A few weeks have passed and Henry never once left the grounds of Lioncrest Kingdom.
If he's not in his office, he could be found roaming the castle with a snack in his hand. If that's not the case, he would be outside the castle grounds inspecting a few parts of the Kingdom.
One of the things that Henry instantly made to improve was the sewer system of Lioncrest. He wanted Lioncrest to be the first society to kickstart technology and electricity.
So he gathered the kingdom's smartest minds and gave each one a stack of paper containing everything he could barely remember from his previous society.
Thanks to his talented mind, he was able to recall how the sewage system works and how human feces can be used to produce methane gas. However, no matter how talented he is, he couldn't exactly replicate the entire modernity of his previous world in a single sitting.
Hence why he gathered all the smart minds. By giving them the outlines of his ideas, he was hoping that their combined minds would be able to fill in the blanks until the sewage system and methane gas extraction technology worked.
At first, they were skeptical of his methods. So to prove that Methane Gas exists. Henry grabbed a pig's bladder, filled it with feces, mixed it with water and plant fibers before closing the opening and punching a small hole that he plugged with a cloth.
Usually he only needs to mix it with water since a sludge-like feces are what actually produces methane gas, but to encourage the anaerobic bacteria to stay active and boost the gas production, he added plant fibers for the bacteria to break down in the meantime.
He then left it to sit in a warm place, particularly near the fireplace of the castle. He left it there for a whole week before finally showing it to the future scientists of Lioncrest. They were surprised to see it bloated compared to the last time they saw it but knowing that their own King wouldn't scam them like this, they kindly asked him for an explanation out of curiosity rather than suspicion.
Henry then explained how Methane Gas is systematically produced through the aforementioned method above. Their skepticism was soon replaced with shock when Henry unplugged the cloth and hovered a wooden stick on fire near the opening.
In front of their eyes, a consistent pale blue flame was lit on the opening. It stayed there for a whole minute as Henry went on to describe the deeper levels of methane gas to them.
Only when the pig's bladder slowly inflated did the blue flame turn small and eventually subside.
Henry didn't need to further clarify everything as he could see through their eyes that they've already realized the sheer potential of the methane gas they just witnessed.
"Remember when I proposed storing all of our Kingdom's citizens' dungs in large containers? I was 8 back then and people called me an idiot for it. Now, 10 years have passed and I'm sure I don't need to go into further details, you all already know where I'm getting at this." Henry leaned back in his chair and watched them scramble out of his office with the stacks of papers in their hands.
During this era and age, smart and curious minds towards the logic of things and how the world works aren't as appreciated as those with smarts built only for war and strategies.
And Henry will make sure that being a scientist will be admired by everyone in the entire world one day.
As for the possible conflicts between magicians and scientists in the future? Henry will leave that problem to his future self. Surely there would be a way for magic and science to coexist.
Putting the sewage system aside, Henry also invested huge amounts of funds for the development and structure of the medical department. As of now, only druids, pellars, magicians, and church healers were known to be the only few options when local folks needed healing and medic.
Honestly, aside from the first three, the latter one is the least effective since church healers don't do anything to help you heal aside from feeding you herbs and such while praying for the god to help you recover, that's it.
Henry wanted to invent the existence of doctors as early as possible. He doesn't know much about medicine but he's aware of how penicillin was invented or at least the gist of it.
"I'll write a paper about bacteria and germs first. It's impossible to prove them at this current age but if I write the logical part of their existence, it should be enough for Pellars to start researching. Matter of fact, I might even ask for Elias's help in this part. He should have some sort of magic to zoom into things…"
Henry decided to put the penicillin part on hold first. The advancements in medicine at this current age are greatly lacking. Even with his talent and photographic memory, he hasn't exactly dived deep into researching penicillin in his previous life, so he couldn't exactly replicate it right now.
"What I can do is to kickstart the study of medicine. All I know is that penicillin was first discovered from a mold or something…was it discovered on a petri dish or something?"
Rubbing his chin, Henry grabbed a piece of parchment, a ballpoint pen, and started scribbling on the paper. With the window open where a ray of sunlight was kissing him, Henry didn't feel tired nor hand fatigue from hours of writing.
Only a knock on the door snapped him back to reality. Raising his head, he stared at the stack of paper in front of him and tilted his head to the side, "Come in!"
There was a click and Elsa entered through the door.
"Still here huh? You know I'm getting worried for Arendelle, their supposed Queen has been gone for several weeks."
Elsa dismissed his words with a wave of her hand, "That's why I already sent Anna and Kristoff back home. She'll manage the Kingdom in my stead."
Henry raised an eyebrow, "Sounds to me like you're saying that I'm more important than your Kingdom…."
Elsa scoffed, lifting his hands and sitting on his lap, her breast facing his face, she then arranged his two hands around her waist, "More important? I don't think so, but as important? Yes, yes you are."
