A few days had passed.
The new system was up and running, and its effects were already showing on people's faces.
The sound of pickaxes was faster now, more rhythmic.
Every strike echoed like a signal, warning the ground of the next. Even the tremors underfoot were steady.
"Young lord!" one of the workers called out as soon as he saw me. He wiped his sweaty forehead with his sleeve, grinning ear to ear.
"This is an amazing design. My hands barely go numb anymore."
"And my back doesn't hurt," said another, sliding a full cart onto the rail system.
"Used to take me half a day just to haul rocks outside."
The cart glided smoothly over the rails.
The runes did their job silently, flawlessly.
The horses barely noticed they were carrying anything.
Everything... was working.
Mnex sighed.
"Sometimes I feel like my genius is wasted on this universe. You know that, right? Without me, you were just... the human embodiment of failure."
How could I forget? You remind me every three seconds.
I scanned the area. A few workers still struggled with the new pickaxes, but most had adapted.
The rune-linked joints at the handles held steady, and the long cords hummed like taut energy lines.
It finally looked like a real mining operation.
They resembled a team wielding pneumatic drills.
But it wasn't enough.
More workers. More carts. Deeper digs.
Still for today, at least… this was a small victory.
"Maybe you'll invent yellow helmets next," Mnex said.
I smiled. Why not?
But we had other things to do.
So I left the mining site and headed toward the city, toward home.
Stones crunched underfoot as I walked downhill.
Dust still clung to my clothes, but my mind was already elsewhere.
Mnex, I said, arms crossed. Where should we build the concrete factory?
"Starting the Industrial Revolution before breakfast? I respect the hustle. Let's go."
I'm serious. Should we build it in the city or somewhere else?
"Build it in the city, and you'll have to haul rocks all the way there. Build it near the mine, and you'll only be dragging dust. Which one sounds easier on your back?"
Near the mine, then, I nodded. Alright… how do we design it?
"Oh no. The questions have begun," he muttered. "We'll need four main sections: crushing, grinding, heating, and mixing. Each its own system."
I was still stuck on the idea that you could just pour water on rocks and stir it.
"Brilliant. Your engineering instincts astound me. Maybe try growing gold from trees while you're at it. And dig up oil with a spoon. Or better… summon F16s for national defense!"
You're right. Why don't I know everything already? That would be the normal thing.
Then again, if I did, guess who'd be out of a job?
"Hmph... gears. Big, heavy, cursed gears that must turn."
Gears? How many?
"At least one per stage. But just the gear's not enough, you need torque, speed, stabilization, and power transfer. Pulleys, belts, joints… Welcome to engineering hell."
Alright... what makes them turn? Are we hitching them to donkeys?
"Since you mentioned donkeys… maybe you can turn them yourself. Great cardio. But no. We'll use runes for powered motion. Most logical option."
Listening to you simplify these nightmares is always such a treat.
So tell me, how exactly are we doing this?
"Hey! I've analyzed your recent behavior. Every time you ask something, you butter me up first. You think I don't notice? I'm onto you!"
I buried my face in my hands.
I think I've been caught.
"But guess what? It works. Keep doing it.
We'll go with a rune-powered system. And you will build the power grid."
"Crushers, grinders, heaters, mixers. Each needs its own gear system. Every one of them separate. It'll take days..."
"And you'll have Tilda build them. But wait, there's more. Tilda handles the metal parts. But for the wooden frames, you'll need Rastlin. A gear isn't just teeth, it's hub, axle, joints, and support. If you want the full package, get both artisans together."
I paused.
"You think... Tilda will kill me?"
"No," Mnex said.
"She's probably wrapped herself in blankets, whispering 'Tildalium...' right now."
When we arrived at the city, the first thing I did was call over one of the gate guards.
I told him to find Rastlin and bring him straight to Tilda's Temper. No delays.
This had to be explained in front of both of them.
Mnex had already gone over every detail with me on the way.
As I reached the forge, the familiar sound of metal hammering metal rang out from within.
I stepped inside.
Tilda stood with her back to me, working.
Her short, chopped hair clung to her neck, soaked in sweat.
Sparks flew with every strike. A thin sheen of sweat shimmered along the side of her face, just beneath the fringe of hair at her temple.
But what really caught my attention… was the murmuring.
She was talking to herself. Barely audible.
"…Tildalium. Mmm. Has a nice ring to it. Tildalium… mmm."
Mnex sighed.
"Told you."
I struggled not to grin.
Tilda noticed me but didn't stop working. She turned her head just slightly.
