
Subaru: "You can make it once we are done, or I have no more work for you."
Ivan: "Very well boss."
Subaru: "Will, I'm going to need something."
William: "Yes sir, whatever you ask for."
Subaru: "I will need a small steam engine to send to the capitol. Is it possible to make one about half the size of the one you use?"
William: "I believe I can make it. But what is it for?"
Subaru: "To register the engine as my property."
Ivan: "Can't inventions only be registered by companies?"
Beatrice: "My contractor has addressed that issue in fact."
Subaru: "Yeah Emilia and I are currently owners of the 'White Whalers Trading Company' and our developments will be registered to it."
The team kept on taking about the next developments and breakthroughs needed to reach the actual industrial revolution, Ivan was tasked with development 2 machines, one to process raw cotton into cotton threads and another to weave cotton threads into fabric. While William was tasked with making a new steam engine for himself out of steel to change the iron one he had. As well as making more steam engines. Subaru would go to commission the making of T shape iron bars in the town as well as wooden planks the next day. Also, he would have to tell the leader of the town that they will be required to plant as many cotton plants as possible. Emilia returned before dawn and greeted everyone.
Emilia: "Subaru I will finish installing the barrier by midday tomorrow. Do you want to do something together?"
Subaru: "Yes! I don't have too much to do tomorrow and wish to show you our most recent breakthrough."
Emilia: "All right, we meet tomorrow at 14:00 at the town hall. If I can't make it in time I will let you know."
Subaru: "Yes I will be ready by 14:00 then."
The next day:
Subaru woke up anxious he hasn't spent much time with Emilia lately and was slightly nervous, he did all he had to: inform the town that they will plant only cotton and commission the iron bars and wooden planks. Soon mid-day arrived and both Subaru and Emilia where on schedule, Subaru convinced Beatrice to stay and aid/supervise Ivan and William. The couple went about the town talking and looking at stuff enjoying their time together. At 17:00 they headed back to the base/house/HQ so that Subaru could show her the steam cart.
Subaru: "Ready for your surprise?"
Emilia: "Um…yes?" Emilia was blind folded at the house and taken to the testing ground.
Subaru: "Behold…" Subaru took her blind fold off "The first prototype of our soon to be train."
Emilia: "What did you do to that carriage?"
Beatrice: "It is no longer a carriage."
Emilia: "What do you mean?"
Subaru: "Will now!" William turned the valve, and the mechanism did not need help to start like last time so Will jumped off.
Emilia: "I-it's m-moving alone?" She locked her sight on the carriage.
Beatrice: "In fact an invisible dragon is pulling it."
Emilia: "What? No, it's the mechanism, you almost got me. So how does it work?"
The cart stopped soon after and was turned off, Subaru and Beatrice answered Emilia's Questions. After a while Emilia was satisfied, they headed back to finish the day. Emilia would depart tomorrow morning to attend to other matters and the team will be left here unless needed.
The next day Emilia was sent with a small steam engine and a letter that will eventually go to the capitol she also had a personal request from Subaru.
Subaru: "I am going to need Roswaal to send some good architect and construction workers here, there aren't really any in town and we need to start building the factories."
Emilia: "I can make sure Roswaal sends them, but please use it if you need help…" she pointed at a metia she handed Subaru. "…it doesn't matter that is expensive, your wellbeing is worth more than it." She was truly worried her knight could be confronted by something dangerous and decide to do it alone like in the Taygeta library.
Subaru: "Do not worry Emilia-tan since finding a Gluttony in a book I have changed."
Emilia was relieved that Subaru had apparently left behind that reckless part of himself but couldn't stop worrying on her way the mansion.