Chapter 28: Time to Modernize
The royal study was quiet that morning, save for the faint ticking of the longcase clock nestled beside the bookcase. Prince Lancelot stood by the window, arms behind his back, watching the smoke trails of chimneys spiral into the clear sky. Below, the capital stirred—merchants rolled carts through muddy streets, scribes posted new decrees, and guards stood watch over the plazas. But Lancelot’s eyes were fixed far beyond the city’s borders.
He had won the political gamble. The coalition was shattered, the Church silenced, and order restored. But now came the true battle—reshaping the realm into a modern nation. That meant steel, power, machines, and above all, minds sharp enough to build them.
He turned to Alicia, who stood waiting by the desk, notes and ink ready.
"I need names," he said.
"Names, Your Highness?" she asked.
"Not of nobles. Not of bishops. Of scholars," he clarified. "I want a list of every person in Aragon who has studied the sciences—metallurgy, chemistry, physics, electricity. Anyone with experience, even if incomplete. Alchemists. Tinkerers. Mathematicians. If they’ve written theories or built devices, I want to know."
Alicia blinked, startled at first—but then nodded.
"I’ll have the lists within a day."
By evening the next day, Alicia returned—visibly flustered, but with a strange glint in her eyes. She placed a thick leather-bound dossier on Lancelot’s desk.
"I’ve gone through every university registry, private patronage letter, and estate archive," she began. "Most fit only one or two of your fields. A metallurgist here, a herbal chemist there. Some know the ancient texts, others dabble in water mechanics, but..." She hesitated.
He raised a brow. "But?"