A Design for the Future

Arriving in what would have been a study, Michael cleared off a desk and began writing out a plan. Taking into the account the malnutrition his predecessor had forced the subjects into, the first item on the list was to prioritize food. There were little farmlands surrounding the city and only a handful of willing people to work them left within his territory.

The primitive agricultural methods of this period were rather apparent. Even without a background in the subject, Michael was able to create a plan to turn that around. Using the blueprints he had seen in his youth during his near endless period of reading, he carefully recreated the simplest design he could recall. A single blade plow.

With the design in hand, he made his way out of the estate. Once he stepped foot onto the road just outside his gate, his foot sunk nearly a whole inch into the mud. Having nearly slipped due to the unfavorable ground, Michael was forced to slow his pace as he made his way down the road.

The brisk spring air engulfed his body with every step he took. Observing his surroundings, he was quickly hit with the state of his city as well as the truth in his reputation. Every home was in a state of distress. The few locals along the route quickly tried to avoid his gaze.

After nearly twenty minutes of walking along the poor excuse of a road, Michael found himself standing before a rather pathetic workshop. The sign that would have been hanging above the door was leaned against the building without care and the door was barely hanging onto the frame.

With care, he pushed it aside before stepping into the darkness inside. What greeted him was the stale air of an unused building that received no visitors. Approaching the counter that was in no better state than the door, he saw a middle-aged man sitting on a stool paying no attention to his presence.

"Would I be correct in assuming you are the blacksmith of this city?"

Michael's question only warranted a brief glare from the man behind the counter. It was apparent he had no interest in the word of the would be noble. Not being discouraged by the attitude of the man, Michael took a step forward and continued on with the purpose of his visit.

"I would like to commission you to construct the design I have with me. On completion you will be paid adequately and it is likely to improve the lives of every resident of the city."

The middle-aged man's glare was on the verge of turning hostile towards Michael. Finally, he spoke with disdain seeping from every pore in his body.

"Since when does the entitled brat that drove this city into the mud give a damn about paying what is owed or improving a life other than his own?"

Without missing a beat, Michael took another step towards the counter and answered the man as he ignored the evident hatred in his tone.

"He began to care about the lives of others after an attempt was made on his own. I will not deny the wrong doings of the past but today I stand here a new man. I have failed this city and the people in it. In doing so, I disgraced the legacy of my parents and I intend to rectify that mistake before it's too late."

The middle-aged man stared back at Michael aghast. He initially believed himself to be dreaming but hastily tossed that idea aside. Even within his wildest of dreams he wouldn't expect the conceited Duke to admit to his own shortcomings. Should he express what had just transpired to another resident of the city they would accuse him of losing the last shred of sanity he retained.

"If that is the case then you have far more pressing matters to correct than stopping into my shop. How does a single design change any of the damage you have caused to this city?"

Reaching into his jacket's pocket, Michael withdrew the blueprint he had made before departing. Laying it on the countertop, he began to explain.

"This is a design for a simple farming machine. Using a single horse, one would be able to turn over a larger area of land in a shorter amount of time than they would using current methods. I have come to you with this because the blade attached to the bottom needs to be made of a hard metal in order to not be damaged or break under load."

Having finished his explanation, Michael carefully observed the state of the blacksmith. Having heard the brief explanation as well as looked over the plans, the smith was deep in thought before looking at Michael with reservation.

"This design is fairly simple however the create a blade of that size without compromising the integrity of the metal will take time and will not be cheap in price."

"I am prepared to pay and required price but I must emphasize the urgency of this project. The sooner you can complete the design without it losing quality the better. Should the first one work as planned, I will be commissioning you to build more. I wish to equip every farmer with one as well as the horse to pull it. As I stated before, I am aiming to rectify my past wrong doings and that starts with adequately feeding the people of this city. Only then will they be in a state for further development."

"This first design will take a minimum of three days to complete. If you truly intend to improve this city, I pray you are prepared to sacrifice you personal wealth. The materials are scarce and will not be cheap to acquire."

"Whatever the price, I am prepared to spend every bit of coin I have left to my name. Wealth is not only measured in gold. We cannot take gold with us to the afterlife. What is truly valuable is the impact a person leaves on the world. As it stands now, my life has no value."