Tyranny of Steel

At the moment, Berengar was standing in Ludwig's workshop looking at what is arguably the most important invention that he had introduced thus far. Sitting in front of Berengar was a piece of technology that was critical to the industrial age.

This essential feat of engineering was the steam engine. The steam engine was a machine that operated using water and coal to produce steam; the steam created was then used to push a piston back and forth. This pushing force could then be used for work by attaching a connecting rod and flywheel.

With this piece of engineering, trains could be built, oil could be pumped, workshops could be powered, canals could be easily dredged, fields could be plowed without beasts of burden, etc. The limitations for such technology were far fewer than what he currently used to power his Kingdom's industry.

When Berengar saw the device standing in front of him, he clasped Ludwig on the shoulder and gave the man a thumbs up while smiling from ear to ear.

"Ludwig, my friend, you have truly outdone yourself this time. With this invention and all those that follow its principles, we will rule this world!"

Ludwig chuckled when he heard this exaggerated remark and shook off Berengar's grip before commenting on Berengar's words.

"My friend, without your designs, this never would have been possible! So what will you use this for?"

In response to this, Berengar walked over to the machine and activated it. Before long, it began to power up, and as it did, exhaust began to fill the air; after a few moments, Berengar deactivated the device before expressing his immediate plans for the future.

"Well, for starters, we are going to be upgrading all of our factories to operate with machines powered by these devices. After we do this, the amount of labor we will need will vastly decrease. We will be able to produce all of our products with increased precision and efficiency.

I want to upgrade the Arms factories first. I will be giving you a list of designs for weapons production equipment that operate under steam power. When you have upgraded your facilities, let me know, and I will give you some new blueprints to work with. We have a few years before the Crusaders invade, and I want my armies prepared for it!"

Ludwig nodded his head in agreement with Berengar's vision for the future. Though he was proud of his needle rifle, it would appear that Berengar was one step ahead of him. However, Berengar's following words caught him by surprise.

"Continue to manufacture the needle rifles to the best of your ability during this transition. We will likely be going to war again within the next six months. So I want all of our troops fielded with those weapons. You have no idea how much they helped in the final days of our War for Independence."

Ludwig immediately began to salute Berengar before responding in the affirmative.

"Yes, your Majesty!"

After saying this, Berengar laid out a series of blueprints for use in his arms factories. He had been working on these designs in his spare time for many years. Among these plans were advanced lathes, steam hammers, cold hammer-forging machines, among many other designs needed to make the arms and munitions for Austria's army.

Ludwig looked over all these plans in shock; he honestly did not know how Berengar continued to produce new technology every year, each one more advanced than the last. Despite his natural curiosity, he knew not to ask such a question and instead nodded his head as he studied the blueprints; while doing so, he commented on the ability to renovate their weapons and munitions factories.

"Give me a few months, and I will have all of Kufstein's military factories outfitted with such machinery. By the time you send your armies to war, they will be equipped with whatever new equipment you instruct me to produce!"

Upon hearing this, Berengar smiled and patted the older man on his back; after doing so, he changed the subject to something more casual.

"So, how about we go get a drink to celebrate? It has been a while since I have had the time to discuss matters of life with you."

In response to this Ludwig chuckled, before sighing heavily; after doing so, he shook his head; this action caught Berengar off guard, however after hearing the words that followed, Berengar felt bitter.

"Apologies, your majesty, but I have way too much work to handle. I am getting on in years, and I need to make sure my son can replace me when I decide to retire. After all, you need someone competent to manage your arms industry after I am long dead, and unfortunately, most of my management team is not up to the task."

Wen Berengar heard this. He smiled bitterly; too many of his friends were substantially older than himself. Not only was Ludwig considerably older than the young Monarch, but his Field Marshal Eckhard was also starting to age.

Out of all of his friends, they were two of the closest. When they finally retired or passed away, Berengar would be left without the support of the two capable men by his side. However, Berengar did not want to dwell on such a future and smiled before responding to Ludwig's comments.

"Alright, we will have to drink together some other time. I look forward to your progress; if you have any questions, please send word to the Palace. I will try to make time out of my busy schedule to aid you in your endeavors."

After hearing this, Ludwig nodded before responding to the young Monarch.

"I wish you all the best, your majesty..."

