Chapter 44: It's not fraud, it's creative thinking!
Chris picked himself up after being kicked from Mia's tent, and he went to spend the rest of the day roaming in Brine City as he usually did. However, he had a reason for it this time.
He was unexpectedly popular!
This was brought by the current project, which he liked to call the "mostly independently activated water delivery system".
This sudden popularity started yesterday once the project was made public by word of mouth. Chris, being a modern man, knew the impact of advertisements, so he doubled down on the coverage by sending a few town criers.
"Freshwater at any time of the day!"
"No limits on drinking water!"
"Daily baths for everyone!"
These were a few of the many slogans shouted by the town criers. That last one wasn't very popular with the children, but he didn't care as it made him a rock star in front of the women who were desperate for personal grooming after months of neglects and were tired of the smell of their husbands after a day of sweaty hard work.
Chris walked around town with a smug expression as he enjoyed the extra attention, his two usual bodyguards had trouble keeping order.
[Is it finally my time? Am I becoming a popular king?] He was quite excited. He had a rough time with the ladies lately as they kept looking at him weirdly. Especially since his proposal for a mixed public bath was shot down by Mia.
The fact that his plan of introducing naked mud baths for skin care leaked didn't help either. He was convinced it was Titus' fault that the project got leaked.
[Damn that pretty boy. I explain the project to him one day, and it leaks the next one? Did he mention it to his wife?] Grumbled Chris. [Lucky bastard.]
Luckily for Titus, Chris' current foul mood didn't last as he kept getting swarmed by questions on his way. Titus was probably safe from Chris' weird brand of retaliation… Today.
"Can I tell my wife she will be able to bath tonight?" Asked an excited man.
"Not today, but soon." Said Chris with a smile.
"Is it true there will be no quotas?" Asked a patrolling guard.
"That's right; there will be none!"
"Could we get an extension near our fields, my lord?" Asked a farmer.
"That's a good idea. I'll look into it!"
"What happens if I put a booger on the pipe where the water comes out?" Asked a boy.
"...The girls will beat your ass."
[Damn, I might need to go out with a disguise if this continues. It does feel great, but I have an important job to do.]
"Hm?" Chris suddenly stopped as he realized something. He turned to his two faithful bodyguards and asked. "The project is so popular with the women, but how come only guys keep coming to me?"
They looked at each other and back to their teary-eyed lord. How could they say that the project's popularity didn't necessarily translate to the creator's?
"Don't worry my Lord." Consoled one of them. "I'm sure that one day you'll be catnip for the ladies and you'll successfully make Miss Mia jealous."
"Hng!" The consoling words of the bodyguard pierced him as his plan was seen through.
"You… You are perceptive. You'll go very far." Complimented Chris.
"My Lord." A messenger came running and handed a note to Chris' other bodyguard.
"This is from Chief Rinat." Said the bodyguard as he read the note. "It seems the work on the pump is going well. She should have something to show in two hours."
"Two hours huh?" Said Chris pensively. "I guess, I have time for my super secret project."
And so Chris burned time by showing people a mysterious scroll he had prepared and kept safe on himself.
***** ****
"Good. That makes it a bit more than a hundred people." Said Chris as he looked at the signatures on his scroll.
"It's time, my Lord. Chief Rinat should be expecting us soon." Said one of the bodyguards.
"Very well. Let's go." Said Chris.
His current secret project was very dear to him, but he also really wanted to see how far Rinat had gotten with the pump.
"My Lord." Said one of the bodyguards. "Chief Rinat's workshop is just ahead."
Chris looked ahead, and sure enough, he saw her workshop.
He, however, could not see Rinat as she was most likely in the middle of the crowd surrounding a working prototype of the screw pump. It was pointing straight up, towering a few meters above the crowd while water kept pouring down from the top.
[Nice.] Chris was impressed.
The guards made way for Chris to reach Rinat in the center of the crowd.
There he found Rinat checking out the pump with a few tools in her hand, she kept applying small fixes and shaving a bit of wood here and there as a few workers turned a big crank, as ordered, to activate the pump.
"That's a good flow." Said Chris with a smile.
"My Lord!" She said ecstatically. "It works!"
Chris looked at water falling from the top of the pump to the bottom of a huge vat, only to be pumped back up again in an infinite cycle.
"It sure does. Great work Rinat!" He praised. "How far are you from a usable version?"
"The next one should be good enough." She answered with a smile. "Luckily the farther I go, the fewer parts I need to change. The wooden tubing is now as round and smooth as I can make it, the water wheel is also done. The only challenge left is to perfect the screw to make the tightest seal possible, and I think I am there."
"Can you make it for tomorrow?" Asked Chris.
"Oh, I can make it tonight if need be!" She bragged as she was that close to the final product.
"Perfect! Then if you are done, please start working on the next pump. This time it would be best if you taught your apprentices as we'll need at least three more in the next few days." Said Chris. "The eastern build site needs their own operating pump, and I am planning to add a few to our current setup in case demands is higher than anticipated."
It didn't show on her face, but Chris knew she would prefer making and improving the pump rather than teaching people how to make them. So he added. "Don't worry, I have more stuff for you to work on later."
"Thank you!" This was music to her ears. "I should have the pump and the water wheel installed by tomorrow morning."
"Perfect! Make sure everything is working right. We might have a riot on our hands given the people's expectations, haha!" Chris joked, but he certainly felt that this was not an exaggeration.
He met with Cat on his way back. She was on her way to check her own troops. They had a few days off after the last battle, but they would soon have to resume their tasks of making sure the areas around Brine City were safe and secure from beasts and other dangers.
She noticed he came back from the carpenter's workshop, so she asked.
"Hi, my Lord. So? How is the water project going? Are we still on time for tomorrow?"
"Not you too..." Sighed Chris. "It's going pretty well. The tests are planned for tomorrow morning. Want to join us ?"
"Sure! I'll invite Mia too!" She said excitedly.
"Oh right, this reminds me. Please sign this." Chris handed her the scroll he had been showing around town to everyone. This was his secret project.
Cat looked at the scroll "What's this? 'Petition - By Interested Parties'?" She continued reading below the title. "We, the people, believe that it is in our kingdom's best interest that Miss Mia give our King a lap pillow once a day."
Cat suddenly remembered that Chris had pestered Mia about it yesterday but was, as usual, coldly shot down. She continued reading.
'It would also be nice if she complimented one of his features every day.'
[What's with the change of tone between the first part and this one?]
'Hand Holding is extra but recommended for a healthy relationship'...
[And now it sounds like relationship advice...]
"You know Mia is going to kick your ass for this... Right my Lord?" But she was surprised when she looked at the back of the scroll and saw roughly a hundred signatures.
"Huh? How did you manage to get so many people to sign? Most of our people can't even read… Are all those signatures from you?"
"I would never!" Chris appeared hurt by Cat's doubts. "People are just interested in our love! They even affectionately call us Miris[1]!" Said Chris.
"Why haven't I heard anyone call you that before?" Asked Cat doubtfully.
"Anyways, look!" Chris called someone over. "Hey, you! You signed this scroll right?"
The man was startled but smiled when he saw the scroll. "Of course my Lord! This is the sign in sheet for the new water delivery system right?"
*Cough* "Shoo, go away!" Chris tried to chase him out, but it was too late. Cat had heard him.
As it turns out Chris had very gently explained what this was about to the people who didn't know how to read.
"That's fraud!" Said Cat.
"It's creative thinking!" Answered Chris as he fled with his two bodyguards.
"My Lord, you are..." Sighed Cat.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Pastare
Pastare Editor: LtBeefy
[1] Miris = Mia + Chris
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone