Rewari Kingdom, Inner pace of bawal, Morning of 13th March 1557

  The next morning, Aditya arrived at his royal chamber early, clutching the designs drawn on parchment wrapped in cloth. He was eager to review everything before his scheduled departure to cannon factory, with peace of mind.

  However, upon entering the room, he was taken aback to find Meenakshi already there. She was beside her work table, meticulously arranging her belongings. Aditya had anticipated her presence but was surprised by her early arrival, especially given the recent tensions.

  His gaze then fell upon a neatly arranged thali on the table, clearly intended for him as breakfast. Meenakshi, dressed in a saree that comfortably exposed her waist, had her back turned to him, which felt very alluring. As he observed her figure, he shook off the distraction and cleared his throat to announce his presence.

  Meenakshi turned to face him with a warm, charming smile. "Greetings, Your Highness. I hope you have a pleasant day today."

  Aditya returned the greeting, "Greetings, Princess. I hope you have a wonderful day as well." He moved closer to the table to examine the meal. The thali held idli, sambar, and upma which he was familiar with his past life for their popurity as south Indian cuisines. Though he felt a bit of disappointment in absence of dosa but chose to remain polite and not voice his thoughts.

  Meenakshi gestured for him to sit and expined, "I arranged this breakfast for you as an apology for my behavior the other day. I realize now that I should have been more understanding."

  Aditya was genuinely surprised by her gesture. It was an unexpected but welcome change. To his own surprise, he blurted out, "It's alright, Princess. It wasn't a major issue. However, this kind gesture is deeply appreciated."

  Confused about whether it was the food or the alluring sight that influenced his reaction, Aditya, who had been deeply frustrated with her initially, noticed that there was only one thali. He inquired, "Why is there only one thali? Aren't you joining me for breakfast?"

  Meenakshi smiled and replied, "Today is Maha Shivratri, Prince. I am fasting and cannot eat until tomorrow."

  Aditya's eyes lit up but feigned pity. "Oh, that's unfortunate. You should rest, then. I was pnning to take you to the factory today, but we can postpone that until tomorrow."

  Meenakshi's expression turned serious. "The fast does not affect my duties," she replied with determination.

  Aditya felt a pang of regret, realizing, despite her fast she was still committed to stick with her for the factory visit. This will make things hard for him. Maintaining a wide smile, he finished his meal and then both of them set off for the factory.

  On the trip, Aditya brought 300 cavalrymen along and took the opportunity to expin the dos and don'ts of the factory visit in an attempt to change Meenakshi's mind. However, the princess remained rigid about seeing the factory firsthand.

  As they entered the cannon factory, Meenakshi was struck by the sight before her. The rge grounds were filled with numerous enclosed areas, each housing different foundries where the parts of cannon take shape. In her southern empire, they had smithies, but none of this scale or sophistication.

  She observed the organized workers, who went about their tasks with a focused efficiency, regardless of the comings and goings around them. The heat and smell of iron were uncomfortable, but her curiosity about the advanced technology the northerners boasted was undeterred.

  As they navigated through the byrinth of chambers and corridors, Meenakshi was impressed by the level of order maintained within the factory. The use of water wheels for semi-automated forging and smelting was particurly intriguing to her. She had seen water wheels used for irrigation but had never imagined their application in a factory setting.

  She had many questions for Aditya, but his serious demeanor prompted her to hold off until a more suitable time. Finally, they reached the chamber of the chief architect, where the overpowering stench of wine almost made her puke in disgust.

  As the door creaked open, Aditya was surprised to find Mathew engrossed in the designs, making his own notes. Mathew's face lit up with delight upon seeing Aditya, but his expression quickly soured when he noticed a girl standing nearby.

  "Hey, brat... " Mathew's tone shifted abruptly. "Don't tell me you got married and came for blessings?" He gnced at Meenakshi from head to toe and commented, "And why is she hiding her face?"

  Aditya turned to see Meenakshi hiding her nose. Fbbergasted and trying to shield herself from the overwhelming stench, she hid behind him and buried her face in his kurta. Aditya understood her discomfort but knew there was a more pressing issue at hand. Mathew with his arms folded and eyes locked on Aditya, demanded an expnation.

