บท 132: "I miss potatoes"
"Do you have anything in mind that you want to do once we settle in the capital?" Ella asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"There's so much to do and yet so little time," Rafael replied, his tone reflective.
Ella tilted her head, a puzzled look crossing her face. "What do you mean?"
"Hehe, you make a really cute face when you're confused."
"I'm not... That's just because you keep saying strange things." She pouted slightly, her cheeks puffed out.
"Okay, what I mean is that I have some ideas and inventions that I've never shared with anyone. The problem is, they aren't as simple as making paper. When we reach the capital, I'll ask Avice for help to get everything on track."
The first thing I need to do is increase food production to create a calorie surplus. As the book said, with more food comes more thinking minds. I know it won't happen quickly, but in the meantime, I can work on other projects, like experimenting with glass or starting a school with my three old friends.
"My love, how do you know so many strange things? Was it a divine message, like they say?" Ella's eyes were wide with wonder, her curiosity evident.
Rafael wasn't expecting such a question, especially the way she affectionately called him. "I..."
"... I received these ideas in my sleep." He felt a pang of guilt for lying to his wife but knew it was the right thing to do. The truth about his origins shouldn't be known by others again.
Ella watched him in silence, her gaze soft but probing. What is she thinking? Does she not believe me? Don't look at me like that, please...
Before Rafael's guilt could force him to confess, Ella smiled and reassured him that she believed in him.
The journey would take the entire day and night. They stopped for a few minutes to let the horses rest before resuming the trip.
The man commanding the carriage was a short, somewhat skinny man with almost no hair. Rafael had learned that he was an old servant of Maxis. After many years of loyal service, he was rewarded with a less strenuous job and better pay.
"You? Nah, I don't care what you did. Maxis kept you protected and secure all this time because he trusts you, so I have nothing against you." Rafael had asked if the old man knew who he was and if he knew the accusations people made about him.
"Thanks. Just so you know, I am innocent of all those accusations, even before I received the royal pardon."
"Hey, you don't need to explain. Maxis asked me to take you to the capital, so I'll take you there. I actually have a few things I need to do in Salzburg, and now I have the excuse to go there."
"Thanks anyway. Things haven't been easy for us in the last month." Thanks to him, Rafael remembered that the capital was called Salzburg.
"It hasn't been easy for anyone, not just you. Alright, let's stay here for an hour before resuming our pace." They did not start a fire, as it would be useless against the biting cold wind outside. The horses were covered with long blankets to protect them from the chill.
The inside of the carriage was insulated from the exterior, so the temperature was bearable. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough space to lie down fully stretched, so they were forced to remain seated.
"Why did we get such a small carriage? Wasn't there a bigger one?" Ella struggled to find a comfortable position to sleep.
"How long did he say we're staying here?"
"One hour. The horses need a well-deserved rest after pulling us all day."
"Huff, there's nothing we can do then, let's wait. In the meantime, I'll try to sleep." Rafael wasn't particularly tired but closed his eyes, trying to relax.
It's been a few months... Damn time machine!
How's everyone? God, I miss my old life so much. There's nothing here, not even potatoes to fry!
Calm down. He took a deep breath.
Okay, if I want something, I just have to make or get it. So if I want potatoes, I just have to find some.
...Yeah, that will take too long. Potatoes are originally from South America. I'd better ignore my cravings for fries for the rest of my life.
Or maybe not. I could use this as motivation to discover the Americas and collect the tuber.
But how will I do that? First, I need good boats, well-preserved food, reliable navigation equipment and techniques, and, of course, a huge team to make it all possible.
It won't be easy. Besides, I don't have my book to see other inventions that could help me. Well, at least I remember a bit about Chapter 10 on boats and better sails.
He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't notice the time passing. Suddenly, a knock on the door and a voice from the charioteer brought him back to reality.
Rafael opened the door and asked how much longer until they reached the capital. "Just two more hours, sir."
He quickly closed the door to block out the cold that seeped in. Ella remained asleep, oblivious to the interruption.
She must be really tired. Rafael recalled the first time he saw her, inside Frederic's large manor. Man... To think that I tried to stay away from her because I knew she had feelings for me, hehehe.
And now I'm happily married to her.
It was nighttime, almost midnight. He estimated they would arrive in about an hour. During that time, he organized his future plans in his mind.
They already have knowledge of crop rotation, but it's only a three-field system. The problem is, I don't know how to implement a four-field system for maximum efficiency.
What I can do is convince people to use horses instead of cattle and use the proper harness. I'll also create a metallic plow to turn the soil and a seed drill to plant seeds at consistent intervals.
By doing this, I'll revolutionize agriculture, increase yields, and free people from manual, slow work.
This workforce can then be redirected to other tasks, such as soap production. Rafael also wanted to introduce basic hygiene to the population.
Maybe if the new king hears me out, we can end people's filthy customs and bad manners. The hardest issue is dealing with waste. I really want to build a sewer system, but it might be easier to invent a plane.
Holy hell, there's so much I want to do! I want to build schools and educate people. How else will I find people to do research and make advances in different fields?
Oh, and there's our business with papermaking and cement. I hope Avice was able to get it started. Paper will be crucial for the educational part of my plans.
... And to do all this, I'll need a lot of money. I just hope Avice managed to refill her coffers after the deals with that guy. I also hope he isn't an arrogant king who doesn't listen to others.
Soon, the time passed, and the carriage stopped. Rafael heard voices approaching the door and a knock as a soldier opened it.
"Pardon me, but I need you two to identify yourselves." The soldier, realizing the carriage wasn't from common peasants, addressed them with caution.
Ella finally woke up with the noise. They identified themselves by stating their names and proving their identities with their family insignia.
The guard's demeanor shifted to one of respect. "You may enter the city."
"We're finally here!" Ella sat up energetically, her face alight with excitement.
I will never enter a carriage again! Never! After an entire day shaking inside the small, uncomfortable carriage, Rafael was already planning changes for a new one.
"I can't wait to see everyone again! Oh, and tomorrow, I'm going to show you around the city. You'll love it."
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