"So, what are you working on this time?" Shifting around, she turned to face the table, Henry's hands still roaming her bare skin, one hand cupping a breast.
"Medicine. Elias and I wouldn't always be available to help the people whenever they get sick and ill. And I doubt the healers in the church are as effective as they say they are."
Elsa softly moaned as Henry pinched one of her nipples, "S-So…You're developing medicine now, huh? Are you sure you're not making poison for the people?"
Knowing that she was just teasing him, Henry grinned and pulled the pinched nipple, earning yet another but louder moan from her, "Say that again, my princess."
"A-Ahh~ I was just…joking, Henry."
"Now that you're here and you've interrupted my work. How's it going between you and Ariel and Rapunzel? Still giving trouble to them?" Seeing her go silent, Henry sighed.
"Look, I know when I said that you're my number one priority, I mean it but I hope you consider their feelings here. You're not a bad person, Elsa. You know that yourself."
Elsa pouted, "So now you're taking their side?" She crossed her arms and looked away.
Henry mentally facepalmed, "That's not what I…"
"I know I know. I guess I'm just being cruel to them at this point." She sighed in defeat, guilt spreading across her face.
"I mean, they're not as bad as I initially thought. These past few weeks, they've proven they'll stay with you even in your lowest point, just like I do. And I'm starting to see them as my sisters, kinda like Anna but more annoying, especially that Ariel, how did that redhead even fall to your charms?"
Henry shrugged his shoulders, "Honestly, even I have no idea. Whenever I look at myself in the mirror, I would come to question my orientation."
Elsa playfully elbowed him on his chest, "You jest!"
"Oh please, you know I'm not lying." Now Henry pinched two and she giggled with a moan.
———
[The Western Great Kingdom, Umber Kingdom]
"Your Majesty. We have prolonged our skirmishes long enough! It's time to strike them while they're at their lowest point. The new King doesn't even dare to step out of his castle grounds anymore. Perhaps he's afraid the same assassins who killed his father would do him next!"
"He's right. Your Majesty, just say the word and our great Generals would march to trample Lioncrest Kingdom under your banner!"
The said generals puffed up their chests, their aged faces filled with determination to serve their Kingdom, "Just say the word, Your Majesty."
Sitting atop the throne in front of them was a middle-aged man, his posture was slack, like someone who was exhausted.
The King was silent for a few seconds, his eyes observing each of his subjects in the room. Finally, a few seconds later he announced his verdict.
"Send a messenger instead. Tell that boy that we have received a proposal to ally with the other Great Kingdoms to go into war against him. If he pays us 2 million gold, 2,000 women, and the head of Elias the Dreaded Magician. In exchange for those things, we won't enter their war." The King grinned as he leaned back to his throne.
The advisors looked at one another, a tacit understanding flashing between them.
"That's so smart of you, Your Majesty!"
"That's right! Instead of sharing the profit when Lioncrest falls from the war, why not just take a big cut of the cake ourselves in the first place?"
While the King of Umber basked under the praise and compliments of his subjects, the other Great Kingdoms weren't idle either.
[The Eastern Great Kingdom, Xingdu Dynasty, Imperial Palace]
The Xingdu Emperor sat on a soft cushion, being fed grapes and other delicacies by his Court Ladies. In front of him, a Eunuch welcomed a guest inside.
The guest was a man with a slightly larger stature, a fierce expression, and a mutton-chop beard that extended just below his nose. He wore a black vest with red linings and a scabbard attached to his side. He strode in with a confident yet tired posture.
When the Emperor saw who it was, his face turned vivid, "General Li! It's been a while since you visited me. How's your son, Shang? Still causing you headaches?"
General Li chuckled and shook his head, "My Emperor, Shang is doing just fine. In fact, I've already sent him to recruit soldiers from nearby villages for our battle against the Hun General, Shan Yu."
The Emperor clicked his tongue after hearing that, "Shan Yu. Is that man still standing on his two feet? General Li, I hope by the end of this year, Shan Yu will no longer be a problem, understood?"
General Li bowed his head, "As you command, My Emperor. But if you don't mind me asking."
"Speak."
"Is there any particular reason why you want Shan Yu off the board as soon as possible?"
"…Leave us." The Emperor glanced at his Eunuch and the lady servants around him. Both of them watched them as they left the room.
When they did, the Emperor spoke again, "I've received news that Lioncrest Kingdom will soon be thrown in the middle of the war once again. With their old King dead, replaced by a boy, those Hyenas wanted to take as much of the cake as possible."
The Emperor smirked, "And I swear to the heavens that I'll be taking the largest bite out of them. So spare a few of your good men to harass their borders, is that understood?"
General Li mentally furrowed his eyebrows but didn't dare to speak out, "Yes, My Emperor."