Sudden Inspiration

How could he obtain a stronger current?

Perhaps he could try making batteries from plants other than fruit. For example, the famous Potato Clock was made from potatoes.

But... this Middle Ages did not seem to have potatoes yet.

After all, in the development of modern Earth, it was not until the Age of Discovery after the Middle Ages that potatoes were brought from South America to Europe.

Richard could not be sure whether this world resembling the Middle Ages was the one from Earth's history, or whether places like South America and Europe existed. But the fact that there were no potatoes was real, so there was no point even considering a Potato Clock.

Then again, even if he really made a Potato Clock, there was a high chance it would be useless. After all, plants could not be too acidic if they were to sustain normal growth. Most likely, even if he tried every plant in this world, the batteries he made would only produce currents within roughly the same range.

If that was the case...

Richard narrowed his eyes, and they flickered rapidly.

If that was the case, then he could only make real batteries, such as the Voltaic Pile, Baghdad Battery, Alkaline Battery, and so on...

Though he had wanted to take a shortcut, it now seemed that shortcuts could not solve the problem.

Thinking this, Richard turned and gave the two maids further instructions, then began working.

Over the next half day or so, he used the materials on hand to make every battery he could, lining them up across the table. Richard tested them, only to find that none met his requirements.

Either the current was too weak or the voltage was too low. Though this could be addressed through parallel and series connections, the power supply could not be kept stable, fluctuating between strong and weak. Though Richard did not know exactly what effect this would have on Open Source of Magic, he felt it was unlikely to be anything good.

"So it really won't work." Richard muttered, exhaling a breath of stale air. Shaking his head, he pushed open the door to the Independent Laboratory and walked out, with the maids An Qi and Lu Na hurrying after him.

When the other maids in the hall saw An Qi and Lu Na still with Richard, they could not help casting jealous looks their way. But they soon noticed the displeased expression on Prince Richard's face and the slight panic in An Qi and Lu Na's faces, and their gazes immediately turned smug.

There was competition among the maids, and it was fierce. To the other maids, An Qi and Lu Na had clearly failed to complete the task Richard had assigned them and angered him. That was good news for them.

With a tap-tap-tap, Richard crossed the hall and reached the palace entrance, only to discover that it was already close to afternoon—half the day had passed without him noticing.

He had experimented three times, yet the problem with the current remained unsolved. How should he solve it? Richard sank into thought.

Guard Captain Edward appeared. Upon seeing Richard, he had intended to remind him not to forget lunch. But seeing Richard standing there with furrowed brows, deep in thought, he wisely stopped and did not approach to disturb him.

The whole world suddenly became quiet. The guards and maids in the palace went about their work on tiptoe, trying not to make the slightest sound, afraid of disrupting Richard's thoughts and angering Prince Richard.

Amid this strange silence, Richard thought for a long time, searching for a way to solve the problem.

After a while, Richard suddenly raised his head and looked toward the square before him.

"Flutter, flutter..."

Two Grey Finches skimmed almost directly over the ground of the square.

Turning to look above the palace gates, he saw a spider rapidly weaving a Spider Web in one corner. It was weaving a vertical web.

Richard narrowed his eyes and stretched out a hand, sensing that the humidity in the air was rising. He glanced at the sky. The sun was still out, but the clouds were growing thicker, and the southern sky was gradually darkening.

"Is it going to rain?" Richard's eyes narrowed into slits.

In theory, this was perfectly normal. After several consecutive days of sweltering heat, large amounts of water vapor had evaporated into the air, making rain highly likely. From the looks of it, it would not be a light rain either.

And once it rained, there would be lightning.

As a natural electric current, lightning was theoretically strong enough to alter the bioelectric currents within the human body. But how to draw it down and control it was a problem. After all, Richard did not want to be struck by lightning. That would not be scientific research at all—it would be suicide.

In that case...

A moment later, Richard turned around, having made up his mind. Looking at Guard Captain Edward, he said, "Bring me the palace craftsman. I have something to instruct him to do."

"Uh, yes..."