Bab 8: Creations
"Sir, are you there? I bought you some food as you asked." Rafael heard footsteps approaching the door and then it creaked open. Amis stood there, and even in the dim light, he could see that the man before him looked as if he'd lost everything.
"Here, sir, I bought three oranges and this lemon. They were the last ones. And here's the money Chief Cenric gave you."
"Thank you. Take 10 coppers and then pass the pouch to me," Rafael said, picking up the fruits. The pouch seemed sturdier than he expected, made of two layers of cloth to bear more weight. "That's all for now... Actually, where... ah, where should I go if I... have a stomach ache, you know..."
"Every house has a bowl that can be used for, uh, necessities, sir," Amis responded.
"Oh, okay. But after I use it... where do I clean it?" Rafael asked, dreading the answer.
"Most people, when they can, go to the creek near our village to relieve themselves or clean and wash anything. But at night, it's dangerous to go alone, so we usually use the bowl and toss the excrement away before cleaning it with a bit of water," Amis explained as if this were the most normal thing in the world.
I heard him say he was from the east, right? Is it different there, the way they manage these things? Amis wondered.
"Wait. When you say 'toss it away,' you mean... you toss it onto the streets?" Rafael asked, hoping against hope the answer would be different.
"Yes. Well, we ask them not to toss it directly onto the main street, so they throw it to the side or the back of their houses," Amis said. At that moment, the light breeze stopped, and a particular smell wafted back.
"Ugh... Ah, thank you for your help. Hav- ugh- have a good night!" Rafael said, closing the door abruptly before Amis could respond. He took deep breaths, trying to purge the foul odor from his lungs.
Huufhh Huufh He felt like it was a good time to start crying about his situation.
In front of him, near the wooden pillar, stood a bowl. "Ugh..." He averted his gaze and took more calming breaths. Calm down, calm down. This hunger is only making things worse, so let's eat.
He placed the fruits on a plate he retrieved from the wardrobe, then sat down at the table. The candle had already burned halfway. Oh my God... This is so hard, he thought.
I'll have to light some fire.
Standing up, Rafael returned to the wardrobe, picked up some wood, and tore a small piece from the rags. He noticed two stones nearby but didn't know their purpose, so he left them alone. At the small fireplace, which had just enough space for a pot to sit over the fire, he arranged the wood.
Using the candle to light the cloth, he successfully kindled the wood.
Maybe I should have done this earlier, he thought as he blew out the candle. The room was now better lit and gradually warming up. Back at the table, Rafael ate the fruits, all the while thinking about his future and what he should do next.
After finishing two oranges and storing the last one along with the lemon, he opened the book again.
Okay. This crappy book doesn't have the gunpowder formula, but I remember from a history show about classic guns that it's a mixture of three components. Coal and... and... He sighed.
"Aaah, it'll be hard to recreate it. Maybe it's easier and faster to send someone to China to learn their gunpowder formula."
IF they've already invented it. A big if.
By now, no one was outside their houses anymore. The night air was getting colder, and the sound of crickets filled the silence. Occasionally, a distant howl pierced the night.
I'll try to discover the formula when I have enough money. For now, I need to find something here that can bring me that money. He went back to reading the book, skimming the summary again for anything of interest until he found:
[10. Common Human Complaints That Can Be Solved By Technology]
(...)
[10.11. There's Nothing to Read]
Is this about how to create paper?..... YES! Rafael eagerly turned to the page, almost jumping from his chair as he began reading the section on papermaking.
[10.11.1: PAPER
There have been great societies that did not use the wheel, but there have been no societies that did not tell stories.
-You (also, Ursula K. Le Guin)]
"Hahahehehe... Great quote. A pity it's mine now," he chuckled before continuing to read. As he read through the prerequisites, his excitement grew. No... no, it can't be... it can't be that EASY, right?! He was stupefied to realize he only needed a piece of fabric and some wood. Is my luck changing?
Midway through the explanation, the text mentioned two chemicals that could speed up the process, but Rafael set that aside for now. He was smiling, almost disbelieving how simple the process seemed.
[-->Civilization Pro Tip: The basic papermaking process hasn't really changed in the thousands of years since it was invented.]
"Tomorrow, this will be the first thing I do! If I manage to create paper, I'll be rich!" After reading the papermaking section, he saw the instructions on how to invent the printing press. This one can wait. Only after the papermaking process is mastered will I give this a shot.
[10.12. It Sucks Here and I Want to Go Literally Anywhere Else.]
This sub-chapter presented the importance of transportation, with the first invention being the bicycle. Hmm, this is a bit more complicated and advanced. Maybe in the far future. He skimmed through the text, his interest piqued by the next invention.
[10.12.2: COMPASSES
The winds and waves are always on the side of the ablest navigators.
-You (also, Edward Gibbon)]
A tear fell from his eye.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
camera
camera Do you know the ingredients of gunpowder? Don't google it. I wanna see how many of you know it.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone