Empire Ascension: The Rise of the Fated One-Chapter 239: Glass production Part -2

Bhulpur village, glass factory, Delhi

The office chamber was lined with wooden shelves stacked with documents. In the remaining open space, there was a solitary wooden chair and a table cluttered with a few documents, a quill, and an inkpot. Aditya sat on the chair, bathed in the golden rays of the setting sun streaming through the window, which illuminated his desk and the room with a warm glow.

Bheem, his royal guard, stood to his right in chainmail armor, while Ashutosh, his newly appointed assistant for managing firms and a recently titled merchant noble, stood to his left. The small group of artisans and officials gathered around them waited in tense anticipation, with some among them visibly more anxious than others.

Aditya began, "Today’s unfortunate accident was an eye-opening and embarrassing incident. Upon investigation, I discovered that the factory lacks proper quality assessment. Despite clear guidelines for maintaining uniform scales, the artisans have been using their own measurements. This negligence compels me to introduce new rules to steer the factory in a better direction."

The room fell silent, the tension palpable. News of former Chief Artisan Govind’s temporary removal had already spread, and the group feared what severe measures might be announced next.

Aditya continued, "I’ve decided to create a new role in the factory: Quality Manager. This position will rank just below the Chief Artisan and come with a salary four times that of a regular artisan. The Quality Manager will be responsible for monitoring the quality of mixtures, inspecting the condition of equipment, overseeing the exchange of goods, and ensuring adherence to uniform scales on a daily basis. This will be their sole duty."

A murmur of excitement rippled through the crowd.

"Only checking quality? Nothing more?"

"What a blessing—no hazardous tasks anymore!"

"Is it true, Prince? Will the person really be responsible only for these duties?"

Aditya nodded but then added after a brief pause, "Yes, but since quality assessment is critical, any negligence leading to damages will result in deductions from their salary, proportional to the loss caused."

The excitement quickly turned to unease. The artisans exchanged uneasy glances, realizing the heavy responsibility and the risk of salary cuts in case of mistakes.

Scanning the crowd, Aditya asked, "Does anyone wish to volunteer, or shall I appoint a skilled professional from my connections?"

No one responded. The offer was tempting, but the potential penalties were daunting. The silence lingered until Govind stepped forward.

"Your Highness, I volunteer for the role. With my years of experience, I believe I’m the most suitable candidate," Govind said.

Aditya frowned. "If you’re so skilled, how did the accident happen under your supervision?"

Govind remained silent, unable to defend himself.

Aditya sighed. "I suppose I shouldn’t be too harsh. Since you were the Chief Artisan, it’s expected you handled multiple responsibilities. This time, focus solely on quality. Coordinate with Harihar, who will now take over as the Chief Artisan."

Harihar, stunned by the sudden promotion, stammered, "Your Highness, am I really the Chief Artisan now?"

Aditya raised an eyebrow. "What? Don’t you want the position?"

Harihar quickly shook his head, then nodded. "No! I mean, yes! Thank you, Your Highness. I will not let you down."

"You’d better not," Aditya remarked, leaning back. Stretching slightly, he added, "Now, before I propose further changes, do any of you have ideas on refining the glass? The quality is decent, but it doesn’t meet my requirements. I need it more polished and fine."

Harihar responded instantly, "We can try, Your Highness, but do you have a sample for reference?"

Aditya produced a optical lens which was a ’prince-nez’ design spectacle’s part and showed it to everyone before handing it over. Its polished surface shimmered in the light, and the artisans were astonished.

"This is incredible," Harihar muttered as he passed the lens around. Others examined it with a mix of awe and apprehension.

Aditya explained, "This is called lens and it belongs to a Portuguese friend of mine. I need lenses of similar quality produced within five days."

The group was stunned. For most of them, this was their first time seeing such a lens, let alone attempting to replicate it.

Govind spoke hesitantly, "Your Highness, we might manage to grind glass into similar curves, but achieving such fine polish will be challenging."

Aditya nodded thoughtfully. "You can try adding lime to the mixture. If you’re using it for coloration, adjust the ratio with clay and see the results. Also, your bellows are substandard—you’ll need consistent high temperatures to liquefy the glass, which melts at the same temperature as steel (1400°C). Replace your blowing pipes, and for molding, use ceramic rods to stir the molten glass to avoid air bubbles. For annealing, rinse the sheets in water. I don’t know the exact ratios or apparatus, so you’ll need to experiment."

Everyone was stunned and amazed by the prince’s deep knowledge, but Aditya was himself unaware of the awe-inspiring aura he was inflicting. He considered it normal and lucky for him, given his royal position, that no one dared to talk back after they saw him handling Govind’s case roughly. Thanks to that, he was saved from over-explanation, and the conversation remained normal and the atmosphere stable, at least in his presence.

Harihar returned the lens, asking, "How many days do we have?"

Aditya replied, "Produce a suitable sample as soon as possible. If anyone succeeds, I will award an additional bonus equivalent to twice their monthly salary."

The room erupted in excitement.

"Twice the salary?!"

"A bonus too?!"

Aditya smirked and raised the stakes. "And if someone provides me ten lenses of varying sizes and curvatures, I’ll award them six months’ bonus."

The group gasped in astonishment.

"Six months’ bonus?!"

"The Prince is wise!"

"Long live the Prince!"

Aditya stood up, waving off the meeting. He patted Ashutosh on the shoulder. "Contact him and inform him of any raw materials or tools needed. He’ll provide them as soon as possible." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Ashutosh nodded and bowed respectfully.

As Aditya left with Bheem, he gave one final piece of advice. "Do whatever it takes—team up if necessary. I don’t care how you get it done, as long as it doesn’t violate personal safety or damage resources. And if something goes wrong, don’t blame me or try to avoid the penalty."

Stepping outside, Aditya could still hear the cheers of the crowd lingering behind him. The sun was almost set, casting a golden hue over the land. Turning to Bheem, he asked, "Give me a massage, my friend. It’s been a long and hectic day."

Bheem immediately refused. "In your dreams. There are plenty of maids and servants around. You want me to do it? Shame on you."

Aditya chuckled, then paused, recalling the last massage he had received in this life. The sensation lingered warmly in his memory, her soft hands still fresh in his mind. "Hmm, you’re right. You’re more suited to being beaten than comforted."

The two friends bantered, making their way toward the escort waiting outside.