Afternoon — Upper District
After receiving the letter, Hamsa wasted no time.
He left the palace almost immediately and rode toward the Upper District with his guards. Their destination was the same workshop he had visited less than two weeks ago.
Chotu followed close beside him.
Since ambushing Hamsa in the palace corridor earlier that day, the tiger had decided that remaining near him at all times was now a permanent arrangement.
Hamsa did not complain.
As they moved through the district streets, Hamsa felt a familiar presence stir in his mind.
You're back, he thought.
Adi's presence settled comfortably.
Well, you were coming here, so I decided to come back.
Hamsa kept his eyes forward as they moved.
Did you find something?
Adi frowned slightly inside his thoughts.
Well… you were right. There was a steam thing. From what I saw it was some kind of alarm device. And I think there were toys too. Small contraptions.
He paused.
They were steam powered. But nothing complex. Nothing impressive.
Hamsa almost smiled.
That's more than enough. And honestly, it's impressive for the technology they have here.
Adi sounded skeptical.
Why are you so interested in this now? It's not like the technology is that impressive.
Hamsa slowed his horse slightly as they approached the craftsmen's quarter.
Do you know the temple reforms I just pushed through the council?
Yes.
They are related to this.
Adi waited.
If things go the way I hope, we might get a genius out of that system. Combine that with the already brilliant minds working in these universities… and the improvements I'm pushing into the system—
Hamsa glanced toward the district workshops.
—the Industrial Revolution isn't that far away.
Adi blinked inside his mind.
Well… not close, Hamsa corrected himself.
A few decades, probably. But on the time scale I'm planning things on, that's still relatively near.
Adi spoke again.
How exactly are the things you're doing related to the Industrial Revolution?
Hamsa chuckled quietly.
Wow. I'm surprised you even know what the Industrial Revolution is.
Adi grumbled something unintelligible.
Well, since you know the term, I'll explain.
There are prerequisites for a society to jump ages and move into a new one.
One of those prerequisites is a robust educational system. There are more like a surplus of food and a good abundantly available source of energy as well. But a robust educational system has more benefits, so that's the first thing I am working on.
He continued calmly.
The educational system here is already strong. There's no doubt about that.
The vast majority of people can read. They understand numbers. They can do basic mathematics. Not to mention the civil and social morals that are taught to them.
He paused slightly.
Honestly, that last part might be the best thing.
Adi tilted his head mentally.
How so?
Because you can teach a generation mathematics, science, and social theory easily enough.
You can even warp history if you want.
But morals and social values?
Those are harder.
They are enforced by society itself.
The temples teach them, yes—but society is what truly enforces them.
Hamsa's tone became more serious.
If that part breaks… rebuilding it takes generations.
It happened back in my old world too.
It took more than fifty years of intense state surveillance and enforcement just to restore something resembling basic social discipline.
Adi interrupted.
I think you went off topic.
Hamsa sighed.
Yeah, probably.
Anyway—Back to the point.
A strong educational system already exists here. What I need to do is make education more accessible and better connected.
If I find what I'm looking for here today…
He glanced toward the workshop street ahead.
…then it means I'll need to work faster than I already am.
Adi thought for a moment.
Then why haven't you made a printing press yet?
Hamsa exhaled slowly.
It's not that I didn't try. The problem is materials.
He continued.
Palm leaves and birch bark are the most common writing materials here.
They work for manuscripts…
But they're terrible for something like a printing press.
He looked ahead at the row of workshops they were approaching.
So right now I'm waiting.
Waiting until I can get my hands on proper paper.
As those thoughts settled, they reached the same workshop Hamsa had visited two weeks earlier.
The familiar sounds of hammering metal and crackling furnaces filled the air. Workers slowed their movements as the group of mounted Royal Guards approached, their attention drawn not only to the soldiers but also to the tiger walking calmly beside the Yuvraj.
A moment later the head of the household stepped outside.
Jinadatta froze.
"Yuvraj… I did not expect you to come here," he said, clearly surprised and more than a little overwhelmed.
"Well, I did receive your letter," Hamsa replied calmly. "You invited me to lunch. Though I would like to say that is the only reason I came, I am actually here for something else as well."
As he spoke, he noticed the expression on Jinadatta's face shifting from surprise to something closer to alarm.
Hamsa frowned slightly before glancing behind him.
Nearly fifty Royal Guards on horseback had followed him.
And beside him stood Chotu.
An actual tiger.
Realization hit immediately.
He turned back to Jinadatta, suddenly looking a bit awkward.
"I apologize," Hamsa said. "I was in a hurry, and it seems my assistant assumed this might be something important."
There was an uncomfortable pause before Jinadatta forced a small smile.
"It is… quite alright, Yuvraj."
After a few moments the tension eased and they moved inside the workshop.
Jinadatta still seemed slightly confused.
"Yuvraj, if I may ask… I assumed you might not come."
"As I said, I did come because of your letter," Hamsa replied while slowly looking around the workshop. "But the reason is somewhat different."
He paused near one of the work areas, still scanning the surroundings.
"The last time I was here, I saw something that caught my interest."
Jinadatta frowned slightly.
"Yuvraj… if I may ask, what exactly are you looking for?"
Kid, go to the right and look up, Adi said inside his mind.
Hamsa turned and worked.
Then he looked up toward the upper beams of the workshop.
There it was.
Something he had only ever seen in museums or the internet.
A steam whistle.
"What is that?" Hamsa asked, pointing toward it. "And who made it?"
Jinadatta followed his gaze and looked up at the device.
"Oh… that?"
He took a moment before answering.
"Yuvraj, that is something my daughter Padmavathi invented. We use it to keep track of time. It signals the work shifts."
