Meeting Conrad

Kye was putting the finishing touches on his pistol. It had been three days since he started building it and was now ready to start live-fire testing. He was putting it off for the moment as he had a flash of inspiration on the Weave Generator or a very basic version of what would become the bigger one. He hypothesised that something of this size could potentially be used as a motor for something smaller than a magic carriage. The problem he had found with magic carriages besides the ride quality was that it was that they were far too wide to be used effectively as vehicles of war.

Kye thought that the tactical advantage brought forth by cavalry was the speed and maneuverability of horses and other mounts. Yet while the magic carriages were better in terms of speed and more useful for long campaigns, they lacked the crucial maneuverability that traditional mounts afforded. Yet, a motorised cavalry was something Kye thought possible to create with such a small generator. A partially exposed chassis with only two wheels like a bicycle, yet with the power a magic carriage engine had would make for the perfect cavalry division.

Kye was furiously scribbling on his whiteboards as he ran through the calculations for weight, materials and what it would cost to make such devices. He was about to start working out the maths for the engine when a knock was heard at the door.

"Vanessa, could you check who that is? If it's not family please tell them I don't wish to be disturbed."

"Certainly, Master."

Vanessa left and came back several moments later with Frey, Layla, Alicia and two people Kye didn't know.

"Master, Your father and mothers have brought over important guests for diplomatic talks."

Kye didn't turn around from his whiteboard when he answered.

"Get them something to drink, please. I can't let this inspiration slip away."

Vanessa bowed and left for the small kitchenette attached to the workshop. Before anyone said anything, Conrad stepped forward to inspect the calculations and drawings on the whiteboard. He folded his arms in thought and began working through the maths laid out on the board.

"The equation is wrong."

"Yes, I know that, I'm working backwards."

Kye got up and circled a number with his marker.

"That's the answer, I need to figure out how I got it though."

"Right. Your energy coefficient is wrong."

"Nope, it's right. Magical energy isn't bound by physics like mechanical energy is. That's the right constant."

Conrad looked at Kye and raised his eyebrow.

"If that's right then what you're making is an astounding leap in technology."

Kye looked back at him with a look of incredulity.

"Yeah, I know that, that's why I want to figure it out."

Kye went back to staring at the whiteboard with his arms crossed and his chin resting on his closed fist. He fiddled with the top of the marker as he thought, pulling the top off and putting it back on, just as something to do while his brain was consumed in thought. Conrad was in a similar state as he tried to comprehend the calculations on the whiteboard.

The adults were all served drinks and watched their children work with minimal chatter. It seemed like both of the families knew that geniuses like them were best left undisturbed when thinking about things like this. Kye got up from his stool and rubbed out some numbers, replacing them with smaller equations and other numbers, then walked back to his stool and began to think again. Conrad moved forward after that and added another part to the equation. Kye just nodded at his addition. They continued to stare at the whiteboard for another ten minutes before Kye jumped off his stool and changed several numbers.

"That should be right."

He said and stepped back. Conrad nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, seems fine. I'd fix up that messy bit in the right-hand corner though."

"For the final thing, I agree but this is enough proof to start a prototype. Fixing everything else will be much easier on the physical item than here in the theory stage."

Kye turned around to see his parents and a person whom he presumed to be the father of the boy standing next to him. He quickly gathered himself and walked towards them.

"Apologies for the delay, inspiration like that is too good to waste. My name is Kye Runewalker, a please to make your acquaintance."

Kye gave a short bow and then stuck his hand out for a handshake. Malius took his hand and gave it a firm shake.

"Archduke Malius Friedhand. The boy who came with us is my second son, Conrad Friedhand."

"Ah. I was wondering when you'd show up. Good to see the genius behind the steam engine is every bit as intelligent as I thought."

"I could say the same young Runewalker, I am happy to see that my son has met his intellectual equal. Conrad, come and exchange pleasantries."

Conrad walked over and stuck his hand out. Kye shook it and Conrad clasped his other hand over their hands.

"I am very happy to make your acquaintance Kye. It has been most enjoyable completing your theory."

"Yeah, it's always nice to meet someone who just gets what you're trying to do and doesn't ask unnecessary questions."

Kye turned to Malius.

"So, you're here for Spellweave, right? The probability that you had no idea what the steam engine would do for your industry is high, thus you're here to give us some of it back in exchange, right?"

Malius' eyes widened.

"How did you know that?"

Kye shrugged.

"It's the logical deduction. Taking money away from your neighbour who uses that money to keep your border safe is a dumb move. So, how much are you giving back?"

"50%"

"Wow, that is much more generous than I thought. Well, for that amount, I'm happy to agree to sell them to you at a 12% margin. That keeps it nice and balanced for both of us."

Layla looked at Kye proudly and nodded. His deduction and reasoning were perfect, Malius would have a hard time turning down this offer. As she expected, Malius nodded his head.

"Yes, those margins sound alright to us. When could we get our first shipment?"

"Well, that depends on how quickly you're prepared to pay. Also, I take it that adaption to Spellweave crystals hasn't started for most of the steam engines, correct? Conrad can take these."

Kye went into a drawer under his worktable and pulled out a blue sheet of blueprint paper and handed it over.

"This should be of enough help in adapting whatever siphon system you have attached to the steam engines. Water and fire Spellweave crystals aren't hard to make so the output should be steady. If you want to take time to adapt your engines, we can wait for a few weeks before we begin shipments."

Malius gave a slight smile and nodded.

"That works well for us, thank you very much for your assistance. Now, onto the other matter."

Malius looked to Frey and Alicia who were smiling at Kye.

"Yes, I suppose we should bring it up." Alicia started. "Kye, what would you say to a marriage between you and Conrad's older sister?"

"Did she ask for it?"

"No, it's for dimploma-"

"Then no. If you want us to meet, that's fine but I'm not marrying someone for the sake of an alliance. It's just rude."

Malius wasn't offended, Kye had already proven himself to him and he was prepared to accept whatever reasoning he offered, yet found it strange that Kye would call it rude.

"Rude? I don't mean to question your views but how do you consider such an arrangement rude?"

"Well, dad has told me that women can be odd at times to the male brain. That they'll say one thing and mean another, so while she might say she agrees to this, it's almost certain she doesn't want it. As a gentleman, not taking into account a lady's feelings is rude."

Malius nodded and had to agree. He had several wives himself but not all of them were for love. He had to admit that political marriages could work but if both people weren't already compatible, it would end in unhappiness.

"Well, she can meet you and decide for herself then. We can work out the details later, for now, thank you for agreeing to our terms. The Friedhand house will not forget this."

Kye nodded and bowed, turned around and went deeper into his workshop. He returned later with a small box with a runic seal engraved in the lock.

"If you would like to repay a favour now, take this and share one with your close house members that happen to be arcanists or mechanists."

Malius took the box and looked at it sceptically.

"What is it?"

Kye smiled widely.

"A sample of what's to come."