Chapter 41

"Alright, Sequoia, I know I’m repeating myself, but this is the second-best option. The best would be to have the thunder beast generate electricity, but while that might be possible temporarily, it’s not feasible in the long term."

"Indeed. For now, though."

"Right. So, the second-best option is to use the power of science to generate electricity."

"Wow! That sounds interesting!"

Garam leaned in eagerly, his eyes shining brightly. It was clear that his craftsman's switch had been flipped.

"I want Garam and Torre to build the power generation facilities. I’ll think about what we can do with the electricity."

"Leave it to us. We’ll get the job done."

Garam pounded his fist into his palm and laughed heartily. On the other hand, Sequoia furrowed her brow, tapping her chin as she pondered something.

"Joshua, you said you would think about what can be done with it."

"Yeah, it might be a bit impromptu."

"Those words make sense. Electricity can be used in a variety of ways. Your mind is swirling with ideas, but you’re also evaluating their feasibility."

"Exactly. I’m impressed by the insight of a seeker of knowledge."

"You, who can even make a seeker of knowledge marvel with your knowledge."

"Heh, heh…."

I was trying to compliment him, but it ended up feeling like I was being overpraised, which made me feel a bit embarrassed.

Sequoia, who had leaned across the table, reached out and pulled on my shoulder, letting out a dry laugh.

"Come on, don’t worry about feasibility. Just tell me about the ways you think electricity can be used."

"O-Okay. Sure."

What should I talk about?

There are a few things I want to try right away. One is electrolysis. Using electrolysis, we can obtain substances that we couldn’t get before. Another, which is similar in principle, is electroplating… Yeah, it might be better to give specific examples.

"Hurry up."

"I’m thinking!"

While I was thinking, Sequoia’s face had gotten very close to mine on the table. I pushed her away gently and let out a small sigh.

"Lighting, purifying wastewater, electroplating, making soap, and moving objects, among other things."

"Wow! It’s like mana. It has a wide range of applications."

"If my understanding of mana is correct, it’s something that can control various phenomena based on imagination."

"It’s a bit different, but if you can construct the right spell, you can do most things."

"Electricity isn’t like that. It has to follow physical laws… the laws of science. It’s difficult to create the mechanisms, and it can’t do everything."

"Hmm. It’s not an easy thing to handle."

"However, unlike mana, it doesn’t require a ‘caster.’ It has significant constraints, but it can operate automatically and doesn’t depend on the user, which is a major advantage."

"That’s… revolutionary! I see. You’re right. It’s a good alternative to magic stones. Instead of magic tools, you’re creating tools that run on electricity."

"That’s the goal, but I’m also considering another approach."

"Wow! What is it?"

"Garam is waiting. We can talk about that later."

"Hmm. I understand. Garam, I’m sorry. I got carried away."

Sequoia returned to her original position and bowed slightly to Garam.

To be honest, it’s very difficult to create electrical appliances with the current technology in this world. There’s no foundation of basic science, and I don’t have much knowledge of chemistry. I don’t know how to make plastics, solvents, or synthetic materials. If there were experts, we could advance scientific technology by leaps and bounds and maybe even create steam locomotives or vinyl resins within ten years. Even without that knowledge, I’d like to challenge something ambitious, like making a car. But not now. That’s something to do after everything is settled, in my twilight years.

The immediate situation requires a quick solution.

The goal is to achieve the same level of technology as during the principality era. Therefore, I want to try another approach. Not the science from Earth, but the science of this world.

"Is it okay now, Joshua?"

"Ah, sorry. I got carried away."

I raised my right hand and bowed to Garam.

"What I’m interested in is the mechanism."

"Right. I’ll give you an overview. I’ll leave the detailed design to you and Torre, okay?"

"Sure. Leave it to us. As long as we understand the principles, it’s fine."

"I really appreciate that. The detailed design is too difficult for me."

"Ha ha ha. Leave that to the craftsmen. You just need to describe the ‘dream.’ We’ll make it a reality."

"Thank you. To generate electricity, we need magnets and coils—"

Garam, who had been fiddling with his beard, stopped and listened intently to my explanation.

"We obtained the magnets with the help of the thunder beast. The coils are made by winding the copper wire you made last time and coating it with an insulating resin."

"Stuka resin?"

"Right. Copper wire conducts electricity well, while Stuka resin doesn’t. This way, the electricity won’t dissipate and will flow through the copper wire."

"Hmm. The copper wire coated with resin will conduct the generated electricity."

"That’s correct. To generate electricity, we just need to rotate the magnet inside the coil. We’ll place the coils on either side and the magnet in the middle."

"The mechanism is simple and straightforward. We’ll prepare another water wheel to rotate the magnet. I see. You mentioned needing several water wheels. This will be the first one."

"Can you do it?"

"Didn’t I just say you could leave it to us? I’m looking forward to seeing how this electricity will be used!"

Garam pounded his thick chest and nodded approvingly.

"However, I’d like to prioritize making the tools. Preparing the houses is urgent."

"I understand. We also need to build a bridge."

Torre even made a model.

Building the bridge and the water supply and drainage system will be the largest construction projects in this town. A lot of manpower will be required. But since it’s closely related to agriculture, industry, and housing, it’s something that must be done. Once the housing and agriculture are settled, I want to implement it as a major public works project.

"The large projects will definitely be done within two months. The construction period will be within three months. If it takes longer, we’ll carry it over to the following spring."

"Don’t worry, it won’t take that long. Ha ha ha!"

"It’s not something Garam can do alone. Let’s proceed steadily without rushing."

"Right. We’re counting on you, our border lord."

"Please don’t call me that. It makes me uncomfortable."

"Ha ha ha ha ha!"

He didn’t need to laugh so hard… Seeing my wry smile, Garam must have found it hilarious, as he laughed so hard he almost choked.