After a couple days of living his new life, Ibraim decided to finally eat dinner with his entire family for once. His Mother, Little Brother, Father, and Older Sister. As he ventured into his family's dining hall, his family gazed in shock to see his body have some actual muscle for once. He worked on his body all day every day for the past week, causing him to start to look quite well defined. When he took his seat, his father asked him a rather simple question.
"Ibraim, just what have you been doing for these past few days? We have seldom seen you here or even in the castle."
As Ibraim heard this, he simply smiled as he gazed at his father with a neutral but familial expression.
"Well father I have been extensively working on my body as I said I would previously, but I also have finally decided to take an interest in our realm's affairs. Though I can't do anything without your permission, I decided to inform myself of the current situation of our lands."
This answer greatly shocked his family, though only one hid an obvious disdain in their expression. His Mother.
"How to hell did he survive that poison I gave him?! I spent a small fortune on that with full expectations of killing him! He is not worthy of his father's position, once I kill his father he will surely become the Viscount. I cannot let that happen! I need him and his father dead and his little brother to name me regent so that I may take over this pathetic piece of land!"
As his mother thought this, Ibraim, despite being a small dullard in both lives, that does not mean he was as cunning. He immediately saw through his mother's smile and gazed at her with inquisitive eyes. When his mom saw this she immediately realized he saw through her disguise and was becoming suspicious of her actions. Before she could draw attention away from herself, Ibraim finished his food and got up.
"Father, may I be dismissed? I had arranged a meeting with the city's top engineers to discuss a potential process that can aid us in our metallurgy advancements."
His father nodded but not before answering Ibraim's question with his own.
"Just when was this meeting arranged? Why was I not notified or involved with this?"
Ibraim smiled slightly, having prepared a half-truth answer in case his father had questions.
"I apologize, it appears the servant I had sent back from inside the city had not informed you on what I was planning to do."
Despite it being a lie, he did also tell the truth partly. He did send a servant back, but that was really because they were showing signs of illness and Ibraim did not want to be bedridden once more after finally awakening. Before his father could respond, Ibraim left his family in silence, exiting the castle with a small detachment of bodyguards to protect him. Entering into the main trading city, he viewed several stands that were trading items for gold; some European, others African. As he walked through the main street, many of the peasants moved out of the way of him, keeping their heads low. At that moment he decided he needed to win the goodwill of the people if he wanted to keep them loyal, but that's a future problem right now. As he enters the agreed meeting hall he sees that the engineers are already there, so they could get started immediately as he took his seat.
"I apologize for keeping you waiting, though today is a day of critical importance. As you all know I called you here to talk about implementing new technologies to boost our industrial and agricultural capacity. Now I have a few ideas and blueprints myself but I will allow yourselves to talk about any ideas you may have come up with."
As he finished talking, one particular engineer of the older generations had brought up the idea of smelting the iron at a high enough temperature to melt all the impurities, allowing the creation of both steel and iron. Another one added on to that idea, bringing up how they could be cast into standardized molds that could theoretically allow for mass production of any particular piece. As the engineers conversed, Ibraim was thoroughly impressed with them, understanding that they had almost directly talked about his blueprints to create a foundry for steel and iron production.
"Men, I believe you have just cracked the surface of our future metallurgical productions! Now, I understand that putting these ideas into practice is easier said than done but I have made a few blueprints to help."
As Ibraim laid out his plans for a mostly modern Ironworks and Foundry, he did leave out the steel making process. As he believed the mines did not have enough output to contribute enough for steel and iron production. Especially considering you need roughly 1.6 tons iron ore for 1 ton of steel. Despite this, he believed once he introduced this modern technique, he would be able to sell several tons of iron for a good price and allow him to move castings into items such as the iron or eventually steel plow and seeders for farmers. Of course, they would be animal powered for now before he could design a working steam engine, though thats not a far off dream once he gets his father's approval to invest in the mines and foundries.
