The sun is hidden behind thick clouds, my window is foggy, and the fireplace has been lit for a while now. My workshop is lively, however. Everyone had decided to start early, a few of them scattered around the workshop while the rest were stationed on the oval desk in the middle of the room, going over the last revision of the translated books we brought with us.
Going to a foreign country requires more preparation than I anticipated, and despite Tanerian's ability to speak Esterian fluently, it is still difficult to translate books and scientific papers. It is one thing to know how to communicate your daily needs, and it's a completely different one to use scientific terms and use proper academic language. I am not complaining. I love my job, more than anything, and I will go to extreme lengths to ensure that my work is well-done and well-presented.
My team consists of a variety of people, all graduates of The Academy Of Tanery, all very excellent in their field of expertise. Many of them had the opportunity to travel and widen their horizons, meeting and experimenting with world-wide scholars. The Academy provides the best education one could receive all over the world, yet a few scientists refused to tie themselves to one place, no matter how much funds or privileges they were offered. Some refused due to The Academy's policy regarding social rank, since anyone can attend as long as they can pass a written exam. Some others simply do not want to teach, even if it gives them access to research equipment, funds, and most-importantly students who are willing to experiment and do the most-tiring work when it comes to research: Theory. I am an experimentalist at heart, I love to spend all of my time in laboratories, recording every try, every error, every failure, guessing why things went wrong and how to make them go right.
I do not know my team individually, I know of their work and achievements, yet I met most of them only weeks before our departure. Being head of the research department of the Tanerian troops gives me the opportunity to interact with a big variety of researchers. My work consists of designing and supervising the production of weapons, as well as developing gadgets, fabrics and armors that accommodate our knights' needs and give them the most comfortable experience.
In normal circumstances I would not need to bring my team to the battlefield and stay throughout the whole thing, battles and war included. I would only need to go on an expedition and take notes, then head back to our headquarters in Tanery and work there. However due to the foreign weather and new geophysical properties we needed to be closer, and stay as long as needed. So far all is good, so far my work plan is unfolding smoothly and my team is a godsent. What I do dislike however is Hebron's intervention. This could've been an easy mission, good cooperation is to be expected of an ally, right? But no, he decided to use it for his own benefits. Alright then, he can, but I will do it too.
I sat by Reina as she glued the four, thinly sliced wooden tablets together, boxing the interior structure of my newest baby in an appropriately looking gadget. The design is quite simple, all you need is some wind and warm water. The back of it has adjustable slits to control the intensity of the ventilation, something we needed to add after three failed models, two broke because the wind was too strong that it shattered the wooden pieces apart, the last one, the previous version of the one we have at hand, had barely any room for movement that we had to tear it apart and alter it in a way that allows consistent airflow through its parts.
"Ready?" asked a beaming Reina.
I nodded, pouring steaming hot water on the ceramic dish, then we carefully carried them to the window facing south. We carefully placed them on the windowsill and adjusted the slits to the medium setting. We waited, a strong wind came through the window, and the wooden pieces circulating a small disk in the middle started moving, too fast. Soon there was enough wind going through the small vent that water started spreading around us. We adjusted the slits again, this time to its minimum setting, and the result was exactly what I anticipated. The wind coming through the vent was not too strong, which meant only few droplets and some vapour were carried in the air. I quickly fetched a small rosy scent I had in my pocket, dripping some of it on the dish. Soon the room smelled like roses, the air felt misty and moist, and I was beyond happy with the results.
Reina hugged me, overjoyed, the sound of her squeals filling the workshop as we got cheers from our colleagues. How good it feels to have a product turn out your way, especially on such short notice. We have been working on it since dawn, we headed here right after prayer and never left this spot. My maid delivered some snacks all morning, then trays of lunch when it was noon. We sat on the floor, had bites in between tasks, but it was all worth it.
What's left is for me to request a wooden plate to be placed on one of the carriage's windows, with an opening big enough to contain my creation.