The first rain after entering winter finally fell, and it lasted for two days. (From ** Network)
Rolan leaned against his desk, looking at the hazy town outside the window. Rainwater was swept up by the wind, hitting the glass in waves, stirring up ripples. Refracted by the ripples, the town's outline became distorted. The extension of houses and streets bent and deformed, losing their usual neatness. Due to the lack of effective drainage measures, the jagged cobblestone roads were overflowing with water, looking like many shimmering streams from a distance.
The distant mountains and forests were obscured by water mist, looming like a human wonderland.
Such a scene would definitely be a tourist attraction in modern times, but now Rolan would rather see a steel and cement jungle. The construction of the city wall had to be stopped when it rained, which dampened his joy at successfully "dissuading" the fortress envoy the day before.
"You just said that the air around us is made up of many kinds of gases, is that true?"
A clear voice interrupted Rolan's thoughts. Anna blinked her beautiful blue eyes and asked.
"Ahem, Miss Anna, you should use honorifics when addressing His Highness," the chief knight reminded from the side.
"No need to be so particular," Rolan turned around. "She is my student now." Taking advantage of the rain, he called the two witches and Carter to listen to his class—yes, he decided to start a popular science course. The stonemason Karl's idea of starting a college inspired him. Even a stonemason can start a school, let alone a mechanical engineering dog like himself. Why is there discrimination? Isn't it because of ignorance? Popular education is the most effective means to promote civilization in any era.
He originally wanted to call the Minister's assistant as well, but the other party was too busy dealing with government affairs recently and politely declined. For some reason, Rolan felt that Barov was particularly motivated after entering winter, almost single-handedly taking on the daily management of Border Town.
Hearing that there was new knowledge to learn, Anna immediately became radiant, her eyes seemed to gleam with light. NanaWawa was also happy that she didn't have to treat various experimental animals. Carter came to listen with an expression that said, "I'm idle anyway, so I'll just mess around with you."
But not long after the class started, the knight's eyes became scattered. NanaWawa also looked dazed, staring blankly at the words "nature" and "science". Although Anna looked like she understood half of it, she still tried hard to write down everything she heard. Rolan had to pause to let the three digest it for a moment.
To Anna's question, he nodded with a smile, "Of course, even though they look the same."
"Your Highness, I don't understand. Since they look the same, how do you know they are different gases?" Carter questioned this.
"I can prove it to you."
Rolan knew that if he only used words to explain, most people would be dizzy from these mysterious theories. He decided to use a simple experiment to arouse everyone's interest.
A candle, a glass, a wooden basin, a bowl of clear limewater—these were what he had prepared in advance. Although the glass was light brown at this time, far less transparent than the beakers of later generations, it was enough for use. After all, this simple experiment did not require observing the process of change.
Rolan had done it once before, and the results proved that although magic existed in this world, the rest of the natural rules were still the same as on Earth. He asked Anna to light the candle and stand it in the wooden basin.
"Combustion requires consuming a gas, which is also closely related to all life. If we stop breathing, we will be like this candle. Watch carefully," Rolan put the glass over the candle, the flame flickered twice, and soon went out.
"It ran out of air, Your Highness, that's not strange," the chief knight said indifferently. "Of course we will die without air, like falling into water."
NanaWawa nodded repeatedly.
"Then, do you think there is nothing left in the glass?" Rolan asked as he poured limewater into the wooden basin. The water line quickly submerged the mouth of the glass, and finally stopped at half of the glass body.
This experiment is so classic that most elementary school teachers like to use it as an introductory experiment for natural interest classes. Rolan still remembers the teacher's demonstration and explanation on the podium.
brought him a sense of shock, and since then made him embark on the path of science and engineering.
He gently lifted a corner of the glass, and several bubbles instantly came out of the mouth of the glass and emerged from the water.
Then, the clear limewater became slightly turbid, and a small amount of white suspended matter slowly spread out from the mouth of the glass.
"If there was nothing in the glass, we wouldn't see the bubbles and the change in the water surface. This shows that the air contains at least two different gases. In fact, the candle only consumes a part of the air, and the other part cannot participate in combustion. Although it is colorless and tasteless like the former, its properties are completely opposite."
"It...it seems that's the case," Carter took a long time to figure out the relationship between the two. "But what's the use of knowing this?"
"If we can obtain the former gas, we can make the flame burn longer. Similarly, if we obtain the latter gas, we can quickly extinguish the flame!" Anna suddenly said.
What a genius, Rolan praised in his heart. Although there was a small error, being able to immediately associate the separation, purification and use from the different properties of the gases was definitely genius-level. You must know that she has not received any systematic modern education, and being able to quickly think of this is enough to show that her logical ability is extraordinary - at least far better than his chief knight.
"That's right. Since humans learned to use fire, they have separated from animals, and the origin is just an accident. Maybe lightning ignited the trees, or sparks from stone collisions caused the flames. But if no one noticed this, no one tried to use it, we would still be like beasts now," he said earnestly. "The purpose of this experiment is to tell you that curiosity and thinking are the driving forces of human progress. There are many such potential forces in nature, waiting for us to discover and utilize them."
After saying these words, Carter still had a skeptical expression, while NanaWawa was the type who didn't understand but felt it was awesome, staring blankly at Rolan. Only Anna lowered her head, as if thinking about something.
Okay, Rolan sighed. Indeed, concepts that are too advanced will not bring shock, but will only make people feel confused. The height of thought determines that they cannot understand the power of that kind of power. Only when the real thing is placed in front of them will they know how magical the power hidden in nature is.
At this time, the kettle hanging on the mantelpiece rang, it was the sound of steam impacting the lid.
"Ah, the water is boiling," the knight walked over and took out the kettle with a fork, and the sound quickly stopped. He wrapped the handle with a rag and poured water into everyone's cups.
Like this, Rolan reached out and held the cup, feeling the temperature from the wall of the cup. From the first day fire was used, its principle was mature. "Boiling water" has been witnessed and practiced by countless people, but no one thought that these soft and raised wisps of water vapor could contain amazing energy.
This prime mover, which would not be mastered by mankind until hundreds of years later, changed human history in a very short period of time. Although the principle is simple, it is not the first choice for most people's farming due to process problems. But he is different, he thought, there are still witches in this world. Using magic to fight and kill is just the idea of barbarians... using magic to create and replace some key processes that hinder the progress of civilization is the correct way to use it.
After chatting until sunset and having dinner with everyone, Rolan returned to his bedroom.
There is no nightlife in this era, and everyone goes to bed early if they don't procreate. He had also considered whether to use the prince's privilege to recruit a maid to do some exercise, but in the end he was too thin-skinned to say it.
As soon as he lit the candle in the room, he heard a few claps behind him, and then someone started to speak, "What an enlightening lesson. I didn't expect that Fourth Prince Rolan is such a knowledgeable person."
It was a strange woman's voice. Rolan immediately broke out in cold sweat. What else could a stranger who could appear in his room without anyone noticing be other than an assassin!? He rushed to the door, but before he had time to put his hand on the doorknob, a cold wind swept past his ear. When he came back to his senses, a silver-handled bishou was firmly inserted into the door panel, the body of the dagger was only a finger's width away from his cheek.
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