With this said, Berengar departed from the Industrial District of Kufstein and headed back to his Palace. Now that the steam engine was created, there were many other areas of industry that needed upgrading. Thus he immediately entered his study and began to search through the various blueprints he had developed over the years in his spare time.

After delving through his study's files as if it were a labyrinth, Berengar finally came across two critical blueprints that he had drafted some time ago. The steam-powered loom was the first essential component of his soon-to-be-established mechanized textile industry.

When combined with the self-acting mule, Berengar would vastly reduce the number of workers needed to manufacture textiles of all kinds. These employees could then be used in other required jobs within his newly industrialized society.

Berengar gazed upon these plans with a wide smile on his face. For now, he simply needed to know where they were located. He had no intentions to immediately hand these blueprints over to his garment district, after all, it would be some time before his arms factories were modernized, and the number of steam engines he could field in the near future was small. Thus he had to prioritize which sectors would be mechanized first.

Berengar knew it would take months before Kufstein's weapons factories were fully mechanized and years before all of Austria followed its path. It was only after the former had been achieved that he intended to introduce these blueprints to his textile sector.

With this in mind, Berengar put his designs away in a safe and memorable place before departing from his study. The moment he did, so he saw Adela standing outside the door with a tray of cookies and milk in her hands. Berengar was surprised to see the young maiden at his study so late into the evening; despite his concerns, he immediately allowed her inside. It was clear that she had something on her mind to discuss.

After sitting back down at his desk, Berengar made space for the tray of the desert, where he instantly began to snack on a ginger snap. As he did so, he commented on Adela's arrival.

"What brings you to my study at this hour?"

Adela sat down next to Berengar and stared him in the eyes before uttering the words.

"We need to talk..."

Berengar swallowed the bit of cookie he had bitten into and drained it down with a gulp of milk before asking the question on his mind.

"What about?"

As Adela heard this, she instantly became fidgety as she played with her fingers. After doing so for several moments, she decided it would be best to blurt out her concerns and get it over with.

"Did you buy engagement rings for Linde and Honoria?"

When Berengar heard this, he instantly became aware of what Adela was afraid of, and as such, grasped ahold of her dainty hands and looked into her deep sapphire eyes before nodding his head silently. After a few moments of silence, he began to explain his reasoning.

"The truth is, during the night of my coronation, I negotiated my marriage to Honoria with her father. Seeing that she and I are now officially engaged, I thought it was inappropriate for her to walk around without a symbol of our union."

Adela bit her lip ever so slightly as she heard this before nodding her head. She understood the reasons for doing so, though she wasn't happy about it. In her mind, The Byzantine Emperor discovering Honoria's presence forced Berengar to negotiate for their engagement. However, she still had her doubts about the situation at hand, and as such, asked the second thought she had on her mind.

"What about Linde? You gave her one too?"

In response to this, Berengar scratched the back of his neck and told Adela the truth of the matter behind his decision to do so.

"Since I had decided that I was going to give Honoria a ring, I knew that I added to give Linde one as well. After all, she is my second wife and the mother of my children. It would break her heart if I only got Honoria an engagement ring."

After saying this, Berengar grabbed ahold of Adela and shoved her into his embrace. While doing so, he stroked her golden hair gently before reassuring her of the position she held in his heart.

"You don't need to worry so much, my little Adela. You will always be my main wife. In a matter of days, we will be married, and you will be the High Queen of Austria, and when we do, I promise to spend our entire wedding night with you alone. By the time I marry Linde and Honoria as my second and third wives, we will already be man and wife for several months."

After hearing this, Adela began to smile; she liked the idea of lording this fact over her rivals' heads for a few months. As such, she wrapped her arms around Berengar's neck and began to kiss him passionately. It was only after several moments did Adela break apart from Berengar's loving embrace, where she spoke in a playful tone.

"Okay... Since you said it, I am going to hold you to your words!"

Berengar smiled in response to his fiancee's determination before responding in an equally spirited tone.

"I wouldn't have it any other way!"

After saying that, Adela picked up the tray she had arrived with and left Berengar by his lonesome. Though she wanted to spend the night with him, she had made a promise to herself that she would only do so after they had gotten married. Besides, she had gotten the reassurance that she had needed.

Though Berengar had no way of knowing it, his words on this night would inspire Adela to take a more assertive approach to his other wives. As Berengar had said, Adela would be his primary wife, and she decided it was about time to act like it.