The next day, after breakfast, André received the one he was expecting from Solomon City.
"Good morning, my lord."
"Good morning, Orobio. Tell me, how do you see our project?" André greeted Orobio.
"My lord, under the supervision of Miss Alicia we have begun the construction of the railway lines from Solomon City toward the main cities of the viscounty." Orobio could not hide the tone of admiration in his voice; the transport plan André had devised was incredible.
"With respect to the locomotives, we are studying without rest the designs you delivered to us. It is estimated that we will begin to build when you return to Sun City." Orobio put on an apologetic face while looking at André.
"It's fine; I don't blame you for anything. Besides, I know you were busy building the steam engines I ordered from you. By the way, did you bring all of them?" André asked the main subject at that moment.
"Of course, my lord. Now they are outside waiting for your instructions." Orobio answered quickly.
"Knock, knock! My lord, Mr. Roberto and Mr. Sebastián have just arrived and are waiting for you." A servant knocked on the door and informed of the arrival of Roberto and Sebastián, just as André had requested.
"Very well, Orobio. It is time to meet your future colleagues and, in passing, show them the steam engine." André stood up and left the study followed by Orobio.
On the other side…
"Sebastián, how do you think the lord solved the mobility of such a large ship made completely of metal?" Roberto, who throughout the night had tried to find a solution without success, asked his companion, who was deep in his thoughts.
"I don't know, but it must certainly be an incredible method. Don't you remember the technique he gave me last night? That method was unimaginable for me before that." Sebastián did not hide the admiration in his words.
"I look forward to it with eagerness… Oh, there comes the lord viscount!" Suddenly Roberto visualized the figure of André, who was coming accompanied by another person.
Sebastián also noticed it, stood straight, and waited for the lord's arrival. After a few seconds:
"Good morning, my lord."
"Good morning." Roberto also greeted respectfully, but he could not help looking at the person who was following his lord closely.
"Allow me to introduce him: this is Orobio, the head blacksmith of Solomon City; this is Sebastián, the head blacksmith of Sun City; and this one here is Roberto, head of the shipyard." Noticing Roberto's gaze, André proceeded immediately with the introductions.
"Orobio, go and show us what you brought."
After the introductions, André asked Orobio to show the steam engine he had brought. The latter took charge of guiding them, under the doubtful gazes of Roberto and Sebastián.
The group arrived in front of two enormous carriages that were covered by a large cloth. Orobio stepped forward and indicated to the guards that they remove the cloth from one of the carriages.
"Go ahead, Orobio. This is your creation, so present it." André gave Orobio the moment of glory to present the first steam engine in this world.
"Well, gentlemen. This apparatus is called a steam engine. It was created by Lord André. Using coal as fuel, it is capable of generating a power of 2,000 horsepower. That will make the speed of the ships capable of reaching 12 knots, theoretically." Orobio's words were like a tsunami in the minds of Roberto and Sebastián. For a moment they could not believe that something like this would move such an immense ship at that speed.
"Orobio, you take charge of explaining to them the principle of this machine. I have other things to do. As for the construction of the ships, I need you to create the medium and small sizes using the same model that was provided to you last night." These words of André greatly surprised the duo. The one who immediately exclaimed was Roberto:
"My lord, I believed I would only need one of each of those models."
"Of course not. I need all that you can build. You have to expand your workforce as much as possible to carry out this task." André was a little embarrassed; it seemed he had forgotten to explain to them in detail the task he had assigned them.
"Orobio, your task is to help them build two assembly lines for each type of ship: small, medium, and large."
Previously André had explained to Orobio the concept of the assembly lines. Surprisingly, Orobio had a great talent for this type of work. Together with André's help, he had devised a plan for the assembly lines of the locomotives. André considered that Orobio was ready to command this project.
"Rest assured, my lord, that I will not disappoint your expectations."
"Good, you can continue talking among yourselves. I take my leave here." André walked away under the group's gaze.
Arriving at his study, André found Grace, who was busy organizing papers.
"How is the recruitment subject progressing?" André had delegated this task to Grace, giving her the recruitment parameters. He was ready to organize the Navy of the viscounty.
"I already spoke with Grandfather Gregorio. At midday the large-scale recruitment will be organized officially." Grace was very happy that André had delegated such an important task to her. "By the way, I still don't understand why the recruitment is blinded toward common people."
Grace finally had the time to raise her doubts.
"It is about having absolute control of the army. If nobles or landowners obtain high positions in the army, they will begin to look out for their interests." André answered her without hiding his thoughts.
"I see…" Grace remembered what had happened some time earlier. She did not want André to go through the same thing again, so she said nothing more.
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