"Welcome back, young lord. If this is another one of your wild ideas, please… try not to go overboard."
"Gear," I said. "Big. Heavy. Spinnable. Rune-stabilized. Smart enough to not require donkeys."
Tilda stopped mid-swing, turned, and looked at me.
"A gear? If you don't explain that properly, I'm going to assume you're about to abuse animals."
Right then, the door creaked open and Rastlin stepped inside.
His hands were covered in sawdust, but his eyes were clear and focused.
"Rastlin," I said. "You'll build the wooden framework.
The gear teeth will be metal, but the frame will be walnut. Durable, no cracking.
The axle, the support joints… all yours."
The two exchanged glances, then looked at me.
I made a circular motion in the air with my finger.
"We'll need different sizes for different stages. Crusher, grinder, mixer, all unique.
For now, we'll make just one prototype. We don't know which one will work yet.
We'll try them all."
Tilda slowly nodded.
"Interesting. Excessively tiring.
I never understand what you're doing or why, but the results are always… satisfying."
She set her hammer down.
"And definitely fun."
Rastlin rolled up his sleeves.
"Never thought I'd be working beside a blacksmith.
Or taking woodworking lessons from a brat, even if he's a young lord."
Did he just call me a brat?
Should I use him as mortar for the first concrete batch?
"Hah! I love this guy," said Mnex. "Mark my words… he's my fa. vo. rite."
"As always," I muttered, closing my eyes and trying to suppress my rising anger,
Every time you and Rastlin team up, my blood pressure spikes.
There was a brief silence.
Then Tilda chuckled.
"Tildalium… still sounds lovely."
That wrapped things up. For now.
I'd explained what needed explaining.
They knew what to do.
The only thing left for me...
was to go home and talk to my grandfather.
By the time I got home, the afternoon was already slipping into evening.
A few servants were rushing around the courtyard, tending to their usual chores.
I was still covered in dust, but there was no time to clean up.
I headed straight for the administrative wing.
When I opened the door, I found my grandfather and father sitting side by side,
a stack of documents laid out before them.
My father looked up at me, expression unreadable.
My grandfather only raised his brows slightly.
No invitation was needed… clearly, they were expecting me.
"Sir," I said. "We need to talk."
My father set his papers aside. "Talk."
I stepped forward, hands clasped behind my back.
"The mine is operational now.
The carts, the rails, the rune system… everyone's getting the hang of it.
We're mining non-stop, but the stone just sits there. What's the point?"
"Store it," my father said, plainly.
My grandfather slowly turned to me. "What are you really up to?"
"Just storing it is a waste of time.
The real value is in its potential," I said, shaking my head slightly.
My grandfather narrowed his eyes. "What kind of potential?"
My father raised an eyebrow but stayed silent.
I took another step closer to the desk.
Deep breath.
"I want to do more than just mine it.
I want to transform it… crush it, grind it, heat it, bind it.
Fuse it with something else. I don't know what it's called yet…
But whatever it is, it'll be strong. Cheap. Shapeable."
My grandfather tilted his head.
"And what would this be used for?"
"Everything," I said.
"Roads, foundations, walls… even houses. Maybe even toilets."
I paused.
"If you remember, I once showed you a project. A sewer system."
They both fell quiet.
Then my grandfather spoke.
"And this idea of yours... requires a workshop?"
He smiled faintly. A sign that he remembered.
"Yes," I said.
"A small one, right next to the mine.
Just a few sheds for now, and a space to experiment.
Somewhere for the workers to rest, too."
My father scratched his head. "Living with this kid is exhausting."
My grandfather rose from his chair.
"Alright. Do what you need to do."
Then he stepped closer and said,
"And Henry... show me those papers again.
I want to study them more closely this time."
I nodded. "Of course. I'll even add some notes on the drawings, if you'd like."
That evening, Mnex completed the full layout of the new workshop.
Gear placement, mixing zone, furnace design, everything.
The next morning, I handed those drawings over along with the sewer project plans.
My grandfather looked them over and nodded. He didn't ask a single question.
That was all the approval I needed.
Now, all I had to do was wait.
While Tilda and Rastlin worked on the gears, I mostly just watched.
They didn't need me hovering over their shoulders, Mnex was already tracking the order of every step.
He'd tell me when to step in, when to adjust something, and when to just stay out of the way.
All I had to do was follow his lead.
I didn't expect us to succeed on the first try, but with each part assembled, we'd inch closer to the right setup.
And then...
we'd mix the first batch.