The storage reeked of rotten eggs from the 3 crates filled with sulfur. Inside, skeleton haulers moved silently between the piles, their bony fingers gripping sacks and chiseling marks into crude ledgers.
Karl stepped into the hall. He stopped in the center.
"This is it, Leo," Karl said, spreading his arms wide. "The perfect component for the next step of the industrial revolution."
Leo, standing a short distance behind him, tilted his head. "My lord, are we to begin mass production already?"
Karl smirked. "Not yet. But first, did we buy the organic fertilizers from the farmers, as I ordered?"
Leo nodded. "Yes, my lord. The granaries are stocked. Compost, dung, and more besides. If you wish, I can have the researchers begin synthesizing potassium nitrate right away."
