Chapter 32: Fragile Fabian
Fabian’s attack had derailed Adrian’s schedule, and the memory of his brother’s sneering face still made him angry.
But Adrian was confident everything would be resolved, especially when Fabian’s condition was discovered.
The workshop’s iron door creaked as he pushed it open, the familiar heat of the forges and scent of sawdust welcoming him.
The ten craftsmen were already at work and Adrian immediately noticed the addition of ten more clocks, which really left him impressed.
"Master Adrian, you’re back. Thought you might’ve taken a longer rest."
"I’m back now. Sorry for the delay."
Before they could say any other thing, Adrian unrolled a new schematic, spreading it on a workbench.
"You’ve mastered the clocks," he said, his voice carrying over the forge’s crackle. "Now we’re building something bigger. A water pump. It’ll pull water from streams or wells, enough to irrigate a field in hours, and fill buckets effortlessly. Gather round."
The craftsmen crowded in, their aprons dusted with soot and shavings. The schematic showed a weighted crank driving a piston, forcing water through a pipe.
Adrian explained each part: the piston’s seal, the crank’s leverage, the pipe’s flow rate.
"It’s simple but precise," he explained.