Steel and Mana

Chapter 228 – Carbide

I was sitting in the throneroom, letting my two ministers, Paxon and Merlin, showcase the unique lamp that one of my subjects had just constructed. After watching the demonstration and then listening to their explanation, I couldn't help but be amazed. I vaguely recalled what it was, learning it about as a kid when I was taught the history of man-made light sources. I didn't really know how it functioned; I just knew of the chemical reaction that made it possible to have a gas source that could be ignited.

What young Edmund created was a carbide lamp. It was an immensely lucky break that we managed to produce calcium carbide rocks with the Earthbreaker. My guess is that it wasn't even pure, so if we managed to make proper ones, it would shine even brighter! I wouldn't have thought about creating this piece of lamp otherwise... I was way too focused on more modern options, but now, we have everything to start producing it. It is something that would still be like a miracle in this world! Still, it is an elementary chemical reaction with the calcium carbide responding to water, creating acetylene gas and calcium hydroxide. Simple.

Even on the cusp of introducing electricity with my coal plant in the making, this is something that will be extremely useful. For example, we are far from having any type of battery-operated flashlight. With this, we can produce a bright and steady glow; to boot, it is simple, portable, and, best of all, cost-effective.

As for the negatives… yeah, it is a fire hazard as acetylene gas is highly flammable, but if they can't smell it despite its sharp odor, that's their fault. Until I can mass produce hand-cranking lamps, having solved the issue of our current filaments that burn out quickly and we have the spare resources to manufacture them, this will easily fill the empty space. Hell, we have a lot of coal, and with the mountain being excavated, we also have a ton of lime rocks being brought up from within its belly. It would be a waste not using it then!

"What did he name it?" I asked, my smile remaining unchanging on my face.

"He didn't give it a name, My Sovereign." Minister Paxon spoke, closing the small valve and extinguishing the lamp by stopping the flow of the gas. "He said he doesn't really understand it yet, so you could give it a much better name!"

"I see." I chuckled, turning towards Merlin, "Announce our most recent invention in the newspaper and call it the Edmund Lamp. It will get into production soon enough and will be commercially available."

"Yes, Sovereign!" Merlin saluted, not asking questions, unlike Paxon.

"Are we going to sell it? At what price?"

"It is not something that should not be that expensive." I hummed, "I want it to spread as it would be especially useful in the hands of patrolling guards or our miners. Three silver sounds reasonable, wouldn't you agree? We will take Young Edmund's contraption and improve it a little, make it work to its best, and start producing proper fuel for it!"

"Those rocks, yes?" Merlin hummed, nodding his head, "This would be something that we could start trading to other parts of the world! Listening to you, My Sovereign, I can tell it is cheap to produce!"

"Yes, it is." I chuckled, leaning back and thinking about it. "By my calculations, the price of the raw materials to build it is negligible, almost nonexistent, as we produce them locally. This is still huge even if we later have better electric versions of hand-held lamps. We can export and sell it to others for a gold piece per unit. Even if they dismantle it, it won't work without carbide being used for the reaction."

"Carbide?" They asked, realizing it was the rock Edmund's father accidentally discovered.

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"Yeah. And it will be only us who can manufacture it because you won't find this in nature. Not easily, that is. Good luck in matching the original, no matter how many copies would spring up in distant lands. Or just making it work, ahaha!"

"I think we just struck another goldmine…" Merlin laughed, imitating my usual posture, rubbing his chin with a proud grin as I saw multiple ideas swirling in his head.

"Make it fair!" I interrupted them, "Invite Edmund and his parents to the palace. I want to speak with them and strike a life-long contract with the young boy. He is the owner of this invention, and he needs to be rewarded! He will get 25% of every sale we make from his lamp as long as we sell it. Plus…” I continued while standing up and clapping, "Make sure he has his own workshop! Mikan will conduct a full interview with him at the next Sovereign's Sessions. We need to showcase inventors and every famous person within our city."

"That will be another great episode!" Merlin nodded, agreeing, "I can't wait to hear it!"

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Edmund's family experienced tremendous upheaval after his son's discovery. The next day, the newspaper had already detailed his story and introduced his invention, and people began recognizing him as a word spreading throughout the city. His prototype was then showcased before everyone, letting people know that it would soon be available in the shops run by the state for just three silvers.

But it was not everything. Edmund never imagined that his lamp would be named after him, immortalizing him, a greater honor than being paid for it. Although the latter was also lovely and somewhat dizzying to comprehend. That dizziness returned in full force when Edmund was told that he would appear at the subsequent Sovereign's Sessions as one of the guests. Him? On the… radio? Who would have thought what a change his curiosity would bring to his life? He was even afraid that nothing would be like before after this... and he was right about that.