"My lord, where did you come across these blueprints?!"
Most of the engineers cried out in shock after thoroughly deciphering the blueprints.
"I had bought these blueprints from a trader in Europe, who had said they had come from the far east."
Now, that answer had satisfied a majority of the engineers in the room, all except the older one that had first spoken up. He would ask the young heir just where he got the designs but decided to wait until everyone mostly left the area when the meeting ended. For now, he would speak up on a more important matter.
"My lord, just how are we supposed to supply these foundries with adequate iron ore to keep them running around the clock? We do not have neither the speed or the resources to increase our mining output and transportation capabilities."
The young heir had thought about this problem long and hard the day before, burning the midnight oil creating a design that could drastically change how mining was conducted.
"Do not worry, Mr…?"
"Oumar. Ourmar Moussa my lord."
"Oumar! Do not worry, I have come with blueprints that will increase our mining output ten-fold! By using gunpowder, we shall pack them into small tubes that will allow for controlled explosions throughout the rock face. Along with a steam "donkey", A mobile boiler that will travel through the mines along wooden tracks. The miners will have drills that use the steam to mine through the rock, of course, there will be a flexible copper tube connected to the boiler and the drill that will allow the steam to actually move to the drill. Speaking of mining, what is our current output of Iron and Coal?"
As the other engineers examined the blueprints pushed forward, Ourmar quickly responded to the Lord's question.
"Our current mining output for Iron is currently 5.3 tons of ore a day, with Coal being around 3 tons a day. We need atleast… a 32% increase in mining efficiency to keep our ironworks producing roughly 3 tons a day. And a 233% increase in coal mining to keep up. And that's not even talking about the time needed to transport the ore and coal here."
Ibraim was not surprised in the slightest here. He knew that his father barely invested in the mines. But with the planned additions of the two steam locomotives he designed, along with a minecart system and all the other systems that will aid in the development of the mines and his industries. Right as the other engineers finished the blueprints for the new mining gear, only about half of them had near heart attacks. As it was only about half of them that understood the designs. Right after that small event, Ibraim pulled out the final few schematics for the minecraft, steam locomotives, and train cars. While the minecarts will be a narrow gauge track, along with the steam donkey, he had decided to make his main railway system run on, what he knows as "Broad Gauge", to allow for stronger engines and larger trains if needed. Currently, the engine decided for the mines was a gear-driven locomotive, known as the Climax. Of course, due to the nature of the situation, Ibraim felt it would be better if he gave it a better name. Thus, the chosen name was instead, "Eight-Coupled G", or "Eight-Coupled Geared". And for the main railroad, he had chosen a rather simple design. A simple but powerful 0-6-0 Six-Coupled locomotive with a tender.
Once more, the engineers in the room had a stroke as they saw the blueprints for the seemingly impossible machines. Of course, none of them knew these were just the beginning. Oumar eyed the young lord even more suspiciously as he spun the story of how he encountered these blueprints for a small fortune. Of course, he knew better and just had to get confirmation from him.
"I believe this concludes our meeting. You may stay longer if you want to study the designs, but please know that I will be keeping them."
As the Ibraim concluded this meeting, most of the baffled engineers had many things to think about. As most got up and left to their respective homes, only one remained. Oumar. He believed he could ask his question now.
"So… you didn't actually buy these, did you."
When Ibraim heard this, he knew he had been found out, so all he did to reply to his accuser was to give a guilty smile.
"Do not worry, I won't tell a soul that the young lord had come up with these revolutionary designs. All I'm glad about is that I can finally use my skills for something new."
When Ibraim heard this, he took an internal sigh of relief as he realized the old man wont rat him out.
"Well… To a bright partnership between us!"
All the engineer could do was nod and shake Ibraim's hand before departing himself and leaving the young lord to take care of the paperwork and getting permission from his father
(Story is available here and on Wattpad! Go check it out if you want.)