Capítulo 21: To do list
After walking back to his house with the man following him, Rafael ensured the wood stacks were placed inside to prevent theft. He used half a stack to start a fire and set the pot of water on it.
Today, I'm going to create a 10cm and 1-meter ruler and a protractor. Ah, right, I need to find out what kind of numbers they use here, Rafael thought. He wasn't sure whether to use the numerical system he knew or adopt the one common to this period.
The sun had already risen and was just beginning to peek over the treetops. While waiting for the water to boil, he decided to re-read chapter 10 of his book.
To him, that book was a lifeline—not in terms of fixing the time machine and returning home, but in helping him create a better life here. He knew it wouldn't be easy and accepted that it might take years to build the future he dreamed of.
Rafael had read about a third of the chapter when he stopped to take the pot off the fire. Now I just have to let it cool down a bit, he thought, feeling the sting of his thirst but ignoring it, knowing he'd soon be able to drink.
After a few minutes, he set the book down, took a spoon, and carefully drank the hot water, blowing on it to avoid burning his tongue.
To-do list: Number 1—make a ruler and protractor. Number 2—buy a cup so I can properly drink things. Number 3—buy some fruit, he mentally noted.
Once his thirst was quenched, he left the pot, still partially filled with water, on the ground near the table and set the spoon aside. He had finished half the chapter.
Stepping outside, the foul odor that permeated the streets nearly overwhelmed him. This can't go on! I must do something. I'll force Cenric to take action, he resolved.
First, he went to Richar's house, where he used the recently made paper and a borrowed pencil to draw a ruler and protractor exactly as depicted in his book. He did this back at his place to avoid anyone seeing him copying from the book.
When he returned to the old man's house, Rafael handed him the drawings. "Here it is."
Richar studied the drawings for a moment. "What are these... inscriptions? Wait, are those numbers?" he asked, holding the drawing toward Rafael.
So their number system is quite similar to the Hindu-Arabic one. This is both good and bad, Rafael thought.
"Yes, they are. How did you know?"
"I'm not stupid, kid. I know these things you've drawn are tools for measuring. I know because I have one," Richar replied, sounding offended by the question.
He set the paper on the table and went to his workshop to fetch something.
"This is my ruler. Quite similar, don't you think?" he said, returning and showing Rafael a wooden ruler.
"Can I see it?" Rafael asked, approaching Richar to examine the ruler more closely.
"If you break it, you'll pay for a new one," Richar warned as he handed over the ruler.
Rafael carefully analyzed the numbers and the spacing between them, even comparing the ruler to his drawing. They use Roman numerals, and the spacing is larger than a centimeter, he noted. Placing it beside the drawing, he saw that 3cm equaled one unit on Richar's ruler.
"What's the name of these units?" he asked, returning the ruler to Richar.
"Zoll."
What the...
"Just... Just make these, okay?" Rafael decided to accept the odd name, thinking, I should already be used to everything here being crude, old, wrong, and dumb. Before leaving, Rafael asked where he could buy a cup, and Richar offered a high-end cup he had made from the village's best wood.
After agreeing to pay when he returned, Rafael set off to find Cenric.
A light breeze carried the warmth of the morning sun, bathing everything in its soft glow. The few people Rafael saw were all carrying tools for the harvest. After I speak to him, finding that guy who sells fruit will be my next task, he planned.
Rafael knocked on Cenric's door but received no response. After some time, he gave up. "Where is he?" he muttered to himself. "Ah, forget it. I'll talk to him later."
Following the guard's directions, Rafael found a slender man standing in front of a house with two baskets of fruit.
Rafael decided to buy three apples and three oranges but realized he only had silver coins. "I don't have coppers with me right now, just these," he said, pulling a silver coin from his pouch and showing it to the man, assuming there wouldn't be a problem.
"I'm sorry, I can't accept that because I don't have enough coppers to give you change," the man said, eyeing the silver coin. Rafael sighed and replied, "I'll come back later with the money then."
Since Rafael was on the outskirts of the village, the fields were visible from where he stood. Almost the entire village was involved in the harvest in some way.
This crop here looks like wheat, he thought, observing the plants. Then, looking to his right, he saw another field with a similar but slightly different crop. Maybe another type of grain, he speculated.
As he contemplated the scenery, he heard footsteps approaching from behind. Turning, he saw a little girl with brown hair, wearing commoner clothes and holding a basket. She stood about two meters away, staring at him. Who is this? I think I've seen her before... Rafael wondered.
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