All the days since then melted together like a fever dream, finding himself dressed up in new, nice clothes straight from Dorian's workshop, designed especially for him. He had never before worn such elegant black and white garments that Dorian was calling a 'tuxedo,' whatever that meant. Yet, even that couldn't hide his pale, white face and sweaty hands as he stood in the backroom of the theater, facing his own visage in one of the biggest mirrors he had ever seen.

"I'll throw up…" He grunted just before another, shaky hand pressed a glass of water before him.

"That makes two of us!" said a feeble voice, just as shaky as Edmund's legs at the moment. As he took the water and drank it, he realized that the hand belonged to a beautiful young woman standing next to him. Her dirty-blonde hair was straightened out and held in a high ponytail, while she wore an elegant, deep blue dress that matched her pale blue eyes.

"You are lady Dia!"

"You… know me?" She flinched, looking just as nervous as Edmund.

"Of course! I saw your paintings and collected all the ten issues of your sketches when they were printed! They are up on my wall at home!"

"Looks like you got a fan!" Entered a laugh into the conversation, belonging to a third figure, a man who was also a fresh entrepreneur, Remus, who was the leading advertiser for the Sovereign's latest wedding. "My name is Remus! Although, those prints are nowhere as detailed or cool as her originals..."

"I know you!" Edmund nodded, quickly detailing how Remus was the very first to establish a successful publication, selling colored newspapers that were now beginning to be called magazines and just as popular as Avalon News.

"Damn, I never thought I would also have a fan!" He joked as the three were today's Sovereign Session's guests.

Of course, under his chatty and jokey mask, he was hiding his nervousness as this kind of exposure was an unbelievable fairy tale just a few years back. When both Dia and Remus got the invitation, they needed a whole day to settle down and be able to form coherent words, starting to panic in preparation for today. As for what will they talk about? They had no idea as it was only stated that the two Queens were eager to interview them, as the three were exemplary citizens of Avalon.

"It's time!" Said a man's voice as one of the background workers poked his head into their room.

Hearing him was like being doused in a bucket of cold water, drawing blanks over the trio's mind right until they were led next to the stage. Inside, Sasha and Mikan were already talking, introducing tonight's show to the live audience and to the people listening elsewhere. As Sasha briefly recounted the three's names and origins, Mikan glanced toward them. Noticing their wrecked nerves, she just smiled, and a tiny, golden formation flashed behind her back, in sync with her tattoo.

Neither Edmund, Remus, nor Dia knew what it was, but soon, their mood mellowed out, and all their anxiety was blown away by a caressing, sweet fragrance. They finally felt their thoughts flow freely, just in time for them to come onto the stage…

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I was back in my office, listening to tonight's show while working on generalizing Edmund's blueprint so we could manufacture it en masse. I couldn't help but chuckle hearing his voice retelling his experiences in school and his eagerness to discover the world. It was exactly what I wanted from my people, and I hoped this interview would bring more people like him to the surface.

As for Remus, I was about to license his inventions, too, because he perfected the work of putting artwork into printing. It wasn't like a photo yet, but his printing tables and how he made them would also benefit our leading newspaper print. Maybe we could start introducing comics… ehehe… I would love that! Anyway… Khm.

The third guest, Dia, was already famous for her paintings. I just wanted her to be on the mic when Sasha told her that we were planning on turning some of the buildings into a museum and filling it with her works. Of course, it would have other inventions put on display and be open to new ones. Always! I want to nudge my people to be inquisitive and brave, explore the world, and push their boundaries to make it so their legacy is in the museum, immortalizing their names. They shouldn't be afraid of failing but courageous enough to try it again and as often as necessary.

With our residents enjoying life, the latest census showed that we will double our numbers in the upcoming years. Luckily, we built the city with that in mind, expecting it. There was ample space to fill it up, and if we need to expand in the next twenty or thirty years, I will be delighted to do it.

In the end, I stopped drawing and just leaned back, listening to the interviews and enjoying the show and the voices of my wives. Life feels good… It was precisely why I started all of this. Just to sit back, relax, and let go of everything to bathe in the joy of the moment.

"Finally!" mumbled a voice coming from under my table, and I heard Luna smacking her lips. "My mouth was getting sore… Not much has come out this time, so you must rest, Leon! You are going empty!"

“Yeah… maybe…” I muttered, eyes closed, letting happiness wash over me because life couldn't be any better at that moment.