I Became a Genius Commander at the Academy

Chapter 28: The Generous Crown Prince (2)

We all know that the Industrial Revolution began with steam engines, but many were unaware of what it initially aimed to produce.

In fact, the primary objective of the Industrial Revolution was the mass production of ‘clothing.’

It might come as a surprise, but up until the time of the Industrial Revolution, the standard for becoming middle-class in Europe was, ‘Can one afford a new set of clothes each year?’

The lower classes, regardless of age or gender, wore tattered clothes, passing them around as they wore out.

Clothing was so scarce that it was the top-selling commodity. So, those who owned factories during the Industrial Revolution tried to mass-produce clothing, which was guaranteed to gain profit.

Now, you may ask, why am I bringing this up?

The machines I was about to request the craftsman in the workshop make were precisely the three types needed for mass-producing clothes.

Upon opening the door and stepping inside the workshop, the unique warmth of a blacksmith’s forge embraced me. A variety of tools were on display: a massive anvil and hammer used in blacksmithing, saws, axes, wide cleavers, armor, mannequins, spinning wheels connected to fulling stocks, and a furnace.

The overall ambiance strongly suggested that a skilled craftsman worked there.

As I looked around, a man hammering a piece of iron in the workshop spotted me. Setting his hammer down, he walked towards me.

He was short with a slightly tanned complexion, a face smeared with soot, and had muscles that were visible through the gaps in his worn-out clothing. There weren’t races like elves or dwarves in this world, but if there were, he would undoubtedly be mistaken for a dwarf based on his appearance.

Judging someone by their appearance might seem foolish, but this man exuded the aura of a top-tier craftsman.

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Then the man, with a stout build, sharp eyes, and a firm mouth, introduced himself,

“I am Eugene Heintz, the head blacksmith of Draim Workshop. Sir Yaeger.”

“I look forward to working with you, Heintz. So, the Crown Prince recommended you when I asked for a skilled craftsman. Can I expect top-quality work?”

“I might not claim to be the best craftsman in the Reich Empire, but I pride myself on being among the top ten. Please tell me what you want, and I will do my best to create it.”

Although it was usually off-putting when someone boasted about their skills, in this man’s case, it instilled confidence. Even without seeing his work firsthand, one could still sense his immense pride as a master craftsman.

“Alright, let’s skip the pleasantries. Here’s a design for a machine I want to be made. Think you can handle it?”

I then presented him with blueprints featuring a cotton gin, a Jenny spinning machine, and a semi-automatic loom known as the ‘Flying Shuttle.’

The designs might seem rudimentary, like those doodled by a middle schooler, but having been curious about the industrial advances of the weaving industry, I had memorized the three machine designs found through online surfing.

Using the visual memories stored in my mind, I drew the designs and added detailed descriptions. And upon seeing this, Heintz sighed in amazement.

“I’ve heard tales of Sir Yaeger being a genius in tactics and strategy. But designing a machine with such clarity, despite never studying engineering, is astounding. However, except for this gin machine, I’m not quite sure of the uses of the other machines. Can you explain them to me?”

“Sure. First, the gin is used to separate the seeds from the cotton. The spinning machine, or Jenny, isn’t too special. Simply put, it uses about eight spindles to extract threads from the cotton. Lastly, the ‘Flying Shuttle’ in the loom allows horizontal threads to be inserted quickly.”

Heintz, after listening, clapped in amazement.

“If we can mechanize the tedious process of seed removal, we can speed up the production of cloth. If we can then extract threads using a mechanical spinning wheel and increase weaving speed with the mechanized loom, this could be revolutionary.”

If I had presented these blueprints and explanations to nobles, including the Crown Prince, without showing a working model, they would never have grasped the machines’ potential.

It was like describing it to someone who had never tasted lemon and was unable to imagine its sourness.

But Heintz, being a knowledgeable craftsman, understood the blueprints and their worth instantly.

“So, do you think you can make them? Or is it too challenging?”

However, Heintz, seemingly lost in thought, began copying the design I had given onto another piece of paper, murmuring,

“To make this gin, the gap between the rotating cylinders must be thinner than the thickness of the seed…”

Heintz continued to ponder.

“For the spinning machine, will this size be appropriate for the spindle where threads are drawn by hand? Also, for the ‘Flying Shuttle,’ springs were mentioned for its construction. How does it function to traverse such a broad space effortlessly? Yet according to the design, it seems feasible.”

Watching him, I felt a mixture of admiration and astonishment.

I admired how he was able to offer solutions on how to build and improve the machines based merely on rough designs and explanations—a feat not everyone could accomplish.

What astonished me more was his focus solely on the designs, seemingly ignoring me, the customer and a ‘Knight of the Empire,’ despite my high standing and the protection of the Crown Prince.

To be overlooked for machine development!

It was said that many who were labeled as geniuses were quite eccentric… But wasn’t this too much?

Heintz, seemingly indifferent to my thoughts, continued to modify the design with a pen in hand.

There was much to discuss, and his continuous distraction was becoming problematic.

Thus, to regain Heintz’s attention, I shook his shoulder firmly.

“Come to your senses. It’s pleasing to see your enthusiasm for the crude designs I’ve drawn… But isn’t this a bit excessive?”

It was then that Heintz, seemingly realizing his impolite behavior, bowed his head in apology.

“I am sorry, I was blindsided by such an ingenious design. If you could grant me and my apprentices one month, no, three weeks, we can create a proper prototype…”

I knew nothing about machinery manufacturing. Even though making the gin and spinning machine might not be that time-consuming, creating the ‘Flying Shuttle’ incorporated into the loom seemed like it would take a while…

Could he really deliver on time?

Being the expert, Heintz assured me that it would be done in three weeks. So I should believe him.

Even if he failed, it wasn’t like there was absolutely no leeway…

“If you say that’s enough time, I’ll trust you. Do you need anything else? Don’t hesitate to ask me. I’ll fund it from my personal assets.”

Then Heintz, with a contemplative expression, looked at me and spoke.

“In truth, reproducing such intricate machinery is a challenge, but it’s crucial to have someone knowledgeable assess its performance once constructed. So, would it be acceptable for Sir Yaeger, who brought these designs, to intermittently participate during the process to ensure everything is properly made?”

“Of course. But I can’t be here every day. If you need me, send someone to inform me the day before.”

“Yes, understood. But before you leave, please answer some of the questions I have. It’s inconvenient, but it’s necessary when creating something new.”

Thus, I stayed in Heintz’s workshop until the next sunrise, discussing the gin, spinning machine, and the loom incorporating the ‘Flying Shuttle.’

As a result of that effort, three weeks later, the three machines I requested were perfectly constructed.

Now, only the task of demonstrating the utility of the machines to the Crown Prince and securing the appropriate funds remained.