In the twilight of time I see the end,
the world lies in shadow, on the edge of the abyss.
My soul whispers, my heart beats with fear,
I know that death approaches, the last rumor.
On the horizon the skies are tinged with fire,
hope hesitates, fear takes possession of our yearnings.
But in my chest burns a flame, an ardent call,
for the salvation of the world, for a resilient future.
May the souls that come after me find the path,
may the light prevail even in the divine abyss.
My dreams and desires I leave in this versifying,
may the stars be reborn, may the world be able to heal.
May love prevail, may peace be the song,
may forgiveness cure the wounds, may hatred be dismantled in weeping.
Although I depart in this instant, my hope persists,
may the world be redeemed, may life resist.
Because although my time runs out in the sand of the clock,
my desire endures, my heart turns to rock and bronze.
May salvation be the light in the last goodbye,
may the world we love find its path toward the rainbow.>
The last word was in the middle and bloodstains could be noticed on the final page.
André sighed before that sad tale, and curiosity took possession of him even more deeply.
What was the truth that the first and only world emperor hid?
Then André looked at the map that had been restored and understood why it seemed so familiar to him. It concerned the region where the County of Solomon was located, and the marked point was none other than the iron mine where the spaceship had recently been discovered.
"It seems that the excavation works must be accelerated."
André left the study and sought Mario.
"I need to increase the excavation works in the mine. I want you to double the personnel and increase the excavation time to the 24 hours of the day. I need results urgently."
"My lord, do you want me to recruit external personnel or simply send miners from other excavation sites?" Mario asked, with eagerness to fulfill his labor correctly.
"It is fine to transfer the personnel who work in other mines directly. Recruit external personnel so that they supply their place," André answered after thinking for a few seconds.
"I will set myself to it at once, my lord."
With this resolved, André's time became free again. Now he only waited for the return of Baron Heins; then, his plans would be put into motion again.
During this time, André dedicated himself to reviewing in his mind new machineries to improve agricultural production, such as:
**Mechanical reaper:**
Developed by Cyrus McCormick in the 1830s, it permitted cutting and collecting crops in a much faster and more efficient form than the manual method, increasing productivity considerably.
**Thresher:**
The mechanical thresher, such as that developed by Andrew Meikle in the 18th century, separated the grains from the stems and husks, replacing the manual process and facilitating the obtaining of clean grain.
**Mechanical plow:**
Although its concept existed from before, during the Industrial Revolution significant advances were achieved. These plows permitted tilling the land in a faster and more efficient manner than the plows drawn by animals.
**Mechanical seeder:**
Developed initially by Jethro Tull and improved later, it permitted planting seeds in a uniform form and at greater speed than the manual method.
**Mechanical harrow:**
Also known as leveler, it permitted preparing and leveling the soil for sowing in a faster and more uniform manner.
**Wagons and carts drawn by animals:**
Although they were not new technologies, they improved notably in design and construction, facilitating the transport of crops and agricultural materials.
André also took the time to visit the agricultural zone to explain to the farmers an efficient and complex irrigation and drainage system.
The irrigation system he proposed was known as drip irrigation, accompanied by a complementary drainage system.
The one in charge of the agricultural area was Baron Grey. This one was marvelled upon seeing the novel methods that André presented to him. He had always been a man passionate about agriculture, so he was able to understand rapidly the enormous benefits of these systems. The more he listened to André's explanation, the more enthusiastic he showed himself.
The explanation consisted of the following:
**Drip irrigation system**
The drip irrigation system supplies water directly to the roots of the plants by means of pipes with small drippers located near each crop. These release water in small and regular drops, permitting it to infiltrate directly into the soil.
The flow is controlled by means of pressure regulators and valves, guaranteeing a uniform and constant irrigation.
**Components of the system:**
Main pipes: Transport the water from the source to the cultivation areas.
Secondary pipes: Distribute the water along the rows of cultivation.
Drippers or emitters: Release the water in a controlled form near each plant.
Filters: Prevent sediments from obstructing the drippers.
Pressure regulators: Maintain a constant pressure throughout the system.
**Complementary drainage**
The subsurface drainage system uses underground pipes to collect and divert the excess of water. This prevents waterlogging around the roots, improves the health of the soil, and prevents diseases in the crops.
"How marvelous, my lord. Thanks to these methods we will not have to worry either about droughts or about floods," said Baron Grey with evident happiness.
"Work hard. I expect great things from you," André answered. "Next year we will also export grain to the entire kingdom."
Among André's plans was to supply large quantities of grain to the entire kingdom in times of crisis, such as droughts or floods, making other territories depend on him.
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