  After the expnation, Mathew burst into ughter and gave Aditya a hearty pat on the back. He then led them to a more comfortable part of his workshop, where the smell of iron and the heat still persisted, but the stench of alcohol was less overpowering.

  Meenakshi's face was flushed red as she sat beside Aditya. She couldn't fathom what had just happened or why she had ended up burying her face in his shirt. She took a deep breath and tried to focus with a smile, but the unrestrained remarks from Mathew only made her discomfort grow.

  "So, she's a visitor, then?" Mathew asked with light tone.

  "And she's sticking with you all day to build trust?" he continued.

  "Damn, she's quite beautiful. Why not make a pair of it? In my opinion, the best way to form an alliance isn't just through trust but through marriage."

  "Stop with the nonsense. I can practically smell the love in air!"

  Aditya's face went pale as he struggled to counter Mathew's comments. Each remark seemed to hit harder than the st, and the final statement made him cringe. All he could smell was the lingering stench of alcohol, and he felt pity for Meenakshi, who had to endure this situation with him.

  Aditya decided to change the subject. "Elder, as much as I'd like to engage in personal matters, we need to focus on the task at hand. Our time is limited, and we need to discuss pending matters." He handed Mathew the parchment and added, "There are some additional requirements."

  Mathew's eyes lit up as he unfolded the parchment. The previous designs had intrigued him, and he was still making notes for the Bessemer process. Seeing the unfamiliar designs, he looked at Aditya expectantly.

  Aditya expined politely, "Elder, these are designs for the types of shots the light cannon with thin barrel much like our falconet cannons can fire. I want you to build them."

  Mathew asked in a stern voice, "Have these been made before?"

  Aditya replied, "No, they haven't. But my master's book contains testimonies that it is a working design, though it requires caution."

  He then expined the functionality of grapeshot and canister shot, and the challenges associated with their testing. He skipped the discussion of grenade design to be pending for ter. The atmosphere turned serious as the discussion progressed.

  To Aditya's surprise, Mathew agreed readily without making a scene, which made Aditya question his judgment. "Alright, brat, I'll take this on. But it will take time since the parts are very sophisticated. A sample might take several weeks. If the Bessemer process is a priority, this will have to wait. Besides, I'll need your help with that too," Mathew said as he folded the parchments. He then stumbled upon the st parchment, looking intrigued. "What's this?"

  Aditya replied humbly, "Since the designs are complex, my master also provided these alternate designs for recommendation. They aim to improve the casting process, as traditional methods would take more time."

  Mathew's eyes widened with interest. "Alright, so this method is supposed to be superior?" he asked.

  Aditya nodded, and as anticipated, Mathew's next question threw the challenge though delivered with a softer tone. "Alright, so tell me, boy, are you familiar with the casting method we currently use?"

  Aditya responded, maintaining his attitude of a disciple, "Yes, elder. We use the sandcasting technique."

  He continued, "Sandcasting involves pouring molten metal into a mold made of sand. A pattern of the object is created and pced in a sand-filled box. The sand is packed around the pattern to form the mold. Once the pattern is removed, molten metal is poured into the cavity. After cooling and solidifying, the sand is broken away to reveal the casting. It's an advanced technique with reliable results."

  Mathew was surprised by the detailed expnation from Aditya. He had only stayed at the factory for two days, but he grasped the concepts as if he were a seasoned trainer.

  Mathew nodded in contemption and then inquired, "Very well, brat. Now, tell me about your proposed method,"

  Meenakshi, though not fully understanding the technical discussion, realized several things: this mad man did not care about royalty, this was not Aditya's first proposal, and perhaps there was a mysterious book that made Aditya so powerful. She remained vigint, not wanting to miss any critical information.

  Aditya expined, "The design in your hand involves the lost wax casting method. Essentially, this technique creates a model of the object in wax. The model is covered in a ceramic shell, which is heated until the wax melts and drains away, leaving a hollow mold. Molten metal is then poured into the mold to form the final object. Once cooled, the ceramic shell is removed to reveal the finished piece."

  He added, "This method allows for more intricate and detailed designs, which could be useful as spare parts for our future endeavors."

  Mathew's eyes lit up. He beamed with excitement as he considered the possibilities. "Then let's get to work!"