Father Mikhail knew exactly how much effort his foster son and apprentice had poured into that miraculous machine over the past few months. He had witnessed every step of the steam engine's birth with his own eyes.
On the day Perturabo began, he had not consulted a single book. In fact, from everything Mikhail knew, it was impossible for Perturabo to have found any instructions for building a wood-burning machine within the ancient volumes of the monastery's collection.
When Mikhail asked about it, Perturabo gave the same explanation as before—that the knowledge was simply innate. He claimed to possess an inherent understanding of how to manufacture various machines and technological products.
As for where this knowledge originated, Perturabo remained indifferent. He insisted that from the moment he first opened his eyes, this vast ocean of information existed in his mind, waiting to be utilized.
Even more startling—and somewhat frightening—to Mikhail was what Perturabo had revealed: his knowledge wasn't limited to "simple machinery" like steam engines. He claimed that, given enough time, he had the power to transform Kislev from a medieval world of iron plows and oxen into a modernized realm filled with factories belching black smoke. With enough time, he could establish a complete industrial chain.
Mikhail was bewildered by the technical jargon Perturabo used. He didn't know how this child could possibly know such terms. During their conversations, Perturabo often had to pause and explain the meaning of these specialized words to his foster father. Mikhail had never heard these terms from anyone else, which only added to his fear and confusion.
Regardless, Mikhail believed in one thing: Perturabo was his apprentice and the son he never had. As a priest and monk, Mikhail had never married or started a family. Therefore, he viewed this child who had arrived on a snowy day as his own, accepting everything about him wholeheartedly.
Mikhail naturally linked Perturabo's incredible intellect and vast knowledge to the God he so devoutly served. He saw the boy as an angel sent from the heavens, which only increased the value he placed on Perturabo's presence.
Regarding the construction of the steam engine, Mikhail did not dismiss Perturabo's grand claims as mere boasting. Instead, he treated them with great importance.
After Perturabo finished the blueprints, the two of them began to collect the materials needed between their daily duties. Since no craftsman in Kislev could manufacture the specific components required by the design, the master and apprentice had to start from the very beginning.
It all started with basic iron. A significant amount was needed for the parts. Fortunately, Mikhail's decades of dedicated service had earned him great prestige in the surrounding villages. When he asked the blacksmiths and villagers for iron scraps, the simple folk didn't suspect a thing, assuming he merely needed them to forge tools.
Thus, Mikhail easily gathered the iron blocks. Meanwhile, Perturabo felled a number of trees in the forest near the monastery; the wood would serve as fuel for the blast furnace.
As both craftsman and designer, Perturabo used the monastery's blast furnace to melt the iron ore and pour the molten metal into molds, reshaping it into exactly what he needed. Fortunately, as a former royal monastery, Mikhail's home possessed more than just ornate murals and ancient books. In the past, to remain self-sufficient, the monastery had been equipped with various artisanal facilities, including a fully functional blast furnace and blacksmithing tools.
Once the raw materials were gathered, Perturabo set to work with the skill of a master craftsman. He began naturally, despite having never seen a blacksmith at work. This only deepened Mikhail's conviction that Perturabo was a heavenly messenger destined for greatness.
Under the high heat of the burning charcoal, the iron blocks in the furnace gradually liquified. At that moment, Perturabo decisively poured the molten iron into clay molds he had prepared earlier. Once cooled, the metal would take the shapes he required.
Several hours later, after confirming the metal had completely cooled, Perturabo broke the molds and retrieved the parts. The construction of the steam engine was now entering its final stages.
Under Mikhail's astonished gaze, Perturabo assembled the first-ever components he had created as if he were a seasoned veteran. A machine slowly took shape before them—the very device Perturabo had confidently promised would be stronger than the village's mightiest ox.
Being cautious by nature, Perturabo refused to demonstrate the machine to the villagers without testing it first. He chose a patch of wasteland within the monastery grounds for the trial.
This land had once been farmed by the monks, but it had fallen fallow as the monastery declined and the inhabitants left. Mikhail alone could only manage a small portion of the land and lacked the strength to cultivate the rest. Now, Perturabo intended to use his steam engine to reclaim this soil as a test of the machine's capabilities.
The machine did not disappoint. Mikhail watched with excitement as the engine pulled the plow. Land that used to take an hour or two to plow by ox was finished in less than thirty minutes.
Mikhail set aside all his lingering doubts. He began to earnestly recommend his foster son's invention to the villagers, guaranteeing them that this steam tractor was stronger than any beast in the village.
In the end, Perturabo did not let his mentor down. He truly shocked the villagers, teaching them that there was indeed something in this world more powerful than an ox.