"Your daughter?" Hamsa said, now clearly interested. "How exactly does it work?"
"Well," Jinadatta said as he walked toward a large metal drum, "it releases a large amount of steam all at once through that pipe."
He tapped the side of the drum.
"The steam itself is generated here. The heat from the crucibles is redirected to boil the water in this drum. Once enough pressure builds inside, the steam is released through the pipes and into the whistle."
Hamsa studied the setup carefully.
"This water drum," he asked, "is it used only for this?"
"No, Yuvraj," Jinadatta replied. "Originally the water was used by the blacksmiths here. When I purchased the workshop, however, I shifted the focus entirely to steel production."
He gestured toward the furnaces.
"So now this drum serves only that purpose."
"You produce steel here?" Hamsa asked.
"Yes, Yuvraj. We sell most of it to traders heading west. Occasionally we sell some locally as well. I manage the workshop, but it is my wife who manages the trade."
"Is that so," Hamsa said thoughtfully.
Then he turned back toward Jinadatta.
"Well then, Jinadatta… what is the name of your daughter again? I would like to meet her in person."
Jinadatta blinked.
It took him a moment to process what the Yuvraj had just said.
"If you wish to meet her, I shall take you there, Yuvraj," he said finally. "Though my home is far from here, we can reach there by horse back quickly."
He glanced nervously toward the guards outside.
"And… perhaps…"
"You do not need to worry about them," Hamsa said. "And as for Chotu, he is quite friendly and listens to me."
Jinadatta looked at the tiger which was seated near Hamsa's feet looking around and nodded slowly.
"If you say so, Yuvraj. Please… follow me."
"Very well," Hamsa said.
Then he turned slightly.
"Naga, get a horse for him."
A moment later they were riding through the district.
They passed rows of workshops first, then the busy markets, and finally entered the quieter residential section of the Upper District.
After a short ride they stopped before a large house.
"It seems the Goddess Lakshmi favors you, Jinadatta," Hamsa said as he dismounted.
Jinadatta bowed slightly.
"It is all her blessing, Yuvraj."
The house was one that a rich merchant.
The ground level was built from solid stone blocks, the first floor also stone but decorated with carved pillars, while the uppermost level was mostly wood with ornate balconies overlooking the front.
Just beyond the entrance stood a small garden, and inside the house was a central courtyard surrounded by open walkways and balconies. Wooden carvings decorated the beams and railings throughout.
An elderly woman stepped out of the house.
Likely a household Dasi.
Jinadatta spoke to her quietly, giving instructions. She nodded and hurried back inside.
Jinadatta returned a moment later.
"Just a moment, Yuvraj," he said nervously. "The house is not in a presentable state at the moment."
"There is no need to worry," Hamsa replied calmly. "I am not here to cause trouble for your family."
Kid, you do realize that in your excitement your mana is leaking everywhere, Adi said. The poor man looks like he's about to faint.
Hamsa blinked.
Oh.
You might want to control that.
Hamsa immediately drew his mana back under control.
"Jinadatta," he said, "I ask your forgiveness. It seems that in my excitement I allowed my mana to run wild."
Jinadatta shook his head quickly.
"No worries, Yuvraj."
Moments later—
The door opened.
____________________________________
Inside the House
Hamsa sat inside the guest room, positioned at the head of the room as the honored guest.
The space was modest but well-kept. Carved wooden pillars supported the ceiling beams, and light filtered in through the open courtyard beyond the inner doors. A low table had been set before him.
No guards were present inside the room.
Chotu, however, remained with him.
The tiger lay comfortably near Hamsa's feet, tail lazily swaying back and forth across the floor. Every now and then he lifted his head slightly when someone moved, before settling again.
Hamsa absentmindedly rubbed behind Chotu's ears while waiting.
A few moments later Jinadatta returned.
This time he was accompanied by his daughter.
They had already exchanged the formal greetings earlier in the courtyard, so when they entered the room they came carrying several items instead.
Palm leaves.
Birch bark sheets.
And among them—
Hamsa's eyes immediately locked onto something else.
Papyrus.
And what appeared to be eastern paper.
He leaned forward before he could stop himself.
"You have papyrus… and eastern paper," Hamsa said, his voice carrying genuine excitement. "How did you acquire these?"
Jinadatta blinked slightly at the sudden enthusiasm.
"Well, Yuvraj," he replied, "these came from travelers and traders who passed through in the past. Some were exchanged during trade negotiations."
Kid, you're getting sidetracked again, Adi said inside Hamsa's mind.
Hamsa paused.
Right.
He leaned back slightly and cleared his throat, forcing himself to regain composure.
"Well… forgive that display."
He turned his attention to the young woman standing beside her father.
"Now tell me, Padmavathi," he said, "did you design the device in your father's workshop yourself? And have you created anything else? Did you work alone, or were there others involved?"
Padmavathi hesitated slightly.
She was a little over twenty years old, yet the situation was… unusual.
The boy sitting before her was known to be eleven years, though physically he was twenty years old at this point, but he carried himself with an authority far beyond that.
He was also larger than her as well, intimidatingly so.
And there was a tiger staring at her from the floor.
Chotu's golden eyes had fixed on her with quiet curiosity, his tail continuing its slow movement.
Understandably—
She was a little nervous.
Hamsa noticed.
He sighed softly and shifted his tone.
"Look, Padmavathi," he said more calmly. "I am here because I see real promise in what you have built."
He gestured vaguely toward the direction of the workshop.
"You may not realize it, but what you created could become the beginning of something much larger."
He paused.
"You might be able to help me bring about an entirely new era."
He attempted to sound reassuring.
Unfortunately, his attempt at charm fell rather flat.