Chapter 115 - Rotational Wheel and Bearing (2/2)

“Not yet.” Rebecca swung her hand. “We’re waiting for you to go test it! But Aunt Heidi had already tested all its individual parts, all done according to the blueprints, and they could achieve the corresponding effect. There should be no problem—”

“Stop talking. Let’s get moving.” Gawain could not suppress his excitement anymore. Dragging Rebecca, he headed to the outside of the brick-kiln yard; only halfway through did he remember that there was also a ball. Thus, he turned back and gestured. “You come too, you come too — Take a look at the good stuff we designed!”

Probably no one would’ve imagined that the ‘assembly shop’ of the first-generation Magic Powered Engine would be simple and crude to this extent.

It was a wooden shed located beside Cecil Steelworks. Other than having some soldiers keeping guard, one completely wouldn’t notice any difference between this and the other sheds. There was also nothing that could make one associate it with high technology or sophisticated magic. Except for the most precise part of the runes which were completed in Heidi’s laboratory, all the remaining parts of the Magic Powered Engine relied on the blacksmiths and rune craftsmen to hammer into shape with their hands. Therefore, there were neither machine tools nor precision molds here. Rebecca and Heidi led the craftsmen to complete the manufacturing process of the prototype machine through the most primitive and most strenuous way.

If there wasn’t magic in this world to aid them, especially Heidi’s flame and sculpturing spells that were of significant help, the final assembly and welding work of the prototype machine would probably also be a problem.

Regardless of the world, the birth of any invention didn’t come easy.

In the empty central space of the ‘assembly shop’, a big piece of burlap covered the object that was less than two meters tall. Its outline was rather peculiar. Gawain could vaguely make out that it was probably the sprocket wheel structure under one of the slightly bigger projecting pieces, but its true features were still being covered.

The old blacksmith Hummel and Heidi both stood beside this prototype machine. There were also some other people standing beside them: amongst them were Hummel’s apprentices, while two others were rune craftsmen from the capital who’d just joined the territory.

“Rebecca insisted on running to get you herself.” Heidi nodded towards Gawain slightly apologetically. “This child is simply a little impetuous.”

“She wanted to inform me of this good news personally. It’s understandable.” Gawain took a breath in and looked toward the prototype machine. “Lift it. Let me take a look.”

Heidi waved her hand. A translucent Sculpture Hand then emerged in the air and lifted the piece of cloth.

It was an odd-looking machine beneath it.

It had vague traces as a ‘distant relative’ of a real one on Earth, with a large sprocket wheel as well as the connecting rods, cranks, and crankshafts that were connected to the wheel. Yet, it was entirely different from any motive-power machine from Earth in Gawain’s memories — there was no cylinder, but in its place was a ‘Repulsion mechanism’ in the middle of the machine composed of a sliding rail, piston, and base. That piston was a square piece of metal with four sliding rails cutting through its four corners and fixed on a base on the two ends. Shimmering magic circles could be seen on the side of the base that was facing the piston, and on the outer edges of the two Repulsion magic circles were runes that extended outward. A rectangular metal plate connected the two Repulsion magic circles. The rune-trigger structure and one of the Repulsion magic circles remained linked, while this metal plate was also connected to the crankshaft of the sprocket wheel through the connecting rod and prod mechanism.

Each time the crankshaft turned more than half a circle, the rune trigger would be prodded. The corresponding runes would connect to one of the Repulsion magic circles until the crankshaft moved past the remaining half of the circle. The rune trigger would then leave this magic circle and enter the linking range of another magic circle, activating the Repulsion mechanism opposite it…

Other than the rune trigger used to ‘toggle the direction of repulsion’, there was another rune trigger controlling the ‘total energy’ of the two magic circles. It also relied on the control of the connecting rod, and this rod was located on the side of this machine.

The special Repulsion mechanism allowed this machine to not require an air-cylinder structure, which also evaded the highest threshold of precision — mechanical precision. Replacing that was the demand for the precision of the magic runes, and that happened to be the specialty of ‘this world’.

Heidi was rather absorbed as she stared at the Magic Powered Engine before her. It had an outer appearance and inner mechanization that were entirely different from any magic article in this world. Even though she’d participated in the manufacturing of this engine, she still could not help but blank out at this moment. However, she returned to her senses very quickly and looked at Gawain. “Lord Ancestor, please push down the gear.”

This place was located on the fringes of Cecil Steelworks. The engine was totally able to receive the energy from the Magic Web here. Although there weren’t any of those ‘amplification boards’ from the Cecil Steelworks yard to boost the efficiency of the transfer of energy, for a low-power validation machine, this energy was enough.

However, Gawain shook his head. “We designed this together. You two come with me.”

Heidi appeared to be slightly hesitant, while Rebecca didn’t even give it much thought; she could no longer repress her curiosity. With Gawain’s permission, she scurried over to the machine and even gestured fervently. “Aunt Heidi, come quickly!”

Heidi smiled. Setting down all hesitations, she walked to Gawain’s side.

Three hands were placed together on the handle controlling the total energy. Then, Gawain counted to three, and the trio used force to push the handle down.

The magic circuit was instantly connected. The Repulsion mechanism which was the core of the engine was lit up; then one of the magic circles brightened. That simple and crude ‘steel piston’ started moving slowly before everyone’s eyes.

It seemed that because it was setting the heavy sprocket wheel in motion, its initial movement was very slow. But when the sprocket wheel began moving, the piston swiftly shifted to the end of the entire Repulsion mechanism. The rune trigger used for toggling also took effect. The magic circle to first light up was extinguished, while another Repulsion magic circle lit up almost simultaneously.

The sprocket wheel spun an entire round; then it went faster and faster and faster. Though accompanied by a loud noise and forceful shaking, the entire machine really began to operate!