Short of Money, Short of Talent

"I was so foolish, truly." Frederick muttered, "I knew that making these required measuring dimensions, but I didn't know the current rulers weren't accurate enough..."

He had seen the craftsmen's tools when he visited the carpentry shop before, including calipers, so he had subconsciously assumed they were vernier calipers.

Yet the difference between calipers and vernier calipers was like the difference between a bicycle and an electric bike. Adding a vernier scale to calipers was like adding a battery, motor, and control system to a bicycle.

The precision of industrial processing was determined by the precision of measuring tools. Bearings now, Steam Engines in the future—both required accuracy finer than a millimeter.

Aumert had highly skilled master craftsmen under him. They had originally made jewelry, then moved on to engraving tiny Magic Arrays. Making a pair of calipers was not difficult, but they had run into trouble with the vernier scale.

Measuring out 49 mm was no problem for him, but dividing a length of 49 mm into fifty equal parts was beyond his pay grade.

After Frederick explained the Parallel Line Segment Division Theorem, he said to Aumert, "I've noticed that none of you are scholars of mathematics, physics, or alchemy."

As the saying went, master math, physics, and chemistry, and even transmigration held no fear.

Frederick knew exactly how capable he was.

Mathematics was a tool to him. Knowing how to use a few advanced tools was one thing; knowing how to develop them was another.

He had never fully figured out what number theory even was. He could dabble in calculus, but after two tries, he was done for and gave it all back to the teacher.

Physics was relatively better. He could turn Newton's Three Laws into Wessen's Three Laws. He could push existing knowledge further in areas such as motion and the refraction of light, and he could serve as the founding father of structural mechanics. Electricity, however, was useless for the time being.

As for chemistry, forget it. Why were there so few amateur crackpots working in chemistry? Because messing with that could really get people killed.

Besides, the alchemy of the present day involved magic. Who knew what would happen after adding another variable?

Frederick understood that building industry required support from mathematics, physics, and chemistry. More than that, he understood that he could not shoulder such a heavy burden alone. It would require the combined efforts of many people.

But where was he supposed to find such talent, and how?

Aumert knew a little about these fields as well. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Most scholars studying algebra and geometry are in the Kingdom of Sardinia. There are also quite a few in the Kingdom of Gaul, and they're currently arguing endlessly over whether algebra and geometry can be unified."

"Scholars of physics and alchemy are concentrated along the Mediterranean Sea coast. Their experiments cost a great deal of money, and that is where they can find patronage."

The moment Frederick heard the word "patronage," he immediately cowered.

In the end, no matter which world one was in, scientific research required pouring in money—and money was exactly what he lacked.

Frederick thought for a while, then said to Aumert, "Can I leave the vernier calipers and bearings to you?"

"Next, I need to figure out how to make money."

Aumert looked at this headmaster, who was younger than his own son, sighed inwardly, and said, "Leave things here to me. Don't wear yourself out. When you have time, go out and have some fun."

"There's no need to rush over the money. That Alfred at the blacksmith shop is quite capable. Let him take charge of expanding the furnace and the business of buying pig iron to make steel. I'll keep watch over it too."

"There's a young fellow named Bryant at the blacksmith shop who is excellent at forging. He can take charge of that part of the work."

"Then I'll be troubling you," Frederick said.

When he left the carpentry shop, Aumert watched his childish back and could not help letting out a deep sigh.

Among all the scholars, Aumert had spent the longest time with Frederick and understood the child best.

At an age when he should have been happily playing, this child had taken on the burden of continuing a family line. Faced with the King's schemes, he had not been afraid, but had instead planned to confront them head-on. Few even among adults could accomplish such a thing.

Frederick walked along the road by the river. On one side flowed clear water, with several cargo boats carrying flour downstream. On the other were fields being plowed for the second time, where a group of children about his age were tossing transparent Crystal Slimes into the soil so they could eat the insects and eggs turned up from underground.

In the past, he would have found a spot to fish, or helped toss the slimes around.

But now, his mind was filled with only one question: how to make money.

The ways transmigrators made money were nothing more than the usual few—glass, soap, papermaking, cement, and the like.

But north of Wessen Territory was the local center of glassmaking. They had already developed a method of blowing a bubble and flattening it to produce flat glass, and Frederick's mother owned a dressing mirror.

Soap was even less worth considering. Ah Fu had complained behind his back that Frederick was wasteful because he bathed every day with fine soap made from olive oil. Even somewhat well-off commoners used rough soap made from animal fat.

That left only papermaking and cement. The problem was that he had only seen them in primitive production methods. He knew the process in theory, but actual operation would require slow experimentation.

Furthermore, these matters needed people to carry them out and manage the work. Otherwise, they would remain plans on paper.

Frederick saw a Crystal Slime hop to his feet, so he picked it up and played with it.

This type of slime normally had a rather soft body, but when it wanted to flee, it became incredibly springy. It felt quite nice to hold.

As he played, he thought that he needed to uncover some talent within the territory. Otherwise, he simply could not keep up with everything himself.

"Master!" an angry voice suddenly rang out. "Why are you catching slimes to play with again?"

Frederick instinctively shrank his neck, tossed the slime in his hand away, then kicked it back into the field with one big boot.

With his current strength, all he could do was leave the slime a little dazed.

A maid of seventeen or eighteen went to the riverbank nearby and dampened a cotton handkerchief with river water. While grumbling that Master had no sense of hygiene, she wiped his hands clean.

This maid was named Tarot, the daughter of Wessen Territory's tax officer. She had begun helping the Healer care for one- and two-year-old Frederick when she was eleven or twelve.

After Tarot wiped Master's hands, she flipped the handkerchief over and used the other side to wipe his face.

Frederick gave up resisting. This was still considered good. Back when she helped him bathe, she could use the same cotton towel to wipe his feet first, then his face.

Although this big sister was sometimes a little slow on the uptake, she worked diligently, and everyone agreed she would have no problem earning the title of model worker.

Once Tarot had finished patting the dust off him with the handkerchief, Frederick asked, "Why did you come over here? Is something wrong?"

Only then did Tarot answer, "Someone came with a letter today. Lord Richardnal will arrive to visit us in three days."

Frederick's eyes immediately lit up. "Go back at once and tell Karpo to have the kitchen prepare pickled cabbage and pork knuckles!"